Five years had passed since Shehnaaz and Sidharth had gone their separate ways, and life had taken them in directions neither had imagined.

Shehnaaz had carved a name for herself in Chandigarh, working as the Head of Design for one of the most prestigious fashion houses in the city. Her days were filled with back to back meetings, creative sessions, and deadlines that left little room for anything else. She thrived in the chaos, her name synonymous with innovation and perfection. But at night, when the city slept, she often stared at the ceiling, her mind drifting back to a time when life was not just about work.

Shehnaaz sat at her desk, reviewing designs on her tablet when her assistant knocked and entered.

"Ma'am, board meeting ke liye sab ready hai" the assistant informed.

Shehnaaz looked up, her sharp eyes softening just a bit. "Perfect. Client ko presentations ache se dikhana. Mujhe lagta hai is baar woh hamari line approve karenge"

Her assistant nodded and left. As Shehnaaz leaned back in her chair, her phone buzzed. It was her mother calling....

"Hello mumma kese ho?"

"Main theek hu puttar tu kesi hai?"

Shehnaaz rest her back on her chair and signed "main bass theek mumma"

"Ghar kab aa rahi hai tu?" She hear her father voice.

"Papa abhi nahi aa sakti bohot bada project aa raha hai aage ,sorry" she said in apologize tone.

"Chal koi na tu kaam par dhyaan de ,aur khana time se khana" her mother said to her.

"Yes mumma main dhyan rakhungi acha abhi rakhti hu meeting ka time ho raha hai okay bye take care" she cut the call, as she felt emotional. She open her drawer and take a stress relief toy. She continuously pressing it and take a deep breath.

"You always help me, pass na hokar bhi hamesha mere pass hai" she said looking at the toy.

"Mam your meeting is ready" her assistant inform her. She nodded and left for her meeting.

Meanwhile, in Mumbai, Sidharth had built his own advertising agency from the ground up. What had started as a small startup now boasted an impressive portfolio of big name clients. His sharp mind and persuasive skills had made him a force to be reckoned with in the industry. Despite his success, Sidharth often found himself pacing the empty corridors of his plush office late at night, his thoughts clouded by an emptiness he couldn't quite name.

Sidharth stood by the window of his office, the city's skyline glowing under the setting sun. His phone buzzed with a message from his assistant.

"Sir, kal ke pitch ke liye presentation ready hai. Clients kaafi impressed lag rahe hain"

"Good" Sidharth replied curtly. "Kuch bhi detail chhute nahi chahiye"

Sidharth sit at his desk, flipping through an old photo album his mother had dug out during her last visit. He had protested at first "Mujhe time nahi hai, Mom" but now, he could not stop himself from turning the pages.

His eyes landed on a photo of him and Shehnaaz, sitting on the school steps, laughing about something he could not even remember now. She was holding a book in her hands, and he was probably teasing her about being a "nerd"

"Yaar, tu kitni boring hai, Shehnaaz" he could still hear himself saying in the photo's echo.

"Main boring hoon?" she had fired back, her eyes blazing. "Kam se kam main history ke test me fail toh nahi hoti!"

He laughed at the memory, running a hand through his hair. "Jhalli" he muttered, a strange warmth spreading through him. "Ab pata nahi kahaan hai, kya kar rahi hai"

Just then, his assistant walked in.

"Sir, Chandigarh ke ek fashion house ke saath deal finalize karne ki baat ho rahi hai. Unke HOD se milna hoga next week"

"Okay fix my meeting with them" he said in his professional tone.

___________________

The boardroom was pristine and professional, with floor to ceiling windows offering a view of Chandigarh's bustling streets. Shehnaaz sat at the head of the table, her tablet in hand, going over the presentation for the new collaboration. Her team sat quietly, awaiting the arrival of the representatives from the Mumbai based advertising agency, Shukla & Co.

Shehnaaz was calm and composed as always, her years of professionalism shining through. But somewhere in the back of her mind, the name Shukla lingered, stirring a strange restlessness she couldn not shake.

"Focus, Shehnaaz" she muttered to herself. "Duniya main sirf ek hi Shukla thodi hai"

The sound of the door opening pulled her out of her thoughts. Her assistant entered, holding the door open for the guests. Shehnaaz stood up, ready to greet them.

"Good morning" she began, but her voice faltered as her eyes landed on the man walking into the room.

He was tall, dressed impeccably in a crisp navy blue suit that screamed authority. His confident stride and faint smirk were exactly as she remembered. For a moment, the world seemed to blur around her.

"Sidharth?" she whispered, almost inaudibly.

Sidharth froze mid step, his confident demeanor faltering for the first time in years. He had been too busy skimming through his notes to notice the woman at the head of the table .... until now.

"Shehnaaz?" His voice was louder than hers, the shock evident.

The school library was quiet, except for the sound of pages turning. Shehnaaz sat at their usual table, furiously scribbling notes while Sidharth lounged in the chair across from her, tossing a crumpled paper ball in the air.

"Tu itna padhai kyun karti hai, Toppers ko toh koi yaad bhi nahi rakhta" Sidharth said, his tone teasing.

"Aur tu jo apne pranks se har teacher ko yaad reh jaata hai, woh zyada better hai?" Shehnaaz shot back without looking up.

"Are, pranks karna bhi ek art hai. Waise, tu kabhi thank you bolegi? Tujhe boring se entertaining maine banaya hai"

Shehnaaz finally looked up, rolling her eyes."Thank you toh tab bolungi jab tu ek din ke liye serious ho jaaye"

"Challenge accepted," he grinned, leaning forward. "Par agar main serious ho gaya, toh tu mujhe miss karegi."

Shehnaaz had laughed at that, shaking her head. "Let's see, Mr Shukla. Main bhi to dekhu kitne successful bante hai aap."

"Finally tu life me serious hokar successful ban hi gaya" Shehnaaz thought in her mind looking at him.

"Tujhse challenge jo lagaya tha jeetna to tha hi" he thought looking into her eyes.

The room fell silent as their teams exchanged confused glances, unsure of what was happening.

"Umm… aap dono ek dusre ko jaante hain?" Sidharth's assistant asked hesitantly.

Shehnaaz quickly composed herself, straightening her back and forcing a professional smile. "Yes" she said coolly, her tone all business. "We were… classmates"

Sidharth raised an eyebrow, amused by her attempt to brush off their history. "Classmates?" he repeated, his voice teasing.

Shehnaaz shot him a warning glare, her eyes saying, Don't start now.

Clearing her throat, she gestured toward the chairs. "Please, have a seat. Let's get started"

The meeting began, and Shehnaaz found herself struggling to focus. Every time she glanced up, Sidharth's eyes were already on her, a faint smirk playing on his lips. It was infuriating how unaffected he seemed by the situation.

Sidharth, on the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying himself. He couldn't believe that the shy, nerdy Shehnaaz he used to tease had transformed into this poised, confident professional.

"Impressive" he murmured after one of her team members presented their design concepts. "Te...aapki team ke ideas bohot innovative hain, Shehnaaz"

Shehnaaz narrowed her eyes. "Thank you, Mr. Shukla" she replied pointedly, emphasizing the formal title.

Sidharth chuckled. "Mr. Shukla? Acha hai."

Her jaw tightened, but she ignored the jab and continued with the meeting.

The meeting had finally concluded, and the teams were gathering their belongings to leave. While everyone exchanged polite goodbyes, Shehnaaz tried to maintain her composed, professional demeanor. But her heart was racing, and she could feel Sidharth's gaze following her every movement.

Sidharth, however, was done pretending. As soon as the last team member walked out, leaving the two of them alone in the now empty boardroom, he could not hold back any longer.

"Shehnaaz!" he called, his voice laced with a mix of disbelief and excitement.

Shehnaaz stopped mid step, her hands tightening around the files she was holding. Slowly, she turned around to face him, her carefully built composure crumbling as she met his eyes.

"Sid…" she whispered, the name slipping out naturally, like it always belonged on her lips.

In a few long strides, Sidharth closed the distance between them. "It's really you," he said, his voice softer now, as if he still couldn't believe it. His eyes were moist with tears.

Shehnaaz smiled, a little unsure but genuine. "Haan, it's me. Aur tu… tu bilkul waise hi hai, Sidharth. Pagal jesa over excited" she teased lightly, her voice trembling slightly with emotion.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Aur tu… tu toh pehle bhi stunning thi, but now you're a total boss lady. I mean, look at you, Shehnaaz Gill. Chandigarh ki top designer"

Shehnaaz rolled her eyes, but the warmth in her expression betrayed her feelings. "And look at you. Mumbai ka top ad agency owner. Tu toh kabhi zyada mehnat karta hi nahi tha. Yeh kaise ho gaya?" She giggle.

"Tujhse milna jo tha" he thought but didn't said anything.

"Arey, talent ki baat hai, gadhi tu nahi samjhegi" he replied, in teasing tone.

But then his tone softened as he added, "But honestly, mujhe lagta tha hum kabhi na kabhi zaroor milenge. Just… didn't expect it to be like this"

Shehnaaz's smile faltered for a moment, replaced by a flicker of vulnerability. "Mujhe bhi nahi laga tha, Sid. But phir… life happened, but i missed you" she bite her lower lip to control her emotions.

Sidharth stepped closer, his voice gentle but firm. "I miss you too"

Shehnaaz blinked, caught off guard by his honesty. Her eyes misted over, and she looked away, biting her lip to steady herself.

"Arre, ab rona mat start kar diyo gadhi" Sidharth teased, his voice deliberately light. "Tere fancy designer makeup ka kya hoga?"

Shehnaaz let out a watery laugh, dabbing the corner of her eyes "kutte"

Shehnaaz rolled her eyes again but stepped forward, pulling him into a tight hug. For a moment, all the years of distance melted away as they held on to each other, the weight of unspoken words finally lifting.

"Welcome back, Sid" she whispered, her voice muffled against his shoulder.

"Welcome back, Sana" he replied, his voice equally soft but filled with a happiness he hadn't felt in years.

For the first time in what felt like forever, they both felt like they were home.

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That is it for today.

Hope you all like it.

Thanks for reading.