Satyaa stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of his shirt with the focused precision of a performer preparing for the spotlight. At twenty-five, he had crafted a life of vibrant images and engaging posts on Instagram, amassing a respectable following of 85.7K fans. They loved him for his upbeat personality, his dazzling style, and his ability to make every moment feel like an adventure. But none of that could compare to the joy he felt in his small apartment, where the walls vibrated with warmth, laughter, and truth, with Sushmita, his sixteen-year-old best friend, by his side

Sushmita was simplicity embodied. She wore her long hair in a single braid, her clothes often mismatched, a quiet reminder of her less than glamorous life. She had no parents and worked various part-time jobs to pay for her rent and living expenses. She rarely used a phone, living in a world where she preferred the feel of real experiences rather than scrolling through social media. Satyaa admired that about her. They were different, yet they completed each other

Satyaa: “Are you ready to shoot today’s video?” Satyaa asked, his eyes alight with enthusiasm as he dropped onto the couch beside her