A/n ~ I would highly recommend listening to this song after reading the chapter and imagining the events of it taking place in harmony with the lyrics. Enjoy, lovelies. ✨
*****
She takes as long strides as her dress would allow. Her heartbeats are marching their own little band. Partly anxious due to the search, and partly in anticipation. Her neck aches from sleeping upright in the hospital, her feet have started to hurt, but she doesn't care about her pain. The only recurring thought she has, is in fact, not a thought but a name. Ruturaj.
She looks like a woman on a mission. Making her way through the deserted airport, slowing down only to read the signs that would take her to Gate 23. Her destination is set. It is only a matter of few minutes, she tells herself as she takes a long breath.
She is sweating profusely by now. But as she wipes the beads of sweat above her upper lip a memory comes back to her. Wet wipes. Her lips upturn. Her heart flutters.
Her steps slow down as she catches her breath. Her search comes to an end. She finds what she is seeking. Tears collect in her eyes as she watches him admire the sky through the glass. Dawn has never felt so beautiful to her.
And just like that, before sunrise, Kritika watches her sun, rise.
A warm, affectionate sun rises within her, and she realises that it is love.
She loves Ruturaj.
Looking at his deeply asleep teammates around her, she wishes to tiptoe, but ends up running to him as quietly as possible.
It's unnatural how he turns a second before she calls his name.
"Kriti...are you alright?"
"I am so sorry, Rutu."
Their faces tell each other everything that isn't easy to put in words.
He tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear and pulls her in his arms. Soaking herself in his embrace, Kritika experiences something for the first time. To her, every caress on her head seems to convey Ruturaj's love for her. The barely audible "Thank God," she hears makes her heart skip a beat. She tightens her arms around his waist.
"I'm so sorry I had to cancel the date. Nandish's father was admitted to the hospital yesterday." She tells him without breaking the embrace. She wants to elaborate but the bright sun within her is making her blind to other thoughts.
She loves Ruturaj. Is all she can think.
"No problem Kriti. I was so worried for you. I couldn't stop wondering if something had happened to you... I tried calling you from Deepak's phone but you were talking to someone else then..."
Kriti bites her tongue at the realisation. The unknown number had been Cherry's. She wishes to facepalm herself but is unwilling to let go of Rutu.
"In my impatience to reach out to you, I was a little too harsh with my phone and so it got hanged!"
Kriti tries hard to imagine an impatient Ruturaj but fails. She buries her head in his chest, breathing in his scent. It doesn't escape her notice how unbothered Ruturaj is by her sweat. How tightly he's holding on to her despite the perspiration. Kritika smiles as she decides there can not be a better time to say this aloud.
"Ruturaj Gaikwad..." she calls out, raising her head slightly, in order to see his face.
"Yes?" He asks, surprised at her use of his full name.
"I love you."
His expression changes from utter surprise to pure delight.
"And I love you, Kritika Pillai."
They rest their foreheads together and Kritika takes a look to check if anyone has woken up or not. Thanks to her luck, their tiredness and the fact that it's 5.41 am, Kritika rises on her toes. Taking the hint, Ruturaj bends down. Their lips meet in the middle.
It's still dawn. Dark outside but for them, the sun of love has risen.
******
A/n ~ just wanted to say thank you to everyone who's reading this. You guys, your messages, comments, votes, make my sun shine brighter. (I just learnt how to dedicate chapters and I am so happy to finally make use of this lovely feature. My little way of making some of you smile.)
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