At 2:30 AM Rudra finally allowed Shivaay to go to his room. It took a lot of persuasion and glares from Shivaay side to Rudra, but he wasn't bugging as he wanted him to loosen up.

After going to his room he quickly changed in black tee and lower and was about to hit the bed but he looked at Annika's gift kept on his coffee table. Getting up he picked it up quickly and opened it.

"Oh damn!! Seriously Annika!!" he groaned looking at the gift. It was khaki chinos shorts and navy blue polo t-shirt. Even he found a note inside it. He quickly opens it,

Dear Shivaay,

Firstly, happy birthday to you....I hope this year will be super amazing for you :)

I know you must be annoyed seeing the gift but trust me this is the best gift I am giving it to you and you will thank me tomorrow.

And yes wear it tomorrow when we leave at 4 P.M and dare you if you don't wear it I will eat you raw so do what I am saying, or else...

Ok goodbye....see you tomorrow.

Annika

Looking at the note Shivaay sighed in disbelief. "I don't know Annika how you always push me into soup!!" he muttered while laying on the bed.

Soon sleep took upon him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Annika was getting ready in her room wearing her plain white t-shirt with khaki shorts. While tying her hair in high pony she hears her doorbell, rushing to the living room she sees Ozone excited standing in front of door, she knows that Ozone can smell Shivaay, and which is not good as Shivaay will freak out.

"Ozo, come to mama", Annika tries to divert Ozone's mind, but nothing matters to him right now. Accepting her defeat, she went towards the door and held Ozone collar in one hand and opened the door with the other hand, as soon as the door opened.

"Why did you take so long?"Shivaay asked, coming inside but before he could look at her something Ozone jumped on with such a force that he fell down on the ground and Ozone started licking his face.

Annika was stupefied seeing the scene in front of her, when Ozone and Shivaay started sharing such a bond.

"Ok that's enough Ozone...Annika help me out..OMG!!", he requested her while trying to come out of the clutches of Ozone.

Coming out of her shock, she quickly separated Ozone from him and made him stand.

"I am really sorry about this, I didn't know he would do something like this." she apologised to him while glaring at Ozo who made his infamous face to melt Annika and quickly went to his dog bed.

"Ya I am fine, even I didn't expect that he loves me so much." he said looking at Ozone settling on his bed.

"Well I believe he has been seeing you from long time so he knows you plus he is really friendly dog", Annika tries to reason Ozone behaviour while Shivaay shakes his head.

"Well I will wash my face once, then we can leave??" he asked, feeling his face all sticky with Ozone's saliva.

Annika nods her head and gives her space to go to the washroom, but then she notices something which makes her frown.

"Wait Shivaay!!" she screamed which made him turn and he raised his brows to ask her what's the matter.

"Why aren't you wearing the chinos short which I gifted you? I specifically asked you to wear it." she said with a frown looking at his black jeans.

"Well..I am going to wear it, I was gonna change it from itself." he said being slightly embarrassed.

"Why not from your home??" she asked confusingly.

"Ahm you know Rudy...he will seriously tease me very much and I don't want to become a stock of laughter." he tries to make her understand his point of view.

"Have I given you clown clothes??" she asks, narrowing her eyes.

"You see I don't really wear these types of clothes and it's my first time, plus you requested me so I don't want to deny you and on the other hand I wasn't really confident wearing it in front of my brother so I decided to wear it here. I just don't want to disappoint you. I know you have taken a lot of effort for this whole plan."he explains, taking her both hands in his and looking deep in her eyes.

Annika was awed looking at him, she couldn't believe that he was the same egoistic person who once threw a bundle of notes on her, he had really changed a lot.

"So am I forgiven." he asked, breaking her thoughts, she gently nodded her head and he smiled at her and left for the washroom leaving her in his thoughts.

"I don't know how to express it but what I feel for you is more than friendship but I am afraid to name those feelings as I fear you don't feel the same way like I do plus I don't really want to ruin our friendship." Annika thought, seeing Shivaay's retreating figure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After fifteen minutes when Shivaay didn't come out she went to look at him, and when she peeped inside the room she broke into laughter and Shivaay turned abruptly hearing her laughter.

"Why are you laughing?" he asked her.

"Well hahaha...well the way you were looking at the mirror was funny" she said, controlling her laughter but again cracked up.

"I am just seeing if it looks fine or not" he said, defending himself while pushing his shorts a bit.

"Trust me you are looking good, and now we should leave or else all our plans will be drained." she said to him.

Soon they rushed out of home to get another shock, well that's for Shivaay not for Annika.

"We are going in this box?" he asked, looking at the electric auto in front of his eyes.

"Ya the place where we want to go is best we go in auto!!" she said to him as a matter of fact.

"But why not a cab?" he asks in desperation

"Well you get to know that soon, now hop in." she asks him sitting inside the auto.

Whereas Shivaay was wondering how this birthday is gonna be for him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

While sitting inside the auto he was looking at it as if he was inside some rocket which was going to fly into space. Annika was laughing mentally looking at his face, because he is behaving like a cute Billuji.

"Shivaay is this your first time in auto?" she asked, trying to hide her smile.

"No", he said immediately but then slowly said, "Well yes...I mean I never sat in it." he said, rubbing his neck in embarrassment.

"You know it is the first time of everything, and you should enjoy it. Not like Shivaay Singh Oberoi but as only being Shivaay." she said looking at him.

He was stunned listening to her, she always amazes him with her thoughts about life. He was so overwhelmed he just gave her a smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"We are finally here!!" Annika said, looking at the building in front of her.

Shivaay also looked at the building and was wondering why she brought him to a mall, if she wanted to visit the mall they could have visited Oberoi mall too.

"Why are we here?", he asked her.

"To have fun" she said in an obvious tone.

Both of them entered the mall and went directly to the fourth floor.

"So this is your first gift", Annika said, showing him two tickets.

"Trampoline park??" he said looking at the tickets.

"Yes, and trust me you will enjoy it.", she said and both went inside the park.

"But don't you think it's for kids." he asked her.

"So are you oldies that you will get a backache?" Annika said teasing hi,

"Are you doubting my fitness?" he asked, throwing a glare to her.

"I suppose I am., Ok so here's a deal whosoever gets tired first is an oldie and will do anything the other person will ask,deal?" Annika suggested forwarding her hand.

"Deal" , shaking his hand with her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So the first task will be, who can jump a longer time on this trampoline." said Annika showing him the trampoline.

"Ok then", Shivaay said, stretching his hands.

"Be ready to lose Annika", he said looking at her.

"We will know that." she said, giving him a smile.

Both stepped onto the trampoline, the surface bouncing slightly under their weight. They faced each other, determination clear in their eyes.

"Alright, on the count of three," Annika said, her smile widening. "One, two, three!"

With that, they both started jumping, their bodies rising and falling in unison. The springs of the trampoline creaked and groaned with each leap, but neither of them paid any attention to the noise. They were focused solely on outlasting the other.

Shivaay, confident in his stamina, maintained a steady rhythm, his arms pumping by his sides. He glanced over at Annika, who seemed just as determined, her ponytail bouncing with each jump.

"You know, this isn't so hard," Shivaay said, trying to sound casual.

"Don't get too comfortable," Annika replied, her breath coming in steady puffs. "We've just started."

Ten minutes passed. Their jumps synchronised, creating a mesmerising pattern of motion. Occasionally, they would exchange glances, each trying to gauge the other's level of fatigue.

Shivaay started to feel the burn in his legs, but he pushed through, not wanting to show any sign of weakness. He noticed Annika's face, now glistening with sweat, but her jumps were as strong as ever.

"Feeling tired yet?" Shivaay asked, trying to mask his own fatigue.

Annika laughed breathlessly. "Not a chance. I could do this all day."

They continued, both determined to win. The trampoline's surface continued to ripple under their weight, the springs working overtime.

As the minutes dragged on, Shivaay's legs began to feel like lead, but he refused to give up. He stole another glance at Annika, whose jumps were starting to lose a bit of their height, but she still looked determined.

In a last-ditch effort, Shivaay pushed himself harder, his jumps becoming more forceful. Annika noticed and matched his intensity, her face set in a look of fierce concentration.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Shivaay's legs began to wobble. He tried to maintain his pace, but the strain was too much. Annika, sensing his fatigue, pushed herself even harder, her jumps still strong and steady.

With a final burst of energy, Shivaay tried to keep up, but his legs gave out, and he stumbled, falling onto the trampoline. He lay there, gasping for breath, while Annika continued to jump effortlessly, a triumphant smile on her face.

"I win!" Annika declared, finally stopping her jumps and standing over Shivaay, hands on her hips.

Shivaay looked up at her, still panting. "Okay, okay, you got me this time," he admitted, extending a hand.

Annika took his hand and helped him up, both of them laughing and leaning on each other for support.

"Good race," Shivaay said, still catching his breath.

"Good race," Annika agreed, giving him a grin.

After a ten-minute break to catch their breath, Shivaay stretched his arms and turned to Annika with a mischievous grin.

"So let me decide the next game then," he suggested, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Fine with me!" Annika replied, her competitive spirit undiminished.

Shivaay pointed to the balance rod suspended above their heads. "So, we will go to that balance rod, and whoever reaches the end first is the winner." Below the rod was a large tub filled with soft sponge cubes, ready to cushion any falls.

Annika looked up at the rod and nodded, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Alright, let's do this."

They climbed up to the platform where the balance rod started, both of them eyeing the narrow beam that stretched across the pit of sponge cubes.

"On the count of three," Shivaay said, positioning himself at the edge of the platform. "One, two, three!"

They both stepped onto the balance rod simultaneously, their arms outstretched to maintain their balance. The rod wobbled slightly under their weight, but they moved forward with determination.

Shivaay, confident from his past gymnastic experiences, took swift, measured steps. Annika, more cautious but equally determined, focused intensely on her footing, her arms swaying slightly to keep her balance.

"Not bad," Shivaay called out, glancing at her with a grin.

Annika didn't take her eyes off the rod. "Just keep moving, Shivaay. I'm right behind you."

They were neck and neck, each step carefully calculated. Halfway across, Annika stumbled slightly, her arms pinwheeling for balance. Shivaay seized the opportunity, quickening his pace and pulling ahead.

"Looks like I'm in the lead," Shivaay teased, his confidence growing.

Annika steadied herself and tried to catch up, her focus now razor-sharp. They were nearing the end, the finish line just a few feet away. Shivaay was still in the lead, but Annika was closing the gap fast.

With one final burst of speed, Shivaay lunged forward. Annika, sensing the challenge, did the same. They reached the end of the balance rod almost simultaneously, both of them leaping off the rod, Shivaay reaches to the end but Annika slips off in the sponge cube.

"I win!" Shivaay declared, his face flushed with victory from the platform and quickly came down to help Annika out the sponge cube.

Annika laughed, shaking her head in good-natured defeat. "Alright, alright, you got me this time," she admitted, climbing out of the pit. "You're really good at this."

Shivaay grinned, extending a hand to help her up. " Better luck next time."

"Thanks," Annika said, accepting his hand and pulling herself up. "But don't think I'll go easy on you next time."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Shivaay replied, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"So the last game of today will be this," said Annika, pointing to a circular trampoline with a rotating obstacle in the centre. It spun slowly, just high enough to trip them if they weren't careful. "We have to jump and avoid getting knocked over by that."

Shivaay looked at the rotating obstacle and then back at Annika, a competitive fire still in his eyes despite their previous races. "Alright, let's do this."

They climbed onto the circular trampoline, the surface bouncing slightly under their weight. The obstacle in the centre began its steady rotation, a silent challenge.

"On the count of three," Annika said, her eyes fixed on the rotating arm. "One, two, three!"

They both started jumping, trying to time their movements to avoid the rotating arm. At first, it seemed easy. The arm was moving slowly, and they had no trouble jumping over it.

"Piece of cake," Shivaay said, his confidence unwavering.

"Don't jinx it," Annika replied, focusing on the obstacle.

As the minutes passed, the arm began to pick up speed. Shivaay and Annika jumped higher, their movements becoming more synchronised as they tried to stay ahead of the increasing pace.

Shivaay glanced at Annika, a grin spreading across his face. "Still with me?"

"Of course," Annika said, though her breaths were becoming more laboured.

Suddenly, the obstacle's speed increased dramatically. Shivaay barely managed to jump in time, the arm grazing his legs. Annika wasn't as lucky; the obstacle caught her off guard, knocking her legs out from under her. She tumbled onto the trampoline, laughing despite her fall.

Shivaay, distracted by Annika's fall, misjudged his next jump. The rotating arm clipped him hard, sending him sprawling onto the trampoline beside her. They both lay there for a moment, breathless and laughing, as the crowd erupted in cheers and laughter.

"Well, that was...unexpected," Annika said, still giggling as she rolled over to face Shivaay.

Shivaay laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, definitely none of us win this one"

They helped each other up, both grinning from ear to ear despite their defeat. "I guess we both failed that one," Annika said, brushing off her clothes.

"Yeah, but it was fun," Shivaay replied, giving her a playful nudge. "We make a good team, even when we lose."

Annika smiled, nodding in agreement. "Absolutely. Let's call it a draw for today."

"Agreed," Shivaay said, extending his hand.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After their adventures at the trampoline park, Annika decided to take Shivaay to Chowpatty near the beach, known for its vibrant street food. As they walked along the bustling stretch near the beach, the aroma of various street foods filled the air.

"First, we have to try pani puri," Annika announced, leading him to a busy stall. The vendor greeted them with a smile, quickly preparing the crispy puris filled with spicy, tangy water.

Shivaay looked sceptical, eyeing the food cautiously. "I don't know, Annika. This doesn't look very hygienic."

Annika shot him a playful glare. "Trust me, Shivaay. You'll love it." She handed him a pani puri and took one for herself, popping it into her mouth with a satisfied grin.

Reluctantly, Shivaay followed suit. The burst of flavours surprised him, and despite himself, he found it quite delicious. "Alright, not bad," he admitted, wiping his mouth.

"See? I told you," Annika said, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Now, onto the next one."

They moved to the next stall, where a vendor was making pav bhaji. Annika watched eagerly as the vendor mashed up the vegetables and spices, serving the flavorful mixture with buttery buns.

"Here, try this," she said, handing him a plate.

Shivaay took a cautious bite, his eyes widening at the rich taste. "Okay, this is actually really good," he conceded, taking another bite. Both of them completed whole plate.

Annika laughed. "And you thought you wouldn't like it. Now, let's get a Bombay sandwich."

At the sandwich stall, the vendor layered fresh vegetables, spicy chutneys, and masala between slices of bread, grilling it to perfection. Annika handed Shivaay a half, watching expectantly.

He took a bite, nodding appreciatively. "Alright, you win. This is amazing."

Annika beamed, clearly pleased with herself. "I knew you'd come around. Street food is the best."

As they continued to explore and taste various street foods, Shivaay found himself enjoying the experience more and more, though he couldn't resist the occasional complaint. "It's so spicy," he said, fanning his mouth after a particularly fiery bite.

"That's part of the charm," Annika replied, laughing. "You'll get used to it."

Despite his grumbling, Shivaay's smile never faded. The joy on Annika's face and the excitement of trying new things made the evening unforgettable.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was ten at night, and the moon cast a gentle glow over the beach as Annika and Shivaay strolled along the shore, each holding a kulfi in their hand. The soft hum of the waves provided a soothing background to their conversation.

Shivaay took a bite of his kulfi, savouring the rich, creamy flavour. "You know, my birthdays were never a big deal to me," he began, glancing at Annika. "It was always the same routine—lavish parties, lots of people, but it always felt...empty."

Annika listened intently, her eyes reflecting the moonlight. "I can imagine," she said softly. "Big celebrations can sometimes feel impersonal."

Shivaay nodded, his gaze drifting to the horizon. "Yeah. Last year, I decided to skip the party altogether. I spent the day alone, just reflecting and thinking about things. It was peaceful, but also a bit lonely."

Annika's heart ached for him. She had always seen him as someone surrounded by people, but now she understood how isolated he must have felt. "It must have been hard," she said gently. "But I'm glad you're here with me today."

Shivaay smiled, warmth filling his eyes as he looked at her. "Honestly, I didn't expect to enjoy today as much as I did. You pulled me out of my shell, Annika. For the first time in a long while, I feel like I truly celebrated."

Annika returned his smile, her heart swelling with affection. "I'm really happy to hear that, Shivaay. Birthdays should be about doing what makes you happy, not just what's expected."

They continued walking, the cool sand beneath their feet and the sound of the ocean creating a serene atmosphere. Annika took a moment to savour her kulfi, its sweetness a perfect end to the day.

"You know," Shivaay said, breaking the comfortable silence, "I think this might be one of the best birthdays I've had in years. No grand parties, no formalities, just good company and simple pleasures."

Annika's eyes sparkled with joy. "That means a lot to me, Shivaay. I'm glad I could make it special for you."

As they reached a quiet spot on the beach, they stopped and turned to face each other. Shivaay reached out, taking Annika's free hand in his. "Thank you, Annika. For everything."

Annika squeezed his hand gently. "You're welcome, Shivaay. And happy birthday."

They stood there for a moment, lost in each other's eyes, the world around them fading away. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day, and for the first time, Shivaay looked forward to many more birthdays shared with Annika by his side.

Their moment was interrupted by the ringing of Annika's phone. She quickly took it out and answered, her tone becoming businesslike as she spoke. Shivaay listened, catching snippets of her conversation about hotel bookings and flight tickets. His heart sank slightly as he realised she was making travel plans.

When she hung up, he couldn't help but ask, "You are going somewhere?"

Annika nodded, slipping her phone back into her bag. "Well, yes, I am going to Delhi tomorrow afternoon. I have a seminar there, and I'm the guest speaker."

Shivaay tried to hide his disappointment, but it was evident in his eyes. "Delhi? For how long?"

"Just a couple of days," Annika replied with a reassuring smile. "It's an important seminar, and I've been preparing for it for months. It's a great opportunity."

Shivaay nodded, understanding but still feeling a pang of sadness. "That's amazing, Annika. I'm really proud of you."

"Thank you," she said, her smile widening. "But I'll be back before you know it. It's just a short trip."

"I know," Shivaay said, trying to sound more upbeat. "I'll miss you, though."

Annika's eyes softened. "I'll miss you too, Shivaay. But we'll talk every day, and I'll be back soon."

He took a deep breath and nodded, forcing a smile. "Okay. You better give the best speech they've ever heard."

Annika laughed, her laughter like music to his ears. "Of course, I will. With you cheering me on, how could I not?"

They resumed their walk along the beach, the earlier intimacy now tinged with the bittersweet reality of their impending separation. Shivaay squeezed her hand gently, drawing comfort from the warmth of her touch.

As they walked, they talked about her seminar, the topics she would cover, and the excitement she felt about being a guest speaker. Shivaay listened attentively, his admiration for her growing with each word.

Finally, they reached a spot where the waves gently lapped at their feet. They stood there for a moment, the cool water washing over their toes, grounding them in the present.

"Promise me you'll take care of yourself," Shivaay said, looking into her eyes.

"I promise," Annika replied, her voice soft and sincere. "And you promise me the same."

"I will," he said, pulling her into a gentle hug. "Just come back soon, okay?"

"I will," Annika whispered,looking at him. "I promise."

They stayed like that for a while, savouring the last moments of their perfect day, knowing that despite the temporary separation, their bond would only grow stronger.

"It's time I guess we should leave" , Annika said, coming out of trance.

Shivaay nodded his head, giving her a small smile. "I'll drop you," he offered, his voice gentle.

Annika shook her head politely. "That's sweet, Shivaay, but I'll go on my own. I can manage."

He sighed, respecting her independence but feeling a pang of worry. Soon, their cab arrived, and Annika prepared to get in. Just before she stepped inside, Shivaay moved closer to her, gently tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. His touch was tender, and he looked deeply into her eyes.

"Have a safe journey Annika!!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SO HOW WAS IT?

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED!!

THERE IS AN UPCOMING TWIST TRY TO GUESS IT!!

TILL THEN GOOD BYE

WITH LOVE 

DIA