Sidharth returns early morning next day to the lab. If given a chance, he thought that he would have stayed back but he was answerable to his actions so he had to stick to protocols. He thanked his luck though for not being in other western countries where they aren't allowed to work post work hours strictly.

He climbed up on the ladder stool and sat on the topmost board facing her. His elbows rested on knees while his head took support of his palm. She kept her hand crossed one over the other on the edge of the aquarium glass and rested her head on them adoring him.

"Kullu", she called him like a little baby

"Haan Shehnaaz..", he answered sweetly.

"Khaana.. bhook bhook", she said looking at the sea weed packet in his hand.

"Achcha? Naye words sikhe tumne? Tumhaari memory badhi sharp hai. Kal jo bola tha woh yaad hai.", He said giving her the sea weeds.

"Kullu.. sorry", she said sweetly.

"Sorry nahi Thanks bolte hai.. bolo thanks.. tha, an, ks.. thanks.. bolo", he said.

"Thanks bolo..", she said in a meek voice.

He laughed at her cuteness and she laughed along.

"Aur yeh pata hai kya hai?", He said pulling out a box from his bag pack.

She looked at it puzzled and in curiousity.

"Yeh mera tasty tasty sa khaana hai. Maine khudh banaya hai. Chawal aur peeli daal. Meri maa bahut achcha aur tasty sa khaana banati thi pata hai? Tum khaati na toh permanently mere ghar rehne aa jaati.", He said showing her the contents of the box.

"Tasty", she babbled

"Teen baar bolo toh jhat se pakad leti ho words. Good good good.", He said.

"Good", she imitates looking at his lips.

"Kitne words aa gaye tumhe.. aise karte karte toh tum pura dictionary ratt logi.", He chuckled. A slightest of smile on his face was enough to bring smile on her face. She observed him whole time and his lips while speaking.

"Khaogi?" He offered holding a spoon. She batted here eyelashes and looked in amusement.

"Aisa karogi toh mera khaane par se concentration chala jaayega. Aur.. on a second thought, tum apna sea weed pe concentrate karo, tumhara digestive system ko kharab nahi karte, saara paani kharab ho jaayega.", He said. None of his words made sense to her but nevertheless she was busy admiring him.

They both ate their lunch and chatted. Basically he chatted while she gawked at him. At the back of his mind, he knew it that she could look at him the whole day and it made him feel so overwhelmed.

"Meri kamar dard karne lag pada hai yaha upar baite baite. Main neeche jaau please?", He asked stretching his back in a pain filled voice.

Her face saddened to look at his pain filled face which he mistook. He thought she was sad because he asked her if he could go down. If it wasn't for the pain even he didn't wanted to go back.

"Achcha, main tumhare liye kuch laaya hoon", he said.

Those were the familiar words to her. Everytime he got something for her he said the same sentence hence she looked at him curiously and with extreme excitement. She loved his surprises. He took time to ponder want she would like everyday. They weren't fancy for human beings neither of much value but to her it was out of the world. Perhaps because she didn't belong to human world.

He took off his Tshirt before jumping into the water in his shorts with an floating ball. He swam close to her and she blushed finding him close to her.

"Dulhan ke tarah kyu sharma rahi ho? Huh?", He teased her.

"Isko ball bolte hai jisse hum khel sakte hai.", He said. She looked at the colourful ball. He swam a little far from her and threw it towards her. She got scared at first and ran away thinking why was he attacking her. He swam close to her and held her hand.

"Darro mat, main tumhe harm nahi karunga meri jaan. Khel raha hoon tumhare saath. Dekho tum yaha se isse uchalo", he throws the ball at an empty space. He swims and then picks the ball and tosses it up few times and catches it to show how it is caught.

"Ab main isse tumhare paas phekunga okay. Darna math.. isse catch karna aur mere paas throw karna", he said cupping her face with both his hands and looking into her eyes. She nodded looking into his eyes.

He swam a very little distance at first and threw it towards her saying catch. She missed it. He asked her to throw and she picked up the ball and tossed it towards him. He caught it. Then he threw again towards her and this time she tried catching it but missed again. After few takes she was enjoying the newly learnt game.

"Catch.. catch..", she said

"Throw Shehnaaz", he spoke loudly from far.

"Throw Shehnaaz", she repeated throwing the ball and he smiled nodding his head.

He dodged the ball with his head as she looked at him.

"Woah!! Lovely!! Very nice Shehnaaz.", He said when she dodged it with her tail splashing water all over.

She giggled and laughed playing the game until they both were exhausted. He swam close to her.

"Mazza aaya?", He asked her with a big smile. She batted her eyelashes and smiled.

"Tumko tumhaari ghar ki yaad aati hogi na? Aur ek main hoon, jisko ghar jaana hi pasand nahi. Mujhe toh bas tumhaare saath rehna pasand hai. Koi hai bhi toh nahi ghar mein", He said looking at her. The smile on her face vanished because she knew whenever he spoke about the word ghar, he would go away.

Looking at her saddened face, he hugged her and kissed her forehead.

"Mujhe miss karti ho na? Kaash main tumhe apne saath le jaa sakta apne ghar.", He said sadly still hugging her.

"Kal jaldi aaunga thik hai? Kal toh tumse milne minister aa rahe hai. Bahut famous ho gayi ho tum. Celebrity bann gayi ho!! Ek sun glasses toh banti hai apni celebrity ke liye. Kal lete aaunga. Phir usse pehenke pura attitude se rehna", He said with a smile pushing her jaw up to cheer her up. Deep down inside he knew, how big a lie it was. Every human being was living a life of lie where they gave up on their privacy and freedom to enjoy non-existing fame or attention. And of those 99% people who praised them were fake and fancy. Whereas in reality they never care for them.

She smilingly blushed without even knowing what he spoke to her.

"Awww.. So sweet!!", He said making her blush even more just by his cute baby tone.

"Tumse kuch kahu toh tum bura toh nahi maanogi na?", He asks.

She looks at him unaware of what he was speaking.

"Hmmmm.. chalo choddo kissi aur din bataaunga.", He says and leaves after giving her the dinner.
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"Good morning Shehnaaz", Sidharth says in excitement as he enters the lab.

"Kullu.. Kullu..", she screams in joy in her not so feeble voice.

Keshov looked at her in surprise as it was the first time she spoke infront of him.

"Good morning Keshov", greets Sidharth.

"Good morning Sir. Did I just hear her speak?", Asks Keshov.

"Haan Keshov. Tum koi bhi word uske saamne 3 baar bol do toh woh usko ratt leti hai aur repeat karti hai. Uski memory bhi bahut sharp hai.", Says Sidharth looking at Flora very fondly.

Keshov looks at both of them adoring at each other as if they were long lost lovers.

"Sir, aap usko bahut pasond korte ho na?", Asks Keshov.

"Hmmm..", Sidharth hummed looking lost.

"Usko bhi aap bohot pasond ho sir.", Says Keshov.

Sidharth looks at Keshov and they both smile.

"14 saal mein pehli baar kissi ne mujhe mera chehra dekh ke judge nahi kiya. Woh meri harr baat sunti hai, aur jaha log mera chehra dekh ke mujhse doorr bhaagte hai, woh harr roz mujhse milne ke liye besabri se intezaar karti hai. Main bhool jaata hoon sab kuch jab uske saath rehta hoon aur 14 saal pehle wala Sidharth bann jaata hoon. Uske wajah se main phir ek baar apne aap se aur apni life se sach mein pyaar karne laga hoon.", Said Sidharth while walking towards her and looking at her intensely. He places his hand on glass and she places her hand from the other side.

Keshov smiles looking at them both.

"Aap dono ka pyaar unique hai sir", says Keshov and goes to get her food.

Sidharth turns and looks at him in surprise. He knew he loved her but he didn't know it was so visible to others. Indeed, it was unique because they both didn't belong to the same world but love doesn't really care about such differences.

"Shehnaaz, maine kaha tha na ki main tumhaare liye sun glasses le aaunga. Yeh dekho. Isko na uss minister ke jaane ke baad aise pehenlena..", he wear it and chuckles. She smiles back nodding her head with him.

Upon looking at Keshov entering with sea weeds, she swims upward and pops her head out of water.

Keshov climbs up the ladder and gives her the food.

"Thanks Bolo", she says sweetly.

Keshov was taken aback and he looks at Sidharth, who laughs loudly. Keshov laughs along.

"Hi Flora, mera naam Keshov hai. Keshov bolo.. Ke..shov..", he said.

"Keshov", she says

"Sir, usne mera naam bola..", says Keshov happily and Sidharth nods.

"Meri behan job chota tha, tob bilkul aise hi pyaar se bulata tha. Iski awaaz bilkul chote bachcho ke joisa hai", Keshov reminisced his childhood.

"Hmmm.. Chalo Keshov, ab usse khaane do aur hum dono thoda kaam kar lete hai, minister aate hi honge in an hour.", Says Sidharth.

Keshov nods and waves bye at her before getting down the ladder.

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To be continued.. ❤️❤️