Chapter 1
The wedding hall was louder than Aria expected.
Music played from every corner, relatives talked over each other, and laughter floated in the air like it belonged to everyone except her. Aria stood near the entrance, holding a small gift box, helping people find their seats as if it was her quiet responsibility.
She didn't mind.
She never did.
"Sit here, aunty," she said softly, guiding an elderly woman to a chair.
As she turned back—
She bumped into someone
The gift box slipped from her hands.
Before it could hit the floor, a hand caught it.
"Crowded places aren't forgiving," a voice said.
Aria looked up.
He stood tall, confident, eyes sharp as if he always knew where he was going. His grip on the gift was steady. Too steady.
She took it back.
"I was being careful," she replied calmly. "You were walking too fast."
He raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.
"If you stand in the middle, people will pass. That's basic logic."
Something in his tone—too honest, too direct—irritated her.
"And basic manners," Aria said, crossing her arms, "say you don't blame others first."
For a moment, they just looked at each other.
Not attraction.
Not curiosity.
Just tension.
A voice called from somewhere near the stage.
"Aria! Arav! Where did you both disappear?"
So that was his name.
Arav looked away first.
"Try standing near the side next time," he said, already turning away.
Aria watched him walk off, disbelief written on her face.
"Unbelievable," she muttered.
At the same time, a few steps ahead, Arav exhaled quietly.
"Too sensitive," he said to himself.
They walked in opposite directions, unaware that this small argument—this insignificant moment—
Was only the beginning