Sunday morning.
The one day Tulasi hoped would be peaceful, Abhi-free, demon-free, trauma-free.
So of course, the universe betrayed her.
Tulasi reached the hospital at 9:30 AM only to see Abhi already there.
WHAT?! He never comes before eleven! Why is this demon here TODAY?
She had planned to flash her ID, wave hello, and escape like a ninja.
But no.
Satan himself had arrived early.
"Good morning, sir," she said, stretching her fake smile to Olympic levels.
Abhi smirked.
"If I knew you were this happy and full of smiles on Sundays, I would've called you every Sunday, wouldn't I?"
Tulasi's lips went into her classic petulant pout.
"Come, come," he ordered.
They finished their tasks quickly — because Sundays were practically ghost-town days in the hospital.
Tulasi walked toward the exit like it was heaven's gate.
"Sir, I'm going home, sir."
"NO. Today you will do duty. My duty. All day, you will do my duty."
She blinked.
"What is your duty, sir?"
"I'll tell you. Come."
He walked straight to his Royal Enfield bike, folded his apron, and stuffed it inside.
And that's when Tulasi saw him properly.
Jeans.
T-shirt.
Broad shoulders.
Long legs.
Zero conscious effort but still looking like a walking Instagram filter.
Wow… he's so handsome.
Okay maybe the girls in the seminar hall weren't entirely stupid…
WOW.
She immediately slapped herself mentally.
No, Tulasi, STOP. Remember the prostitute. Remember the red flag.
MOVE ON.
Abhi put on his helmet.
"Come. Get on the bike."
Tulasi froze like a glitching robot.
"SIT," he repeated.
"What? I'm not sitting."
"Why? Don't you know how to get on a bike?"
"No. I don't know how to get on a bike. I absolutely don't know how to get on YOUR bike," she said, cheeks pink, lips pouting.
Abhi blinked.
"What happened? I didn't bring my car today."
"I'll come in a cab."
"Okay. Let's both go in a cab."
"No! I'm not coming with you in a cab!"
"Are you CRAZY?"
"No, I'm not crazy. But I'm not coming. You go on your bike. I'll come in a cab."
"Oh my God. What planet are you from?" Abhi groaned and called a cab anyway.
He asked the cab driver to follow his bike like some weird police escort situation.
They arrived at a mall.
Tulasi got out.
"Why are we stopping here?"
"There are patients inside. Let's go check them."
"Patients? In a mall?"
"Of course not, you fool," he said, walking inside. "Who comes here for patients? Let's go!"
Tulasi glared.
Oh you wicked DEVIL. Not satisfied with making me run behind you in the hospital, now you'll make me run behind you in a mall also?!
She pulled her mask up and wrapped her shawl around her head like she was on the run from paparazzi.
"Why are you wearing it like that?" Abhi asked.
"Nothing. Let's go," she muttered.
Abhi narrowed his eyes.
"You really have dust allergy? I've never seen you sneeze. You always wear a mask — except with me. Makes me wonder."
"No sir, I DO," she insisted dramatically, walking ahead.
Abhi went into full shopping-mode — shirts, shoes, bags — picking, rejecting, choosing.
Tulasi just stood like a bored statue.
"You can buy something too," he offered.
"I don't need anything. You buy."