"Your relationship is not supposed to be perfect all the time, your business is not supposed to do well all the time, your soufflés are not supposed to raise perfectly all the time. Everything is designed to go wrong so that you can gain the skills of rediscovering your tracks, even in difficult or frightening circumstances. Especially in difficult and frightening circumstances."

~ Martha Beck

****

Manik has changed...

It wasn't something Nandini hadn't expected. Of course, after experiencing what he had, there was no surprise that he has changed. He has grown up and matured in these years they had been denied to live by each other's side, and so has she. It was natural, given...

She had mentally prepared herself for such changes and in the past weeks, she had confirmed some physical changes she had been able to pinpoint when she had seen him for the first time. In that one glance, after four years, she had wished to capture all of him. She had thought she had been ready to face hell just to get him back; went back to India to ask for Mr Malhotra's help, got trapped in Malhotra mansion by Nyonika, and then embarked on the journey that now has finally led her to Manik...

And as she had told Cabir, there were changes: there was a slight limp in the walk, not that noticeable if one wasn't paying attention to it, and his forehead had a scar that started from the side of his forehead and was hidden in most parts by his hair, she needed a closer inspection to know how long was it - that she would do if he just let her. He suffered from intense migraines, which could be due to his head injury caused by the accident or a side effect of the medicine that he had been forced to take unnecessarily. Now that they knew the possibility of it, the doctors couldn't confirm which was the case but he probably would suffer from it all his life, that was guaranteed. There were small scars on certain places on his face, his hands, and probably the rest of his body: glass shards, Doctor Waltz had explained. She needed to confirm where else and how many, but again, if he ever let her. And that's what made her come back to the same thought...

Manik has changed. A lot, beyond the physical changes that came with age and due to the accident. He now possessed a certain detachment, coldness, and a maddening impassiveness that old Manik, her Manik never had. He felt like a foreign entity wearing her Manik's face. It felt like there was nothing left of her Manik in him. And it was a scary thought, something she shouldn't entertain, something she couldn't entertain, yet something that kept haunting her...

It was too soon to tell anything, she, again and again, tried to console her, warding away paranoid thoughts...

But it had been one month. One whole month to the day she had finally found Manik yet not her Manik. He was there, within her reach, yet never in the past four years she had felt so far away from him as she did now. There was a silence between them that she couldn't break. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't reach him, there was something wrong and broken beyond what appeared to be...

Ever since she had gotten that call about the accident, her life had stopped, she had continued moving, done things for the sake of her family and for the sake of finding him, sure that once she would find him, her time would start to flow again. And it had happened, but just for a few hours, just for that one day. That one day, Manik had seemed her Manik, he had reached out for her, had held her hand, had whispered her name, had looked at her, and his grip on her hand hadn't loosened until he had once again fallen asleep. But for some reason, that had been it, the next day, the same had happened, Manik had woken up and found her there and the same thing had repeated as if he had forgotten that he had met her the day before. Dr Shah had told her that it was due to stress, a side effect of every lie he had been told about her, and that Manik would want surety of her being there until he would be assured that she was actually there, it would take some time, he had said.

One week that Manik had stayed in the hospital, the look in his eyes remained the same, his gaze incoherent and devoid of any confidence, suspicious no matter how much she assured him of her being real. And at times it seemed he did. He had held her hand on those times, tight enough to hurt, had sighed in relief, and looked at her with his eyes lit up with joy. But most times he had looked at her as if she would disappear if he looked away, he wouldn't touch her and avoid her touch with desperation marring his forehead.

Dr Waltz had recounted to her the events that had happened after Manik had woken up from his coma for months, how he had asked for her countless times and had been told countless times she wasn't there, she wasn't real. He had told her that maybe staying in the hospital was forcing Manik to relive those traumatic days and after getting out and meeting her in the new surroundings would change his repeated behavior.

But it hadn't...

Once outside of the hospital, Manik had gone back to his routine, despite how much Devansh had begged him to take some rest. Manik and she had been encouraged to spend time with each other and normalize their interactions. And it hadn't been too difficult, fortunately. Her boss had granted her to relocate to the London branch of their company after she and Cabir had proposed the idea of a new show on diaspora and their connection to desi music. So on the job front, both of them could stay and work from London. And when she had called back home to let them know that she finally has succeed in attaining her goal, that Manik was alive and she found him, they had been happy, relieved, and grateful for the miracle, had applauded her for not giving up, telling her they would be waiting for them to come back and welcome both of them with open arms whenever that would be. Both Chacha and Chachi had given her their blessing to stay after she promises to come back soon with Manik. And Rishab had told her that she has to be happy now, explore the city and send him pictures of her finally smiling.

But nothing was easy, it never had been...

It had taken four years, countless conflicts and fights, countless tears and constant pain, and she had to give her search all of her and whatever it had asked for, and now that she has found him, she must be happy. So why she felt like the war wasn't over?

Because even though she found him and she stayed, it wasn't enough...

Nandini couldn't understand what it was or what it was that Manik wanted. Because nothing seemed to move him. Nothing seemed to shake him. It was as if nothing of Manik she knew was left in him. He was in London yet no longer drink Earl Grey, music was absent in his life, and he read books now, non-fiction, mostly related to his work, and wore glasses and office clothes only. He was a man now and no longer the college boy she knew. Which wasn't shocking, the changes were given, but why was he mostly monochromic when her Manik had been a bold red with a splash of every color?

This Manik could go on for hours without talking to her or even looking at her and sometimes he would just look at her for hours as if he was waiting for something. He agreed to anything with a shrug because he no longer was passionate about something enough to fight for it. He was passive, numb, and absent-minded. Mostly waiting for something. He didn't ask for anything because he was no longer curious about her. In their interactions, he remained impassive, cold, detached, expressionless most of the time, closed off and there seemed to be no way to reach him...

He no longer was her Manik...

Nandini didn't know if it was her best friend's senses working or if Cabir had told her something, but Navya had once quietly asked her: 'Was who she found worth everything she went through?'

Did the goal she attained worth all that she had to put in to achieve it?

Did what and who she found worth the years' pain and sacrifice?

Did she find who she was searching for?

For a long painful second, she couldn't respond. Her answer should have been as fast and as quick as lightspeed yet it took her a few seconds to whisper a yes that sounded empty to her own ears. And maybe it was because she was ungrateful, too impatient, and wanted too much, too soon. But she couldn't help it, she couldn't stop herself from crying in frustration when even after everything she did, even after four years of waiting, she found his body but was denied access to him, to his soul and his heart...

And she could learn to understand and come to love the new him - if only he let her...

Nandini had always been sure of it: there was no Manik in any universe, in any form and any shape that she couldn't love, she still was confident about her claim. She was willing to work on it, on their relationship, on their love, but he didn't let her...

It was like he was a phantom, or maybe for him, she was...

Even now, sitting in front of her, Manik was gazing at her with a frown as if he feared she would disappear at any moment.

"Stop staring at her and eat something," Devansh who was sitting beside Manik whispered, kicking him under the table if the noise and the glare directed at him were any indication.

That was something both she and Cabir couldn't quite get used to: Devansh acting like an embarrassed yet loving elder brother or even parent around them as if they were strangers and didn't know Manik, as if he wanted them to not misunderstand him. It was clear that he wasn't probably intentional in that, it was due to the years Devansh had spent as Manik's friend or even caregiver that to him now everything he did seem given. It wasn't as if the younger man depended on him, but it was as if the elder man wanted life to be easier for Manik like any overprotective brother would. That's why it seemed all it took was one glance at him and Devansh would know what Manik wanted or was feeling. And that's why, even now, without a word, the glass filled with water and a pill was presented to Manik within a second.

"If you have a headache then take a pill, why are you always hell-bent to suffer through it?" Devansh scolded with a glare until the younger man gave in and did as he was told.

Somehow these were their standard interactions. Manik would be quiet. Devansh tried to fill the silence with chatter and ask Nandini and Cabir about anything and everything. Nanindi would reply the best she could as she would try to understand Manik and not be disappointed. And Cabir? Cabir just burned in anger which mostly was directed at Devnash even if he wasn't the cause of it most of the time.

"Mr Mathur, would like to take a smoke break with me?" Cabir asked with a forced smile.

"I don't smoke," Devansh replied.

"Good, neither do I," Cabir said but stood up all the same and almost dragged confused Devansh away.

Cabir probably thought that alone time with each other was what they needed, but Nandini who felt the silence between them ever since they met again knew that it would make no difference.

"I am going to meet Dr Shah tomorrow, would you like to go with me?" Manik asked after a long silence.

Or maybe Cabir was right after all...

"Yes," Nandini responded without a second thought.

It was the first time that he was asking something on his own accord, it wasn't something organized by Devansh or insisted on by Cabir, and it would be just them. Manik was finally okay with them meeting alone without their friends acting as a buffer between them...

"Okay, I will text you the details," he nodded and looked outside of the window, his gaze now fixed on the moonless sky.

Looking at him, Nandini felt her heart swell with hope and her eyes with tears. There was hope, there had to be a way, maybe time was actually what he needed to let her in...

***

"So, how is London treating you?" Devansh asked, unable to take the silent treatment.

They were standing outside, side by side as they looked around the people rushing in and out of the restaurant.

"So far so good," Cabir responded with a shrug.

"How is the show coming? When will it be on air?" The elder man asked.

"You are asking as if you would watch it," Cabir muttered.

"And why wouldn't I?" He asked.

And when the younger man didn't say anything, Devansh couldn't help but sigh.

"Look, Cabir, whatever it is, please, just say it out loud. I have been noticing this hostile attitude towards me since the start but I thought it would go away with time, but it hasn't. What is the reason?" The elder man asked.

"Do you really want me to spell it out to you? Can't you see how you have been between the two of them? We have to leave them alone so they can actually talk," Cabir snapped at the man.

"I think it's you who can't see how difficult it is for Manik, how difficult these past four years and more have been on him," Devansh said with a sigh.

"We do understand that, but if you won't let them alone - if you won't let us reconnect with him, there is no use of us staying here," Cabir said, frustration visible on his face.

"We have been searching for him for four years and now that we have found him, he is no longer the Manik that we know. And that's okay, but we should be given the chance to get to know him, shouldn't we?" He lamented.

"Cabir, be it you or Nandini - or anyone else for that matter - you knew what was missing and what you needed to find. That's why your journey was to search for Manik who you had lost while praying he was still alive. But for Manik? He didn't know if the one who was taken away from him was even real or not. For him, what he had lost wasn't only Nandini, but everything he knew, his home, his city, you, and the rest of your friends. He couldn't even trust what he remembered, the line between reality and imagination still is so burled to him that he struggles to believe if what's happening is real or not. If Nandini is real or not. If you are real actually here or not. He has changed, but so have you, and so has Nandini," Devansh explained.

"Manik needs something or someone to anchor him to reality, and that's the reason why I am always meddling between your interactions and can't leave them alone. It's not my story to tell, but there are things that Mr Malhotra has said and done to isolate him. He will tell you when he is ready, so please be patient till then," he requested.

"You both don't know about Manik he is now, but I do, and that's why you have to trust me with this. You both need to get to know him first. Until then, I am sorry to say but I can't leave," Devansh said firmly.

"Exactly, we would, if you let him alone with us," Cabir pointed out.

"Why do I feel like it's not only about Nandini and Manik but about you too?" Devansh asked, tilting his head to the side.

"And what do you mean by that?" Cabir asked, annoyed.

"I know you feel jealous, but believe me, you are still his best friend. Our bond is different than yours. We are more like brothers," the elder man said.

"Me and Manik are like brothers too," Cabir objected with a glare.

"Yeah, but you probably don't think of him as a brat, and don't treat him as a young brother, right?" Devansh said with a laugh.

"How did you two meet anyway?" Cabir asked.

"My elder brother happens to be Mr Malhotra's right-hand man. Manik and I first met when he was eight and I was eighteen, we went on a stargazing trip because Mr Malhotra was a shitty father. And we met again three years ago, again, because Mr Malhotra is a shitty father," Devansh said with a deep-seated hatred for the old man.

"Well, at least we all can agree on that," Cabir commented.

"Not just that. All of us want what's best for Manik, that's also what we have in common. And that's why we need to work together to make things easier for him, not fight among us. You and Nandini may have completed your search, but you still have to find Manik," he said with finality in his tone.

What had been said by him was a lot to take in, and it had Cabir speechless. And as they stood in silence, Cabir couldn't help but accept how true his words sounded.

"I guess you are right," he admitted.

"I know I am right," Devansh said with a smirk, slightly leaning on his side.

"Oh, shut up," Cabir complained as he shoved the man away, making him chuckle.

"But you are right too, it's time that we let them spend time apart, that would force them to interact a bit more," Devansh said with a nod of approval.

"Shall we go see the result of the alone time?" Cabir asked, indicating the door, awkward all of a sudden now that he didn't know how to interact with the reasonable elder man.

"Lead the way," Devansh accepted the suggestion with a smile.

***

"Now that you have stopped taking all the medicines, it will take some time for the effects and side effects to wear off, but everything needs to be closely monitored. There are some tests that Dr Waltz and I want you to do to understand if there is any physical or structural damage that these medicines may have caused or could cause. I have made these lists, you need to update them day to day with any symptoms that you notice," Dr Shah said as he handed a few papers to the younger man sitting in front of him.

His patient - or could he be even called one now, a question Dr Shah couldn't answer - appeared too calm for someone in his situation. In the past three years that he had known him, Manik had gone through various phases, his emotions a mess, from anger, and denial, to grief, shutting off, to finally indifference and numbness. But he hadn't been calm and collected as he has been in the past month. Dr Shah had suspected that after it was confirmed that Nandini was real, Manik would be smug, and vindictive, or even sue him for misdiagnosing him. But during the first meeting, he hadn't been anything like that...

Manik had been calm and present, suggesting for them to work on his memories to check if there actually was a loss or not. At first, they had reconstructed the timeline, and then his friend Cabir was called in to confirm the events and particular things that Manik deemed important to remember.

Once done with that, Dr Shah kept suggesting that they do the same with Nandini, but for some reason, Manik had been stalling. After encouraging him for weeks, he confirmed that Nandini would be present only last night.

That's why now sitting in front of him were two people, Manik and his not so imagined girlfriend, Nandini. And Dr Shah couldn't help but fear what was about to happen as much as the young man, if not more. His long and successful career was at risk of being destroyed. Just when he was about to retire, he had to get himself involved in a mess created by an old wealthy man, right? He kept thinking bitterly.

And the old wealthy man in question, why did even do what he had? Just because he didn't approve of the girl his son was dating? Couldn't the old man find another way to separate them? Couldn't he do what fathers in old Bollywood movies did: give her a bag of cash to leave the son or even create a misunderstanding, or go for plain simple blackmailing? Yet he put everything at risk, his son's health and sanity, his whole life, and the careers of doctors that have been treating him wrongly. Why go to such drastic lengths?

There were so many things he wanted to ask Mr Malhotra, but the man was nowhere to be found. And for now, as per Manik's insistence, Mr Malhotra hasn't been informed how his planning and plotting have failed. Dr Shah didn't know when the old man would grace them with his presence. But because he was stuck, he now could do nothing other than wait to see what Manik was planning and plotting for his old man. Such a mess...

"Shall we start?" Dr Shah asked the two youngsters.

And as the discussion progressed, Dr Shah couldn't help but pinpoint the difference and how he had misunderstood certain things about Manik's behavior.

Manik had always been very limited and short in his answers about Nandini, back then, to him that had been the first indication that what the young man had been saying wasn't truth, just a construct of his imagination. But now that the girl was sitting right next to him, the awkwardness in his speech, his hesitation and insistence on not going into details could be taken for what it was: he was a private person, protective of their shared memories, and wanted to guard them, keep all of it for themselves only.

His partner was more open in certain aspects, yet very attentive to not overshare and not cross the boundaries set by Manik. And as they went through the events and their time together, it became clear that while there were blank spaces and missing information, mishaps, and misplacements in the timelines, there wasn't much that had been lost. Most of the memories, or at least as much as Manik was willing to share, remained intact. Overruling the possibility of amnesia. It was such a wonder, the human brain, something a slight pressure was enough to do great damage, and sometimes self-preservation instincts were so strong that nothing could stop it from preserving life. Such was the case of Manik, who despite being told differently had followed his instincts and sense of self-preservation, and fortunately had stopped taking the medicines Dr Shah had prescribed for almost an year now as per the younger man's confession.

"There are things that are burly, not that clear, I don't remember what happened after a certain memory or before that. There are no logical timelines. I don't remember the memories that are closer to the time of the accident," Manik said.

"You can ask me anything, and I will tell you. You can learn again," Nandini assured softly, comfortingly.

And observing the two, Dr Shah knew for sure that there wasn't much that they needed his help for. Honest and open conversations could solve things and cover up for what was missing.

"That's what you two can do, have conversations about the past but Manik, I would advise you to not stay hung up on it. You have your Nandini here with you, make new memories with her, move on from the past, and heal together," Dr Shah said with a smile.

With a frown and conflicted emotions displayed on his face, Manik didn't seem convinced, but after a minute, he nodded anyway.

"That actually concludes our session. Anything else that can I help you with, let me know," Dr Shah told the couple.

"Mr Malhotra is coming to London next week," Manik informed him out of nowhere, shocking them.

"Ask him to meet you, tell him that you want to talk to him about something regarding me. Fix an appointment, and let's see what he has to say about the situation," he told Dr Shah.

As she looked at him, Nandini for the first time in the past month got a glimpse of her Manik. Or at least a side of him that she knew. He seemed composed, sure, and in control, there was that glint in his eyes that was so familiar. At that moment, he seemed just like her Manik. And when he turned around towards her, within a blink, he was gone...

And that's how she understood what has been happening...

Manik was hiding behind a mask, intentionally...

***

"Am I the only one who is hungry?" Devansh suddenly asked.

The four of them were currently sitting in the living room of the elder man's apartment, watching the first on-air episode of Nandini and Cabir's show.

"I am craving something sweet," Cabir responded.

"You know there is this amazing sweet shop just a block away, you must check it out," Devansh said and stood up after pausing the video as if they weren't mid-episode.

"Lead the way," Cabir said cheekily, an inside joke of sorts as both men started to laugh, leaving the other two confused.

And before they could stop them, the two were walking away and getting ready to leave.

"It may take some time for us to come, text us if you want something," Devansh informed before walking out of the door.

"You two, don't start watching without us, okay? Otherwise, be ready for the consequences," Cabir warned his friends while putting on his jacket.

"Cabir, wait..." The protests went unheard as the man got out, shutting the door behind him.

By now, they should have gotten used to their friends' antics. It kept happening, the two men came up with interesting excuses to intentionally leave them alone. And taking the cue, Nandini started to push the boundaries by breaking the silence between her and Manik.

Now that she knew what to look for, Nandini found Manik slipping more and more. She couldn't pinpoint the reason for his hesitation to open up or be her Manik around her, but now she didn't let his silence stop her from being his Nandini. And that meant she didn't restrict herself from expressing her feelings and her thoughts. During the session with Dr Shah she was reminded how that exactly had been what had attracted Manik to her in the first place. That's why, new hope and vitality were breathed into their interactions. She smiled at him more, adored him more openly, loved him more softly, it was as if she was courting him all over again, and it was refreshing. Getting to know what he has been up to, what has changed, what was new, and what was the same, suddenly there was so much to find out and so much to discover that she stopped mourning the past. And now that she knew he was hiding, she knew she could ask him, persuade him, coax answers from him, and maybe even fight with him for him, for them...

So that's exactly what she did...

"Do you miss music?" Nandini asked, breaking the silence.

"No, I don't," he responded, quietly as he looked down at his hands.

"I never thought it was possible for you to fall out of love with music," she muttered, looking at him, perplexed.

"Well, I did," he whispered with a shrug, seemingly indifferent.

"Talk to Manik," she pleaded.

"About what? What do you want to hear?" He asked, finally looking up at her.

"The real reason," she replied.

"Do you really want to know?" He demanded and after getting a determined nod from her as the answer to his question, he sighed deeply, as if preparing himself for a battle.

"Do you really want to know even if after that you would get the confirmation that there is nothing of your Manik left in me?" He challenged.

"What?" Nandini asked in a whisper.

"Do you think I can't read you anymore, Nandini Murthy?" He scoffed at her.

"I am not blaming you, how could I when it's natural of you to want him? He is the Manik Malhotra you fell in love with," he muttered with a humorless laugh.

"You keep comparing us, I can see it in your eyes, Nandini. I have to compete with him for you, and I don't think I can win. It's like me and him, we are different people, and you aren't wrong. I have changed. He may as well have died in that car accident because you won't find him in me," he whispered.

"How could you say that, Manik? Do you know how much I have suffered in these past years? Do you have any idea how much I have prayed for your life? Do you know how much I have feared that I have lost you? How much the thought that night was the last time I saw you, talked to you, heard you, broke me, what all these fears have done to me? How could you even say that?" Nandini cried out, tears slipping from her eyes.

"Do you think I could have survived in a world without you? I couldn't and can't even imagine a world without you in it. When I started to search for you, after getting to know about the accident, I didn't care how I would find you, I just needed to find you. And now that I have found you, to me nothing else matters. You are alive, your heart is beating and you are breathing, that's the only thing I wanted ever since I got that call, Manik," she yelled, furiously whipping her tears away.

"So no, it doesn't matter to me, if you have changed, whatever the changes may be, I don't care because you are Manik Malhotra, my Manik, and I do and would love you irrespective of whether you are old Manik or new Manik," she stated firmly, panting as her eyes burned with determination and tears.

"What if you don't like the new Manik? What if the changes are too much? What if you realize that I am not enough? No longer worthy? What if you end up regretting everything?" He asked in a whisper.

"Won't you let me decide that? Shouldn't that be my decision? Shouldn't you trust me to make the best decision for me? Why are you deciding for me?" Nandini asked with a glare, not liking the direction his thoughts were taking.

"You haven't changed much," Manik whispered, in awe as he looked at the girl in front of him.

"I have changed, Manik, these years spent without you have changed me, you will find out soon enough," she muttered, closing her eyes, forcing herself to calm down.

"Well, you are still strong-headed, and a chota packet par bara dhamaka," he joked in an attempt to lighten the tension, smiling when he heard her musical laugh.

"Well, you still can make me so mad, so angry that I lose sight of everything that's not your stupidity," she said with a light giggle.

And for a few seconds, they kept looking at each other with soft smiles stretched on their lips, but soon the tension started to build once again. Manik let out a deep sigh, a frown taking its place on his forehead.

"What is it, Manik? You can tell anything," Nandini softly encouraged him.

"The head injury damaged motor function, therapy helped but not much. Hands tremors to be specific," he muttered, trying to explain in broken words.

"Is it permanent?" She asked, understanding the meaning, her heart heavy with the pain.

"I can't play guitar or any other instrument for that matter. I can't even listen to music for long, it causes headaches and sensory overload. I have lost my music, Nandini," he admitted with a sigh.

"Oh, Manik," she whispered, leaning towards him to wrap him in her arms.

"It's not just that, Nandini, the more time I spent without you, the more my will to keep my music alive died. Now, I don't know if I would ever want it back irrespective of whether my broken body lets me have it or not," he muttered quietly, resting his forehead on her shoulder.

"As important as it is, music doesn't define you, Manik, it never did. You have always been much more than your love for music and the person it made you. I have always known that about you, you have the determination and strength to be anything you want to be. And you have proved that, haven't you? Look at you now, Mr future Chief Strategy Officer," she teased with a smile.

"Still, it was something that connected us, it was something we had in common," he protested, even if her words healed a bit of his wounded heart.

"It did, and it was a good connection till it lasted. But we have so much more in common, and we can always find new things that we both are interested in," she assured him, tightening her grip on him as she pulled more of him in her embrace.

And that's how Cabir and Devansh found them, and after exchanging a soundless high five, they kept giggling at the sight of the two lovers that are finally behaving as such. Unfortunately, soon their excited chatter grew loud enough to make their presence known.

"Please, ignore us," Devansh said hurriedly.

"We can watch the show without looking at you," Cabir added.

"You both can't complain about us after all the times I have felt like bleaching my eyes because of you," Manik said with a huff.

"Oh, he walked on you too," Devansh asked, curious.

"Multiple times," Cabir muttered with a chuckle.

"I had to see you with your tongues down men's throats to find out who you were dating. You both don't know how to come out to someone without traumatizing them," Manik lamented.

And his complaints didn't stop at that, he then started to state how their poor taste in men was the most common thing between them and how much he hated seeing them getting hurt.

"Well, you had promised me that you would find a good man for me, I am still holding you on that," Cabir reminded him.

"Take Devansh then," Manik offered the elder man on the silver platter without a second thought as if he was waiting just for that.

"He is a good man, he is rich, highly educated, very polite, and protective yet gentle. So, overall he is the perfect man for you," he said, listing the qualities like a true matchmaker.

"He will treat you well, knows if he doesn't, he will have to face me," he threatened lightly while cracking his knuckles.

"Hey, I thought you would be on my side," Devansh whined.

"I am, that's why I am giving you my blessings to date my best friend," Manik said with a simple shrug.

"Blessing? I never asked for your blessing," Devansh baffled.

"So, you don't want to date Cabir?" He asked with a playful glint in his eyes.

"I didn't say that," the elder man protested.

"So, you do want to date Cabir?" Manik asked, amused at the sight of his two friends panicking in their own ways.

"I didn't...Manik, Shut up," Devansh said with a grumble, making the younger man smirk.

"Aren't you two going to ask for my consent on the matter first?" Cabir finally objected.

"Are you telling me you don't want to date Devansh?" Manik asked, narrowing his eyes at him.

"That's not...You know what, Manik? Shut up and don't interfere," Cabir said with a growl, making him laugh out loud.

Witnessing the continued banter, Nandini sighed in relief and finally let hope settle within her. Manik was afraid of losing her and that's why he was hiding. Even though she could tell that their conversation was just the start and that there was still much to discover, things he had been holding back from her. But after their conversation, she hoped sharing and opening up would come easy to them. She hoped that her policy of not holding back will work to persuade him to give in. And now she understood has to keep assuring him of her devotion and loyalty to him, and remind him that they were worth fighting for...

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A/N:- Here is Nandini's POV as asked by you guys, a bit longer update to compensate for the tardiness. Hehe. I know it's not much but I hope it's enough to be forgiven... :D

So, yes, MaNan reunion happened, finally, but did that mean everything will go smoothly now that they have found each other? That wouldn't be realistic, right? The love between them has never been and never could be questioned, because as Nandini said, they would fall in love with each and every version of each other, in any AU and any world. But that doesn't mean that love is enough to keep going. The changes that happened to them, good and bad, need to be discovered, understood, and accepted. They need to get to know and fall in love with the people they became due to the pain of their separation...

So the next chapters would be about that, but not to worry, because they are MaNan after all. And of course, Mr Malhotra and Manik's confrontation in the plans, who is excited about that? *Muhaha*

I hope you liked the chapter. Please let me know your thoughts and feelings about the update, if there is any confusion or questions, and if and how much you are liking the story so far...

To the new readers: please make your presence known. Most of you read the chapters in one go, and I would really love to hear your thoughts and opinions because it helps a lot in writing. So, please, comments would be much appreciated, and constructive criticism is welcomed wholeheartedly... :)

Thank you for liking and reading and commenting, and for being the source of motivation for me to keep writing this story... <3

Thank you! <3

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