Their car pulled up to the Grover residence. Raghav was driving, still cracking jokes to ease his mother's visible nerves.

After the initial round of formal introductions, tea, and Ishaan nearly choking on a samosa because Riya was staring at him with investigative intensity, the parents exchanged the look.

"Bacche thodi der akele mein baat kar lein?"

(Should the kids talk privately?)

Raghav's father suggested. Siya led Raghav toward the balcony, her heart beating wildly against her ribs due to nervousness.

Raghav, however, was busy taking in the house with an appreciative whistle.

Once they were out of earshot of the elders, things went completely silent. Siya stood by the railing, looking out at the garden, her fingers twisting her saree pallu.

"So..."

Raghav started, his voice dropping in a husky tone, losing the loud energy he had with his family.

"So?"

Siya replied softly, finally looking up at him.

"Kehna padega waise, samose bhut amazing the, but the company... it is much more... interesting."

(I have to say, the samosas were amazing,…)

Siya looked away, a small blush creeping up her neck. He was flirting. 

"Aap bhut bolte hai, Mr. Oberoi."

(You speak a lot, Mr. Oberoi.)

Raghav leaned against the railing, tilting his head to catch her gaze.

"It's a defense mechanism. If I keep talking, people don't notice how nervous I am."

Siya actually laughed at that, a genuine, melodic sound that caught him off guard.

"Aap? Aur nervous? I don't believe that for a second. You were teaching my father how to use a new photo editing app two minutes after meeting him."

(You? And nervous?)

"Arre, woh toh bas aise hi tha! But seriously, Siya... you've barely said ten words. Are you always this quiet, or am I just that intimidating?"

(Arre, that was just like that!)

He stepped a little closer, just enough for her to catch the faint scent of his cologne.

"I prefer to listen. Logo ke baare mai jyada achhe se jaan skte hai, if we listen well."

(You know about people better that way, if we listen well.)

Raghav smirked, a playful glint in his eyes.

"Oh? And what have you learned about me in the last thirty minutes? Other than my excellent sense of humour?"

Siya turned to face him fully, her shyness momentarily replaced by a spark of playfulness.

"I've learned that you like being the center of attention, you're probably very spoiled by your mother, and you definitely think you're funnier than you actually are."

Raghav clutched his chest, feigning a dramatic wound.

"Ouch. Straight to the heart! Seedha teer ki tarah laga."

(It hit straight like an arrow.)

"Sach kadwa hota hai, Mr. Oberoi."

(Truth is bitter, Mr. Oberoi.)

He chuckled, stepping even closer, lowering his voice so it was just for her.

"Theek hai. Challenge accepted. I have the rest of our lives to prove to you that I am, in fact, the funniest person you'll ever meet. And if I succeed?"

(Fine.)

Siya raised an eyebrow, her voice regaining its calm composure but with a new, flirtatious edge. They shared an eyelock that made her heart skip a beat.

"And if you succeed?"

"Then you have to admit that I have the best sense of humour in the whole world and you actually enjoy it."

Siya looked at him for a long beat, a small, daring smile playing on her lips.

"We'll see. And by the way, samosas are still winning in front of interesting company."

Raghav hissed feigning another brutal wound to his heart and then chuckled at her attempt to make fun of him, leaning in just a fraction more before the sound of Riya knocking on the balcony door to interrupted them.

"Thodi duri banaye rakhe potential jiju. Abhi rishta pakka nhi hua hai."

(Maintain some distance potential brother-in-law. The marriage is not fixed yet.)

She grinned innocently, making Siya purse her lips to control her laughter. Ishaan, who was standing beside Riya, too pursed his lips to control his smile. 

The difference between the two families couldn't have been clearer. One car was vibrating with loud music and even louder ego, while one bedroom was a place of hushed whispers and giggles.

Raghav leaned back in the driver's seat, one hand on the wheel, tapping a rhythm to a Punjabi track. He had the look of a man who had just won a prestigious award.

"Ishan, admit it. Tera bhai rockstar hai. Did you see the way her dad was laughing at my jokes by the end?"

(Your brother is a rockstar.)

Ishaan shifted in the passenger seat, scrolling through his phone with a smirk.

"I saw her dad laughing, yes. But I also saw Siya Di looking at you like you were a particularly loud species of parrot."

Raghav scoffed, adjusting his rearview mirror to check his hair.

"It wasn't that look, Ishu. That was curiosity. She was fascinated by my amazing personality."

"Amazing? Bhai, she told you the samosas were winning against your charm. Maine suna wo jab hum aapko bulane aaye."

(I heard that when we came to call you back.)

Raghav's grin fell for a second before he gained composure.

"That was a trick! Usse mystery banaye rakhna kehte hai. She's quiet, so she needs someone like me to keep the vibe alive. Honestly, mujhe lagta hai wo already mujhse aadhe pyaar mai hai because of my unbeatable sense of humour."

(It is called maintaining the mystery….Honestly, I think she is already halfway in love with me because of my unbeatable sense of humour.)

"She literally told you that you aren't as funny as you think you are. Usse aadhe pyaar mai hona nhi kehte bhai, that's a reality check."

(That’s not called being halfway in love, that’s a reality check.)

"In the world of Raghav Oberoi, Ishaan, a reality check is just the first step of a rom-com. Likh ke lele, she'll be calling me by Tuesday."

(I can give it in writing, she’ll be calling me by Tuesday.)

Back at the Grover house, the door was locked, and Riya had already cornered Siya on the bed, still wearing half her jewellery.

"Okay, spill. Everything. Every. Single. Word."

Siya began unpinning her saree pallu, her movements slow and deliberate, though her cheeks were still a light shade of pink.

"He... talks a lot, Riya. I think mai pure mahine mai jitna nhi bolti, he spoke in just 45 minutes."

(I think he spoke the amount I speak in a month in mere 45 minutes.)

Riya leaned in, her eyes dancing with mischief.

"But is he 'good' talkative or 'annoying' talkative? Kyunki jaha tak maine suna, he sounded like he was trying really hard to make you smile."

(Because from what I heard…)

Siya looked away, a small, involuntary smile tugging at her lips.

"He's so full of himself. He actually asked me if he was intimidating because he thought I was too quiet."

"And? Aapne kya bola?"

(What did you say?)

"I told him he thinks he's funnier than he actually is."

Riya gasped, clutching a pillow and looking at her wide, dramatic eyes.

"No way! You actually said that to his face? Phir unhone kya kia?"

(What did he do then?)

"He looked like I'd stabbed him, but then he just... laughed. He has this way of looking at me, Riya. Jaise wo koi puzzle figure kr rhe ho."

(Like he is figuring out a puzzle.)

Riya wiggled her eyebrows, nudging her sister's shoulder playfully, trying to tease her.

"A puzzle he wants to solve, clearly. So, do we like the Charming Mr. Oberoi or are we swipe-lefting this rishta?"

Siya went quiet for a moment, her thumb tracing the border of her saree.

"I don't know yet. He's...too loud and very talkative... but I think there's something very kind behind all that hero energy."

"Oho! Something kind, is it? That's code for 'I'm definitely interested.' Mujhe shaadi ke liye dresses dekhni start kr deni chahiye! Right di?"

(I should start looking for dresses for the wedding!)

"Riya! Stop it! Abhi kuch bhi final nhi hai."

(Nothing is final yet.)

"Whatever you say, Di. But maine dekha aap unhe jaate huye kaise dekh rhi thi."

(But I saw how you were looking at him when he was leaving.)