An Innocent Crush ✓

45 | Poor Arjun.

After completing their shopping, they made their way to the restaurant for lunch, feeling tired and drained from the day's activities.

Shanvi leaned in closer to Kiara. "So, any plans to sit next to Mr. Dreamy at lunch?" she teased, earning a playful eye roll from Kiara.

"Shanvi, stop it," Kiara whispered, but her smile betrayed her attempt to sound serious.

Dhruv, catching a glimpse of Kiara's blush, couldn't help but smile to himself. He shot a glance her way, their eyes meeting briefly before Kiara shyly looked down, her heart fluttering.

As they were walking towards the restaurant, Dhruv halted at his track when he noticed Arjun walking towards him with his secretary, Sameer following him behind. Arjun on the other hand was confused as hell, what was Kiara doing here with Dhruv?

He stood before Dhruv with a faint smile, his gaze shifting briefly to Kiara. "Dhruv... what are you doing here?" he inquired, his attention still drawn to Kiara, who returned his smile.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Arjun," she greeted him warmly.

Arjun offered a small smile and greeted her, "Good afternoon, Ms...?" Pretending to act forgetful, inside, he felt a rush of excitement, his heart beating faster with anticipation.

"Kiara Tiwari!" Kiara replied, unaware of his act, responding without taking offense to his forgetfulness.

Shanvi straightened up, startled to see her boss in person. She had never encountered him in the office before, but there he was, right before her eyes. Glancing back at Sameer, Arjun's secretary, she noticed him raising his eyebrows at her, indicating a surprise similar to hers.

"Good afternoon, Sir!" Shanvi greeted, prompting Arjun to turn his attention toward her. "You might not know me, but I work in your office, specifically in the sales and marketing department, sir! I'm really happy to be a part of your company!" Her words rushed out in a single breath, causing Arjun to chuckle softly at her evident nervousness.

He acknowledged Shanvi with a nod before redirecting his attention to Dhruv. "So, you're acquainted with them?" he inquired. Dhruv nodded in confirmation, "I've known them for quite a while," he replied, stealing a quick glance over his shoulder at Kiara, Reshmi and Vikram, they all nodded in agreement.

Arjun couldn't help but experience a pang of jealousy as he observed the girl who held considerable sway over him, casually strolling around with his so-called friend, unaware of the depth of hurt he was experiencing. The pain was so intense that he felt an urge to make her feel the same hurt he was going through.

"Would you like to join us for lunch, Dr. Mehra?" Kiara asked, her smile radiant. Arjun's expression shifted slightly, his gaze lingering on her for a moment.

"Oh no! Kiara, Arjun doesn't—"

"Alright, count me in!" he interjected, drawing Dhruv's attention.

"Are you sure, no one's forcing you," Dhruv remarked with concern.

"...I'm genuinely up for it, don't worry," Arjun reassured Dhruv before following Kiara.

As they all sat down in the restaurant, things felt a bit tense. Kiara was sitting next to Dhruv, feeling excited and nervous about it. Arjun, who sat across from Kiara, kept looking at her from time to time, unable to take his eyes off her.

"Um, so... why don't you work as a doctor anymore?" Vikram inquired, taking a bite of biryani, noticing Arjun's intense gaze towards his sister. He wasn't comfortable with the way Arjun was looking at her; something about his vibes didn't sit right with Vikram.

Arjun's jaw tightened slightly, exchanging a tense glance with Dhruv, who seemed equally uncomfortable. "I apologize for him, Arjun—" Dhruv attempted to interject.

"It's alright. I've finished my lunch; I should take off," Arjun abruptly announced, rising from his seat. Kiara and the rest of the group looked concerned and puzzled. Dhruv nodded silently at Arjun as he left the table with Sameer following him behind.

The atmosphere at the table grew strained after Arjun's sudden departure. Kiara felt a mix of confusion and concern, glancing between Dhruv and the others, trying to gauge their reactions.

"Is everything okay?" Kiara finally asked, breaking the uneasy silence that lingered after Arjun's departure.

Dhruv, visibly uneasy, forced a reassuring smile. "Yeah, yeah, it's actually uh..."

Dhruv gently explained, “Arjun stopped doing surgeries following a heartbreaking incident with his girlfriend. She was severely injured in a car accident, and despite Arjun performing an emergency operation, he couldn't save her.” His voice carried a deep sense of the burden that memory held.

Kiara gasped, looking in the direction Arjun had gone, but he had already disappeared. She felt a pang of sympathy for him, deeply empathizing with his situation.

Kiara gazed at Dhruv, then glanced again toward where Arjun and Sameer had gone. "I never realized he was holding so much inside," she remarked, her smile tinged with a hint of sadness, understanding the depth of his feelings.

Vikram, noticing the tension, decided to shift the conversation. "So, how's work been for you, Kiara? Any interesting cases at the hospital?"

“Oh! Well I've had some experience assisting doctors during c-sections…”

And he successfully diverted his sister's mind.