Yukti ran down the road since she was one hour late. She didn't know why she was feeling so irritated by this fact.

Maybe it was due to the regular visitor she has grown accustomed too.

She was worried that he wouldn't be there today.

Once she reaches her destination. She finds him sitting with the puppies. He looks up and passes a warm smile.

For the past one month Shankar has been visiting here especially for Yukti.

Sometimes they feed the puppies together or just bask in each other's company.

Shankar always finds an excuse to come here just to see her. Right now he is getting late for his work but still he decided to wait just to see her.

Both of them felt some connection but neither confessed.

The mother of puppies upon seeing Yukti, comes wagging her tail towards her. She nudges her head on her leg. Yukti bends down to pet her.

"Aaj bhi kahoge ki ittfak h? " She asks him quietly.

(Still calling it a coincidence?")

"Aur agar kahu nahi toh? " She pauses and looks at him.

(And if I say no?)

"Dekho, mein ghuma fira kr baat nahi krta. Saaf Saaf baat hai ki pasand krta hu apko. "

(Listen, I, won't beat around the bush. I have started liking you.)

Shankar confesses his feelings in one breath. He was nervous as he constantly rubbed the back of his head.

"Apko kuch kehne ki zaroorat nahi." Shankar says trying not to put any pressure on Yukti on the spot.

(You don't have to say anything in return.)

He felt it was right to confess his feeling but he also respected her wishes. If Yukti will turn him down he had decided that he would never bother her again.

"Sunno, date pe chale? " Yukti says.

(Listen, Let's go on a date!)

She knew she was taking a big leap of faith. She barely knew anything about Shankar that's why she thought she should try to know him before she making the right decision.

"Matlab? "

(Huh?)

Yukti found Shankar cute whenever he was dumbfounded by her spontaneous reaction which he never expected or when he couldn't understand anything.

"Phele mein tumhe acche se pehchan lu phir jake sochungi ki tum pasand ho mujhe ya nahi. "

("First let me get to know you well, then I'll think about whether I like you or not.")

Shankar had seen English movies where the guy takes a girl on different places to impress her.

"Hmm! hum teen dates pe jayege. Agar tum mujhe acche nahi lage toh jai ram ji ki. Theek? " Yukti presents the conditions.

(We'll go on three dates, if you don't impress you then it's a sayonara, goodbye. Alright? )

New hope and excitement fills his heart.

"Theek hai. (Alright!)"

He happily agrees.

*******************"**

First date

Shankar parks his bike outside the college gate. He looks into the mirror and fixes his hair. His heart was feeling funny today.

This was his First date.

He wanted every thing to be perfect.

Shankar impatiently waited, for Yukti to come out of the college gates. He joggles from one foot to another then pulls out his brand new sunglasses and wears them.

She would come any time now.

Chill my heart. Shankar tells himself.

One hour later, Yukti finally emerges out of the closed gate like a bright sun ray in the cold winter days.

She was dressed in a blue color suit, silver earning adorning her ears and to complete her looks she wore a pair of brown jutti.

Not only Shankar was dressed to impress but Yukti also gave the efforts. Today she got up early, bombarded her closest to look for something decent but not over dressed for their first date.

Shankar just stared at her.

Upon spotting Shankar she moved towards him slowly acting non chalant but on the inside she felt all sorts of butterflies going wild.

Yukti eyes the new bike and asked, " Nayi bike? Tumhari phele wali bike ko kya hua?"

(New bike? What happened to the old one?)

He shook his head, "Wo toh mere bhai bhen ko chordne ke liye h. Aur Yeh meri favorite bike h. Ispe sirf ek special ladki hi baith sakti h. "

(That's for dropping off my siblings. And this is my favorite bike. Only a special girl can sit on it.")

She bit her lips to control her smile.

He sat on the bike and reveved the engine, "Aao "

(Come)

"Tumhare irade kuch nek nahi h."

(Your intention are highly suspicious!)

"Dil saaf h, Irade nek h, humsafar ko kahi door le jana h. Par sala raste mein patthar anek h. "

"My heart is pure, my intentions are indeed good, I want to take my partner far away. But the journey ahead is filled with many stones on the way. "

Yukti starts laughing at his weird poetry.

Shankar hands her the spare helmet because the path they were about to take was a little dodgy.

She takes the helmet and places her foot on the footrest and one hand on his shoulder for support.

Such small gesture felt intimate to him. His body felt an electric spark.

They speed off to the perfect location Shankar had in his mind. He had decorated everything and hoped that Yukti would like it.

After few twists and turns. They enter an private field that Shankar owned. Yukti felt confused because why would he bring her here?

Soon her question was answered when a makeshift rustic area made of bamboo, dry grass and straws comes into view.

Shankar stops the bike near it and they get down.

"Hume uppar baithna chahiye. " He says.

("We should sit on the top.")

They climb up the ladder and get on the top of the sitting area.

The view was too good to be true. It was so beautiful everywhere around them was bright yellow mustard field. The flowers were blooming and the air carried the soft lingering scent of mustard.

It was beautiful. It was magical.

Shankar had selected this location instead of a typical coffee date because the first time he saw Yukti, she was dressed in yellow also there  no coffee shop near them.

"Kaisa laga? "

(How is it!!)

Shankar asked her.

Yukti turned and smiled at him, "Bhot sundar. "

(Too beautiful.)

"Are haa. Hum date pe aye hain toh chai toh banti hain. "

(Oh yeah, since we are on our first date. Technically it should begin with tea.)

Shankar takes out a flask of tea, that he had prepared this morning, along with two cups. After making the tea he came here to kept all the things needed for their date.

He poured two cups for both of them. Luckily the tea was still hot.

"Are wha. Sardiyon mein toh chai ka maza hi kuch aur hota hai."

(Oh wow, there's something special about having tea in winters.")

The winter sun was shinning upon them and both clinked their cups and drank the tea.

"Mmm. Yeh chai toh bhot acchi h!"

("Mmm! This tea is really good.")

"Aree (ohkk)." Shankar felt proud at the praise.

While enjoying their tea, Yukti starts asking some questions.

"Tumhare ghar mein kon kon hai. "

("Who are in your family? ")

"Maa , pita ji, ek chota bhai and ek choti bhen. "

(Mom, dad, a younger brother, and a younger sister.")

"Ohh, aur koi nahi hai? "

("Ohh, and no one else.? ")

"The. (Were)" Shankar's expression turns serious thinking about his treacherous relatives. "Par ab nahi hain. " (But not anymore.)

"Kyu? "

("Why?")

He schools his expression, " Lambi kahani hai. Kisi aur din. "

(It's a long story. Some other day.)

Seeing him a little uncomfortable, Yukti doesn't press further.

"Chalo batao tumhara favourite color konsa hai. "

(Alright, what's your favorite color?)

"Phele toh koi nahi tha lekin ab yellow hai. Apka? "

("Didn't have one, but now yellow is my favorite". What about you?)

"Purple." Shankar nods making note of this information.

"Tumhe khane mein kya pasand hai. "

(What's your favorite food?)

"Sab kuch. (I can eat anything). " Shankar was not a picky eater. You give him anything edible he would eat it.

"Mujhe toh kadhi Chawal bhot pasand hain. Haye kitne yumm hote hain."

(I love kadhi chawal, they're so yummy.) She says.

"Are phir mere ghar ana. Meri Ma kya kadhi Chawal banati h. Maza hi aa jayega apko. Ek kaam krta hu mein hi kal le aata hu. "

("You should come over to my place. My mom makes great kadhi and rice. You'll love it. I'll pick you up tomorrow.")

"Are ek minute. Mister. Humari teen dates ki baat huyi thi. Usse jada nahi milugi. Plus mujhe NCC ki training ke liye jana padega. "

(Wait a minute. We had only talked about three dates. I won't be available more than that. Plus I have to go for NCC training.")

"Are yeh kya baat hoti hai. " He says despondently.

(That's not done!)

"Ek hafte ki baat hain. Uske baad milege second date ke liye."

(It's a one week thing. We'll meet for the second date after that.")

Theek h

(Fine!)

"Apke ghar mein kon kon hain? " Shankar asks.

("Who all are in your home?")

"Mein, mummy aur papa. "

(My parents and I")

"Hmm. Kaam kya krte hain? "

(Hmm. What do they do?)

"Papa Government school mein English teacher hein. Unki posting yaha ke school mein hui thi. Phir kuch saal baad hum sab idhar hi shift ho gaye. Papa ke pass. "

(Dad is an English teacher in a government school. He was posted to a school here. Then after a few years, we all shifted here to be with dad.")

Yukti lays down. It was too comfortable to resist.

"Accha tabhi mein sochu. "

(Oh, that's why I was thinking.")

"Kya? " She asks him.

(What?)

"Ki apki English itni acchi kaise? Humare toh poore gaon mein itni acchi angreji kisi ki nahi hai."

(How your English is so good? In our whole village, no one has English as good as yours.")

"Tumhari bhi nahi? " She asks to tease him.

(Not yours either?")

"Matlab meri toh hai." He flexes his shirt's collar, "Magar aisi pattar pattar wali nahi hai. Jo aap gusse mein rail gadi jaisa bol deti ho. "

("I mean only my english is good. But not like you. Who blurts out in English like a runaway train when angry.")

Whenever Yukti was angry she used to speak in the other language so fast that Shankar couldn't comprehend but he liked listening her.

"Cute ho tum. " Yukti tells him.

(You're cute)

They chat for a while and the time to end their date comes.

"Chalo ab mujhe ghar jana h." Yukti says looking at the time. She had to catch a bus which would arrive in 15 minutes.

(Okay, I have to go home now.")

"Are mein hi chord deta hu ghar."

("I'll drop you home. ")

"Ji nahi. Bus stop tak chord do kafi hoga. " She tells him.

("No, just drop me to the bus stop, that's enough.")

They get down and Shankar drives her to the bus stops. They wait for bus to come.

Once the bus arrives, all the passengers starts boarding in. Yukti gets in and sits near the window.

Shankar watches her leave and suddenly remembers that he doesn't have her contact.

He runs after the bus and shouts "Sunno? Apna number to dedo? "

(Wait, how about giving me your phone number.)

"Intezaar kro. " Was her final reply.

(You need to wait for it.)

One week!

Shankar had to wait for one week.

He felt as if it was the most impossible task of his life.

How can he wait for this long?

Little did he know....