The next morning, under the soft golden warmth of the sun, Dean and Sejal met at their old school playground.
As they stood in one quiet corner of the field, Dean suddenly pulled Sejal into a tight embrace—holding her close, protectively, as if afraid to let her go again. Then, without a word, he pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
Sejal shivered slightly, closing her eyes.
In a trembling voice, she whispered,
"Dean… I missed you so much…"
Dean leaned closer, brushing his lips against her ear as he softly replied,
"I missed you even more…"
Then he gently pulled away and said,
"Take care of yourself, okay? I have to go to work now, but I'll come see you again tonight."
Sejal looked up at him and asked,
"When will you come?"
Dean smiled warmly.
"I'll text you," he replied.
Then in a deep voice, almost in a whisper, he said one last thing before walking away—
"I love you."
---
When Sejal returned home, she saw Ken and her mother were already awake.
Ken, visibly hurt and slightly frustrated, grabbed her hand and led her quietly into her room.
"You went to meet Dean, didn't you?" he asked, a mix of jealousy and pain in his tone.
Sejal answered honestly,
"Yes… Dean wants to meet me again tonight. Will you be able to cover for me somehow in front of my parents?"
Ken gave a strained smile, hiding the ache in his heart.
"Look at me. The one I love is in love with someone else…"
Then, after a pause, he composed himself and said—
"Alright, I'll see what I can do."
---
The day passed by quietly. Sejal and Ken stayed home, helping out with chores, spending time with family. That night, after dinner, the whole family gathered in the living room to watch a movie together.
In the middle of the film, Sejal nudged Ken with her elbow and whispered—
"Dean's back from work. Please help me sneak out…"
Ken quickly understood and stood up, addressing her parents,
"Uncle, Aunty, I'm just taking Sejal to the nearby shop to grab some soft drinks. We'll be back in five minutes."
With that excuse, Sejal and Ken stepped out.
Down the street, Dean was waiting.
As soon as Sejal reached him, he smiled and took a step forward.
"My love, do you know how much I missed you today?"
Sejal looked into his eyes and smiled softly.
"I missed you too, so much…"
But just then, Dean's eyes shifted slightly—to look at Ken.
His tone changed.
"Ken came with you?"
Sejal calmly replied,
"Would my parents have let me out this late otherwise?"
Dean's jaw tightened a bit.
"Is Ken staying at your house?" he asked, trying to sound casual, but his voice betrayed the jealousy underneath.
Sejal smiled playfully,
"Yes, my parents wanted him to stay. So he's staying with us for now."
Dean's expression darkened just a little. His eyes flickered with unspoken envy—eyes that couldn't hide what he truly felt.
And Ken, noticing it, couldn't help but smirk.
---
To be continued…