"Life often places us at a crossroads, where the decisions we resist the most lead us to the paths we were always meant to walk."

Aarav Sharma had always been the ideal son. At 28, he was a rising star in the world of AI engineering, working at a prestigious tech company in San Francisco. His days were consumed by algorithms, code, and deadlines, with little room for anything else. He had always placed his career first, believing that love and marriage would follow naturally in due time, once he was “settled.” For now, he wasn’t interested in anything else.

However, his family had other ideas. His four sisters, especially the eldest, Nisha, constantly nudged him toward the idea of marriage. They had been trying to set him up with potential brides for months. Each time, Aarav skillfully dodged the subject. “I’m not ready,” he would say. “My work is my priority right now.”

This tactic worked for a while, but his family wasn’t backing down. They were insistent that he find a suitable match. The pressure grew, especially when his mother sent a message one evening: “Aarav, we’ve found someone for you. Sanvi Pathak. She’s perfect for you. Please consider it.”

The name sounded vaguely familiar to Aarav, but he hadn’t really paid attention. Another name, another proposal, he thought. He quickly skimmed through the message, ignoring the rest of the details.

I’m not ready for this, he thought, sighing as he put the phone down.

The next few days brought more persistent messages from his family. Nisha, who seemed to take charge of his marital affairs, wouldn’t let up.

“Aarav, this girl Sanvi is amazing. She’s well-educated, from a respectable family, and I’m sure you’ll like her.”

Aarav rolled his eyes and replied: “I’m busy, Nisha. I told you, I’m not thinking about marriage right now.”

But his words never stopped the flow of messages. His sisters sent reminders, almost as if to say, you can’t avoid this forever. His father called him, his mother sent messages, all pushing the idea of marriage. They didn’t seem to understand that he simply wasn’t interested. He was content with his life the way it was.

Meanwhile, in Pune, Sanvi Pathak, a 23-year-old cybersecurity professional, was facing a similar situation. Sanvi was ambitious, driven, and focused on her career. She had just begun to make a name for herself at a growing startup, and marriage wasn’t on her radar. Yet, like Aarav, the pressure from her family to settle down had started.

Her parents, traditional and loving, had begun dropping hints about marriage. As the eldest daughter, Sanvi knew the expectations were higher for her. But, she had always dreamed of love, not an arranged marriage. Still, when her mother began mentioning Aarav Sharma—a successful, highly educated man from a well-off family—Sanvi couldn’t help but listen.

Her mother showed her his picture, spoke about how well he was doing in America, and how perfect he seemed. “Sanvi, he seems like the one. You should meet him,” her mother insisted. But Sanvi wasn’t convinced. She wanted something more than just an arrangement, more than just a name and a picture. She wanted a connection, not a compromise.

Despite her hesitation, Sanvi agreed to meet him, but she had no intention of letting it go further. In her mind, it was just a formality. She wasn’t interested in marrying a stranger, no matter how perfect he seemed on paper.

Just like Aarav, Sanvi wasn’t ready for this marriage discussion. Both were being pushed toward a union they didn’t yet want. Both were trying to avoid it in their own ways, yet the weight of family expectations kept pushing them together.

Aarav had been planning to avoid the situation for as long as possible. He ignored his family’s attempts to set him up with Sanvi, telling them that he was focused on work. He was too busy to entertain the idea of marriage. But his family didn’t back off. They continued to nudge him, trying to persuade him to meet Sanvi, making all sorts of excuses for him to agree.

Aarav knew he couldn’t keep dodging them forever, but he didn’t want to meet Sanvi just because his family expected it. He wasn’t ready to be a part of an arranged match, especially with someone he didn’t know.

One day, after yet another group chat reminder from his sisters, Aarav decided he needed to do something drastic. He sent his family a text saying: “I’m not meeting anyone. I don’t want to talk about marriage right now. My focus is on my work.”

He was hoping this would end the discussion, but it didn’t. His family’s persistence grew. They didn’t take his rejection seriously, instead pushing him to meet Sanvi just once. “It’ll just be a meeting, Aarav. You don’t have to decide anything. Just meet her,” Nisha texted him.

Reluctantly, Aarav agreed. But he still wasn’t convinced. He had no intention of letting this meeting go anywhere. Sanvi would just be another name on the list of potential brides. He would meet her, smile, and then move on with his life.

Sanvi, on the other hand, was preparing herself for the inevitable. She wasn’t excited about the meeting, but she knew her family’s expectations were non-negotiable. She decided to put her best foot forward. She didn’t know what she would find, but at least she would be able to say she gave it a chance.

Neither Aarav nor Sanvi knew it yet, but their lives were about to change. Their paths were crossing, and neither of them could escape the pull of destiny for much longer. Though both tried to avoid it, the connection between them was already forming, quietly, invisibly—waiting for the right moment to reveal itself.

"Unbeknownst to them, their unwilling hearts had already set foot on the road to a story waiting to be written."

Aarav’s elder sister, Nisha, was always the one to push him toward marriage. The responsibility of finding a suitable bride for her ideal younger brother seemed to have become her life’s mission. But there was one thing she hadn’t told him yet—she already knew Sanvi.

Nisha had known Sanvi since she was a little girl. Sanvi’s aunt, who was married into their family, lived just a few houses away from them, and as children, Sanvi and Nisha often spent time together. It was there that Nisha first noticed Sanvi’s quiet grace and intelligence. Over the years, their families remained connected through occasional visits and gatherings, and Nisha had watched Sanvi grow into a beautiful and ambitious woman.

What Nisha didn’t realize at the time was that Sanvi’s family had always compared her to Aarav, just as Nisha had always been compared to other girls in the neighborhood for being “the good one.” Aarav, as Nisha always bragged, was the perfect son—well-behaved, hardworking, and successful. His future was assured. And so, when Sanvi’s family started discussing the idea of a possible match between the two, it made sense to Nisha. Sanvi, from a respectable family and with a bright future of her own, would be a perfect match for Aarav.

When Nisha brought up the idea of Sanvi to her parents, she didn’t expect much of a reaction. But when they showed interest in it, she couldn’t help but be excited. She had already imagined how wonderful it would be to have Sanvi join their family. After all, they had always known each other, and Sanvi had been a pleasant presence in Nisha’s life. This wouldn’t just be an arranged match—it would be like bringing a friend into the family.

But Aarav, as usual, was uninterested. He was busy with his life, consumed by his career. When Nisha mentioned the proposal, he brushed it off casually.

“I’m not ready for marriage, Nisha. You know that,” Aarav said with a distracted tone, tapping away at his laptop.

“I know, but this is different,” Nisha insisted. “Sanvi is someone we’ve known forever. You don’t even have to think about it as marriage right now. Just meet her.”

Aarav sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m not ready for any of this, Nisha. You know I don’t want to be part of any marriage talks right now. My work is my priority.”

His family didn’t take no for an answer. Nisha, feeling a sense of duty, continued to bring up Sanvi to him whenever she could. Each time, Aarav found a way to dodge the topic, hoping that his sisters would eventually drop the idea. But they were persistent.

One evening, after another failed attempt at convincing Aarav, Nisha decided to take matters into her own hands. She messaged Sanvi’s family directly, setting up a meeting. It wasn’t just a suggestion anymore. Nisha had already decided that this was going to happen, and Aarav’s protests would only delay it.

Sanvi, on the other hand, had no intention of taking part in this matchmaking drama. She had her own life and career to focus on. But she knew that her family would push her toward it, just as Aarav’s was pushing him. Her parents were old-fashioned and believed in the sanctity of arranged marriages. As the eldest daughter, she knew it was her responsibility to consider these proposals. She didn’t want to disappoint them, but she also didn’t want to get married just for the sake of tradition.

When Sanvi’s parents first mentioned Aarav’s name, Sanvi wasn’t sure what to make of it. She had heard about him from her aunt and had seen his pictures once or twice, but she had never met him. The thought of marrying a stranger didn’t appeal to her. Still, she agreed to meet him, out of respect for her parents and the pressure of their expectations.

Yet, both of them knew this was just a formality, a way to satisfy their families. Neither of them was ready for marriage. They both had their own dreams, their own paths.

And so, their journey had just begun—though neither was ready to admit it yet.

"A little nudge, a tempting offer, and sometimes, the hardest walls crumble before us. All it takes is the right distraction."

Aarav Sharma, the ideal son, had always been the epitome of discipline and focus. He was the one his parents were proud of—the perfect workaholic, the ideal choice for marriage. But there was one thing that even his iron-clad resolve couldn’t resist—his undying love for panipuri.

As always, Nisha, Aarav’s elder sister, had a plan. She knew that Aarav was firmly against any talk of marriage, especially after all the relentless attempts her parents had made to set him up. He wasn’t one for socializing, let alone going on blind dates with prospective brides. But Nisha, ever the schemer, had found the perfect way to nudge her brother in the right direction.

"Aarav," Nisha said with a mischievous grin, "I know you’re too busy for all this marriage talk, but there's this new place in the city. They say the panipuri there is to die for. What do you say? Just a quick trip to try it out?"

Aarav’s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at her. The mention of panipuri was always enough to pull him out of his work bubble. He could feel his resolve slipping. But he wasn’t going to make it easy for Nisha.

“Panipuri, huh?” Aarav replied, trying to sound indifferent. “You know I don’t have time for these distractions.”

Nisha wasn’t deterred. "Come on, Aarav. Just a quick break. You work too hard, and panipuri’s a good excuse. After that, I’ll leave you alone with your work. Promise." She had a devilish smile on her face, one that always meant trouble.

Aarav sighed, his lips curving into a reluctant smile. "Fine, but only because you’re talking about panipuri. But we’re not discussing marriage or anything related to that."

Nisha's grin widened. "Deal. I won’t mention anything about it. Let’s just go and eat."

It didn’t take long for Aarav to give in fully. The thought of enjoying a plate of piping hot panipuri, filled with spicy chutneys and tangy water, was more than enough to make him forget his original resistance. Within minutes, they were on their way to the city’s best street vendor, where the panipuri was said to be legendary.

Aarav allowed himself to relax as he dug into the spicy food. There was something about the crunch of the puris, the explosion of flavors, that brought a momentary peace to his usually hectic life. He could feel his stress and work-related thoughts fading into the background, and for once, he didn’t think about deadlines or proposals.

As they were enjoying the food, Nisha casually brought up the subject of marriage again. "You know, Aarav, Sanvi’s family has been asking about you. They’ve been saying such good things. She’s a great girl. I think you’d really like her."

Aarav didn’t respond immediately, his mouth full of food. He knew Nisha too well. She was playing her game, slowly and surely, trying to wear him down. He wasn’t in the mood for this.

“I’m not interested, Nisha,” he finally said, putting down his plate. “I told you, I don’t have the time or energy for this.”

Nisha just laughed, wiping her hands with a napkin. “You’re always so serious. Just meet her once. You never know, maybe she’ll surprise you. Besides, what’s the harm in getting to know her?”

Aarav’s gaze hardened. “I’m not interested in getting to know anyone. I have work to focus on. And that’s the way it’s going to be.”

But deep down, something stirred within him. Was he being too hard on the idea of marriage? Was it possible that, in all his focus on work, he was missing out on something more? He shook his head, trying to push those thoughts away.

Nisha didn’t push him any further. She knew better than to force the issue. Instead, she took a more subtle approach. “Okay, okay, no pressure. But just think about it, Aarav. You’re not getting any younger, you know.”

Aarav simply nodded, though he wasn’t paying much attention. The panipuri had worked its magic, and for the first time in a long while, he let himself enjoy something simple.

As they finished their meal, Nisha’s voice cut through his thoughts. “I know you’re not a fan of these marriage things, but what if I told you, Sanvi is actually someone you could have a good conversation with? She’s smart, ambitious, and funny. I really think you’d like her.”

Aarav looked at her, giving her a soft sigh. “I’m just not ready, Nisha. Not yet.”

But even as he said the words, Aarav found himself wondering if he was ready to take a chance, to open up to someone who might be just as ambitious and driven as he was. He didn’t know it yet, but Sanvi was closer than he thought—and Nisha wasn’t going to give up until Aarav realized it too.

The game had just begun.