•| THIRTY TWO |•
The soft background music floating in the air felt like it was specially chosen to make hearts melt.
Violins blended with piano notes, wrapping the entire restaurant in a warm, romantic haze.
You were still busy twirling the pasta around your fork-fully invested in your food-when suddenly a waiter approached your table with a polished silver tray.
On it sat an elegant, branded wine bottle that looked more expensive than your entire monthly allowance.
"Here's your order, sir," the waiter said politely before placing two crystal glasses on the table.
You paused mid-bite.
Your eyes shifted from the glass... to the bottle... to Krish... then back to the glass again like it might bite you.
The waiter poured the deep ruby wine slowly, the liquid glistening under the candlelight like melted gemstones.
You leaned slightly toward Krish, lowering your voice as if discussing a national secret.
"We... gonna drink this?"
Krish looked up from his pasta, amusement dancing in his dark eyes. He wiped the corner of his lips with a napkin before nodding casually.
"Yeah."
Your heart did a tiny somersault.
Honestly, you had never drunk wine before. The closest you'd come to alcohol was cough syrup-and even that made you sleepy. But you didn't want to ruin the mood... and definitely didn't want Krish to think you were childish.
So you bravely picked up the glass.
Your fingers curled around the delicate stem like you were holding a science experiment.
You brought it near your lips-
But suddenly his hand stopped yours mid-air.
You blinked at him.
"What?" he raised a brow.
"What about cheers?"
"Oh!"
You smiled sheepishly, slightly embarrassed.
You lifted your glass toward his.
"Cheers..." the glasses clinked softly.
And before your brain could reconsider life choices-
You gulped the entire wine in one go.
Like juice.
Krish froze.
Then chuckled, shaking his head.
"You're supposed to sip it, not attack it." uou wiped your lips innocently.
"It tasted like... grape medicine." he laughed under his breath and went back to eating.
But within minutes...
The wine began doing its job.
You blinked.
Then blinked again.
The lights looked brighter.
The music louder.
You rubbed your eyes to focus on Krish-
But instead of one Krish...
You saw two.
Your jaw dropped.
You pointed at him dramatically.
"Omg..." he looked up.
"What?" you burst into giggles.
"Two Uncle!" he frowned instantly, turning to look behind him before looking back at you.
"There's only one me." you leaned forward, squinting seriously.
"No... two... both staring... very rude." he sighed, realizing what was happening.
He got up from his chair and walked toward you.
"Are you okay? Wait-" he cupped your face gently in his palm, tilting it upward to examine you.
Your cheeks were flushed...Eyes hazy...Smile loose and unfiltered.
"Are you drunk?" he murmured.
You grinned cheekily.
Instead of answering-
You lifted your hands and cupped his face back.
Your fingers squished his cheeks.
You giggled like a child.
"Omg... Uncle is worried about me..." he exhaled, half annoyed, half amused.
"But don't worry... I'm Samira... I'm strong..." you flexed your completely non-existent biceps proudly.
He looked at your "muscles."
Then at you.
Then shook his head with a helpless smile.
"God... you could've told me you have low alcohol tolerance." you leaned closer, whispering loudly-
"Shhh... don't tell Krish ji..."
"I am Krish ji." you gasped dramatically.
"No wonder you look same-same." he almost laughed but controlled himself.
Gently holding your shoulders, he helped you stand up.
Your balance wobbled instantly.
You clutched his arm like a lifeline.
"Stay here," he said softly. "I'm paying the bill, okay?" you nodded very seriously.
But the moment he took two steps away- you called out loudly.
"Uncle don't run away with my money!" Half the restaurant turned.
Krish closed his eyes briefly in second-hand embarrassment before paying quickly.
---
You were still giggling to yourself, your steps slightly wobbly as you looked around like a child discovering the world for the first time.
The cool night air brushed against your flushed cheeks, making you hum softly in contentment.
Suddenly, something caught your attention-the soft shimmer of raindrops falling under the golden streetlights just outside the restaurant entrance.
"Woah..."
The word slipped from your lips in pure wonder.
Without thinking twice, you walked toward the exit, drawn to the rain like it was calling your name.
Meanwhile, Krish returned after paying the bill, adjusting his watch absentmindedly. His brows furrowed instantly when he didn't find you where he had left you.
"Samira? ...Where did she go now?"
A hint of worry crept into his voice as his eyes scanned the restaurant. His heart skipped a beat until he finally spotted you outside-
Standing in the rain.
Dancing.
He exhaled in relief before running a hand through his dampening hair and walking toward you.
By the time he reached you, you were already spinning slowly, your kurti soaking in the rain, your hair sticking to your cheeks as laughter bubbled out of you.
"Samira, what are you doing? Come on, let's go-it's raining," he said, reaching for your hand.
"No!!"
You pouted adorably before yanking his hand instead, pulling him closer into the rain with you.
"You'll catch a cold," he warned.
"I don't care... I just want to enjoy the rain..."
You stretched your arms out, tilting your face toward the sky as raindrops kissed your skin. Then you began spinning again-carefree, unbothered, glowing under the streetlights.
Krish watched you quietly.
And without realizing it-
A soft, helpless smile formed on his lips.
He had never seen you like this... so free... so alive.
Slowly, he stepped closer.
Before you could spin away again, his arm slipped around your waist, pulling you gently but firmly toward him.
Your breath hitched.
His other hand found yours, fingers intertwining naturally like they belonged there.
Without music-
Without words-
He began swaying you slowly to the rhythm of the falling rain.
Your wet lashes lifted, meeting his gaze.
You smiled softly.
And that smile alone was enough to make his heartbeat stumble.
The world around you blurred-the lights, the road, the rain-everything fading until it felt like only the two of you existed in that moment.
He stopped moving.
You frowned slightly, eyes half-closed from the rain and the wine.
He stared at your face-
At the droplets sliding down your temples...At your parted lips...
At the way you were looking at him like he was the only thing you could see.
Slowly... deliberately... he leaned closer.
You didn't step back.
Instead, you leaned in too-almost unconsciously.
And then-
His lips met yours.
Soft at first.
Testing.
Warm despite the cold rain around you.
Your fingers curled into his shirt instinctively as you kissed him back, your body molding closer to his.
His hand slid to the nape of your neck, holding you securely as the kiss deepened-still tender, still slow, but filled with unspoken emotion that had been building for days.
Rain soaked you both completely, but neither of you pulled away.
The world had gone silent.
All that remained was the closeness...
The warmth...
The storm outside matching the storm quietly blooming between your hearts.
And for the first time-
Neither of you resisted it.