The night was unusually still. They were at their Favorite Street, the one where the twin rows of yellow lamps created a golden tunnel just for them. Sony was sitting on the bike, her feet touching the ground, while Ashok stood beside her, pretending to check the mirrors.
Lately, Sony had been distracted. Her phone buzzed constantly. She would smile at the screen, then hide it.
"Who are you texting, PA?" Ashok asked, his voice casual, though his heart was racing. "Is there a 'Junior Senior' I should know about?"
Sony bit her lip, her bold side taking a risky turn. She wanted to see if her shy Boss would finally break his silence. "Oh, him? He's just... someone. He's very tall. Very handsome. He says the weather in Dubai is perfect for a girl like me."
Ashok felt a sharp pang of jealousy. He knew her—she was likely making up an "imaginary boyfriend" to test his feelings, or perhaps it was a persistent suitor from her family's side.
"Is that so?" Ashok stepped closer, entering her personal space. The "naughty" Ashok was gone, replaced by the man who had lost her once and refused to do it again.
Sony's breath hitched as he leaned in. She held up her phone. "He just sent me a message. Look. He says, 'The moon is beautiful, isn't it?'"
Ashok froze. That was his line. His soul's code. Hearing it come from her—even as a joke or a test—broke the dam he had built around his heart.
He didn't look at the phone. He looked directly into her eyes, his shadow falling over her in the golden lamplight.
"Sony," he said, his voice a low, vibrating growl. "Stop playing."
"I—I'm not—"
"The moon is beautiful," Ashok interrupted, his voice dripping with raw emotion. "But do you even know what that means? It means 'I love you.' It means I'd rather be stuck in a night shift with you than be the King of Dubai without you. It means I've been waiting a lifetime just to stand on this street and tell you that you're mine."
Sony's phone almost slipped from her hand. The "Bold" girl vanished, leaving behind the "Shy" Sony who was completely overwhelmed. "Boss... you... you're serious?"
"I've never been more serious," Ashok said. He reached out, his hand cupping her cheek, his thumb brushing the earring he had bought her. "I don't care about the imaginary boyfriend. I don't care about the 'tall, handsome' guy in the texts. I'm the one who bought you the bag. I'm the one who won you the bear. And I'm the one who is going to marry you."
He leaned down, his forehead resting against hers. "So, answer me, PA. The moon is beautiful, isn't it?"
Sony couldn't find her voice. Her overthinking brain had finally gone silent, replaced by the pounding of her heart. She didn't say yes. She didn't say no. Instead, she reached out and grabbed the front of his jacket, pulling him even closer, her eyes closed, waiting for the moment their lives would officially change.
In that moment, under the 4:00 AM sky, the "Past" and the "Future" finally became the Present.