Tulsi got diagnosed with Chickenpox.

Pallavi came to know about it on one such Monday morning. It would take her atleast a week to heal. Just thinking about it dreaded her. Tulsi was the only other girl in the department. Pallavi talked to her more than anyone here.

On the flip side however, she would automatically get to spend more time with Adhvik. Now Pallavi knew Tulsi harboured no feelings for Adhvik but she remembered the number of times Tulsi came in between their conversations. So much so that even Adhvik told her to stop intervening. A small argument had ensued because of that but it has been resolved now.

"This is the first time I'm hearing it."

"Oh, come on!" Pallavi waved a dismissive hand. She was talking about a incident during her college trip with friends. That's when she first tried smoking. "Surely other girls must have smoked and drank wine sometimes."

"Obviously they did. But no girl I know admits it... Well, until you came. It makes you cool." He winked. "I want to smoke or drink with you once."

"Huh?" Pallavi's mouth opened with a O with the sudden turn of events.

"Yes, you know I smoke at the shop outside our office, right? You can come with me once. We can smoke together there." He said, his eyes gleaming with delight.

"Really? Um, okay." Pallavi honestly didn't know how to feel about this. At one hand, she was elated that he asked her out on his own even if that somewhere was twenty feet apart of their office. But it's for smoking, dammit! She just tried a few times for fun and curiosity sake. Didn't mean she was a fan. And she certainly wasn't a fan of Adhvik smoking every two days even if it was one cigarette.

* * *

To make matters worse or better, a new Korean had come in town. I mean office.

"Hi. My name is Puck Dum Shue but you can call me Duck. I'm going to be finalize your documents on N- 10." He introduced himself. Mister Duck sported boyish looks- Brown hair with curly bangs, light brown eyes, few freckles on his cheeks and bright pink lips. If dressed up fashionably, he would look no less than a K- Pop star. Which Korean actor he resembled she wondered?

"The pleasure is mine, sir," The words came out even before Pallavi can stop. Who knew ducks could be so cute. Forget Adhvik.

The following afternoon he just went through the documents of Rear, Front, Sim tray and Rear Middle and told them to add some new updates. The next day he listed out the mistakes that were in each document. He didn't seem mad or anything of the sort. The three of them even had a friendly conversation afterwards. Conversation about office life, India, Indian food, Korean food.

If only all bosses were like him.

"You ask..." Pallavi pestered Adhvik.

"No, you ask."

"Pretty please!" Pallavi pleaded, blinking off her innocent eyes.

Adhvik let out a groan before approaching Duck. "Sir, this fangirl wants to take a photo with you."

"Huh, but you wanted to take a photo too! And why am I a fan?" Pallavi accused, shooting daggers at him while Duck and Adhvik laughed.

"Sure. We can take a photo together." Duck answered, smiling taking his flashy Android out. He took two photos. Pallavi also grabbed an opportunity to take one selfie with him alone. Her lips curled at the result she saw. It was time to show off in social media today. Although there was one more thing left to do. She stole a glance at Adhvik after Duck was gone.

"Can we take... a... photo?" Her voice was small.

"With you?" Adhvik slided his rolling chair next to hers, coming closer and winked. "Anytime and anywhere, ma'am."

In the photo, if one could observe carefully, they could catch a slight blush that crept in Pallavi's cheeks.

*

Since Tulsi was absent, Mister Hyoung assigned Pallavi to do her work. Besides making documents, Tulsi was assigned to register all the raw materials that were used in the manufacturing of mobiles and child parts in the form of MSDS and ROHS. These terms defined safety. How much safer the raw materials used in the production were? This required to measure the weight of some materials and take out the percentage of each with respect to the total. There was a standard percentage under which these materials could be used. It shouldn't be beyond that, lest it would prove hazardous to the workers.

There were four main steps-

1- Register all the raw materials used in that particular model--- Data 1.

2- Submit the data 1 to Xiaomi. If an anomaly was found, you will have to redo it all over again. If not then, proceed to next step.

3- Registering all the child parts used in that model and find out their percentage along with data 1--- Data 2.

4- Submit data 2 to Xiaomi againnnn!

Naturally a task like this was too much of a hassle for Pallavi.

"But why do I have to do her work? Can't we wait for Tulsi to come back?" complained Pallavi. She stole one glance at the Korean manager standing behind her and deliberately changed her language. Maths mera dushman hai jisse mai nhi hara sakti. (Maths is that enemy I can't defeat)."

"Not possible. We need to submit this day after tomorrow." Came Mister Hyoung's curt reply from whatever he understood.

"Is that so? Then let Adhvik do this, sir. He's an expert anyway."

"Nooo, manager saab! My hands are full with all the approval documents, 4Ms, CCM's and management. I can't manage more, sorry." Adhvik reasoned.

"Understandable. Miss Pallavi, you will complete the assignment and that's final."

"Nooooo!"

Thus started the nightmare. Deep down, Pallavi was thrilled to do something different but it was too bothersome and complicated. Besides calculations, there were many sub- categories and boxes that were needed to be filled on that website. The whole afternoon Mister Hyoung stood behind Pallavi, giving instructions and doing some of the calculations for her from a calculator. Even Duck joined them later on as a spectator. He would comment in between like how he suggested Pallavi to add sticky notes on the desktop. Pallavi hated being watched from behind even if it were two handsome Korean men behind her.

By 4pm, she was mentally exhausted. The results weren't coming as expected. In children's terms, RHS wasn't equal to LHS (Right hand side and left hand side).

"Here. This might cool you down," Adhvik spoke, appearing on the other side of the cubicle, extending his hand to offer her a cup of coffee.

"For me?" Pallavi blinked, finding hard to believe he brought coffee for her. This might be the first time ever.

"Yes. Special coffee delivery service in limited edition from me." He winked, suggestively. Pallavi knew very well what he meant. Sometimes Adhvik and Harshit would steal coffee packets from the pantry or from Hyoung sir desk. These coffee packets were imported straight from Korea, and man, they tasted heavenly. Pallavi didn't even feel bad for stealing. It was their crime to keep all the good stuff to themselves.

"In logo ko bagao yaha se. Sar kha gaye mera ye behanchod. (Get rid of them from here. They have eaten my brains out, these sisterfuckers)," Pallavi cussed. The Koreans were too busy to notice as they chatted amongst themselves.

"Abhi bagata hu in saalo ko." he joked and they shared a forced laugh. Adhvik's expression changed as he tilted his head, giving off a high voltage smile. "Hang in there, okay. You can do it."

How can I help it if you say like that? Pallavi thought, melting internally into a puddle with his smile. She couldn't help but smile back in return. Ah, there it was again. The kind of moment where the outside world disappeared as they looked eye- to- eye. Time stopped momentarily yet again.

The next two hours passed like a breeze.

"We finally did it!" Pallavi exclaimed in accomplishment as they finished the documents of N- 10 and hi- fived each other. She stared at the palm that just touched his and let her mind wander off.

If only I could touch his hand for a little while longer. Her mind repeated the same mantra like a chant.

* * *

A few days later.

Sai often had the habit to self compliment and pretend like a know-it- all person. He did so while teaching something to Ashwin, the newbie. Just hearing him blabber on about his so called vast knowledge on manufacturing pissed Adhvik off. He pretended to lip sync him, his face contorted, making Pallavi chuckle.

"Let's teach him a lesson." Adhvik decided, standing up suddenly while Pallavi regarded him in puzzlement. "Wait and watch."

"Then tell me, Sai, the great- in which cases the coating changes from UV dry to IR dry?" Adhvik interrupted their conversation and asked.

Pallavi recalled seeing that in the coating table while making the documents. All she knew that UV stood for Ultraviolet dry and IR for Infrared dryer.

"Isn't UV dryer preferred since it's more efficient?" Sai answered.

"True, true..." Adhvik raised a finger in agreement. "Then when exactly is IR dryer used?"

Sai tapped his finger on his frowned forehead. "I guess maybe when the coating is of a lower grade or when the vendor is from Duon or Wangete since the color...."

He began mumbling more to himself while others watched them in anticipation. Right now he looked nothing less than the character of Chatur from 3 idiots (Bollywood movie). Finally when Sai was out of words and ideas, Adhvik raised his finger, acting like a guru.

"It's used when UV dryer is no longer in use or in maintenance."

Pallavi tried. She really did but hearing such a simplistic answer made her burst into fits of laughter, followed by Adhvik and Ashwin while Sai left sulking. Poor Sai.

Meanwhile Adhvik was still reeling from his laughter, wiping his tears from it. He raised his palm to Pallavi like always.
She also raised her palm like always.

Except she didn't clap his palm back.

She gripped it.

To her utter surprise, Adhvik gripped her hand back. His dark, rough fingers closed around hers. The warmth emanating from his hand made her heart skip a beat. He withdrew his hand a few seconds later and turned his attention to somewhere else.

What in the world...?

Pallavi stared at her palm in horror and excitement. What had gotten into her? She wasn't even thinking when she did that. Was she that desperate to hold his hand? Stupid, stupid, Pallavi.

* * *

Days passed in the office for Pallavi, juggling between work and talking to Adhvik. He even spent some days having lunch with her since Tulsi wasn't there. She couldn't understand whether it was a curse or boon. On one hand, she was getting more time to spend with him while on other, she had to handle the documents as well as Tulsi's share of work. It was exhausting. Moreover, they weren't giving Sundays off. Her mind and body was starting to grow weary.

She took a sick leave the next day.

It seemed like a separate world inside the house with her family. The good side was she got time to rest and do her things. The flip side being that now she got time, her parents sat her down for some serious talk about marriage. They presented some of the prospective grooms they found in the matrimonials. Along with the same old lecture of losing her fat so that men could choose her.

But Pallavi didn't want to hear about marriage. She didn't want to see any guy. She just wanted to enjoy the little romance she was getting in her life even if it amounted to nothing. Even if Adhvik was only flirting and paying attention to her. Because someone was paying attention to her. Yes, we shouldn't seek someone's validation. She knew that enough from the motivational posts and videos. Yet people had needs. Social needs. Romantic needs. Heck, even sexual needs. Especially after the age of twenty five.

Wouldn't your married partner provide you the same things you were seeking all your life?

The thought of any other man itched her. Not that she wasn't against marriage. She would get married someday, she just didn't want to marry now. Funny that she wanted love but she didn't want to get married.

"Am I a sadist? What do I really want?" She asked herself as she laid down in her bed alone.

As if on cue, her mobile beeped a few minutes later with a WhatsApp message. It was Adhvik asking her what she was doing which was rare because he never messaged her first, except for work.

"Actually Mister Hyoung
is giving us a treat outside.
You can come if you don't
want to miss it."

Pallavi doubted if it was the truth. Did he just say that to invite her to the office? She was about to reply when the message she just read was deleted.

"What happened? You
deleted the message."

"That motherfucker is
still deciding. Forget it,
I was just joking."

There was a pause before he typed another message.

"It's just that I'm
missing someone..."

Her heart just did a somersault on that.

"I'm also missing
someone."

"Who?"

"Many things like my
desktop, our cubicle,
injection room, that
dishoom dishroom wali
jagah..."

"Hahahaa 😂😂"

Leave it upto Pallavi to ruin a very rare moment with an unnecessary joke.

"You are coming
tomorrow, right?"

"Yes."

It seemed like he couldn't wait to see her again. Did he miss her that much? She just hoped he didn't fall for her that badly. It would become a problem, then.

She checked out their messages again and recalled the comment on the dishoom dishoom area. It was actually the warehouse. There was a warehouse in the factory side. It was spacious enough to fit three auditoriums. Bollywood could very well shoot their next action sequence here. That's exactly what the place reminded them of. Adhvik and Pallavi joked about it when they were going for the assembly room together once. Their own inside joke.

Although Pallavi recalled this as a happy memory, the very next moment her eyes glistened with tears. She wondered why she was even crying at all, but soon she understood.

She understood what she truly wanted and it wasn't marriage.

It was an unattainable crush.

* * *

Turned out there was a treat in the office yesterday. Mister Hyoung ordered pizza from Domino's as a reward to the team for their hard work while completely disregarding the girls absence. Rude.

Later in the afternoon, Mister Duck returned for some extra paperwork with Hyoung.

"Say, what about this Duck then?" Adhvik asked Pallavi when they were free. Pallavi could clearly sense what was coming next as she frowned and smiled together. "Would you go on a date with him?"

"Definitely. To parks, movies, restaurants..."

"...And his room too if the situation arises." He finished the sentence, smirking down at her.

"What, no?! Who the fuck asks a girl to come to his room on their first date?" Pallavi accused. The mood was ruined thanks to him.

"Well, you never know," he shrugged.

There was an awkward pause. It was like an indication. An indication to say something that Pallavi wanted to say all this while. He was right there, standing with his arms resting on the partition wall that stood at the end of the cubicles. She then waited for him to end his conversation with a colleague who appeared out of nowhere.

"I want to say something..." Pallavi voiced out quietly while closing her eyes.

"What?" He turned his attention to her, only to be pulled by the same employee over again. Apparently he wanted to clear a doubt he had in a workguide.

The boy went off to bring the document. Of course that was when reality hit Pallavi, "Ah, forget it! I was just joking."

"You wait," He averted his eyes to her for a second before solving that guy's problem who returned with the document. An excruciating minute later he returned to the spot where he was before. "Yes, now tell me."

Damn, why did she have to open her big mouth like this? Thinking that, she denied again but he insisted, curiosity dancing in his eyes. Great, he seemed totally interested now.

She let out a nervous sigh. "You always asked me who I wanted to see movies or go out with..." She realized the word was date but she couldn't muster the courage to voice that yet.

"Yeah, I did, so..."

"I know one person I'd like to go with... Movies, I mean."

"Oh, cool. Who?"

Something heavy just dropped at the pit of her stomach. Pallavi was incredibly nervous now. She opened and then closed her mouth, revealing silence. She stared at the table like it was the most interesting thing in the world while Adhvik waited for her answer. Wait, how did this happen again?

Adhvik must have figured out her hesitation as he asked again and she replied no more. He pointed his finger in the direction of Duck who was still in the room talking to someone from the 3D department. "Him?"

Pallavi shook her head firmly in a negative. Was he pretending or was he actually a dumbo?

"Then, him?" He pointed out to Ashwin this time. Pallavi slapped her forehead in disappointment.

There was a pause as they both looked at each other. One in question and one in affirmation. Adhvik pointed his finger yet again, this time to himself. "Me?"

Pallavi appeared like she was about to cry in rejoice. Her heart was beating an all time high as she nodded and buried her face between her palms in absolute embarrassment.

I said it! I finally freaking said it!

She raised her head a little to find Adhvik burying his own face on his rested arm. He mirrored her action as he took one peek at her and their eyes met.

Only to bury their faces yet again.

Adhvik chuckled to himself as he raised his head fully this time. He ran a hand through his hair. "When?"

When?

That word rang into her entire being like a bell. He said when. He was actually considering this. Was she dreaming?

"I don't know... Christmas?" She said it like a question.

"Only if they give us off at that day." Adhvik paused then added reluctantly. "To be honest, if they do give us a holiday, then I would prefer to rest than go out."

"Understandable." Pallavi replied right away. Problem was the office wasn't giving holidays. Not even Sundays. People were working here non- stop without a leave. Even Adhvik hadn't taken a leave till now despite being sick with a weak stomach for days. But Pallavi couldn't take it so she took a pretend sick leave after fifteen days.

Mansur was insane. Who the hell didn't give holiday on Christmas? This wouldn't been complicated if it had been a regular office. The plan of going out with him died as soon as it came. She let out sigh.

Adhvik broke the awkward silence that surrounded between them. "We'll see, okay. Either Christmas or somewhere on January."

That made her ears perk up. "So you'll go...?"

"Hmm."

That made her lips and heart smile. Just imagining a movie date with Adhvik was making her insides churn. She had already experienced a trailer of it when she visited Xiaomi with him. She couldn't wait to go with him for real into the outside world. No office, no colleagues. Just her and him.

As expected, there was no holiday on Christmas. They were working that day, too. Tulsi had returned well by that time so Adhvik decided to take a leave when his stomach started acting weird again. It worried her but he said he would be well after a day's rest.

* * * * *

Author's Note

I decided to name the chapters from now on. Thoughts on the chapter? I might post the next one in 3-4 days since I'm already many chapters ahead in my writing and I really can't wait for you to get there. *wink *wink*

Again, thank you for all your lovely support. I really hope there's no 3rd Covid wave 😖😖 Take care.