By the time they stepped out of Felix's room, the clock on the wall read a little past 1:30 p.m.
The house felt different now.
Not louder. Not quieter.
Just… different.
Something had shifted upstairs, even if no one spoke about it openly. The walls didn't know it, the furniture didn't care—but the people did.
Felix felt it in the way Alex walked a little closer to him than usual, and in how Nikhil's gaze lingered a fraction longer before looking away, as if caught in some quiet nostalgia.
Radha noticed them coming out immediately.
"Lunch?" she called from the kitchen, already knowing the answer.
"Yes," Nikhil replied instantly. "I am starving. Emotional talks burn calories."
Felix shot him a look. "You didn't talk."
"I emotionally supported the room," Nikhil said proudly.
Dev hid a small smile.
Lunch was simple—nothing elaborate, nothing ceremonial. Rice, dal, vegetables. Familiar food that pulled everything gently back into normalcy. Krishna, Radha explained, was already at the shop, so it was just the four of them at the table.
Alex ate quietly at first.
Too quietly.
Felix noticed it but didn't comment. Some things needed space.
After lunch, Felix stood up automatically. "I should go to the shop and help Dad."
Before he could take two steps, Nikhil grabbed his wrist.
"Weekend," he said firmly. "Sunday."
Felix frowned. "He's alone there."
"And he managed before, didn't he?" Nikhil replied. "Please, bro," he added dramatically, folding his hands. "It's Sunday. Let's hang out."
As if on cue, Radha appeared behind them. "Go," she said, waving her hand. "Your father doesn't need help right now. He needs customers. I am free, so I can go to help him, as usual. "
Felix hesitated.
Then he looked at Alex.
Alex shrugged. "I can stay alone. I'll just play games and watch anime."
Nikhil's eyes lit up. "Perfect. That means you're coming with us."
"What?" Alex blinked.
Felix frowned. "Us?"
"Arcade," Nikhil announced. "Movie. Food. Normal human activities."
Dev nodded. "Sounds good."
Felix sighed. "You all decided without me, didn't you?"
"Yes," Nikhil said cheerfully.
Alex stood up. "I'll stay."
Felix looked surprised. "Who told you that you get to decide?"
Alex nodded weakly. "Yeah."
It was a small thing.
But Felix could feel it—Alex was happy.
After informing Radha that they would eat outside, they headed out.
Nikhil left his bike at Vedman's.
The afternoon sun was strong, the city alive with weekend energy. Shops were open, traffic louder than usual, people moving without any particular urgency.
The arcade was their first stop.
The moment they entered, sound hit them—machines beeping, music blaring, people shouting over games. Neon lights reflected off polished floors. The air smelled like popcorn and electricity.
Alex's eyes lit up instantly.
"Oh hell yes."
Nikhil clapped his hands. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my natural habitat."
Felix smirked. "I thought that was a football ground."
"This is my vacation home."
They split up naturally.
Alex dragged Nikhil toward a racing game. Felix and Dev ended up at a shooting arcade.
"Loser buys cold drinks," Dev said, loading his gun.
Felix raised an eyebrow. "You're overconfident."
"I'm confident."
They played.
Dev was focused. Calm. Precise.
Felix was chaos.
He missed easy shots, hit impossible ones, and shouted commentary at the screen like it could hear him.
"HEADSHOT—okay that wasn't a head—BUT STILL IMPRESSIVE."
Dev won.
Barely.
Felix stared at the score. "Rigged."
"Pay up," Dev said.
Cold drinks in hand, they regrouped.
Alex was laughing—actually laughing so hard—as he calmly destroyed Nikhil in racing.
"This is not fair," Nikhil protested. "You don't even look stressed."
"I optimized my turns," Alex replied.
Nikhil groaned. "I hate you."
"You don't," Alex said. "You just lost."
For a while, there was no past. No future.
Just noise. Laughter. Competition.
Felix watched them and felt something unfamiliar settle in his chest.
Peace.
...
By 6:00 p.m., they stepped out of the movie theater.
The anime had ended.
The credits rolled in Felix's mind far more loudly than the arcade sounds earlier.
The story had been tragic.
Two people in love. Circumstances against them. Time, distance, choices. A separation that felt inevitable long before it happened.
Alex had been quiet during the last half.
Dev looked neutral.
Nikhil looked irritated.
"That ending was unnecessary," Nikhil said, waving his hands. "Why kill one of them? WHY?"
"It wasn't unnecessary," Alex argued. "That's the point. Love doesn't always win."
"It should," Nikhil shot back. "If it doesn't, what's the use?"
Felix listened silently.
The conversation followed them into the evening air. Streetlights flickered on. The city softened.
"I'm telling you," Nikhil continued, "if you like someone, you should just say it. Waiting is stupid."
Alex nodded. "Yeah. But what if it ruins things?"
"Better than doing nothing," Nikhil replied instantly. "You wait too long and then you miss your chance. I'm telling you, Felix—"
Felix realized where this was going.
But before he could stop him—
"—you should tell Rose about your feelings."
The name landed.
Hard.
The world didn't stop spinning.
But Felix did.
Alex froze first.
Then Dev.
Then Felix realized—everyone had heard it.
Silence followed.
The awkward kind.
Heat rushed to Felix's face. His ears burned. His thoughts scattered.
Nikhil's eyes widened. "Oh."
Alex turned slowly toward Felix. "Rose?"
Felix opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Dev looked away, suddenly very interested in the pavement.
Nikhil laughed nervously. "Okay, so—context—"
Felix spoke fast. "The movie. He meant the movie."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "The anime character was named Rose?"
"No," Nikhil said.
Felix shot him a look sharp enough to kill.
"I mean—symbolically—"
Alex's eyes stayed on Felix.
"Oh."
That single word carried too much understanding.
Felix rubbed the back of his neck. "It's not—"
"Felix," Alex said carefully, "do you like—"
"HEY."
Felix pointed suddenly. "Karaoke."
They all turned instinctively.
There was only a food place.
Felix coughed. "I mean—I'm hungry. Let's eat before going to karaoke."
Nikhil stared at him.
Then grinned.
Alex was about to say something, matching Nikhil's grin—
When a familiar voice cut through the moment.
"Hey."
Felix's heart stopped.
He turned.
Rose stood a few steps away.
Fancy clothes. Loose hair. The same easy smile.
Very real.
Very present.
Every plan Felix had to escape evaporated instantly.
Rose looked between them, amused. "Did I hear karaoke?"
Nikhil's grin widened.
Alex's eyes darted between Felix and Rose.
Dev sighed quietly.
Felix forgot how to breathe.