5 hours until Valentine's Day

When someone would walk into the establishment, they would see Pravish's silhouette shape sitting at the bar. The lamps above the bar and those above the pool tables shine brightly, and the effect is enhanced by nightfall outside. In less than an hour, it will be completely dark outside. That does not bother him in the least, because it will generate a nightlife atmosphere. For him, it's a reminder of the adventures he's had during his student life, nighttime adventures that have helped him build his character, adventures he's had with fellow students and colleagues... and she was a part of them.

It's February 13 and it's been more than 8 years since they last saw each other, more than 8 years since they last spoke, and it's also been more than 8 years since they last spoke. The emphasis is on the word "was" because that changed 2 months ago. He was the one who had sent her a message.

It's also been more than 8 years to torment himself about the missing chances he had with her. More than 8 years to think about how he never touched her lips, more than 8 years to think about how he never spent a night in her bed or his together, more than 8 years to think about how he never let his hands slide over her body the way he slid over her skin or even her clothes, more than 8 years to think about how he was never inside her, more than 8 years to think about how he never released himself in or on her.

But more important than the physical connection is the melting of their minds. The compatibility of their mindset is what draws him to her in the first place and is the number one desire to be acknowledged.

The only way he lived through it, was through his fantasy world. In the real world, he knows their meeting is for business purposes, not pleasure, so he'll soon turn on his platonic friendship mode.

As Kalpana enters the pool bar, she stops and looks around to see if she can spot Pravish. She does not, but instead of texting or calling him, she looks around at the people she can not quite make out. Then she notices a silhouetted person sitting at the bar. She's curious if she can still recognize the person's physical appearance after so long and slowly walks up to him, hoping she does not attract his attention.

When she recognizes Pravish and sees how he has changed, she can not help but feel a positive vibe. He no longer looks like a person who wears the same worn-out clothes every day without washing himself and who looks like a zombie because he only had a maximum of 3 hours of sleep a day but he looks like a very well-groomed person now.

But the most important thing for Kalpana is to discover what personal growth she can uncover about the person from the past. This human thing of self-discovery and self-learning can make a person almost completely different from the last time you saw them. Another important thing for her: Will he recognize the personal growth in her?

Work, study, work, study, and after studying; work, work, and work, well...her life now is work...so finding time for fun social things can be hard work itself, but she makes it 'work'.

She knows that tomorrow is February 14 and the Valentine's Day spirit does not really hit her because she has been so busy... with work.

No Valentine's date for her, but there is a guy she is seeing. At least it started out as a date, but it quickly became just evenings to satisfy her hunger for sex, if only a little. She calls it friends-with-benefits, but they are not even friends. Her actual friends call them booty calls. That word makes her laugh, but she still does not use it to describe them. The friend-with-benefits wants to meet tomorrow night, but she hasn't confirmed yet.

Valentine's Day should be about love, not just itching the craving for sex. With this thought, she automatically looks at her watch: 5 hours until Valentine's Day.

Pravish casts a sideways glance and there he sees her coming toward him. He immediately rises from his chair and turns around.

Wherever his thoughts were a moment ago, they are now focused entirely on her. She definitely has been taken care of herself but it is more than that; the way she walks, her posture, the way she holds her shoulders, her smile, and the look in her eyes, the eyes of a person who has been through the known world and is now filled with experience and knowledge, all create an aura that connects with his. He still sees the young woman from before and at the same time the grown-up woman she is now. At the very first glimpse of her, the platonic friendship mode is immediately thrown out the window.