"love you my angel"

Episode : Shadows and Smiles

🌸 Episode 8: Shadows and Smiles 🌸

Friendship wasn’t what Rishi expected.

He thought it would be… distracting, maybe annoying, definitely exhausting. And in many ways, it was. Mimi never let him brood in peace, never let him slip back into the cold silence he wore like armor. She filled the empty spaces with laughter, questions, and doodles in his notebooks.

But what surprised him most was… it wasn’t unbearable.

Sometimes, it even felt good.

---

☀️ Morning Ride

It started with a scooter.

One morning, Mimi screeched into the parking lot on her little pink scooter, helmet slightly askew, hair flying everywhere. Rishi was just stepping out of his car when she waved at him like he was a long-lost cousin.

Mimi (grinning):

“Good morning, friend!”

Rishi (frowning):

“You’re going to crash one day.”

Mimi (mock gasp):

“Excuse me, I am an excellent driver. In fact, why don’t I give you a ride someday?”

He stared at her.

Rishi:

“…On that?”

Mimi (defensive):

“Yes, on this! Don’t underestimate Pink Thunder.”

Rishi (deadpan):

“You named it.”

Mimi:

“Of course. Every noble steed deserves a name.”

She patted the scooter proudly. Rishi just shook his head and walked away, but when she called after him—

Mimi (teasing):

“Don’t worry, someday you’ll beg me for a ride!”

—he almost smiled.

---

📚 Project Chaos

Later that day, they were in the library working on their fest script. Or at least, Rishi was working. Mimi was busy doodling again.

Rishi (annoyed):

“You’re supposed to be writing dialogue.”

Mimi (cheerfully):

“I am! Look.”

She turned her notebook toward him. Instead of dialogue, there were cartoon versions of them: Rishi holding a sword, Mimi holding… a frying pan.

Mimi (explaining):

“See? You’re the scary mafia knight, and I’m the fearless sidekick who fights with kitchenware.”

Rishi (sighing):

“You’re unbelievable.”

But when she wasn’t looking, he traced the doodle with his eyes longer than he should have.

---

🍵 An Unexpected Guest

That evening, as they left campus together, a sleek black car pulled up. A man in a suit stepped out, bowing respectfully toward Rishi.

Bodyguard:

“Sir, your uncle is asking for you.”

Mimi blinked in surprise.

Mimi:

“Uncle? You never mentioned an uncle.”

Rishi’s expression tightened.

Rishi (low):

“Go home, Mimi.”

She frowned, sensing the sudden shift. His usual calm was replaced by something sharper, heavier.

Mimi (stubbornly):

“I’m not a kid. Is everything okay?”

For a moment, their eyes met. Rishi almost told her the truth—about the world his family lived in, the danger that followed him everywhere. But then he shut the door inside himself again.

Rishi:

“It’s nothing. Just… don’t wait for me tonight.”

And with that, he slid into the car, leaving Mimi standing on the curb, uneasy.

---

🏠 Kitchen Comfort

That night, Mimi sat at the dining table, chin propped on her hand. Her father noticed her silence.

Father (gentle):

“Long face today, champ?”

Mimi (mumbling):

“Just… Rishi. He left with some scary-looking guy. Said it was nothing, but…”

Her father put down his knife, studying her carefully.

Father:

“You care about him.”

Mimi blinked.

Mimi:

“Of course I do. He’s my friend.”

Father (smiling knowingly):

“Friendship with someone like him might not be simple. But maybe that’s why he needs it most.”

Her mother appeared from the kitchen, stern as ever.

Mother:

“Mimi, stop wasting time worrying about boys. Focus on your studies!”

Mimi groaned and slumped dramatically over the table, earning a laugh from her father.

---

🌙 A Late-Night Call

Later, as Mimi was brushing her hair before bed, her phone buzzed.

It was Rishi.

For a second, she just stared. He never called. Ever.

She answered quickly.

Mimi (teasing):

“Well, well, look who finally learned how to use a phone like a normal human.”

On the other end, Rishi’s voice was quieter than usual.

Rishi:

“…Thanks.”

Mimi (confused):

“For what?”

There was a pause.

Rishi:

“For… being you.”

Mimi’s heart skipped. For once, she didn’t joke. She just smiled softly, even though he couldn’t see her.

Mimi (warmly):

“Always.”

They stayed on the line longer than necessary, neither speaking much, but neither hanging up. For Mimi, it felt like the beginning of something deeper. For Rishi, it felt dangerously close to something he couldn’t name.

---

🎲 Game Night

A few days later, Siya invited both of them over for a “study session.” Naturally, it turned into a board game night.

Mimi was in her element, yelling and laughing as she moved her pieces. Siya joined in, equally competitive.

Rishi sat stiffly at first, but eventually—under Mimi’s relentless teasing—he joined.

Mimi (grinning):

“See? Even mafia boys can play Ludo.”

Rishi (deadpan):

“You’re going to regret mocking me.”

Ten minutes later, he won three rounds in a row with perfect strategy. Mimi slammed her token down dramatically.

Mimi:

“I swear you have cheat codes installed in your brain!”

Siya laughed so hard she nearly fell off her chair. Rishi just smirked, enjoying the chaos more than he let on.

---

🌌 Rooftop Return

One night after rehearsal, Mimi dragged him back to the rooftop. The city lights shimmered below, just like last time.

Mimi (softly):

“You know… when you’re quiet like this, you don’t look scary. You just look… lonely.”

Rishi’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t deny it.

Mimi (smiling gently):

“Well, too bad for you. You’re not lonely anymore. You’re stuck with me.”

For a moment, Rishi let himself believe her. He let himself imagine that maybe, just maybe, he didn’t have to face everything alone.

---

🌸 Final Scene of Episode 8

Later that night, Rishi sat in his room, the city glowing outside his window. His uncle’s words still rang in his ears: “You cannot afford distractions, Rishi. Friendship makes you weak.”

But then he remembered Mimi’s laughter, her doodles, her stubborn insistence that he was more than his shadows.

For the first time, he wondered: What if friendship made him stronger?

And as Mimi curled up in bed, smiling at her phone where his number was saved, she whispered into the dark:

Mimi:

“Don’t worry, Rishi. I’ll be your light, even if you don’t want me to.”

– Episode 8 Ends –