The final night of our trip was marked by a grand barbecue. The garden was transformed into an outdoor cinema, a large screen flickering against the backdrop of the dark woods. The men took charge of the grill, the air thickening with the mouth-watering scent of charred spices and woodsmoke, while we girls arranged the seating. it was a scene of perfect, lively chaos.

​We ate amidst a symphony of laughter and overlapping conversations. Ekansh, never one for small talk, especially while eating was predictably prickly. I caught him firing several sharp glares toward Abhay Bhaiya and Taksh, though it was more of his usual stoicism than true grumpiness. The moment his plate was clean, he slipped away into the shadows of the farmhouse without a word.