The glass doors of AIIMS reflected the soft morning sun as Dr. Kabir Singhania stepped inside with his usual calm, professional air. Dressed in his sharp formal suit, he nodded politely to a few colleagues in the corridor before making his way towards the boardroom. His expression was composed  the kind only years of surgical practice could perfect  but somewhere at the back of his mind, he couldn't deny a slight anticipation. Today, again, he would meet her. And after last night's conversations at home, the air between them wouldn't be the same anymore. Inside, the boardroom was already filling. Seated around the large oval table were Dr. Ranvijay Shukla, Dr. Rajeshwari Rathod, Dr. Aditya Saxena, Dr. Shruti Singh, and other senior board members, surgeons, and MDs. The agenda: To finalize the finances and legal formalities regarding the cancer and palliative care wing. 

Kabir greeted them with his usual quiet respect and settled into his seat. Present from AIIMS side: Mrs. Aparna Sen – Head of Finance, Mr. Pranav Bajaj – Head of Legal And other board members. Present from Visionary Vistas (Kashish's firm) Kashish Diwan – Lead Architect, Project Head, with Aryan and Jiya, Mrs. Nurvi Diwan – Legal Head, also Kashish's Bhabhi and Mr. Shaan Sehgal – Finance Head, Kashish's long-time friend

Meanwhile, outside the boardroom...

Kashish stood just outside the boardroom, her file pressed nervously to her chest. Aryan and Jiya flanked her on either side, exchanging glances as she whispered her concern. "I'm nervous. How am I supposed to face him after all this marriage talk? What if it feels awkward? What if I lose focus?" Aryan gave his trademark smirk, lightening the moment with his usual tease. "You'll survive, Kashish. Just remember it's still a boardroom, not a mandap." Jiya nudged her playfully, her tone soft but confident "And if you get too nervous, we'll handle it. Relax. You're the architect here, you're in control of the blueprint, remember?" Their gentle teasing drew a small, grateful smile from Kashish. She exhaled, quietly steadying herself. Whatever was swirling in her head her nerves, the conversation with her parents, the weight of last night's talks it all needed to be set aside. Right now, she was here as a professional. With a final breath, she pushed open the door. Inside, the atmosphere was familiar, serious, structured, formal. Board Members, Senior doctors, department heads, legal advisors, financial teams. All poised, papers neatly arranged, focus sharpened. But for one fleeting second, as Kashish stepped inside, Kabir's eyes lifted. Just a glance and they both smiled. But in that glance, the crowded room faded. For a heartbeat, it wasn't about AIIMS or finances or legalities. It was about them. And then, as quickly as it came, professionalism returned. Both masked whatever lingered behind polite smiles and quiet acknowledgment. The greetings were formal, the handshakes firm. Chairs shifted, files opened, discussions began. Legalities were debated, finances dissected.

The room settled into its usual rhythm of formality. Senior members from both AIIMS and Visionary Vista rose slightly in acknowledgment before resuming their seats. Dr. Ranvijay Shukla, the Director of AIIMS , opened the meeting with his characteristic calm. "We are gathered today to conclude the pending discussions on the legal and financial aspects of the Palliative and Cancer Care Wing. I trust both teams have come prepared with their final reports." Beside him, Mrs. Rajeshwari Rathod added, "We appreciate the dedication shown by Visionary Vista so far. Let's ensure today's meeting brings us to a satisfying conclusion so the work can progress without delay." With the formalities set, both sides exchanged courteous nods. AIIMS Legal Head, Mr. Pranav Bajaj, presented the updated legal agreements clear, structured, precise. Finance Head, Mrs. Aparna Sen, followed with her points on fund allocation, timelines, and the financial scope remaining. On the Visionary Vista side, Mrs. Nurvi Diwan handled the legal clarifications with practiced ease, and Mr. Shaan Sehgal confidently detailed the financial plans, ensuring transparency and clarity. The conversation moved fluidly between clauses, approvals, numbers, and projections. Papers slid across polished wood, pens noted margins, and formal words filled the air. And yet, beneath this corporate routine, two pairs of eyes occasionally met across the table, Kabir and Kashish. Behind their professional demeanor, both carried the quiet weight of a conversation waiting to happen.

The meeting at AIIMS boardroom was running at its usual formal pace. After covering the legal formalities, the discussion shifted towards finances, particularly around the Cancer and Palliative Wing's therapy room structure. On AIIMS' side, Aparna Sen, the finance head, raised a concern. "We've noticed the budget projections for the therapy room structure seem to be expanding beyond the initial estimates. This needs to be renegotiated before we proceed further." At this, Shaan Shegal, the finance head from Visionary Vista, moved forward to the discussion table. Calm and professional, he began addressing the matter of negotiation. At the back, seated quietly but alert, Kashish Diwan observed the conversation with a sharp eye. As Shaan glanced back subtly years of teamwork making their communication seamless, Kashish lightly tapped her fingers on the file, a silent gesture, signaling, Negotiate till 20 lakhs. No less, no more. Only Shaan and Kabir caught it. Kabir, from his seat across the table, couldn't help noticing again how Kashish managed things without theatrics, only quiet precision. As the discussion moved forward, Kashish finally chose to speak, her tone steady, clear "If I may clarify  the projected finances appear expanded because of the therapy room's revised architecture. The space was adjusted to accommodate not just therapy, but also patient recovery lounges, integrating newer wellness models AIIMS had requested during our last discussions." Her explanation was factual, leaving no room for doubt. Aryan backing her smoothly, added "Yes, and the structural expansion aligns with the feedback from the AIIMS oncology board last quarter." Jiya said, "These changes were noted in the updated drafts we submitted." 

Just then, Kabir raised a query. His tone remained calm and professional, yet his question was sharp  the kind only someone thorough with hospital finances would ask. "I just have one query, Ms. Diwan," Kabir said, meeting her eyes briefly across the boardroom table. "Regarding these figures, Is the operational budgeting being considered separately from the structural expenses? Or are these overlapping anywhere in the projection?" Kashish didn't falter. Composed and confident, she answered without hesitation. "Yes, Dr. Singhania," she replied, her tone steady and clear "The operational costs and structural budgeting are entirely separate in this plan. The structure's financial outline you're seeing today is strictly one-time capital expenditure." She flipped open the proposal file smoothly, turning to the precise page that outlined the breakdown. "Future maintenance, operational expenses, or staffing budgets won't be tied to this structural cost," she clarified further. "This keeps AIIMS' annual budgeting clean and predictable without any overlap." Kabir listened, reviewed the numbers briefly, then gave a small nod of approval. "Understood. Thank you for clarifying." Kashish responded with a polite, professional smile before returning her focus to the rest of the discussion.

Once the legal and financial discussions were smoothly wrapped, Dr. Ranvijay Shukla leaned forward, a satisfied smile crossing his face. "Congratulations to both teams," he said warmly. "It's a commendable collaboration. I'm certain this wing will stand as a benchmark project for AIIMS." Beside him, Dr. Rajeshwari Rathod echoed the sentiment. "Yes, congratulations to everyone involved. The efficiency, clarity, and professionalism shown today were truly impressive." As the formal tone softened, Dr. Ranvijay Shukla turned toward Kashish, his expression lightening with familiarity. "So... Kashish Diwan. The younger daughter of the prestigious and well-known Diwan medical family." His smile widened as he continued teasingly. "That award night, when Dr. Angad mentioned it, I was honestly surprised to know you belong to the Diwan family. I thought of approaching you to say that, but I figured, let's keep it for another time." The room shared a light chuckle. Dr. Rajeshwari Rathod added with amusement, "It's rare, isn't it? A Diwan who hasn't followed the path of medicine and has instead carved her niche in a completely different field."

Their remarks were warm, friendly, without malice, the kind of teasing reserved for someone already earning their respect. Kabir, quietly observing from his side, couldn't help but notice Kashish's composed smile as she responded. "Every family needs someone to break a tradition once in a while, ma'am," Kashish said, her tone light but confident. "Architecture called me more than medicine ever could." Her bhabhi, Nurvi, sitting from the Visionary Vista side, chimed in with a playful grin, "And trust me, the family has finally accepted it after a lot of debates at dinner tables." That earned a small round of laughter from around the table, Dr. Shruti Singh,  Dr. Aditya Saxena, Aryan, Jiya... even Kabir allowed himself a faint smile.

After few minutes of handshakes, congratulations, and light laughter among the AIIMS team and Visionary Vista's representatives, Kabir quietly stepped aside. His eyes instinctively searched for her, and there she was, closing her file, on th other end of the huge table.  Almost without thinking, Kabir took a few steps toward her. She noticed. Their eyes met. The air between them felt quieter than the rest of the room. Their smiles were professional but beneath it, something tentative lingered. Kabir spoke first, soft, respectful, yet with warmth only meant for her "Congratulations, Ms. Diwan. You handled everything today impressively." Kashish smiled back, a little nervous still, but keeping her composure intact. "Thank you, Dr. Singhania. And congratulations to AIIMS too. Their eyes held for a beat longer, something unspoken passing quietly between them. Kabir, never one to circle around things unnecessarily, lowered his tone so only she could hear. "I'm sure you're already aware... of the conversations happening between our families." Kashish's smile faltered just a little. Not out of discomfort, just a flicker of surprise. She nodded lightly. "Yes... I heard." There was a pause. Not awkward exactly, but charged with a quiet uncertainty neither of them knew how to name just yet. Kabir smiled, this time softer, almost as though offering her an out from all the formalities surrounding them. "How about we continue this... not as AIIMS and Visionary Vista, but just as Kabir and Kashish? Over coffee? Now, if you're free?" For a moment, Kashish searched his face, reading sincerity beneath the simplicity of the question. And then, with a small nod, her answer came easily." Yes, I'm free."

As Dr. Ranvijay concluded the meeting, he looked at Kashish, Aryan, and Jiya with a polite smile. "Visionary Vista team, congratulations once again on securing the project. I'm sure we'll be meeting often as the next phases of the project unfold. See you soon." With that, the meeting wrapped up. Everyone rose, quietly exchanging words as they stepped out of the conference room.

As Kashish stepped out of the boardroom, she found her Nurvi bhabhi waiting casually by the corridor, chatting lightly with Aryan and Jiya. The moment they saw Kashish's face calmer, softer, with a hint of something unspoken in her eyes  they knew something was different. Without much ceremony, Kashish said it simply, almost too casually tu Nurvi. "Bhabhi, I'm going out for coffee with Kabir." For a heartbeat, Nurvi blinked in surprise, and then that familiar, teasing smile curved across her face. "Oh ho coffee? That too with Dr. Kabir Singhania?" She leaned in, nudging Kashish playfully. "Suddenly this coffee sounds very important today." Aryan, always quick with a quip, grinned "Wow, Kashish. Straight from the boardroom to the next big negotiation coffee with Mr. Surgeon?" Jiya laughed, unable to hold back "And don't forget, do let us know which coffee brand impresses Dr. Kabir. Might help us in future deals." Kashish rolled her eyes, but laughter escaped her anyway. The warmth in her cheeks gave her away far more than her words did "Enough, all of you It's just coffee Just a conversation." Nurvi's teasing softened into affection. She stepped closer, tucking a loose strand of hair gently behind Kashish's ear, A gesture of sisterly warmth and quiet encouragement. "Yes yes, just coffee." Her voice turned softer, meaningful. "But these small conversations, Kashish, they're the ones that change lives. Go. Enjoy it. Be yourself."

Just then, Kabir stepped out of the conference room. His gaze naturally found Kashish already standing ahead, still speaking briefly with Nurvi, Aryan, and Jiya. Their eyes met — a quiet acknowledgment passed between them. Without a word, they fell into step together, walking side by side towards the lift. As the elevator doors slid open, they stepped in together. The soft hum of the lift filled the brief silence between them as it carried them down to the ground floor. Neither of them said much, yet somehow, in that silence, a quiet understanding settled between them.

                                                                                 **************

What did you think of this chapter?
Did you enjoy this slow, delicate unfolding between Kabir and Kashish?

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-[Pristi Scrolls]