Unraveled hearts

The tension between Aravind and Naina still hung in the air, but there was something different about tonight. The events of the day had left him with a heavy heart, knowing he had hurt her. Aravind was usually someone who kept his emotions locked away, but now, sitting in the same room as Naina, he realized how much he wanted to make things right.

That night, after pacing around and trying to figure out what to say, he finally decided he couldn’t wait any longer. He walked slowly towards Naina’s room, knocking lightly before entering. She sat on the bed, staring at her phone, but when she saw him standing there, she put it down, her expression unreadable.

Aravind stood still for a moment, not quite sure how to start. Then, his voice broke the silence. "Naina..." he began, his tone softer than usual, almost tentative. "I’m sorry. For everything. I know I hurt you yesterday, and I shouldn’t have spoken to you that way."

The words felt foreign on his tongue. Aravind Rathore, the cold and commanding CEO, was asking for forgiveness—something he never thought he’d do. He was so used to controlling everything around him, but this… this was different. He couldn’t control the damage he had done to Naina's heart.

"I was wrong," he said quietly, stepping closer. "I shouldn’t have let my frustration get in the way of us. You matter to me. I don’t want you to think otherwise."

Naina, still processing his words, looked up at him. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but what she saw in Aravind’s eyes was completely unexpected. There was no coldness, no arrogance. Just sincerity and vulnerability.

He sat down on the bed beside her, his presence now softer, almost gentle. "Naina," he said again, his voice more personal, "I’m really sorry for making you feel like you didn’t matter. I never should have done that."

Naina felt her heart soften. It was hard to stay mad when he was so open, so vulnerable in front of her. The man who was always so composed, so unreachable, was now sitting beside her, trying to fix the hurt he had caused.

The sincerity in his voice hit her in a way she hadn’t expected. But before she could respond, something unexpected happened.

Without thinking, she leaned in and kissed Aravind’s cheek—just a light kiss, a gesture that seemed to come from a place of softness, of forgiveness.

She immediately pulled away, her face flushing. "Oh, I... I didn’t mean to..." she stammered, surprised at her own actions.

Aravind, completely stunned, froze. His face turned a deep red, and for the first time in a long while, he didn’t know what to say. "You kissed me?" he asked, his voice almost inaudible, shocked by her sudden affection.

Naina, now even more embarrassed, tried to brush it off. "I just... I don’t know. You looked so cute apologizing, like a little kid." Her attempt at a joke fell a bit flat as she realized how awkward she felt. "I didn’t mean to... um... make it weird."

Aravind, still taken aback, didn’t quite know how to respond. His cheeks were burning, and he couldn’t stop the smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Cute?" he repeated, still processing everything. "I didn’t think I was capable of being cute."

Naina grinned, her heart still racing. She quickly tried to regain her composure. "Well, you were. You looked like someone who was genuinely sorry. And I appreciate it, even though I’m still upset."

"I am sorry, Naina," he said earnestly. "I’ll keep trying to show you that."

She took a deep breath, now feeling a little more at ease with the situation. But there was something playful about her tone as she looked at him. "You owe me," she said with a sly smile, her eyes twinkling. "Since you apologized so nicely, I want something in return."

Aravind, still red in the face but a little more confident now, raised an eyebrow. "What do you want?"

Naina smirked. "Take me out for ice cream tomorrow night."

Aravind blinked, clearly surprised by the request. "Ice cream?" he repeated, laughing softly. "After everything, you want ice cream?"

Naina nodded, her smile growing. "Yes, ice cream. No work, no phones, no distractions. Just you and me, enjoying some ice cream."

Aravind let out a small chuckle, finally relaxing. "Alright," he agreed, the tension between them easing for the first time in a while. "Ice cream it is. I’ll make it up to you, Naina."

Naina leaned back, satisfied. "Good. You better make it the best ice cream date ever."

Aravind smiled, his heart feeling lighter than it had in days. "I’ll make sure of it."

---

That night, as they sat together, the tension that had once separated them began to dissolve, and a small, hopeful spark began to grow between them. Aravind had apologized, Naina had kissed him (without realizing the effect it would have), and they had made the first step toward something better. Tomorrow, they would go for ice cream—but tonight, they had made progress, and for now, that was enough.