Chapter 5 – The Boy Who Never Asked for Help

You Were Never My Business

Monday mornings were always chaotic.

Students rushed across campus with unfinished assignments, half-eaten breakfasts, and sleepy faces. The corridors buzzed with conversations, laughter, and complaints about deadlines.

Dev walked through the crowd with his portfolio tucked under his arm, completely focused on the presentation he had later that day.

He didn't notice someone calling his name.

"Dev!"

No response.

"Dev!"

Still nothing.

Arjun jogged through the crowd until he finally caught up.

"You walk way too fast."

Dev glanced at him.

"You walk too slow."

"I've been calling you."

"I was thinking."

"I can tell."

Arjun smiled.

"You only make that serious face when you're designing."

Dev looked away.

"I always have this face."

"No."

"When you're angry, your eyebrows do this."

Arjun copied his expression dramatically.

"And when you're embarrassed, your ears turn red."

"My ears don't turn red."

"They're turning red right now."

Dev immediately covered one ear.

Arjun burst into laughter.

"You fell for it!"

"...You're childish."

"And you smiled."

"I didn't."

"You almost did."

"I was about to laugh at you."

"I'll accept that."

---

After class, the project team met in Studio 4.

Their design was almost complete. Only the embroidery and the final painting remained.

"I'm going to buy more fabric," Dev said, checking his notebook.

"I'll come with you," Arjun replied.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I'll be back in twenty minutes."

"You'll carry everything alone."

"I always do."

Before Arjun could argue, Dev walked away.

---

The local fabric market was crowded.

Dev carefully compared prices at every shop.

"How much for this cotton?"

"₹320 per metre."

He quietly put it back.

"What about this one?"

"₹290."

Still too expensive.

He checked the money in his wallet.

A few notes.

Some coins.

Just enough.

"I can manage," he told himself.

He finally found a fabric that fit his budget and paid for it.

As he turned to leave, the shopkeeper called out,

"Young man!"

Dev looked back.

"You forgot your change."

Dev smiled politely.

"No, that's correct."

The shopkeeper frowned.

"This isn't enough."

Dev's smile faded.

"I... counted it."

"You've paid ₹180 less."

Dev looked inside his wallet again.

Empty.

He quietly took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry."

"I'll return tomorrow."

The shopkeeper shook his head.

"I'm afraid I can't let you take the fabric without full payment."

Dev nodded.

"I understand."

He carefully folded the fabric and placed it back on the counter.

"It's okay."

Just as he turned to leave...

Another hand placed money on the counter.

"I'll pay."

Dev froze.

He didn't have to turn around.

"...Arjun."

The shopkeeper smiled.

"Done."

Dev immediately looked at Arjun.

"I told you not to come."

"I know."

"I didn't ask for help."

"I know."

"So why?"

"Because you needed it."

"I could've managed."

"How?"

Silence.

"I would've figured something out."

"You were about to leave without the fabric."

Dev didn't answer.

Arjun handed him the shopping bag.

"Let's go."

Dev didn't move.

"I can't take this."

"It's not free."

Dev looked up.

"What?"

"Pay me back whenever you can."

"I don't like borrowing money."

"I know."

"I don't owe people."

"You don't owe me."

"You just paid for my material."

"I invested in our project."

Dev sighed.

"You're twisting words."

"I prefer 'creative explanation.'"

---

The walk back to college was unusually quiet.

Finally, Dev spoke.

"...Why did you follow me?"

Arjun smiled.

"I had a feeling."

"A feeling?"

"You've skipped lunch three times this week."

Dev stopped walking.

"You noticed?"

"I notice a lot about you."

"You shouldn't."

"I know."

"It's none of your business."

"I know."

"Then stop worrying."

"I can't."

"Why?"

Arjun looked at him with complete honesty.

"...Because I care."

The words were simple.

There was no hesitation.

No embarrassment.

Just sincerity.

Dev didn't know how to respond.

No one had ever said something like that to him so naturally.

He looked away.

"...You're strange."

"I've accepted that."

---

That evening, they returned to Studio 4.

The room was empty.

Only the sound of pencils scratching against paper filled the silence.

After a while, Arjun noticed Dev rubbing his forehead.

"Headache?"

"I'm fine."

"You've said 'I'm fine' at least ten times today."

"I am."

Arjun quietly placed a packet of biscuits and a juice box on the table.

"Eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"That's exactly why you need to eat."

"I said I'm fine."

"And I said you're terrible at taking care of yourself."

Dev sighed.

"You never give up, do you?"

"No."

"...Fine."

Dev opened the biscuit packet.

Arjun smiled triumphantly.

"There it is."

"What?"

"Your surrender."

"This isn't surrender."

"No?"

"It's temporary cooperation."

"I'll take it."

As Dev ate, Arjun pretended to focus on his painting, hiding the smile on his face.

For the first time...

Dev accepted something from him without arguing for ten minutes.

It wasn't much.

Just a packet of biscuits.

But to Arjun...

It felt like progress.

Outside, the evening sun painted the campus in shades of orange.

Inside Studio 4, two boys continued working in comfortable silence.

Neither of them noticed how naturally they had begun sharing the same table...

Or how, somewhere between arguments, tea, rain, and stubbornness...

They had started becoming each other's safe place.

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