Dhruv adjusted his shirt for the third time in the mirror, feeling an unusual mix of nerves and excitement. He’d spent the entire day thinking about Ishita—her smile, her laughter, the way she seemed to understand him without even trying. He’d finally decided to ask her out to dinner, hoping to spend more time with her outside of work.

Taking a deep breath, he picked up his phone and dialed her number. It rang twice before she picked up.

"Hello, Dhruv! Kya haal chaal hai?" Ishita's voice came through the line, instantly putting a smile on his face.

"Hi, Ishita..," he said, trying to keep his voice casual. "Main theek hoon. Tum sunao, kya kar rahi ho?"

"Bas ghar pe hoon, thodi si research kar rahi thi project ke liye," she replied, her tone light. "Tumhara din kaisa tha?"

"Accha tha," he said, then paused, gathering his courage. "Vaise, mujhe tumse kuch poochna tha."

"Haan, haan, pooch lo," Ishita encouraged, curiosity in her voice.

Dhruv cleared his throat, feeling his heartbeat quicken. "Soch raha tha, agar tum free ho toh... dinner ke liye chalein? There's this really nice restaurant I've been wanting to try."

There was a brief pause on the other end, and for a moment, Dhruv’s mind filled with doubts. But then, Ishita’s soft laughter broke through, easing his worries.

"Dinner?" Ishita repeated, a teasing note in her voice. "As in, a date?"

Dhruv felt his cheeks warm, but he managed a chuckle. "Haan, matlab... bol sakte hai. Agar tumhe theek lage toh."

Ishita grinned, feeling her own cheeks flush. "Dhruv, I would.. love that," she said warmly, the butterflies in her stomach taking flight.

"Pakka?" Dhruv asked, feeling a mix of relief and curiosity.

" Pakka." Ishita said.

Dhruv laughed, feeling the last of his nerves fade away. "Deal. Tumhe disappoint nahi hone dunga, I promise."

"Perfect. Toh phir kab mil rahe hain?" Ishita asked, her excitement clear.

"Kal raat, 8 baje. I'll pick you up," Dhruv replied, grinning from ear to ear.

"Great! I'll wait," Ishita said before they hung up.

---

The next evening, Dhruv arrived at Ishita’s building right on time, his heart thumping in his chest. He spotted her as she walked out, wearing a simple yet elegant black dress that made her look even more beautiful. His breath caught in his throat as he took her in.

"Wow, Ishita. Sundar lag rahi ho," he managed, feeling a familiar heat rise to his cheeks.

Ishita blushed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thank you, Dhruv. Tum bhi kaafi achhe lag rahe ho."

As they drove to the restaurant, their conversation flowed naturally, filled with laughter and their usual banter. When they arrived, Ishita looked around, impressed by the ambiance of the place.

"Yeh jagah toh kaafi amazing hai," she commented as they were shown to their table.

Dhruv pulled out a chair for her, smiling as she sat down. "Mujhe laga tumhe yeh pasand aayega. Maine yahan ke khaane ke baare mein bahut suna hai."

They ordered their food, and as they waited, they slipped into the comfortable rhythm of their conversations. Dhruv couldn’t help but steal glances at Ishita, admiring how easily she fit into this part of his life, how her presence seemed to light up everything around them.

Halfway through their meal, Ishita put down her fork, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "Vaise, Dhruv," she began casually, "mere jhumke wapas karne ka iraada hai ya nahi?"

Dhruv nearly choked on his drink, his eyes widening in surprise. "Oh, woh... mujhe laga tha ki tum bhool gayi hogi," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

Ishita laughed, the sound light and musical. "Jhumke main kaise bhool sakti hoon? Woh toh mere favorite hai!"

Dhruv chuckled, a bit of color rising to his cheeks. "Tumne pehle bataya hota toh main pehle hi de deta," he said, looking genuinely apologetic.

Ishita teased, leaning forward slightly. "Par koi baat nahi, mujhe mil jaaye toh mujhe khushi hogi."

Dhruv nodded, his heart skipping a beat at her smile. "Woh toh pakka, kal hi mil jayenge aapko apne jhumke."

As they continued their dinner, the atmosphere between them remained light and easy, filled with shared smiles and lingering glances. When Dhruv dropped Ishita home later that night, he couldn’t help but feel a warmth in his chest, a certainty that whatever was happening between them was only the beginning of something special.

---

The next morning, Ishita woke up feeling lighter, her thoughts still lingering on the previous night. She couldn’t help but smile as she got ready, remembering the way Dhruv had blushed, the way he had looked at her. There was a spark between them, undeniable and growing stronger with each passing moment.

As she stepped out of her room, ready to start her day, a thought crossed her mind. She reached up to touch her ears, only to realize with a jolt that her jhumkas were missing.

It wasn’t until she was halfway to work that she remembered. Her jhumkas were still at Dhruv’s place. A blush spread across her cheeks as she realized she’d have to ask him to return them, not that she minded. In fact, she was looking forward to it. And so, with a smile on her lips, she headed to work, her thoughts on the man who had unknowingly started to steal her heart.