Aryamaan's flat: Living room: 8:20 pm:

Aryamaan: (With a sigh) "I think she has someone in her life..."

For a while, Cabir couldn't sink into his words. Maybe for the effect of the alcohol or maybe it was too hard to digest. He arched his brows with an expression 'Come again...'

Aryamaan: (Try to refine his voice) "I saw her today with someone. They were chatting and laughing like they are very close to each other."

Cabir: (Frowned) "So what? They can be just friends. Now, don't give me that cliché line, 'A boy and a girl can't be just friends.' You are much more progressive to have this notion."

He waved his hands to push away the thought.

Aryamaan: (With much rigid tone) "They were kissing and hugging. It didn't look like they are only friends. It seems that they love each other."

The word 'kissing' pricked Cabir's heart like an arrow. He asked in a shaky voice,

Cabir: "Kissing? They were smooching publically?...."

Aryamaan: (Wobbled in deny) "Not smooching...you always go way beyond. They pecked each other's cheeks."

A sigh of relief came out from Cabir's mouth. His hopeless expression turned to an optimistic one.

Cabir: (Chided) "I go way beyond or you exaggerate all things. They only pecked on each other's cheeks. What is wrong with this? Don't I kiss you on your cheeks? Does it mean we are lovers? Come on, Man...you are daydreaming."

Aryamaan: (With annoyance) "So will you want to wait until they kiss each other on lips?...So that you can congratulate them for their happily ever after life? And how many times I told you to not kiss me in front of Swami?... Last week he was staring at me very weirdly. Now, I am getting confused about his sexuality? Mark my words...if Swami leaves this job, you have to come to my house and have to do everything he does."

He stirred his finger in front of Cabir's nose. For a moment Cabir tried to visualise his helpless condition doing a housemaid job and swallowed the saliva in tension.

Cabir: (Almost whined) "Then what to do?"

Aryamaan: "Forget her...she can't be yours."

Cabir: (Again whined) "Don't say like this buddy. I love her. She is my first love."

Aryamaan felt pity to see his best friend's vulnerable condition. He cupped his cheek and said in an intense tone,

Aryamaan: "Then fight for your love. Uproot that Sardar from her life."

Cabir: (Perplexed) "Sardar?... That guy is a Sardar?..."

Aryamaan: (Reclined on the sofa base) "Yes...A delicate Sardar...I saw a Sardar like him for the first time...He looks like a chota Sardarji. And moreover, his mannerism is very known to me...I mean I met him somewhere...sometime..."

He closed his eyes and furrowed his brows as if he was straining to remember something. Cabir pocked him in his rib cage made him startled.

Cabir: (Pouted like a kid) "You didn't tell me how will I fight for my love?"

Aryamaan: (Rolling his eyes) "If I will tell everything then what will you do? Only romance?....with your drama queen?..."

Cabir kept mum for a while. His eyes beamed with an impish grin.

Cabir: (Pretentious innocence) "By the way, I think I should go now.."

Aryamaan scrunched his brows to gauge his abrupt words.

Cabir: (With a poker face) "No...I mean...I can't be a maid in your house...because Swami again saw us when you were caressing my cheeks with so much L..O...V..E...."

He stretched the word dramatically making Aryamaan cautiously glance inside of his house if Swami is still standing there. Cabir giggled to see his expression.

Aryamaan: (With gaped mouth) "YOU....will never change."

And punched his belly with a bright smile while Cabir rolled on the floor with a riot of laughter.

................................................................

Manik's office: Manik's cabin: 12:30 pm:

Manik was drafting a mail when a soft knock was heard.

Manik: (Unmindfully) "Come in...."

He called without shifting his eyes from the screen. Suddenly a known fragrance invaded his nostrils...Burberry Blush. He immediately lifted his face just to find Ms Soha Sanyal in front of his desk standing with a smiling face.

Manik: (Being conscious) "Soha, why didn't you call me? I would come."

He tried to get up but Soha stopped him and pulled the opposite chair to sit.

Soha: "The work for what I came to you couldn't have been fulfilled by calling you in my cabin."

Her eyes danced with ecstasy. Manik looked at her with confusion.

Soha: (Hesitantly) "Actually, I haven't carried my lunch today...but now I am starving. So thought to go outside and have something. But you know...it will be so boring to have lunch all alone. That's why I came here to invite you for a lunch date with me. So are you interested?...."

She pursed her lips with arched brows making it funny. Manik glanced at the lunch box Nandini packed for him. Soha noticed it.

Soha: (With a teasing tone) "Manik, now don't say that you can't miss your homemade food for only one day. And by the way, this food is must be cooked by your house help or cook...so what a big deal? It would be a big deal if your wife would have made it and you would have gone with some other smart girl for lunch leaving her food....Ha...Ha...but, fortunately, this is not the situation and you are free to have your lunch with anyone. So come on let's go."

She hastily left her seat making a gesture to follow her.

Manik: (Helplessly) "But this mail?...it has to be sent within half an hour."

Soha turned and came to his seat. She leaned forward and turned the laptop to her. To maintain a decent distance Manik pushed back his chair. Soha observed it from the corner of her eye. A prankish smile twinkled in them. She typed some words on the keyboard with efficient fingers and within a minute shut down the screen with a satisfactory smile.

Soha: "Done. Your mail has been sent. Now, will you please come? There is no excuse left now."

Seeing him still hesitating Soha grabbed his wrist and made him follow her out of his cabin.

...................................................

Manan's flat: Bedroom: 12:30 am:

After a hectic day finally, Manik and Nandini were lying on their cosy bed. Dhruv returned to Rachi in the early morning after giving a word to come back soon. Needless to say, this time one more reason was there for this commitment. A new special member's entry into his life...Aliya. Manik and Nandini were very happy for him. Nandini even thinks that Aliya is the perfect girl for him. Opposites not only attract but get along perfectly. Manan is an impeccable example of that. Manik was lying supine on the bed placing his folding hands under his head. Although his eyes were closed it was palpable that he was lost in some deep and disturbing thought. Nandini had been observing it for a while and at last, couldn't stop herself from asking. She turned to him and placed her palm on his chest.

Nandini: (In a mellow voice) "Is something disturbing you? Any problem in the office? Tell me...I may not be able to solve it but you will definitely feel good to share it."

Manik opened his eyes and turned to her. He smiled gently and embosomed her into his chest. Nandini sunk her face in his protective torso and inhaled her favourite manly scent.

Manik: (In an unsure tone) "Nandu, are we doing right to hide our real self and life from the outside world like this? Isn't it going to bring any big trouble in our life...no?"

His words and tone forced Nandini to withdraw her face from his chest. She made a distance and switched on the bedside light. Manik was lying in the same position on his side. Nandini sat on the bed facing her husband.

Nandini: (Concernedly) "We didn't take this decision by our choice. It was a demand for that situation and we just agreed for a temporary time period. Or in any case, we are not harming anybody by our lies."

Manik listened to her patiently and again lay supine staring at the ceiling.

Manik: (In a hoarse voice) "But I am afraid...this temporary time period won't bring permanent damage to our life. Simultaneously, is this lie surely not harming anybody's sentiment?"

Nandini scrunched her brows and again lay down snuggling to his body.

Nandini: (In determined tone) "Vent it out...trust me... you will feel better."

For a while, Manik kept mum and slowly shackled Nandini from her upper torso and pulled her closer.

Manik: (With a sigh) "My boss Soha Sanyal proposed to me today."    

Author's note: Please do inline comments.🙏🙏🙏 I know it's a bit short chapter but I think there is no point to stretch a chapter unnecessarily.