This is not a continuation of the previous act, but a separate one shot.

(I will continue with the acts too)

He looked around frantically but it was proving to be a task, spotting Anupama that is, in this sea of people that Vanraj and Malvika had invited on inauguration of their venture.

Anuj scanned his surroundings again but to no avail. He wanted to explain to Anu as soon as possible, for she had clearly been surprised, or shocked perhaps.

‘That aside’

His worried gaze darted to his shirt then, which was stretching rather horribly in the chest region. God knew what the issue with his shirt was! Either he had grown big or the shirt had decreased in size and a wardrobe malfunction was on the way if this problem wasn’t attended to.

Anuj made a quick dash for the common room, hoping that adjusting the shirt here and there would save him face, for another hour or so.That clearly was a tall order for as soon as he tried to adjust the shirt by the sleeves, a pop sound echoed in the room.

Eyes closing briefly, Anuj made a mental note of scolding the designer for such a poor dress. He looked down then. The third button from the top had popped off to the ground and staring at his reflection now, Anuj felt like a certified clown.

‘This bow won’t be my saving grace’, Sighing, Anuj unclasped the bow and opened the other two buttons too. He looked at his reflection again. He had gone from a prim proper bizman to gali ka mawaali!

‘Brilliant!’ Anuj smiled at his reflection mirthlessly.

However the door to the room opened in between, and Anuj quickly turned away from the mirror as his back faced the door.

“Oh…aap…main…baad main aati hoon”

His eyes widened on hearing her. Anu!

‘Should I ask for help? But it won’t be proper!’

‘But how would I go outside then? And what exactly will Anu do?’

‘No, she will come up with something, anything. Vese bhi, its better she sees me, compared to being seen by others’.

With the decision made, he turned quickly and rushing to the door, peaked out and called Anupama who had walked a few steps away.

“Anu…I…ah, andar aao na, please! I need your help” As Anuj pleaded, Anupama nodded hesitatingly before retracing her steps and walking inside.

And as soon as she walked in, Anuj closed the door quickly and sighed.

“Aapne darwaza kyu…” Anupama trailed confused but as Anuj turned around to face her, pointing his finger at his shirt, her eyes grew wide in embarrassment.

“Ye aapki shirt..ko kya hua?!”Anupama exclaimed before looking away lest her gaze lingered and betrayed her emotions.

A smug grin found his lips as she refused to look at him. She looks so cute when she is embarrassed.

“I seriously don’t know…that button just popped off”, Anuj replied then opening his fist to reveal a button and added, “Tum hi kuch kar sakti ho, please help na”.

Anupama looked at Anuj’s puppy face and looked away then. This wasn’t the time to get side tracked by his cuteness. He required her help.

She looked around the room a beat before walking up to the mirror and pulling out the drawers one after another.Finding nothing of importance however, she turned to address him.“Main kisi hotel staff se baat karke aapke liye nayi shirt bhijwa deti hoon”

“No!” Anuj whined immediately,“Usme bahot time lag jaega, Anu! And what if someone drops by in between and sees me like this? No, please! You are a different story but kisi aur ke saa—

Biting his tongue on realizing its slip, Anuj cleared his throat while Anupama having registered the meaning of his words, flushed.

“Matlab…tum abhi kuch karo na!”

“Ab main kya….” Anupama replied just as helpless when an idea struck her, and Anuj read her face as always, a relieved smile breaking out on his face.

“Aaya..tumhe idea aaya na!”

Anupama nodded before she scratched her cheek embarrassed, “Main ek cheez kar sakti hu…par main ye button nahi laga sakti wapas”.

Anuj nodded eagerly, “Anything is alright. Bas isse set kar do”

Having said that, he watched curiously as Anupama tapped her saree at places, nodded in negative once, twice before she groped for something on her shoulder, and most probably having found what she looking for, she unclipped something as the fall slipped.

Hands flying to cover his eyes,Anuj quickly turned away while Anu retrieved the safety pin and adjusted her fall on her arms, before looking up to find his back facing her.

“Anuj? Aap aise kyu ghoom gaye?”She asked puzzled while Anuj fumbled, “Main..wo..tum…” After a few illegible mutterings, he turned around slowly and peeked from in between his fingers to find the fall still in place, minus a few folds. So, apparently it wasn’t that the fall had misplaced itself completely,it was his brain cells.

Removing his fingers, he looked perplexed as she waved the safety pin at him. “It won’t be perfect but…it will work. Shall I?”

As she asked permission, Anuj nodded and both walked towards each other. Both made eye contact, before Anuj looked away while Anupama took another step closer and raised her fingers to hold the front placket.

His breathing went shallow at her proximity and Anuj struggled to keep a straight face as she leaned in and forced the sharp end of safety pin from one side of the placket. In that instant, as the back of her hand grazed against his chest, Anuj visibly shuddered and Anupama looked up to find his eyes trained on her.

‘Close! Close! Very close!’

Anuj screamed internally seeing her face the closest ever. Anupama was struck too for Anuj refused to look away and she didn’t feel like breaking the spell.

Malvika, who had been looking around for her brother, who had unceremoniously excused himself, happened to pass by the common room in that moment but retraced her steps on spotting a familiar silhouette in white, in her side view through the slightly ajar door.

Pushing the door a bit, her brows rose in amusement to find her brother and Anupama standing in close quarters than was appropriate, for the relationship of friends and business partners.

Anuj who was staring unabashed, blinked finally and the spell broke as Anupama quickly looked down and hooked the pin through the two ends, linking them together in the place of button.

“Theek hai?” Anupama asked and as Anuj nodded, the duo heard a low whistle behind him. Both glanced over Anuj’s shoulder to find Malvika leaning against the door, an amused grin plastered on her lips.

“Nice going, Anuj!” She commented cheekily as Anupama and Anuj broke apart and Anuj turned around to face his sister properly.

Her grin only grew wide as she saw his the overcoat abandoned on a chair, the bowtie missing, the top two buttons undone and another button replaced by a pin, which she was sure, came from the lady by his side.

While Anuj looked at her questioningly, she just smirked impressed. “Kahan main soch rahi thi ki tum dosti ki gaadi par hi atke hoge but yahan toh baat bahot aage ja chuki hai!”,her eyes flickered between the two meaningfully, and finally Anuj and Anupama managed to loosely grasp the implication behind her words.

“Nahi Mukku tu..”

“Vo toh inki shirt ka….”

Both tried to explain simultaneously, but Malvika just waved them off with a chuckle,” Shush, you two! Don’t give me lame excuses now! I can read in between the lines! Own up to it na! Aap bhi kafi chupi rustom nikli vese!” She smiled slyly at Anupama.

“Mukku tu kuch bhi bol rahi hai!”Anuj smiled tightly as he glanced at Anupama, to find her awkward.

She just rolled her eyes and scrunched her nose, “I know! I know! Jaa rahi hu, wont’ disturb you two. Mujhe pehle his samajh jaana chahiye tha ki tumhari aankhein itni betaabi se inhe hi dhoondh rahi hogi. You guys carry on! Bas door lock kar lena, ok?”

At the insinuation behind Malvika’s words, Anupama looked at her scandalized, going red in the face.

Anuj colored too and glared at her, “Mukku tu…!!”

But she just winked and hurried out of the door, leaving Anuj and Anu standing in their spots, super aware of each other’s presence.

“Hey Malvika, did you find Anuj?”The duo heard Vanraj outside the door, and then echoed Malvika’s laughter in response.

“Yes, but he is going to be very busy!” As the footsteps receded, Anuj scrubbed his face hard while Anupama just stared at the floor, wanting for it to open up and swallow her whole.

“I..amm..” Anuj didn’t know what to say, for his sister had made the situation super weird.

“Um…bahar..bahar chalein…” It was Anupama who completed his words, as he nodded and opened the door for her,stepping out behind her.

Anuj continued to stare at her back as she walked ahead of him. Did they really give those vibes as Mukku had insinuated? This change that he was seeing in Anu…wasn’t his imagination, was it?

Anupama fiddled with her fingers as she walked forward, his footsteps tailing her. Did they…really seem that close to each other? Could Anuj…read the change in her too?