Recap ~
The spark & shade.

"Did I just finish?!" She sounded surprised seeing her imagination filled with bright colors on the canvas.

"Indeed magical." She admired before she was disturbed by a phone call.
"Err— on my way, Om!" She managed to say glancing at her watch. She was pretty late to the concert, but thankfully her friend was not mad at her.

___

Anika was completely busy the next day for her art exhibition. She had an unplanned surprise for her art fans but little did she know it would become one for her as well.

That evening, Anika's friends couldn't make it up for the exhibition. And before the event started, she got a call from her father,"How did you know I finished the painting?!" Anika suspected her father to which he chuckled saying, "I'm your dad, I know everything. You still didn't send me the groom's picture!"
"Dad, he is just my imagination. He is definitely not turning out real, so you better start searching for another one!" Anika said with a laugh at the end.
"You don't know when something happens. Let's see, and listen I definitely want to see my son-in-law's picture, so you better send it!" Raj said again and she rolled her eyes "Okay I will send, bye for now!"

Everyone were enjoying the event, when Anika took everyone's attention for the night,"Thank you all for coming tonight and spending time here. Just wanted to make an announcement about a new work of mine, a small surprise for you all."
As she paused for a moment, the place was filled with excitement and cheers. Smiling, she continued "This one is very dear to my heart, presenting Kwaab, ek pyaara sa kwaab jo har raat aapko khud se zyada pyar karne ke liye aatha hai. (Dream, a beautiful dream which comes every night to love you more than yourself.)"

Saying she revealed the painting, her imagination of true love. Everyone were mesmerised by the painting, it was indeed one of Anika's best art works. But within minutes, people heard indistinct voices here and there and before Anika could understand anything, people made way for a guy who stood at the entrance confused seeing the others looking at him as if he was an alien. While he walked slowly, Anika descended down the stage thinking if this was even real.

How could her imagination turn real?! ✨

They were one step close to each other when Shivaay called out softly, "Anika...?"
"Shivaay...?" was Anika's instant reaction without even knowing if that was his name. Everything felt like a dream until they heard a familiar voice, "Bhai, I told about Anika right. She is the one!" Khushi spoke excitedly.
"This is my brother, Shivaay." She introduced simultaneously looking at each other. It was indeed an unplanned surprise for Anika.

Khushi nudged her brother for not reacting in anyway but that made him slightly lose balance letting his hands touch Anika's for grip.
"Sorry!" He apologized to which she smiled nervously, "That's okay!"
"Another painting?!" squealing, Khushi left to check out the painting. In no time, she came back surprised and shocked, "Bhai do you guys know each other before itself? Like that painting is yours, without the beard though. It is an exact photocopy of you!"

That moment, Shivaay locked his eyes with Anika's not wanting to lose his sight on her anytime soon. Breaking their eyelock, she excused herself from the brother sister duo and sat down at the nearby pool after ordering her assistant to take away the painting to her car.
"What just happened?!" Anika questioned to herself, "How and why?! The imagination which I thought never existed, existed in real?!"

Anika couldn't sleep the entire night thinking about the incident running in iterations within her brain, and so was the same for Shivaay.
"Did she see me earlier! Or did I see her? How did my painting get into her exhibition?!" He wondered not helping himself in anyway.

It was already twenty whole hours past the incident but Shivaay and Anika could definitely not forget anything that happened.

"Shall we go for shopping?!" Anika asked Om to distract herself from her thoughts when he asked back, widening his eyes in surprise "Are you feeling well?!"
"Yeah yeah what happened!?" She asked confused to which he stated, "The one who is least interested in shopping is asking about the same! Wondering if you are really my Anu?"
"O enough. Forgot about your wife's birthday?!" She smirked when he spoke nervously, "Don't turn the plates on me!"

"What are you two arguing about?" Gauri asked casually as she sighted the two.
"Shopping!" Both answered in unison, chuckling at each other.
"For?!" Gauri asked surprised when Om replied trying to sound casual, "Arnav asked Anika to get some things for him!"
"Oh really?! Stop lying." Gauri rolled her eyes.
"I ain't lying!" Om imitated like a kid while the other two laughed.

Just before they could continue their conversation any further, the calling bell rang catching their attention.
"I will get it!" saying Anika walked up to the door and opened casually only to find the same blue eyed man whom she met at yesterday's exhibition staring at her in shock. She closed the door instantly shocking him even more.
"Why is she/he here?! Am I dreaming?!" Both muttered under their breaths until she heard the bell again.

This time Gauri opened the door confused by Anika's weird behavior. She left to her room not answering any of her friends' questions.

"Om the cat lost its way. Can you please drop him back from where he came!" Gauri sounded annoyed while Om chuckled as he greeted Gauri's school best friend.
"Can you please for God's sake stop being angry?" Shivaay asked his friend when she said, "Can you please for God's sake stop acting innocent?"

"Is there any girl here?!" Shivaay suddenly asked out of the blue moon remembering Anika when Gauri gasped in shock, "Who do you think I'm?!"
"You are not considered." Shivaay said rolling his eyes only to receive punches on his stomach.
"Shivaay!" Gauri screamed at the top of her voice as he laughed out loud, squeezing Om like a sandwich between the two.
"Anika!" Om hollered not able to bear his wife and her friend playing the sandwich game with him.

Precap ~
Indeed my boyfriend.

How was the chapter? Finally Shivaay and Anika met. 🤗