Both went back to their routine and Randhir had to return to campus as he was required to spend long hours after the work day occupied with various projects and assignments. Ira would call him off and on, and if he had the time he would speak to her briefly, ever the courteous gentleman, but if he was in the midst of work he would tell her so, leaving her with little choice but to wait until the next time she got him when he was free. He was careful not to give her aspirations any lift, being friendly at the same time straying from anything that would lead her on, keeping her guessing perpetually. She had been warned that he played hard to get, the Ishika matter was common knowledge in their social circles. There had been lush gossip about how a frustrated Ishika had ended up under Rehan in the backseat of his car when Randhir gave her the cold shoulder, and the encounter had led them to become engaged. 

Whenever Randhir could manage to he would rush off to the Barsaati where his eager lover kept constant vigil, which was hardly surprising, they had just a few months to spend together in Mumbai as he was due to leave for the US by the end of his school year. Not that she was complaining, their romance had gone from elusive to  zealous, the moment he would message her he was on his way home she would rush to get dinner made in minutes, with the table set even before he walked in. If he was taking her out for dinner he would let her know in advance, and he had successfully managed to get her to try  eggs and seafood while she still preferred vegetarian meals and would avoid meat completely. She would insist on going to homely, modest dining venues making him wonder whether she was carrying her thrift too far, teasing her about her Marwari habits. 

  When he started giving her driving lessons he realised that she was a quick learner making very good progress in a short time, though she needed some assistance with parking in tricky spots. He wanted her to continue using the car after he left and he had to be sure she was comfortable managing the vehicle by herself, giving her essential lessons in basic car maintenance. He introduced her to Rahim Chacha, the garage owner near his campus he was friendly with, and through whose  contact he had bought the car. Knowing Randhir's passion for machines Rahim Chacha would give him and Parth a free hand to tinker around the garage when they had the time. Sanyukta picked up enough knowledge about vehicles by just being around the two boys, she knew her boyfriend enjoyed being a grease monkey when she was busy with her college work. 

 They tried going out for movies unlike in the past, though they hardly had the patience to wait through the end, sometimes making out in the parked car before they headed home for the big finish. Once they almost got into trouble when a patrol car nearly caught them cozying up, but the cops drove off without a word noticing the black beads round her neck and the fact that they were fully clad. After that they only went out to watch films that were really interesting, and if they watched anything on the laptop the viewing would be quickly forgotten while they steamed up their night together. He would occasionally bring home some highly erotic stuff to watch making her smile as she commented on how fake the scenes really were, the women on film moaning away without actually feeling a thing, tutoring him on what really worked on her body and what did not.  

She knew as a lover Randhir was insatiable, he could hardly wait till she had sent Aman downstairs to sleep before he bolted them in, capturing her lips hungrily as they cast off their clothes quickly. There was not a spot in the cozy apartment where they had not made love, their afterplay of cuddling, kissing and chatting continuing until he was raring to go again, so long as she was not exhausted or sore. He would insist on experimenting, discovering positions to magnify her pleasure either by placing a pillow under her hips when he was on top, taking her up against the wall or by letting her straddle him as his back rested against the headboard, sending her into her most frenzied climax apart from the times when he went down on her. She had him go easy with the hickeys though, as they would raise eyebrows in college unnecessarily. Their relationship was quite private, the world did not need to know more than what was required.

He waited a few days before he gently broke to her the news of his conversation with Renuka regarding Ira, and how he had spoken to the girl over the phone a few times. He was unsure how Sanyukta would react but he did not want to keep things from her at this stage. As she heard him out without interrupting she fell silent for a  minute reliving the agony over the presence of Ishika around him three years ago. She then looked deep in his eyes to see if there were any sign of conflict, finding none she drew him close and asked him how far he would go with Ira to keep his mother happy. He assured her he had no feelings for Ira, just like he had none for Ishika, and that if he was in Sanyukta's shoes these girls would never be his worry, but his mother was quite another matter. Seeing her mood change he hastened to embrace her, starting a fresh bout of intimacy that was the best way to get their mind off the issue, and she could not help but agree as she joined in eagerly.