A/N: Set after Stuntman Murder and Bootiya Colony. This is totally my POV.

Dedicated to kdlove-uall di. ^_^

"Aapka khene ka kya matlab hai Mr. Abhijit. Mein aur Dr. Tarika ek saath dinner pe nahi ja sakte."

"Mera matlab wo nahi tha… mera matlab kaam ki time pe dinner ki kya bath ho sakti hai kaam ke time pe."

"By the way for your kind information mein aur Tarika har roz ek saathkhanaa kaate hain"

" Ek saath hum khaathe nahi tho kya hua. Ese dindora pitne ki kya zarurath hai. "

Shifting in bed restless and hugging the pillow. Poor pillow was totally crushed under him and his frustration.

The thing is, tonight the sleep fairy skipped his home from spreading sleep powder in his eyes. Leaving him to mumble about today's incident in lab.

"Urgh… kabi kabi wo tho mera jina haram karte hain."

" Lab mein do char batein nahi karne dete uske saath. Aur ab…Acha hua Daya ne bheech mein bol diya. Nahi tho mein unse hum dono ki saari romantic date ke baremein bolta."

Sigh.

"Kuch tho karna padega."

"Roz unke saath lunch aur mere saath month mein ek bar dinner."

" Wo.. wo b jab uska mood ho tab."

"Upar se patha nahi ye crime karne wale ko b wahi time milta hai koi jurm karne ko."

Abhijit sat up, crossing his legs and pulling his hair in frustration.

" Roz…. Roz….. URGhhh… ROZ…. My god."

Throwing hands to his sides.

"Ye sab sirf mere saath hi kyun hota hai."

"Nahi kal se esa nahi honi chahiye. Tarika ko agar roz Salunkhe sir ke saath lunch karne ki time hai tho wo mere saath b kar sakti hai."

"Mein abi call kartha huin"

Deciding so Abhijit immediately switched on his bed-side lamp, pulled out his mobile from bedside and speed dialled her number without looking at the time.

"Busy?"

Looking at the wall clock " Raath ke 11 baje ko kis se bath kar rahi hai….. Patha nahi kitni der se bath kar rahi."

"Isske baremein puchni hai. Aur ek bar try kartha huin mein"

Abhijit tried to call her again. Again it came busy.

"Abi bi busy. Itni raath ko…itni raath ko pata nahi kise bath kar rahi hai Tarika. Aur busy hai tho kya. Meri number dhek ke wo call hold pe dalke, hold pe kyun, cut karke attend kar sakti hai na."

Abhijit got down from bed and paced the length of his bed room.

After few seconds he tried again and this time the call got connected. The few seconds taken by Tarika to pick up the call made him more agitated. And the moment she picked up he barked at her even before she could complete her 'hello'

" Kiske saath bath kar rahi ti tum? Wo b itni der raath ko aur itni der thak."

"Patha hai kabse try kar raha tha mein Tarika."

"Wo call kya itni important tha kya. Cut nahi kar sakti meri call ko dhekne k baad."

Taria cut in and shouted a bit for him to listen over his talk.

"Abhijit! Mein Salunkhe sir.."

" Salunkhe saab? Mujhe patha tha.(Tarika rolled her eyes, both of them shouted at her hearing each other name, just now one stopped here now other started, sigh being a woman is tough) Tumhe iss waqth wahi disturb kar sakte hain. Unko aur koi time nahi mila kya. Kal subah bath kar sakte te ya fir kal lab pe miloge hi tab bol sakte te. Ab hi kyun bath karni ti unko…."

"Abhijit relax. Sir case ke baremein discuss kar rahete. And about disturbing tum b tho iss time pe call karke batein kar rahe ho…."

Sheepish grin.

"Hehee… hann wo.."

"Bolo kyun phone kiya Abhijit tumne."

Stuttering.

" Mein..meine phone kyun kiya. Haan. Meine phone kyun kiya?"

"Abhijit mein b wahi puch rahi huin tumne isswaqth phone kyun kiya? Kuch important kaam tha kya? Case ke baremein kuch puchni ti kya?"

" Ergh …Important bath? Case ke baremein? Haan haan… case ke baremein kuch puchni ti aapse Tarika ji."

"Tho pucho Abhijit."

"Haan wo (raking his forehead) darasal …"

"Wese Abhijit aaj lab pe mere aane ke phele kya hua ? Salunkhe sir ka mood kuch tik nahi tha. "

"Arey ku..ku..kuch nahi Tarika ji. Wo tho mujhe dhekte hi ukad jate hain. Me..me..Meine kuch nahi kiya."

" Oh. Fir tik hai. (excited) Patha hai Abhijit aaj unhone dinner, unke saath karne ko kaha.(Abhijit bit his lip). Wo jo juhu pe ek new restaurant hai na wahan pe gaye hum dono. Bahut maza aya Abhijit.(Abhijit cursed under his breath). Wo bahut ache company dete hain. Mera tho has has ke pet dhukne laga."

" Abhijit?"

"Hun"

"Sun rahe ho na tum."

"Haan. Bolo Tarika."

Tarika recollecting from her thought.

Wo na koi jalan ashiqui ke baremein bol rahte, jo apne girlfriend apne boss ke saath khaana khaane ki baath sunke jealous feel karta tha.(His eyes doubled its size and his jaw dropped down neatly). So funny na. Sach mein pagal hai (Abhijit felt somebody nudged him hard)wo. Koi boss se jalan hota kya. (Tarika was laughing by now and Abhijit 's comfortableness kept decreasing."

"Suna tumne hai na."

"Hu..hugh.. haan. Par Tarika shayad wo ladka us ladki se bahut pyaar karta ho issliye…. Insecure feel kartha ho…. (Shrugging his shoulder)You know boss ke saath kafi time bitana aur uske saath kam. It's natural."

Tarika stopped laughing by now and observed seriousness in his tone.

" Hmm…. Point tho hai. Par wo ladki uske boyfriend ke saath time kyun nahi spend karti? It's bad na. Uske boyfriend ko puchini chahiye for an date. "

"Date ?"

" Haan date. Kyun?"

"Nahi. Wo dono ko ek saath jane ko time nahi milta unka kaam esa hoga."

" Hmm… Tumhe kese patha?"

"Muje kese patha…. Wo.. wo na..Wo jis story Salunkhe sir bol rahe hai na wo story meine padi hai issliye janta huin."

"Oh! Book ka naam batao. Interesting story hai. Mujhe b padni hai."

"Hein! Book?"

"Haan Abhijit."

"Tik hai kal deta huin. Hmm..(doubtfully) Kal dinner pe chalet hain. Wahan mein tumhe lake deta huin. Fine?"

Abhijit prayed for her to answer positively.

"Hmmm…. Dinner. Ok fine. Done."

"Haan? Haan! Ok kal 8 baje mein pick up karne aata huin.."

"Ok Abhijit."

….

Next Day:

Time 9:45 pm

Exotic Bistro:

Tarika(sitting straight in shock): Tho wo Ashiqui tum the Abhijit?

Abhijit just nodded his head in positive with shame and fearful expression.

Tarika: Sach mein… I mean wo tum…

Tarika leaned back. Silence filled in for some time. Abhijit fidgeted in his place under Tarika's intensive gaze.

Tarika(strict tone): Stop moving Abhijit. (Abhijit became a statue) Tho issi liye Salunkhe sir kal pareshaan te jab mein x-ray leke ayiti…. And aap log jane ke baad b kuch bol rahete apne aap. Aur achanak dinner pe ane kelye insist ki.

Silence.

Suddenly Tarika burst out laughing. Abhijit gave a strange expression towards her.

Tarika: Apni shakal dheki tumne. Heehee….. Aur koi nahi mila kya tumhe. Heehahaaa… Seriously Abhijit you are too much. Ek baar puchoge tho mein mana thodi karti.

Abhijit(complaining tone): Par time kahan hain humare pass. Jab mein free hota huin tho tum busy hoti ho. Aur jab mein busy hota huin tho tum free hoti ho. Koi esa waqt hai hi nahi jahan hum roz ek saath spend kar sake.

Tarika(shying): Abhijit!

Abhijit(whining): Kya Tarika ji. Mujhe sirf aapke saath roz khani hai. Kyun na hum breakfast ek saath karte hain?

Tarika(rolling her eyes): Breakfast Abhijit!

Abhijit: Haan. Kyun ?

Tarika: Office jane ki deri mein kuch khake ate hain hum ya kabi kabi kuch khate b nahi. Late jayenge tho dono ki parade lagegi. Aram se nahi kar sakte.

Abhijit: Tho fir evening coffee?

Tarika: Evening tho kaam mein nikal jata hai Abhijit. Tum b field work pe hote ho mostly. Set nahi hogi.

Abhijit(frustrated): Breakfast nahi, coffee nahi aur dinner b nahi tho kya karein hum.

Tarika(shying): Lunch.

Abhijit's face bloomed at once and glowed in the dim surrounding.

Abhijit: Wah Tarika ji. Aap intelligent ho, jo chahe jo b kahe. Aur apke hote hue sach mein tareeka ka koi kami nahi hai.

Tarika just shied away but beamed with happiness.

Tarika: Par Salunkhe sir aur tumhara kaam.

Abhijit(thinking thoughtfully): Hm…Roz nahi ho saktha par hum weekly 3 bar kar hi sakte hain. Koi b bahane banake aajaiye aur mein uss din field work pe nahi jauinga. Bureau ka kamm sabhalunga.

Tarika: Hmm…

Abhijit: Tik hai na Tarika ji?

Tarika: Haan.

Abhijit(squealed): Yes!

In that process dinning wears kept on the table jumped as his elbow touched it with force. And everyone looked at them due to the sudden noise. Tarika's eyes widen as she saw his act and immediately shyness crept in as she saw everyone looking at them. She fidgeted with table wear as if to keep them properly. Abhijit gave a "oops" look and felt embarrassed and sorry as soon as he realised peoples gaze were on him.

After two days:

Time 2 pm:

Tulip restaurant:

Abhijit(wiping his mouth): Wah Tarika ji yahan tho kahana bahut acha hai. Hai na?

Tarika(placing water on table): Haan Abhijit.

Abhijit: Aur aaj tho sawaad kuch jada hi acha tha aap jo saath mein the(Tarika looked at him shocked, Abhijit started to stutter as he looked into her deep orbs)..me… matlab hai ki aapne jo order ki.

Abhijit smiled sheepishly and Tarika blushed at his antics. She liked it, she felt special every time he acted so. She knew he did so purposefully only for her.

Tarika: Thank you Abhijit.

Abhijit: Thank you kyun ?

Tarika: Lunch keliye.

Abhijit: Arey Tarika you whank you chodiye. Ab tho hum aksar ek saath lunch karenge.

Waiter: Bill sir. Abhijit glared up at waiter for disturbing at perfectly wrong time who just smiled back at him doing his duty.

Both rummaged their wallet to take money.

Abhijit: Tarika ji rehne dijiye mein pay kartha huin.

Tarika: Nahi Abhijit mein karungi.

Abhijit(holding her right hand with his left to stop her from paying): Arey nahi nahi.

Tarika(pushing his hand away): Please Abhijit.

Abhijit(stern voice): Tarika mein pay karunga.

Tarika kept quiet frowning at him and he paid the bill.

Abhijit: Thank you.

Tarika: Iss bar tik hai but next time mein pay karuingi.

Abhijit: Par..

Tarika: Par war kuch nahi Abhijit. Hum hafte mein 3 bar aarahein hai tho har bar tumko karcha utane ki zarurath nahi hai. Seriously mein next time pay karungi.

Abhijit(giving up): Ok ok Tarika ji. Hum turn leke ek dusre ko treat karenge. Ok?

Tarika(happily): Ye huyi na bath.

7th August 2013

Time 8 pm:

Sunshine restaurant:

Abhijit smiled remembering how their lunch began to be a ritual to them as the days passed. It just became an addiction to them.

More than him being jealous it was disappointment that on their 'we lunch together day' she was having with a handsome guy as stated by Daya named Sanyog.

Although he said he will have lunch alone to prick Tarika he couldn't even gulp down a bite down his throat that day or even later.

He fasted from that time really as he said to Tarika. And just from the second she asked him out for dinner after case he waited for the case to get over. Unfortunately it took another day and he remained hungry that day too inspite of good scolding from Daya and Tarika.

Poor thing even after knowing that Sanyog left he wasn't feeling good. He wanted to have with her. And finally the day had come sorry night had come and he was there in the same restaurant where he saw her with him. Ha male ego. He even booked same table.

As he was waiting for her, thinking on the past few days suddenly his orbs halted on one most pretty specimen walking towards him with a brilliant most attractive smile and magnetic eyes.

He stood up involuntarily smiling up like a halogen lamp in the midst of zero watt bulbs lit in the restaurant here and there.

The world around them was shrinking from reality but expanding exponentially in their own world.

And rest of the evening was just a poetic which described will lose its charm. So close your eyes and look within you to feel the joy of pure love.

A/N: Thank you for reading. ^_^ Hope it was good :)