Trying to steer the conversation away from the dangerous topic, Ayaan casually reached out and ran his fingers through Aarshi's hair.
"What happened to your hair today?" he asked.
Aarshi shrugged. "I'm washing it tomorrow, so I didn't bother taking care of it today. I didn't even comb it."
Ayaan smirked. "I don't take care of my hair either, but mine still look better than yours."
For the first time, Aarshi reached out and touched Ayaan's hair to verify his outrageous claim.
The moment her fingers brushed through his silky strands, she froze.
He wasn't lying.
His hair looked good from afar, but up close it was absurdly soft—smooth as silk, the kind of hair that made people want to keep touching it. Curious, Aarshi even leaned closer and sniffed his hair.
Her eyebrows immediately shot up.
"Why do your hair smell like a baby?"
Ayaan answered matter-of-factly, "Because I use baby shampoo."
Aarshi nodded thoughtfully.
"I think that clearly gives the best results."
For a brief moment, peace existed.
Then Aarshi ruined it.
She returned to the topic she had been obsessing over.
"Why don't you talk to him?"
Ayaan sighed.
"I have my reasons."
Aarshi immediately began messing up his perfectly soft hair.
"Is there really anything personal left between us? You know everything about me."
Ayaan chuckled.
"That's because you're the one who keeps spilling your entire life story in front of me."
Unfortunately for Aarshi, he had a point.
But unfortunately for Ayaan, she wasn't planning on giving up.
As if escaping an interrogation, Ayaan slowly slid himself across the bed until his head was hanging off the edge while the rest of his body remained on the mattress.
It looked absolutely ridiculous.
Aarshi quickly grabbed his hand.
"You're not leaving until you tell me."
"I'm definitely not telling you."
Aarshi narrowed her eyes.
Since his head was now out of reach, she couldn't pull his hair this time.
So she chose violence.
Tickling.
The next second, Ayaan burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"Aarshi—stop!"
"No."
"Aarshi!"
"No."
His laughter echoed through the entire house.
His stomach hurt.
His dignity disappeared.
His survival chances were rapidly decreasing.
Meanwhile, Aarshi was having the time of her life.
Finally, Ayaan executed a brilliant counterattack.
He caught both of her wrists and pulled her toward him.
In an instant, the hunter became the hunted.
Now Aarshi was completely trapped.
Helpless.
Defeated.
Captured.
Ayaan, in an act of unexpected mercy, allowed her to lie beside him.
Soon both of them were laying side by side, their heads hanging off the edge of the bed in identical positions like two idiots sharing a single brain cell.
Aarshi looked at him again.
"Please tell me. I really want to know."
"Some things are personal."
"But you didn't leave anything personal in my life."
Ayaan laughed.
"That's because you don't know how to keep things personal."
Offended by the accuracy of that statement, Aarshi prepared for another tickle attack.
Unfortunately, Ayaan had already memorized every one of her moves.
The moment she tried, he caught both of her hands again.
Aarshi struggled to free herself.
The more she struggled, the closer she moved.
The scene looked straight out of a K-drama.
Ayaan was holding both of her wrists.
Aarshi was practically tucked against him while trying to escape.
And somehow neither of them seemed even remotely aware of how suspicious they looked.
More importantly...
Neither of them felt uncomfortable.
Then—
The door opened.
Momo and Big Brother walked in.
They stopped.
Froze.
And stared.
The shock on their faces suggested they had just witnessed a crime scene.
Meanwhile, Ayaan and Aarshi were so busy fighting that they hadn't even noticed they had an audience.
Big Brother slowly turned toward Momo.
"Are you absolutely sure these two are just friends?"
Momo stared at the scene.
After a long pause, she replied,
"You know what? I'm not sure anymore."
As a responsible witness, Big Brother immediately took a photo as evidence.
For future investigations.
Momo finally interrupted them.
"Um... what exactly are you two doing?"
Only then did Ayaan and Aarshi look up.
They saw Momo.
They saw Big Brother.
And surprisingly...
Neither of them became awkward.
Not even a little.
Ayaan simply released Aarshi's hands.
The moment she was free, Aarshi jumped over him, leaped off the bed, and landed on the floor.
Big Brother whistled dramatically.
"So..."
He pointed between them.
"Are you guys really just friends?"
Aarshi immediately nodded her head.
"Mhm."
The room fell silent.
Nobody believed her.