Hrithika took two long strides and opened the door. She froze at the sight of the person on the other end of the door.

“Who is there, Hri? Is it the room service?” yelled Iravati from inside, putting the bouquet in a nearby glass vase.

“Hello, is this cottage booked under Roopa’s name?” asked that person with an amused smile. That person had the same twinkle in his eyes when Hrithika last saw him.

Hrithika was still processing his presence and was lost in articulating her thoughts.

Ira came to look at why it was taking her friend too long to respond.

“Yes,” answered Ira, looking at the man who was layered with a thick black jacket. 

He had a warm complexion and was nearly six feet tall. His charming smile and glint in his eyes allured the masses.

“Hi! I’m Rohit. Is this where Roopa’s staying?” He asked, introducing himself to the ladies.

Hrithika knew this man, the reason why she first backed off from attending Roopa’s wedding under suspicion. Unfortunately her 2 am thoughts came true, and this Rohit is the same one who once ghosted her in an arranged marriage proposal after liking her. His family's reason for calling off the 'supposed wedding' was that their 'horoscopes didn't match'.

“Oh, Mr. Rohit! Please come in. I’ve only seen your caricature in the wedding invite! Haha, good to finally meet you.” Ira exchanged pleasantries with the to-be groom.

He followed them inside and settled on one of the chairs near the dining table. The blue pansies caught his eye. He grinned and shook his head, wondering what’s going to unfold.

Hrithika sat in front of him, contemplating whether or not to acknowledge the fact that they know each other. Ira settled across from them near the window and tried to initiate a conversation as she sensed the change in the atmosphere.

“I’m Iravati, and she’s Hri—”

“Hrithika, I know.” Rohit finished Ira’s short introduction.

“Oh… You two knew each other before?! That’s wonderful. Um… I’ll go and get you some tea and will wake up Roopa for you,” offered Ira and gave them space, reading the tension between them.

“Thank you so much, Ira. I’m starving. Please don’t disturb Roopa; she must be tired. I just came here to say that my aunt is going to sleep here and Atharva is sharing a room with us. I’ll see her in the morning,” said Rohit.

“Alright,” excused Ira, giving them both privacy.

“God, I hope this wedding won’t turn into a disaster! People are too involved and have to face each other every day. What a small world!” Ira mumbled to herself.

“It has been a long time since I last saw you, Hrithika. I’m glad that you’re the friend Roopa fondly talks about,” spoke Rohit.

“Yeah… it’s been a year, right…” uttered Hrithika, barely audible. She picked her fingernails as she struggled to find some courage to ask the question that bugged her for over a year. That question is quite meaningless right now, but she decided to ask him if she ever crossed paths with him in her life.

“Rohit, um… I know that we both moved on with our lives, but really… when I started to get to know you more and like you, I thought that feeling was mutual, but you just rejected me based on a horoscope mismatch and weren’t even brave enough to say that yourself. You ghosted me, while your family answered on your behalf?! I thought you were a nice guy. I get that rejections are common in arranged marriage proposals, but you left us in dismay right after the engagement dates were fixed!” Hrithika questioned, criticising his actions.

“WHAT?!”

Rohit's eyes widened; perplexed, he looked back at Hrithika, who winced at his scream. Ira checked them from the kitchen, handling a telephone receiver near her ear as she was ordering them dinner.

“I mean… Hrithika, I was a bit too embarrassed and ashamed to tell, so my mother conveyed the message, but no, we did not reject the alliance due to horoscope mismatch. It was because I got fired, and then I decided to start my career in Delhi, but your family wanted someone who was settled in Hyderabad. Your career was at the peak too, and I never wanted either of us to sacrifice and adjust at that time. So maybe she lied. I accept my mistake. I shouldn't have been too embarrassed; you deserved a proper closure. I was foolish to ghost you,” admitted Rohit honestly.

Hrithika squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment. She finally got the answer she needed. She felt the awkwardness between them and shifted uneasily in her chair.

“I’m sorry,” Rohit apologised.

“No, don’t be. You weren’t wrong. Thanks to you my mom stopped nagging me to get married until she heard about Roopa’s wedding. It is all for the best; maybe it is in our horoscopes to be just acquaintances,” joked Hriythika, feeling at ease.

She realised that people make mistakes, but only the good ones admit and correct them.

Rohit heartily laughed at the joke Hrithika cracked. Iravati joined them. She handed a cup of tea to Rohit; he mumbled a short thank you, grateful to have the hot beverage after the long day.

“What a great reunion!” remarked Ira.

“Indeed,” agreed Rohit as the corners of his mouth turned up.

“Finally you're here, chocolate boy! I see that you had already made friends!” beamed Roopa in delight as she climbed down the stairs. 

“Were we too loud, love?” Rohit asked Roopa while she hugged him, inhaling his soft misty perfume.

“Nah! Where’s Atharva?” Roopa asked him.

“Oh, he is with—”

The doorbell rang, startling them and cutting Rohit off in mid-sentence.

“Must be the room service,” Ira said as she went to open the door.

Ira took the food from the waiter and arranged it on the table, and Roopa helped her with the utensils.

“Well, Atharva is with my cousin. I’ll leave it to you ladies then,” Rohit excused himself.

“What about dinner?” asked Roopa.

“Oh, I’ll have it with the boys,” replied Rohit with a wink as he bid his bye and retired for the night.