Someone was making strange slurping noises near my ear.
"Wake up... slurp... wake up..."
Groaning, I slowly opened my eyes.
The second I did, I let out a blood-curdling scream.
"What the heck?!"
There stood my sister like some low-budget horror movie ghost.
A bowl of Maggi rested in one hand while the other held a torchlight beneath her chin, illuminating her face from below. To make matters worse, she had draped a blanket over her head like a ghostly cloak.
"Are you insane?" I hissed, clutching my chest. "What are you doing here?" I spared a quick glance at the clock,"at two in the morning?"
She casually slurped a mouthful of Maggi.
"I asked you about the party story, remember? But you never told me. Then I forgot to ask again. I suddenly remembered it now, so I thought I'd listen to the story while having a bowl of Maggi."
I stared at her in disbelief.
Her brain truly worked in mysterious ways.
Any normal person would have waited until morning.
Not my sister.
No, she had to invade my room at two in the morning looking like a haunted noodle-eating ghost.
"You're pretty annoying, you know that?" I muttered.
"Thank you. I know I'm pretty."
I rolled my eyes.
"I said you're pretty annoying."
"I only focus on the positive things." She flashed a grin. "By the way, thank you for calling me pretty again."
"Ugh."
I buried my face in my hands.
"Fine. What do you want?"
She immediately sat cross-legged on my bed.
"I need every single detail about the party you attended."
Of course she did.
With a sigh, I began narrating everything that had happened at the Business party.
About the sharma family
The dance
The food
She listened attentively, occasionally slurping her Maggi.
As I spoke, I reached the part I had been debating whether to tell her or not.
For a moment, I hesitated.
Then I decided to come clean.
"Actually..." I began. "I lost my Trishul pendant."
Her eyes widened.
"The one you always wear?"
"Yes. I was looking down while searching for it and wasn't paying attention to where I was walking."
I paused.
"And then?"
"And then I bumped into someone."
She leaned forward dramatically.
"Who?"
I took a deep breath.
"Rudransh Singhania."
Silence.
Complete silence.
My sister froze.
The strand of Maggi hanging from her mouth remained suspended in midair.
I waved a hand in front of her face.
"Hello? Are you still with me?"
Nothing.
I lightly shook her shoulder.
"Earth to idiot."
Finally, she slurped the noodle into her mouth and gasped.
"Oh. My. God."
I immediately regretted telling her.
"Oh my God!" she squealed. "You met the Rudransh Singhania? The billionaire?"
I nodded.
She looked seconds away from fainting.
Then she grabbed my arm.
"Didn't I tell you? Didn't I say you'd meet your Prince Charming at that party?"
I groaned.
There she went again with her K-drama fantasies.
"Please stop."
"No, seriously!"
"Nothing happened."
"What do you mean nothing happened?"
"Exactly what I said. Nothing happened."
I shrugged.
"I thanked him and came back. That's all."
Her suspicious gaze narrowed.
"That's all?"
"That's all."
She stared at me for a few more seconds before sighing dramatically.
"Hmm. Your story is getting a little juicy."
"It's really not."
"We'll see."
I pointed firmly toward the door.
"You got your story. Now leave."
"But—"
"Leave."
She pouted.
"I have work tomorrow. I spent the entire day with you already, and unlike some people, I actually need sleep."
"Fine, fine."
Still carrying her half-finished bowl of Maggi, she got off the bed and walked toward the door.
Just before leaving, she turned around and wiggled her eyebrows.
"Future Mrs. Singhania."
"Get out!"
Laughing, she darted out of the room before I could throw a pillow at her.
The door clicked shut.
Finally.
Peace.
Shaking my head at my sister's endless nonsense, I pulled the blanket over myself and settled back into bed.
Within minutes, sleep claimed me once again.
--------------------------------
My alarm rang sharply at five in the morning, pulling me from my sleep. With a groan, I reached over and turned it off before forcing myself out of bed.
Another day.
Another routine.
Another schedule.
The memory of my sister's midnight Maggi interrogation flashed through my mind, making me shake my head with a small smile.
That girl was impossible.
I went through my usual morning routine. The early hours were peaceful, with only the faint sounds of birds greeting the sunrise outside. Once I was done, I headed downstairs to prepare breakfast.
I decided to prepare my sister's favorite breakfast—mini idli sambar. The tiny, fluffy idlis steamed to perfection while the sambar simmered gently, filling the kitchen with the comforting aroma of spices and lentils. I carefully poured the rich, flavorful sambar over the soft idlis and garnished it with fresh coriander. The sight of the steaming bowl brought a smile to my face. Knowing how much my sister loved it made the effort even more worthwhile.
A few minutes later, I heard lazy footsteps approaching.
"Good morning," my sister mumbled, looking half asleep.
I glanced at her and laughed.
"Good morning? More like good luck surviving the day after staying awake at two in the morning eating Maggi."
She dramatically gasped.
"I came for important information gathering."
"You came looking like a haunted ghost."
"I prefer the term investigative journalist."
My sister suddenly stopped midway and dramatically sniffed the air.
"I smell something... something beautiful," she declared, closing her eyes. "Something aromatic. Wait—"
Her eyes flew open.
"Oh my God! That's sambar! What did you make?"
Before I could answer, she practically sprinted toward the dining table.
I rolled my eyes at her enthusiasm and placed the bowl in front of her.
The moment she saw the mini idli and sambar, she let out an excited squeal.
Without warning, she jumped up from her chair and threw her arms around me.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she exclaimed, peppering my cheeks with kisses. "You're the best sister in the entire world!"
I laughed at her dramatic reaction and gently ruffled her hair.
"All this excitement for a bowl of mini idli sambar?"
"Not just a bowl of mini idli sambar," she corrected with a grin. "A bowl of mini idli sambar made by my favorite person."
We ate together while exchanging random conversations, just like we did every morning. Moments like these were simple, yet they were my favorite.
After finishing breakfast, I quickly cleaned up before grabbing my handbag.
"I'll be leaving now," I said.
My sister stood up immediately and followed me to the door.
"Have a good day at work."
"You too."
I gently cupped her cheek before placing a kiss on her forehead.
"Take care of yourself."
She smiled.
"You too, Miss Workaholic."
I chuckled and shook my head.
With one final wave, I stepped outside and headed toward my car.
The morning air was cool and refreshing as I drove toward the office. The roads were already beginning to fill with people rushing to start their own busy days.
For me, it was just another normal workday.
Or at least, that's what I thought.
Little did I know that before the day ended, my life was about to take an unexpected turn.
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