On the count of three, they both pressed the button. Hum Tum . The 2004 classic. Saif and Rani. “Kuch kuch hota hai, Kunal...” Rhea mouthed along silently, but for Kabir, it was different.

For them, Hum Tum wasn’t just a movie. It was their origin story.

On screen, Rhea (Rani) was drawing cartoons of her chaotic life. On the call, Rhea traced the same patterns on her foggy window. Kabir’s laugh, delayed by half a second, echoed through the speaker as Saif tripped over a suitcase.

Now, the universe was a cruel Wi-Fi signal.

The movie played on, forgotten, the final scene of Hum Tum reaching its crescendo. But for Rhea, the real happy ending was no longer streaming. It was landing.

“Ready?” his voice crackled through her earbuds.