Railway Station___
At the railway station, Mike stood near the platform, dressed casually with a backpack slung over one shoulder. He checked his watch, then scanned the crowd, clearly waiting for someone.
That's when Lolan appeared.
Mike froze.
For a solid three seconds.
Lolan looked like he had stepped straight out of a fantasy world — sparkling accessories, fancy details, and an outfit so bright it almost reflected sunlight.
Mike blinked. "…Are you going for an audition or something?"
Lolan just smiled, patted Mike's shoulder confidently, and said, "We should be presentable, Mike."
Mike stared at him again, then touched his own head in disbelief. "Presentable? Bro, you look more and more presentable every day."
He circled Lolan slightly and added, "Like a Christmas present I'd get from my grandma."
Red shoes.
Red clothes.
Red and white EVERYTHING.
Mike squinted. "Are you acting in a Harpic ad or what? You look like Abbas from the commercial."
He paused, then repeated dramatically, "Red shoes. Red sparkling coat. Red and white shirt."
Lolan just smiled wider.
Mike looked straight into Lolan's eyes. He placed one hand on Lolan's shoulder and asked seriously, "Tell me, bro. What's going on?"
Lolan smiled, then placed both his hands on Mike's shoulders. "You're my good friend, right, Mike?"
Mike nodded, a little suspicious. "Yeah… but don't tell me to jump off the train. I still want to live."
Lolan laughed quickly. "No, no, no, no. You don't need to jump off the train." He paused. "You just… don't need to get on the train."
Mike stared at him.
Lolan then explained everything — yesterday's events, today's plan, tomorrow's idea — and finally requested Mike not to come along so he could have some time alone.
Mike raised an eyebrow. "Did Aria agree to this? Did she actually say yes to you?"
Lolan nodded. "She said yes to the trip. You know what happened yesterday… she's a bit down. Maybe if I cheer her up, I might get a place in her heart, right?"
Mike sighed dramatically. "Bro… I should've guessed why the dog was lifting his tail." He looked Lolan up and down. "So THIS is why you're dressed like a harpic?"
Lolan smiled shyly and scratched his head.
"Okay, okay," Mike said, raising his hands. "I won't be the ant in heaven." Then his tone changed. "But remember—there's a lot of trouble behind Aria. You've seen what happened to our school when one stupid rumor spread, right?"
Lolan nodded silently.
"And most importantly," Mike added, "Zorvath is also after her. And honestly, I still see a lot of chances for them to end up together."
"No—" Lolan started.
"No," Mike interrupted firmly.
Lolan looked down.
Mike sighed. He wasn't heartless. "But… after yesterday, Zorvath ignored her, right?"
Lolan nodded again.
Mike patted his shoulder. "Then all the best."
He paused, then warned, "But remember—Zorvath isn't as calm as he looks. You know it. If he loses something he considers his… he'll go crazy."
Lolan didn't reply. Instead, he stared past Mike.
Confused, Mike turned around too.
And there she was.
Aria.
Aria was dressed simply — straight-fit jeans paired with a tan top. A jacket shielded her from the cold, a bag rested on her shoulder, and a cap sat neatly on her head. Her hair was tied back politely, giving her a calm, composed look.
When she spotted them, she waved and walked toward Mike and Lolan.
Lolan froze.
Completely.
Mike noticed and immediately kicked Lolan's leg.
Lolan snapped back to life. "H–ho! Come, come," he said quickly. "Let's get on the train. It's getting late."
Aria glanced at her watch. "There's still plenty of time, right? Let's grab some snacks first."
That was when Mike began his Oscar Award–level performance.
He clutched his stomach dramatically. "Aria… I think I can't come. It's really painful."
Aria looked at him, concerned. "What happened?"
Lolan stared at Mike like, What nonsense is this guy doing now?
Mike groaned. "My head is hurting so badly."
Aria examined him seriously.
Mike blinked at her, offended. Is she cold-hearted? Can't she see how pitiful I'm acting?
Lolan signaled desperately with his eyes.
Mike finally understood.
He immediately shifted his hand from his stomach to his head. "Aria… when my head hurts, my stomach also hurts. I think I need to rest for at least two days."
Lolan quickly hugged Mike and whispered, "Thank you, bro."
Mike whispered back, "Get lost. No thank-you." Then added, "Just pay me my money."
Lolan nodded seriously, and they broke the hug.
Aria looked at Mike. "So… you can't come on the trip?" She thought for a moment. "Then should we go after two days?"
Both boys froze.
Mike panicked. "No, no, no! Because of me, you can't change the plan. This trip is very important — for the café, for Café Corner, for KHSS, for its comeback."
He sighed dramatically. "Unfortunately, I can't come. But you two must go. Tell me every update."
He pointed to his chest. "Even if my body is in Mumbai, my mind will be with you guys."
He raised his hand. "All the best."
Lolan showed a thumbs-up.
Mike immediately disappeared from the scene.
Just then, the train gave its warning bell.
Aria turned to Lolan she asked, confused. "What happened to Mike all of a sudden? Did you both eat something weird?"
"No, no," Lolan said quickly. "He's very sensitive since childhood. Even a small wind can give him a cold." He smiled proudly. "I'm the opposite. My body is very strong. Not sensitive at all."
He helped her place her luggage inside the train.
Aria simply nodded along to everything he said.
People around them stared at Lolan — his outfit shining like he had walked out of a fantasy world.
But Lolan didn't notice any of it.
His eyes were only on Aria. ✨
Once they settled into their seats, Aria hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Lolan… can I ask you something?" she said softly. "Please don't think badly of me, okay?"
Lolan's face immediately lit up. "No, no, no—ask anything! You can say whatever you want," he replied eagerly.
Aria took a small breath. "Um… could you maybe change your dress?" She glanced around. "It's… attracting a lot of unwanted attention."
Lolan's heart cracked a little, but he didn't show it. He grabbed his bag instantly. "Yeah, yeah, yeah—no problem. Just wait here." "I'll change and come back," he said quickly and rushed toward the restroom.
Aria sighed, put on her earphones, and leaned back, letting the music calm her.
That's when she noticed a familiar face outside the window. She looked again. The train still had ten minutes before departure.
When Lolan returned, calling out her name excitedly, he froze.
Rizwan was sitting beside Aria, chatting comfortably.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Lolan snapped.
Rizwan looked up calmly. "Huh? Going to Kerala. Business deal."
"You don't need to come," Lolan said irritably. "It'll just increase expenses. Aria and I are enough. Get lost."
He grabbed Rizwan by the arm.
Rizwan leaned closer and whispered, "Do you really think you can steal my Aria on this trip?"
Lolan whispered back coldly, "Your Aria? Dream on."
Watching them whisper like villains in a movie, Aria frowned. "Huh?"
She waved it off. "Let him come. It'll be boring if it's just the two of us." "More people, more fun—right?"
Rizwan immediately sat back like a king who had won a battle.
On the other side, Lolan burned holes into them with his stare.
Suddenly, Aria snapped her fingers. "Sense is sense," she said thoughtfully. "And you know when fun actually ended in this world?" "Because of mobile phones."
Lolan's eyes lit up. "Exactly!"
He continued, "Let's do this—submit all three phones." "We'll keep them away and only open them after the trip ends." "No emergencies, right?"
Rizwan scoffed. "What a stupid idea."
But Aria shook her head. "No… I like it." "If my phone is near me, I'll keep checking it." "Waiting for messages. Waiting for people." "That'll just ruin the trip."
She smiled and handed her phone to Lolan.
Lolan smiled back—victorious.
After a moment, even Rizwan gave in and handed over his phone.
Lolan tossed Rizwan's phone carelessly into his bag— then gently wrapped Aria's phone in a cloth, slid it into a cover, and placed it carefully in the center, making sure it wouldn't get damaged.
His priorities were very clear