Chapter 63

The soft morning light filtered through the window as Mayank finished brushing his teeth, his thoughts already turning to the gym. He grabbed his gym bag and glanced at Niharika, still fast asleep in bed. He debated for a moment, wondering whether to wake her up for swimming. Let her sleep, he thought, but as he turned to leave, he noticed her stirring.

He smiled to himself. "Good morning, Kumbhakaran."

Niharika barely opened her eyes, still wrapped in the warmth of sleep, and mumbled, "Shut up."

Mayank chuckled softly, enjoying the quiet moment. He leaned against the doorframe. "Anyway, are you coming for swimming?"

Niharika stretched and let out a small yawn. "Oh yeah, I'll come. Give me a bit." She blinked sleepily.

"Okay, I'll head to the gym. Just come to the pool before you swim," he said, feeling the rush of excitement building.

"Yeah, sure," she nodded as she settled back into the bed.

Mayank left the room and headed to the gym, getting onto the treadmill. His mind wandered back to the conversation from the night before. Did I like her back then? he thought to himself. The realization hit him harder now—of course he had liked her. Back then, as a 17-year-old, he hadn't been able to name it, but now, with everything that had happened, it was making sense.

He pushed those thoughts aside and focused on his workout, keeping his pace steady.

A little while later, Niharika walked into the gym, dressed in her swimming gear, looking fresh despite just waking up.

"Good morning," Mayank greeted her with a smile.

"You ready?" he asked, his voice filled with the same light teasing he always gave her.

Niharika stretched, smiling back. "Will you join me for swimming?"

Mayank glanced at the treadmill and then at her. "Hmm, I don't mind. I'll come."

She quickly added, "Only if your workout doesn't get disturbed. I don't wanna disturb your routine."

"Relax," Mayank teased, "I'm just on the treadmill. I can do cardio in the pool anyway. Even though there are better ways."

She raised an eyebrow with a smile. "What ways are you talking about?"

Mayank leaned in a bit closer, a grin playing at his lips. "Well... it involves you, me, and a room."

Her eyes widened, and she smacked his arm. "You're so cheap," she laughed, trying to hide her embarrassment.

They both laughed, and then they walked toward the pool.

Once at the pool, Niharika changed into a modest swimsuit, something that looked like it belonged in a professional setting rather than for leisure. Mayank couldn't help but notice how graceful she looked.

"Did you ever swim professionally?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Kind of. I was on the school team," she replied, her voice carrying a hint of pride. "I swam outside of school too."

"Damn," he said with genuine admiration. "That's pretty impressive."

He noticed her looking at the water—as she settled herself to the temperature of the pool. She looked like she was in deep thought about something.

"Are you okay?" He asked her, "nervous?"

She looked at him, as if brought away from the trance, "No, just haven't swam in a while. Come."

She smiled and they they swam laps for a while, pushing each other to go faster. When they paused to rest, leaning against the edge of the pool, Mayank swam closer to Niharika.

She couldn't help but glance at him, noticing how strong and well-built he was. She quickly looked away, hoping she wasn't being too obvious.

Mayank, noticing her gaze, smiled mischievously. "You can stare, I don't mind."

Her face flushed a little. "Shut up," she muttered.

As they rested in the water, Mayank turned back to find something, Niharika's gaze wandered, and she saw a tattoo on Mayank's back—a Garud. Her fingers instinctively hovered near it, tracing the intricate lines.

He flinched slightly at the touch, turning to face her. "What happened?"

Niharika immediately pulled her hand away, her face turning pink. "I'm sorry! I was just... looking at the tattoo."

He chuckled softly. "It's fine."

"No no. I'm sorry." She said, embarrassed.

He turned around and guided her fingers onto his back again, "Go ahead."

She hesitated for a second, then reached out again. Slowly, she traced the detailed design on his back, taking in every fine detail.

"It's really beautiful," she said, her voice soft with admiration.

Mayank turned to face her fully. "You have one too, don't you? I remember you posted about it."

Niharika nodded and showed him her inner left wrist, where a small trishul with a prayer was etched.

He ran his fingers gently over it. "I love that prayer," he said, his voice low and sincere.

She smiled softly. "It's for Hanuman Ji—I am what I am because He's with me."

He smiled softly at her devotion. For a moment, they simply looked at each other, the air between them charged with a quiet understanding. Mayank's thoughts swirled as he realized he wanted to kiss her again, but with the public setting, he controlled the urge.

"Well, let's go. We've got to meet your parents in an hour," he said, breaking the silence.

Niharika nodded, pulling herself out of the pool. She wrapped herself in a loose overdress, while Mayank quickly put on a dry shirt.

They walked back toward the room, the easy camaraderie between them settling in like it always had, but now, there was something more—something deeper—lingering in the air.

~•~

Mayank sat at the breakfast table with Niharika's family, the peaceful morning atmosphere settling over the room. Everyone was chatting, and the food was being served when Yangeeta looked up from her plate, scanning the room.

"Where's Niharika?" she asked, her tone light, but with a hint of curiosity.

Mayank took a sip of his juice, then looked over at Yangeeta. "Oh, she's showering. She'll be down in a minute. We went swimming early this morning."

Yangeeta instantly raised an eyebrow at the mention of swimming and exchanged a quick glance with Abhijeet. The two of them shared a wide smile, one that made Mayank pause for a moment. He was a little confused about their reaction but decided not to question it.

"Okay, no worries," Yangeeta said as she looked back at him, still smiling, before turning her attention back to her plate.

A few minutes later, Niharika walked down the stairs, dressed in a casual sweatshirt and jeans, her hair still damp from the shower. She made her way over to Mayank, settling into the seat next to him.

"Good morning," she said, still a little sleepy but looking refreshed.

"Good morning," Mayank replied with a smile, his gaze lingering on her for a moment. He felt a quiet contentment being near her.

Everyone continued eating, and Yangeeta looked around the table as she spoke. "So, we have some options for today. We could either take a yacht ride, go on a trek, or maybe something else. What are you all in the mood for?"

Everyone murmured their thoughts, and after some discussion, they all agreed on the trek. Yangeeta nodded approvingly. "A trek it is then. Let's grab our stuff and meet downstairs."

After breakfast, they made their way to the reception, gathering their things before heading out to the car. The drive to the trek point was filled with laughter and conversation, but Mayank's mind kept drifting back to Niharika. There was something about their morning together that left him feeling strangely lighter.

Once they arrived, the group started walking along the trail. Niharika was moving easily, her camera in hand as she snapped pictures of the breathtaking views around them. Mayank couldn't help but watch her, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Madam, be careful," he called out teasingly as Niharika took a step toward the edge of the path to get a better shot.

Niharika shot him a playful glance. "I trekked a lot in Berkeley. I'm fine."

Mayank raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? So did I."

They both chuckled, enjoying the moment of lighthearted teasing. But Niharika was already ahead of him, stopping when a family friend called out to her.

"Mayank, I'll be back in a bit," she called, giving him a quick wave as she walked off toward the others.

Mayank nodded, his eyes still on her as she disappeared into the group. He pulled out his phone, deciding to take a few photos of the scenery. As he was focusing on a shot, Yangeeta and Abhijeet approached him, walking at a slower pace.

"Beta," Yangeeta began, her voice soft but carrying an underlying warmth. "Did Niharika actually go swimming today?"

Mayank looked up, a little surprised by the question. "Yeah Aai, why?"

Abhijeet smiled, his tone a bit more thoughtful now. "She stopped swimming after... well, whatever happened at her university. I don't know if you're aware, but she was part of the swim team there. She even swam outside of school, but then everything just stopped. Hearing that she swam today—it just made us so happy."

Yangeeta nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, beta. I don't know if you forced her to come or if she lost a bet or something. But if she swam because of you... thank you so much."

They both smiled warmly at Mayank before continuing on ahead, leaving him standing there in complete surprise. He hadn't expected that response, and for a moment, he was left speechless, trying to process the depth of what they had just said. He thought back of how she was lost in thought before she started swimming—it all made sense now.

Mayank glanced back toward Niharika, who was still talking with their family friend, and felt a warmth spread through him. Something inside him shifted, and he realized just how much he had come to care for her. And how he was indirectly healing her—which made him smile.

🩷