An Innocent Crush ✓

47 | Invitation.

"Why are you leaving already?" Kiara inquired, eyeing Vikram packing his and Reshmi's clothes and other stuff.

Vikram, in full-on planner mode, exclaimed, "I have a life ahead - wedding, honeymoon, the whole cute-kid parade—"

Reshmi stepped in, gently nudging him with a glare, "shut up! Tell her the truth…”

Vikram let out a sigh, rising to his full height. "I need to return to work. I have to convince my mom, and I can't let any of you suffer because of our presence. What happened yesterday could have endangered all of you if it weren't for Shanvi. I can't risk your lives."

Dhruv, sitting quietly, nodded in understanding. "And what about your security?" he asked. Vikram turned towards him with a reassuring smile. "My friend's dad is a DCP; they'll ensure our protection, don't worry, bhaiya," he answered.

"I'll miss you..." Kiara whispered softly.

"Aww, me?" Vikram responded, his arms open for a hug, but Kiara simply rolled her eyes and walked toward Reshmi, embracing her instead.

"Found a sister,and she's a total monkey!" he joked before shutting the luggage. Dhruv chuckled, shaking his head in amusement at their playful teasing.

***
After dropping off Vikram and Reshmi at the airport, Dhruv and Kiara headed straight to the hospital, both focused on attending to their respective tasks.

As Kiara made her way toward the operation theater to prepare it, she noticed Dhruv sitting with a child on his lap. He was engaging warmly with the kid, chatting and sharing smiles. Witnessing this heartwarming scene, a smile naturally lit up Kiara's face.

The child, clad in a patient's outfit and with a bald head, caught Kiara's attention. Approaching slowly, she observed the touching scene where the child held Dhruv's hand while playing with it.

"In the operating room, we will make you sleep, and then we'll shrink down before going inside your head to fight the monster. Once we defeat it, we'll come back out and grow big again," Dhruv explained in a gentle, comforting tone, trying to ease the child's fear and anxiety.

Kiara joined in by sitting beside Dhruv and the little girl. With a warm smile, she added, "That's right! We'll all be here with you, so don't be scared."

The child glanced at Kiara, wide-eyed, her curiosity piqued. "Are you a superhero too?" she asked, her innocence melting Dhruv's hearts.

Kiara chuckled softly and, with a playful demeanor, responded, "Not yet, but I'm on my way to becoming a superhero, just like Dr. Sehgal. He's my inspiration..."

Their eyes met, and Dhruv couldn't help but admire Kiara's warmth towards the child. "I'm sure you're going to make us all proud," he murmured, his voice soft as he glanced at Kiara.

Kiara blushed slightly at Dhruv's words. "I really hope so," she replied, casting a gentle smile at him.

“Dr. Sehgal, the operation theater is ready,” a nurse announced, guiding the child away and leading the way into the operation theater.

Dhruv let out a small sigh before rising from his seat. He glanced at Kiara, who offered him a reassuring thumbs up. “Wishing you all the best!” she said with a smile.

“Now that you're wishing me luck, it's bound to go well. Thank you…” he said, extending his fist toward her for a fist bump. Kiara giggled a little before meeting her fist with his.

As the night descended, Dhruv emerged from the operation theater, having spent nearly 8 hours performing surgery on the child who was battling a brain tumor.

Although the tumor wasn't large, its location within the intricate regions of the brain posed significant complexity. Dhruv skillfully completed the operation, successfully eliminating the danger the child faced.

After washing his hands, Dhruv turned around, intending to grab a towel, and found Kiara standing there, offering one with a warm smile.

"Your shift's done, right? Haven't you left yet?" he asked, a slight frown appearing as he accepted the towel from her. Kiara gently shook her head, still smiling.

"I thought someone might be a bit scared to walk in the dark, so I thought I'd wait for him," she teased playfully. Dhruv's face lit up with a smile, his dimple showing on his cheeks.

"Oh... Well, I appreciate you looking out for me," he whispered gently before they both made their way out of the room.

“How's the kid?” She asked, her tone gentle.

“She's doing well now…” he replied softly.

“Congratulations, sir, on the successful operation,” she said warmly, a cheerful smile gracing her face, causing his heart to skip a beat.

“Give me a hug!” she said, wrapping her arms around him before he could respond. Dhruv was momentarily stunned but soon reciprocated, feeling her warmth as he closed his eyes briefly.

That hug became an instant necessity; he was exhausted beyond measure, Kiara's embrace immediately rejuvenated him. Snuggling a bit closer, he pulled her into a tighter embrace, sensing a surge of energy as she tiptoed slightly in response.

"Dr. Dhruv!"

Dhruv quickly broke the hug and turned towards the source of the sound. Arjun stood near the hallway, his jaw slightly clenched, tightly gripping the cards in his hand.

As he approached them, Kiara seemed a bit nervous, sensing Arjun's evident anger. Standing before them, his six-foot-tall frame almost towering over them, but Dhruv's stature prevented it from being too imposing.

"I'd appreciate a little more distance between the staff in my hospital, Dr. Dhruv," Arjun muttered, his teeth slightly gritted, though a strange smile soon appeared on his face. "Just kidding! Well, I'm here to invite the hospital," he said, extending the cards in his hand.

"I asked Sameer to distribute them, but I'm personally inviting you both... I hope you'll come to my party."

"What's the occasion, Dr. Mehra?" Kiara asked, tilting her head, causing Arjun to glance at her with a small smile.

"It's a success party for being the top company," he replied, nodding slightly before turning his attention back to Dhruv.

"I hope you'll join us, my friend.”