Morning came quietly, like it was afraid to disturb the night that still lived in the room.
When I opened my eyes, the bed beside me was warm… but empty.
For one small second, my heart thought he had left again.
Then I saw him.
Kartik was sitting on the chair near the window, one leg crossed over the other, his tablet resting in his hand.
The pale morning light touched his face softly, making him look calmer than I had ever seen him.
Not cold.
Not distant.
Just… quiet.
Working.
But still here.
I slowly pushed myself up, the bedsheet slipping from my shoulder, and walked toward him.
Every step felt careful, like this peace could break if I moved too fast.
"Why didn't you go to the office?" I asked softly.
He didn't look surprised to hear my voice.
As if he had been waiting for me to wake up.
"Because," he said in a low, gentle tone, eyes still on the screen,
"I don't want my rabbit to run away from her hole."
For a moment, I didn't understand.
Then the meaning settled quietly inside my chest.
"Oh… okay," I whispered.
Before I could step back, his hand reached for my wrist and pulled me toward him.
The movement wasn't rough.
It was slow… certain… like he already knew I wouldn't resist.
I ended up sitting on his lap, my heartbeat suddenly louder than the silence in the room.
He adjusted me carefully, one arm around my waist, the other still holding the tablet.
Then he leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss on my forehead.
Not hungry.
Not angry.
Just… warm.
The kind of kiss that feels like home but also hurts a little.
He went back to working as if this was normal—
as if I had always belonged there.
I stayed quiet, holding my phone in my hands, pretending to scroll…
but my eyes kept drifting toward his face.
Watching him.
Memorizing him.
Like time was something that could disappear again at any moment.
Slowly, without realizing when, my head rested against his shoulder.
His heartbeat was steady beneath my cheek.
And somewhere between silence… warmth… and the fear of losing this moment
I fell asleep again.
Right there.
In his arms.
When I opened my eyes again, the room hadn't changed much.
The sunlight was brighter now… warmer… spreading quietly across the floor.
And he was still there.
Kartik hadn't moved from the chair.
The tablet was in his hand, voices speaking softly from it—
a meeting.
Real.
Serious.
The outside world continuing…
while I was still sitting curled in his lap like time had paused only for me.
For a few seconds, I didn't move.
I just watched him.
His face was calm, focused…
but one arm was still wrapped around my waist, holding me in place unconsciously,
as if letting go would allow something to slip away again.
Then reality returned in the most ordinary way possible.
"I… need to go to the washroom," I whispered quietly.
He didn't react.
Not immediately.
Still listening to whatever someone was saying in the meeting.
I shifted slightly.
His arm tightened.
"Kartik," I said a little louder, embarrassed now,
"I want to go to the washroom…
do you want me to do it here?"
That made him move.
Without looking at me, he loosened his arm from my waist.
Just enough.
I carefully slid down from his lap, my feet touching the floor,
my hair messy, clothes slightly creased,
still half lost in sleep.
And then—
I heard it.
Soft, awkward laughter.
Not from him.
From the tablet.
My heart dropped.
I slowly lifted my eyes toward the screen…
and realized the truth all at once.
The meeting was on video.
Everyone had seen me.
Seen us.
Faces trying to stay professional.
Smiles they were hiding.
Eyes quickly looking away.
Heat rushed to my cheeks so fast it almost hurt.
For one frozen second, I couldn't breathe.
Then instinct took over.
I turned—
and ran.
Straight to the washroom,
closing the door behind me with trembling hands,
my heartbeat loud,
my face burning,
and something unfamiliar fluttering inside my chest.
Embarrassment…
yes.
But also something softer.
Something dangerously close to happiness.
When I finally gathered enough courage to open the washroom door,
my heartbeat was still uneven…
like it hadn't decided whether to calm down or run again.
The room felt quieter now.
Only the faint sound of water dripping somewhere…
and the soft tapping of his fingers on the tablet.
I stood there for a moment, just breathing.
Then a simple thought came—
I should take a bath.
Maybe the water would wash away the embarrassment,
the warmth on my cheeks,
the strange flutter inside my chest that refused to settle.
So I walked to the cupboard slowly
and took out my new bunny night suit—
soft, pink, childish in the sweetest way.
Something safe.
Something that felt like hiding inside comfort.
I could feel his eyes on me the whole time.
And when I turned toward the bathroom again,
I heard it—
his quiet laugh.
Not loud.
Not teasing.
Just… soft.
Warm.
As if the sight of me in something so innocent
had touched a place inside him he never showed anyone.
I didn't look back.
If I did, I knew my courage would disappear.
The warm water fell gently over my skin,
slowly easing the tension from my shoulders…
but not from my heart.
Because even there,
behind a closed door,
I was still aware of him outside.
Waiting.
Existing.
Being too close.
After some time, I stepped out again,
wrapped in quiet softness and the faint scent of soap.
And then—
I saw him.
Kartik was no longer in his formal clothes.
He had changed too.
He sat on the chair in his dark night suit,
the fabric slightly loose,
the top few buttons carelessly open…
as if he hadn't even noticed.
His hair was still damp,
a few strands falling over his forehead,
tiny drops of water tracing slowly down his neck.
He was working.
Completely focused.
Calm.
Unaware of the storm he was creating just by existing like that.
My steps stopped on their own.
For a second…
maybe longer…
I forgot how to breathe.
My throat felt dry.
I swallowed quietly,
hoping the sound wouldn't reach him.
Because something inside me felt shy—
not the childish shyness of before,
but something softer… deeper…
something that made me suddenly aware
of him
and me
standing in the same quiet space.
And with that awareness
came a strange kind of embarrassment—
the kind that blooms only
when the heart starts feeling
more than it should.
So I lowered my eyes quickly,
pretending to adjust my sleeve…
pretending I hadn't been staring.
But the truth stayed inside me,
warm and trembling.
Because no matter how much I tried to act normal,
one thing had already changed—
Being near him
no longer felt ordinary.
It felt like standing
too close
to something dangerous…
and beautifulWhen I finally gathered enough courage to open the washroom door,
my heartbeat was still uneven…
like it hadn't decided whether to calm down or run again.
The room felt quieter now.
Only the faint sound of water dripping somewhere…
and the soft tapping of his fingers on the tablet.
I stood there for a moment, just breathing.
Then a simple thought came—
I should take a bath.
Maybe the water would wash away the embarrassment,
the warmth on my cheeks,
the strange flutter inside my chest that refused to settle.
So I walked to the cupboard slowly
and took out my new bunny night suit—
soft, pink, childish in the sweetest way.
Something safe.
Something that felt like hiding inside comfort.
I could feel his eyes on me the whole time.
And when I turned toward the bathroom again,
I heard it—
his quiet laugh.
Not loud.
Not teasing.
Just… soft.
Warm.
As if the sight of me in something so innocent
had touched a place inside him he never showed anyone.
I didn't look back.
If I did, I knew my courage would disappear.
The warm water fell gently over my skin,
slowly easing the tension from my shoulders…
but not from my heart.
Because even there,
behind a closed door,
I was still aware of him outside.
Waiting.
Existing.
Being too close.
After some time, I stepped out again,
wrapped in quiet softness and the faint scent of soap.
And then—
I saw him.
Kartik was no longer in his formal clothes.
He had changed too.
He sat on the chair in his dark night suit,
the fabric slightly loose,
the top few buttons carelessly open…
as if he hadn't even noticed.
His hair was still damp,
a few strands falling over his forehead,
tiny drops of water tracing slowly down his neck.
He was working.
Completely focused.
Calm.
Unaware of the storm he was creating just by existing like that.
My steps stopped on their own.
For a second…
maybe longer…
I forgot how to breathe.
My throat felt dry.
I swallowed quietly,
hoping the sound wouldn't reach him.
Because something inside me felt shy—
not the childish shyness of before,
but something softer… deeper…
something that made me suddenly aware
of him
and me
standing in the same quiet space.
And with that awareness
came a strange kind of embarrassment—
the kind that blooms only
when the heart starts feeling
more than it should.
So I lowered my eyes quickly,
pretending to adjust my sleeve…
pretending I hadn't been staring.
But the truth stayed inside me,
warm and trembling.
Because no matter how much I tried to act normal,
one thing had already changed—
Being near him
no longer felt ordinary.
It felt like standing
too close
to something dangerous…
and beautiful
at the same time.