The night shift had ended at 3:00 AM. The air was crisp, and the world felt like it belonged only to them.
Sony hopped off the back of Ashok's bike, adjusting her bag. She was still in her "shy" phase, her movements cautious. "Senior, why did we stop here? The hostel is in the other direction."
Ashok kicked the stand down. He looked at the road ahead. It was a long, straight stretch of asphalt, flanked by glowing yellow streetlamps that cast pools of amber light onto the ground. There wasn't a single soul in sight. In his memory, this was where they had their first kiss—the one that had tasted like heartbreak and promises.
"You told me once that you wanted to learn to ride," Ashok said, turning to her. He leaned against the seat, looking at her with an intensity that made Sony's breath catch.
Sony blinked, her mind racing. Did I tell him that? I thought about it... but I don't think I said it out loud yet. "I... I do. But it's dangerous, isn't it? And nobody has time to teach me."
"I have time," Ashok said softly. "I have all the time in the world for you."
He gestured to the empty road. "This is my favorite street. No people. No noise. Just the lamps and us. It's the perfect place to start."
Sony looked at the road, then back at him. "Why are you being so nice to me, Boss?"
The word "Boss" hit him like a sweet melody. She had started calling him that a week early in this timeline.
"Because," Ashok said, stepping closer. He could smell the faint scent of her shampoo—the same one she wore for years. He reached out, his hand hovering near her face before he caught himself and moved it to the handlebars. "Because I don't want you to have to depend on anyone else. Not even me."
For the next hour, the quiet street was filled with the sounds of the bike's engine idling and Sony's nervous laughter. Ashok walked beside her, his hand firmly on the back of the seat, his other hand covering hers on the grip to show her how to throttle.
The physical closeness was electric. Sony's face was flushed. Every time her back brushed against his chest, she felt a spark she couldn't explain.
"Boss?" she whispered as they took a break under a lamp.
"Yeah?"
"You look at me sometimes like... like you've known me for a hundred years," she said, her overthinking mind finally voicing the thought. "Like you're remembering something I haven't done yet."
Ashok looked up at the moon. It was a silver crescent. He felt the urge to say the words—the code they used to confess their love. The moon is beautiful, isn't it?
But he stopped. He wasn't ready to lose her to Dubai again. He needed to build something stronger this time.
"Maybe I am," Ashok replied, his voice a low rumble. "Maybe in another life, you were already mine."
Sony looked down at her hands, her heart thumping. She felt bold for a moment, the silence of the street giving her courage. "If I was yours in another life... did I like the rides at the theme park?"
Ashok laughed, a rare, genuine sound. "You loved them. But you cried on the roller coaster and made me win you a Teddy Bear to make up for it."
Sony froze. "How did you... I've never told anyone I cry on coasters."
Ashok realized he'd said too much. He quickly hopped on the bike and patted the back seat. "Lucky guess. Come on, PA. Let's go get some dosa. I know a place that's open early."
As Sony climbed on behind him, she didn't just hold the grab rail. For the first time in this life, she tentatively reached out and held the sides of his jacket.
Ashok felt the touch and closed his eyes. The timeline is changing, he thought. And this time, I'm not letting go.