Chapter 43 - The First Date They Never Planned
NEXT DAY
The aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifted through the hotel's breakfast restaurant as cheerful conversations filled every corner.
Near the window, Dev quietly sipped his coffee, his attention wandering across the table.
A small smile tugged at his lips.
Yesterday's confession had certainly changed something...
But not enough.
Kabir was animatedly describing the "must-visit" dessert shops in London.
Rohan was already helping himself to his second plate of breakfast.
Shanaya and Naina were debating whether shopping or sightseeing should come first.
Siddharth was trying to convince everyone to stick to a proper itinerary.
In the middle of all the chaos...
Sat Arjun and Aadhira.
Every time Arjun looked at his wife...
Someone interrupted.
"Aadhi, you have to try these pancakes!" Kabir exclaimed, sliding a plate towards her.
"They're actually good," Rohan agreed through a mouthful of food.
Aadhira laughed softly.
"I'll try them."
Arjun smiled, waiting for the conversation to settle.
"Aadhira, I was thinking-"
"Guys!" Siddharth interrupted. "Should we visit the botanical gardens first or the London Eye?"
Just like that...
The moment disappeared.
A few minutes later, Aadhira reached for the coffee pot.
"I'll pour it," Arjun said, reaching for her cup.
Before she could hand it over-
"So will I!" Rohan pushed his empty cup forward. "Mine too."
"And mine," Kabir added dramatically. "Coffee is the fuel of creativity."
Arjun silently filled their cups before finally pouring one for Aadhira.
She looked at him with an apologetic smile.
He simply smiled back.
Across the table...
Dev had witnessed everything.
Every attempt.
Every interruption.
And the funniest part?
None of their friends were doing it intentionally.
They were simply being themselves.
He lowered his head, hiding a chuckle behind his coffee cup.
If this continues...
These two will finish their honeymoon without spending ten uninterrupted minutes together.
His gaze shifted towards Arjun.
For the first time in years...
His friend looked genuinely happy.
Lighter.
Calmer.
And every time his eyes unconsciously searched for Aadhira...
Dev understood why.
He placed his cup down.
"I'll be back in a minute."
No one paid much attention as he quietly excused himself from the table.
...
Nearly half an hour later...
Breakfast came to an end.
Everyone headed back to their rooms to get ready for the day's outing.
Dev, however, walked towards Arjun and Aadhira's suite.
Knock.
Knock.
A few seconds later, the door opened.
Arjun stood there, adjusting the sleeves of his shirt.
"Dev?"
"Am I disturbing you?"
"Not at all. Come in."
Dev stepped inside.
Aadhira was fastening her watch before looking up with a warm smile.
"Good morning."
"Morning."
For a brief moment, an awkward silence lingered.
Then Dev rubbed the back of his neck.
"I actually came to ask for a favor."
Arjun frowned.
"What happened?"
"I completely forgot about an important set of documents."
He pulled out his phone and showed them an address.
"I asked one of my business contacts to keep them for me yesterday."
"I was planning to collect them this morning..."
He sighed.
"...but an overseas client suddenly scheduled an online conference meeting."
"It'll take at least an hour."
Arjun looked at the address.
"So you want me to collect them?"
"If you don't mind."
Dev nodded.
"They're expecting someone before noon."
"I'd really appreciate the help."
Arjun didn't hesitate.
"Of course."
"It's not a problem."
Dev turned to Aadhira.
"I hope you don't mind accompanying him."
She smiled politely.
"Not at all."
"It'll be a nice walk."
Dev smiled, genuinely relieved.
"Thank you."
"I owe you both one."
After sending the location to Arjun's phone, he excused himself.
As the door closed behind him...
A small smile appeared on his face.
"Mission accomplished."
...
Twenty minutes later...
Arjun and Aadhira stepped out of the hotel together.
The streets of London were already alive with the sounds of the city.
Red buses rolled past.
Street musicians filled the air with cheerful melodies.
The scent of freshly baked bread drifted from a nearby bakery.
For the first time since yesterday's confession...
There were no friends walking beside them.
No teasing.
No interruptions.
Just the two of them.
Walking side by side beneath London's clear morning sky.
Neither spoke immediately.
Oddly enough...
The silence wasn't awkward.
It was peaceful.
The kind of silence that didn't need to be filled.
Aadhira glanced sideways.
"You're unusually quiet."
Arjun smiled to himself.
"I was thinking."
"About what?"
He looked ahead before answering.
"Yesterday."
She lowered her gaze, a shy smile appearing on her lips.
"So was I."
Arjun chuckled softly.
"You know..."
"I had imagined confessing a hundred different ways."
She looked at him with curiosity.
"Oh?"
"None of them involved Kabir standing three feet away from us."
A burst of laughter escaped her.
"I don't think he'll ever let you forget it."
"I'm beginning to realize that."
They both laughed together.
The sound blended naturally with the lively streets around them.
And without either of them realizing it...
The distance between them had already begun to disappear.
The laughter between them slowly faded, replaced by another comfortable silence.
It was strange.
Just a day ago...
Both of them had been unsure of what to say after Arjun's confession.
Today...
Words seemed to come naturally.
"So..." Aadhira spoke first.
"What were those hundred ways you imagined confessing?"
Arjun looked at her in disbelief.
"You remembered that?"
She smiled mischievously.
"You brought it up."
He let out a defeated laugh.
"I walked right into that, didn't I?"
"You did."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Well..."
"I thought I'd probably take you somewhere nice."
"A quiet place."
"Maybe buy you flowers."
"And then tell you."
Aadhira raised an eyebrow.
"Flowers?"
"Why?"
Arjun looked genuinely confused.
"Girls like flowers... don't they?"
She smiled.
"Most do."
"But I like plants more."
He blinked.
"Plants?"
She nodded.
"They last longer."
"Every time they bloom, they'll remind you of the person who gave them."
A smile slowly spread across Arjun's face.
"I'll remember that."
Aadhira looked at him curiously.
"You don't have to."
"I want to."
Her heart skipped a beat.
She quickly looked away, pretending to admire a flower shop they were passing.
Colorful blossoms decorated the entrance, filling the air with a delicate fragrance.
"They're beautiful," she murmured.
Arjun noticed the way her eyes sparkled while looking at the flowers.
He didn't interrupt.
Instead...
He quietly stood beside her, allowing her to enjoy the moment.
After a few seconds, she looked at him.
"You didn't ask why I stopped."
He shrugged.
"You looked happy."
"I didn't want to rush you."
Her smile softened.
"Thank you."
They resumed walking.
As they approached a pedestrian crossing, the signal turned green.
Traffic flowed steadily from both directions.
Without thinking...
Arjun reached for her hand.
"Come."
His voice was gentle.
Aadhira glanced at their hands.
A small smile appeared on her lips.
Instead of simply following him...
She intertwined her fingers with his.
Arjun's steps faltered for a fraction of a second.
He looked at her.
She kept looking straight ahead, trying very hard to hide the blush spreading across her cheeks.
Neither of them mentioned it.
Neither of them let go.
By the time they reached the other side of the road...
Their hands still remained together.
Not because they needed to.
Simply because neither wanted to be the first to pull away.
After walking another few minutes, Arjun broke the silence.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Hmm?"
"What makes you happiest?"
Aadhira thought for a moment.
"My family."
"The children at the orphanage."
"Watching the rain."
"Reading in complete silence."
She smiled.
"And good coffee."
Arjun laughed.
"I should've guessed the last one."
"What about you?"
He looked at their joined hands before answering.
"I think..."
"...I'm still figuring that out."
She turned towards him.
"And?"
He smiled gently.
"But lately..."
"I've been happiest during the moments when you're smiling."
For a second...
Aadhira forgot how to breathe.
She looked at him.
There was no hesitation in his eyes.
No teasing.
No playful smile.
He had simply spoken the truth.
Unable to think of a reply, she lowered her gaze.
A faint blush coloured her cheeks.
Arjun smiled to himself.
He had finally found a way to make the usually composed Aadhira speechless.
A few more minutes passed before they stopped in front of a beautiful Victorian-style building.
Arjun checked the address on his phone.
"This is the place."
Aadhira nodded.
"It looks like we've arrived."
He took a deep breath before pressing the doorbell.
Within moments...
The door slowly opened.
The wooden door creaked open.
Standing before them was an elderly gentleman, probably in his late sixties, wearing a neatly pressed sweater and a warm smile.
"Good morning."
"Good morning," Arjun greeted politely.
"I'm Arjun Rathore."
"Dev sent us to collect the documents."
The gentleman's face brightened.
"Ah, yes."
"I've been expecting you."
"Please, come inside."
Arjun and Aadhira stepped into the cozy house.
It wasn't extravagant.
Yet every corner radiated warmth.
Bookshelves lined one wall.
Family photographs covered another.
Fresh lilies decorated the center table, filling the room with a delicate fragrance.
The gentleman noticed Aadhira admiring the photographs.
"My wife loves filling the house with memories."
A soft smile appeared on his face.
"She says empty walls make a house lonely."
Aadhira smiled gently.
"She's right."
The gentleman chuckled.
"Please, have a seat."
"I'll bring the envelope."
He disappeared into another room.
A few moments later, he returned carrying a large brown envelope sealed with Dev's company logo.
He handed it to Arjun.
"Everything your friend requested is inside."
Arjun accepted it gratefully.
"Thank you."
"You've helped us a lot."
"Oh..."
The gentleman waved his hand dismissively.
"It was hardly any trouble."
As he was about to escort them to the door, his gaze lingered on the two of them.
A knowing smile slowly spread across his face.
"You two make a lovely couple."
Arjun and Aadhira exchanged an awkward glance.
Neither spoke.
The gentleman laughed softly.
"I hope I haven't embarrassed you."
"We're married," Arjun admitted with a smile.
"I thought so."
"I've been married for forty-three years."
He looked towards one of the framed photographs.
A younger version of himself stood beside a smiling woman.
His eyes softened.
"After living with someone for so many years..."
"You begin to notice little things."
He looked back at Arjun and Aadhira.
"The way you quietly wait for each other."
"The way your eyes search for the other person before speaking."
"The way you unconsciously match each other's pace."
He smiled warmly.
"Those are not habits."
"They're affection."
Neither Arjun nor Aadhira knew how to respond.
The gentleman continued kindly,
"Love isn't always grand confessions."
"Sometimes..."
"It's simply choosing to walk beside someone, even when there's no reason to."
Silence settled over the room.
Aadhira instinctively looked at Arjun.
He was already looking at her.
The gentleman noticed their exchange and smiled to himself.
"I hope the two of you keep choosing each other."
"Every single day."
Arjun bowed his head respectfully.
"Thank you."
"We'll remember your words."
"So will I," Aadhira added softly.
The gentleman opened the door for them.
"It was a pleasure meeting you."
"I hope our paths cross again."
"So do we," Arjun replied.
Stepping outside, they thanked him once more before beginning their walk back.
For several moments...
Neither of them spoke.
The old gentleman's words lingered in their minds.
Finally, Arjun broke the silence.
"Do we really look like that ?"
Aadhira laughed quietly.
"I was wondering the same thing."
"He noticed things even we didn't."
Arjun looked down at the envelope in his hand before smiling.
"I suppose years of marriage teaches you a few things."
"It probably does."
They continued walking.
The morning had gradually transformed into a pleasant afternoon.
Sunlight filtered through the trees, painting shifting patterns across the pavement.
After a few minutes, Arjun checked the time on his watch.
"We still have some time before Dev's meeting ends."
Aadhira nodded.
"We do."
He hesitated.
There was something he wanted to ask.
Something simple.
Yet, for some reason, it made him nervous.
He looked at her.
"Would you mind..."
She tilted her head curiously.
"...taking a small walk with me?"
Aadhira searched his face for a moment.
Then, a gentle smile bloomed on her lips.
"I'd like that."
Without another word...
The two of them turned away from the main road.
Leaving behind the busy streets...
They began walking towards a quieter part of the city, unaware that the unexpected walk was about to give them memories neither of them would ever forget.
TO BE CONTINUED ......