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:- A Reunion Over Coffee
"I still feel grateful that you were my friend back then," Mythili said, expressing her gratitude for what felt like the hundredth time.
It had been fifteen minutes since our unexpected collision at the mall, and now we were sitting together, having coffee. Mythili was visibly excited and happy, overjoyed to have reconnected with her old friend. Her husband, Ashwin, on the other hand, was giving me wary looks, all while holding Mythili's hand tightly under the table.
If I had to guess, they were on a date before I crashed their plans. Ashwin had probably arranged some romantic moments with his wife, but I came along and unintentionally threw a wrench in his plans. Or maybe, he just saw me as a potential threat to Mythili—either way, his gaze made it clear he wasn't thrilled with my presence. Or was he simply jealous because Mythili was showering me with praise?
Not that I could blame him entirely; I was also feeling uneasy. Mythili was reminiscing about our college days, sharing stories of how we became friends. According to her, she had been an introverted, nerdy student, making her an easy target for bullies. Being an orphan only made things worse. Apparently, I had stepped in, defending her as the only daughter of a very powerful businessman.
While I didn't object to this fabricated backstory, I was frustrated that the system hadn't provided me with these details sooner. How was I supposed to play along if I didn't know the script? I shot a glare at my phone, silently cursing the system for leaving me in the dark.
"You found an amazing husband, huh? You both make a great pair," I commented, trying to steer the conversation away from the past I couldn't remember.
Ashwin's expression softened as he gazed at Mythili with love-filled eyes, making her blush. What am I even doing here? Isn't this supposed to be a happy ending? I really don't understand what my role is in all of this.
"Give me your number, Khushboo, so I can contact you," Mythili said, recovering from her blush.
"Well, actually, I was about to buy a new phone when we met. My old one is damaged, so I don't have a number right now," I replied, hoping to avoid any more complications.
The number I have is from my world, and I'm not even sure if it would work here. That's why I was about to buy that iPhone before I ended up with a pain in the butt instead.
"Oh, then how about we set a date to meet up again?" she suggested.
I didn't think I could decline her offer anymore. Besides, if I upset Mythili, wouldn't that make Ashwin more inclined to upset my life? "Sure," I agreed, and we settled on a time and place to meet again.
As we finished our coffee, Ashwin, who had shown no interest in our conversation—or rather, my conversation—leaned towards Mythili. He whispered something in her ear, biting her earlobe playfully at the end, which made her go completely red.
Dude, I see that! If you're desperate, then take her home, but don't pull these stunts in front of me, I thought, cringing at the display.
"I-I'll meet you then," Mythili stuttered, standing up.
I waved her goodbye and stood up as well, watching as Ashwin wrapped his arm around her waist, guiding her out of the café. As they left, I noticed a few more people discreetly following them. So, Ashwin wasn't alone after all. Of course, the mafia boss had hidden bodyguards with him. How could I have thought otherwise?
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:- The Urge
After Mythili and Ashwin left, I felt a mix of relief and excitement. Finally, I could get back to my original plan—buying that new phone. The thought of having something as sleek as the latest iPhone in my hands had me practically skipping towards the electronics store. But just as I was about to step inside, a sudden and unavoidable urge stopped me in my tracks.
Seriously? Now?
"Let's visit the washroom first," I muttered to myself, rolling my eyes at the timing of it all.
With a sigh, I turned away from the shop and made my way to the nearest restroom.
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:- A Glitch in Reality
After finishing up in the washroom, I closed the tap and looked at my reflection in the mirror. To my surprise, I looked exactly the same as I did in my own world—no drastic changes, no dramatic makeover. Just me, plain and simple. It was a reminder that, despite everything, book characters are also humans, after all.
As I pondered this, the phone in my pocket suddenly started vibrating. I pulled it out and saw a new message flash across the screen:
Mission Completed
Before I could even process the words, everything around me began to glitch, like a computer screen going haywire. The walls of the washroom flickered and distorted, and I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me. My head spun, and I reached out to steady myself, but it was no use. The last thing I saw was my reflection warping in the mirror before everything went black.
---
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:- Back to Reality
"Hah," I gasped, jolting upright in my bed. My chest heaved as I tried to catch my breath, inhaling deeply as if I had been underwater and just surfaced. My heart pounded in my ears, the remnants of dizziness slowly fading away.
After a moment, I glanced around, taking in my surroundings. Everything was familiar—too familiar. The soft glow of the morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm light on the same furniture I had woken up to countless times before. My desk, my posters, and the comforting clutter of my belongings greeted me like old friends.
I was in my room.
For a few seconds, I just sat there, disoriented, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Had it all been a dream? The world of "Sanam Teri Kasam," the mission, Mythili—all of it? My hands trembled slightly as I reached for my phone, half-expecting it to glitch out again or display another mission.
But the screen was blank, just the usual lock screen staring back at me.
Had I really been pulled into a story? Or was it all just a figment of my imagination?
I shook my head, still trying to grasp the situation. Whatever it was, one thing was certain—it felt real.
---
---
:- A Morning of Realizations
Still feeling a bit off, I decided a glass of water might help quench the dryness in my throat. I reached over to the side table, grabbed the glass, and brought it to my lips—only to find it empty. What a drama, I thought, shaking my head as I made my way towards the kitchen.
The house was quiet, with everyone still in their rooms. It was early, after all—too early for anyone but me to be awake. Or so I thought. I opened the fridge, took out a bottle of water, and was about to drink straight from it when a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.
"Take a glass, will you?" my mother's voice gently interrupted me.
I turned to see her standing by the stove, already preparing chai. My mom was always an early riser, so it wasn't surprising to see her there. What was surprising, however, was how out of place I suddenly felt.
"Good morning, Mumma," I greeted her with a small smile, quickly pouring the water into the steel glass. The last thing I needed was to be on the receiving end of a scolding so early in the morning.
"How come you're up so early?" she asked, her back to me as she put a pot on the stove.
"Ese hi ... ," [ just because] , I replied nonchalantly, ready to bolt back to my room.
But just as I was about to make my escape, her next question stopped me cold.
"Why are you so dressed up?"
I blinked, looking down at myself in confusion. What was she talking about? But when I glanced at my clothes, my heart skipped a beat. I was still wearing the outfit from the dream—or whatever that was. The same stylish ensemble I had put on to meet Mythili at the mall.
This can't be happening.
My mind raced, trying to make sense of it all. Had it really not been a dream? Was I actually pulled into the world of "Sanam Teri Kasam"? I stared at the clothes in disbelief, my thoughts a jumble of confusion and denial.
"Mumma, did you see these clothes before?" I asked, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.
She gave me a puzzled look, "Of course not. I was about to ask where you got them from."
I quickly mumbled something about needing to change and rushed out of the kitchen and head back to my room.
---
:- Between Worlds
Closing the door behind me, I quickly moved in front of the mirror, my reflection confirming the absurdity of it all.
"Damn,"I muttered under my breath, feeling a mix of frustration and disbelief.
Without wasting a second, I grabbed my phone and punched in the password. But as the home screen appeared, my heart sank. There was nothing out of the ordinary—no strange apps, no trace of the system, not even the weird money app that had appeared earlier.
I collapsed onto the side of the bed, my mind racing. It was clear that I had no control over when or how I could enter or leave that world. Did the story send me back because there were no more problems left to solve? If only I had known, I might have created some misunderstandings to stay longer. I could already feel the loss of that luxurious life—my precious luxury, gone in an instant.
But then, another thought struck me. What happened to the story?
I hurriedly opened the app where I had originally read "Sanam Teri Kasam"—!Novelania!. As soon as I did, a notification popped up. There was an update on "Sanam Teri Kasam." My heart raced as I quickly clicked on it and scrolled to the latest chapter, reading everything in a flurry of emotions.
The chapter detailed everything—how Ashwin and Mythili went on a shopping date, how they met an old friend of Mythili's (that was me), and how Ashwin was jealous and suspicious of this friend. So I was right—he didn't like me. Typical possessive husband, I thought, rolling my eyes.
There were also a few details I hadn't been aware of, like how Mythili had defended me when Ashwin suggested she be careful around me. She really is a sweetheart, I thought, feeling a pang of guilt. She was so in love with the version of me created in that world, it almost felt like a betrayal. Yet, in the story, our meeting was just another event—nothing too significant, just a brief interaction between old friends.
I put the phone down, feeling the beginnings of a headache. Overthinking this would do me no good. For now, I needed to focus on something more manageable—like getting out of these clothes.
With a sigh, I stood up and headed towards my wardrobe.
---
:- The Morning Ritual
"Kal teri bua ka phone aaya tha..."
[ Your aunt called yesterday].
My mom said as she placed a hot paratha on my plate, the aroma filling the air.
"Hmm...to?"
[ Hmm so? ]
I mumbled, taking a bite only to hiss as the paratha burned my tongue. I quickly took a sip of water to cool down.
In front of me, my father sat half-focused on his breakfast and half on the newspaper, flipping through the pages with his usual calm demeanor. Beside me was my older brother, Akshay, who was calmly eating his breakfast while scrolling through documents on his phone. What a duo, I thought. Neither of them paid any attention to our conversation—until my mother dropped the bombshell.
"Tumhare liye rishta aaya hai,"
[ A marriage purposal has come for you ]
she revealed, settling down with her second cup of tea.
I sighed, focusing on my food. This wasn't the first time such news had come up at the breakfast table. I glanced at my father, who had now folded his newspaper and was asking my mom for more details about this potential match. My brother, Akshay, continued to mind his own business, showing little interest in the discussion.
Now, let me formally introduce myself and my family.
I'm Khushboo Mehra, a 21-year-old girl with no specific occupation—just someone doing nothing, as my family would describe it. I left my studies after the 12th grade, not because I wanted to, but because my family decided that I'd learned enough. My grades weren't great, but that wasn't the main reason. My family has always opposed the idea of a working woman, so they're "protecting" me from the dangerous world outside. As a result, I hardly ever go out alone.
My father, Mohan Mehra, is a doctor who runs his own small clinic. My brother, Akshay, is a secretary at a well-established company. The age gap between us is 17 years, which means we don't share the typical brother-sister relationship. There are no cute fights or playful teasing between us. He's more like a second father to me, with his mature personality, and we barely talk because of it.
My mother, Kajal, is a housewife—just like every other typical mom. She takes care of the household with meticulous care, managing everything from cooking to cleaning. I also have an older sister, Anjali, who is happily married and has two kids. She's the epitome of the perfect daughter in our family, fulfilling every expectation our parents had.
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:- The Waiting Game
The next three days passed by in a monotonous blur. My daily routine was just as dull as it had always been, and despite my relentless efforts, I found no way to return to the amazing world I had briefly experienced. Every few hours, I would check my cellphone, hoping for some sign, some message that would take me back. But nothing. I even tried to contact the author of the story, DMing them in hopes of finding some clue, but everything went in vain.
It was frustrating, to say the least. The longer I stayed in this ordinary world, the more I missed the thrill and luxury of the other one. My days dragged on, and my nights were filled with restless thoughts about what could have been.
It was around 1 a.m. on the third night, and I found myself lying in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, my mind empty and heavy at the same time. I felt like I was stuck in a loop, trapped in a mundane reality that offered no escape.
Just as I was about to drift off into a restless sleep, my phone started buzzing on the bedside table. The sudden noise jolted me out of my thoughts. I quickly grabbed the phone, my heart pounding with anticipation. Could it be...?
I looked at the black screen as words began to appear, glowing softly in the darkness.
Finally!!! I jumped out of bed, my heart racing with excitement. I focused intently on the letters as they formed a message:
"A new mission has arrived. Do you wish to continue the help?"
Below the message were two options:
[Yes]
[No]
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Be Back Soon....