For a moment, the table was silent.
Breaking that silence, Aditya pulled a book from his bag and said gently, “When you came yesterday, you forgot this.”
Anamika’s eyes widened the moment she saw the book. “Oh! I’ve been searching the whole house for this!”
(She took out another notebook from her own bag.)
“When I couldn’t find it, I started a new one. It has the same story, the same characters—but this one turned out even more beautiful. When I recreated it, something about it felt more... complete.”
Aniket turned to Aditya and smirked.“See? When a story is rewritten with a fresh start, it becomes better... more beautiful.”
Saaniya rolled her eyes and said, “That’s not always true! Sometimes, rewritten stories turn out worse—darker than before.”
Aniket, clearly irritated, shot back, “Were you born upside-down or something? Why does your tiny brain always think in reverse?”
Saaniya, unfazed, flipped her hair and responded, “It’s not reverse, it’s practical. I always think realistically. If we only hope for the best, we forget the possibility of the worst. And that’s dangerous. Everyone should be prepared for their worst moment—because when it arrives, we won’t collapse under its weight.”
Aniket stared at her in disbelief, thinking, “What do I even say to this girl? She’s not negative... not positive either... just completely strange!”
Taking a deep breath, Anamika turned to Aditya and asked, “So... since you had the book with you, did you read it? It had the concept, the plot, character notes, and even my art style samples...”
Aditya nodded, “Yes, I did. And I have to say... the plot is incredible. The way you’ve built the heroine’s past and added that psychological twist—it’s brilliant! The story has serious potential. We can take it far. But before that, I need your point of view. How do you want to take this story forward? Because when I read the plot, something about the ending felt incomplete...”
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Anamika replied quietly, “That’s probably because it doesn’t have a happy ending. Actually... I’m planning to make two seasons. But if the first one doesn’t connect with people, there’s no point in continuing. That’s why I made the ending tragic and open. The boy walks away... and the girl crosses every limit to save him. Even kills her own mother just to reach him. But by the time she does—it’s too late.”
And just like that, their conversation flowed effortlessly.
Anamika explained the manga's narrative arcs, her art inspirations, and character evolution.
Aditya, in return, guided her through marketing strategies, distribution plans, and reader engagement.
The two of them were like a pen—
Anamika was the ink, and Aditya, the structure that gave it direction.
Meanwhile, Aniket and Saaniya ordered food for everyone, letting the duo drift deep into creative exchange.
Dinner came. Dinner went. But the conversation didn’t stop.
Why?
Because they were from two different worlds—Anamika knew art but not the business, and Aditya knew business but not manga. They had to explain everything to each other like they were building a bridge across worlds. But eventually... they succeeded. They understood each other.
Just then, Saaniya interrupted, “Okay, enough talk. Aditya—you still haven’t confirmed. Are you actually investing in this or not?”
Before Aditya could answer, Aniket jumped in, “Of course, we are! That’s why we even brought the contract papers!”
Aniket’s excited grin said it all—he’d been waiting for this moment.
Saaniya, sensing something was off, asked to read the contract.
As soon as she read it, she snapped, “What the hell?! What kind of ridiculous condition is this?!”
Anamika looked at her, confused. “What condition?”
Saaniya read aloud, “According to this contract, Aditya won’t just handle the manga’s printing and publishing costs—he’ll also be responsible for every tiny expense of yours. But here’s the catch: you can only work from his company’s office. No working from home!”
Aniket, looking like he’d won a battle, said proudly, “Yes! That condition is essential. As an investor, Aditya needs to know if Anamika is really dedicated. The best way is to have her work where he can see her progress. That way, he’ll also understand her needs better.”
Saaniya, annoyed, shot back, “If she needs anything, I’ll take care of it! All she needs from Aditya is help in promoting her manga. And FYI—she can do this just as well from home!”
Aniket argued, “But we don’t want that! We want Anamika to work from the office. Aditya should see firsthand what she’s creating.”
Saaniya crossed her arms. “This is not some product from his company! It’s her story. Her world. He’s just an investor. Whatever updates he needs—we’ll give him. This condition is completely unnecessary.”
And just like that, their argument turned into a full-on debate.
Aditya and Anamika—the two people actually involved—looked at each other, sighed, and quietly stepped out after paying the bill.
A few minutes later, Aniket and Saaniya realized they were alone. They looked at each other with mutual frustration.
Saaniya said, “I know exactly why you’re doing this. But don’t forget... the harder Aditya tries, the more it’s going to hurt him.”
Aniket smiled softly, “Let him try. If it breaks his heart again—I’ll be there, like I always was. But if this time, trying helps him get what he’s always dreamed of... if there’s even a one percent chance that Anamika comes back into his life—I’ll take that risk.”
They were both right in their own way.
Now the question is—who will be proven right in the end?
Will Aditya’s heart break again?
Or will Anamika’s six-year-old decision finally change?
And what will happen to this contract?
Will Anamika accept its terms or walk away?
