"What do you do for a living, Zafar?" Zaya asked.
"I work." Zafar answered.
"Oh come on! That's the same thing you told me in the car. What do you actually do? What is your work?" Zaya asked again.
Zafar chuckled softly, took a sip of his wine before he gave a reply to Zaya.
"I am a Civil Engineer. I design, plan, and oversee the construction and maintenance of infrastructure projects such as buildings, roads, bridges, dams, and water supply systems. I also make sure that these projects are safe, functional, and environmentally sound, considering factors like materials, costs, and regulations." Zafar explained to her.
"Wow, that is so cool. It's almost like Kabir's job occupation. You know, Kabir is an architect," Zaya said.
"Yeah, in fact, I do collaborate with architects, surveyors, and construction teams to bring my projects to life." Zafar told her.
"That is honestly good. You have a great career, and I am happy for you. At least now I know that you are not a mafia king or a drug lord. I can finally put my heart to rest." Zaya let out.
"What? Is that what you think of me? As a drug lord or mafia king?!" Zafar asked, obviously taken aback by her words.
"Yeah, I mean you wouldn't tell me what you do for a living. You are always giving off this mafia-king kind of vibe and I always found it weird when you approached me for a business proposal." Zaya explained.
"And that concludes your theory of me being a mafia king or a drug lord?" Zafar asked in utter disbelief.
"Oh! And because your favorite color is black. All mafias love black. Besides, you are very sneaky and suspicious. One day you visit the store and then, for the next three months, I do not get to see you and when you stop by the store again, and I ask you where you have been all this while, you try to shut me up with more money, which of course I fall for." Zaya let out.
"That is just… despicable. You are one funny lady, Zaya," Zafar said.
"Indeed, I am," Zaya said too.
"I am not always available because I have other businesses to attend to aside from being an engineer. I own a racetrack and an auto-repair store. I am also a wine merchant and a software engineer. I have a very busy business life that needs me all the time. My investment with you is just like a hobby for me," Zafar explained.
"Huh? Hobby? I am so offended. Besides, I could see you being a wine merchant. That's so understandable. Software engineer? I understand that too. Owning a racetrack? I can understand that you probably like cars and racing, but you see that auto-repair store, I can never believe it! I can't imagine you being a mechanic and fixing people's cars or motorbikes!" Zaya said.
"The auto-repair store is inside the racetrack. I do not repair people's cars because I have employees to do it for me and our services are not available to everybody. It is highly exclusive and reserved for the racers only," Zafar explained politely.
"Oh!" Zaya uttered in realization.
"I think this wine must be doing something to me, making me say gibberish," Zaya added, as she took a sip of the wine.
"Yeah, blame it on the wine." Zafar said.
"Moving on…" Zaya tried to change the subject of discussion as she was suddenly filled with shame.
"What is your greatest achievement being a Civil Engineer?" Zaya asked him.
"My greatest achievement would be… when I built a dam and water system at this village far off in the north. It was called 'Project Kanji' and was initiated by the government. The people of the village had been in a dilemma, living without a good source of water, falling sick and dying due to the bad water. They reached out to the government, who answered them and contacted us for the project. It was the most memorable experience of my life. Seeing the little kids finally have a taste of clean water was priceless. To them, it felt like gold. The prayers and praises I got from the elderly people will forever be cherished. I can still remember the smiles on their faces, it felt like heaven to them to see clean water. It was there and then that I realized how fortunate I was. I was grateful for the wealth I had, and I deeply appreciated it after seeing the living conditions of those people. I learned a valuable lesson." Zafar narrated.
"What is the valuable lesson you learned?" Zaya, intrigued, asked.
"To never be ungrateful. To always appreciate the good things you have. Be it small or big, always be appreciative because there are thousands of people out there who would kill to have what you have." Zafar told her.
"Only those who wear the shoe knows where it hurts." Zaya commented.
"Exactly," Zafar added.
"What you did for that village was so nice. They must have been suffering for so long," Zaya uttered.
"Yeah, I felt so sorry for them that I decided to sponsor the village with a school and some money." Zafar let out.
"Really? That is so great. You are a good person with a kind heart," Zaya said.
"Thank you, Zaya." Zafar appreciated it.
"You are most welcome." Zaya replied.
"I think now would be the best time to eat. That is, if our food hasn't gotten cold," Zafar said.
"I think so too. Anyway, dig in." Zaya added.
As they both savored each bite, their enthralling conversation was carried on as they dabbled in different topics of interest. Gentle laughter resonated in the night air, filling the ambiance with a sense of joy and contentment. Time seemed to stand still in this celestial haven, where the stars above bore witness to a love that glowed brighter than any in the night sky.
In this captivating setting, the beautiful night sky provided an ethereal backdrop to an unforgettable candlelit dinner on the balcony, enveloping the two in a whirlwind of love, enchantment, bliss and friendship.
After a great dinner and a wonderful night, Zaya retired to bed in Zafar's house. She was given a room, neatly made to spend the night in, while Zafar slept separately in his own room. The two were still unable to fall asleep until late, staying up all night, replaying the whole dinner event again and again in their minds and smiling foolishly to themselves.
Zaya greatly wondered what was wrong with her. Why was she feeling this way? There was nothing going on between her and Zafar, but why was her heart beating rapidly like never before?
They are only friends! Nothing more!
Zaya shoved the thought of the dinner out of her mind and tried to catch some sleep. Her efforts met a futile end as she still thought about Zafar and the dinner tonight.
Zaya let out a sigh in frustration and questioned herself. "Am I attracted to Zafar?"