Love used to begin with a glance across a crowded room. A smile, a laugh, a spark that flickered into something more. Now, it began with a swipe.

Left.

Left.

Left again.

Tara’s thumb moved in practiced rhythm, dismissing faces that blurred together—too rehearsed, too perfect, too fake. She wasn’t sure what she was even looking for anymore. A fairytale? A distraction? Or just someone who wouldn’t vanish by morning?

Her friends said don’t give up yet. The app was just a game, a numbers game. But love wasn’t supposed to feel like statistics.

She sighed, ready to close the app for good—until one profile stopped her. A half-smile, a bio that made her laugh out loud, and eyes that looked almost… honest. Against her better judgment, her thumb hovered. Then, with a reluctant smirk, she swiped right.

On the other side of town, Raghav wasn’t even supposed to be there. His best friend had grabbed his phone, created a profile for him, and dared him to “live a little.” Raghav didn’t have the time—or patience—for apps that turned love into a market of endless choices.

Still, when his screen lit up with a new match, something stirred. He opened the chat, expecting nothing. But then he read her first message.

And just like that, in the most unexpected place, two strangers began a story neither of them saw coming