Nandini took uncertain steps towards Shubham, who couldn't stop grinning. She had her eyes narrowed at him, still unable to believe she indeed found him or he found her. Or perhaps Aditya and Abhi did. But whatever the case was, she ended up giggling, rushing towards him at a speed that startled one and all.

Halting a step away from him with her eyes widened and lips parted, she said, "You are really here?" 

Shubham chuckled, raking his hand through his hair as a jubilant glint shone in his eyes. "I am really here."

She carefully poked his arms, furrowing her brows. When she finally discerned that he was no phantom or a figment of her imagination, she squealed in exuberance and threw her arms around his neck, jumping at the spot. "Oh my God! Oh my God! You are actually here."

"I am." He wrapped his arms around her, drawing her closer to himself. "Indeed here."

"I missed you so bad," she said, whining.

He sighed profoundly, kissing the top of her hair. "Not more than me, Basu."

***

Abhi plopped himself on the bonnet of his car, watching the exciting reunion of the two long-lost friends, occasionally noticing the content smile playing on Aditya's lips. The two people at the far end of the hillock were constantly murmuring in each other's ears, embracing one another, and giggling incessantly while Aditya couldn't stop beaming and bobbing his head in satisfaction.

As the clouds parted, the fog receded, the sun was finally visible, rising from behind the hills across the city, and though it was slightly chilly, the temperatures were not too low for them to be cold. Abhi took his time to observe Aditya in the meantime too. He was constantly gazing at the duo, probably relishing the bright and vivacious smile on the girl, and Abhi couldn't hold himself back.

"You did a good thing, Adi."

He nodded. "I know."

"Why, though? Why go to such lengths?" Abhi wiggled his brows. "You had your father's secretary hire a private investigator, got this guy stalked, and the moment you received his number, you wasted no time and called him here. That's... that's some task you undertook at the wee hours of the morning for a random girl."

"Nandini is not a random girl." Aditya scowled. "She is a very good friend to us."

Abhi hummed. "That day at the ice cream parlor, you were against Rishi and Nandini's date because this was your plan." He gestured towards the hugging duo.

Aditya giggled. "Precisely, my boy! But," he rolled his eyes, "everyone has to play Cupid."

"When it was you who wanted to play Cupid for the not-so-random Nandini Basu."

Aditya chuckled. "Not exactly. Just," he shrugged, "wanted to do this."

"Why, Adi? Why are you doing so much for her?"

"I like it when she smiles. She looks," Aditya sighed, "breathtakingly beautiful when she does."

Abhi hummed again, a slight smirk threatening to appear on the corners of his lips. "Be careful. That's all I can say."

Aditya huffed. "And what do you mean by that?"

"For starters, you have a girlfriend."

"I know, and I am not replacing Piyali with anybody. The equation between Nandini and me is very different."

"Exactly, and that's my point of concern." Abhi patted his friend's back. "It's very different. You have been changing, bit by bit, ever since you met her. You did a great thing there, but that's not the Aditya Roy I know. My best friend does not play Cupid no matter who it is in front of him. He will never sacrifice his sleep early in the morning. Not even for his girlfriend. He wouldn't utilize his Friday evenings cleaning up instead of watching a nail-biting cricket match. He sure as hell wouldn't gobble down an entire box of rice pudding full of sugar and calories without thinking twice about burning it off."

Aditya took a deep breath, pondering over every little thing Abhi had enlisted.

"But there is another truth too," Abhi said, grinning. "He loves to watch Nandini Basu smile."

***

Nandini smacked Shubham's arms, and he winced, yelping audibly.

"Where were you all this time?" She huffed, brushing her hair away from her face. "Jiya, Shanya, Veer, your friends, all of us have been searching for you for the last three and a half years. But you had gone completely AWOL."

He exhaled, slinging his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer, but she resisted.

"No. Leave me," she muttered, swatting his hand away and pouting. "I am angry."

"Shut up and let me hug you," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist, hiding his face in the crook of her neck.

She gave up, too, her arms creeping up and looping around his shoulders. "Meanie! A big, bad meanie."

He chortled. "You haven't changed a bit. Still the cute, little kiddo."

She pulled away, groaning. "Don't tease, Shubham."

He gently held her hands. "There were so many things going on in my life in the last three years that I couldn't pause and think about all that I had left behind. I am gonna tell you all of it. Just give me some time."

Her gaze softened. "Of course," she murmured, cupping his cheeks. "Take your time. I am right here."

He leaned into her touch. "I can never be thankful enough to Aditya. He called me here to surprise you."

And with each passing moment, Nandini's eyes kept widening as Shubham told her about the people from Roy Publications back in Kolkata who tracked his family down at their latest address in Delhi before contacting him, and finally, it was Aditya who called him at four in the morning and organized the meetup at the spot.

"Oh my!" Nandini whispered. "I assumed he's a jerk, but he is so sweet. The sweetest person ever."

"Yeah, that he is."

She glimpsed towards the two of her newfound friends by the car, who were still conversing with one another, beaming and chortling. "I met some great people here in SF."

He planted a kiss on her forehead. "I met you here too. Let's count that in."

"Oh, yes!" She giggled. "Let's get out of here first."

***

Aditya and Abhi were still arguing about everything the latter said, for the former had made it his life's mission to refute every single one of those points, disputing the reasoning Abhi came up with.

"I had only cleaned the apartment because Nandini's actions mortified me. That's it," Aditya said, scoffing.

"There we go!" Abhi rolled his eyes. "Is it imperative that your every discourse end with her? That just shows how much she has affected you."

Aditya groaned, flashing his middle finger at his friend. "I am done with this conversation."

As Abhi continued to blabber about topics Aditya didn't wish to discuss any further, his gaze landed on the little shrubberies that had grown wild by the edge of the summit. Ambling towards one, he carefully plucked a pink blossom—tiny but thick petals, two different shades of the color cocooning the fragrant orangish center. He knew she would love it.

Grinning to himself, he went back to Abhi, who was now complaining that his best friend was being insouciant, when Aditya saw the thick mane of flying hair darting towards him at full throttle before the owner launched herself into his arms, mumbling a series of thanks. He stumbled in his steps, balancing only when his palms landed on the bonnet behind. He cast a furtive glance at Abhi, whose brows had shot up in amusement. Then he glimpsed at Shubham, who was smiling as generously as a person could so early in the morning. Taking a deep breath, he carefully wrapped his arms around the girl too. "It's okay, Baby Elephant. No need to repeat the same set of thanks over and over again. It's getting boring."

She pinched his forearms. "Would you stop troubling me for a second?"

He chortled. "Thanks accepted." When she drew away, blinking back the sheen of moisture pooling in her eyes, he flicked her nose. "As I said, that's your gift for Diwali. So, I am expecting a brilliant return gift."

But she gave him the return gift then and there, for that beatific, breathtaking smile that she flashed at him was worth sacrificing every bit of sleep. He could do it a hundred times over, every day for the rest of his life if she were to smile that way—divine, ethereal, alluring. So damned seductive and innocent at the same time.

Hence, when she waved at him and headed over to Shubham's car, something shifted in his heart, and he knew he would miss the warmth of her arms around him, the invigorating fragrance of raspberries she boasted, the honeyed voice with which she screeched. Nope, no longer whiny. Just the sweetest voice he had ever heard.

Something massive shifted in his heart yet again when she didn't look back as the car sped past him. The petals in his palms crushed when he balled his fists, and he eventually let the bits fall on the hard ground below.

***

Nandini and Shubham were still in a state of disbelief. Throughout the 10-mile journey back to his home, the two of them giggled at the strange turn of events, mumbling how utterly fortunate they felt at the moment and how surreal everything seemed to them. As the freeways sped past them, she couldn't resist the urge to ruffle his hair. And so she did, earning a glare from him. He halted the car at a traffic signal after entering the city and ensured to tickle her, prompting her to titter until she had to beg to leave him, for her sides hurt.

Amused as some things never really change no matter how much time passes by, he propelled the vehicle when the signal turned green, shooting straight for his neighborhood. He took his time to observe her. She had grown cuter over the years, her black tresses were now longer, ending near her waist, her cheeks were slightly less chubby than what he remembered, but the sparkle of her eyes hadn't died, and he was thankful for that. The innocence was still there, but the naivety had changed. She was wiser than before, more poised and graceful than before, more attractive and tempting than before.

She continued to chatter, telling him everything about the major changes she had encountered in the last three years of her life while he stayed silent, noticing the way her nose scrunched up and her eyes narrowed when she laughed heartily—adorable, lovable.

But then she stopped speaking and her eyes swelled to twice their normal sizes because of the luxury apartment he had brought her to. The main entrance as well as the walls surrounding the reception lobby were made of glass, and expensive carpets lined the floor. The ceiling lights falling on them illuminated the entire floor, and the elevator doors made up of steel were so shiny that she could see her reflection.

Even the inside of his 2-BHK was too luxurious, elegant. With glass walls encapsulating the entire living area, facilitating her to take a peek at the blue swimming pool feet below as well as the sprawling, vibrant, colorful city as far as her eyes could see, his house was as spick and span as she would've liked. The cushions were ideally placed on the white couches at equally spaced intervals, the dining table was squeaky clean, the kitchen countertops were shiny and devoid of any extra garbage. Even the patio floor and the furniture were so immaculate and spotless that she didn't have to think twice before plopping herself on the chair and wordlessly appreciating his abode by beaming at him from time to time.

He leaned against the railing of the balcony, not allowing his gaze to drift away from her. "You look good."

She grinned. "I have lost quite some weight since the last time you saw me."

"Oh, you were always pretty," he said, waving his hands. "I meant you are more confident about yourself now. It's endearing."

She ducked her head down, licking her lips. "Care to tell me where you were all this time? And you live here in SF? What is going on?"

An impish grin crossed his features. "Breakfast? I make pretty good pasta."

***

He cooked pasta while narrating his side of the story, and she utilized the time to fry chicken for the two of them. He told her how his mother had found out that he ate non-vegetarian food and how utter drama descended inside their house. She giggled to her heart's content at that, teasing him mercilessly.

She also took the time to admire him closely. The cute smile he boasted of was still intact, the skin on the corners of his eyes crinkling each time he did that, slight dimples appearing on his stubble-ridden cheeks. He had grown from a young boy to a handsome man, and she could swear she felt giddy each time his fingers brushed against hers.

Gobbling down the unhealthiest of breakfasts ever, the two of them continued chatting through the day, ordering lunch at home instead of going out, and when she was finally too tired, her eyes drooping of their own accord, he pushed her towards his room so that she could comfortably sleep on the bed.

Hence, when she woke up, she was surprised to see that the sun had already gone down the horizon, and the room was dark. He had surely covered her with the blanket, for she didn't pull that over herself before going to sleep. Smiling at the gesture, she pushed it off her, slid down from the bed, and flipped the light switches on.

As illumination flooded the room, she sighed when she saw the ceiling-length glass windows. Another little balcony was attached to the bedroom, and he was standing against the balustrade, rings of smoke visible every time he took a drag from the cigarette.

She cautiously made her way to him, gazing at the well-lit edifices perceptible all around. "The city is so exotic, right?"

He glimpsed towards her, slightly startled as he wasn't expecting her to wake up soon. "Yeah," he mumbled. Offering her the nicotine stick, he laughed when she declined. "Still not a smoker, huh?"

"I really can't breathe after using one of those. Plus," she rolled her eyes, "it's harmful. You shouldn't either, Mr. Rebel."

He grinned. "You remember."

"Of course! You were on this mission against traditional, pedagogical methods of teaching, and it was so funny."

"Yep." He breathed deeply. "Talks of the yore can be really nostalgic."

She giggled, glancing at herself. "Look at me, though! Still in my nightclothes." She pointed towards the black fabric with floral prints over it. "I should head home now. I have no clue how I fell asleep, and I haven't even taken a shower."

He groaned. "Please don't go. I will miss you."

She was instantly reminded of how Aditya had asked her to stay back the other night, and she did without giving it a second thought, not even considering the fact that his girlfriend might not appreciate it. Brushing the reminiscence of the sweet but irksome new friend she had earned, she nudged Shubham's shoulders. "You don't have a girlfriend, do you?"

He snickered. "I do."

Her eyes popped out. "What?"

"You are my girlfriend, aren't you?"

She rolled her eyes. "So cheesy, Agarwal. So damn cheesy."

Sniggering, he slung his arms around her shoulders. "Stay, and we will spend some time together this weekend."

***

And she did stay. Although it was supremely mortifying to go to the nearest store and shop for clothes while still in her night suit, she didn't consider it to be of much importance, for her friend was by her side. She spent her evening chatting with him, taking a shower, freshening up, going on a dinner date to a Thai restaurant, video calling all their common friends back in India.

As the night deepened, so did their conversations, moving away from silly banters to the more serious topics of discourse. He told her how much he missed her all these years, but his life had taken wild twists and turns, and that prevented him from reconnecting with one and all for lack of time. Immediately after their graduation, he joined his father's business, which faced immense losses due to a few hasty decisions his elder brother had taken. As a result, his father had fallen ill, confined to his bed. Coupled with the devastating losses in a decades-old business and the lack of an experienced figurehead to guide them, he and his brother spent most of their time putting the business back on track.

"And then Dad died," he said, sighing. "Mom was affected to a great extent, and I... I was pretty close to my father, so..."

"I can imagine," she murmured, running her palms along his back.

"Things were so complicated for a while there that reconnecting with friends eluded my mind. Additionally, we moved to a new house, and I lost track of who I had given my new address to."

"I understand. I am so sorry for your loss."

He chuckled weakly. "It has been two years now. We are getting better. Work is back on track. Making profits." He popped open a can of beer and handed it to her before opening a second can. Holding her wrists, he took her towards the massive patio. Once they made themselves comfortable when leaning against the nearest wall as bright lights glimmered all around them, he took a deep breath. "My brother was of the opinion that I should put my degree in engineering to some use. So... Silicon Valley it is."

Her eyes twinkled. "You are planning to launch your own software firm?"

"My brother's idea. I am only implementing it. In fact, it was only last month that I came to the city. I am currently in talks with a few startups to see if they will be a good fit for an acquisition."

She smiled at him, but he didn't expect the smack he received on his shoulders.

He frowned. "Why are you hitting me?"

Her scowl deepened. "For one month, you were here, and you didn't contact me? Meanie!"

He chortled, shaking his head. "I was contemplating calling you because I was finally not mentally disturbed. I had no clue you were in SF too. I am glad you stuck to your words of reaching the city since it's exotic and whatnot."

She grinned. "It is."

"So... did you find love in the city?"

She bit her lips. "Not yet, no."

"I see."

An affable quietude ensued between them while they sipped from their cans of beer. Without taking note, both scooted closer to each other as the chill seeped into their bones. Exchanging glances with one another, looking away in the following moment, their arms brushing against each other as they brought the can to their lips—goosebumps surely arose on their skin, but they didn't do anything about it.

Until he heaved a sigh and turned towards his side to take a good look at her hair that fluttered with the slight drafts of wind. His fingers went ahead to tuck those strands behind her ears, and she giggled when he lightly brushed her cheeks.

However, her smile faltered due to the intensity of his gaze, peering into her soul, asking her a question ever so tenderly. Her lips trembled when his brows quirked, but she wasn't sure what he meant by it. Another weak smile tugged at the corners of her lips, but she was startled when he edged closer, leaning towards her with his hands cupping her cheeks.

Gulping hard, she shut her eyes and didn't think twice before covering the rest of the distance between them, her lips touching his as gently as possible. As warm breaths intermingled, he tugged her towards him, and fireworks it was!