These days,  I was spending my good time with Krishna, but after returning from Vrindavan I noticed, I discovered a new side of him. The side which Krishna always hide behind his witty smile....,I got to know about ..... the Krishna I had fallen in love with....the Krishna who was mine.


    In Vrindavan, I had gone with the intention of confessing my feelings to him, but maybe some feelings are better left in the heart. I thought, perhaps I would tell him the day before he left at the end of the contract day, so there wouldn''t be any regrets.


    Who knows? Maybe if I confessed then, he would stay....But the strange fear lingered-what if this sweet and sour friendship between us got ruined? Right now, I could speak to him so freely about anything, but after confessing, how would I even talk to him?


    Often, I would just look at him and debate in my head-should I say it, or shouldn''t I? Sometimes, I wished he could just read my heart himself. Why was he making me suffer like this? And then I thought, maybe he only considered me a friend.


    After we returned from Vrindavan, life went back to how it used to be. But I tried to make every day special for him. Some days, I cooked something new for him, and other days, I dressed him in new clothes. Giving him flowers and expressing my feelings through songs had become a daily ritual. Yet, every time, he acted as though he didn''t understand...He just act fool..... And to top it off, he would tease me by bringing up Sandy''s name, adding fuel to the fire.


    Our days were passing like this until, one day, I suddenly received a message about my college reunion. It was perfectly timed with the winter break at my office, which ran from December 24 to January 2. One of my old friends, who worked at a different branch of my office, also knew about it. I couldn''t say no, even though I didn''t feel like going. On top of that, Krishna was with me, and I wasn''t sure what to do at that moment.... I don''t want to leave krishna alone.


    When I asked Krishna about it, I asked, "It''s a girls'' trip. Should I go or not?"


    "Why are you overthinking? Go. It''ll be fun!" he said casually.


    "But you... I don''t feel good leaving you behind alone like this....," I said, pouting.


    "Who said I wouldn''t come along?" he said, sitting on the sofa with a sly smile.


    "But I told you, it''s a girls'' trip. What would you even do there?" I asked, sitting next to him.


    "I''m not saying I''ll join your girls'' trip. I''m saying let''s go to Shimla.... Anyway, this city''s air feels a bit stale. Let''s breathe in some mountain air for a change," he said, brushing my hair with his hand and smiling.


    "But you''ll be alone there? How will you manage....Without me?" I asked, concerned.


    "Alone? .....You''ll arrange the hotel and stuff for me, won''t you....? I already know all the places I want to visit. You don''t need to worry about me-worry about yourself. Just make sure the hotel is decent!" he said, patting my back.


    "Alright then, let''s go!" I said, standing up excitedly.


    Krishna coming along was more than I could have hoped for. And it wasn''t like we wouldn''t get to spend time together there. I could introduce him to my friends as a friend. But then again, would that be appropriate on a girls'' trip? My overthinking had begun again, but for now, the only thing that mattered was that he was coming along.


    We shopped for winter clothes-some online, some offline-and packed everything by the 24th. Half of the journey was by train, and the other half by bus. The train ride went smoothly, but the bus ride through the mountains was a nightmare for me. The bus snaked along the narrow mountain roads, the world outside tilting with every curve. The pine trees blurred into streaks of green as my stomach churned relentlessly. The sharp, cool scent of the mountains mingled with the diesel fumes, making me lean over my seat, desperate for relief.


    The winding roads made me nauseous, and I couldn''t stop my vomiting. I avoided his gaze, burying my face in my hands as the nausea subsided. Yet, Krishna''s hand never left my back-a silent anchor, grounding me with every gentle pat. His steady rhythm said what words never could: ''It''s okay, I''m here.''" At one point, I rested my head on his shoulder and dozed off during the ride.


    When the bus stopped, Krishna practically carried me out by giving me support. I was so weak, and if he hadn''t been there, I had no idea how I would''ve managed on my own.


    At that point, I didn''t have the courage to meet my friends directly, so Krishna and I had rented a nearby hotel room where he could stay while I met them. It wasn''t that I felt awkward about telling my friends about Krishna, but I was unsure how to bring it up after all these years to them. I decided to get ready in Krishna''s room and left, thinking I would tell my friends the next morning that a "friend" wanted to join us on the trip.


    As I was about to leave, Krishna was lying on the bed, watching me with an amused smile. I paused and asked, "What''s so funny?" But he said nothing, just kept smiling.


    I stepped out and made my way to the hotel my friends had told me about. It was around 6 in the evening, and the plan was to meet at 7. Though they had been calling me to join them early, I deliberately delayed. When I reached, I saw they had booked a large table for dinner. And it wasn''t just girls-there were boys there too. I hesitated for a moment before walking up to them.


    One by one, they hugged me. It felt good to see everyone after such a long time, though they all seemed a bit different as we were meeting since a long time.


    As I took a seat, I commented, "I thought this was supposed to be a girls'' trip!"


    Alia, sitting across from me, smirked and said, "Oh, come on,... Adduuuu. If we''d told you the guys were coming too,.... you wouldn''t have brought anyone anyway!" Everyone burst into laughter at her words.


    Then another friend, sitting next to me, added, "As You know...., some of us are married now, and the rest have boyfriends, so we all just brought them along. Sorry, we forgot to tell you!"


    I just gave a faint smile, unsure of what to say. This was precisely why I hadn''t wanted to come. These days, being single felt like committing a crime.


    Alia again chimed in, "Even if we had told her..., she wouldn''t have brought anyone! Come on, Aduuu, it''s high time you get a boyfriend. Oh, wait-I forgot, you''re all about arranged marriage!" Their laughter echoed again, but before I could respond, the boyfriend of my friend Tanya next to her spoke up.


    "Hey,.... there''s nothing wrong with arranged marriages.... if that''s what she wants!" he said, and my friend Tanya also supported him, because they both were my old friends.


    I picked up the glass of water in front of me, hoping to hide my nervousness.


    Just then, a familiar voice called from behind, "Babyyyy... so here you are! .....I''ve been trying your phone since long!"


    I frozed.... My heart skipped a beat when I listened the voice. Turning around, I saw Krishna walking toward me, phone in hand. He was wearing a sleek black long coat and black pants, looking effortlessly confident.....As he approached me, the water I was drinking got stuck in my throat. My mind was stuck on one word-baby.


    Krishna slid into the empty chair beside me, his hand brushing my back lightly. ''What''s wrong, baby? Please...Drink carefully,'' he murmured, his tone equal parts teasing and concerned. ''And why didn''t you answer my calls?... You know I am worry about you....!!.'' His voice was casual, but the way he leaned in made my pulse quicken."


    I was still in shock, trying to process what was happening. "S-sorry... it must''ve been on silent," I muttered.


    Before I could regain my composure, Alia burst out, "Oh my god! You never told us about him..! Addduuu!!!, you''ve been hiding things from us!... How long has this been going on?"


    Everyone at the table was staring at us now. Including Krishna, we were about 12 people. I opened my mouth to respond, but Krishna spoke first interrupting me.


    " Actually It''s been long while...," he said smoothly by looking at me, "but she''s always so scared that someone will cast an evil eye on our relationship.... She wanted to keep it private until it became permanent. But I told her, why hide it from such close friends...? Right, baby? I did the right thing, didn''t I?"


    Hearing him call me baby again felt strange, and his words were even stranger. It wasn''t that I wasn''t happy-of course, I was-but everything was happening so suddenly that it felt more shocking than joyful.


    I nodded silently, unable to think clearly.


    Alia grinned from across the table and said, "Well !!, Adduuu, introduce your secret boyfriend to us! What''s his name, ?"


    "Keshav !!," I quickly answered, smiling nervously as I nudged Krishna under the table with my elbow.


    Everyone at the table had begun introducing themselves to Keshav aka Krishna , one by one. As always, Krishna started chatting with everyone, laughing and smiling in his usual charming way. I wasn''t bothered by his conversations, but the stories he was telling-how we first met, what happened here, what happened there...how he fell I love ...Blah blah....-along with his repeated use of the word baby, were making my heart race. Honestly, I couldn''t digest any of it. And when he said baby again, I had had enough this time. I stomped on his foot with my sandal.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Ahhhhhh!" he yelped, startled.


    I looked at him and said firmly, "Your leg must be hurting from all the traveling..... Let''s go rest now-it''s getting late anyway."


    Krishna smiled slyly and replied, "Come on...., let''s at least finish dinner first. What''s the hurry?"


    Before I could respond, Alia interjected with a teasing grin, "Relax, Adduuu! No one''s stealing your Secret boyfriend, okay?"


    To this, Krishna instantly grabbed my hand and said confidently and dramatically with a wink by directly looking into my eyes, "And no one can steal me...., because my heart is already stolen... by my honey."


    My face turned completely red. My friends were howling with laughter at my embarrassment. I didn''t have the courage to look at Krishna or respond to him. I felt both amused and mortified. Stealing a sideways glance at him, I couldn''t help but wonder what weed he taken before showing up tonight.


    When dinner arrived, we ate together. But just as I thought I''d survived the ordeal, Krishna took a tissue and gently wiped my mouth in front of everyone. I kept blushing, unsure how to react, while he acted like a perfect boyfriend.


    Then, out of nowhere, Krishna stood up and announced dramatically, "Tonight''s dinner is on me...! This day is very special to me. On this Christmas Day, December 25th..., I got the chance to disclose my feelings in front of everyone....This is the best gift I could ever ask for Christmas!"


    He turned to look at me with such affection that I didn''t know how to hide my emotions. To calm myself, I gulped down quickly an entire glass of water.


    As we were about to leave, Krishna handed me his wallet and said, "Baby!!, here''s my wallet. You handle the payment while I go take the luggage up to the room."


    With Tanya''s boyfriend, Krishna left for the room, leaving me surrounded by my curious friends. They formed a circle around me and bombarded me with questions. While I kept smiling outwardly, only I knew how anxious I felt inside.


    After saying goodnight to everyone, I finally made my way to my hotel room. The door was already slightly open, so I didn''t have to knock. As I stepped in, I saw Krishna sitting on the bed, his legs dangling off the edge, as if he had been waiting for me.


    The moment I entered, he exclaimed, "Baby, where were you ....I was waiting for you ....!"


    Hearing his words, I quickly shut the door behind me and, in a serious tone, asked, "What''s weed gotten into you all of a sudden?"


    "Why?.... Don''t all boyfriends call their girlfriends.... baby? Did I say something wrong?" he asked, walking toward me with a mischievous smile.


    My heart started pounding again. "You... my boyfriend?" I stammered.


    "Why not?... Can''t I be your boyfriend, baby?" he whispered into my ear, his voice soft and teasing.


    I closed my eyes in panic. I couldn''t figure out what to say. My voice failed me. And to make matters worse, he was wearing a white shirt with the top two buttons undone. I couldn''t even look straight at him as his neck and chest was making me more nervous, and I can''t look up into his eyes too... Because I was feeling like I can faint any moment.


    After a brief silence, he suddenly broke the tension. "So? How did you like my boyfriend acting?"


    I opened my eyes, startled. Krishna had stepped back and was now standing with his arms spread wide, grinning like he was in a movie.


    "What... do you mean?" I asked, confused.


    "I mean...," he began dramatically, "when I saw everyone teasing you about not having a boyfriend..., I thought I''d help you out a bit. I''ve played many roles in my life, but never did a boyfriend role..... So I figured, why not take the opportunity to give it a shot?"


    He delivered his line with such flair, he might as well have been a movie hero.


    "Do you even know what being a boyfriend means?" I asked, half-amused, half-frustrated. "You''ve dragged me into this big lie.... You''re only here for a year on a contract. What will happen to me after that?"


    "Don''t worry about that," he said casually. "When I leave, I''ll erase everyone''s memories-except yours, of course-so no one will ask you any questions. As for whether I understand or not....what it means to be a boyfriend, I''ll prove it to you. Just wait and watch what a perfect boyfriend is!"


    "This isn''t funny," I said, pouting. "You don''t belong in this time era, Krishna...... Things are different here!"


    He smiled, cupped my cheek, and said, "Consider this my Diwali gift to you. Say yes to being my girlfriend-without asking any questions-and I''ll show you what a great boyfriend truly is."


    I sighed, mumbling to myself, "This is ridiculous." It wasn''t that I had a problem with him. In fact, I wanted to confess my feelings to him for real. But I''d imagined doing it in some grand, heartfelt way. Now, it felt like I was in the middle of some bizarre rom-com.


    Sensing my hesitation, Krishna chuckled and said, "Oh, I get it. You''re scared you won''t able to make a good girlfriend..... Don''t worry, baby. I''ll teach you everything!"


    He gently tucked my hair behind my ear, making my heart skip a beat.


    "By the way," I asked shyly, "where did you learn this whole baby....baby thing?"


    He smiled warmly. "Oh, come on, baby.... I might be new to this time, but I''m not clueless. Just trust me-I''ll show you how many things more.... I have many sources other then google...hehe."


    I looked at him, half-annoyed, half-amused. Deep down, I knew I didn''t want to stop him. But the real question was: should I wait for the right moment to confess my feelings, or was this the moment I''d been waiting for all along..... Or should I play this game along him.... And make this as opportunity?


    He had smiled mischievously, tapping my nose lightly as he said, "Oh,.... it''s just like in those movies you like to watch.....Don''t all lovers give each other nicknames? ....I came up with one for you-B.B., short form of my Baby Baka......It''s... Baby, when we''re in front of others, and Baka just for you... because you''re my Baka. And It means cute!"


    I rolled my eyes, pouting. "Yeah,.... yeah, ...make fun of me that''s all you want!... And don''t try to fool me.....I know Baka means fool in Japanese!"


    His expression turned mock-surprised. "Oh no!....I thought Baka meant cute. Never mind that..... Now, you better come up with a cute nickname for your adorable boyfriend too..... Only then will I get fully into character!" he said dramatically, plopping himself down on the bed.


    "Fine, fine. I''ll think about it. Now I''m going to change!" I said, grabbing my clothes and heading to the bathroom. The moment I shut the door behind me, I clamped my hand over my mouth to stifle a scream of pure joy. I couldn''t let him see how happy I was; it might ruin whatever this crazy thing was that was happening between us.


    When I came out, Krishna was sitting cross-legged on the bed with his phone propped up against a pillow. Seeing me, he grinned and said, "Alright then! Let''s go on our first movie date!"


    I walked over, laughing, and handed him his wallet. "First, tell me this-how come you suddenly have money today....? Weren''t you always borrowing from me always before?"


    He smirked. "Earlier was different..... Now I''ve taken on the responsibility of being the perfect boyfriend..... And here you are, wasting precious time talking about money instead of sitting with me to enjoy the moment!....How unromantic girlfriend you are !!!!"


    "Oh really...? Why do we even need a movie? ....Let''s just look at each other instead,...!! Seeing you is better then watching a movie" I teased with my dumb pickup line.


    His eyes lit up with mischief as he grabbed my hand, pulling me close. "I was thinking of watching a horror movie so you''d hold on to me when you got scared.... But if you want to just look at me, I''m totally okay with that too," he said, pulling me to sit beside him.


    Flustered, I quickly stood up. "No, no! I''m feeling sleepy now. I think I''ll go to that little sofa and sleep."


    Before I could move away, Krishna grabbed my hand again, gently but firmly, and made me sit back on the bed. "If you will sleep so far away, how am I supposed to feel like a real boyfriend...? Even if it''s just for a little while, let me help to really get into character..... I''m still new to this, and I need practice....!"


    Blushing furiously, I mumbled, "Fine! You stay on that side of the bed, and I''ll stay on this side, okay?" I curled up at one edge, hiding my face in the pillow as I smiled to myself. Krishna turned off the lights and lay down on the other side.


    The room fell quiet for a while, and I thought maybe he had fallen asleep. But suddenly, his voice broke the silence. "Hey....... I saw in a movie once that boyfriends kiss their girlfriends goodnight so after that she can get a better sleep. I was wondering if it''s true or not... does it really works or not..... If you Would not mind... Can I try......?" His voice trailed off after reaching to last sentence, and becomes soft and hesitant.


    "In the icy chill of Shimla''s December, a new kind of warmth stirred within me....a warmth that no blanket could replicate. It wasn''t the cold that kept me awake that night but the heat rising in my chest, a mix of nervous anticipation and overwhelming emotions.....At least that time we have two different blankets... Else I would forget how to breath.... His innocent yet daring question had shaken me to my core, leaving me breathless as if I had just stepped to the edge of a cliff.


    When I whispered my soft, almost inaudible yes, I tried desperately to conceal the joy bubbling inside me. But the moment the word left my lips, I felt his presence and fragrance, closing the distance between us. Each movement of his drew him closer, and with every inch, it felt as if my very soul was being drawn out, leaving me weightless and vulnerable.


    I could feel the faint brush of his hand against my back through my heavy sweater, a barely-there sensation that sent a shiver down my spine. Slowly, deliberately, his face moved closer to mine. I could hear his uneven, deep and cozy breaths, each one tangling with my own racing heartbeat. My chest tightened as my nervousness escalated into something I could no longer control.


    Unable to handle the intensity, I closed my eyes tightly, surrendering to the moment. And then it finally happened-his lips, soft and featherlight, grazed my cheek..... Time felt frozed....It wasn''t just a kiss....it was an electric current that coursed through my entire being, awakening emotions I didn''t even know I was capable of handling that feeling..... In that fleeting moment, it felt as though my very soul had left my body, as if I had ceased to exist anywhere but in the warmth of his touch.


    Just as quickly as it came, it was gone. He pulled away, retreating to his side of the bed without uttering a single word. The silence that followed was deafening, yet my world became noisy by his warm touch. My heart raced wildly, and my cheeks burned with the imprint of his lips-a weight I could still feel long after the touch had ended.


    I instinctively raised my hand to my red cheek, placing it gently over the spot where his kiss lingered. The warmth of that moment refused to fade, filling me with a giddy mix of disbelief and elation. My breathing was uneven, my body trembling as if my very life force had been shaken.


    I couldn''t bring myself to turn toward him, couldn''t summon the courage to meet his gaze even in the darkness. Instead, I lay there, clutching the memory of his touch close to my heart by cuddling myself with pillow. Somewhere amidst the chaos of my emotions, a small, involuntary smile spread across my lips. My fingers softly traced the spot on my cheek, trying to hold onto the fleeting magic of the moment.


    And even as sleep finally claimed me thinking this was the dream or is this real...., But I knew one thing-this night would be etched in my memory forever even in afterlife also.


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