The ghazal had seeped into her. Her heart had restlessly churned. For a moment she wished that Asrar would intertwine his fingers with hers, which would have been a significant consolation. Later, this thought made her laugh. Innumerable thoughts were rushing to her heart, but none of them was able to articulate itself well. Darkness had spread itself on the sea surface. The lights from the areas around tried to rush and scatter on the water. Soon, the wall on which Hina and Asrar sat became crowded. They sat silently in the midst of the crowd but within them there were rivers that were overflowing and flooding. Both looked relaxed as if they had discovered each other. Theirs was an adoration sewed together by love.

Asrar was impatiently thinking of ways to learn what there was in Hina’s heart. He could not come up with anything. Finally, he gathered courage and asked, ‘Do you know?’

Hina looked at him. She was always amazed and didn’t understand why people in Mumbai always said, ‘Do you know’ before initiating a conversation. Whenever someone used this phrase she would answer, ‘Yes, I know.’ And the speaker would fumble. When Asrar asked, ‘Do you know?’ Hina said, ‘Yes, I do.’

‘I knew that you would know,’ Asrar answered unexpectedly.

Hina expressed happiness through the flutter of her eyelashes. ‘What do you know that I know?’

This was the only opportunity that Asrar had. ‘I missed you the entire last week.’

Hina tried hiding her surprise and happiness that these words had brought with them. She did not want Asrar to know how meaningful these words were for her. She was craving very deep inside her that Asrar would utter something in which she would trace a map of love needed for the journey of love. She tried to give the impression that the words did not matter much to her. She said, ‘All right … But how do you know that I knew this?’

Asrar answered with complete simplicity and without any inhibition, ‘I’m sure you missed me too. Isn’t it?’

It was not an answer to Hina’s question, but it was an inquiry in itself. A question that Hina never expected to be asked so soon. She wondered how to answer it. She was perplexed. She wanted to reply honestly but was lacking in courage. Asrar immediately realized her situation and said, ‘I knew you would know.’

‘What?’ Hina asked.

Many people sat or stood at short distances around them and were chatting. But their presence didn’t concern them. They were sincerely a part of their own conversation that was bringing their hearts’ restlessness face to face. This conversation was also a balm to their heart’s agony. Asrar gave an answer to Hina’s ‘What?’ by saying, ‘I’ve been thinking about you every day, throughout the past week.’