SS: 6 Din, Ladki In!

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AU Office based story. Khushi matchmakes between Akash and Payal. Title and some story inspiration from the scene in Kal Ho Na Ho.

Part 1

"Sir? Sir!"

Khushi shook her boss's shoulder and he turned around from the window in surprise.

"Khushi?"

"Staring at Payal again?" Khushi grinned as she looked out of the window which overlooked the reception area of AR Industries where her best friend Payal was diligently typing away. "Why don't you just ask her out? You've been mooning after her for months!"

Akash looked at her sceptically before sitting down behind his large oak desk. "Yeah right I'll just walk up to her and say 'hi Payal! Wanna go out some time?'"

"Why not?" She pretended to look him up and down and appraise his appearance. He was over 6 feet tall, had a long sharp nose, dark eyes and a beautiful smile. Not as beautiful as another one that she got to see very rarely, but still nice. "You're not that bad looking, she could do worse."

"As if you're Alia Bhatt."

"I prefer to think of myself as Deepika Padukone actually," Khushi giggled and sat down in front of his desk. She'd worked for the ASR brothers - as they were known – for almost a year now and it had taken Akash almost 3 months to get comfortable enough to hold a prolonged conversation with her. He was impossibly shy when it came to women that weren't his sister and even worse with ones he had a crush on. She'd gotten her cousin Payal the job as receptionist a month ago and Akash had been smitten ever since.

"No really, why don't you just ask her out? I've told you so many times, she's definitely single and she definitely doesn't think you're bad looking. She does however think that stutter you have around her is permanent. She hasn't realised it only appears when she's there."

Akash groaned and put his head in his hands. It all sounded so pathetic when Khushi put it like that. He'd been trying to ask Payal out ever since he'd met her but as soon as he went in front of her he started spouting stupid things like elephants and humpback whales being the only other mammals to go through menopause apart from humans or that 'White Christmas' is the best selling single of all time. "God, I'm so useless! She probably thinks I'm just some blundering idiot who only managed to become Vice President of the company because my brother owns it."

Khushi nodded, "actually she doesn't really think about you at all to be honest. I've tried mentioning you a few times but you don't really stand out in her mind."

"What? I don't stand out? What does that mean? Do I have to dress up in a clown costume and dance in front of her for her to take me seriously?"

"That could work actually. You see the problem is sir, no offence intended of course but Payal barely even notices you. You're just a guy that hangs around her desk a lot, there's no mystery, there's nothing to keep her up at night thinking about you. But... if you're really nice to me, maybe I could help you out with that."

"Huh? How?" Akash looked at her through narrowed eyes. He was familiar with Khushi's famous plans which often turned out to be epically humiliating for everyone involved.

Khushi grinned with excitement. She had just finished setting up her friends Sarita and Rishi last week and was in need of a new project! "Do exactly what I say and I promise you 100% that in 6 days Payal will agree to go out with you! 6 din, ladki in!"

Akash smiled involuntarily, "6 days? That's oddly specific, why 6 days?"

"I don't work on Sundays," she replied with a straight face before winking at him. "Come on sir! The launch is in 6 days, you can take her as your date!"

Akash thought about it; 6 days doing exactly what Khushi said sounded daunting but if it got him a date with Payal maybe it was worth it? "6 days? You're absolutely sure?"

"Pakka! 100% certain sir! If it doesn't work you can cancel my bonus this year."

The phone rang, cutting of Akash's reply and he turned on the loudseeaker shaking his head at Khushi's enthusiasm, "hello?"

"Where's Khushi? I sent her to get the Bakshi file from you half an hour ago! Has she died or something? Not that I'm complaining if she has but I need that file urgently."

Akash winced at Khushi and held out a file to her, "sorry Bhai, it's my fault I'll send the file straight away."

Khushi rolled her eyes and took the file, "when is this Laad Governer going to hire a new Assistant? I do the work of three people and forget a raise, I never even get a 'thank you' off him! Anyway, don't forget 6 din, ladki in! We'll start tomorrow!"

Akash watched her go wondering what he'd let himself in for.

Khushi took the file and walked to the office next door, knocking before she walked in, always mindful of that one time she'd walked in when her boss had been in the middle of changing his shirt. She'd gotten an earful from him about manners and proper procedure but it was worth listening to for the sight that she'd gotten to see. Arnav Singh Raizada might be an arrogant prick but she had to admit he had one of the best bodies she'd ever seen.

She'd originally been his second assistant when she joined but when his girlfriend Lavanya had quit her job in a fit of anger at the end of their affair he'd promoted Khushi to Executive Assistant. Only temporarily though until he found a suitable replacement for Lavanya as he constantly reminded her but it had been over 9 months now and he'd never even interviewed a single candidate for the job.

"Miss Gupta, did you happen to mishear me when I said I needed the file urgently?"

Khushi mentally called him a dozen bad names as he snatched the file from her and sat back down in his leather chair. She hated it when he called her Miss Gupta, had asked him repeatedly to call her Khushi and yet he still continued even though she knew he referred to her as Khushi to other people.

As he flicked through the file her eyes lingered over his strong stubble worn jawline which drew attention to his pale pink lips and sharp nose. His eyes were the best part though, currently downcast as he skimmed the file but Khushi didn't need to see them to know that they were a molten brown colour, hiding a multitude of emotions behind the scathing expression he often had fixed in them. If only he wasn't such an asshole all the time. Khushi sighed drawing the attention of Arnav who looked up sharply.

"Are you still here Miss Gupta? Don't you have some work you could be doing or would you like me to find you something to do?"

"No sir, of course sir," Khushi gave him a fake smile and turned around. "Stupid rakshas, yeah sure, give me more work, as if I don't have enough on my plate already" she muttered to herself as she left his office.