THE HACKING HEARTS.

Mark returned to the desk, resuming his work while keeping an ear out for her. As the tension in the room eased, her soft, steady breaths became the only sound, blending with the quiet hum of his typing.

Mark leaned back in the chair, smirking with satisfaction. It had taken him nearly three hours, but he was finally done. A quick glance at his watch told him it was already 5 p.m. His gaze shifted to Anushka, who was lying comfortably in bed. The pain she'd been battling earlier seemed to have subsided. When their eyes met, she quickly averted hers, a hint of embarrassment flashing across her face.

"I really have to go," Mark said, standing and stretching.

She looked back at him, offering a small smile. "It's alright. I've troubled you enough already," she said softly before pausing. "Anyway, thank you for everything."

"No need to be so formal," he teased, his tone light but laced with genuine care. "Are you sure you'll be fine when I leave?"

"Don't worry," she reassured him. "I'll be totally fine."

Mark hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright," he said, pushing his chair back. "Are you sure you don't need anything else before I go?"

Anushka sighed, a slight cough escaping her lips. "Well… I do need to eat, but I don't feel like fixing anything right now," she admitted. "Could you grab me something? My card is in the purse inside my backpack." She paused before adding, "There's a café just across the road. Get me some fries, an Anu burger, and strawberry juice. That'll do."

Mark raised an eyebrow. "What's an Anu burger?"

She chuckled faintly. "The girl there will understand. I'll explain later."

"Alright," he said with a small grin. "But it's on me—no need for your card."

With that, he grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. Taking the stairs at the end of the hallway, he made his way down to the ground floor. Stepping outside, he spotted the café just across the road. Glancing both ways, he crossed cautiously and entered the café, immediately making his way to the counter.

"Hi," Mark greeted the girl behind the counter.

"Hello," she replied warmly. "How can I serve you?"

"Fries, an Anu burger, and strawberry juice," Mark said.

The girl hesitated for a moment, her expression skeptical, before turning to relay the order to the kitchen.

"Nice taste," a cheerful female voice chimed in from behind him.

Mark turned to see a smiling young woman. "Hi," she greeted.

"Hi," he replied, smiling back.

"So, you're a fan of the Anu burger?" she asked, her tone teasing.

"Not really," Mark admitted with a small laugh. "I just heard about it a few minutes ago. What is it, anyway?"

She clicked her tongue thoughtfully. "It's just like any other burger, but it has beef, chicken, cheese, and veggies. The twist is, everything is seasoned only with honey, salt, and chili—no other toppings nothing else. And when it comes to the beef and chicken, they aren't fried just boiled. Sounds gross, doesn't it?"

Mark raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "That's… unusual."

The girl chuckled. "My crazy friend came up with the idea."

"Ooh, Linda!" the girl at the counter called as she returned from the kitchen. "What brings you to town?"

"A little rest doesn't hurt," Linda replied casually. "Same order as him," she added, nodding toward Mark. "But make it two."

"Alright," the counter girl said as she headed back to the kitchen. Soon, she returned with three cans, filling them with strawberry juice from the dispenser.

As they waited, Linda and the counter girl chatted happily, clearly familiar with one another. Mark watched the lively conversation unfold, his thoughts wandering back to the burger. How had someone managed to get such an eccentric idea onto the menu of a well-established eatery?

"Your order, sir," the counter girl's voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"Thanks," Mark said, stepping forward. "Do you accept cash? I can't make any card transactions right now."

"Yes, we do," she assured him.

Mark pulled out some cash from his wallet, handing it over. "Keep the change," he said with a smile.

As Linda finished paying for her order, she waved at the counter girl. "See you later!"

Mark and Linda left the café together, looking both ways before crossing the road.

"Going my way?" Mark asked casually.

"I don't know," Linda replied with a sly grin. "But I'm headed into this building."

"My friend Anushka stays here," she added.

"You mean Ruhi?" Mark asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Yeah," Linda said, smiling.

"Turns out we have the same friend," Mark chuckled. Then something clicked in his mind. "Wait… Anu, as in Anushka?"

Linda laughed. "Yeah, she's the crazy friend behind the burger."

"How did that even happen?" Mark asked, gesturing toward the café behind them. "I mean, getting it on the diner's menu?"

Linda smiled fondly. "It's a long story. She came up with the recipe back in high school. At first, I thought it was awful, but after a while, I started to appreciate it. When she moved here about two years ago, we'd have it custom-made daily at that diner. We became such regulars that, in honor of our support, they added it to the menu and named it after her. Over time, it became one of their most special treats. Many people especially those that tasted it became regulars there."

"That's… actually kind of amazing," Mark said, impressed.

By then, they'd climbed the stairs, walked through the hallway and were standing outside Anushka's room.

"Guess we're here," Mark said, glancing at Linda.

"Yeah," she replied with a smile. "Let's see how our 'crazy friend' is doing."