Nitya reaches her office, Nexus News & Media Network. Though it's Sunday, being on a mission, has brought her back to the office. However, their office operates 24 hours a day, and employees can choose a weekly off. Nitya prefers to take her weekly off on Sundays to relax. It also allows her to do home chores, go shopping and of course, to meet Ishika.

A sad smile graces her lips as she enters the office premises. However, she is here only to report to her superior and brief him about the mission that she has just finished. After that, she's free to leave and enjoy her day off. But, she's a little agitated; she didn't feel like coming to the office, yet duty calls.

She makes her way straight into her superior's cabin. Her superior, Shailesh Ahuja, beams at her and welcomes her. She reciprocates his greeting with the same enthusiasm.

"Welcome back, Nitya! Please have a seat."

"Thank you, sir. Here's the report." Nitya takes her seat opposite him and forwards a file towards him.

"This file has all the details of the mission. Isme un teachers ke bhi details hain jo iss drug aur trafficking mafia se jude hue hain. Parents apne bachchon ko teachers ki care mein chhod ke jaate hain, mujhe toh yakeen hi nahi hota ki kuch teachers paison ke liye bachchon ka sauda kar sakte hain." Nitya continues to speak, her voice filled with disgust as she updates her boss about the case.

"Duniya mein har koi ek jaisa nahi hota hai na, Nitya." Shailesh remarks, his eyes lingering over the file in his hand.

"Yeah, right. Phir bhi hum kehte hain vishwas aur umeed pe duniya chalti hain. Lekin Sir, aise teachers ho toh bachchon ka bhavishya kharab ho jayega." She expresses her thoughts.

She is talking about Crescent Hills High School, in the outskirts of Mumbai. They found some illegal things happening in the school. A few missing reports of students have also been filed. When Shailesh received this news, he decided to bring it into the limelight. He assigned the mission to Nitya, his best employee.

Nitya has been away in the school disguised as a teacher. She took a close look at everything and finally concluded that some teachers are responsible for the missing students. As Nitya found the culprits, she forced them to admit that they used to do drug pedalling from the school, they used to ask students as the medium of taking and giving the goods. Some students who came to know of it, went missing. Now, police are trying to find the missing kids, and the case is in good hands now.

Shailesh seems pleased with Nitya's work. He smiles at her and praises her skills, and it makes her happy.

"Well done, Nitya. I knew only you could do it. And, I am sorry, too." He apologises genuinely and she's surprised.

"Sorry? For what?" She asks, gaping at him.

"For calling you to the office on Sunday. I know you prefer taking Sunday as a day off." He smiles, and Nitya is touched that her boss remembers her choices.

"It's alright, sir. Work comes first, and I learned it from you only. May I leave now?" She asks politely and he agrees.

Nitya greets him for another time and leaves the office with a smile on her face. As she steps out of the office, it's just 10 am. Her eyes fell on a cafe on the other side of the road. She decides to give herself a treat and spend some time with herself.

It's a different kind of healing, altogether. Nitya believes so.

She reaches the cafe, it's named Cafe Lounge. It's the common place where she hangs out with her office friends. She had to come to the office, but she's pleased that her mission is successful. She takes a deep breath and places an order for a coffee and a cheese burst Pizza, it's her favourite.

As she sits, reflecting on her life until now, she's pleased to have made some good friends. Everyone is caring, but there's only one exception, Ishika.

Now, that, Ishika is in her thoughts, her mind ponders on the mark that she has seen on her left arm. What does it signify? It causes her pain, but birth marks aren't painful. She's concerned for her friend who bears seething pain everyday, and knows nothing of it.

Nitya is equally worried for Ishika. She opens her phone and there's her and Ishika's picture on the wallpaper. She traces her picture with her thumb.

"I can't do anything to lessen your pain, Ishu. but we will decipher it, together. It's my promise." Nitya promises herself and takes out her laptop to search for something.

The internet may have answers, maybe!

*****
Ishika is at the Shekhawat House, enjoying her time with Anamika and her siblings. Apart from her best friend, Nitya, these four siblings are an important part of her life. She checks the time and it's 10:30 am.

"Ma, ab mujhe jaana chahiye. Mujhe kuch samaan kharidna hain, kal ya parso mumma bhi aa jayegi." Ishika says while looking at Mamta.

"Thik hain, tu ja. Aur kuch chahiye ho toh bol dena, kahin door jaana ho toh bol dena, ye teenon hain na, tujhe le jayenge." Mamta looks at her sons.

"Thank you, Maa. Main manage kar lungi. Aaj Sunday hain na, aap log enjoy kijiye." She says it affectionately.

"Han, lekin tu jaanti hain tu bol sakti hain. We're just a call away, you know." Mahesh smiles, smearing her head.

Ishika is filled with a sweet emotion. This family has been kind to her and the three men fill the brotherly void in her life. She acknowledges him, and leaves after hugging Anamika and promises to meet her the next day. As she walks through the garden, her phone rings and she answers the call, only to receive an instruction to meet the person at gate number one of the society.

As she reaches the gate of society, she catches a glimpse of a young lad, sitting on the bike. She can't see his face clearly but she recognises him. She runs towards him and hugs him.

"I missed you!"

"I missed you too. That is why I am here!" He says this while removing the helmet and his handsome face comes into view.

He's fair-skinned, and his deep, black eyes have many emotions bubbling beneath. His chiselled jawline and French beard style enhance his rather sharp features. His charming smile hits her heartstrings. He's Samrat Rathore. He's Ishika's best friend and colleague. She works with him and they co-own GlamTech Ventures. Samrat has been away on a business tour.

"Tum toh kal aane wale they na" she gazes at him.

"Kaam jaldi khatm ho gaya toh raat tak aa gaya tha, aur main tumse milne aa gaya." Samrat flashes a sweet smile at her.

"You still took five days, Mr Rathore." She looks at him intently.

"I offered you to come with me. Tum nahi gayi toh mujhe double kaam karna pad gaya, Ishika. Tum saath aati toh kaam jaldi ho jaata." She replies with a smile.

"But, you're the boss, Sammie. And you know how people badmouth. They won't like to know the reality and I don't want it to happen." Ishika glances at her.

"Why does it even matter, Ishu? We're best friends, we are colleagues. Whatever we do, it shouldn't be of importance to the people." Samrat says it annoyingly.

Ishika's in a trance as he says it annoyingly. He gets annoyed easily when she talks like this. He feels that there's nothing wrong with working together, people must look at themselves, and not mind others' business. She likes it when he protects their relationship, which is a lot of friendship and a little more. It'll be quick to judge the sacred bond that they hold for each other. He is someone on whom Ishika relies, but only after her mother and her soul sister, Nitya.

"Okay, sorry, Let's go for coffee. You owe me a treat." She apologises and he agrees.

"Of course, Madame! At your service." Samrat bows his head in front of Ishika, causing her to giggle.

Ishika laughs and sits behind him on the bike and they drive off to their favourite cafe. They grab a corner seat and Samrat orders two cappuccinos and a chocolate cake, he knows Ishika loves it. She's touched by his action and smiles brightly.

"You remember my choices?" She asks, surprised at the moment.

"Main tumhe bhoola hi kab tha, Ishu, jo tumhari pasand bhool jaaunga." He says, flashing his cute smile, letting Ishika's heart skip a beat.

Ishika is lost in his smile for some good seconds. Well, she has feelings for this man but she's kept them hidden. After all, she is fearful of professing her feelings. What if he doesn't think about her more than a best friend? And here, she's thinking about him as her life partner. He chides her, breaking her trance.

"Tujhe Dekh ke toh ladke kho jate hai, Tu kiske khayal mein khoyi hai?" He asks jokingly.

"Hain koi someone special! Main tumhe kyun bataun?" She asks teasingly.

"Hey, I am your best friend, tum mujhe bata sakti ho. Infact tum mujhe nahi bataogi toh kisko bataogi?" He scoffs, causing her to giggle.

"Tum kyun ladkiyon ki tarah gossips janna chahte ho, Sammie?" She rolls her eyes at him.

"Ye toh nainsaafi hain, Ishu. Tum kehti ho main tumhara best freind hoon, lekin tum mujhe kuch nahi batati. Tumhara saara time kaun le jaata hain, ya toh wo chhutki, Anu...ya phir wo tumhari dost....kya naam hai uska.....Ni...." He tries to remember her friend's name, but can't, while Ishika is enjoying his expressions.

"Ni-Tya....Nitya! Naam toh yaad rakha karo, Sammie." She chides him.

"Huh, why? Main kyun yaad rakhun? Ek toh she takes all your time & attention, aur ab tum chahti ho main tumhari dost ka naam yaad rakhun...NO! " He rolls his eyes, furrowing his eyebrows in agitation, causing her to giggle.

"Toh! Kya dikkat hain tumhe? Are you jealous?" She asks, a hint of a smirk on her lips.

"Main...main kyun jealous hone laga? Tum khud hi dekho, pichhle hafte bhi tum uske sath busy thi, aur uske picchle hafte toh tum Nitya ke ghar hi rehne chali gayi, aise nahi hota hain, hum kya bas office mein hi mil sakte hain?" He asks,

"Oh god! Sammie! You're too cute. Jokes apart, mujhe achcha laga jaan ke ki jab main tumse baat nahi kar paati hoon ya available nahi hoti hoon, tum mujhe yaad karte ho. I am of some importance to you." She smiles.

"You are important, Ishu. Hum sirf business partners nahi, dost bhi hain. We were together in college, and I know I can't match the levels on which you're with Nitya, but, ours is a special place." He looks at her, reaching out for her hands on the table.

"Har bond special hota hain, Sammie. Main jaanti hoon ki kabhi kabhi tum irritate hote hoge na jab main Nitya ke baare mein bolti rehti hoon. It's natural, kisi ek ke baare mein sunte rehna boring hota hain. Par main kya karun? Tum miley uske pehle vahi thi mere pas, hum bachpan se sath hain, aur jaante ho, vo mere bina bole hi sab samajh leti hain. Isliye wo special hain. Mere adhoorepan ko bhi wo kuch hadd tak bharti hain, Samrat. Isliye vo pehle hain, aur tum baad mein. I cherish the two of you."

"Ab toh lagta hain ki agar Nitya nahi milti toh mujhe mera confidence nahi milta aur agar tum nahi hote, toh mere sapne poore nahi hote. Isliye tum dono mere liye special ho. Kisi ek ko chunungi na toh apna nuksaan karungi, aur vo main nahi karna chahti." Ishika looks at Samrat, who's patiently listening to her.

There's an emotion in his eyes, he is touched by everything she just said to him. She cherishes her friendships. He's aware of the void that she is talking about. He's aware of her pain and the sense of void that she feels. No matter how hard he tries, it remains, and Ishika admits it. But she cherishes her true friends.

Samrat takes her hands in his and gives them a slight squeeze, as if, he's assuring her that everything will fall into the desired places. She blinks her eyes in assurance, as they silently sip their coffee for a few minutes.

A couple of minutes later, Samrat clears his throat and throws a piece of information at her, leaving her stunned.

To Be Continued.

What did Samrat tell to Ishika?

Stay tuned.