SERENDIPITOUS|✓

Chapter 3

"So Krishn, tell us about yourself. It's been a long time since we saw you." Mr Rathore asked around the dining table and Krishn smiled.

"Well, I just turned twenty-five and I recently had applied for the position of accounting manager in my father's company. It's only been a year of me working with him. I'm still new to these business-related things but I'm managing well by God's grace. Also, my father is just happy that I'm working with him and not with some other company. I'm content in that, making him happy that is." Mr Rathore smiled at the statement seeing Krishn's love and respect for his father.

"He was also happy to send me here for the objective of merging your and our businesses. The one we had discussed last week. And regarding that, I'll go back for a few days after signing up the initial steps of the merger." Krishn explained taking a breath.

"As for now, I'm also here for the. . . .wedding," he said with a smile and as if with a mind of their own, his eyes immediately found Radha who was quietly eating her food.

However, Radha's hand stilled on its own when she felt someone's gaze on her. She looked up only to be met with a pair of light brown irises looking as bright as the stars.

A second passed, then two, then three. At four, Radha snapped out of the moment and concentrated yet again on her breakfast.

Fortunately, Mr And Mrs Rathore were busy asking about their son's well being and so they didn't witness this exchange. Otherwise, it would have been awkward.

Unconsciously, Krishn cleared his throat and Radha's gaze once again snapped up to meet his.

Now Krishna didn't exactly know why he did that but he knew that he felt pleased when Radha's attention was on him.

He passed a small smile towards Radha and who immediately ducked her head in return, a faint blush covering her cheeks and concentrated on the last bits of her food, swirling her fork. Her feet suddenly looked very fascinating to her, her eyes stuck on them.

And this action shouldn't be as endearing as it was to Krishn.

"Hey dad, can Krishn and I go somewhere in the city, to enjoy ourselves?" Abhi asked from beside him which forced him to avert his attention to his 'so-called' friend.

Krishn and Abhi had known each other from childhood. Their families were business partners (setting up the merger for second business now) and hence these boys were expected to be friends from the beginning. But the idea of their friendship had always been a bit gruelling. So they've always been 'so-called' friends. 'So-called', because they were the literal definition of the word 'antithetical', completely and absolutely opposite of each other.

While Abhi's enjoyment leaned towards getting new girlfriends, grooming himself, collecting more and more money, objectifying girls and devoting most of his time to his job, Krishn's happiness laid in the opposite direction.

For instance, happiness for him was to love his parents, making his father proud, watching animated movies, dreaming about his small and cute family and heaving long, heavy sighs thinking about his future partner. Thinking if his partner would have a smile which would brighten up the whole world, wondering if his partner would have the stars and all the divinities in their eyes, reckoning if his partner would be shy or sweet, questioning if his partner would be anything like. . . .

Needless to say, they both had a different perspective of enjoying life and were friends only for the sake of their families. And hence Krishn was a little apprehensive about going out to enjoy with Abhi.

Little did he know that the next thing that his uncle would say would be enough for him to agree to the deal in no time.

"Of course, son, you could go anywhere you want but just take Radha with you. You both need to spend time with each other." Mr Rathore said in a calm yet stern tone. Even his wife nodded in agreement.