An Unexpected Invitation
The cafeteria buzzed with the usual lunchtime chatter—the clinking of metal lunchboxes, the hum of students deep in conversation, and the occasional burst of laughter from the livelier groups.
I sat alone at my usual spot, quietly eating my lunch. It wasn't intentional—I just ate slower than most, so by the time I was halfway through, my classmates had already finished and left to wash their tiffins.
I didn't mind the solitude.
Or so I thought.
"Hi, Harsh!"
A cheerful voice cut through the air, startling me.
I looked up to see a girl walking toward me.
She was unfamiliar—not from my class.
Her shoulder-length hair bounced slightly as she moved, and her eyes held a playful glint. She stood confidently in front of me, as if we were already acquainted.
I blinked.
"Sorry… do I know you?" I asked, my tone neutral.
She smiled, unbothered. "Nope! My name is Tanvi. Same year as you, but in a different class."
That didn't really answer my question, but before I could ask anything else, she continued—
"This Saturday after college, come with me to hang out at the mall."
I stared at her.
"Why?"
Her expression faltered for just a second before she crossed her arms. "Don't ask me that. Just come!"
Before I could respond, she turned on her heel and dashed away, her face slightly red.
I watched her retreating figure in confusion.
"Hang out?" I mumbled under my breath.
What the hell just happened?
I was still processing the strange encounter when another voice interrupted my thoughts.
"Who was that girl?"
I turned to see Sanika standing beside me, holding out a cold bottle of juice.
I took it with a small nod of thanks.
Sanika was a senior—one of the Top Three Beauties of our college.
Her presence alone was enough to turn heads. She had a splendid figure, deep brown eyes that could pierce through someone's soul, and a confident aura that made people gravitate toward her.
And, of course, there was… another reason why people couldn't help but notice her.
My gaze flickered down for half a second before my brain screamed at me to stop.
No, no! Don't go there, you idiot!
I immediately looked away, clearing my throat. "I don't even know," I muttered, focusing intently on the juice bottle in my hands.
Sanika smirked. "Hmm… interesting."
I didn't like the way she said that.
Somehow, I had a feeling things were about to get even more complicated.
A Love That Never Was
As the final bell rang, I gathered my belongings, prepared to follow my usual path home.
But today was different.
As I stepped out of the classroom, Shreya was there, waiting for me.
The sight of her standing near the door, hands clasped in front of her, made my heart skip a beat. For a fleeting second, I foolishly hoped—hoped that maybe, just maybe, something good would happen today.
I hated myself for thinking that way.
For clinging to a hope that only made me feel miserable.
"We need to talk," she said, her voice quiet but firm.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Okay."
Without another word, we began walking home together.
The silence between us was heavy, suffocating.
She was the one who wanted to talk… so why wasn't she saying anything?
After a while, she finally spoke.
"Sorry for asking you to walk home with me so suddenly."
I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. "You're good. So… what's this about?"
Shreya took a deep breath.
"You're very special to me, Harsh."
My chest tightened.
"There's no one who could replace you."
I felt a sense of foreboding creep up my spine.
"I want to laugh with you about silly things like we used to… as friends."
There it was.
That word.
Friends.
She looked down at the ground, her steps faltering slightly. "I'm really sorry. I knew you had feelings for me, but I pretended not to notice. So please… accept it.
"I can't see you as a romantic partner."
A cold wave crashed over me.
I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palm.
"Why… Why does it feel like my heart is shattering into pieces?"
My voice was barely above a whisper when I spoke next.
"What? Then why did you kiss me that day… at the temple? When I was sleeping?"
Shreya's head snapped up, her eyes wide in shock.
"W-What? What are you talking about?" she stammered.
I forced myself to meet her gaze. "That's why I started developing feelings for you. Don't you remember? Six months ago, when we visited the mountain temple to pray?"
She shook her head, utterly confused. "I… I don't know anything about that."
I exhaled sharply, feeling frustration mix with the aching pain in my chest. "You even wrote me a letter."
I slid my bag from my shoulder and rummaged through it before pulling out a folded piece of paper. "See!" I said, thrusting it toward her.
Shreya hesitated before taking it.
Her eyes scanned the words carefully.
Then, her expression darkened.
"I'm the god of this temple. If you find the girl who kissed you in your sleep, you will find the love of your life."
She lifted her gaze back to me. "I… I didn't write this."
My breath caught. "What?"
Shreya handed the letter back to me, shaking her head. "This wasn't me, Harsh. I swear."
I stared at the letter in my hands, my mind reeling.
"If it wasn't her… then who?"
The sharp sting of reality hit me like a punch to the gut.
I turned away. "I see."
Without waiting for her response, I started walking toward my house.
Shreya didn't call out to stop me.
And somehow… that hurt even more.
---
That day, I remembered everything as if it had just happened yesterday.
I had just finished my workout when Shreya asked me to come with her to the mountain temple.
Even though I was exhausted, I agreed.
It was a long climb up, and by the time we reached the top, my body begged for rest.
While Shreya prayed at the shrine, I found a bench under the shade of a large tree.
A cool breeze drifted through the air, gentle and soothing.
I closed my eyes for just a moment, letting the soft rustling of leaves lull me into comfort.
And before I knew it—
I had fallen asleep.
That was the moment.
The moment someone had kissed me.
The moment everything had changed.
But now, I was back to square one.
The girl I loved wasn't the one who kissed me.
So then…
Who was it?
A Kiss Beneath the Temple Sky
The mountain breeze whispered through the ancient trees, rustling the leaves with a soothing hum. The golden light of the setting sun painted everything in hues of amber and crimson, casting long shadows along the stone pathway.
And there, beneath the sacred temple's guardian tree, he slept.
His dark hair was slightly tousled from the wind, strands falling across his peaceful face. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, his lips slightly parted as he breathed softly.
I took a step closer, hesitating.
"Did he exhaust himself again?"
I folded my arms, tilting my head. "Hellooo? Are you asleep?" I called in a playful whisper.
No response.
His lips curled slightly as if he were dreaming of something pleasant, and then—
"Hnnn..." A soft murmur escaped him before he turned his face to the side, slipping deeper into slumber.
I bit my lip, suppressing a giggle. "Geez, you really knocked out, huh?"
A strange warmth spread through my chest as I watched him. The usual sharpness in his eyes was gone, replaced by a rare expression of vulnerability.
"He looks so different like this..."
I crouched beside the bench, resting my chin on my palm.
"You look cute when you're asleep."
The words tumbled out before I could stop them.
The breeze picked up again, playing with the strands of my hair.
I glanced around—the temple grounds were empty. The only sound was the rustling of the trees, the distant chirping of birds settling in for the night.
My heart pounded.
I leaned in, closing the distance between us.
"If you don't wake up… I'm going to kiss you."
Still, he didn't stir.
My breath hitched.
And then—
Smooch.
The warmth of his lips lingered against mine for just a fleeting moment.
I pulled away, my heart hammering against my ribs.
He stirred slightly but didn't wake.
Placing my fingers against my lips, I stared at him, feeling my cheeks burn.
"What am I doing…?"
And yet, as the temple bell rang in the distance, I found myself smiling.
A Fateful Awakening
A strange warmth lingered on my lips, as if something soft had just brushed against them.
"What… was that…?"
Even in the haze of sleep, I could still feel it—a fleeting sensation that sent a shiver down my spine.
"Was that… a kiss?"
My eyes fluttered open. The world around me was bathed in the soft golden hues of the evening sun filtering through the trees. The gentle rustling of leaves filled the quiet air, but my mind was anything but calm.
I sat up abruptly, my heart hammering.
"Huh!? Where am I—?"
It took me a second to remember. The temple. The mountain. The workout. And—
"Oh, right… Shreya asked me to come with her."
I glanced around, spotting her a short distance away, lost in thought. She hadn't noticed that I'd woken up.
I reached up, pressing my fingertips against my lips.
The warmth was still there.
"That's freaking embarrassing!" I muttered, running my hands through my hair.
I exhaled, trying to shake the thought away.
"It must have been a dream… Right?"
But then—
A small piece of paper fluttered beside me on the wooden bench.
My brow furrowed as I reached for it. The parchment felt slightly rough between my fingers, as though it had been hastily torn from a notebook.
Unfolding it, I read the words scribbled inside:
"I am the god of this temple. If you find the girl who kissed you in your sleep, you will find the love of your life."
I froze.
"Wait… what?!"
I read the note again.
"No way! God left me a note?!"
N-No. That's ridiculous. It had to be a person. Which meant…
I swallowed hard.
"I was really kissed…?"
A sharp breath escaped me as I looked around, my gaze darting through the temple grounds. But there was no one—only Shreya standing nearby.
I clenched the note tightly, my mind racing.
"Could it have been… her?"
The thought sent a rush of heat to my face.
Shreya… my childhood friend. The girl I had always been so comfortable around. The one I laughed with, fought with, shared years of memories with.
"Does she… have feelings for me?"
The idea planted itself in my heart like a seed, and from that day on, it grew.
I couldn't help it.
From that moment forward, I started seeing Shreya as someone special.