The office buzzed with anticipation. An announcement had been made earlier in the day—this was it. The last gift from each Secret Santa would finally reveal the sender’s name. No more guessing, no more mystery. Just the truth.
Astha pretended to be indifferent. Let’s just get this over with. But a tiny part of her—one she refused to acknowledge—was oddly excited.
At her desk, a neatly wrapped package with her name on it waited. She turned it over, hesitating for just a second before opening it.
Inside was a handmade candle, simple yet elegant. She turned it in her hands, admiring the craftsmanship before unfolding the note attached:
You light up the world.
And at the bottom, written in confident strokes: Arin.
Astha’s lips parted slightly. I knew it.
She turned toward his cabin, narrowing her eyes. Arin was casually typing away, completely unfazed, as if he hadn’t just managed to throw her into a complete spiral.
“Unbelievable,” she muttered under her breath, shaking her head. Of course, it was him. Who else would write something like this?
Meanwhile, at Arin’s desk, he unwrapped his own package. His eyebrows lifted as he pulled out a T-shirt that read:
“The Boss is Always Right. If the Boss is Wrong, Refer to Rule No.1”
A slow smirk spread across his face. Attached was a simple note, signed without flourish:
Astha.
He let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. She was impossible. And he loved that about her.
On their way home, the moment Astha settled into the car, she turned to Arin with her arms crossed. “I knew it was you.”
Arin suppressed a smile as he adjusted the steering wheel. “Is that so?”
“Yes.” She huffed. “You were the only one capable of sending something that sentimental.”
He glanced at her with amusement. “And you? A T-shirt declaring my absolute authority? Not exactly subtle, Mehra.”
Astha smiled. “You like it, don’t you?”
He chuckled. “I do. Very much.”
Astha sighed dramatically. “And to think I spent days trying to figure it out. The earrings should have been the biggest clue, but I convinced myself you were too serious for such things.”
Arin raised an eyebrow. “So you underestimated me?”
“Let’s just say I had my doubts.” She gave him a sideways glance. “And what about you? When did you figure out it was me?”
Arin grinned. “Oh, the moment I got the ‘Cool’ pendant and Mentos. That had ‘Astha’ written all over it.”
Astha rolled her eyes. “I was trying to make you less intense.”
“And yet, here we are.” He gestured toward his new T-shirt. “Apparently, I’m always right.”
“Don’t let it go to your head.”
Arin leaned back, a smug look in his eyes. “Too late.”
She exhaled, shaking her head as she turned to look out the window. “Well, it’s over now. No more mysteries.”
Arin’s hands tightened slightly on the steering wheel, an unreadable expression flickering across his face. “Is that what you wanted?”
Astha didn’t answer immediately. She wasn’t sure.
But for the first time in a long time, she wasn’t entirely opposed to the idea of not knowing what happens next.
And Arin? He wasn’t quite ready to let this game be over.
Not just yet.
The car ride home was filled with endless back-and-forth banter. What had started as a simple exchange about the Secret Santa gifts had now turned into a full-blown contest of wit and sarcasm. Astha found herself laughing more than usual, and Arin, fueled by her laughter, kept the jokes coming. Their conversation had grown easier, more natural, as if they had known each other for much longer than they actually had.
For once, there were no walls between them. Just effortless companionship.
“So,” Arin mused as he drove, glancing at her. “You really suspected me all along?”
Astha scoffed. “Of course, I did. But you’re a good actor, Verma. That deadpan expression of yours never gave anything away.”
Arin smiled. “I take that as a compliment.”
She rolled her eyes. “It wasn’t. It was annoying. Every time I tried to guess, you sat there like some enigmatic mystery novel villain.”
Arin chuckled. “And yet, you doubted yourself.”
She huffed. “Only because I thought you were too serious for all this.”
He pretended to be offended. “Too serious? I gave you poetic notes, earrings, and a handmade candle, and you thought I wasn’t capable of fun?”
Astha gave him a sideways glance. “That’s precisely why I doubted it. You went too far with the sentimentality. It didn’t match your usual brooding, bossy self.”
Arin shook his head. “And you? A T-shirt declaring me always right? That had your sarcasm all over it.”
Astha grinned. “What can I say? I’m just looking out for you, Verma. Making sure you never forget the rules.”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “I won’t. Trust me.”
They continued teasing each other about the previous gifts—Arin playfully accusing her of sending the ‘Cool’ pendant just to mess with him, while Astha claimed she had nearly suspected Priya before realizing only Arin would be bold enough to send something so perfectly crafted to rile her up.
By the time they reached their apartments, neither of them wanted the conversation to end. It had been easy, light, and unexpectedly enjoyable.
The next morning at the office, Astha was informed of an assignment—she and Arin had to travel to Udaipur to cover a story, a directive from the head office. The announcement didn’t bother her much; she loved traveling. What did surprise her, however, was Arin’s insistence that they take a car.
“We should drive down,” he suggested casually. “It’s more convenient.”
Astha snorted. “You should drive down. I, however, love a good bus ride.”
Arin looked at her, baffled. “You prefer a bus over a car?”
“Absolutely,” she said with a grin. “It’s part of the adventure.”
Arin sighed, already regretting this conversation. “Fine. Do what you want. I’ll see you in Udaipur.”
Astha smiled and waved him off, enjoying how much it unsettled him.
The next day, Arin found himself at the bus station, dialing Astha’s number.
“Which bus are you on?” he asked, still hoping she had changed her mind.
“The one headed to Udaipur,” she replied nonchalantly. “Look up.”
Arin tilted his head upward, scanning the top of the buses.
And then he saw her.
There she was, sitting on the roof of the bus, surrounded by other passengers, grinning down at him like a victorious warrior.
His eyes widened in disbelief. “Are you serious?”
Astha laughed. “Welcome to the real way to travel, Verma. Now hurry up and climb on before we leave you behind.”
Arin groaned, rubbing his temples. “You’re impossible.”
“And yet, here you are, debating whether to join me or not.”
Arin stared at her for a long moment before shaking his head in amusement.
This woman was going to be the death of him.
But damn if he wasn’t enjoying every second of it.
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