Our Library of Wishes

07

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✧.*  "Prince"  *⁠.✧

"Nishant Sir," she addresses, surprised.

He smiles brightly. "Hello. I was passing by when I spotted this kid, whose name is Khushi I assume, going back and forth diagonally on the floor."

Akira shoots a mild glare at Khushi who responds with an innocent pout.

"He was the one who started talking to me," Khushi points at Nishant.

Akira decides to stay quiet and not react. "Do you stay here?" She inquires Nishant cautiously.

"On the above floor," he answers casually. "I knew you lived here after seeing your CV and also your name plate too. I thought you were aware that we're neighbours."

She hesitates, feeling a little embarrassed by her negligence. It was another of her bad habit that she probably was too self-absorbed to give adequate attention to what went around in her surroundings. "We just shifted now so I haven't really paid much attention to other things. We're still adjusting Sir— "

Nishant chuckles and she feels relieved that it wasn't a big deal. He was her boss, she didn't want to let her impression down so soon. "No need to call me Sir, reserve it for the workplace. You can call me simply Nishant."

It raises a pleasantly surprised expression from Akira. "Is that okay? I thought bosses were supposed to be strict and demanding and moreover, aren't you giving me too much leeway already?" She questions before she could stop herself.

He was slightly taken aback, not expecting such response. "Then, I think you need to meet some more kind bosses," he says with ease, the corner of his lips lifting for a warm smile.

Khushi tugs at her mother's kurti and waggles her brow.

"He was the one who took my interview yesterday. His name is Mr Nishant Malik." She answers politely in a soft voice.

"You can call me Nishant Uncle or Nish Uncle," he bends to the kid's level. "And who are you may I know?"

"My name is Khushi Akira Shah and I'm five years old," she replies confidently and extends her hand for a formal handshake.

The smile on his face falls, replaced by something akin to startle. He shakes his hand with hers and forces a courteous smile before straightening. He looks at Akira with questions. "You hadn't mentioned that you were married?"

"Because I'm not," she gives a precise answer, not fazed even in the slightest. She abhorred the look on his face, sympathetic and judgemental and intrigued all at once and she hated it more because she knew he wasn't going to ask her any further questions as he must have assumed it will make her uncomfortable. She would have preferred for him to satiate his curiousity than gaze at her like she was something that needed to be handled delicately, like she was a fragile little thing who can't take a couple of questions.

"Oh, okay. Alright," Nishant says. She was right. She had mentioned what was required of her honestly. She was unmarried and she had mentioned it. Whether she was a parent or not wasn't something of his concern. He gives her a smile. "Looking forward to work with you. And you," he turns to Khushi, "I hope we meet again soon."

"You took my Mummy's interview, right?" She asks and he nods. "I also have an interview today."

"You do?" He gasps. "Why does such a small girl like you need to give an interview?"