Coffee at 3 Am

The third night felt… different.

Aarohi noticed it the moment she entered the hospital.

Not the walls.

Not the silence.

Not even the routine.

Him.

⸻

Vivaan was already there again.

Same place. Same posture. Same unreadable expression.

But today—

He looked more tired than before.

Dark circles deeper. Eyes heavier.

Like he hadn’t slept at all.

⸻

“You live here or what?” Aarohi said as she walked in.

No response.

She smirked.

“Okay… good evening to you too.”

“Night,” he corrected without looking up.

“Same thing.”

“Not here.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Do you ever say something normal?”

“Yes.”

She waited.

He didn’t continue.

⸻

Aarohi shook her head and moved toward the ward.

But today… she wasn’t just observing him.

She was noticing him.

Closely.

⸻

The way his hair fell slightly over his forehead when he leaned down.

The way his fingers moved quickly while writing.

The way he avoided eye contact unless necessary.

⸻

He wasn’t rude.

He just… didn’t let anyone in.

⸻

The night went on.

Work. Patients. Silence.

But something felt off.

⸻

At around 12:40 AM, Aarohi noticed something.

Vivaan hadn’t sat down once.

Not even for a second.

⸻

“You’re going to faint at this rate,” she said, standing beside him.

“I won’t.”

“That’s what people say before they faint.”

“I’m not people.”

She crossed her arms.

“Wow. Ego.”

“Observation,” he corrected.

⸻

She sighed.

“You didn’t sleep, did you?”

He didn’t answer.

That was enough.

⸻

Aarohi disappeared for a few minutes.

Vivaan didn’t notice.

Or maybe… he did, but didn’t react.

⸻

When she came back, she placed something in front of him.

A cup.

“Drink.”

“I don’t want—”

“Drink,” she repeated.

He looked at the cup.

Then at her.

“What is it?”

“Better than hospital coffee.”

“That doesn’t say much.”

“Just try it.”

⸻

He hesitated.

Then slowly took the cup.

One sip.

Then another.

⸻

Aarohi watched carefully.

“Well?”

“It’s… decent.”

She gasped.

“Excuse me? That’s high-quality coffee.”

“It’s drinkable.”

“That’s rude.”

“That’s honest.”

⸻

She smiled.

And for the first time—

He didn’t look away immediately.

⸻

“Why are you doing this?” he asked suddenly.

“Doing what?”

“This.”

She frowned.

“Giving coffee. Talking. Trying.”

Aarohi shrugged.

“Because you look like you need it.”

“I don’t.”

“You do.”

⸻

Silence.

⸻

Then she added softly—

“And because I want to.”

⸻

That made him pause.

Not visibly.

But Aarohi saw it.

That tiny shift.

⸻

“People don’t do things without a reason,” he said.

“Maybe you just haven’t met the right people.”

⸻

He looked at her.

Properly this time.

Not as a colleague.

Not as background.

But as… her.

⸻

“You’re different,” he said.

Aarohi blinked.

“Good different or bad different?”

He didn’t answer.

But he didn’t look away either.

⸻

And for a second—

Time slowed.

⸻

A loud beep from the monitor broke it.

Both of them turned instantly.

Back to work.

Back to reality.

⸻

But something had changed.

⸻

At 2:55 AM, Aarohi walked toward the pantry again.

She didn’t even think about it.

It had already become a habit.

⸻

She poured two cups this time.

Not one.

⸻

A minute later—

He walked in.

Like he knew she would be there.

⸻

“You’re predictable,” he said.

“You’re following me,” she shot back.

“I’m not.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Coffee.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“Sure.”

⸻

She handed him the cup.

No arguments this time.

⸻

They stood side by side.

Closer than before.

But still not touching.

⸻

“Do you always work night shifts?” she asked.

“Mostly.”

“Why?”

“Less noise.”

“More loneliness.”

“Same thing.”

⸻

Aarohi looked at him.

“No,” she said softly. “Not the same.”

⸻

He didn’t reply.

⸻

“You know…” she continued, “you don’t have to act strong all the time.”

“I’m not acting.”

“Then you’re hiding.”

⸻

He let out a small breath.

Almost like a tired laugh.

“You think you understand everything?”

“No,” she said honestly. “But I understand when someone is pretending.”

⸻

Silence.

⸻

This time… heavier.

Deeper.

⸻

“People leave,” he said suddenly.

Aarohi froze.

His voice had changed.

Completely.

⸻

“What?” she asked quietly.

“They always do.”

⸻

She didn’t interrupt.

Didn’t question.

Didn’t push.

⸻

For the first time—

He was opening something.

Even if just a little.

⸻

“So you stopped letting them stay?” she asked gently.

⸻

He looked at her.

And for the first time—

His eyes didn’t look empty.

They looked…

Tired.

Hurt.

Real.

⸻

“I stopped expecting,” he said.

⸻

Aarohi felt her chest tighten.

⸻

“That sounds lonely,” she said.

“It’s peaceful.”

“That’s not peace,” she replied. “That’s escape.”

⸻

He didn’t argue.

⸻

And that scared her more.

⸻

“Not everyone leaves,” she said softly.

“Eventually, they do.”

⸻

She stepped a little closer.

Not too much.

Just enough.

⸻

“Then maybe…” she said, holding his gaze,

“you just haven’t met someone who stays.”

⸻

Silence.

⸻

But this silence—

Wasn’t empty.

It was full.

Of things neither of them were ready to say.

⸻

Vivaan looked at her.

Longer than ever before.

⸻

And then—

Very quietly—

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

⸻

Aarohi smiled slightly.

“I didn’t promise anything.”

⸻

And for the first time—

He almost smiled.

⸻

Almost.

⸻

The moment broke when a nurse called from outside.

“Doctor!”

He stepped back instantly.

Wall up again.

⸻

“I have to go,” he said.

Back to normal.

Back to distant.

⸻

Aarohi nodded.

“Yeah… doctor.”

⸻

But as he walked out—

He stopped.

Just for a second.

⸻

Without turning back—

“Coffee was good,” he said.

⸻

And then he left.

⸻

Aarohi stood there.

Holding her cup.

Heart slightly faster than before.

⸻

“Progress…” she whispered.

⸻

But deep down—

She knew this wasn’t simple.

⸻

Because the more he opened—

The more she realized—

⸻

There was something broken inside him.

Something deep.

Something painful.

⸻

And if she wasn’t careful…

She might get pulled into it.

⸻

Completely.

⸻

End of chapter3

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