"I don't understand…"
Hearing Om's words, Anshika finally couldn't hold herself back anymore. Gathering every bit of courage she had, she looked away from him, shut her eyes tight, and spoke in a trembling voice,
"I love you, Om… I've fallen in love with you."
For a moment, silence swallowed the air between them.
Then Om spoke, his voice calm, serious.
"I know… and maybe somewhere in my heart, I have feelings for you too. But Anshika, I'm not sure what exactly I feel for you. Honestly… I don't even know what I'm supposed to say."
Anshika stared at him in disbelief.
"Why does our story always stop at sadness, Om? Back in college… and even after meeting you again… we came close so many times. But every single time, something pulls us apart. It feels like fate keeps playing games with us… sometimes bringing us together, sometimes forcing us away from each other."
Then suddenly, she stood up and looked straight at him.
"But one thing I want to say clearly… I will never try to separate you from your family. I don't want to take you away from anyone. But… is there really not even a small chance for us? A chance to be together… to know each other properly?"
After saying that, she fell silent and kept looking at him, waiting.
But Om still said nothing.
A faint smile of pain appeared on her face.
"I guess there isn't… right? Anyway, I can't force you. And I don't want to either. I should go now."
She looked at him one last time with teary eyes.
But Om sat there like a statue, staring blankly ahead, completely silent.
That silence hurt more than rejection.
Anshika turned to leave… yet Om still didn't stop her.
Finally, something inside her snapped.
She clenched her fist tightly, suddenly turned around, and rushed toward him. Before Om could even react, she grabbed his face with both hands and pressed her lips hard against his.
A deep kiss.
Om's eyes widened in shock.
For a few seconds, his entire body froze.
Then neither of them moved.
For what felt like forever, they remained lost in that moment, lips locked, breaths tangled together, emotions crashing silently between them.
Three… maybe four minutes passed before Anshika finally pulled away.
Her eyes were filled with tears.
And Om…
Om still looked completely stunned, like he hadn't even understood what had just happened.
Anshika looked at him helplessly and said in a shaking voice,
"Om… say something. Please. Your silence is hurting me. I want to know what you think about me. Please… I just gave you the first kiss of my life… at least say something now."
"Sweet."
Om suddenly ran his tongue lightly across his lips and spoke with unexpected satisfaction.
Anshika blinked in confusion.
"What?"
But Om looked completely lost in the experience itself.
Closing his eyes, he said softly,
"The kiss tasted sweet… like a rose. And the lipstick too… damn, it felt like two soft rose petals touched my lips. Strange… intoxicating… beautiful. So this is what a lip kiss feels like, huh? I'd heard about it before… but experiencing it for real… yeah, it's actually amazing."
Then he opened his eyes, looked at her, and smiled faintly.
"Well… it was my first time too."
Anshika just stared at him.
She couldn't even understand whether she wanted to laugh, cry, or hit him.
Om stood up slowly and said,
"Well, sorry your first kiss turned out like this… but thanks for making my first experience memorable. Though, if you want, I can make your second kiss much better…"
He paused deliberately.
"But only with your permission."
This time Anshika got annoyed and immediately turned away.
That was when Om's expression suddenly changed.
Serious.
"I'm leaving."
Her footsteps stopped instantly.
She turned back toward him, shocked.
"What do you mean?"
Om looked directly into her eyes now.
No jokes.
No teasing.
Just truth.
"I recently found out that my grandfather disappeared mysteriously many years ago… and now I know he's alive. I'm going to find him."
Anshika slowly walked closer as he continued,
"I do have feelings for you, Anshika. Real ones. But right now… I don't want to tie those feelings into a relationship. Because my life has no direction yet. I still don't know why I'm here… what I'm supposed to do with this life."
His voice grew heavier.
"And do you know something? A person with no purpose is no different from a dead man walking. And I don't want you falling in love with someone like that."
Every word shook Anshika from inside.
But Om kept speaking.
"I don't know where my grandfather is. I don't know what dangers are waiting for me on this journey. I don't even know how long it'll take to find him…"
He took a slow breath.
"But I will go. No matter what."
His eyes softened as he looked at her.
"And that's why I don't want someone waiting for me while I wander through an uncertain path. But remember one thing… you are special to me."
After that, Om fell silent again.
And the moment he did…
Anshika stepped forward once more, held his face in her hands, and kissed him again.