It was a breezy Sunday morning, and the open market buzzed with the symphony of vendors calling out prices, the rustle of plastic bags, and the warm scent of coriander and ripe mangoes in the air. You walked beside Ankit, your hand tucked securely into the crook of his arm, a jute bag swinging from your wrist as you navigated the colorful chaos of the sabzi bazaar.

“Bhindi or baingan today?” you asked, holding up both with dramatic seriousness. “We had bhindi two days ago, but I’m craving it again. But baingan bharta with hot rotis is also tempting.”

Ankit, towering beside you in a faded black T-shirt and trackpants, glanced at both with a soft smirk. “Bhindi,” he said, as if it were a state secret. You grinned. “I knew it! You’re secretly a bhindi addict.”

He didn't deny it. Just reached out and picked out the freshest ones with practiced precision, handing them to the vendor as you rambled on about the time your cousin had once burned bhindi so badly it turned into charcoal.

Next came tomatoes. “These look juicy, but slightly squishy. What do you think? Salad or sabzi tomatoes?”

“You’re asking like I’ve been trained by MasterChef India,” he replied dryly, but he leaned in anyway, examining them with a furrowed brow, as if the fate of your lunch depended on his decision.

You loved this version of him—the off-duty one. Relaxed. Amused by your chatter. His hand occasionally brushing your back protectively as someone passed too close. He didn’t say much, but he didn’t have to. His quiet presence beside you, carrying your bags without complaint, listening to your endless opinions on coriander freshness—it made your chest feel light.

With your plump curves and adorable face, you were an absolute picture of cuteness with your glasses on your small face, and your messy bun with hair sticking out.

You were not at all slim though you were not over weight either. More in the middle, though the excess fat had gone to your legs and hips, making them fuller and a bit chubby, with a little tummy pouch which was barely visible under your saree.