Vishal sat in stunned silence at smoor, the bouquet of red roses now seeming like a garish reminder of his rejection. He had never felt such profound dejection in his entire life. After a long time, once his heart settled down a bit, he pulled out his phone and called Anitha, needing to share what had just transpired. "Anitha," Vishal began, his voice thick with emotion, "Sanju... she ran off. She didn't accept the proposal. All she did was whisper a trembling 'No' as she hurried away without offering any explanation. I've never seen such an intense reaction to a confession before."

Anitha was quiet for a moment, processing the news. "Vishal, it might have been too much for her. Sanju comes from a deeply traditional and conservative background, and given her young age and village upbringing, she may have never encountered a proposal before. It's possible it all just came too fast for her. Give her some time to think it over." Vishal sighed deeply, the weight of disappointment settling over him. "Maybe you're right. I'll try a different approach. A slower one this time."