🎵 Song: Tere Vaaste – Instrumental Version

"Some plans are made by destiny...

And some are made by two younger siblings who think they are professional matchmakers."

The next morning...

The Sharma and Malhotra houses were unusually busy.

Not because of any festival.

Not because of any special occasion.

But because of one small plan created by two little masterminds.

Siblings Day.

Sharma House

Aarohi stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the sleeves of her pastel blue co-ord set.

It was simple.

Elegant.

Exactly the kind of outfit she liked.

Her long hair was left open, softly framing her face, while a pair of tiny silver earrings completed her look.

She looked at herself one last time.

Just then...

Anaya barged into the room.

Her eyes immediately sparkled.

"Didi!"

"You look so pretty!"

Aarohi smiled.

"It's just a simple outfit."

"Simple?"

Anaya dramatically placed a hand on her forehead.

"No."

"You look beautiful."

Aarohi laughed.

"You always exaggerate."

"I don't."

Anaya walked around her, inspecting her from every angle.

"Perfect."

Aarohi raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Anaya folded her arms.

"Because today's theme is matching outfits."

"I know."

"And you're going to look very nice beside..."

She stopped herself just in time.

Aarohi narrowed her eyes.

"Beside whom?"

Anaya smiled innocently.

"...Me."

Aarohi knew her sister was hiding something.

But before she could ask...

Nandini called from downstairs.

"Girls! They're about to come!"

"We're coming!"

Malhotra House

Meanwhile...

Kabir entered Reyansh's room without knocking.

His brother was buttoning the cuffs of a light blue shirt.

Kabir stopped in the doorway and smiled proudly.

"My work here is done."

Reyansh looked at him through the mirror.

"What now?"

"You actually wore it."

"Wore what?"

"The blue shirt."

Reyansh shrugged.

"It was lying in the cupboard."

Kabir smirked.

"Sure."

"It has nothing to do with matching the theme."

Reyansh turned around.

"You talk too much."

Kabir laughed.

"You look good."

"I always do."

"There he is..."

"The overconfident Reyansh Malhotra."

Reyansh smirked.

"Confidence looks good on me."

Kabir shook his head.

"Just remember one thing."

"What?"

"Behave today."

Reyansh raised an eyebrow.

"Since when do you give me instructions?"

"Since Aarohi Didi is coming."

Reyansh looked away casually.

"So?"

"So..."

Kabir grinned.

"Don't trouble her too much."

Reyansh smiled.

"I make no promises."

The Meeting

A few minutes later...

Both families met outside the Malhotra house.

Rajeev and Vikram immediately started talking like they had never been apart.

Nandini and Meera smiled at each other warmly.

Kabir and Anaya exchanged an excited look.

Everything was going exactly according to plan.

Then...

Aarohi stepped out from behind her parents.

At almost the same moment...

Reyansh walked out of the house.

For a brief second...

Both of them stopped.

They were matching.

Not identical.

But close enough.

Soft blue outfits.

White sneakers.

Almost the same shades.

As if someone had planned it.

(Which, technically, someone had.)

Kabir's eyes widened.

He quickly looked at Anaya.

She was already trying not to laugh.

The two little cupids exchanged a silent high-five behind everyone's backs.

Mission Successful.

Reyansh looked at Aarohi for a moment longer than usual.

The morning sunlight reflected softly in her blue eyes.

Her open hair danced gently in the breeze.

She looked...

Beautiful.

Different.

Comfortable.

Maybe because she wasn't trying so hard to avoid him anymore.

Aarohi noticed him staring.

"What?"

Reyansh blinked before his signature smirk returned.

"Nothing."

She folded her arms.

"You always say that."

"Because sometimes..."

He smiled.

"...nothing is actually something."

She frowned.

"That doesn't even make sense."

"I know."

"It wasn't supposed to."

She sighed.

"You really enjoy confusing people."

"Mostly one person."

"And who is that?"

He looked straight at her.

"My Ocean."

Aarohi immediately looked away.

Her ears turned pink.

Kabir quietly whispered to Anaya,

"Did you see that?"

Anaya grinned.

"Blush number one."

The Outing

The four of them headed to a nearby shopping and entertainment street.

It was lively.

Children were running around.

Music played from different shops.

Food stalls filled the air with delicious aromas.

Kabir and Anaya practically disappeared every five minutes.

One moment they wanted ice cream.

The next they wanted popcorn.

Then arcade games.

Then cotton candy.

Leaving...

Quite conveniently...

Reyansh and Aarohi walking together.

"Your siblings planned this."

Aarohi muttered.

Reyansh looked ahead.

"I know."

"You know?"

"They're terrible at hiding things."

She laughed.

"I thought only Anaya was like this."

"No."

"Kabir is worse."

They reached a small handicraft stall.

Anaya excitedly started looking at bracelets.

Aarohi stood beside her, helping her choose.

Reyansh quietly walked over.

His eyes automatically drifted toward Aarohi.

Again.

And again.

She noticed.

"You're staring."

"Am I?"

"Yes."

He smiled.

"I didn't know this dress would suit my Ocean so much."

Aarohi froze.

Slowly...

She looked at him.

"...Your Ocean?"

He nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yes."

"You know my name is Aarohi, right?"

"I do."

"Then why Ocean?"

Instead of answering immediately...

His eyes met hers.

Those unusually blue eyes.

The same ones he had seen during the rain.

The same ones that had inspired the nickname.

He took one slow step closer.

Close enough that only she could hear him.

Their shoulders almost brushed.

His voice softened.

"Because..."

He looked directly into her eyes.

"...this nickname suits you more."

Her heartbeat skipped.

Again.

She hated how easily he could do that.

He tilted his head slightly.

"Hmm..."

"What?"

"My Ocean blushes very easily."

"I do not!"

"You do."

"I don't."

"You are."

"I'm not!"

He chuckled.

"It's happening right now."

Aarohi immediately covered her cheeks with both hands.

"They're not red."

"They're adorable."

She looked away.

"You are impossible."

"And yet..."

He smiled.

"...you never stop talking to me."

She had absolutely no comeback.

A Dangerous Compliment

Later...

Anaya insisted on clicking pictures.

While she adjusted the camera...

Aarohi stood waiting.

Reyansh walked past her.

As he did...

He leaned down just enough for only her to hear.

"Careful."

She looked up.

"About what?"

He smiled faintly.

"Your smile."

"My smile?"

"Hmm."

"Why?"

He bent slightly closer, his voice dropping to a whisper near her ear.

"Because..."

"...a red flag guy like me might actually start liking it."

Aarohi's eyes widened.

She turned to look at him.

But he had already stepped away.

As if he hadn't just said something capable of stopping her heart.

"You..."

She finally managed.

He looked back innocently.

"What?"

"You say such weird things."

"They're true."

"You enjoy embarrassing me."

"I enjoy your reactions."

She shook her head.

"I don't understand you."

"You don't have to."

Tiny Senior

After lunch...

The four of them decided to click one big group picture.

Anaya suddenly looked at Aarohi.

Then at Reyansh.

Then smiled mischievously.

"Didi."

"What?"

"Stand beside Reyansh Bhaiya."

Aarohi instantly understood.

"No."

"Please!"

Kabir joined immediately.

"Yes!"

"We need to compare heights."

Aarohi covered her face.

"You two planned this."

"Absolutely."

She reluctantly stood beside Reyansh.

The difference became obvious.

He was almost a full head taller.

Reyansh looked down at her with a grin.

"You still think you're not tiny?"

"I am not tiny."

"You are."

"I'm older than you."

"And still shorter."

"Height has nothing to do with age."

"Maybe."

He leaned down slightly.

"But it makes teasing easier."

She glared at him.

"I'll push you."

"You'd have to reach first."

Kabir burst into laughter.

Even Aarohi couldn't stop herself from smiling.

Parents

From a little distance...

The parents quietly watched the four children.

Meera smiled affectionately.

"Aarohi is such a sweet girl."

Nandini smiled proudly.

"She has always been like that."

Vikram glanced toward Reyansh.

"I haven't seen him this relaxed with anyone in a long time."

Rajeev noticed it too.

"He teases her a lot."

Meera smiled knowingly.

"That's because she doesn't treat him like everyone else does."

The Little Cupids

As the sun slowly began to set...

Kabir and Anaya sat on a nearby bench eating ice cream.

Kabir looked toward the older two.

"Progress?"

Anaya proudly nodded.

"Huge progress."

Kabir grinned.

"They don't even realize how much time they spent together today."

"They think this was Siblings Day."

Kabir laughed.

"It was."

Anaya smiled mischievously.

"...and also Date Practice."

The two burst into uncontrollable laughter.

By evening...

Everyone returned home.

Tired.

Happy.

And carrying dozens of new memories.

As the families stood outside saying goodbye...

Reyansh looked at Aarohi.

"Bye..."

He smiled softly.

"...Ocean."

For the first time...

She didn't complain.

She didn't correct him.

Instead...

She smiled back.

"Bye, Reyansh."

He raised an eyebrow.

"No correction today?"

She shook her head.

"I gave up."

"Good."

He smiled.

"I wasn't planning to stop."

Aarohi walked inside her house with Anaya.

But this time...

She wasn't thinking about how annoying Reyansh Malhotra was.

She was thinking about how one arrogant, overconfident junior...

Had somehow become the person who could make her blush with just a whisper.

And across the street...

Reyansh stood on his balcony.

Watching the lights in the Sharma house turn on.

Still teasing.

Still arrogant.

Still carrying the reputation of a red flag.

But now...

There was one person whose smile he had started looking for...

Without even realizing it.

His Ocean. 🌊💙

End of Chapter 32 💙🌊