Part 2: The Night of the Festival

The chaos of the festival seemed to soften as the crowd funnelled toward the riverbank. The drums and laughter grew distant, replaced by the hush of flowing water and the rustle of paper lanterns in waiting hands. Where the main street had been fire and noise, here the world was gold and quiet—lantern light rippling across the surface of the water like stars scattered into the earth.

The four of them stood side by side, each holding a lantern of their own. The parchment glowed faintly, its light fragile but steady, waiting for release.

“This,” a nearby elder announced to the gathered crowd, “is the heart of the Festival. Tonight, we send our burdens and our blessings into the river. We honour the ones who walked before us and give rest to what we no longer carry.”

“So what’s this festival about?” Aaron asked Isebella.

“It's basically the reason for the festival, we basically light the lantern and let it float in the water”, replied Isebella.

“It basically means we are paying respects to the old timers before us and also letting go of anything that holds us back in the past”, added Estella.

“Hmmmm.. Very interesting though sad those guys will not be able to eat the foods here, I feel pity for them, " sarcastically commented Ishaan.

“The only thing that registers in your head is food, isn't it, Ishaan?” pointed Estella

“Why is it wrong?” with his signature grin, replied Ishaan.

“Ok, bro, let's complete this festival before you enter into a lovers' quarrel”, Aaron tried to be sarcastic but only to fail miserably.

“You are one to talk, huh…..” Ishaan responded swiftly, and with a gaze, Aaron understood immediately.

Aaron, now bashful, says, “Let's get a move on”, marching forward.

Aaron’s fingers lingered on the edge of his lantern, the soft paper brushing against his skin. Ishaan, for once, had fallen uncharacteristically quiet, his grin dimmed into something thoughtful. Estella twirled the ribbon tied to hers, her energy tempered but not gone, like a fire learning to listen to the wind. Isabella held hers carefully, as if afraid the flame inside might break if she breathed too close.

“So, what are you going to say to the lantern?” asked Isebella.

Aaron’s fingers tightened on the lantern, his voice low enough that it almost vanished into the sound of the river.
“I’m… not good at this kind of thing,” he admitted, eyes fixed on the paper glow. “Saying words to something that drifts away and never answers back. Feels stupid, you know?”

Isabella turned to him, her expression soft, the lantern’s glow painting warm shadows across her face. “It isn’t about the lantern answering. It’s about you listening to yourself when you finally say the things you’ve kept quiet.”

He glanced sideways at her, then back at the light in his hands. “And if what I’ve kept quiet isn’t worth saying?”

“Then let the river carry it,” she replied, her voice steady but gentle. “But if it matters… maybe you’ll want someone to hear it before it goes.”

Her words slipped under his skin in a way he couldn’t shake. For a second, he thought about speaking—really speaking—but his throat caught. Instead, his eyes met hers. Just a moment, but enough that the lantern’s glow seemed to catch between them, as though holding a secret neither dared to say aloud.

Before he could answer, Ishaan’s voice came crashing through like a cymbal.
“Hey, lovebirds! Don’t be all mushy in the river, yaar. Some of us are also trying to get our chance and wash our past and bad choices too!”Estella darted up beside him, giggling as she tried to snatch at Isabella’s lantern. “Careful, sis, if you let Aaron whisper too long, he’ll convince your lantern to fall in love with him too.”

Aaron groaned, half-ready to sink into the river himself. Isabella was trying to act composed, but she was surely trying to desperately trying to hide her face with her hair.

Besides all of this, the festival went without a hitch. The four of them let their lantern float afloat, none of them knew what any of them had wished, yet it was visible the boys had a hopeful expression, and as they were ready to move out, they saw the girls, although they said nothing, their lips curved faintly, their eyes betrayed them—shadows of longing threaded with sorrow. It was the look of someone who had wished for more than the world could give, of someone reaching for a star they already knew was too far.

“Hey, you alright?” asked Aaron with concern.

“You dont look too great”, Ishaan, breaking out of character, also asked with a concerned look.

Both of them in Unison, “Ya, we are alright, no need to worry”

They both tried to wear a simile, and Aaron, for the first time, saw the mask that Isebella wore.

“Let go, goofers. Now it's time for the main event” Estella dragged Ishaan towards the area where the dance was to be held.

“They are always on the move, let's move out before they start to call us old ti…, Isabella!” Aaron called to her, who looked down for some reason and like as if the weights of the lantern were crushing her.

Her lips parted before she spoke, her voice softer than the river’s hush, “Why… do you keep showing me so much trust?”

“Isebella?” Aaron was caught off guard.

“You don’t even know anything about us,” she pressed, her tone trembling, like glass ready to crack. “And yet… You always seem to see through me. You find the words I don’t even want to hear. Why?”

Isabella, for the first time, asked a question and looked so fragile and raw.

Aaron said nothing; he simply came quietly near her and then just crouched, lowering himself so their eyes were level, the lantern glow caught between them.

“Why wouldn’t I?” His voice was low, unsteady, but honest. “If you’re asking me why I trust… I don’t know. I just do. What I do know is that you’re special.”

Her eyes widened, startled, but he went on, slower this time, as though each word had to be drawn out carefully.

“You. Estella. Ishaan. You gave my monochrome world colour again. Vivid, blinding colour. And I… I have no choice but to trust that.”

Isabella’s breath hitched. She tried to look away, but his gaze held her still.

Aaron’s mouth curved into a faint, tired smile. “I don’t know why you’re asking me this now. But… I’m grateful. Grateful I followed my dumb brother that day. Grateful I saved you that night. Grateful you showed me this place.”

He paused, lantern glow trembling in his hand. Then, softer, almost like a confession:

“Because of you, I found something close to happiness again. So… thank you.”

Silence hung between them, the river carrying every unspoken word.

Isabella’s lips parted, but no sound came. Her eyes shimmered with something caught between sorrow and warmth, and for a moment, she looked as though she might shatter if he so much as touched her.

Aaron didn’t press. He simply extended his hand, palm open, steady.

“Come on. Let’s go.”

She hesitated, staring at that hand. Then, with a faint tremor in her fingers, she placed hers in his.

And though her smile never quite reached her lips, her eyes betrayed it—a fragile flicker of light, clinging to his in the dark.

The river carried their lanterns downstream, the golden lights drifting farther until they blurred with the stars. For a moment, it felt as though the night itself was listening—holding onto their secrets, their hopes, their grief.

But festivals don’t stay quiet for long.

A sudden burst of drums cracked through the stillness, rolling from the main square like thunder. Flutes joined in, weaving high notes over the steady beat, and the hush of the riverbank gave way once more to laughter and shouts of excitement. Lanterns overhead swung with the rhythm, painting the streets in rippling gold and crimson.

“Looks like it’s starting,” Aaron murmured, releasing Isabella’s hand only when he had to.

Already, Estella’s voice rang above the crowd. “Come on, you two slowpokes! The best part’s about to begin!” She was tugging Ishaan along like an impatient spark ready to ignite, his protests drowned by her sheer energy.

Aaron straightened, shaking off the weight of the river. Isabella, still quiet, brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and followed his lead.

The dance had begun; it was supposed to be a slow waltz, but Ishaan and Estella were on another frequency altogether.

“Wait, you're pulling me the wrong way, what the hell, bro!!!!” Estella screamed as she was about to fall out while spinning.

“OUCH!!!, You stepped on my foot, bhen,” Cried Ishaan agonising in pain

Even though they were a mess, they were smiling throughout and were happy.

“They seem they be having fun, why dont we join?” Aaron turned to ask her, but she wasn't there; her hesitation came up again.

But this time, he grabbed her hesitant hand and just pulled her in.

“Just follow my lead, ok”, reaffirmed Aaron as he started to softly move with the flow. He moved as if he had practised this song multiple times; it seemed so seamless.

Isabella tried to protest, but it was as if her body wanted her now; she was suddenly feeling a sense of comfort, and somehow, even though her mind was hesitant, her heart didn't want to leave.

“Aaron…” she breathed, searching his gaze with intensity. In that moment, she saw a man brimming with confidence yet vulnerable, striving to hold her close.

“I, uh, I prepped for this dance, just for you,” Aaron admitted, his bashfulness radiating as a soft blush crept across his cheeks.

“It’s nothing strange, really. I just… I wanted tonight to be special. For both of us,” he confessed, his words tumbling out like a rush of secrets he had been holding back for too long.

Isebella smiled, her heart fluttering as she realised how much he cared. “Well, it seems I was nervous for nothing,” she replied, her hand gently brushing against Aaron’s cheek, igniting a spark between them.

“I hope this lasts forever,” she whispered, a promise lodged in the air between them, sealing their unspoken bond as they swayed beneath the stars, lost in each other’s warmth.

As they were swaying through the wave of music, a new wave stirred

“Those two are really hopeless, dont you think?” Estella commented, still stuck between the steps

“Well, why don't we also become hopeless?” Ishaan gave a snarky remark

“ I like the way you think”, Estella finds her tune.

Suddenly, we see Estella and Ishaan changing their pace, and now they are also flowing with the music.

Aaron notice

“Well, looks like we have inspired someone, just look at them giving an open challenge”, Aaron commented.

“Then why dont we respond in kind?” Isebella finding her composer and as well as her confidence back

“Well, it seems my embarrassment has certainly boosted someone's morale. Let's go on then” Aaron was now also getting into the flow, but this time, Isebella also joined, and while the crowd cheered, the four grew a bit closer, maybe the most they ever had.

They danced their hearts out, and they seemed contended like nothing could have been more fun than that day.

As the dance started to die down and it started to become silent as the festival wound out for the day, Isabella was found sitting near the same steps where she had let those lanterns float.

“Why? Why did I even ask him? I cannot. How can I do this to him? He believes me and still, once he realises the truth, what will happen?” Her thoughts were rushing through her mind like a bullet train as she stared blankly at the river

“Want some, your favourite?” Aaron came with a set of sweet bubble tea and just placed it near her face.

“Oh, ya, thanks for that”, Isebella was caught off guard.

“It's beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Hmm..”

“I meant the river, like just sitting here makes you feel so much at ease, as if all your worries are just being swept away”

"Aaron, I'm really sorry for ruining the vibe earlier." Isabella sounded genuinely apologetic.

“What are you apologising for?” Aaron asked

“Well, about suddenly becoming so gloomy and all”, Isebella now with a softer tone.

“ A lot has been going on in my life, and well, meeting you helped me relax and find my true self, but then a thought that you might leave made me a bit sad, like will I have to say goodbye?” Isebella is now trying to cover her face with her knees.

“Well, I guess it's a better time than ever, here”, Aaron handed out a piece of parchment.

“What's this ?” Isebella took it and tried to open it, and was left speechless.

It was the same sketch he had drawn that day of her in the shelter and behind in a small book shaped a picture of the group sitting on the bench of the library.

She looked at him, Aaron, now a bit blushing, but with soft eyes, and told her.

“You dont need to worry if the gods have placed us in each other's lives, we will meet each other, and well, we can always stay in touch with each other online”, he now blushing a bit hard.

“And for that picture, take it as a gratitude from me to you, you know, for showing around the country during your holiday” Aaron is trying not to show how bashful he is.

“Thank you, Aaron. It means a lot to me, and here is a small gift from me to you,” Isebella now presented him with a pair of sketching gloves.

“ I know it's nothing that special, but I hope you like it” Isebella is also a bit bashful now.

“You're serious, it's like you read my mind, I was planning to buy one soon as my old one was almost torn to shreds”, Aaron exclaimed while holding the gloves as if they were a new toy given to a kid.

“Well, well, I think I just helped our future artist, I hope to get credit if you ever get famous”, Isebella gave a sarcastic remark.

“And I am in front of a future actress, such a draw, emotions, ma,n it brought a tear to my eye” Aaron returned her sarcasm.

“Hey, they were genuine feelings, you know”, Isebella said while puffing her cheeks with anger.

“I know”

After a bit of silence, they broke out in laughter..

On the other hand, Ishaan and Estella also had their moment, but well it was on another level.

After having a hearty time dancing, or more like competing with their siblings, both of them are completely exhausted and were really just sitting until…

Estella huffing dramatically, “I'm suffering from the damage to my legs, owww”

Ishaan responds, “ ok, let's set this account by buying you ice cream”

They stopped by a vendor, Ishaan juggling two cones with exaggerated flair. “For the lady who tripped six times during a three-minute dance, one cone of mercy.”

Estella snatched hers before it could topple. “Says the guy who crushed my toes so badly, I might never walk again. You owe me ten more scoops for damages.”

“Done. But only if you promise not to sue me in dance court.”

She licked her ice cream with a smug grin. “We’ll see. Depends on how many more times you step on me.”

Estella leaned against the railing, the night air cooling her flushed cheeks as she nursed her ice cream. Ishaan leaned beside her, far too close for comfort, balancing his cone with one hand and gesturing wildly with the other.

“You know,” he said, tilting his head with mock seriousness, “for someone who claims to be a great dancer, you looked like a drunk walking.”

Her jaw dropped mid-bite. “Excuse me? At least I didn’t look like a wobbly car figure!”

“That’s style,” Ishaan retorted, tapping his chest with pride. “Freestyle.”

Estella rolled her eyes, but the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her. “Freestyle? More like free disaster.”

They both burst into laughter, their giggles carrying across the quiet corner of the festival. Between them, the silence that followed didn’t feel awkward—it felt… comfortable.

Ishaan glanced sideways at her, catching the way her hair fell loose under the lantern glow, the way her eyes softened when she wasn’t trying to win a fight. For once, he didn’t have a joke ready.

Estella noticed his stare and raised a brow. “What? Are you captivated by my charms?”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Ishaan leaned in and gently wiped away a small smudge from the corner of her cheek with his thumb. “What if I really have?”

The sudden closeness startled her; her breath hitched, but she didn’t pull away. For a moment, she simply looked at him—really looked—and felt something unfamiliar twist in her chest.

To break the silence, she thrust her cone toward him. “Here. Before you get all sappy, try mine. It’s better than yours.”

He grinned, leaning in to take a bite. “Hmm. Not bad. But mine’s still king.”

“Biased judgment,” she shot back, but her voice was softer now, her eyes lingering a little longer.

A pause stretched, and then Estella dug into the small pouch slung at her side. “Actually… I have something for you.” She pulled out a small bracelet from her pocket. “I thought it would be nice to have something to remember this day, so I bought it.”

Ishaan blinked, caught off guard. “You—wait, you bought this for little old me?”

She shrugged, pretending nonchalance. “Yeah. Don’t read too much into it. Just… figured you could use something that isn’t food for once.”

Instead of joking, Ishaan slipped it onto his wrist carefully, almost reverently. “Thanks. Really. It’s… actually pretty cool.”

Then, fumbling in his pocket, he pulled out a small trinket—a keychain shaped like a goofy dancing figure. “And here. I was saving it for later, but… it reminded me of you.”

Estella squinted at it, then burst out laughing. “Because it’s ridiculous?”

“Because it’s full of energy and refuses to stand still,” he corrected with a grin. “Kinda like you.”

For a beat, their laughter faded into quiet again. The distance between them seemed smaller now, their arms brushing as they leaned against the railing, neither moving away. Her shoulder touched his, light as a whisper, but steady.

Estella’s voice lowered, almost unsure. “You’re… not what I expected, you know.”

“Same here,” Ishaan admitted, his usual playfulness dimmed into something softer. “You drive me crazy half the time, but… It’s the kind of crazy I don’t want to stop.”

Their eyes locked, unspoken words swirling between them. Estella felt the weight of the moment pressing close, her pulse quickening. Ishaan leaned just slightly nearer, his grin fading into something more genuine.

And then—

BOOM.

The first firework exploded above them, scattering red and gold across the sky. The crowd cheered, music swelled, and the fragile stillness between them broke like glass.

Both blinked and looked up, laughter bubbling out as if on instinct. Estella shook her head, clutching her cone. “Guess the universe doesn’t want you finishing that sentence.”

Ishaan chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. “Maybe it’s saving it for another time.”

The fireworks painted the night in bursts of light, but between the colours, the almost-touch of their shoulders lingered—a quiet promise neither dared to speak aloud.

They came to the festival as friends. They left with something far more dangerous in their hearts. Two days remained until the reveal. So what is next?