Bee. 🐝🐝🐝

I’m really sorry for the late update. My best friends are getting married, and the first official function is on the 17th! So right now I’m extremely busy being the best friend from both sides 😭✨

Things are a bit hectic, but I still tried to write and post this by taking out some time in between everything. Please bear with me for a while—and ignore any small mistakes if there are any 🙈

Thank you so much for your patience and love 🥺🤍

And please don’t forget to like and let me know if you’re enjoying the story so far 💛 Your comments really mean a lot to me and keep me motivated to continue ✨

“My girlfriend,” Aditya said. He didn’t slow down. Didn’t look back. Didn’t even blink.

Samarth, however Stopped. Completely.

“…Oh.”

A blink. Then another. Processing…

“…Ohhhhh.” His head turned slowly toward Aditya, eyes widening with exaggerated realization. “Excuse me—what?”

But Aditya had already moved ahead, hands tucked casually into his pockets, that same quiet smirk resting on his lips—like he had just dropped a bomb and walked away from the explosion.

Behind him— A man stood in emotional ruins.

“Aadi!” Reality snapped back into Samarth like a slap. He rushed forward, catching up in long, hurried strides.

“You said whooo…?” he repeated, a little too loudly.

Smack. Aditya hit the back of his head without even looking.

“Idiot. It’s a hospital. Control your voice.”

“What do you expect from me?” Smaarth shot back, rubbing his head. “You tell such a nice joke—of course I’ll react like this!”

Aditya stopped. Turned. Gave him a flat, expressionless look. “It wasn’t a joke.”

Samarth stared at him. And then— He burst out laughing. Loud. Unfiltered. Slightly offensive.

“Yeah, yeah… and I’m the Prime Minister of India,” he added, rolling his eyes.

Aditya just shook his head, already done with him. “Suit yourself.”

They reached the door of Dr. Vaishali’s cabin. Aditya knocked.

“Come in,” her voice came from inside.

He pushed the door open and walked in. Samarth followed—still laughing like he had just heard the best comedy special of his life.

“Mumma,” Aditya said, calm as ever, “I’ll be late tonight. Might have dinner outside.”

Vaishali ji looked up from her files. “Why?”

And there it was again— That smile.

“Taking her out.”

Silence. One second. Two seconds. And then— Her eyes widened.

“Ohhh…” a smile slowly spread across her face, amusement and happiness mixing together. “Okkk… okay. Enjoy.”

Samarth froze mid-laugh. Wait. Wait. Wait. His head snapped toward Aditya . “Wait—who are you taking out?”

Vaishali ji didn’t even hesitate. “Of course,” she said casually, going back to her file, “my daughter-in-law.”

And that— That was it. Smaarth’s soul left his body. His mouth fell open. No sound. No movement. Just pure, stunned silence.

Meanwhile— Aditya? Already walking out. Like nothing happened. Like this was normal.

Inside the cabin— Vaishali ji slowly looked up. Smaarth was still standing there. Frozen. Eyes wide. Brain buffering.

“Don’t you have work?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

No response.

“Samarth?”

“Huh?” he snapped back, blinking rapidly.

She folded her arms, leaning back slightly, watching him with mild amusement.

Another pause.

“Ohhhhh—” realization crashed into him again.

And then— He ran. Straight out of the cabin.

“Aadi! WAIT!”

Aditya was already halfway down the corridor toward OPD when Samarth caught up again, slightly out of breath, slightly emotionally unstable.

“Tell me it’s a prank.”

Aditya didn’t even look at him. “It’s a prank.”

Smaarth paused. Processing… Then narrowed his eyes.

“Wait… how did you get over Nishi Deshmukh?”

Aditya stopped this time. Actually stopped. Turned slightly. “Huh?”

“Dude,” Samarth continued, completely serious now, “you were obsessed with her till recently.”

A small pause. Something flickered in Aditya’s eyes. Gone the next second. “Things happen.”

Smaarth studied him for a moment. Then exhaled slowly. “I want to meet her.”

Now his tone had changed. No teasing. No jokes. Just curiosity… and a hint of respect. “She must be extraordinary,” he added, “to get you out of your dreamland.”

Aditya’s lips curved slightly. “Sure,” he said casually. “I’ll ask her if she wants to meet you.”

And with that— He pushed open the OPD door and walked in. Conversation over.

Samarth stood outside. Staring at the door. Offended. Abandoned. Emotionally betrayed.

“Dost dost na raha…” he muttered dramatically, sniffing.

The door opened again. Aditya peeked out. “Get out and let me work.” A pause. Then, with the smallest, most shameless smirk— “I have a date today. Need to finish early.”

Door shut. Silence.

Samarth stared at it. With a frustrated exhale, Samarth turned and walked away—stomping slightly, fuming, deeply offended.

Behind the door— Aditya chuckled softly to himself. Then turned back to his patients.

Time had a strange way of slipping through fingers when something new had just begun. For Aditya, the day passed faster than it ever had.

For Nishi, it passed in fragments of sleep, half-awake smiles… and one lingering voice in her head. “I was just missing you…”

By late afternoon. Aditya’s car was parked neatly outside her apartment building. He leaned back slightly in the driver’s seat, fingers tapping absently against the steering wheel, eyes drifting now and then toward the entrance.

Waiting. Not impatient. Just… aware. A small, unconscious smile rested on his lips.

And then—she appeared. Simple. Casual. Almost unnoticeable. And yet—his attention locked instantly.

Nishi walked toward the car, dressed in comfortable clothes, a cap pulled low, and a mask covering most of her face. To anyone else, she was just another person stepping out.

To him, she was the only one there. He straightened slightly as she opened the door and slipped into the passenger seat.

“Hiii.”

“Hi, Bumble,” Aditya replied smoothly.

A pause. Nishi turned slowly. “What?”

He blinked, pretending innocence. “Hiii…”

She narrowed her eyes. “Not that. What did you call me?”

“Ohh…” a cheeky smile crept onto his face. “Bumble.”

Her frown deepened. “That dating app?”

Aditya instantly shook his head. “No, no… like a bumblebee.”

Now she looked genuinely confused. “…Am I looking like a bee?”

He chuckled softly, shaking his head. “No. You’re… adorable. Like it.” A pause. “And I don’t want to call you 'Bee'. It sounds weird. So… Bumble.”

Nishi just stared at him. Bee? Bumblebee? Adorable? Her? Her brain tried to process the logic—and failed completely. “…Impossible,” she muttered under her breath, shaking her head.

Aditya just smiled, clearly enjoying this far more than he should. “So,” he said, starting the engine, “where to?”

“Mall.”

"Okayyy", he dragged the word out playfully. “Fasten your seatbelt, madam… your ride is about to take off.”

She let out a small chuckle, shaking her head again as she clicked the seatbelt into place.

“Drama,” she mumbled.

“Premium service,” he corrected.

The drive was easy. Light. Filled with small glances, almost-words, and a comfort that was still new… but growing faster than either of them realised.

A while later—they reached the mall. Aditya parked the car and stepped out, walking around to her side out of habit before she could open the door herself.

Nishi noticed. Didn’t comment. But something in her expression softened. They started walking toward the entrance. Side by side. Not too close. Not too far. Just enough to feel… aware.

Nishi, however, was in full disguise mode. Loose casual clothes. Cap pulled low. Mask covering her face. Completely unrecognizable. Or at least that was the plan. She adjusted her cap slightly, scanning the area instinctively.

Aditya noticed. Of course he did.

“I think you’ve never worn a mask before in public... right?” Aditya’s tone was light, but his eyes were observant.

Nishi glanced at him from under the brim of her cap. “It was not needed back then.”

Aditya gave a faint smile—one she didn’t notice. Because she was already looking ahead again.

“I never bothered to hide my personal life,” she continued after a moment, her voice quieter now. “From the media… or from people.” A pause. “But now… I kind of want to.”

That made him stop. Not physically. But somewhere inside.

“Because of me?” he asked. His voice had changed. Softer. Careful.

Nishi turned toward him. There was no hesitation this time. “Yeah,” she said simply. “I told you earlier… let’s keep it private until it becomes permanent. lets not include media right now”

Permanent.

The word settled between them.

Aditya looked at her for a second longer than necessary. Then nodded. “Hmmm… okay.” No questions. No resistance. Just acceptance.

“Are you okay?” she asked, noticing the shift.

“Yeah,” he replied quickly, a small smile returning. “I understand. Don’t worry.”

And just like that— The moment softened again.

“So…” Aditya spoke again, deliberately lightening the mood. “Where to?”

Nishi looked around, scanning the mall thoughtfully. “Let’s see…”

A small pause. Then, as if remembering something— “By the way… I was thinking… why are we visiting Manali in monsoon?”

Aditya raised an eyebrow. “You thought about this now?”

“Yeah…” she said, almost defensively.

He chuckled. “Trust me. I know Manali is famous for snow… but it’s beautiful in monsoon too.”

She looked at him with mild curiosity. “Ohhh… okay. Been there before?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “During my residency.”

“Friends?”

“No, no…” he shook his head. “We were assigned to a medical camp there.”

“Acha…” she murmured, absorbing that.

The next three hours passed in a blur of shops, choices, and endless decisions. Clothes. Essentials. Random things she didn’t even plan to buy.

And somehow—

Aditya was there through all of it. Carrying bags. Giving opinions he wasn’t asked for. Rejecting outfits dramatically. Approving others with unnecessary seriousness.

At one point—

“Why this one?” he asked, holding up a top.

“Because I like it.”

“It looks like a curtain.”

She snatched it from his hand. “Your taste is rejected.”

“My taste is superior.”

“Your opinion is not required.”

“Still giving it.”

And just like that—

They kept going. Light. Easy. Comfortable.

By the end— Nishi dropped onto a nearby bench with a long sigh. “I’m tired.”

Aditya looked at her, amused. “Bought everything you needed?”

She nodded lazily. “Hmmm.”

“Okay,” he said, adjusting the bags in his hands. “Let’s eat something first… then I’ll drop you home.”

She didn’t even argue. “Okk.”

They chose a quiet restaurant tucked in one corner of the mall. Less crowd. Less attention. Safer.

They settled into a corner seat—slightly hidden, slightly away from the main view.

They placed their order. And then— For the first time since they arrived— They were just sitting. No walking. No distractions. No movement. Just… Each other.

A small silence settled between them. Not awkward. Not forced. Just… new.

Aditya leaned back slightly, watching her. Nishi looked around absentmindedly, then back at him. And for a moment— Neither of them spoke.

The food arrived. But neither of them really noticed. Not when something far more important was sitting quietly between them. Breaking the silence, Aditya leaned forward slightly.

“Acha… listen na.”

Nishi looked up. “Huh?”

He hesitated for a fraction of a second. “The colleague I told you about… he wants to meet you. Are you okay with it?”

Nishi tilted her head slightly. “You told him?”

“That I have someone… yeah,” he admitted. “But not *who*."

A soft chuckle escaped her. “You can tell him if you want.”

Aditya didn’t respond immediately. That hesitation—

She noticed.

"Look," she continued gently, “I told you… I don’t mind sharing with our close ones.”

“But what if", he said slowly, “somehow the media gets to know?”

Nishi leaned back slightly. “So?”

That one word caught him off guard. "...What?"

She sighed softly. “Aditya…” Her voice softened, steady and certain. “When I said yes to you… from that moment, I was ready to accept you in front of the whole world.”

And just like that—something inside him stilled.

Then burst into life. A thousand quiet emotions—unexpected, overwhelming—rushed through him all at once.

She continued, unaware of the storm she had just created. “I know I said let’s keep it private,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll deny it.”

Her eyes held his now. Clear. Honest.

“If it ever reaches the media… and someone asks me… I won’t lie.”

Aditya didn’t move. Didn’t blink.

“I will try to protect your life,” she added softly. “Your privacy… your space… as much as I can. But I won’t deny that I chose you.”

“And telling your close ones?” she continued. “That’s your decision. If you want to share… you can. If you ask me to make it public right now… I will.”

A small pause.

“It’s just… your profession needs privacy. And if media finds out too soon, you’ll lose that. That’s why I’m asking to wait. But people you trust? She shrugged lightly. “They’re exceptions.”

Her tone softened further.

“Didn’t my friends know about you? Because I trust them… that they won’t say anything until I ask them to.”

A pause. Then, gently— “Okay?”

Silence.

Aditya was still staring at her. Completely. Utterly. Gone. He had just lost the ability to think straight. He just nods with acknowledgement.

The rest of the time passed quietly. Not empty. Just… full. Full of something neither of them named.

Soon after—they were back in the car. The drive to her place felt shorter than it should have. Or maybe neither of them wanted to notice the distance closing.

The car stopped outside her building. Nishi unbuckled her seatbelt.

“Bye…” she said softly, reaching for the door.

“Wait.”

Her hand paused. And then—his fingers wrapped around hers.

Not tight. Not forceful. Just enough to stop her. But enough to send a sudden, electric stillness through her entire body. She froze. Her breath caught. His hand was slightly cold. She slowly turned toward him.

“Aditya…?”

He looked… different. Not teasing. Not playful. Nervous.

“That… I… umm…” For once—words failed him.

She blinked, confused, her heartbeat quietly picking up.

He let go of her hand—only to reach into his pocket. And then—he held something out to her. A small box.

Nishi looked at it. Then at him. A question in her eyes.

“For you,” he said softly, a faint smile touching his lips.

Carefully—she took it from him.

“Can I?”

He nodded. “Hmm.”

She opened it. And her breath stilled.

Inside—a delicate necklace. With a tiny bee pendant.

For a second—she just stared. Then—a laugh escaped her. Soft at first. Then brighter.

“Yaar…” she laughed, shaking her head.

Aditya scratched the back of his neck, suddenly unsure. But then—he saw her smile. And everything else faded.

“Can I?” he asked quietly.

Her laughter softened. She looked at him—really looked this time. Then bit her lip slightly. And nodded.

He took the box from her hands. "Turn," he said gently.

She obeyed. Without question. Without hesitation. Turning her back to him.

Aditya stepped closer. Carefully, he lifted the necklace—his fingers brushed lightly against her skin as he placed it around her neck.

A small shiver ran through her. Her heartbeat stumbled. Then raced.

He secured the clasp. Slowly. Almost reluctantly. As if stretching the moment. Then—he turned her back to him. His hands were resting lightly on her shoulders.

Nishi’s gaze dropped instantly. Her cheeks flushed deep red. Her fingers instinctively reached for the pendant.

Aditya watched her. The way the tiny bee rested against her skin. The way she looked at it. The way she couldn’t meet his eyes.

“Beautiful…” he murmured softly.

She looked up. Just for a second. Then quickly away again. Her heart was racing now. Loud enough that she was sure he could hear it. She glanced at herself in the mirror.

It suited her. Perfectly.

She looked back at him.

“Thank you…”

“Welcome.”

A small step. He moved closer. And before she could process it—his hand gently cupped her cheek. Cold but warm. Careful. And then—he leaned forward… And pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.

Everything stopped. For her. Her eyes widened. breath caught. Her world tilted. And then—he pulled back. Slowly. Watching her reaction.

“It’s okay… right?” he asked softly.

Nishi didn’t speak. Couldn’t. She just lifted her hand to her face, covering the spot his lips had touched. And nodded. Slightly. Shyly.

That was enough. Relief washed over him.

A soft smile followed.

“Bye… good night,” she said quickly—almost too quickly.

And before he could reply—she opened the door and rushed out. Gone.

Aditya leaned back in his seat. A quiet chuckle escaped him. “My silly Bumble…”

He watched her until she disappeared safely inside the building. Only then did he look away.

But the feeling—it stayed.

The warmth of her skin beneath his lips. The softness of that moment. His ears turned slightly red. And as he drove away, one thing was certain.