Hotel Aarya looked like someone had turned a Pinterest board into real life — gold-accented marble floors, potted monstera plants, and warm amber lighting that made everything Instagram-ready. The lobby smelled faintly of sandalwood and fresh linen.
The receptionist handed over two adjoining-room keycards and complimentary drink vouchers. Adi, of course, used his before they’d even reached the elevator.
“This place is way too classy for us,” he said, sipping his mango mocktail like champagne.
“Speak for yourself,” Ishi replied, spinning her keycard between her fingers. “I fit right in.”
They stepped into Room 608 — a space with soft cream walls, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city, and beds dressed in crisp white sheets. The adjoining door to Room 610 stood open, revealing Mimi and Rhea already bouncing around inside like they owned the place.
Mimi flopped onto the bed nearest the window, hugging a pillow like a koala. “Krish, you have to see this view!”
Krishna wandered over, standing beside her as she pointed out the city lights. Her shoulder brushed his arm, and she tilted her head slightly toward him. “Pretty, right?”
“Yeah,” he said, eyes flicking to the glass — though Ishi, unpacking her bag in the corner, noticed his gaze didn’t linger long on the skyline.
Later, after showers and a wardrobe change into comfy clothes, they all gathered in the hallway for a late-night snack run to the vending machines. Ravi and Adi led the charge, Rhea tagging along to “supervise.”
That left Krishna and Ishi alone in Room 608.
Ishi sat cross-legged on her bed, sketchbook in her lap. “Your idea,” she said, not looking up, “it’s… actually brilliant.”
Krishna leaned against the window frame. “Only ‘actually’?”
“You’re lucky I’m feeling generous,” she teased, smirking without lifting her head.
Silence stretched — not awkward, but weighted. The hum of the city outside seemed louder in their pause.
“You ever think,” Krishna said quietly, “about what happens if we… mess this up?”
“Constantly,” Ishi replied. “That’s why I plan three steps ahead.” She glanced up then, catching his eyes. “And why I don’t waste time on things that aren’t worth it.”
There was a flicker in his expression — the kind that suggested maybe she wasn’t just talking about the business.
The door to Room 610 banged open.
“KRISH!” Mimi’s voice cut through the moment like a firecracker. She bounded in wearing an oversized bunny hoodie and fuzzy socks, holding two mugs of hot chocolate.
“I made you one,” she said, plopping down right next to him on the bed without a shred of hesitation. “Extra marshmallows, just how you like it.” She nudged it toward his hands.
“Thanks,” Krishna said, smiling faintly.
Ishi flipped her sketchbook shut. “I’ll be in the other room,” she said lightly, but the way she tightened her messy bun said otherwise.
Mimi watched her go, then leaned into Krishna’s shoulder. “She’s mad, isn’t she?”
“She’s… Ishi,” Krishna replied, sipping the cocoa. “She plans three steps ahead.”
Mimi grinned. “Then she should’ve planned for me.”
Down the hall, Adi’s voice rang out: “Snack raid complete! And we may or may not have stolen extra KitKats for everyone.”
Ravi added, “Correction — for everyone except the person who kept teasing the cashier.”
From both rooms, laughter rolled through the hotel floor, the kind that made strangers smile without knowing why.
Outside, the city kept glowing — and inside, the threads between them all tangled just a little tighter.
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