Love in the time of curry

Chapter-1: the setup

The sun dipped low in the sky, casting a golden hue over the bustling streets of Mumbai. The air was thick with the aroma of spices, fried snacks, and sweet treats, a sensory overload that made Aditi’s heart race with excitement. Today was the annual Mumbai Food Festival, and she had been looking forward to it for weeks. As a food blogger, it was her chance to discover new flavors and share her culinary adventures with her growing audience.

Aditi adjusted her camera strap and took a deep breath, inhaling the intoxicating scents around her. She wore a bright yellow kurta that matched her sunny disposition, her hair tied up in a messy bun, with a few strands framing her face. With her notepad in hand, she was ready to jot down notes and capture the best dishes on camera.

“Hey, Aditi! Over here!” shouted Priya, her best friend and fellow food enthusiast, waving frantically from a nearby stall. Priya was dressed in a vibrant red dress that contrasted beautifully with Aditi’s outfit.

“Priya!” Aditi called back, making her way through the crowd. “What have you found?”

“Come try this!” Priya grinned, holding out a plate of crispy vada pav topped with tangy chutney. “It’s to die for!”

Aditi took a bite, savoring the explosion of flavors. “Oh wow! This is amazing! I need to feature this on my blog.”

As they continued to sample various dishes—everything from spicy pani puri to rich gulab jamun—Aditi felt the familiar thrill of inspiration bubbling within her. She couldn’t wait to write about each culinary delight.

“Let’s check out the competition,” Priya suggested, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “I heard there’s a new chef who’s creating waves with his innovative dishes.”

“Really? What’s his name?” Aditi asked, intrigued.

“Rohan, I think. They say he’s a bit of a rebel—mixing traditional recipes with modern techniques. We have to find him!”

As they wandered deeper into the festival, Aditi spotted a stall adorned with colorful banners and an enticing aroma wafting through the air. “There he is!” she exclaimed, pointing excitedly.

The stall was bustling with activity. Rohan stood behind the counter, wearing a black apron that contrasted with his tousled hair. He was engaged in animated conversation with customers while expertly plating his dishes. His smile was infectious, and Aditi felt an inexplicable pull toward him.

“Let’s get in line!” Priya urged, nudging Aditi forward. They joined the queue, which seemed to stretch endlessly.

As they approached the front, Aditi couldn’t help but admire Rohan’s passion as he expertly drizzled sauces over his creations. “What would you like?” he asked the customer in front of them, his voice warm and inviting.

“I’ll have the fusion biryani!” the customer replied eagerly.

Rohan nodded and began preparing the dish with swift movements. Aditi watched intently, her mind already racing with ideas for her blog.

Finally, it was their turn. “Hi there! What can I get you?” Rohan asked, his gaze landing on Aditi. She felt a flutter in her stomach.

“I’ll have the—” Aditi started but suddenly forgot everything she wanted to say as she locked eyes with him.

“Biryani?” Priya interjected with a teasing smile. “She’ll have that!”

Aditi shot Priya a glare but couldn’t help but smile at Rohan. “Yes! The fusion biryani sounds incredible.”

Rohan grinned and began preparing their order. “You won’t regret it. It’s my grandmother’s recipe with a twist.”

As he worked, Aditi seized the opportunity to introduce herself. “I’m Aditi, by the way. I run a food blog called ‘Spice Tales.’”

“Nice to meet you, Aditi,” he said without looking up from his task. “I love food blogs! They’re so helpful for chefs like me.”

Priya chimed in, “And I’m Priya! We’re here to cover the festival for our blogs.”

Rohan finally looked up, his eyes sparkling with interest. “So you’re both food bloggers? That’s awesome! What do you think of my stall?”

Aditi hesitated for a moment before answering honestly. “I haven’t tried your food yet, but it smells divine!”

“Just wait until you taste it,” he said confidently as he plated their biryani and handed it over. “I’d love your feedback.”

“Thanks!” Aditi replied, taking the plate eagerly. She could hardly wait to dig in.

They moved to a nearby table where they could sit and enjoy their meal. As Aditi took her first bite of the biryani, her eyes widened in delight. The flavors were rich and complex, just as Rohan had promised.

“This is incredible!” she exclaimed, savoring every mouthful. “You’ve really outdone yourself!”

Priya nodded enthusiastically. “You should definitely feature this on your blog!”

Aditi couldn’t help but smile at Rohan’s stall from across the way. She felt inspired and excited about sharing this experience with her followers.

But just as she was about to take another bite, disaster struck.

Suddenly, a group of rowdy festival-goers bumped into their table, causing Aditi to lose her balance. In an attempt to steady herself, she accidentally knocked her plate right into Rohan’s stall!

“No!” she gasped as biryani splattered everywhere—on Rohan’s pristine apron and all over his carefully arranged dishes.

Rohan’s eyes widened in shock as he looked down at the mess. “What just happened?” he exclaimed, half-laughing and half-annoyed.

“I’m so sorry!” Aditi cried out, mortified as she rushed over to help clean up. “I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s okay! It happens,” Rohan said, trying to maintain his composure while wiping off his apron with a cloth. But Aditi could see he was frustrated.

“I’ll help you clean up,” she offered, feeling guilty.

“No need,” he replied curtly but then softened when he saw her earnest expression. “Really, it’s fine. Just… be careful next time?”

Aditi nodded vigorously, heat rising in her cheeks. “I promise! I’ll make it up to you somehow.”

“Sure,” he said with a slight smirk that made her heart skip a beat.

Priya stifled a laugh from behind them. “Maybe she can review your restaurant if you ever open one!”

Rohan raised an eyebrow at Aditi, clearly intrigued despite the mishap. “I’ll hold you to that.”

Aditi felt flustered but also excited by the prospect of working together in the future. “Definitely! I’d love to.”

As they exchanged awkward smiles, Priya nudged Aditi playfully. “Come on! Let’s go explore more stalls before we get into more trouble!”

“Right,” Aditi said quickly, eager to escape the embarrassment but secretly thrilled about Rohan’s interest in her blog.

As they walked away, Aditi glanced back at Rohan one last time. He was already back at work, chatting with customers and laughing off the incident like a true professional.

“Who knew chaos could be so charming?” she muttered under her breath, causing Priya to burst into laughter.

“You’ve got it bad!” Priya teased as they strolled through the festival.

“Shut up! I just admire good cooking,” Aditi retorted playfully.

“Sure,” Priya smirked knowingly as they continued their exploration of the festival.

As evening fell and twinkling lights illuminated the festival grounds, Aditi felt an exhilarating mix of excitement and nervousness about what tomorrow might bring—especially when it came to Rohan and his fusion biryani.

Little did she know that this was just the beginning of an unforgettable culinary adventure filled with laughter, love, and perhaps even a dash of romance.

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Other characters will be introduced in the story only there will be no separate introduction..