In the serene hush of the early morning, the deep indigo of the night sky still enveloped the room. Suddenly, a persistent, high-pitched ringing reverberated through the tranquil space, rousing her from her slumber. She groggily extended her arm to the bedside table, where her fingers fumbled for the source of the disturbance. With a deft motion, she located the alarm clock and pressed the button, halting the insistent sound. As she languidly stretched her limbs and released a quiet, contented yawn, she gradually allowed her eyes to flutter open. They were met by the gentle, ethereal glow of the burgeoning daylight, infiltrating her room through the glass windows, serving as a serene harbinger of the forthcoming dawn.

As she woke up, she leisurely glanced around the room, her eyes adjusting to the soft light seeping through the windows. With a gentle effort, she raised herself and sat on the edge of the bed, using her hands for support. The room was bathed in the ethereal glow of the predawn light, casting a serene ambience. Her lustrous, waist-length hair flowed down her back, some strands gracefully falling over her shoulder, while delicate wisps framed her face, adding to her natural beauty. 

She gracefully rose from her seat, her fingers delicately smoothing the fabric of her kurta as she adjusted it to fall just right and hang perfectly. With a deep stretch, she reached her hands towards the sky, elongating her body in a revitalizing motion. Stepping towards the tall window, she gently slid open its doors, inviting the refreshing and invigorating dawn breeze to permeate her room. The cool air caressed her skin, carrying with it the sweet melodies of chirping birds perched on the lush branches outside. Their harmonious tunes filled the air, wrapping her in a cocoon of natural serenity and joy, painting a serene smile across her face.

She peered out of the window for a moment, observing the gradual bustle unfolding in the streets. As the minutes passed, the tranquil morning gave way to the arrival of dawn. Children, accompanied by their parents, gathered near the bus stop, eagerly awaiting the arrival of their school buses. Meanwhile, groups of teenagers pedalled along, en route to their educational institutions. The streets gradually filled with vehicles as the city came to life, with individuals driving themselves to their respective workplaces.

She exhaled deeply and walked back towards her bed. She started fixing it, straightening and smoothing the wrinkles on the sheets. After completing that, she folded her duvet and placed it on the mattress. Then, she took her dupatta from the side of her pillow and wrapped it around her shoulders before walking into the bathroom to freshen up.

After nearly thirty minutes, she emerged from the bathroom, holding a hand towel and delicately wiping away the water droplets from her face. Upon reaching her chair, she hung the towel there to allow it to air dry. Making her way to the wardrobe, she carefully sifted through her clothes to select the perfect attire for her day at the office. After contemplating several options, she settled on a sophisticated beige mandarin collar shirt and a pair of elegant dark brown wide pants. With her outfit decided, she returned to her table, reaching for her trusty brown tote bag and meticulously arranging her essential items inside.

Following this, she gathered her clothes and towel from the single couch and proceeded into the bathroom to freshen up and prepare for the day ahead. With her hair wrapped in a soft towel, she stepped out of the bathroom after some time, the faint scent of her shampoo lingering in the air. Walking over to her elegant dressing table, she reached for her favorite body lotion. Taking a generous amount in her hands, she delicately applied it to her exposed arms, gliding her fingers over her skin. Next, she picked up her luxurious face cream, carefully smoothing a generous layer over her face and gently massaging it in. She repeated the process with her sunscreen, ensuring every inch of her exposed skin was protected.

She delicately picked up the dainty powder case, admiring its intricate design, and carefully opened it to reveal the soft puff inside. With graceful precision, she began applying the velvety powder to her flawless skin, ensuring not a speck was out of place. After double-checking for any excess, she used her gentle hands to remove any lingering powder. Next, she reached for the sleek kohl pencil, unsheathed its cap, and with a steady hand, sketched a captivating, deep line along her lower eyelids. Then, she selected a luscious, subdued lipstick shade and expertly brushed it onto her lips, enhancing their natural beauty. Finally, she unwound the towel from her hair, revealing the cascading waves of her freshly washed locks.

She ran her fingers through her hair, causing the strands to tangle and then gently wrapped them in a soft towel, allowing the fabric to absorb the dampness. With deliberate movements, she retrieved a sleek hair dryer from the drawer of her elegant dressing table and swiftly plugged it into the nearby socket. Turning the appliance to a medium heat setting, she commenced the process of blow-drying her hair, each careful stroke coaxing the dampness away and leaving a trail of warmth in its wake.

Having finished drying her hair until it was almost dry, she turned off the hair dryer and carefully placed it back inside the drawer. Next, she reached for the small bottle of hair serum and unscrewed the lid, releasing a pleasant scent. Taking two pumps of the serum, she gently rubbed it between her palms before applying it to her hair, making sure to avoid the roots. The serum left her hair feeling silky and smooth, adding a healthy shine to her locks.

"I'm all set," she muttered under her breath as she scrutinized her reflection in the mirror for the final time. She grasped the watch from the table and wrapped it around her left wrist before locking it up nicely. Satisfied with her appearance, she slung her tote bag over her shoulder and left her room, making her way down the staircase. There, she spotted her father seated on the couch, a newspaper clutched in his hands. His brow furrowed in concentration as he meticulously perused each article, his reading glasses perched on the bridge of his nose.

"Good Morning, Papa," she politely spoke, hugging her father from behind which made her father, Sudhir Dutta, look at her with a smile as he acknowledged his daughter's embrace. Sudhir's face lit up with a warm smile as he gently took his daughter's hand in his own, giving it a tender squeeze. "Good Morning, my precious child," he said in his soft, loving voice, which brought a smile to Mira's face as she placed her bag on the sofa. Sudhir then gazed at his daughter with affection and gently patted her cheek. "Beautiful, just like your mom," he complimented. Mira giggled and then placed her hand beneath her chin, closed her eyes, and flashed a sweet, endearing smile, "Hai na khubsurat?" 

Sudhir laughed wholeheartedly and nodded before he spoke, "Did Aakash wake up?" Mira blinked and then looked at the watch on her wrist, "Maybe. Hum dekh ke aate hai," Sudhir nodded and Mira went to Aakash's room. Upon entering his room, she witnessed a huge mess all over the room. Clothes scattered around, books kept here and there and his other things strewed around as well.

"Yeh ladka bhi na," She sighed and started grabbing books from the floor in her hands as she called out, "Aakash! Aakash, wake up!" Her voice echoed in the room as she kept his things at their places. Aakash yawned and hummed to his sister's call but turned his back towards her and snuggled into duvet before sleeping again.

"Aish," She looked at him with disbelief before coming towards him and pulled his duvet, "Mr Aakash Dutta...uth jaayiye...time dekho toh," he whined and then squinted his eyes at her, "Kya hai yaar?" Mira started folding his duvet and sat beside him, "Kya hai nahi. Chalo utho, college bhi jaana hai tumko," she softly patted his head. He hummed and hugged her waist before snuggling, "Just a bit more, didi," Mira chuckled but patted his head again, "Nope. Chalo utho."

She got up and kept the duvet inside the cupboard, knowing her brother's habit. "Jaldi taiyaar ho aur breakfast ke liye aa jaao," with that, she exited his room and straightly went into the kitchen for making breakfast. She took out onions, carrots, chillies and potatoes and peeled every vegetable before washing them all and then finely chopped all of them. 

Going towards a cupboard, she took out a packet of flattened rice or you can say, pohe, and tore the packet from the side and poured the generous amount in a big bowl. She took the bowl under the tap and washed the rice thoroughly before removing the excessive water and kept it beside the stove. She turned on the stove, kept a dripping pan on it and added oil in it. 

After a while, she added all the veggies and started sauteing them. While she continued to cook breakfast for everyone, Aakash came downstairs, all ready and went out of the house to check the carry bag in which, they usually get their milk packets delivered. He took out a pair of packets from the bag and walked inside.

"Good Morning, Papa," he greeted his father who was walking near the dining table. Sudhir smiled and patted his shoulder, "Good Morning, mera raja beta," Aakash smiled and then walked towards the kitchen, "Nice smell, di," he complimented when the aroma of cooked food entered through his nostrils. Mira smiled and sauteed the dish for one last time before turning the flame off. Aakash on the other hand, kept the packets inside the fridge.

"Aakash, plates laga do dining table pe, humko naashta le kar aate hai," Mira softly said and Aakash nodded. He took out three plates and glasses as well before taking out two bottles from the fridge; one of normal water and other one was chilled. One from the above space and the other from the lower space. He went outside and placed the plates on the table, plated each on  respective sides along with the glasses as Mira followed him with a bowl full of cooked rice.

Sudhir joined his children and sat down with Aakash while Mira served breakfast to everyone before sitting down as well. The breakfast timing was not much of an interactive time for everyone as both children were busy with their schedules. But there always been a small fun talks, a bit of brother-sister bickerings and teasings to light up everyone's mood.

Soon, they finished their meals and Mira kept all the dirty utensils back in the sink before washing her hands and coming back to Sudhir and Aakash. They both smiled and Aakash got up and grabbed his bag from the chair beside him while Mira too walked towards the couch and grabbed her bag before coming back to Sudhir.

"Geeta didi will come soon and do every work so please, aap koi kaam karne ka kasht nahi karenge," Mira firmly said to Sudhir. "Yes, madam," Aakash chuckled at Sudhir's comment while his words didn't fail to make Mira smile too. "Aur haan, ab hum nikalte hai office ke liye," she hugged him and earned a soft pat on her cheek.

Aakash too, came to him and hugged him, "Main bhi college ke liye nikalta hu, Papa. Take care," Sudhir hummed and caressed his son's head before he witnessed his children walking outside of the house. "So, hum chhode ya aap khud jaayenge?" Mira asked Aakash while they walked towards her car. "Aaj tum chhod do?" Aakash blinked innocently, making Mira chuckle.

"Baitho," she opened the lock of the car and both sat inside, putting the seat belt before she started the car and turned it towards the main road. The whole way they talked, and teased each other with the faint noise of music behind. She then turned to right and stopped after a while, in front of a college. Aakash looked outside and sighed before removing his seat belt. He gestured to Mira to come closer, which Mira did. 

He gently kissed the side of her head, "Take care okay? Love you," Mira smiled and nodded, "You too, hm?" Aakash nodded before grabbing his bag and exiting the car and Mira too, drove herself to her office.