The Fine Arts building was louder than usual.

Students rushed through the corridors carrying canvases, sketchbooks, and portfolios. Some looked nervous, some excited, while others were still adding the last few strokes to their artwork before the annual portfolio review.

Among the crowd walked Dev, a second-year Fashion Design student.

His clothes were simple—a neatly ironed white shirt, faded blue jeans, and worn-out sneakers that had been stitched more than once. Slung over his shoulder was an old canvas bag. It wasn't new, but it was clean. Dev always took good care of the things he owned because replacing them wasn't easy.

He tightened his grip on the portfolio in his hands.

"Don't lose it," he reminded himself. Every sketch inside represented weeks of hard work, late nights, and sacrifices.

As he turned the corner toward the submission hall, someone came running from the opposite direction.

"Move! I'm late!"

Before Dev could react—

Thud!

The two collided.

Large sheets of paper scattered across the floor like autumn leaves. Fashion illustrations mixed with paintings, charcoal sketches, and colorful landscapes.

Dev sighed and immediately knelt to gather them.

"I'm sorry," he said calmly.

"So am I!" the other person replied, crouching beside him.

For a moment, neither spoke.

They silently picked up the papers until Dev noticed something strange.

"This isn't mine."

The other boy looked at the sheet in Dev's hand.

"...Neither is that."

They exchanged confused glances before looking at the pile between them.

Their portfolios had completely mixed together.

A faculty member called from inside the hall.

"Portfolio submission closes in five minutes!"

Dev frowned.

"We won't have enough time to separate everything."

The stranger scratched his head before smiling.

"Then let's identify each other's work."

Dev looked at him as if he had suggested something impossible.

"You think we can?"

"We have to."

Without wasting another second, they spread every sheet across the floor.

The stranger picked up a fashion illustration of a formal jacket.

"This one's yours."

Dev blinked.

"How do you know?"

"The stitching details are too precise. Whoever drew this understands fabric."

He was right.

Dev looked at him with quiet surprise.

He picked up a watercolor painting of a rainy street.

"This one's yours."

The stranger tilted his head.

"Why?"

"You paint the feeling before the background."

The boy laughed softly.

"You figured that out from one painting?"

Dev simply nodded.

For the next few minutes, they worked together without another argument.

One by one, every sketch found its rightful owner.

When they finally submitted their portfolios, the faculty member checked them and smiled.

"Perfect. Nothing is misplaced."

Both let out a sigh of relief.

Outside the hall, the stranger stretched his arms and grinned.

"Looks like we make a good team."

Dev adjusted his bag.

"It was just coincidence."

"Maybe."

The stranger extended his hand.

"I'm Arjun. Fourth-year Fine Arts."

Dev hesitated for a second before shaking it.

"Dev. Second-year Fashion Design."

"Nice to meet you, Junior."

"You too... Senior."

They let go of the handshake.

Neither of them knew that a simple mistake with two portfolios had just begun a story that would change both of their lives.

As Dev started walking toward his next class, a voice called out from behind.

"Hey, Dev!"

He turned around.

Arjun smiled brightly.

"See you tomorrow!"

Dev stared for a moment before replying with a small nod.

"...Maybe."

Then he walked away.

Arjun watched him disappear into the crowd and chuckled to himself.

"What an interesting guy."

Meanwhile, Dev thought the exact opposite.

"What a strange senior."

You Were Never My Businesses

The next morning, Dev reached college almost an hour before his first class.

The campus was unusually quiet. A cool breeze carried the smell of wet soil from the previous night's rain. The gardeners watered flower beds while a few students hurried across the courtyard, half-awake and clutching cups of tea.

Dev liked mornings.

No noise.

No unnecessary conversations.

No distractions.

He settled beneath the old banyan tree near the Fashion Design department and opened his sketchbook. With earphones in—but no music playing—he began sketching a long coat inspired by traditional handloom patterns.

It was peaceful.

For exactly seven minutes.

"Found you!"

Dev's pencil stopped.

He closed his eyes for a second.

"Already?"

Slowly, he looked up.

Arjun stood in front of him, smiling as if they'd known each other for years. In one hand, he held two cups of tea. In the other, two hot vegetable puffs.

"Good morning, Junior!"

Dev blinked.

"...How did you find me?"

"I asked three people."

"You... asked three people?"

"Actually five."

Dev stared.

"You asked five people where I was?"

Arjun nodded proudly.

"They were surprisingly helpful."

"You don't even know me."

"I know your name."

"That's not enough."

"It is for me."

Without waiting for permission, Arjun sat beside him.

He held out one cup.

"Tea?"

"No."

"Puff?"

"No."

"Half a puff?"

"No."

"Just smell it?"

"No."

Arjun sighed dramatically.

"You reject everything."

"I reject unnecessary things."

"Ouch."

Dev returned to his sketch.

"I have work."

"So do I."

"Then why aren't you doing it?"

"I wanted to meet my favourite junior first."

Dev looked up.

"You have one junior."

"Exactly."

"..."

"..."

Arjun smiled.

Dev looked back at his sketchbook.

The silence lasted almost a minute.

Arjun leaned sideways.

"What are you drawing?"

Dev quietly shifted the sketchbook away.

"My assignment."

"Can I see?"

"No."

"I'll only look."

"No."

"I won't touch."

"No."

"I'll blink respectfully."

Dev looked at him.

"What does that even mean?"

"I don't know."

For the first time, Dev couldn't stop the tiny smile that escaped his lips.

It disappeared almost immediately.

But Arjun had seen it.

"You smiled."

"I didn't."

"You absolutely did."

"It was an eye twitch."

"I've never seen someone's eyes twitch through their mouth."

Dev sighed.

"You talk too much."

"My friends say the same thing."

"I believe them."

---

Over the next week, Arjun became impossible to avoid.

Every morning—

"Good morning, Dev!"

Every afternoon—

"Did you eat lunch?"

Every evening—

"Need help carrying your portfolio?"

The answer was always the same.

"No."

One afternoon, Dev stepped out of class only to find Arjun waiting outside the door.

"...Why are you here?"

"My classroom is on the opposite side of campus."

"I know."

"Then?"

"I came to walk you to the library."

"I know where the library is."

"I know."

"..."

"..."

"Then why?"

"So you don't have to walk alone."

"I've been walking alone for twenty years."

"And today you won't."

Before Dev could protest, Arjun gently took the heavy portfolio from his hands.

"I can carry it."

"I know."

"Then give it back."

"No."

"It's mine."

"I know."

Dev frowned.

"You're unbelievable."

"I've been told."

Students passing by began whispering.

"Isn't that Arjun from Fine Arts?"

"The senior?"

"Who's the junior with him?"

"They've been together all week."

Dev heard every word.

His ears turned red.

He quickly grabbed the portfolio back.

"I don't need your help."

"You never ask for help."

"Because I don't need it."

Arjun looked at him for a moment.

Then he smiled softly.

"Sometimes needing help and asking for help are different things."

Dev didn't answer.

Instead, he walked away.

Arjun followed.

"Are you following me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Same direction."

"You were literally walking the other way."

"...I changed my direction."

"Why?"

"So I could follow you."

Dev stopped walking.

He turned around and looked Arjun straight in the eyes.

"Senior."

"Yes?"

"Mind."

"Hm?"

"Your."

"Hm?"

"Own."

"Hm?"

"Business."

Students nearby burst into laughter.

Arjun placed a hand dramatically over his heart.

"Ouch."

"Good."

"You hurt my feelings."

"They'll recover."

"I don't think they will."

"They will."

"They won't."

"They will."

"They won't."

Dev pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You are exhausting."

"And yet here you are, talking to me."

"I'm arguing."

"Still counts."

Dev gave up.

He simply walked away.

Arjun watched him disappear around the corner before smiling to himself.

"One day you'll stop telling me to mind my own business."

---

A few days later, the Fashion Design department announced a collaborative exhibition with the Fine Arts department.

Students crowded around the notice board.

Dev read the list once.

Then again.

His expression didn't change.

Partner:

Arjun Sharma – Fine Arts.

"...No."

A familiar voice spoke beside him.

"Looks like destiny likes me."

Dev slowly turned.

Arjun was grinning from ear to ear.

"You."

"Me."

"No."

"Yes."

"I'm changing partners."

"I already asked the professor."

Dev frowned.

"What did they say?"

Arjun smiled innocently.

"They said no."

Dev closed his eyes.

Of course they did.

As he walked away without another word, Arjun happily followed him again.

"Dev!"

No answer.

"Dev!"

Still nothing.

"Junior!"

Silence.

"I'll buy you tea!"

Dev kept walking.

"I'll stop talking for five whole minutes!"

Dev paused.

Arjun's eyes lit up.

"Really?"

Dev looked at him with a completely serious face.

"I know you can't."

For the first time all day...

Arjun had no reply.

Dev allowed himself the smallest smile before continuing toward his classroom.

Behind him, Arjun laughed.

"Laugh all you want now, Junior."

"What?"

"We're partners."

Dev sighed without turning around.

"This is going to be the longest project of my life."

You Were Never My Business

The news spread across campus within an hour.

The Annual Creative Exhibition was only a month away, and this year the college had announced a collaboration between the Fine Arts and Fashion Design departments.

Each team would consist of one artist and one fashion designer.

The project would count for forty percent of their semester grade.

Everyone rushed to the notice board.

"So... who's your partner?"

"I hope I didn't get someone lazy."

"I swear, if I get Raj again—"

Dev quietly made his way through the crowd until he stood in front of the list.

His eyes scanned the names.

Dev Khan – Fashion Design

Partner: Arjun Sharma – Fine Arts

He read it again.

Then a third time.

"...You've got to be kidding."

A familiar voice spoke from behind him.

"Good morning, Partner."

Dev slowly turned around.

Arjun stood there with his usual bright smile, waving enthusiastically.

"Looks like fate is on my side."

"It's not fate."

"No?"

"It's punishment."

Arjun laughed.

"I'll take it."

---

Their first project meeting was scheduled after lunch in Studio 4.

Dev arrived ten minutes early.

He preferred planning before talking.

He had already listed fabrics, colour palettes, silhouettes, deadlines, and estimated costs in a neat notebook.

Exactly at two o'clock...

The classroom door burst open.

"Sorry! I brought snacks!"

Arjun walked in carrying two cold drinks, a packet of biscuits, and a bag of samosas.

Dev looked at the food.

Then at Arjun.

"This..."

"What?"

"...is a project meeting."

"I know."

"So why did you bring a picnic?"

"People think better when they're eating."

"I think better when people stop talking."

"Ouch."

Arjun placed everything on the table anyway.

"Have one."

"No."

"You skipped lunch."

Dev looked up sharply.

"...How do you know that?"

"I saw you leave the canteen."

"I wasn't hungry."

"Liar."

"I said I wasn't hungry."

"And I said you're lying."

Dev frowned.

"Senior..."

"Hm?"

"Mind your own business."

Arjun smiled.

"I would."

"Then do it."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because you somehow became my business."

Dev stared at him in disbelief.

"...You're impossible."

"I've heard that before."

---

Ignoring him, Dev opened his notebook.

"I've prepared the project schedule."

Arjun leaned closer.

Neat handwriting filled every page.

Research.

Sketches.

Material collection.

Prototype.

Final presentation.

Every task had a date.

A backup date.

And even emergency plans.

Arjun's jaw dropped.

"You made all this yesterday?"

"Last night."

"When did you sleep?"

"I finished around two."

"You stayed awake until two?"

"I had work."

Arjun gently closed the notebook.

"No."

"What?"

"No staying awake until two."

Dev blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"You'll get sick."

"My health isn't part of this project."

"It is now."

Dev sighed heavily.

"You really don't know when to stop."

"I don't."

"I noticed."

---

They finally began brainstorming.

"I'll handle the artwork," Arjun said.

"I'll design the outfit."

"Theme?"

Dev thought for a moment.

"'The Journey of Dreams.'"

Arjun's eyes brightened.

"I like that."

"The costume should represent growth."

"And the background painting can show different stages of life."

Dev nodded.

For the first time...

They agreed without arguing.

For nearly an hour, ideas flowed naturally.

Whenever Dev suggested something, Arjun expanded it.

Whenever Arjun imagined something impossible, Dev figured out how to make it realistic.

It felt...

Easy.

Until three loud voices interrupted them.

"Arjun!"

Three Fine Arts seniors walked into the studio.

"There you are!"

One of them looked at Dev.

"So this is the junior you've been following around?"

Another laughed.

"Poor guy."

"He probably can't escape."

Arjun chuckled awkwardly.

"Guys..."

The tallest senior grabbed Arjun's shoulder.

"Leave the junior alone for once."

"We're going for tea."

Arjun looked at Dev.

"I'll be back in ten minutes."

Dev nodded without looking up.

"It's your choice."

As they left, Dev continued sketching quietly.

One of the seniors looked back.

"You know, Arjun..."

"Yeah?"

"You always let people walk over you."

"It's fine."

"No, it isn't."

"They don't mean any harm."

"You never stand up for yourself."

Arjun simply smiled.

"I don't want anyone getting hurt."

The seniors sighed.

"One day that'll become a problem."

They walked away.

Dev had heard every word.

---

Half an hour later...

Arjun returned.

His smile looked forced.

"You waited?"

"We have work."

"Right."

They continued sketching.

After a few minutes, Dev noticed something.

Arjun had erased the same line nearly twenty times.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You've erased that tree twenty times."

"I have?"

"Twenty-three."

Arjun laughed weakly.

"You counted?"

"I observe."

Silence.

Dev placed his pencil down.

"...Did something happen?"

Arjun shook his head.

"It's nothing."

"They said you don't stand up for yourself."

Arjun froze.

"You heard?"

"The walls aren't soundproof."

Arjun looked out the window.

"If I argue..."

He spoke quietly.

"...someone gets hurt."

"And if you don't?"

"I get hurt."

"Doesn't that matter?"

Arjun smiled.

"I'm used to it."

Dev didn't know why...

But those words bothered him.

More than they should have.

He looked at Arjun for a long moment before speaking.

"You know..."

"Hm?"

"...Sometimes saying 'no' doesn't hurt people."

Arjun looked surprised.

"It teaches them where your limits are."

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then Arjun smiled.

This time...

It was real.

"Thanks."

Dev looked away.

"I wasn't comforting you."

"I know."

"I was stating a fact."

"I know."

"...Don't make a habit of depending on me."

Arjun laughed softly.

"Too late."

Dev rolled his eyes.

"You really don't listen."

"I listen."

"Then why don't you obey?"

"Because listening and obeying are different."

Dev couldn't stop the smile that escaped.

It lasted only a second.

But Arjun noticed.

"There it is again."

"What?"

"The smile."

"It wasn't a smile."

"It absolutely was."

"It was irritation."

"If irritation looks that cute, I should annoy you more."

Dev immediately stood up, packed his notebook and slung his bag over his shoulder.

"I'm leaving."

"So early?"

"It's five o'clock."

"Oh."

"You've been talking instead of checking the time."

Arjun scratched the back of his neck.

"...Will you come tomorrow?"

"We have a deadline."

"So... yes?"

Dev started walking towards the door.

Without turning around, he answered,

"Don't be late."

Arjun stood there for a moment before a grin spread across his face.

He quietly whispered to himself,

"He didn't tell me to mind my own business today."

Outside the classroom, Dev heard him.

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"...Idiot."

But for the first time...

The word sounded strangely affectionate.