[ complete ] 𝐌𝐀𝐅𝐈𝐀'𝐒 𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐖𝐈𝐅𝐄 || 𝐉.𝐉𝐊 𝐅𝐅

61. Too Famillier.

The morning breeze was soft against my skin as I walked down the little stone path to the kindergarten gate, the twins’ tiny hands snug in mine—one on each side.

"Umma, will you come to pick us up today too?" Aarohi looked up at me with her big doe eyes, her pigtails bouncing as she skipped beside me.

I smiled, brushing a loose strand of her hair back. "Of course, sweetheart. I'll be here just like always."

"And can we have strawberry milk on the way back?" Advait added with a hopeful grin.

I laughed. "Only if you both promise to finish your veggies at lunch."

"Deal!" they shouted in unison, giggling as we reached the school gate.

The security guard smiled and saluted as usual. “Good morning, ma’am.”

“Good morning, Mr. Kang,” I replied politely and guided the kids inside the cheerful yellow gate. Their classroom was just down the left corridor. The hall smelled faintly of crayons and powdered detergent—safe and familiar.

But today… something felt off. Not wrong, just… different. The kind of feeling that tickles the back of your mind without reason.

As I reached the classroom, I saw a tall man standing at the door. Broad shoulders, well-groomed, dressed in a crisp shirt with a soft cardigan over it—probably to look approachable to children. His back was turned toward me, but something about his posture made my throat tighten unexpectedly.

He turned around, almost like he sensed me before I even spoke.

“Good morning,” I said with a polite smile. “I was told the class teacher wanted to meet me?”

His eyes met mine.

And my heart skipped. Once. Then again.
A flicker of something flashed across his face—recognition? Guilt?

He smiled. A kind smile. Harmless. Almost charming. But… it felt too practiced. Too familiar.

“Yes,” he said warmly. “Good morning, ma’am. I just wanted to say how adorable your kids are.”

I blinked. “Oh… thank you.”

He crouched down and ruffled Aarohi’s hair, making her giggle. “I met them last week, actually. Just before orientation. And I swear, they’ve already become everyone’s favorite.”

Aarohi nodded proudly. “Because Advait does magic tricks and I sang a song!”

The teacher laughed. “They’re amazing. You’ve raised them well.”

Something about the way he said it made my skin crawl. It wasn’t the words. It was the tone. The weight in his voice—like he knew exactly what those words would do to me.

I forced a smile, swallowing the unease building in my chest. “Thanks… I—I try my best.”

But as he stood up again, his face inches from mine, my smile faded slightly. Those eyes.

Dark. Intense. Too intense for a kindergarten teacher. The way they held mine—it wasn't casual. It wasn’t polite. It was personal.

He tilted his head slightly. “Is everything alright?”

“Oh—uh, yes. Just… your face looks a little familiar. Have we… met before?”

His smile didn’t falter. But it froze, just a fraction too long. His eyes dropped briefly, and then he chuckled.

“I get that a lot,” he said. “Maybe I just have one of those faces.”

“Maybe,” I echoed, trying to match his tone.