Eira’s POV

The man sitting beside me kept looking at me as if a hundred questions were running through his mind.

Trying to ease the awkward silence, I straightened myself and offered a small smile.

“Hi… I’m Eira.”

I held out my hand for a handshake.

He glanced at my hand for a second before replying,

“Kashan.”

Still surprised by the strange situation, he shook my hand, his expression calm yet unreadable.

“Thank you so much,” I said sincerely. “You really saved me tonight… otherwise, I can’t even imagine what could’ve happened.”

Kashan briefly looked at me before returning his eyes to the road.

“What were you doing there at this hour?” he asked, his voice steady and serious. “Don’t you know it’s not safe? How did your family even allow you to be alone on empty roads at night?”

For a moment, Eira stayed quiet.

Then

“They didn’t allow me.”

A mischievous smirk appeared on her face.

“I ran away.”

The words hung in the air.

Kashan almost froze, clearly caught off guard by her answer.

Kashan’s POV

"What?"

He looked at her again, trying to figure out whether she was joking or being serious.

“You… ran away?” he repeated. “Why? Where’s your home?”

His brows furrowed in disbelief.

“And you’re actually smiling right now? After what just happened?”

He shook his head lightly.

"God… kids these days."

Eira

Her smile disappeared instantly.

“I’m not a kid,” she said, folding her arms. “I’m 21 an adult.”

There was stubbornness in her voice.

“I can do whatever I want to.”

Then she turned toward him, raising an eyebrow.

“And honestly… it has nothing to do with you.”

The car grew silent.

Kashan tightened his grip on the steering wheel, surprised by her boldness, while Eira stared out the window still shaken from everything that had happened, yet unwilling to let a stranger question her choices.

Neither of them knew it yet

but this unexpected meeting was about to change both their lives.

The car moved quietly through the dimly lit roads.

Without taking his eyes off the road, Kashan finally spoke.

“So… where’s your house? I’ll drop you there.”

Eira turned toward him and hesitated before answering.

“I don’t live in Delhi,” she said softly. “So… technically, I don’t have a house here right now.”

Kashan glanced at her, disbelief clear on his face.

“You came to Delhi without a place to stay?”

Eira avoided his eyes.

Taking a slow breath, he asked again,

“Then where exactly am I supposed to drop you?”

Instead of answering, Eira tilted her head and asked,

“Where are you going?”

Kashan shot her a quick glance, confused by the sudden question.

“I’m going home,” he replied.

“Home? Where?”

For a brief moment, he stayed silent.

Then he said,

“Kashmir… Gulmarg. I work in Delhi, but I’m going home for the holidays.”

The moment Eira heard Kashmir, her eyes widened.

“Kashmir?”

Excitement instantly replaced the fear on her face.

She almost bounced in her seat.

“Seriously? Kashmir?” she exclaimed. “I’ll come with you!”

Kashan nearly missed a turn.

“What?”

“Please!” Eira said eagerly. “Can you take me there? I’ve always wanted to see Kashmir… I want to know what it looks like in real life.”

Her voice carried genuine excitement, almost childlike curiosity.

Kashan immediately pulled the car to the side and looked at her properly for the first time.

“Are you crazy?” he asked in disbelief. “I’m not taking you anywhere.”

His tone turned firm.

“Call your parents and go home.”

But Eira wasn’t ready to give up.

“Please, just listen to me,” she said.

And for the first time that night

she told him everything.

About growing up in a wealthy yet strictly controlled home. About the freedom she had spent years dreaming of. About sneaking out, boarding the flight alone, and arriving in Delhi with nothing but hope and stubborn courage.

Kashan listened quietly.

At first, he remained expressionless, convinced she was being reckless.

But as she spoke, he noticed something beneath her stubborn attitude

fear… loneliness… and a desperate need to find herself.

When she finished, silence filled the car.

Kashan leaned back against his seat, conflicted.

Taking a stranger with him to Kashmir sounded like the worst idea possible.

Yet leaving her alone in an unfamiliar city after what had just happened didn’t sit right with him either.

After a long pause, he sighed.

“This is a terrible idea,” he muttered.

Eira looked at him hopefully.

He shook his head.

“But…”

Her eyes brightened.

“I’ll take you with me.”

For a second, she couldn’t believe what she heard.

“Really?!”

Kashan pointed a finger at her before she could celebrate.

“Only until you figure things out. And don’t make me regret this.”

A huge smile spread across Eira’s face.

She had left home searching for freedom and without realizing it, her journey had just taken an unexpected turn toward Kashmir.