"Beyond The Boundary "

---
"Shared Sorrows, Unspoken Love"

---

The room smelled of eucalyptus and warm water.

Soft coughs broke the silence every few minutes.

It was late — almost midnight — and a brutal cold wind rattled against the window panes of Rihi’s quarters, but inside... it was a different kind of storm brewing.

A storm of fever, guilt, and aching hearts.

---

In the living room, Mrityunjay, Veer, Ishan, and Shreyas handed over medicines, thermometers, and towels before quietly excusing themselves, sensing the heaviness in the air.

"Call us if you need anything," Veer said, clapping Abhishek's shoulder gently.

Ishan winked at Rihi and whispered, "Don't kill him, okay?"

Rihi shot him a dry glare, barely hiding the worry under her irritation.

Shreyas left behind a box of chocolates — "Emergency," he said, with a soft smile — before they disappeared into the night, leaving the quarters to the four tangled souls inside.

---

The quarters had two bedrooms.

And right now, they were divided.

Rihi and Shubman in one.

Aashna and Abhishek in another.

But the emotions?
The emotions filled every inch of the place, thick and heavy like smoke.

---

Room One: Rihi & Shubman

The room was dimly lit with a single lamp.

Shubman lay under the thick blanket, his forehead glistening with sweat, cheeks flushed red with fever.

Rihi sat beside him on the bed, sniffling softly from her own cold, one hand holding a damp cloth against his burning forehead.

"You absolute idiot," she muttered, dabbing carefully. "You think jumping into a glacier is love? It's stupidity."

Shubman managed a weak smile, eyes fluttering open. "It worked, didn't it? You're taking care of me..."

Rihi scowled, even as her heart did a full somersault.

"You're lucky you're not dead," she snapped, adjusting the cold press gently. "Next time you even think about doing something this dumb, I'll personally drown you."

He chuckled, which quickly turned into a hacking cough.

"Serves you right," Rihi muttered, tucking the blanket tighter around him.

Her own body shivered, and she wiped her nose quickly before he could notice — but Shubman saw it.

His fingers fumbled weakly until they found her wrist.

"You're sick too..." he murmured, guilt weighing down every word.

"I'm fine," she lied, voice cracking.

"No, you're not," he said stubbornly, squeezing her wrist lightly. "Why are you taking care of me then?"

She froze, the words on her tongue heavy and sharp — because I still love you, idiot — but she swallowed them down.

Instead, she said gruffly, "Because someone has to make sure you don't kill yourself before I get my revenge."

Shubman smiled faintly, eyes closing, hand still clutching hers like a lifeline.