Twin Inferno

38.A beautiful day

Ehaan’s POV:

I woke up the next day with a pounding headache, the kind that made the sunlight feel like punishment. As I struggled to pull myself together, Siya walked in with a cup of coffee, her movements gentle, as if she knew exactly how fragile my head felt.

"Here, drink this—you’ll feel better," she murmured, handing me the coffee. Her eyes held that warmth, the kind of softness I wasn’t used to.

"Thanks," I muttered, taking the cup from her with a neutral expression, though the small flutter in my chest was hard to ignore.

She lingered for a moment, studying my face before finally speaking, “Do you… remember anything from yesterday?”

Of course, I did. Every single, foolish word. The things I said, the emotions I’d shown that I usually kept buried. It was terrifying, feeling that raw, vulnerable. The last thing I wanted was to expose those parts of me. If she saw the real me—my flaws, my past—she might realize she was better off keeping her distance.

“Nope,” I said flatly, taking a sip of the coffee. “When I drink, I don’t remember anything.” I tried to sound dismissive, forcing myself to sound indifferent.

“Oh,” she replied softly, and I caught the slight disappointment in her voice. It made me hesitate, a part of me almost wanting to tell her the truth. But I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.

She cleared her throat, breaking the silence. “By the way, your meeting with the client got rescheduled to tomorrow, so you’re free today.”

A day without obligations? Perfect. “Good. Maybe I’ll go somewhere and relax. You can do the same if you want.” I stood up, eager to escape the conversation.

As I was about to step into the bathroom, she called out, her voice a bit hesitant, "I don’t know this place... and I don’t know the language either. Can I… join you?"

She looked almost embarrassed, as if expecting me to say no. And yet, here she was, willing to risk spending the day with me, knowing the mess I could be. It was bold. Maybe even a bit reckless. But it was… endearing.

“Fine,” I replied, keeping my tone as flat as possible. I turned and walked into the bathroom, hoping the warmth spreading through me wasn’t as obvious as it felt.

***

We ended up wandering through narrow, cobbled streets lined with small shops, their displays spilling over with flowers, postcards, and trinkets. The smell of fresh bread filled the air, and somewhere nearby, an accordion played a lively tune. The sun was warm, the breeze light, and for the first time in ages, I felt… relaxed.

Siya, on the other hand, was enchanted by everything around her. She darted from one shop to another, her eyes lighting up each time she found something interesting. I stayed a few steps behind, watching as she pointed out little things—a flower stand, a painting, even a stray cat lounging by a fountain. I barely registered her words, too busy noticing the way her face lit up, her happiness contagious.

“Look!” she said, tugging at my sleeve as she spotted a small gelato stand. “This place looks amazing. Let’s get some?”

I shrugged, though the thought of something cold sounded good. “Sure. You pick.”

She ordered two scoops—one of hazelnut and one of chocolate. When the vendor handed them to me, I took a big bite, only for the scoop to start sliding right off the cone. I fumbled, trying to catch it, but a smudge of chocolate ended up on the side of my mouth.

Siya stifled a laugh, reaching over before I could react. “Hold still.” With a napkin, she wiped the corner of my mouth, her touch gentle, her expression focused.

“There,” she said, smiling, but there was something warm and motherly about the way she’d done it. A little act of care that felt oddly… nice.

I cleared my throat, trying to brush it off. “Hazelnut? Really? Chocolate’s obviously better.”

She raised an eyebrow, giving me a playful smirk. “Hazelnut is way better. It’s not as… basic as chocolate.”

“Oh, so I’m ‘basic’ now?” I shot back, unable to hold back a smirk.

She laughed, shrugging as she took a big bite of her gelato. “I didn’t say it; you did.”

“Right, well, at least I know how to handle my gelato,”she said

I muttered, still a bit embarrassed about the chocolate incident. She rolled her eyes, that playful smile still lingering, and for the first time, I actually enjoyed this kind of banter.

As we continued walking, we stopped by a little café. Siya insisted we try their pastries, her eyes lighting up as she pointed to a lemon tart. I watched as she took a bite, closing her eyes to savor the flavor, looking completely at ease.

“You really enjoy the smallest things, don’t you?” I asked, more to myself than to her.

She opened her eyes, catching me off guard with a gentle smile. “Life’s too short not to, right?”

We walked in comfortable silence, her by my side, buying random souvenirs like magnets and postcards. Things I’d usually consider pointless. But seeing the way she held them, as if each one was a precious memory, made me see them differently.

As the sun began to set, painting the sky in warm shades of pink and orange, we stopped by a canal, watching the colors reflect off the water. I stood beside her, silently admiring the view, but somehow, my attention kept drifting back to her.

For the first time, I wondered if maybe, just maybe, letting someone in wasn’t as terrifying as it seemed.