The events of last night were still floating in a corner of my mind like a fairytale dream. everything combined had filled my heart with a rare sense of contentment. By the time I went to sleep that night, it was almost half-past two. But strangely enough, because my mind felt light, sleep came naturally, deep and peaceful, like a child's.

When I opened my eyes the next morning, the clock hands were clearly touching nine. The usual morning rush—making tea, packing Arnab’s lunch, or scrambling to get ready for the office—was absent today. It was either a day off or a late start, but where was Arnab?