Evening fell gently over the playground, where Dean and Sejal met once again.
Dean looked at her, uncertainty clouding his eyes.
Sejal stood firm, voice sharp.
— "Will you ever be able to love me? The way a lover truly loves his girl?"
Dean remained silent.
Sejal gave a small smile, almost bitter.
— "Never mind… I got my answer."
She turned away, tears threatening to fall as she walked off.
Dean stood frozen.
Speechless.
Watching her leave… unable to say the words stuck in his throat.
—
Back home, Sejal found Ken waiting for her.
He stood up as she entered.
— "Where were you for so long? And your phone—why wasn't it with you?
Do you know how many times I tried to call?"
Sejal replied flatly,
— "Why? Was it necessary?"
Ken kept his calm.
— "Did you forget? The assignment is due day after tomorrow.
Have you finished yours?"
Sejal looked down.
— "No… I still have some left."
Ken smiled gently.
— "Come on then. Let me help you finish it."
And so, the two sat together late into the night, completing the assignment.
Sejal's mother came by and saw them having dinner together.
Afterwards, they went back to writing and editing.
Eventually, her parents said,
— "It's too late now, Ken. Why don't you stay the night?
You can sleep in Harry's room."
Ken hesitated at first, but after a little insistence, he agreed.
That night, long after everyone had fallen asleep, Ken quietly got up… and walked into Sejal's room.
She was fast asleep.
Ken stood at the edge of her bed, eyes softening as he gazed at her peaceful face.
That delicate curve of her lips, the glow of innocence…
He couldn't help himself.
He leaned down and gently placed a kiss on her lips.
The moment Sejal stirred in her sleep, Ken panicked and rushed out of the room.
—
Next morning, over breakfast, they talked about college assignments like nothing had happened.
Then Ken returned home.
Days passed. Then months.
Sejal finished school and entered college.
The chubby little girl had now transformed into a stunning young woman.
Ken, too, had enrolled in the same college—
so he could stay close to her.
His love for Sejal had only grown deeper with time.
On the other hand, Dean had now joined his father's company and moved back to their neighborhood.
Since that day on the playground, he and Sejal hadn't seen each other again.
But Dean missed her deeply.
He couldn't forget anything—not her smile, not her voice, not her eyes.
Yet, Dean's family continued to pressure him to get engaged to Suzy.
Suzy, however, had realized the truth—
Dean's heart still beat for Sejal.
So she kept finding reasons to postpone the engagement, citing "work" as her excuse.
—
Meanwhile, Sejal had decided she wanted to become independent.
She wanted to work, earn her own money, and live in a hostel during college.
But her parents and brothers protested.
— "Why would you need to work when we're here to take care of you?"
Denny now ran a successful restaurant, and her younger brother Harry had a great job abroad.
Still, Sejal didn't want to depend on anyone.
She moved into a college hostel and started living life on her own terms.
One afternoon, at her part-time job in a café, Sejal was at the counter, setting up the coffee machine.
And then—he appeared.
Dean.
The moment she looked up, Sejal froze.
Her voice trembled slightly.
— "You?! Where have you been all this time?
Why didn't you ever come back to the playground?
Do you even know… how much I missed you?"
Then she suddenly smiled brightly and added,
— "Sorry, sir. Do I know you?"
Dean stopped.
Her words hit him like a blow.
His face darkened slightly.
He asked,
— "Are you still mad at me?"
Sejal replied calmly,
— "Sorry, sir. I think you're mistaken.
I'm not the girl you're looking for."
Dean paused, then said quietly,
— "Alright. When your shift is over, will you meet me outside?
I'll wait for you."
Sejal looked down.
— "Would you like some coffee, sir?"
Dean nodded.
— "Ice Americano."
Sejal gave a slight smirk.
— "Got it, sir. Please take a seat. I'll bring it to your table."
---
(To be continued…)