Chapter Text
The afternoon sun beat down mercilessly on Sumeru City, its harsh glare mirroring the exhaustion Kaveh felt creeping into his very bones. Another day of battling stubborn contractors, haggling over building materials and deciphering the nonsensical “artistic vision” of his latest client had left him yearning for nothing more than a cool drink and somewhere to relax. As he trudged to his apartment, a notification popped up on his phone.
Constellations Aligned – Chapter 8, has been updated
Kaveh instantly beamed with joy. His favourite author had finally published their weekly updates.
He wasn’t one for mindless entertainment. After a client from Inazuma had introduced him to the world of fiction, his soul craved intricate plots, well-developed characters, and prose that painted vivid pictures in his mind. Thankfully, he had discovered a hidden oasis in the vast desert of online literature – a writer who went by the pseudonym “Scribe of Secrets”.
It all started a few months ago, during a particularly gruelling week. He’d devoured their first story, a grand fantasy epic filled with magic and political intrigue. While impressive, it wasn’t what captivated him. It was their second story, “Constellations Aligned”, that had him utterly enthralled.
Ahsan meticulously organized his notes, his brow furrowed in concentration. He tried to drone out the cacophony of deafening laughter that echoed from the other side of their common room, the centre of which was Kaamil. While he would have reprimanded the group for all the commotion they were causing, Kaamil’s beauty would always render him speechless. He glanced over to the group, more specifically to Kaamil. His laughter was like the desert wind, both harsh and strangely refreshing. Ahsan observed Kaamil for a little while longer, lost in his eyes that closed and crinkled at the corners at every laugh. A small smile bloomed on his lips subconsciously, as Ahsan was slowly losing himself. But the thought of the exams jerked him out of the haze. He reprimanded himself mentally, as he forced himself to focus on the notes, while his heart yearned for something more.
The story unfolded like a gentle breeze, chronicling the everyday lives of Ahsan and Kaamil, two Akademiya students navigating their studies, their contrasting personalities creating a delightful tension. Kaveh found himself particularly drawn to Ahsan’s internal struggles. The unspoken yearning, the stolen glances across the shared study table – it resonated deeply with a part of him he hadn’t quite acknowledged.
He devoured every chapter, becoming a devoted follower of Scribe of Secrets. He revelled in their vivid descriptions, their ability to capture the quiet moments that bloomed between people who shared a space, perhaps even a blooming affection. His heart clenched with every near-miss encounter between the two students, his face mirroring the Haravatat’s shy smiles and flustered glances. He would often be mad at the author for these moments, of something that could have been, but never will.
Today’s update was titled “Under the Akademiya Gardens”. With a childish grin, Kaveh settled deeper into the divan, unbothered to even change out of his work clothes, eager to lose himself in Ahsan’s and Kaamil’s world.
Ahsan meticulously arranged his notes on the worn table at the Puspa Café. Today’s agenda: researching Ley Lines from previous records and observations for an upcoming assignment. He cast a nervous glance at the space across him. Kaamil was always fashionably late, a constant source of both irritation and amusement.
“Ugh, where is he?” Ahsan thought, his fingers drumming a nervous rhythm on the table. He hated to admit it, but Kaamil’s presence, his booming laugh and easy confidence were a welcome distraction from the mountain of research looming before them.
A few minutes later, the café door creaked open, and Kaamil sauntered in, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Rather than heading straight towards Ahsan, he headed towards the counter, placed an order and paid for it.
“There you are, Ahsan! Sorry I’m late,” Kaamil called out, as he approached their table and took his seat. “Got caught in a fascinating debate with Kumar about the optimal balance for different overhead beams.”
A smile tugged at the corner of Kaveh’s lips. Scribe of Secrets perfectly captured the easy camaraderie between the two students. He could practically hear Kaamil’s boisterous voice and see Ahsan’s exasperated smile.
The next few hours were a whirlwind of frantic note-taking, heated discussion about the nature of Ley Lines, and the occasional side trip into a philosophical debate on the merits of pita pockets versus pani puri while munching on said pita pockets, the source of this spontaneous debate and sponsored by Kaamil.
Kaveh chuckled. The back–and–forth banter between the characters felt so genuine, a testament to the author’s skill. But beneath the surface, he saw Ahsan’s struggle. Every shared laugh, every stolen glance, fuelled his unspoken desire.
As the afternoon sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the café, they finally reached a semblance of order in their research. Ahsan, emboldened by a surge of nervous energy, decided to take a chance.
His heart pounded in his chest as he met Kaamil’s gaze. “Kaamil…” he began, his voice barely a whisper.
“Hmm, yes, Ahsan?” Kaamil replied, fervently taking notes for his portion of the assignment.
“There’s… something I need to tell you.”
Is this it? Kaveh thought. Please tell me Ahsan finally confesses here.
Ahsan fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, drawing Kaamil’s attention from the paper to him.
“Ahsan, is everything alright?” Kaamil asked, his voice filled with concern.
“Yeah, yeah. I… I just wanted to tell you that…” Ahsan gulped, calming his nerves.
This is it, this is it. Go for it, Ahsan!!! Kaveh’s knuckles were white with the amount of excitement he was holding in.
“I just wanted to tell you to note everything down. I should return these books by tonight.” Ahsan said as he started rearranging the unused books.
Oh… yeah, alright,” Kaamil replied, confusion evident on his face. “ I’ll finish them soon. I’m almost done anyway. But seriously Ahsan, I don’t know why you were this nervous to tell me this. It’s not like I would storm away.” Kaamil chuckled.
“OH, COME ONE!!!! SERIOUSLY?????” Kaveh yelled, startling Alhaitham, who was entering home from work.
“Kaveh, I would really appreciate it if you could maintain some peace and quiet. I just had a long day at work.” Alhaitham said in a defeated tone, exhaustion dripping in his voice.
“Sorry,” Kaveh replied sheepishly, his neck and ears red with embarrassment. “But I couldn’t help it. This… This idiot always does this. Always goes to confess, but backs out at the last minute.”
“Who?” Alhaitham asked, his curiosity piqued.
“Ahsan.”
“Who’s Ahsan?”
“He’s a character from Scribe of Secrets’ story. You wouldn’t know them.” Kaveh replied, now lying down completely on the divan, dejected and defeated.
Oh…. him, Alhaitham thought. He remembers this character now, having met a few hours ago in his office.
“Anyway, please change out of your clothes and help me make dinner. I’m starving,” Alhaitam announced, as he made his way to his room.
“Shoot, sorry!” Kaveh said, scrambling towards his room.
During dinner, Kaveh took it upon himself to “enlighten” Alhaitham about Ahsan, Kaamil and their antics in “Constellations Aligned”. Alhaitham paid as much attention as he could while focusing on his current read and dinner.
“So, that’s why I was so mad that Ahsan didn’t confess. It was the perfect moment to do so. Those two would be so good together,” Kaveh said, shoulders drooping.
“It may have been a good moment for you, but not for the author. The decision, ultimately, lies with the author themself,” Alhaitham replied, getting a morsel of bread and stew into his mouth.
“But they are always toying with our emotions,” Kaveh said. “ I guess I should find them and give them a good thrashing. Only then, they will come to their – Hayi, careful!”
Kaveh was interrupted by Alhaitham choking on his bite of food. Kaveh rushed to his side with a glass of water, patting his back to free the lodged food inside.
“You should be more careful. I’ve told you to put down the books at least while eating,” Kaveh scolded Alhaitham.
“Sorry,” Alhaitham whispered, taking in sips of water.
“Rather than these heavy books, you should try something in fiction. Remember I told you my Inazuman client got me a few books? I could lend them to you.” Kaveh suggested as he made his way back to his seat, only after ensuring that Alhaitham was okay.
“Fiction does not give knowledge. It’s a waste of words, time, paper and ink.” Alhaitham said monotonously.
“And it’s a waste of my time trying to suggest anything to you,” Kaveh grumbled as they both continued dinner.
Once Kaveh had settled into his room after dinner and the last of the chores completed, he opened the latest chapter of “Constellations Aligned”. His eyes flittered over the final parts of the chapter, with Ahsan backing out of the confession once again, Kaamil being oblivious as usual and the both of them going their separate ways for another day of pining.
Kaveh switched off his phone in frustration, as he plopped down on his bed. He craved a resolution for this unspoken tension. But he knew that Scribe of Secrets would rather give up his writing profession than make these two get together.
And so, inspired by the story, with a sudden surge of energy, Kaveh took it upon himself to write a conclusive ending that these two and the readers deserved. He had never written any literature before, but there was always a first for everything, right?
He rushed to his laptop, his fingers flying across the keyboard. He titled his story “Confession Under the Gardens”, picking up right where Scribe of Secrets left off.
Ahsan took a deep breath. Kaamil’s full attention was on Ahsan. “Kaamil…” he started, his voice barely a whisper, “I… I think…”
Kaveh poured his own emotions into the story, the unspoken longing and affection he’d always felt somewhere, for someone, into Ahsan’s confession. He wrote through the night, fuelled by a potent mix of inspiration and adrenaline, courtesy of mugs of coffee that Kaveh made. Finally, exhausted and exhilarated, he posted the story online, under his username, “Crimson Architect”.
Now, we just have to wait…
The next morning, Kaveh woke up late, with a pounding headache, tons of commissions left on hold in pursuit of his literary escapades and a sliver of hope for his first story. He checked his phone, his heart sinking as he saw no notifications. Maybe it wasn’t that good enough, not even worthy of a glance, let alone a read-through and review. But, just as he was about to close the app, a notification popped up. It was a comment, on his story, from the Scribe of Secrets.