✿Day 5

"All pressed up in black and white

And you're dressed in that dress I like

Love is swinging in the air tonight

Let me show you a few things"

Yuv jammed out, his head rocking back and forth. He wore the classiest tuxedo in his closet. It was black, just like his hair, with matching cufflinks. The fact that he had been in dance club in college helped with the date selection for tonight. It had been awhile since the last time he had taken a girl out. The last time was during his intern days. She was a wispy haired beauty, who had laughed and smiled like the happiest star in the sky.

Smirking at his reflection in the mirror, he spared one last glance to the phone. He and Mira had been texting nonstop since morning. She heavily curious about the place he was taking her tonight.

Since it was their first date and he did sort of fancy her, he was going to keep it simple and cliché. He hoped that she would have a good time.

"That's alright, 'cause you're all mine

Ooh go on and show 'em who you call daddy

I guess they're just mad 'cause girl, they wish they had it

Ooh my killer, my "Thriller" yeah you're a classic

And you're all mine tonight."

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Atul sat in his cabin, a blank presentation for the company's new investors blinking on his screen. His deep brown glazed over the screen, uninterested, lost, and half-awake. The clock was ticking to noon, close to the lunch hour. He hadn't gotten anything done.

The reason being a feisty curly haired woman and the sudden change of her attitude towards him. Mira was that one person who had brought warmth and comfort to his every day here. Her presence alone was something that made him happy. He could talk to her whenever things would take a downturn. She would know exactly what to say, how to calm his aching heart, and whenever she smiled, he felt complete.

He placed his head in the maze of his hands. The way she had acted this morning, it troubled him. She barely met his gaze and her response had been so mild, so formal as though they were strangers. Was his sudden engagement to Eliana that had caused this?

But she was alright with Eliana, they had been cracking joke non-stop since morning.

Maybe it was just him being paranoid. Maybe he was looking too deeply into things.

✿✿ ✿ ✿

The same relentless emotion pitched through his nerves when Atul joined his colleagues for lunch. They had decided to eat at small Italian restaurant near Firenor Market. In the restaurants dull lights, he carefully observed Mira.

She smiled at her phone, clearly uninterested in the conservation Eliana, Yuu, Rodrick were holding. She sat on the opposite both, texting someone. Judging by the cherry blush on her cheeks, she liked the person.

"Bread?" Atul nudged the basket towards Mira. She looked up, surprised, her brown eyes wide as though she had just registered his presence.

"Thanks." She smiled.

They didn't talk after that.

✿ ✿ ✿

The sun had set behind the horizon when Atul walked out of Silicon Heights, a steely grey coat carefully folded on his arm. While he waited for his driver to bring the car, he whistled a tune that remind him of his favorite song, Breakeven. He stopped suddenly as Mira stepped out of the empty office building. Both of them had a habit of working overtime.

She had changed into a light pink dress that resembled that petals of a pink myrtle tree. The chiffon dress clung delicately to her curves. Her curly black had been tamed, they were straight, flowing along her narrow back.

Atul was seeing her in a different light altogether. Maybe it was the setting sun's light, the gentle billowing of the early autumn wind, and the thrumming of the half-awake city that had caused his heart to skip a beat.

She stopped beside him. She smelled good, like of spring and early summer rains.

Atul pressed a hand to his chest, closing his eyes, he turned his head to the other side. He took a deep breath in but it didn't help. Her fragrance grew stronger, more bolder. It captured all his senses, pushing him to the brink of insanity.

"Oh Atul." Mira smiled, amiably. Completely unaware of the effect she was having on him. "You're still here?"

He faced her, his hands in a tight fist, a droplet of sweat trickled down the side of his forehead.

"I had some work to finish up. You?"

"Same."

The air between them was stiff. For different reasons, neither of them could say a word. Mira's eyes mourned for the loss of an old love. Atul's eyes were confused by the new feelings blossoming in his heart. He finally couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Are you waiting for a cab? I could give you a ride." Eliana had told him that Mira had sprained her ankle. That's why Eliana and Mira had arrived in the same car.

Mira shook her head. "No, it's quite alright. I'm actually waiting for someone."

"Who-"Before he could complete his sentence, the latest model of Mercedes was parked by the street, directly in-front of them.

A tall man stepped out, dressed like the next James Dean. He was sculpted nicely with broad shoulders, dark nightlike hair, and mellow honey eyes. In the tight waist coat, he was headed straight towards at Mira. There was a banquet of sunflowers in his hand.

"Good Evening, Mrs. Sunshine." The man smiled at Mira and handed her the flowers.

An electric current ran through Atul, fury was rising and falling, as an ocean with a storm brewing in its chest. That was his nickname for her.

The man gripped Mira's hand, who was blushing furiously and kissed it gently. "You look absolutely ravishing."

Mira couldn't have gotten any redder. "So do you. Um..." She briefly looked at Atul. "This is Atul, he's my friend and this is-"Before she could complete her sentence, the man extended a hand towards him.

"I'm Yudishter. A friend as well."

"Nice meeting you." Atul gave his hand a firm shake, half in daze, half in resentment. When was Mira planning on telling him about Yudishter? He was always the first person to know, whenever Mira was sick, he was the first person she called, whenever Mira felt down, he was the one who held her in his arms.

"See you tomorrow," Mira smiled over her shoulder as she took Yudishter arm.

"See ya."

As Atul watched Mira walk away with the Yudishter, some part of him broke into pieces. These emotions were killing him. Every step she took away, every second she looked in the other man's eyes, he felt his lungs give away, his rib-cage collapsing, his bones breaking apart, his blood thinning. He wanted to run across the street, capture her in his arms, and shield her away from all eyes. The way she laughed with Yudishter, a part of him contorted painfully.

It felt like he was losing an essential organ, without which he couldn't function.

And he realized why. Without Mira, Atul had nothing. He may have a family, friends, a beautiful finance, but without her, they didn't mean anything. She was the reason for his smile. She was the reason why he was the kindest man in the office. Mira had been through a-lot in the past, her strength gave him strength. She was his strength.

When Mira and her friend was gone, Atul collapsed onto the sidewalk. It was beginning to rain, droplets of rain slid down his back, drenching every part of him. With his hands on his knees, his eyes wide, his breaths labored, Atul had never felt worse in his life.

"Why didn't I realize this earlier? Why didn't I realize that she loved me?"

Because as Mira had walked away with Yudishter, Atul was the one on whom her eyes rested.

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Note:

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It had been so bright, romantic, cliché in the past chapters that had to break this dream we were living. I know you guys came here for a Yuv and Mira date. We'll have plenty of that in the later chapters. Prepare yourself for a roller-coaster. I haven't touched the plot outline yet. Guess what? We only have like what? Six-seven chapters left.

It's going to be hell loads of drama from here.

You guys can create ships if you'd like but if you ask me, so far we don't have a single couple worth shipping. You'll understand why I say this later.