When We Met

Bas gye mere dil mn tere naina

Ruhaan smiled widely as he walked inside the office. All he could think about on the way home was Miraya and the moments they had shared. Even a single second with her was all he needed.

The employees were looking at him with highly perplexed expressions as he joyfully skipped through the office. "Aaj sadu ko kya hua hai?" , one employee muttered to the other. "He's this happy only when he's around his family." (What happened to him today?)

"Vahi to! Aaj to koi bhi nahi hai inke saath." (I know! There's no one with him today)

They both laughed at the remark, "I think he's drunk."

As soon as Ruhaan saw them, he went to their side. "Something you'd like to share with everyone?" he asked, standing tall in front of them with his arms crossed.

Both of them timidly shook their heads but remained silent. When Ruhaan saw their anxious faces, he laughed and said, "It's okay, people. I'm just messing with you both."

They stared at him after hearing his jovial speech, which made them feel better. "You can make as many jokes as you like, but make sure the work isn't compromised."

They quickly responded "yes sir," still perplexed by this new incarnation of their former gloomy boss.

"Go back to your work now. And could you let me know where Dev is?"

"He is in the conference room." The employee took a file off the desk and remarked, "A meeting is about to start."

He turned towards the conference room and said, "Thank you."

He saw that the meeting hadn't started when he walked into the conference room. Ruhaan looked around for Dev, who was speaking to his assistant. Ruhaan walked over to Dev's side and greeting everyone on his way.

"Bhai? How are you in office today?" Overlooking the file, Dev remarked, "I thought you were with Vivaan bhai", when he spotted Ruhaan approaching.

"Yes, I came here since that plan was cancelled. What meeting is this, anyway? I thought we weren't reaching out to any new clients right now," a perplexed Ruhaan questioned.

"Ya! We didn't make contact. We received a proposal from them, and because it seemed like a decent offer, we decided that we should get together for a quick meeting." Dev stated, "I also discussed it with tauji and dad."

"That's awesome! I'm proud of you for handling everything on your own since I've been preoccupied with...."

Dev chuckled, "With Miraya?"

Ruhaan said gritting his teeth at Dev who was laughing, "with Vivaan's wedding."

"Okay, stop!" After Dev continued to stare at him and implied his remarks, Ruhaan responded, "Let's get this meeting going."

In the midst of this important office meeting, Ruhaan found his mind drifting far away from the agenda and into a realm dominated by thoughts of her. He half-heartedly nodded along with Dev, his gaze fixed on the projection screen, but in reality, his thoughts were a chaotic swirl of memories and fantasies.

As the meeting went on, his mind replayed the moments he had shared with her—the laughter over coffee, the stolen glances in the kitchen, the subtle touches that lingered in his memory. He couldn't escape the enchantment she had woven around him.

The clinking of coffee cups and the occasional tapping of pens on notepads were mere background noise to Ruhaan's vivid imagination. He pictured her smile, the way her eyes sparkled when she spoke, and the warmth of her presence. The mundane meeting room transformed into a setting for a romantic encounter in his mind.