Writer's POV :-

"What? Why?" Aakarsh inquired, getting alarmed by her rushed voice.

"You and Diksha, just come to Phoenix mall fast." With that said, she disconnected the call.

"What happened?" Diksha asked, noticing his tensed tone.

"Don't know. Maa just called us to Phoenix mall immediately." He replied confusedly, still assuming every single possibility behind his mother's rushed voice.

"Now? I hope everything is alright!" She said, picking her bag up from her desk.

"Come, let's go and see what's the matter," Aakarsh said, keeping his phone back in his pants pocket.

"Shall I come?" Neev asked, interrupting their conversation.

"No no. Will you please drop Sejal? Usually, her brother picks her up but I had asked her to not call her brother since we had planned a street shopping today. But, now with me gone she'll be all alone." Diksha said, in a sorry tone.

"Of course, that's not even a thing to ask for. I would have gladly done that even if you hadn't mentioned it. You see, I don't wanna miss any single chance to ride with this shy beauty." Neev said, rather teased Sejal with his words.

And, like right on cue, Sejal turned all red on his bold admission.

Blushing on a mere sentence!

Ohh, the things budding love does to you!

"Thank you, you're a good man; I approve of you for her," Diksha said, proudly patting Neev's right shoulder.

"As if he was waiting for your approval," Aakarsh muttered under his breath, shaking his head lightly. He proceeded forward, gesturing Diksha, to follow him quickly.

"And Sejal, I'll tell you what I wanted to say on the phone tonight." Saying so, Diksha went behind Aakarsh leaving Neev and Sejal to themselves.

"So my beautiful... shall we leave too?" Neev wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Yes, let me get my bag." She fetched her bag and they moved out to the parking lot.

"So my pretty lady would you like to have a quick coffee date with this not-so-handsome man?" Neev asked when they got settled in and the car hit the road.

"You are very handsome, why are you saying otherwise?" Sejal asked, frowning at him.

"Ohh... I didn't know you found me 'very' handsome." He looked at her with a teasing smile.

She bit her lips turning her head towards the window. Not wanting to embarrass herself more, she chose to stay silent. Neev understood her feelings and decided not to tease her further.

"Hello, I asked you something about a quick date. So, kindly, grace me with your permission." He asked again.

"With the car already heading towards the nearest CCD, I believe you know the answer already." She said, smugly, looking at the familiar roads.

They share a look for a few minutes then burst out laughing. The silly moments have their own importance between a budding relationship and surely, Neev and Sejal are realizing this all the way along.

Times when you don't have to pretend to be someone else, instead, you can be the real you with somebody, is the actual sign of that person to be 'the one' for you.

"Though I know what's in your mind, but, if you have any problem then I can turn the car anytime you know," Neev said, looking at her and the approaching speed breaker simultaneously.

"I would have, perhaps, denied that offer had it been someone else. But, with you..." Sejal stopped mid-sentence, feeling shy to convey the erupting emotions in her heart and obviously tummy.

The experience of thousands of butterflies fluttering together!

"Don't worry I'll make sure there will be no one except me to ask you out, for the rest of our lives. I'm a very stubborn man, you see." Neev whispered, huskily, increasing her already racing heartbeats.

However, this alone time in the car was not only affecting her but also him as he too was having this giddy feeling, and the gradual increment of heartbeats was too obvious to ignore.

Just a smile or a small word from her and Neev was getting more smitten by her with each passing minute.

"I'm looking forward to it," Sejal whispered, slowly meeting his eyes, making his heart skip some beats, instantly.

And, the sudden fireworks between them, people!

❃❃❃❃❃

Writer's POV :-

"Diksha, call Maa. Ask where she is." Aakarsh said as they reached the mall. Diksha got out of the car and Aakarsh drove it to the parking area.

"Aunty, where are you? We reached here." Diksha asked as soon as the call got connected and Krishna received it.

"We are on the second floor, come straight here," Krishna instructed.

"We?" Asked a confused Diksha.

"Yes, we." With that, she disconnected the call again leaving Diksha in utter confusion.

"What happened? Why are you staring at your phone? And, did you call Maa?" Aakarsh's voice startled her.

"Hnn... aah yeah... I did, she said they are on the second floor." Diksha replied, still thinking about the same.

"They?" Now Aakarsh was also confused. Nevertheless, they started walking towards the lift being completely clueless.

When family confuses you to an extent! *Giggles*

The ding sound of the elevator indicated their stop on the second floor. Getting out of it, they started walking and soon spotted Krishna with Annapurna, Mayank, and Mrinal.

In short, the whole family was here for some reason yet unknown to them.

"What happened Maa. Why are you all here?" Aakarsh asked, raising his eyebrows.

"What's in the bag?" Diksha asked, taking the bag from her mother's hand.

"We called you here to go shopping," Krishna replied, enthusiastically.

"Shopping? But abhi to shadi me time hai na (but, it's still time for the wedding)?" Aakarsh asked, sharing a look with Diksha.

"Yes, and we aren't shopping for the wedding but your engagement," Krishna replied.

"Engagement? When is that? And why didn't you guys tell us?" Aakarsh asked, getting shocked at the newly found information.

"Umm... it's in 3 days. We thought to inform you today morning but then decided why not surprise you!" Came a reply from a happy Krishna.

"Wow... What a surprise Maa? I can't decide whether to be shocked or surprised? Aur abhi bhi kyu bataya aapne? Aaram se seedha engagement wale din batate. (And why did you even inform us, today? Could have broken the news on the engagement day, directly).'' Aakarsh said, sarcastically.

"But seriously, teen din mein humari engagement hai aur hume hi nahi pata (it's our engagement in three days and we, ourselves don't know)." Diksha whined, complaining to the elders.

"Arey ab to bata diya na (oh, now we told you na)... come, let's go, we have a lot to shop." Stated an excited Annapurna.

The parents moved forward with their sulking children following behind.

"Why are we the only ones to get to know at last about our own wedding and things?" Diksha groaned and complained to Aakarsh who was also having the same feelings.

"How could I know?" He said as they started walking.

"Haan tumhe to kuch pata hi nahi hota hai...(yeah, you never know anything)," Saying, she twisted her lips in annoyance, making an irritated face.

"Acha jaise tumhe to har second ki khabar hai sabki...(yeah like you have everyone's per second details)," Aakarsh replied with a bucket full of sarcasm dripping off his tone.

Here goes their age-old bickering, people! *Author is feeling old now!*

Somebody remind them, they are about to get married!

"My knowledge and intelligence are way far better than yours." She spoke through her gritted teeth.

"I see... as intelligent as a monkey." Said Aakarsh and chuckled, fueling her annoyance.

"You know you are..."

"Kids, behave, we are in public." Mrinal said, slowly as they were at the doorstep of a jewellry showroom.

Aakarsh and Diksha nodded at him and glared at each other, feeling so much love for their to-be life partner. *note the sarcasm*

❃❃❃❃

"This one..." Aakarsh said, showing a simple platinum ring with a solitaire diamond as they were choosing rings and it was Aakarsh whose ring was to be decided first.

And, again, like all other golden times, they were bickering back to back!

"No this one..." Diksha chose an intricate design with several diamonds arranged in two lines and then three big diamonds at the centre. (*Author's description of rings sucks... ignore ignore*)

"Pehen na mujhe hai ya tumhe (I have to wear it or you)?" Aakarsh said, glaring at her.

"Pehena na mujhe hai! ('I' have to make you wear this!)" Diksha said in a duh tone glaring back equally.

The most lovey-dovey couple ever!

"All right since you both don't seem to agree on one and it's your engagement I would love to show you our couple rings' limited edition. Only if you allow it." The manager of the showroom decided to intervene seeing so much understanding between them.

Aakarsh and Diksha opened their mouths together to snap at him for his necessary-yet-unnecessary interference in their lovely talk when the elders decided to beat them with words.

"Of course they would. You please show." Krishna chipped in, laughing awkwardly.

He called his assistants and in the meantime, Aakarsh and Diksha got an earful from the elders.

"For once, try to act like a mature engaged couple." Said Annapurna, sternly.

"Here it is Sir - ma'am. Our most precious and limited edition platinum couple bands from 'The Heart'. It's an exclusive design and only 3 pairs were made in total." The manager said, showing them the two platinum bands - couple rings, which indeed drew their attention.

"I like it," The couple said together only to share an intense look immediately. (*refer to the media box*)

"Perfect! We are taking these. Pack it." Both the ladies exclaimed in excitement.

❃❃❃❃❃

Writer's POV :-

"You said he will get destroyed, but here they are shopping for their freaking engagement," Stuti said, angrily, throwing her phone at Neel who was doing something on his phone.

They were sitting in the living room of Neel's mansion when Stuti received a message from their spy who had been following Aakarsh and Diksha for the past 5 days. He used to send every public picture and information about them to both Neel and Stuti.

"The first thing, behave properly. And for the engagement then they are just shopping, not that they got engaged already." Neel said, glaring at her, picking up the phone from the floor which fell down.

"So what do you expect me to do? They are getting happiness and we're not even close to our target. Moreover, your deal is also turned off. How do you think you're going to destroy them?" Stuti shouted in rage.

"Lower your volume. I know what I am doing. You don't need to put your good for nothing brain in my plans." He stated, bitterly.

"Don't you dare to put me down. I'm warning you, Neel, if anything went wrong then I won't leave any stone unturned to expose all your acts." Showing her index finger, Stuti warned him before moving out of the house.

❃❃❃❃

As the evening rolled in more, All the family members of Nakshatra had dinner and called it a day. After coming back from shopping late, all of them were too tired to do anything. So they just decided to talk about the preparation the next day.

And, like any other day, Diksha and Aakarsh were present on their usual spot on the terrace. But, unlike other nights, it's not starry but cloudy and pitch black with thousands of clouds carrying gallons of water to be poured tonight.

"How are you exactly feeling about all the proceedings? I mean it's just three days and we will be an officially engaged couple." Asked Aakarsh, sipping the divine coffee - as Aakash feels about it - made by Diksha.

They shared an eye-lock - an intense one, once again, losing themselves in their deep ocean-like eyes, like any normal romantic pair out there.

"You really want to know?" She asked in whisper not breaking the eye contact.

"Dying to know your answer!" He said, softly.

However, apart from being two bickering people, a couple serves each other with their best of intensity and raw passion of the deep feelings, if one looks closely.

Standing on their usual spot on the same terrace that has witnessed, and, is yet witnessing many different moments of them.

Be it happy, sad, angry or intense ones; this very terrace indeed had played the role of cupid between them, unknowingly!

They have felt a connection, a spark here and all those affection-building moments between them has been started and spent here till date and even today it is going to witness another romantic chapter of their lives.

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

Here's the update guys!😃

Read and enjoy! ❤️

Also, don't forget to vote, comment and share as much as you can. 😅

Though it's a boring Chapter but a connector! 🙈😅

Upcoming -⟩ Terrace - Rain romance. (Tomorrow evening, pakka!)...🙈🙈🤗🤗

Thank you! ❤️❤️