I Sell Bottled Water for Gold in Another World!-Chapter 210: Progress

"You know " she remarked casually shifting the bag in her arms with obvious difficulty,

"It’s truly refreshing to encounter a security guard who genuinely focuses and is committed to assisting residents. In my old residence the guards were consistently distracted by their phones playing games disregarding anyone seeking help."

That caught his interest a bit. He looked back at her with a grin evidently delighted by the unforeseen praise.

"I’m simply fulfilling my duties correctly ma’am" he said with a hint of pride in his voice.

"Well, you are doing it very well," Anjali said sincerely, meeting his eyes for just a moment longer than necessary before looking away shyly.

"It reassures me to have someone alert keeping an eye on us residents."

She started to walk then stopped suddenly as if recalling something significant.

"Oh I nearly neglected to introduce myself! I am Anjali, by the way. Being new here and not knowing folks yet it’s comforting to see a welcoming face at the entrance."

She offered him a smile. "Keep my name in mind. You’ll probably encounter me often because I pass by here frequently."

"Yash " he answered, though his gaze had already shifted again to the houses, behind her looking for the silhouette of the girl.

Anjali observed where he was looking and stored that detail thoughtfully.

She is likely located in Building A or B given where he frequently directs his gaze.

"Well, thank you again for your help, Yash!" she said brightly without letting her observations show. "I am sure I will see you around. Have a great day!" 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

She walked away, once she was out of sight around the corner of Building C, she allowed herself a small satisfied smile.

Phase one finished: The first interaction went well. He is aware of my name, my building and has an initial view of me, as a kind and non-threatening person although there hasn’t been much advancement so far she has ample time.

The subsequent stage of the plan arrives now.

In the days Anjali purposely walked past the security gate at several strategically selected moments consistently offering Yash a warm sincere smile paired with a friendly wave.

She never lingered too long or seemed too eager with her attention. She was planting seeds carefully, nothing more at this stage.

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It had been three days since Anjali initially met Yash at the security entrance of Emerald Gardens.

Throughout the day she showed up repeatedly during morning runs afternoon trips back, from shopping and evening strolls. Every time she went by the gate she greeted with a "Hi, Yash!" or "Good evening!" accompanied by that rehearsed warm smile.

At that moment Yash hardly recognized her presence.

His responses were mechanical nods at best, complete silence at worst. His attention remained laser-focused on one thing only: watching for any sign of Kirti. The friendly new resident might as well have been invisible for all the impression she made on his obsessed mind.

But Anjali was nothing if not patient in her plans. She understood that breaking through his fixation would take time and consistent effort. So she continued her calculated appearances, never lingering too long, never seeming too eager. Just frequent enough to become familiar with each other.

By the second day, something subtle had shifted.

When Anjali passed through the gate that morning carrying her bag, she called out her usual greeting. "Good morning, Yash! How was your weekend?"

This time, Yash actually looked up properly. "It was fine," he replied. "Good morning."

It was a small victory, but Anjali recognized its significance. He had responded voluntarily, using actual words instead of a dismissive nod. That is progress.

Throughout the day, she maintained her presence.

Around noon she paused momentarily to discuss the stifling heat. Later, in the evening she waved eagerly as she headed out for her stroll. Importantly Yash started engaging in these brief interactions even if only slightly.

But even as he responded to Anjali’s friendliness, Yash’s mind remained consumed by Kirti.

Each free instant was devoted to searching the parking area for her vehicle looking up at her apartment windows and reliving the moments he had noticed her. The new neighbor was merely an echo, in the soundtrack of his fixation.

At least that’s what he convinced himself.

On the day the blazing afternoon sun caused the city in June to resemble the interior of an oven.

At 2:30 PM Yash remained seated in his security booth perspiring heavily despite the feeble efforts of the table fan. His water bottle had been dry for than an hour yet he was too exhausted to make the trip to the complex’s water cooler. Moreover stepping away, from his station risked missing Kirti if she arrived or departed.

Thus he stayed trapped in his agony gaze locked on the lot where her vehicle shimmered under the harsh sun.

"Yash!"

He glanced up. Saw Anjali coming toward the gate carrying two cold bottled waters. Drops of condensation slid down the bottles making them appear tempting.

"Noticing how hot it is today I thought this might come in handy " she said, handing him a bottle with a smile.

"I was at the store anyway, so I grabbed an extra one for you."

Yash stared at the offered bottle, caught completely off-guard. His immediate reaction was suspicion why would she do this? They barely knew each other. But his parched throat won over his confusion.

"Thanks " he murmured uncertainly taking the bottle. "You didn’t need to..."

"It’s nothing!" Anjali dismissed his thanks while opening her bottle. "We’re neighbors now aren’t we? Also I can’t imagine how you tolerate sitting out all day in this heat."

Her voice conveyed respect, rather, than the patronizing sympathy typically shown by those who belittled security guards.

They talked for perhaps three minutes while he drank gratefully. She asked about his work, commented on the weather, mentioned she was adjusting well to the complex. Nothing deep or intrusive, just comfortable small talk between two people sharing a hot afternoon.

When she finally excused herself and left, Yash found himself watching her walk away, noticing for the first time how gracefully she moved.

He quickly shook his head with force, directing his eyes back to Kirti’s parking space. What was going through his mind? This was wrong. He cared deeply for Kirti. Only Kirti mattered in his heart.

But the cold water bottle sat beside him for the rest of his shift, a physical reminder that someone had noticed his discomfort and cared enough to do something about it.

That night, lying alone in his small rented room, Yash could not stop thinking about the stark contrast.

Anjali barely knew him and she had brought him water during the brutal heat. Kirti, whom he had loved desperately for months, had never once acknowledged his existence beyond telling him to leave her alone.

The thought made him feel intensely guilty, like he was betraying his pure feelings for Kirti. He pulled out his phone and scrolled through Kirti’s Instagram for the hundredth time that day, desperately reassuring himself of why he loved her. Her smile. Her beauty. Her seemingly perfect life.

But a small rebellious voice in the back of his mind whispered a dangerous question: Does she even care about you at all?