*Lets revive some #Anikhil moments once again...😍

Italic fonts are the flashbacks... please dont confuse and ask me your doubt anytime..😊

Enjoy reading...☺*

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Mishra House:

The next day, Akshit arrived at the Mishra house, just as they had planned. It was a Saturday, and Anika was home, as she usually went to the office on Saturdays to immerse herself in work and pass the time. Akshit met Anika's mother, taking her blessings as customary. Her father had to leave for an emergency surgery but would return before lunch. Understanding the situation, Akshit didn't mind; his main purpose for being here was to learn more about Anika's love.

They were having a casual conversation in the living room when Akshit suddenly spoke up, "Aunty, if you don't mind, can we discuss a project here?"

Anika and Ruchika exchanged confused glances, and Akshit quickly elaborated, "Actually, I want to set up an office at home. I'd like to convert one of my rooms into an office, and I need Anika's help to design the interior. If you don't mind, could we discuss it now?"

Anika and Ruchika shared a look, and Akshit added, "I'm sorry. I know you've invited me for lunch, but since I'm meeting her later today, I thought it would be a good time to go over the project. Plus, we could learn more about each other's professions."

Anika raised an eyebrow and gave him an impressed look. She hadn't expected him to come up with such an elaborate excuse just to get some alone time with her. She knew exactly why he suggested this—so they could talk in private—and it made her smile.

Ruchika, smiling, said, "It's okay, beta. You don't have to apologize. You two can go to Anika's room and discuss the details. I'll call you both when lunch is ready and your father is back."

Akshit nodded with a grateful smile. Ruchika turned to Anika, "Ani, show him to your room, beta. I'll let you know when everything is ready."

Anika nodded and stood up, leading Akshit to her room upstairs. As they climbed the stairs, Anika smirked at him, "Well done, Mr. Khanna... I didn't know you were such an expert at making excuses."

Akshit chuckled and replied, "Of course! I've been perfecting my excuses since school."

Anika looked at him with curiosity, "Really? What kind of excuses did you use back then?"

By the time they reached her room, Akshit responded with a mischievous grin, "You know, things like stomach aches or sudden fevers..." He shrugged nonchalantly.

Anika laughed, "Fever... That was my go-to excuse too. I used to dip the thermometer in hot tea to make it look like I had a fever."

Akshit gave her a surprised look. "Really? I thought only boys did tricks like that. Girls were always more focused on their studies in my school."

Anika laughed, "Oh, no. I wasn't exactly a studious type. I was an average student, and honestly, I hated going to school."

Akshit raised an eyebrow. "So you used a lot of tricks to skip school, then?"

Her smile faded slightly as a memory crept into her mind—one that made her heart ache. The memory of the day she had used that same trick to help her best friend, Ruhani, feign illness for a surprise. Her mind flashed back to that moment when her love had teased her about her cleverness.

One winter day, Anika and all of her friends went to her best friend Ruhani's brother's farmhouse for a weekend getaway. It was meant to be a relaxing family time, but there was a special occasion to celebrate—Ruhani and her husband, Abhigyaan, had completed three months of marriage. Ruhani wanted to surprise Abhigyaan, so they all planned a day out in the local city to celebrate, but with a twist: Ruhani pretended to be ill.

Anika had been tasked with helping to set up this "illness." They had all agreed to go along with the ruse, but it was Anika who had to come up with a believable excuse. To make it convincing, she used her classic trick: faking a fever.

"How did you manage to get it to exactly 100?" he asked in a low voice.

Anika rolled her eyes with a grin, keeping her voice just as low. "It's a common trick, you know. I just dipped the thermometer in hot tea. When it hit 100, I pulled it out. I didn't want to worry jiju too much about Ruhani's health."

He laughed, clearly impressed. "Seems like you've used that trick a lot to skip school when you were younger."

He raised his eyebrows playfully, teasing her. But Anika shot him a mock-threatening glare, clearly ready to fire back with a witty response. Just as she was about to speak, the sound of their friend's voice interrupted them.

Just then, Akshit's voice broke her from her thoughts.

"Anika..." he called gently.

She blinked, startled, and looked up to see his concerned face. A tear slipped from her eye, and Akshit immediately asked, "Are you okay?"

Anika sniffled, quickly wiping her tear away. "I'm fine. It's just... when you mentioned school, some old memories came rushing back. They're very close to my heart..."

Akshit understood that these memories were tied to her love, and the pain in her voice made him even more curious. He didn't press her further. Instead, he tried to shift the mood.

He looked around her room, admiring the decor. "Your room is really nice. Did you decorate it yourself?"

Anika sighed to compose herself and gave him a small smile. "Yes, I decorated it the way I like."

As Akshit glanced around, his eyes landed on a guitar in the corner of the room. "Wow, a guitar! Do you play?"

Anika walked over to it, picking it up with a small smile. "Not really..."

Akshit looked puzzled. "Then why do you have one?"

Anika gently placed the guitar back and explained, "I'm not a professional, but I've been learning to play it. I want to be able to play a song for him when I see him again."

Her voice softened, and her eyes glazed over as she imagined the moment. "Just for him," she added, with a dreamy smile on her face, believing with all her heart that her wish would one day come true.

Akshit was taken aback. "You know, you're really making me curious now..."

He pouted, looking at her with a playful expression. Anika chuckled, appreciating his attempt to lighten the mood. She put the guitar back in its place and went to her cupboard. She pulled out a few pictures and handed one to Akshit.

"Do you know him?" she asked, her voice quieter now.

Akshit took the picture, studying it carefully. After a moment, his eyes widened in recognition. "Akhil Arora..." he said slowly.

Anika's heart skipped a beat, and she turned to look at him. Akshit was staring at the photo in shock. He turned back to her, his voice a little breathless. "Is he... Is he the one?"

Anika nodded her head, and Akshit quickly connected some dots before asking again, his voice filled with surprise. "Wait, that means you know Mr. Saxena, right? Because Mr. Arora is his lawyer..."

Anika hummed in response and explained, "Yes, he is my jiju (brother-in-law). My childhood best friend, Ruhani, married him, and yesterday she was the one who called me to the restaurant. She told me that you know jiju and also mentioned that you're a nice man, so I can share my thoughts with you. That's the reason I agreed to tell you everything. During that meeting, I realized I can trust you."

She finished, and Akshit processed her words while looking at the picture again. Anika, noticing the curiosity in his eyes, asked, "But how do you know he's Mr. Saxena's lawyer? Have you met him before?"

"Of course," Akshit replied. "Last year, when Mr. Saxena was in Australia, we needed to discuss some important clauses for our project. His lawyer wasn't available at that time, so we set up a video call. That's when I saw him. Mr. Saxena introduced me to him and mentioned they've been best friends since childhood. We didn't get to talk much, but in the short time we did, I could tell he was a jolly, fun-loving guy. Even during that professional meeting, his teasing and bantering with Mr. Saxena were non-stop, which made me laugh. After the meeting, I actually told Mr. Saxena his friend was very funny..."

Akshit explained, recalling his observations about Akhil with a smile.

Anika's lips curled into a soft smile as she processed his words. Yes, my Akki was like that. You won't believe it, but we fought a lot, and I even named him 'Cheesy monkey'...

They both chuckled, and Akshit added, "Cheesy monkey? That's cute."

Anika laughed and said, "Yes! Because every time we met, he used to throw so many cheesy lines at me that I ended up calling him that."

Akshit chuckled along with her, clearly enjoying the conversation. After a beat, he asked, "So, when did you guys first meet?"

Anika stood by the window, holding the picture in her hand as she lost herself in the memory of the day she first met Akhil.

It was all for a project... she thought, her mind drifting back to that very first encounter.

It had started with a professional meeting. Akhil's best friend, Abhigyaan, was looking for an interior designer for a mall project, and Akhil had suggested Ruhani Sinha, a friend of his who had recently opened an interior design company with a business partner. What Akhil didn't know was that Ruhani had a partner — Anika. He only discovered this fact when he and Abhigyaan went to meet the team at their office.

That was the moment Akhil laid eyes on her for the first time.

Anika could still feel the rush in her chest when she remembered it. His heart skipped a beat, she mused, recalling how Akhil had been caught staring at her from across the room. It was impossible to ignore the way his gaze lingered, almost as if he was trying to memorize every detail of her face. The famous flirt, Mr. Akhil Arora, she smiled inwardly, had fallen for her at first sight.

But what Akhil didn't realize at that moment was that she was a hard nut to crack.

During the meeting, Akhil couldn't help himself; he kept stealing glances at her. And Anika, though trying to focus on the meeting, could feel his eyes on her. A mixture of unease and nervousness swirled inside her — her professional demeanor battling with the effect his gaze had on her.

Akhil, sensing her discomfort, made a mental note that whenever he had the chance, he'd find a way to make her feel more at ease. He knew their meetings would be frequent, and he would take every opportunity to break through her guarded exterior.

But then, there was a shift in the dynamics of the day. Abhigyaan, being the business-focused one, wanted to see the office designs, but Akhil... Akhil was feeling hungry. And as if by fate, Ruhani, ever the gracious host, had suggested that Anika accompany him to the cafeteria.

Anika hadn't wanted to go, not at all. She had her work to focus on, and besides, the last thing she wanted was to be alone with the flirtatious, attention-stealing man who had been making her feel awkward all day. But she couldn't refuse. He was a guest, after all. And despite her reservations, she didn't want to seem rude.

Reluctantly, she agreed.

As she walked through the hallways, heading to the cafeteria with Akhil, she couldn't help but feel the weight of her decision. Would she be able to survive a conversation with this charming yet insufferable man?

The memory played out in her mind as if it were a movie — her feelings at the time, the way his presence made her feel both flustered and intrigued. That day, she had no idea that it would be the start of something that would forever change her life.

Akshit couldn't help but chuckle at Anika's words. The mischievous grin still on his face, he teased, "Oh, so Mr. Flirt really fell for you at first sight, huh?"

Anika turned to face him, her expression playful as she shrugged, a hint of nostalgia in her eyes. "That's what he told me," she replied. "But from the very beginning, he just kept finding excuses to meet me. And let me tell you, our every meeting felt like a Tom and Jerry episode. We fought every single time we met. Even our friends couldn't understand how we could argue over the smallest things, but it just became natural between us."

Akshit nodded thoughtfully, trying to piece together the dynamic she was describing. "Hmm, I get that. But, as you said, you were nervous around him. So, does that mean, during your first meeting, you didn't fight?"

Anika's face twisted into playful confusion, as if she was giving him a cue to dig deeper. Akshit raised an eyebrow, surprised by her reaction. He took a moment, then asked in disbelief, "Or... did you?"

Anika's smile widened into a full grin, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Oh, as he thought, he was going to make sure I wouldn't feel nervous around him. And you know what? He actually succeeded. But not in the way he probably intended..."

She paused for dramatic effect before continuing. "The thing is, he was a charmer. The moment he started talking—especially with his silly, irritating comments—it was like you forgot you were meeting him for the first time. But with me, it was the complete opposite. His words got under my skin so much that I was just... pissed off! It reached a point where I was so irritated with his incessant chatter that I couldn't help but snap at him. It was infuriating."

Akshit burst into laughter, the image of Akhil trying to charm her, only to end up irritating her, was too amusing to ignore. "I can imagine! I mean, it sounds like it wasn't love at first sight, but definitely... something else. You must've been a challenge for him."

Anika nodded, her expression softening as the memory lingered. "A huge challenge. But... I didn't know it then, but his persistence was one of the things that started to work on me. The more he irritated me, the more I started to notice him. It was like this crazy tug-of-war, but I guess it was just the beginning."

Akshit looked at her, a bit awed. "So, after all that, when did it turn into something more?" he asked, genuinely curious. "When did the 'Tom and Jerry' fighting turn into... something else?"

Akshit chuckled and Anika spoke while remembering their first meet and the fight:

Akhil and Anika both reached the cafeteria, ordered their food, and sat down. A silence settled between them. Akhil was busy scrolling through his phone, while Anika greeted her employees with a smile whenever they passed by. Their order arrived, and they began eating.

 They were eating when Anika asked him, "You are a family friend with Ruhani, right?"

He hummed in response while eating his food. Not getting any satisfied response from him Anika just shrugged and concentrated on her food.

After a while Akhil didn't hear any next words from her. He thought to start the conversation so he asked, "Why did you ask that question?"

Anika looked up and said, "Because if you are that much close to her then you sometimes visited our office but you didn't. I mean I have never seen you here before."

"Yes it's right I know her but honestly speaking I am not that close to her that I need to come here like her other close relatives, that's why I never visited." Akhil said and shrugged.

Anika nodded to his response when he again said, "But now I am thinking and regretting too, I made the mistake not to visit here before."

Anika didn't decipher the meaning of his words so she asked, "Means? I am sorry, I didn't get your point, Mr. Arora."

Akhil said with a smile, "I mean see how many beauties are here in Ruhani's office, I am seriously flat now and even one of the beauties is sitting in front of me having a lunch date with me, I am feeling thrilled and wonderful."

Anika couldn't believe his words. She wondered how someone could change his personality quickly. A minute ago he was behaving like a well matured man and now within a minute he changed into a flirt guy. "Is he bipolar and waiting, flirting, was he really trying to flirt with me?" She thought to herself and to clear the doubt she asked, "Are you really trying to flirt with me, Mr. Arora?"

"No," he said while chewing his food. She still was confused with his behavior. He looked at her and after finishing his mouth stuffing he said, "I am not trying sweetie, I am doing it."

Anika was shocked after hearing him and gave him a shocked expression then said with a loud voice, "Are you mad or what? You are clearly agreeing that you are not trying infect doing and what with your lunch date, for your information let me tell you this is not a date, ok and I am not anyone's sweetie."

"Ahh, slow woman, scream slowly otherwise you will eat my ears today itself then how am I able to listen to your beautiful voice if I go deaf." Akhil said to her while putting both his hands on his ears.

Anika rolled his eyes and said, "You are seriously hopeless."

Akhil heard her and said, "Don't go to the conclusion sweetie because I am not over with my words."

Anika looked at him briefly when he again said, "I mean my date theory is still pending to explain. So yes regarding the date, it is not necessary if a boy and girl go for a romantic candle light dinner only that thing is called a date. A lot of ways are here and for me this is one of my ways as it's just the start for us, so if you don't want to consider then don't, I am not pressurizing you." Akhil said in a casual way and shrugged.

"Are you for real, Mr. Arora. You are Impossible and let me clear you one thing, there is no 'Us' ok." Anika said and stood up from the chair while shaking her head.

Akhil too stood and followed her. He came near her and said with a big smile, "Thank you for the compliment, Ms. Mishra."

Anika stopped on her track and said, "Either I heard wrong or you did I guess, because I didn't give you any compliment." Saying this she again started walking.

Akhil too followed and said with the same smile, "Oh believe me my lady, you just did. You told me Impossible and according to my another theory, Impossible itself depicts 'I am Possible', so it's a compliment for me because I am not impossible but yes from you that is impossible, 'I am possible' for sure." He quoted the word 'I am possible' with his hands in the air.

Anika was shocked after hearing this. She actually saw him grow two heads. She shook her head in disbelief and walked.

"What happened, Ms. Mishra, nothing to say?" Akhil asked her with raised brows.

"I can give you as many answers as I want, but for now you are my guest and standing at my place. Being a good host to you, I don't want to fight with you." Anika said to him with little anger.

"Anger suits you, Ms. Mishra, continue. You are really looking cute and I am enjoying it." Akhil said and tried to pull her cheeks when she interrupted him with her finger, "Don't you dare to pull this act on me." Akhil stopped and surrendered with his hands.

Anika was going to Ruhani's office when she stopped again and said while crossing her arms on her chest, "And yes, if you are really so desperate to do your flirting and want to tell your stupid theories to someone, then go and find some other random girl because here neither I am interested nor I am like those girls who will fall for your these skills and nonsense talks."

"Oh really, but what can I do if my heart just wants this with you only and who knows one day you will too fall for my these skills and nonsense talks." Akhil said and pointed to his heart when he said those lines.

Anika gave an "arghhh" response with irritation and left the place not before saying "Cheesy monkey" to him and Akhil just laughed at her antics.

Akshit laughed hearing about the fights between them. Anika joined in, laughing too, as she remembered those days. They had surely made her irritated at the time, but now, looking back, those silly moments and arguments only brought a smile to her face because, with him, those were the memories she cherished the most.

"Wow... how can a person be this funny?" Akshit said, still chuckling. "I mean, he actually admitted to flirting with you... that's insane!" He shook his head in disbelief.

Anika chuckled again, nodding. "Yes, that was him. He never missed a chance to throw in those cheesy lines, which is why I called him 'Cheesy monkey.'"

She drifted off into her thoughts for a moment, a soft smile tugging at her lips. "My Cheesy monkey... and I was his Chit chat..."

"Chit chat?" Akshit asked, confused, looking at her in surprise.

Anika caught his bewildered expression and grinned. "Yes, during another meeting, he started calling me his 'Chit chat'..."

She again looked his picture and spoke while losing in another memory:

It was the bachelorette party of Anika's other best friend, Sameera, and her fiancé, Vansh, which they were celebrating at a club. Coincidentally, Akhil and his friend, Abhigyaan, also decided to go to that same club on the same night.

They arrived, and as soon as they entered, Abhigyaan excused himself to take a call. Meanwhile, Akhil was making his way toward the sitting area when he accidentally bumped into Anika, who was on her way to the washroom to help Ruhani. Ruhani's dress had been spoiled with juice, and Anika was rushing to help her out.

"What the hell? Can't you just see." Anika said when she bumped with him.

Akhil turned and saw her. She too saw him with shocked expressions. "Oh so Ms. Chit-Chat is also here, nice." Akhil said when looked at her.

"You.. What are you doing here? Don't tell me you became a stalker and came after me." Anika said while pointing her finger to him.

"Uhh.. easy woman, I am not stalking you ok, this is not my thing to do in fact usually girls do that for me." Akhil said with a prideful smile.

"In your dreams you cheesy monkey..." Anika said and rolled her eyes.

"Well if you are talking about my dreams then let me tell you one thing, in my dreams, I would only love to stalk you and there even you can't resist me from doing anything." Akhil said while coming closer to her.

"Not impressed Cheesy monkey and I am sure, I am not the only one whom you are telling your these cheesy lines but for your information, I am not interested so you can find someone who will show some impressive expression to you." Anika said and started to leave from there when heard a sound near her. Akhil too turned and saw their friends who bumped with each other and fell on the floor.

Akshit laughed again after hearing Anika's words and said with a mischievous grin, "You know, after everything you've told me, I can say one thing for sure—you both had a spicy relationship because I couldn't find any sweetness yet."

Anika chuckled, then replied, "Yeah, we were like that in the beginning, and we loved it. You know why?"

Akshit narrowed his eyes, intrigued. "Why?"

Anika smiled softly. "Because there was no filter, neither in our conversations nor in our relationship. It was all so natural."

Akshit nodded thoughtfully, then asked, "By the way, were Mr. and Mrs. Saxena married at that time?"

Anika looked at him and shook her head. "No, they weren't. Actually, it was Akhil who played cupid between them. Ruhani was like a sister to him, and he really adored her. I've told you about his funny and flirtatious side, but when it came to his loved ones—especially Ruhani—he was incredibly protective."

"That's nice to hear," Akshit replied, his smile genuine.

Anika nodded, then Akshit, with a sly grin, asked while putting his hands in his pockets, "So, when did this spicy relationship turn sweet, Ms. Mishra?"

Anika chuckled at his words, then picked up another picture. In this one, they were both looking at each other—Akhil with a teasing, flirtatious expression, and Anika with a frown. It was from the Mehndi ceremony of their friends, Vansh and Sameera, where they had danced together as part of a challenge.

She began to speak softly as she traced the outline of the picture, remembering. "It was during that Mehndi ceremony..."

Akhil had been talking to his friend when his eyes landed on Anika, who was heading to the dance floor. He saw her and murmured to himself, "It's time for some fun."

He made his way over and, pretending it was accidental, blocked her path. "Oops..."

Anika stopped with a gasp, then looked up at him. "What do you want?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"You," he said with impishness, stepping closer.

Anika jerked her head to the side in irritation. "I've already told you, I'm not interested. Go find someone else to trap in your web. Don't waste your time on me." She turned her head away, but Akhil blocked her path again.

"But I'd love to waste my time on you, Ms. Chit-chat," Akhil said, pouting. "It's you who isn't seeing my efforts."

"Neither do I want to..." Anika said, starting to walk around him, but he blocked her path once more.

"What's your problem, cheesy monkey? Let me go," Anika said irritably.

"You want me to stop teasing you, right?" Akhil asked, stopping her again.

Anika looked at him with a tight-lipped smile. "Oh, the day you stop your nonsense with me will be the happiest day of my life."

"Fair enough," Akhil said, hands on his hips. "Let's make a deal then."

Anika eyed him suspiciously. "Deal? What kind of deal?"

"We'll perform together on the dance floor to one song. It's like a face-off. If you win, I'll leave you alone and never tease you again. But if I win, you'll go on a date with me." Akhil leaned in closer with that signature smirk.

Anika took a step back, furrowing her brows. "What kind of stupid deal is that? I won't go anywhere with you."

Akhil chuckled, his smirk widening. "So you already know I'm going to win, huh? I'm impressed."

"That's not what I said!" Anika retorted, crossing her arms.

"Then show me what you mean," Akhil said, leaning in with his playful grin.

Anika thought for a moment, considering that winning might not be as difficult as she thought. Plus, if she won, it would shut him up for good.

"Okay, I'm ready. Deal," she said finally.

They shook hands, and Anika asked, "But how do we decide the winner?"

"It's simple," Akhil said with a smile. "After the song, it's all about the cheers. If most of the people cheer for the guys, I win. Otherwise, you do."

"Fair enough. Let's go," Anika said, turning to leave, but Akhil grabbed her wrist.

"Get ready for our first date, sweetheart," he whispered in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.

He blew her a flying kiss before heading to the dance floor to announce the competition between the boys and girls.

Soon after, the groups were formed—boys versus girls—with Krisha and Ronav joining the fray. Ruhani sat with Sameera, her Mehndi already done, while Abhigyaan went to sit with Vansh to enjoy the show.

The competition was set, but neither Anika nor Akhil had any idea just how much it would change things between them.

"That was actually an interesting deal, I like it..." Akshit said after hearing her story.

Anika chuckled while nodding. Akshit, eager to know more, asked, "So, what was the result of that deal?"

Anika sighed, then said, "All my girls betrayed me in the dance. They all went to their partners at the end. Even Krisha Bhabhi ditched me..."

"Krisha Bhabhi?" Akshit asked, clearly confused.

Anika raised an eyebrow at his reaction, then clarified, "Yes, Krisha Bhabhi. She's actually Ruhani's sister-in-law—very sweet and caring. But she loves me even more than Ruhani does..."

Akshit smiled, seeing the genuine admiration in her eyes as she spoke of Krisha Bhabhi. He nodded thoughtfully, understanding how special she was to Anika. "Hmm, I guess now I should meet this Krisha Bhabhi, she seems really close to you."

Anika smiled warmly and nodded. "Yes, she is. And I promise, after I finish telling you my love story, I'll take you to their home to meet her."

Akshit smiled in return, a soft chuckle escaping him as he nodded. "I'll be looking forward to that." Then, he asked, "So, finally, the boys won, huh?"

Anika pouted as she remembered the bet she had lost. "Yeah, we had to... after all, and now you know the reason," she said, rolling her eyes.

Akshit shook his head with a smile, but before he could comment, Anika continued, "But even that victory wasn't enough for him. He followed me when I came off the dance floor..."

"After the dance competition, Anika became angry that she lost the bet and stormed off the floor. She went to the water fountain to drink and Akhil followed her. As she was coming out from the drinking area, he again blocked her way and said, 'So, Ms. Chit-chat, how's it...'

Anika stood there, arms crossed, and said, 'Not bad, cheesy monkey. You tricked me.'

'Oh really, I don't think so. You lost the bet, accept it, and tell me when I can arrange our date,' Akhil said, moving closer to her.

'In your dreams...' she said and started walking away, but he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him.

A gasp escaped her lips with the sudden jerk, and her forehead hit his hard chest. He held her by the waist while her hands instinctively went to his chest. She looked at him in shock, and he gazed at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes. 'I've already told you, Ms. Chit-chat,' he said, 'Don't talk about my dreams because if you get to know them, you won't be able to stand here without blushing...'

He gently brushed the hair away from her face, and she felt disoriented. Their moment was broken when his friend called out to him, and he was distracted. Anika seized the opportunity, pushing him hard so he stumbled back. She left without looking back, throwing a final, 'Pervert!' over her shoulder, which made him laugh."

Akshit chuckled, and Anika joined him, her laugh soft but warm. She sighed, "You know, when all of this was happening back then, I felt so irritated and angry. But now, remembering those times, it just makes me laugh and smile."

Her eyes suddenly welled up, and Akshit noticed the shift in her expression. Hesitantly, he placed his hand on top of hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

Anika glanced at his hand, then at his face. He simply nodded, blinking as if to say it's okay. "This is what we call memories, Anika..." he said gently. "They make you cry and happy at the same time."

Anika smiled through her teary eyes, quickly wiping the corner of her tear, sniffing softly as she nodded. He withdrew his hand, wanting to lighten the mood.

"So, did you go on the date with him or not?" he asked, his voice laced with curiosity.

Anika looked at him, her thoughts still lingering in the past. "You know, when we had that bet, I thought it was just a joke. But he cleared that delusion real quick. I came to know he was serious—dead serious—and actually wanted to go on a date with me."

Akshit raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Really?"

Anika gave a big, confident nod. "Yeah. Even you won't believe it, but that was the first time I felt jealous—when he was flirting with my receptionist. That was the first time he made me feel like he actually wanted me. That was the first time we had an honest, serious conversation. That was the first time we actually became friends, and... that was the first time we exchanged our numbers."

She spoke slowly, a nostalgic smile tugging at her lips. It was one of her favorite memories because it marked the turning point in their relationship—when things started to change, when they moved beyond the teasing and fighting into something real.

Akshit's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Now I'm really curious to know what happened next..."

Anika saw the genuine interest in his eyes and, with a soft smile, started to recount the rest of the story.

After finishing the meeting, Anika needed some documents from the reception, so she made her way there. She arrived at the reception area and saw someone standing there, holding the receptionist's hand. His back was facing her, so she couldn't see his face. As she approached, she realized it was the owner, holding the hand of her office receptionist.

"You know, this line depicts that you are about to meet a tall and handsome man soon," Akhil said to the receptionist, holding her right hand in his left while using his other hand to point at the lines.

The receptionist smiled, blushing slightly, at his words. Anika witnessed this, giving them a disbelieving look, but she ignored them and said to Naina, her receptionist, "Naina, could you please pass me the file for Mehra's office design?"

Akhil heard the voice he had been longing to hear for the past two weeks. He looked at her, his eyes shining, and said, "Hi, Ms. Mishra. How are you?"

"I am good, Mr. Arora. Well, no need to ask how you are doing because I can see that," she said sarcastically, gesturing towards his hand still holding Naina's.

Akhil looked down and released Naina's hand with a jerk. Naina frowned and handed the file to Anika. Anika took the file and left. Akhil followed her, but Naina grabbed his other hand and said, "Hey, we're not finished yet. I need to know more."

"Some other time, sweetheart. I have some other important business to attend to now," Akhil said, disengaging his hand from her grip, and hurriedly left the area.

He saw Anika discussing something with her employee. He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms, and watched her with admiration, a sweet smile gracing his face. Anika sensed someone's gaze on her. She looked up and saw him watching her with a complex emotion. He put his hands over his ears and mouthed "Sorry" to her. She frowned at him and ignored his apology. She then discussed the designs with her employee and left for her cabin. Akhil saw her leaving and followed her.

"Hey, I am sorry, Ms. Chit-chat, but that was just to trick her," Akhil said, following her.

"This is my office, Mr. Arora, so please behave. And why are you apologizing to me? I don't care what you are doing or with whom you are flirting," Anika said, walking away with an angry tone.

She started walking again and opened her cabin door. He followed her, saying, "Now that's not true. I can feel it; otherwise, you wouldn't be frowning at me like that."

"I am angry because you are irritating me now. It's my office time, Mr. Arora, so please can we talk later?" Anika said irritably. She was actually feeling angry to see him with Naina, but she didn't want to admit it to herself.

"No, I want to talk now," he insisted, moving closer to her.

"Don't you have any work, Mr. Arora? It's Monday, and being a lawyer, I assume you have some cases to handle," she said, turning away and crossing her arms over her chest. She truly didn't want to see him right now because she didn't understand why seeing him with another girl made her feel so bad.

"I do, but something else is more important than my cases now," he said, standing close behind her.

Anika composed herself and turned to face him. She crossed her arms again and asked, "Okay, tell me, what do you want? How can I help you?"

He looked at her face, which still held some anger, and said, "How many times do I have to tell you? I just want you. You may not believe it, but I am desperately waiting for the day when we can go on a date. But I don't want to force you. I need a chance to be with you."

Anika was shocked by his words. She wanted to believe him, but her mind still harbored some doubts, especially after seeing him with Naina. Yet, her heart couldn't ignore the sincerity in his eyes.

"Why are you wasting your time on me? I've told you many times, I'm not interested. Please leave me alone. And about the date, go ask Naina. I'm sure she'll agree immediately, and you won't even have to work hard to impress her," she said, her voice laced with hurt. She turned away, unable to bear the look in his eyes.

Akhil noticed her voice was slightly heavier, meaning he had some effect on her, but she was either unwilling to admit it or perhaps scared of something. He came to her side and gently lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him.

He looked at her hurt expression and said, "You're jealous, aren't you?"

She looked down and shook her head, denying it.

"No, you're lying. I can see it in your eyes," he said.

She looked at him with a shocked expression. He cupped her cheeks and said, "Don't run from me. If I said I need a chance, I truly mean it, Anika. Do you know why I pursue you?"

She looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"Because you're different from the others," he replied, looking into her eyes.

His reply surprised her. He continued, "There are many girls who want my attention, but after meeting you and getting to know you, I only want your attention. I don't need anything else. If you need time, take it. We can take things slowly, but please don't run away without giving us a chance. I promise I will behave myself around you and won't look at any other girl, because you are the most important person to me. We can start as friends, and when you feel ready, just tell me about our date. I will wait for that day, but please, just give us a chance."

Anika's heart began to race after hearing his soothing words. No one had ever spoken to her like that before. For the first time, she truly wanted to believe him and his words, because the honesty she saw in his eyes was unlike anything she had experienced before. She looked at him, and unknowingly, a tear rolled down her cheek.

Akhil saw the tear and immediately wiped it away with his thumb. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead to comfort her. She felt a spark ignite within her as his lips touched her forehead, and the feeling thrilled her. He pulled back, and she felt a pang of disappointment.

He looked at her sad face and chuckled, then said teasingly, "If you want, we can have our first kiss here. I don't mind at all, but don't look disappointed."

She laughed through her tears and playfully hit him on the shoulder. "Shameless creature. Back to your cheesy lines, you cheesy monkey."

"That's who I am, and I'll never abandon my cheesiness for you because I love it when you call me 'Cheesy monkey,'" Akhil said with honesty and mischief.

"Don't you think you're being too flirtatious even for a friendship, Mr. Arora?" Anika asked, raising an eyebrow.

"If I flirt only within our friendship, then we'll progress. Otherwise, I'll have to wait for God knows how many years for our date," Akhil said, huffing dramatically.

"So what? You just said I can take as much time as I need, so let it be like this," Anika said with a smirk and shrugged her shoulders.

"You can take your time, but I know you're secretly hoping for a faster progression and are desperately waiting for our first date," Akhil said, pulling her closer to him.

"In your dreams," Anika said, trying to escape his grasp.

He pulled her closer, and she gasped. "Again you want to talk about my dreams? If you really want to, this time I'll explain everything in detail. Do you want to know?"

His words didn't irritate her this time. In fact, she blushed, which surprised even herself. He looked at her flushed cheeks and said, "Red cheeks suit you, Ms. Mishra, and I'm glad our progression is going so quickly."

She pushed him away and said, "Cheesy monkey."

He laughed and said, "At least now give me your number."

She smiled and gave him her number, which he saved in his phone under the name "Chit-chat." She saved his number as "Cheesy monkey" in her phone.

They were still talking when Akhil received a call from his office. He left with a happy smile on his face.

Anika showed Akshit her phone and said, "See, even after everything, I still saved his number with the same name: Cheesy Monkey🐒❤..."

Akshit looked at the screen, a chuckle escaping his lips. He noticed the monkey and heart emojis beside the name and said, "Wow... a monkey and a heart? That's a rare combination."

She laughed and said, "Yeah, actually, when I first saved it, it was just his name with the monkey emoji. But after we became lovers, I added the heart too..."

"Cute..." Akshit said with a smile. Anika nodded, setting her phone aside.

After glancing at the number again, Akshit asked, "Hey, why don't you try this number?"

Anika looked at him, her expression turning somber. "What do you think? I never did?"

Akshit noticed the sadness in her eyes as she continued, her voice heavy, "Every day I tried this number, but it always says, this number is switched off..."

Akshit nodded thoughtfully and asked, "But you said he and Mr. Saxena are good friends, so doesn't he know? And what about his other numbers?"

Anika took a deep breath and replied, "No one knows where he is... They even tried calling his London number, his office, his home, his parents' numbers—nothing worked. Even Jiju's mom and Akhil's mom, both cousins, Suhasini aunty too doesn't know where they are. It seems like they just cut us all off from their lives. Jiju even went to London to search for him when we hadn't heard from them, but no one knew where they were."

"That's really shocking," Akshit said with a look of suspicion.

Anika nodded, her eyes distant. "Yeah, it is... for all of us."

Akshit gave a small nod and then, trying to lighten the mood, said, "It's okay, I'm sure he'll be back soon, Anika. You'll see."

Anika smiled softly, nodding in agreement, though there was still a lingering sadness in her eyes. He looked at her for a moment, then asked, "So, what was the next step after this friendship... the date?"

She looked back at him, a small smile on her lips, but her eyes clouded again. "It was a date, no doubt. But it wasn't easy for me, because of my insecurities..."

"Insecurities?" Akshit asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

Anika noticed his perplexed expression but was about to explain when they heard a knock at the door. They both hurriedly covered the spread pictures with a sheet and placed their fake project files on top. Anika went to open the door.

Standing there was the house servant, who came to call them for lunch, as her father was about to arrive in five minutes. Anika nodded and told her they'd be down shortly, then closed the door.

Turning back to Akshit, she said, "I think we should go downstairs and have lunch first."

Akshit nodded but added with a mischievous grin, "But I'm not leaving until this evening until I hear about your insecurities and what happened on your date night. So, you better think of another excuse to keep me here until then."

They both chuckled, and she said, "I promise."

"Great, then let's go!" he replied, following her downstairs for lunch.

Sharing old memories was always like reliving those moments in your mind, especially when those memories held a special place in your heart. You never wanted them to fade away.

As Anika recounted her love story, she too was living those beautiful moments again. Though they weren't with her love at that very moment, the memories of the moments she'd shared with him were enough. She could still imagine him in her heart. As she often said, he resides in her soul.

The memories she was sharing with Akshit were the beginning of her relationship with Akhil. They involved the playful fights, the teasing, and even the hidden love beneath all of it. And now, she was about to take him to one of the best memories she held dear—their first "Date Night". That night marked the beginning of their relationship, a night when they decided to take a step forward and be more than just friends.

*****

Hello lovely readers..😁

How are you all doing? 😊

Here is the another chapter. Hope you all liked it?☺

Anikhil moments were the best whether its their fight or serious talk...🤗

I remembered each and every memory of their while writing those flashbacks..😍

Akshit did recognise him as he met Akhil before.. 😊

Lets remember more beautiful moments of Anikhil in next update too.. starts with date night...❤

Will try to update next week if not then after 2 weeks, update will be here.. 😁

Stay safe and be happy...🤗

With lots of love...❤

Take care and bye..🙋‍♀️