A little while later, Shimla's cool breeze kissed the streets as two separate cars moved gently through the sloping lanes. Kabir's black SUV ahead Kashish's a sleek white Audi Q5 following. They both reached the quiet rooftop cafe overlooking the hills, A place known for its warmth despite Shimla's cold. Lanterns hung from wooden beams, the scent of fresh brew mingling with mountain air. They parked, exchanged a glance, one half shy, one half steady and walked up together. Above them, the sky stretched wide and clean, stars beginning to glimmer faintly. Below, the town lights blinked quietly, wrapped in cold winds and soft conversations.

The rooftop cafe overlooked Shimla's mist-clad hills, where the horizon blurred between clouds and the evergreen slopes. A soft breeze carried the faint scent of pines, tugging lightly at Kashish's scarf as she walked beside Kabir. They chose a quiet corner table, away from the hum of other conversations, where only the occasional clink of coffee cups broke the stillness. Their coffees arrived, simple, unpretentious. Much like the mood between them. For once, there were no presentations, no senior board members, no watchful family eyes. Just Kabir and Kashish. At first, they sat in a comfortable silence, the kind that didn't demand to be filled immediately. The air between them wasn't heavy, but thoughtful. It felt new. Not awkward, not strained  just waiting to unfold. It was Kabir who spoke first, his voice carrying the same quiet ease as the weather. Kabir said with a light, almost amused smile, "I never thought that you and I would be sitting like this, talking about marriage. The girl who once walked into AIIMS as an architect would one day be sitting across from me at a coffee table like this." Kashish smiled too, her fingers brushing the rim of her coffee cup as she softly replied, "And I never thought the doctor who hardly looked up from his file would one day be asking me for coffee, and making me feel so comfortable in a conversation like this." Kabir Replied "I didn't expect this conversation would come between us so soon." He said it lightly, but sincerely. Kashish smiled, her gaze lowering for a moment before she answered. "Neither did I. Honestly, it felt a little sudden. Even today... sitting across from you in that boardroom, I wasn't sure how to face you after all these family discussions." Her honesty wasn't defensive, it was simply truthful. Kabir let out a soft chuckle "Same here," I've always been good at keeping work and personal matters separate. But somehow, this feels different, Simpler and somehow, more difficult at the same time." That made her smile, A small, knowing one and continued saying "Our families think alike maybe a little too much alike. But I'm glad you asked me for this coffee. It's made things less awkward." For a moment, Kabir simply watched her not as Visionary Vista's architect, not as Dr. Ranveer Diwan's  daughter but just as Kashish. "I didn't want this to feel like pressure," he said, his tone steady, almost gentle. "I wanted it to feel human, That's all." Her eyes lifted to meet his, Clear and Calm. Perhaps even a little grateful. 

Their conversation had started casually, the way most first conversations do light, polite exchanges about work, AIIMS, Architecture, deadlines, Families. But as the coffee cups slowly emptied and the Shimla breeze grew a little cooler, something shifted. Not forced. Not awkward. Just naturally. Kabir's words came after a pause, his voice low, thoughtful against the quiet hum of the rooftop cafe "You know all these years, marriage wasn't something I actively thought about. Maybe because work took up so much space. Or maybe because I never felt ready to share my life with someone unknown." Across from him, Kashish listened with quiet attention, her chin resting lightly against her palm, a soft smile playing on her lips "I thought the same," she admitted, her voice gentle, honest "I used to tell Aryan and Jiya, I want to get married But not rushed. Not because of family expectations. I wanted to feel ready. Or at least, understood." Kabir's smile deepened not out of amusement, but understanding "And now here we are. Sitting across from each other because our families think we might be right for one another." Kashish met his gaze, not defensive, just curious "Does it... scare you? Or make you uncomfortable? Kashish asked Kabir" He thought for a moment before answering,                     "No. Strangely, it doesn't. Not today. Not with you sitting across from me." Her surprise showed for a second, but so did her ease. His honesty wasn't heavy, it was freeing. "You're not what I imagined when I first heard of Dr. Kabir Singhania," she teased lightly, she continued saying "I thought you'd be cold, Detached, The typical Neurosurgeon type." Kabir laughed softly, a sound that seemed rare but natural around her. "And you're not what I imagined either," he admitted, mirroring her playful tone "Didn't expect someone from the Diwan family to not belong to medicine or to be this calm, composed and sharp with numbers." Their laughter mingled, easy, unguarded. For a moment, it felt less like two people meeting under family expectations and more like two people discovering, maybe this wasn't so difficult after all. After a pause, Kabir's tone turned sincere again. "But jokes apart, I admire how you handled everything today. And I think if marriage is ever to happen, it should begin with this. Conversations like this. Understanding each other. No rush, no pressure." Kashish nodded, her thoughts aligning with his. "Yes. I want that too, A partnership Not just a compromise. Someone I can sit with, like this  without feeling I need to pretend." Something softened in Kabir's gaze, not attraction, not expectation. Just respect. "You don't need to pretend with me, Kashish. Not now, not ever." For a moment, silence lingered between them, not heavy but meaningful. Eyes meeting across cooling coffee cups, words unspoken but understood. Kashish smiled, lighter this time. Freer. "And you don't need to carry the weight of expectations alone, Kabir. You seem human enough." He laughed again. The cold breeze touched their faces. Somewhere between coffee cups and confessions, awkwardness had been replaced by something far more important, Comfort.

Kashish found herself watching Kabir differently now. The man known for his precision, his restraint, his quiet seriousness, tonight he looked softer, Less guarded. When Kabir leaned back in his chair, watching her with a look of quiet amusement, Kashish felt herself smiling without reason "You're easy to talk to, Kashish Diwan, that is rare." Kashish's reply was just as honest saying to Kabir that "You too, I didn't expect this when I walked into conference room this morning." Their conversation paused, but not their comfort. Together, they watched the soft halo of Shimla's city lights, the quiet rhythm of the hills offering them a rare kind of peace. Then, Kabir's casual invitation broke the stillness, light as the breeze between them "Since coffee went well, shall we make this evening longer? Dinner? Kashish's playful answer met his with equal warmth "Alright, Dr. Kabir lead the way." And just like that, without pressure or planning, they stood up. Continuing their talk now at the dinner table. 

They left the rooftop cafe behind, their conversation lighter now, punctuated with easy laughter as they drove separately but found themselves pulling into the same quiet, charming corner of Shimla. A heritage-style restaurant nestled amidst cedar trees, with soft golden lights wrapped around wooden beams and lanterns swaying gently in the cold evening breeze. The restaurant wasn't crowded. Shimla's chill kept most people indoors, but this place seemed made for moments like theirs, intimate, quiet, untouched by the world outside. Soft instrumental music played in the background, something classical on the piano mingling with the occasional rustle of trees beyond the glass walls. They were seated at a corner table near the window, where the view overlooked the faintly lit hills, dotted with tiny houses and distant streetlights like scattered fireflies. The table was simple, Ivory linen, A small lamp flickering softly between them, and a vase holding a single white lily. Kabir pulled the chair for Kashish, a gesture that felt natural, unforced. Their coats were draped neatly behind them, and with the warmth inside, the chill of Shimla faded to something cozy rather than biting. Menus arrived, but neither of them seemed in a hurry to open them.  They laughed, Easy, Uncomplicated. A rhythm settling between them. They ordered simple things, soup to warm them, fresh-baked bread, a quiet choice of pasta and grilled vegetables. Nothing extravagant Nothing showy Just food to accompany conversation.

There were moments of silence between words, but not the uncomfortable kind. The kind that simply allowed them to look around, to take in the warmth of the place, to recognize this wasn't a meeting, nor an obligation. It was two people learning how to share time. Kabir noticed how Kashish's laugh had softened since coffee. Kashish noticed how Kabir's usual restraint had given way to something lighter, something almost boyishly charming. They spoke of small things. Of work. Of how Kabir hated cold coffee but loved winters. How Kashish loved reading old architectural journals more than new ones. How Shimla always felt like home, no matter how far their lives stretched.

As they stepped out of the warm glow of the restaurant, After ending the Dinner. Kabir and Kashish walked side by side toward the parking area. Their pace was unhurried, as if neither wanted to break the comfort of this shared silence too soon. When they finally reached where their cars were parked, hers on the left, his on the right, they naturally paused, standing between them. For a moment, neither spoke. The night stretched calmly around them. Kabir said softly "I'm glad we did this, Not as architects or doctors just as people." Kashish smiled, her hand brushing lightly over her car door handle and replied to him saying "Yes, just people, Who happen to be at the center of a lot of family discussions lately." They both laughed, quiet but genuine. Kabir with a soft nod said to Kashish "Drive safe, Kashish." Kashish smiling warmly replied to Kabir saying "You too, Kabir." There was a small pause again, but not an awkward one. It felt... peaceful. Like something had settled between them tonight — not a promise, not a decision, just... understanding. Kabir gave a light wave before moving toward his car. Kashish watched him for a second longer before slipping into her own. As their engines started almost at the same time, they exchanged one last glance through their windshields. A shared smile. A silent goodbye. Their cars pulled away slowly, heading in opposite directions through the winding hills of Shimla  but somehow, both carrying a little more warmth than when they'd arrived.

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-[Pristi Scrolls]