Chapter 7: The Smile That Didn’t Reach

What a joke—how could I not like him?

"She was just asking about where Arjun wanted to go to college the other day."

Someone picked up the thread, and Sneha’s face darkened a little.

[The hero is practically terrified.]

[The cup in his hand is about to crack.]

[Knowing the heroine likes him, he’s grinning from ear to ear.]

I looked over subconsciously, and for once, I saw a smile on his face.

Clean and clear, like the evening breeze in summer—gentle and cool.

But this time, it couldn’t reach my heart.

I felt nothing but a strange emptiness, like when the electricity goes out mid-serial, and you’re left staring at the blank TV.