Sidharth was busy going through the administrative profile of the latest contracts they had signed. Being the project manager at 'Elite Interiors' wasn't an easy job. He was responsible for all aspects of planning, budgeting and execution for interior designing projects in their company. It required designing, management and leadership skills to make his teams work.

He planned the budget and managed the clients under the CEO Vardhan, his very good friend. They were employer and employee for just namesake business.

Currently, he and Vardhan were in a meeting with a client.

"Sir, last time we asked you to appear for a questionnaire. Here's a catalogue we've customized as per your previous answers. Based on your colour choices, what you like the most in decors,  pattern, item or artwork if any, what you don't like in your current design and stuff like that.. Sab kuch aap ke budget me!" Sidharth's secretary Riya said, passing a tablet to the client, who had signed a contract to get his cafeteria re-designed.

"Oh great!" Mr. Goenka commented looking at the white screen that was displaying differently and amazingly designed interiors and then finally chose one.

"Although all these designs were good, lekin mai chahta hu tum mera café kuch aisa banao." Mr. Goenka said, getting up from his seat and the meeting came to an end.

"Bilkul sir." Sidharth nodded, gesturing to Riya to come forward with the contract to get it signed.

"Aapke café ka ek final look jab taiyyar hoga, we'll let you know." Vardhan informed.

"Yes, I'll be waiting. It'll be a pleasure working with you guys." Mr. Goenka shook hands with the guys with that statement.

Retiring from the day, Sidharth made his way home to have dinner with his family.

"Anybody home?" he shouted, when he entered and found no one around.

"Mama!" Adved appeared from the kitchen with a pizza box in his hands and hugged his uncle.

"Sare log ek party me gaye hai, someone's boring 35th anniversary." he added, rolling his eyes and sitting soundedly on the sofa.

"Acha, khana lagvade yaar. Bhook lagi hai." Sidharth muttered, walking towards his room to freshen up.

"MOONU BHAIYAAA! MAMAAA AAA GAYE!" he heard Adved screeching to call the househelp, scrolling his phone. Sidharth could feel his eardrums vibrating in a fragile manner, with that amount of volume, this kid! 

"Kya yaar? Tinde?" he made an utterly disappointed face looking at his plate and the helper Monu simultaneously.

"Bhaiya, didi ne yahi banane bola tha." Monu answered, serving him other items.

"Rehne de, nahi khana." Sidharth replied, pushing away the plate.

"Mama ek baat puchu?" Adved sat next to him and offered a piece of pizza.

"Puchna Adi.." Sidharth nodded, keeping a hand on the back of Adved's chair.

"Aapke flat me ek ladki bhi rehti hai?" the boy asked, he had something up in his mind.

A 17 year old would definitely have quirky questions regarding that, Sidharth sensed and replied, "Ha rehti hai, tujhe kisne bataya?"

Adved wasn't expecting him to react so coldly and lost his chance to tease his uncle then. "Mummy se suna tha." Adved said.

"Bhaiya, daal peelo. Maaji bol ke gaye the aap ne khane se mana kiya toh daal dedena." Monu then forwarded a small bowl of daal.

Being an obedient son he obliged having that and then left for his apartment.

Shehnaaz was still settling up herself in the new place, though she had moved into a place that was fully furnished but there were certain things she had to get by herself. Like the gas subscription, because Sidharth had nothing to do with the kitchen, a tata sky connection because again her roommate didn't watch TV and a maid because again he didn't keep one.

Done with her dinner tonight, she was in the kitchen talking to her fiancé over the video call. "Abhi kha rahe ho? Itna late kaise ho gaya?" she asked, it was almost 10.

"Han, meeting late tak chali." Amrinder replied. They heard a door open and close by itself, it was Sidharth who had returned back.

"Saman set ho gaya ache se? Manage ho raha hai sab?" he asked then, it had been around 10 days she's in Mumbai.

"Ha manage kar leti hu, saman bhi set ho chuka hai. Pata! ye apartment na bada sahi hai, balcony ka view toh dekho!" she answered, walking out to the balcony and turned the camera. Amrinder smiled and nodded in appreciation, focussing on his food.

Shehnaaz realised he must be tired so she soon ended the call. Sitting relaxed on the small stool in the dark, she enjoyed the windy weather. She'd daily call her family and fiancé after getting back from work, once she had even called one of her friends on a sunday.

After sitting there for a while, she moved back to the living room and switched on the TV. Masterchef Australia! Nice! "Oye! Vikas Khanna Australia ke masterchef me!" she exclaimed to herself and increased the volume.

The foreign contestants were preparing chef Vikas Khanna's chicken tikka masala recipe on a themed episode. All of it looked exciting when the competition looked cut throat.

"Shehnaaz volume kam karna." Sidharth opened the door halfway and peeked through.

"Huh?" she replied, not even averting her eyes from the TV screen.

"Shehnaaz!" he shouted a little. It's 1.30 in the damn night!

"Yeah?" she turned to him.

"Volume kam kar! I'm trying to sleep in here!" he stressed at his particular words.

"Okay!" she nodded, obliging and lowering the volume and got back to her work.

"Haye haye! Sirf 10 minute bache hai!" she panicked unnecessarily, grabbing herself a cushion.

"Kya?" Sidharth asked.

"Nahi nahi, tujhe nahi bola. Sirf 10 minute bach hai aur uss ladki ne chicken ko abhi bhi poora pakaya nahi hai thik se. Pata nahi kya karegi?" she replied, totally involved in the show.

"Crazy!" he sighed, this girl. The way she was virtually into the show and participating.

"Ha! That's crazy, she says that she can manage. Impossible hai, mai bata rahi hu!" she judged.

"Raat ke dedh baje tujhe lagta mai tere sath Masterchef discuss karunga? Really?" he sarcastically commented.

"Ha toh maine bulaya tujhe discuss karne ke liye? Ja soja! I'm not stopping you!" she retorted. This guy was such a mood spoiler! He shut the door as his reply and went to sleep.

Shehnaaz on the other side noted down that this guy was not at all a night person, whereas she was. Returning to the show that was getting her occupied, she continued to watch the episodes that were further telecasted.

1Wrong decision! She realised it the next day when she was all sleepy. And why not, she hadn't slept the entire night after all. Even a warm shower didn't help in feeling fresh and nor a cup of tea. She was forcefully keeping her eyes open in the discussion they were having regarding the Goenka's café project. She used to yawn, click her fingers to herself and then go to the canteen to grab a cup of coffee.

"Shehnaaz, any suggestions?" one of her crew members, Harsh asked.

"Hmm, yeh sahi lag raha hai mujhe. Looks fine." she answered, nodding along like everything was fine.

"Shall we wrap up then?" When someone asked, Shehnaaz was the first to agree.

"Ha chalte hai na, aaj ke liye itna kafi hai." she said, just wanting to get into her bed and sleep straight away.

"Guys!" Riya came in when they were about to leave.

"Sidharth sir jaan-na chahte hai, tum logo ne final look taiyar kiya ya nahi?" she asked.

"Kal hi toh kaam karna shuru kiya tha Riya!" Harsh replied. Not just him, every other person felt that, the deadline up their ass.

"Riya, bolde kal dedenge." Shehnaaz told Riya and gestured to her colleagues to get going.

But none of them moved from their places when Sidharth entered their discussion room.

"Hi everybody!" He greeted all of them with a smile.

"Hi Sidharth, we're almost done with the final look. It'll be on your table by tomorrow evening." Ananya, who mostly used to present her team, answered on their behalf.

"Okay, fine by me still I'd just like to see how far you guys are." he replied, wanting to check on them. More than anyone Shehnaaz was the most sulking soul present, she took a seat on the table, yawning yet again, while Ananya enlightened Sidharth with their status.

"Neend aa rahi hai? Aur dekho Masterchef!" Sidharth said, taunting Shehnaaz and making her glower at him. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Theeeree it is.. Chap 3.. Batao batao kaisa laga?

You know what.. I'd like to call them the beginning of Tom and Jerry at this moment of time in this story!

Do vote and comment all!