हमें इश्क़ का मालूम नहीं ऐ रहबर,

पर, तेरी बाहों में सुकूॅं बड़ा मिलता है।

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Writer's POV :-

"I like you." Said Aakarsh with utmost sincerity. 

They stared into each other's eyes for a minute which was followed by a rich laugh. 

Yes, Diksha broke into laughter leaving Aakarsh hell confused!

He kept looking at her with a perplexed frowned face as her laughter grew more. She threw her head back laughing for some good 15 seconds.

15 dangerous seconds of Aakarsh's deep confusion! *Hehehe*

"I just share something extremely important and instead of expressing your thoughts over it you are laughing like a maniac!" Aakarsh seethed through his greeted teeth, glaring at her hard.

Oops, someone's angry! 

Sensing his sour-irritated mood, she controlled her enormous laughter covering it with some deliberate coughing. 

"Uhhhuuhh…" 

"Ohh, my Hulk… calm down... calm down." Said Diksha, shifting closer to him — if any space was left between them — she caressed & cupped his face, and placed a soft sloppy kiss on his right cheek.

Yeah, a smart trick played by her to calm his anger! *Winks*

He closed his eyes; clenched his jaw controlling his irritation as the caressing & kiss did affect him visibly.

And, the spirit of Hulk went back, people! *Giggles*

"And I was laughing because what you said was obvious, idiot. Ain't it clear with our actions that we like each other?" She said as he opened his eyes looking at her beautiful features.

"But you said, we need to explore so I thought about verbally expressing it." He said, grumpily.

"Acha (oh yeah)… then didn't you say it quite early? You must have waited a few decades to express your likeness towards me!" Diksha mocked, with tonnes of sarcasm dripping from her words and a tight-lipped smile.

"What?" He asked in confusion.

"God why?" Diksha asked, making a crying face looking up — as a complaint to God.

"Who would have thought the mighty Aakarsh Arrogant Verma, the most intelligent and ruthless billionaire, is a tube light in such matters?" She said, making a dramatically sorry face.

"Come to the point, why are you going round and round?" Aakarsh asked, in a bored tone.

"That's the point Mister that you don't get the point anytime!" She sighed.

"Diksha…" giving her a bored expression he warned her slightly.

"What… ain't it too obvious that we like each other. What do you think? Who else goes around kissing someone without having some attractions or likings towards them, you idiot?" She said, hitting his head lightly.

"That means you, too, like me as I like you?" Confused with his own words Aakarsh asked again.

Alright, people, here comes the tube light of the year award… guess who's the winner? *By an irritated-with-Aakarsh author*

"Aapka kuch nahi ho sakta Maharaj! (You're impossible, man)" Joining her hands and bowing her head slightly, Diksha stated dramatically.

"Okay, okay, I got it. No need to be all dramatic." Saying so Aakarsh lied on the bed keeping both his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. Diksha frowned at his actions.

"Ain't you gonna sleep?" 

"What do I seem to be doing right now?" He said, without opening his eyes.

"I mean why are you sleeping here?" She asked, again.

"Why are you scared?" With a naughty smirk playing on his lips, Aakarsh asked.

"What should I be scared of?" Adjusting the temperature of AC, Diksha asked.

"That you might not be able to control yourself having me beside you!" He whispered huskily in her ears, suddenly sitting straight closer to her.

She felt numerous goosebumps arising on her skin at the proximity as he was sitting behind her and her back was almost sticking to his chest. She shivered a bit when his warm breaths fell on her exposed neck and ears.

"Oh please it's not like the first time you're beside me… did you forget that day when we slipped into slumber, unknowingly, on the terrace?" She said mustering up some courageous voice.

In response to her question, Aakarsh slipped both his hands around her waist hugging her tightly leaving no space in between. Feeling some jolts of current running up and down her body, Diksha shuddered and a low moan escaped her lips when Aakarsh rubbed his nose over her exposed shoulder and neck.

She held his hands which were gripping her waist and stomach tightly and sucked in a deep breath as Aakarsh placed some open mouth kisses on her smooth skin.

"Umm… Aakarsh…" closing her eyes in ecstasy, Diksha tilted her head sideways, giving him more access to her exposed skin. 

A throaty deep groan came out of his mouth when he felt her clutching his hands tighter than earlier and breathing heavily.

"I can't get enough of your smoothness…" came some words in a husky deep voice from Aakarsh's mouth as he shifted to her other shoulder, sucking the freshly showered slightly cool skin. 

Why do they have such an unpredictable mood, God? They were just about to bicker!  

How did this romance enter the scene, all of a sudden? *shrugs*

"Aakarsh, leave me… do you forgot what Maa said?" Holding onto whatever self-control left in her, Diksha said tapping his hands. 

"What?" Aakarsh asked, sniffing in her hair taking in her sweet fragrance.

"No hanky-panky before the wedding." She said, giggling as Krishna's words echoed in her ears. Turning her head slightly she looked at him.

"I wasn't even planning anything like that, but if you..." Aakarsh said naughtily but was immediately interjected by Diksha as she smacked his hands making him chuckle.

"The reason why I said 'I like you today, is that it's only two days now and we'll be an engaged couple. I thought to express whatever I have in me to you, verbally, before everything goes official, for it's something precious that we'll be cherishing our whole life. And, I want us to remember this moment, as filled with affection, trust, and liking for each other, if not love yet." Aakarsh said, keeping his head over her left shoulder, pulling her more into him.

Diksha didn't interrupt or spoil his mood this time as she keenly listened to every word instead. Her heart filled with much warmth and emotions for Aakarsh as he completed his sweet explanation.

*Ahh, sometimes the author, herself, feels jealous of her own creation.*

How and when did you become this sweet Arrogant Verma? *dreamy eyes* 

"That's why I said I like you. And, I don't care if I'm moving fast or whatever but I really really like you a lot. And, somehow I can feel that not just a part but you are becoming my whole life." Aakarsh completed, whispering softly, looking deep into her brown shining orbs when Diksha tilted her head to look at him.

"In that case, I like you too Mr. Arrogant Verma. But, let me warn you, it won't take much time for this 'like' to convert into 'love' if you keep on saying such sweet things. So, don't panic if someday you hear me saying that." She said in a fake warning tone but ended up giggling, unaware of Aakarsh's intense stare.

Aakarsh stared at her smiling face, intently & dreamily, for some time, and then said something which got her breath hitched in her throat. 

"And, I'm certainly not complaining Jaan (life)!" 

"Aakarsh this… I mean…" she found herself short of words at his admission and that particular word increased the rate of her heartbeat.

She wasn't even over with the previous shock when, again, he said something which felt equal or more to thousands of love confessions.

"Humein ishq ka maloom nahi ae rehbar; par teri bahon me sukoon bada milta hai! (I don't know about love but being in your arms does give me peace. They feel like solace)." 

Pulling them into the depth of the ocean of love, those words by him did cast some spell on them. Lost in each other's captivating gaze they didn't notice the track of time. 

A sudden noise of the alarm startled them which ultimately brought them out of their reverie. It's Diksha's phone which rang. Stretching her hand she got her phone and turned the alarm off.

"Wo presentation prepare karne waqt set kiya tha taki raat ko uthke aaram se kaam kar sakoo. Delete karna bhool gayi. (While preparing for the presentation, I had set it, so that I can work at night without any hassle. Forgot to delete it)." She said, talking about the alarm.

"Hmm. It's two in the morning. We must sleep now." Aakarsh said, looking at the big square wall clock. He shifted back on the bed.

"Yeah, are you sleeping here?" She asked, seeing him arranging the pillow according to his comfort.

"Yes,  now no more questions. Come." Saying so he pulled her and she almost banged with his rock-hard chest. 

"Argh… no need to pull." She said keeping her head on his chest comfortably and pulled the duvet covering them.

"Hmm… good night." Turning the lights off he kissed her hair and they slipped into deep slumber soon.

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Writer's POV :- 

It was the next evening when everyone went to their respective homes after the working hours. Only Diksha and Sejal were left as Aakarsh had asked Diksha to go with him, and Neev was again here today for the obvious reason. Sejal was supposed to go with Neev now.

Diksha filled in Sejal with the details of her engagement and marriage as she wasn't able to talk to her last night.

"You're such a machhli becho person, Diksha!" Sejal gasped dramatically at the new information.

"What person?" Asked Neev as the two men came towards them.

"She meant selfish!" Diksha said, rolling her eyes at Sejal's dramatic choice of words.

"Wow… that's something… something different!" Neev exclaimed looking at Sejal.

"Na bhi ho to bhi tujhe lagega hi (you'll find it so even if it isn't)." Said Aakarsh in his usual arrogant attitude.

"Hello… talk to me… how can you marry my best friend without my permission?" Sejal asked, coming in front of Aakarsh.

Aakarsh raised both his eyebrows at her courage to step in front of him and on top of that demanded an answer with this tone.

She has some audacity. Daring girl! *Claps*

"I think you're forgetting I'm your boss Miss Sejal." Aakarsh asked in a calm voice, maintaining a straight face.

Diksha and Neev stood there enjoying the show with amusement in their eyes.

"I remember that…but.. but now you too have to remember that you're going to be my jiju. So you ca..can not scare me." Sejal said, stuttering a little and with lots of courage as, somewhere, indeed she was getting frightened and intimidated by Aakarsh.

Oops, someone's scared! 

"Is that so?" He again raised a brow and folded his hands on his chest. 

Whatever courage was left in her flew a few miles away on his serious voice and posture.

"Diksha, tell him he can't scare me… I am going to be his only sister-in-law." Making a crying face Sejal stood behind Diksha, pushing her to talk to Aakarsh.

They chuckled at her childish behaviour as soon as she pouted.

"I'm not scaring you… the only sister-in-law." Aakarsh said, chuckling at Sejal.

"Haaye sachi… (oh my god really)?" And Sejal was back to her normal self.

"Dumbo… such a kid you are! Now that I informed you, you must take leave as you have to be with me, the whole day. I want my best friend by my side on my special day." Diksha said, rather ordered.

"You don't have to tell me about that. I, myself, won't leave you." The over-enthusiastic Sejal replied happily.

"All right, we must leave now. Let's go." Neev said and they nodded while walking to the car with their respective partners.

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Writer's POV :-

Nakshatra :-

It was the engagement day and everyone was super busy handling some or different things. From morning nobody got a single chance to sit and breathe properly as the muhurta (auspicious moment) was at 6:34 pm.

As requested by the bride and groom the parents decided to keep it a close-knit affair. And, only a few close relatives were invited. No business partners or media personnel were invited as they decided to break the news before the marriage. Both Neev and Sejal we're with their respective best friends since morning. 

The back lawn was decorated beautifully, again requested by Aakarsh and Diksha, to keep it simple and sober and in the mansion only. Several silver and golden lightings were arranged in parallel rows. On one side there was a set up of stage for the ring ceremony and the catering service was arranged at the other side properly.

"Krishna, Annu, Bacho ko le aao pandit Ji bula rahe hai (bring kids, the priest is calling them). Mrinal said as he spotted Krishna and Annapurna walking towards the mansion with some ingredients in their hands.

"That's where we were going." Krishna said and they walked away.

"Mrinal yarr wo laal kapda diya the maine tujhe (I had given you that red cloth). Bring that Pandit Ji is asking about it." Mayank said, coming towards Mrinal.

They both went near the stage, where the puja set up was done, after taking the needed things.

By 6:15 Diksha and Aakarsh were present near the stage. Clad in a beautiful rose gold gown Diksha was looking extremely beautiful along with Aakarsh who chose to wear a deep blue Armani three-piece tuxedo; looking most charming as ever. Both the parents and their best friends were standing close to them.

Diksha and Aakarsh were about to sit down for the puja when a couple walked towards them and shocked everyone.

"I didn't expect this from you Mrinal. Your son is getting engaged, at least have some brains now." 

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Here's the update! 😃

Read and enjoy! 😍

Do vote, comment and share as much as you can! 😋

I can't believe we just reached the 50th Chapter! 🤩

I know I have said about engagement in this chapter but then I don't know what clicked… and I kept writing about Aakarsh and Diksha's fun and affection filled moments. 😛😛

Do tell me how the chapter was as I really need to know your views before writing further! 

Also, who came now, troubling the engagement? 🤔🤔

Thank you! ❤️