Ayaan always believed the universe was lonely.
Maybe that's why he loved the stars.
At exactly 2:17 AM, inside the silent laboratory of Delhi Institute of Space Technology, the Time-Signal Prototype flickered for the first time.
Ayaan leaned forward.
"Come on… just work once."
The screen blinked.
Then—
INCOMING SIGNAL DETECTED. YEAR: 2025
His heart stopped. "That's impossible…".
A message appeared on the screen:
Hello? Is this some kind of glitch? Who are you?
Ayaan's hands trembled as he typed back:
My name is Ayaan. It's 2045 here.There was a long pause.
Then the reply came:
That's not funny. It's 2025. And… how do you know my name?
Ayaan froze.
"I never told her my name…"
On the screen, a small profile picture loaded slowly.
A girl with soft eyes. A half smile. Wind blowing through her hair. Zara.
That was the beginning.