Both journeys had the same rhythm: a mix of light banter, silence, and the occasional playful fight. To the outside world, just siblings traveling for an exam. But inside their minds, those chats and roleplays whispered like forbidden sparks.
🏨 Arrival in Kanpur – Hotel Booking
Both pairs reached Kanpur a day before the exam. Coincidentally, without knowing, they had booked the same hotel through online portals.
Sonam admired the lobby’s modern design. “Nice place… not bad for exam trip.”
Akshay nodded, “At least the wifi seems good.”
On the other side, Vivek was handling check-in while Akariti was busy fixing her hair in the mirror.
“Ek kaam karo, same floor pe rooms mile toh accha hoga,” Vivek requested at the reception.
And as fate would play its game, both pairs ended up with side-by-side rooms on the same floor.
🍽️ Accidental Meeting at the Restaurant
That evening, hungry and tired, they all went down to the hotel restaurant.
Akshay and Sonam were already at a corner table when Vivek and Akariti entered. A small spark of recognition flashed in their eyes — not of reality, but of destiny.
Vivek approached with a polite smile.
“Hi… excuse me, are you guys also here for RBI exam?”
Akshay looked up, equally surprised. “Yes, we are. From Delhi. You too?”
“Yeah, from Patna,” Vivek said, pulling a chair.
“This is my sister, Akariti.”
Sonam smiled warmly, “Hi, I’m Sonam… and this is my brother, Akshay.”
Handshakes, casual greetings, and within minutes, the four of them were chatting like newly-made friends brought together by exam stress.
Conversations flowed easily:
About how tough the paper might be.
Which coaching materials they had used.
How parents were extra careful about safety.
And what they’d do after the exam — visit Kanpur market, try street food, maybe check out some historic spots.
By the end of dinner, it didn’t feel like strangers meeting. It felt like destiny weaving a hidden knot, while none of them revealed the deeper truth — that they had already met in the shadows of the internet, as fake IDs, as secret desires.
Exam Day Buildup
The morning sun in Kanpur was bright but carried the heaviness of exam day.
Inside the hotel lobby –
Sonam adjusted her kurti nervously, admit card in one hand, pen in the other.
“God, my heart is racing… why do exams feel like death sentences?”
Akshay smirked. “Because you never revise properly. Relax, bas paper likh ke aana.”
Across the lobby, Vivek and Akariti appeared, equally tense.
Akariti, in her jeans and frock-top, muttered, “I swear if I don’t get English section right, I’ll cry.”
Vivek, with his calm face, reassured, “Focus on reasoning. Baaki ho jaayega.”
When they met, the siblings-turned-new-friends exchanged nervous smiles.
“Best of luck, yaar,” Akshay said.
“Same to you,” Vivek replied.
Exam Center
The exam hall was crowded, fans creaking overhead. Everyone bent over answer sheets, fighting their own war.
Sonam bit her lip, scribbling quickly.
Akariti tapped her pen on the desk, fighting a blank mind.
Akshay sat steady, solving logical puzzles.