Chapter 1: My Brother’s Annoying Friend

The smell of rain always reminded Adrishi of one thing — Riddan.

Or, as she used to call him once upon a time — Brother Riddan.

That nickname alone was enough to make her roll her eyes now.

Every drop of rain on the roof of their Dhaka home brought flashes of the boy next door — the boy who used to tease her, protect her, and steal the last piece of fried chicken off her plate like it was his birthright.

He was her brother Armaan’s best friend — the constant, uninvited guest of their household — and the most infuriatingly charming person in her world.

🌧️ Ten Years Ago

“Adrishi, are you making breakfast for Riddan again?” her mother called out from the living room.

Adrishi, barely eleven, stood on a stool, struggling to flip an omelet.

“No, Mummy! I’m making it for myself!” she lied, almost burning her finger.

From the doorway, Riddan chuckled.

“Hey, little chef! Why do you still hide my name when you’re cooking for me?”

She turned sharply, pouting. “You scared me!”

Riddan leaned against the doorframe, his school uniform messy as always, that grin tugging at his lips.

“Didn’t scare you — just impressed you.” He brushed his hair back with his fingers, almost near her face, and added with a wink,

“You’re growing up, Miss Omelet Queen.”

“Stop calling me that!” she squeaked, her cheeks turning red.

Behind him, Armaan yelled, “Riddan! Football practice! Leave my sister alone!”

“Armaan, your sister’s feeding me! I’ll skip practice for this omelet!”

“You eat here more than I do — and this is my house!”

Their mother laughed from the other room.

And he was right.

Riddan was practically family — laughing with her father, helping her mother carry groceries, sharing late-night tea with her grandfather.

It was impossible not to notice him.

It was even more impossible not to love him.

🌸 The Crush

Adrishi’s diary had one secret sentence written on almost every page:

“Riddan Brother, when I grow up, I’ll marry you.”

Of course, she’d die before letting anyone read that.

Everyone teased her anyway — her siblings, her grandparents, even her parents.

“Adrishi’s gonna marry Riddan one day!”

And Riddan — oh, he’d just grin and say,

“Let’s wait till she stops burning omelets first.”

It became a household joke — one she secretly prayed would come true.

🌼 Four Years Later

By the time Adrishi turned thirteen, she’d stopped writing about him in her diary.

But her heart still jumped whenever she heard the sound of his bike outside.

He was seventeen now — taller, sharper, busier — but every time he smiled, her stomach did somersaults.

Until that day.

Until she saw him standing in front of the gate, laughing with another girl.

The girl wore a red scarf and leaned on his bike like she owned it.

Riddan ruffled her hair.

Adrishi froze at the window, her heart pounding.

Then she heard the words that shattered her little world.

“Will you be my girlfriend?”

“Already am, stupid!”

The world fell silent.

Adrishi slowly closed the curtain, her tiny hands trembling.

That night she cried and cried… until her eyes were swollen and red the next morning.

For the first time, she didn’t make breakfast for him.

For the first time, she didn’t run to his house to wake him up.

When he came over that day, she ignored him.

“What’s wrong, little chef?” he asked, crouching to meet her eyes.

“Nothing.”

“Didn’t make an omelet today?”

“I don’t cook for strangers.”

He blinked, amused. “Oh, we’re strangers now?”

“Yes. And you have a girlfriend. So go eat her omelet.”

That hit him like a dart.

He tried to laugh it off, but something in her trembling voice made him quiet.

Later that night, he told Armaan,

“Your sister’s growing up too fast.”

Armaan laughed. “Or maybe you just broke her heart, idiot.”

Riddan said nothing. He stayed silent.

✈️ The Goodbye

A few months later, Riddan came over one last time before leaving for abroad.

Everyone was emotional — his father hugged Adrishi’s father and thanked her mother for taking care of them after Riddan’s mother died six years ago.

Armaan clapped him on the back, and Adrishi stood in the corner with her elder sister Adriya, pretending not to care.

He looked at her one last time, smiling softly.

“Bye, little chef.”

She crossed her arms. “Don’t call me that. I’m not a kid.”

He chuckled. “Okay, Miss Grown-up.”

She glared. “You’re never coming back, are you?”

“I will,” he promised. “When I’m good enough for the person I love.”

Adrishi didn’t understand those words then.

She just turned away before her tears could fall.

He left.

And with him, a part of her silly little heart flew away too.

❤️‍🔥 Present Day

Ten years later —

The rain was back.

The smell of omelet filled the air again.

And Adrishi was still pretending she didn’t care.

But destiny, as usual, had other plans.

Because somewhere down the lane,

a familiar voice was telling his driver,

“Stop here. This is my home.”

He stepped out of the car, rainwater glistening on his white shirt, tie loosened, coat in his hand.

“Park the car in that house parking lot,” he added casually.

And when Adrishi opened the door, spoon in hand,

there he was — leaner, sharper, a little wet from the rain,

smirking like he never left.

“Hey, little chef,” Riddan said with a grin.

“Miss me?”

Adrishi froze.

The spoon clattered to the floor.

And just like that,

the chaos began again.

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