'Akshay…. Akshay … come down here and keep this jar of pickles in your bag'.

'What is this ma… this is the 5th jar of pickle. I am only going to Bengaluru, not America', Akshay jumped off the last few stairs to the hall room of his parent's house.

'Who knows what kind of food you are going to make. We have all seen the failed cooking of yours,'

Sheila, Akshay mom muttered.

'HA HA HA HA HA Akshay Bhaiyya burned rice, put sugar instead of salt in curry and forgot to wash the vegetables before cooking and found a worm in the curry… HA HA HA HA … it was sooo funny'. Akshara, Akshay's little not-so-innocent sister, roared in laughter.

'Shut it Akshara you don't you show off your cooking skills here. That's my only weakness and by god when I come here for vacation I will make your favorite food, and you will praise me for it. Just wait.'

'HA HA HA… What a joke. Ma, I cannot stand him. Just send him away now.'

'AKSHARA YOU BRAT ….'

Laughing, Akshara went upstairs running away.

'ARE YOU BOTH 5-YEAR-OLDS' Sheila was fed up with them.' I made all these pickles just for you, so take them. Make sure you put a lot of water in the rice, ok. Don't eat a lot of outside food. Make food at home as much as you can. If you have any problem call us ok. Work and don't slack off. And Akshay… Bring me a Daughter-in-law… Won't you?'

'Ma… What are you saying… oh my god… is that why you agreed so easily to my decision to work at Bangalore… oh God… I knew there was something going on in you and papa's cunning mind'. Akshay could not believe what he was hearing.

'Hey… don't jump on me… it's your father's idea too. I have heard that girls in Bangalore and very smart and beautiful. Hay… can't a ma wish for her son to wed a beautiful and smart girl?. Moreover, they are mostly all high class people with lots of money…'

'MA, god, you are so so so cunning. Let me first settle there first in my flat, ok. Then we can talk ok. Now it's time for my train'.

Sheila passed a shy grin to her son,'Aww… is my son getting shy…'

'STOP IT MA'

'Ok, ok fine. Akshay take your luggage and settle it on your papa's bike and Akshara come down and bring the diya, let's pray for your bhaiyya's safety'.

'Ma is it really necessary, such a fool, he himself will be harm to himself' Akshara teased Akshay.

'Akshara, I am your Bhaiyya and you don't want me to tell ma about it, right'

Akshara glared at Akshay.

Akshay grinned widely

'Wait… what it? Akshara… what's going on…'.

'Come on Ma, it's noting'

Akshara brings the diya and the three of them together lights it up. Divakar, Akshay's papa, comes up to them.

The family together prays for the safety and well-being of their son. Akshay, brimmed with the excitement of a new beginning, takes blessings from his parents and hugs his sister.

The family experiences a bittersweet moment as Akshay climbs on his father's bike which he was to park at the railway station, and waves goodbye to them.

Wind whipped through his hair and clothes as he drove through. It was definitely going to be a new starting.

Welcome Akshay sir, hope you have a good day”-The receptionist, whose nameplate read Deepika, greeted him with a lovely smile. Akshay smiled back in greeting and went inside the lift which took him to his floor.

His ma and papa had bought him this flat when he got a job here at Bengaluru. He loved them even more for their thoughtfulness. They were definitely not a wealthy family. His was a typical middle class family. They had had their struggles. But they had done something that most Indian parents don't do for their children. They had bought him a decent house. Ha… It was more than decent. Akshay looked around his new flat. It was beautiful and homely. It almost felt like his family was near him.

The next morning started with the sun shining on his face, greeting him. He dressed up modestly. Nothing expensive. Cheap and decent wear. Ha… don't want the boss to think he was rich. Why ignite jealousy for no reason na… .

Bengaluru at 8 am was hell. Lots and lots of traffic. It was the rush hour and it was hell. Thank God he ordered ola earlier, else he would be squashed up in public transport. He leaned back quite comfortable, He was thinking of starting a new business, or something like that to make more money. His salary was decent. But he wanted to be rich. And from his parents' life he had clearly seen that working a 9 to 5 job would allow you to live decently but would not make one rich. Hmm… what could he do… He looked outside the window. This was Bengaluru, It was the hub of youngers. He could make money out of them…. He wasn't so sure, but it wouldn't hurt to try, right.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't even know when he reached his office. It was a huge building with a beautifully decorated garden outside. He was greeted by a peon who introduced herself as Malini, and ushered to the Boss's cabin. The cabin was decorated in bright colors, he almost laughed out loud when he saw a cut little teddy bear sitting on the desk.

“Akshay, please wait here for the boss to come, ok”- Malini went outside on his nod.

Akshay looked around, other than the very out-of-place teddy, everything else was ordinary. He wondered if the boss had a little daughter or son.

The door opened and a man of his age walked in. He looked up. A pair of black, intense eyes met his. He was handsome. Breathtakingly so. With soft hair falling on his forehead and a defined jawline. He definitely worked out. But what made the man most appealing to him was his aura. The man screamed drama and entertainment. Akashy met his twinkling eyes and smirk-adorned face with a breathless stare. How would Akshay had known that this person coming through would topple down his carefully balanced life.

The man entered and settled down on the bosses chair. He passed a smile towards Akshay.

Akshay shook his head a little to get rid of whatever spell the handsome man had cast over him and smiled politely.

“You must be my Boss, Mr. Sudhir. Myself, Akshay Singh”- Akshay held out his hand for a shake of the hand.

“Welcome, Mr. Singh to our company. Hope you have a wonderful time working here.”- Mr. Sudhir's hands were warm and... soft?

“Sit down please, let me brief you about the office and ask you some important questions.”- Mr. Sudhir spotted a sly grin on his face.

Akshay was puzzled. What important questions now. “Sure sir”

“So, Mr., Singh, our company has a very tight schedule. We allow our employers to use the washroom at specific times only.”

Akshay frowned-” I am sorry, Mr. Sudhir, but I have read the company's employee rules and policies and I did not find such a rule anywhere.”

“Well, it's an unwritten rule Mr., Singh”

What was this man's problem? He had never heard of such an obnoxious rule.

“Also, Mr. Singh, are you married?”

“No”

“Ha, then you won't have this problem... but do you have a girlfriend?”

“No sir.... but why are you asking such questions?”

“Well because there is another rule that you can take phone calls only at specific times only. Otherwise, even if it's your resting time, you cannot take any phone calls.”- The arrogant man in front of Akshay smirked widely.

Akshay felt his anger rising, he stood up,” Sir, this is simply nonsense these rules were clearly not conveyed to me before, and I refuse to obey them”

“Oh ho… then Mr. Singh, we may have a problem”- a devilish grin popped up on the man's face.

Akshay opened his mouth, ready to give this arrogant boss a piece of his mind, when the cabin door opened and a middle-aged man came inside.

The new man had a calm face which somewhat resembled the face he was just glaring at.

“Good morning, you must be Mr. Akshay Singh, I am your boss Mr. Amit Sudhir, welcome to our company”- the man shook his hands.

Akshay gaped at him and turned to face a smirking arrogant face.

“Oh… so you have met my son Arjun, right. He takes up the bosses place when I am ill or sick or when I want a leave.”- Mr. Amit patted his son's back with a proud expression.

Akshay rolled his eyes.

“Arjun, this is Akshay. He is new to the team and I want you help him if he needs anything”.

Akshay glared at him as the man passed him a smirk-” Sure dad, it would be my pleasure.”

“Mrs. Malini, show Akshay his desk”

“Yes, boss”- Mrs. Malini walked ahead, asking him to follow her to his new desk. It was near a window… aa… bliss.

A face appeared on his eye view, “You seriously did not believe the nonsense rules I made up, right… Mr. Singh”

“Go to hell”-Akshay glared at him and walked away to find the washroom. Ugh... Arjun was such a headache.