They both sat in silence and only flipping of pages were heard in the room.

Aryan looked at her once in a while and noticed her mannerisms. How she scrunched her nose when she saw a reel she didn't like or how her face lights up whenever she sees a baby reel.

"She's the cutest," he thought to himself and smiled, going back to his work.

Aarzoo had whipped out her textbook to start studying and continue her study session that she stopped yesterday.

"Ye bhai kaha hein? I need my subject to understand all of this," I frustratedly whispered to myself.

(Where's bhai?)

"I'll start reading the definitions till the time he arrives,"

I opened the page where I need to continue my studying and read the definition of the next subheading- Dyadic synchrony.

What's that now?

Dyadic synchrony refers to the coordinated and harmonious interaction between two individuals, typically in a social context.

Huh?

As if the book could hear me, the next line had a simpler and layman definition for the concept. 

Dyadic synchrony is when two people interact in a smooth, coordinated way. It means they are in tune with each other, responding to each other's actions, emotions, or movements. This can happen when people match their gestures, facial expressions, or even how they speak. In a family- A mother notices her young child starting to get upset. The mother's voice softens, and she sits down beside the child, gently stroking their back. In a romantic relationship- A couple has been talking for hours and starts to mirror each other's movements without thinking about it.

My brother never syncs with me or understands me.

I pouted at the thought but then rolled my eyes because I don't want a monkey for sync with me. Just when I was about to continue, my brother decided to grace us with his presence. 

"Hey, guys!" He came in with usual smile and energetic personality. 

"Thank god," I sighed in relief to myself silently, hoping no one heard me. 

The man sitting front of me looked just lifted his head, looked at my brother then looked me into the eye and went back to doing his work.

Weirdo.

I thought to myself and looked at my brother as he spoke to me. 

"Ab thu ja. I'm here now," he took the lunch box in his hand and went towards the desk. 

(You can go now)

Sadness spread through my face as I was hoping to stay a little longer and eat something. 

I sadly sighed and looked at my brother hoping that he'd ask me to stay but he didn't. 

I got up to pack my bag and right then I heard a voice. 

"Eat and then leave," Aryan bhai said as if he could hear my thoughts. 

I internally squealed and turn around to look at the person.

Aryan bhai is the best! He can be an ass but he doesn't like food wastage, I guess. 

"Only if you insist," I smiled shamelessly and walked towards the desk as my brother rolled his eyes. 

"Don't roll your eyes at me, ankh nikaal dungi main," I scoffed at his behavior and settled on the chair in front of Aryan bhai. 

(I'll pluck your eyes out)

I shifted in my seat to cross my legs, and moments later, he did the same. It was subtle, but it was there. 

I took out the lunch box and opened it for us to dig in. 

"Maa made bhindi," I told my brother happily as he hates it while I love it.

(Mom made okra curry,)

He put on distasteful expression and touch the bhindi like it was some strange animal. 

I laugh escaped my throat and I threw my head back at his behavior while Aryan bhai laughed too. 

He can laugh openly? I thought he's forbidden from laughing.

That was weird. Is he copying me? Might be a coincidence. 

I decided to go back to eating and used my left hand along with my right to tear the roti. Just as I was about to eat it with bhindi, my brother's best friend did the same thing. 

He mirrored my actions. Huh? Am I studying a little too much because I'm seeing Dyadic synchrony here. Am I thinking about it a little too much?

I shrugged my shoulders and continued to eat while pushing those thoughts away. 

I turned towards my brother to notice his behavior towards me. 

"Bhai," I whined and punched his arm because of his lack of actions towards me. 

"What?" He was startled because of my sudden and chocked on his roti. 

I just looked at him and Aryan bhai who looked at me weirdly. 

"Nothing," I sulked and looked at my food again. 

Not feeling like eating more after having one and a half chapati, I wiped my hands with a tissue and drank water from my bottle. 

I gave rest of the chapati to my brother because this idiot can eat a lot. 

I went to sit on the couch that I was previously sitting on and opened my book again. 

I started reading the text on the paper, but I heard the movement of a chair making me look up. 

Aryan bhai put some roti in Siddharth bhai's plate and wiped his hands with a tissue and drank water from a glass on his desk.

Just like me, I thought and looked at the people in front of me curiously. 

"Why did you both give me half-half roti?" he whined while I looked at him shocked. 

Both of us gave him half a roti? Is Aryan bhai a copy cat or is that dyadic synchronization? 

For a brief moment, I felt like we were in sync—like a silent rhythm that neither of us had to think about.

I tried to go back to studying after that but I couldn't help but keep noticing our sync.

Then it kept happening even after quite some time—every shift in my posture seemed to be reflected in his. His expression almost the same, as if he were reflecting my mood.

I looked up at him, a little puzzled. "You know, you're very... good at matching me."

He blinked, as if he hadn't realized what he was doing. "What?" He gave me a nervous laugh while bhai was busy on a call with a client.

I raised my eyebrow. "You really pay attention."

"Guess I do," he said, shrugging slightly. But there was something in his tone, a hint of self-awareness that made me pause.

What is happening around me?

His gaze lingered on me a little longer than usual, like he was trying to read me.

"Uh, I should probably get going soon. Bhai is here and I need to study."

"Yeah, of course," he said, his voice suddenly sounding a little more relaxed.

But when he stood up to stretch, I noticed how he subtly mirrored my posture, leaning against the desk in the same way I had just moments before while eating. 

As I stood to leave, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more going on beneath the surface of our easy banter.

"See you later."

"Yeah," he replied, with a nod.

I held the door knob and opened it, I almost thought I could feel the weight of his gaze on me, the way he was watching me leave—like there was something unsaid hanging between us.

As I stepped out of the office, the door clicking shut behind me, I couldn't help but replay the interaction in my mind. 

I think I'm imagining things.

But a little voice in the back of my mind kept nagging at me, wondering if I had missed something important.

"He's just an example of dyadic synchrony," I sighed out and left the building whilst still overthinking our conversation.