The next day it was the haldi. In the morning, at about 9 am, fab5, navya & Abhi along with chacha, chachi & Amms gathered at manik's place. Though it was to be done only by the groom's family but manik said that to him chacha n chachi only were his parents & hence they too were present. All were dressed in yellow as per aliya's instructions. The ceremony was about to start when aliya saw nyonika enter the place. Fab4 turned towards manik to see his expression, who confirmed them that he was fine & also to let nyonika be there. After the pooja the pandit said, "now every1 will apply haldi on the groom's body, starting with his mother first.....". Nyonika got up & was coming towards manik, when she heard manik say "chachi aayiye na....". Chachi turned & saw nyonika's face & then towards manik, Cabir understood that she was confused, so he went to her.
Cabir: you only are the one who has the right to do it first.
Chachi smiled at him & went forward, she applied the haldi on manik's face & hands & kissed his forehead. Nyonika saw all this & then turned in anger. She was about to leave when manik called out her name.
Manik: nyonika....... ( she turned towards him in shock). Though I don't consider u as one, but as nandini said it's the truth & I am no one to take this right frm u... come....
He picked up the haldi bowl & asked nyonika to go on.... This time nyonika was touched by his words & actions. She went towards him & applied at little haldi on his face, manik smiled at her & said "thank u for coming.....". Nyonika just turned & got out of the room. Navya saw her walking towards the garden, with her eyes filled with tears... She wiped her tears, sat into the car & left the place. After this Amms & chacha also did the same thing & then came the turn of fab4, first aliya went towards manik & soffestacatedly applied a liitle haldi, all the others laughed at her & then mukti came, filled her hands with a lot of haldi & rudded it violently on his face. Manik got angry & did the same with her. Soon the same thing happened with the rest. And within a few moments all were full of haldi on their faces except aliya, chacha, chachi & Amms. After that manik, mukti & Cabir ran behind aliya to do the same with her. Aliya went towards Dhruv & hid behind him. Just then Dhruv shouted,
Dhruv: enough guys..... if she doesn't want then leave her....
All the others heard him serious & stopped, Dhruv turned towards aliya & said,
Dhruv: don't worry these ppl won't be able to apply that on ur face....
Just then he got his face forward & touched his cheeks with hers to transfer all the haldi on her face...
Dhruv: bcoz I hv done that....
And he too started running. And then aliya too got involved in the game with anger. After sometime Amms said,
Amms: my dear kids, don't forget we hv to do the same ceremony with nandini also.... So now get urselves freshened up & lets leave fast.
All: yes Amms...
They all changed their cloths, this time dressed in white & were about to leave when manik also came.
Chachi: manik tum kahan chale...
Manik: chachi aapke sath...
Chachi: no u can't.... now that ur haldi is done, u can't meet nandini till the marriage.... In fact u can't even see each other.
Manik: what??? But why??
Cabir: mere bhai..... This is a custom, & it needs to be followed strictly. So now u can't see nandini before ur marriage.
Manik's face clearly showed what he was felling..... all he wanted was to meet nandini, but now he couldn'd do so....
Aliya (slowly to mukti): look at his face... He is looking so cute, I m sure he can't be for so long without seeing her.
All of them left the house & manik said to himself, "don't worry.... I m coming to see u my shining star"
Aliya & mukti reached Cabir's place & got nandini ready. She was wearing a beautiful yellow saree, with a few ornaments made of flowers.... Both of them left the room & went outside to see the other preparations. Nandini was standini in front of the mirror, when suddenly manik encircled his hands around her waist from the back. Nandini saw him & a broad smile appeared on her face.
Manik: u r looking so beautiful.... That I can sit here & stare at u continuously for my entire life.
Nandini: manik.... u here!!! Don't u knw v r not allowed to meet.
Manik: I knw but I wanted to see how my star looks today.....
Nandini: manik..... if some1 sees u na, then u'll be gone.
Manik: I don't care.....
He kissed her on her neck & then looked towards their impression on the mirror & said,
Manik: we don't look good alone, v look gud like this... see how perfect v r looking.
Nandini rested her head on his chest & they both smiled at their own reflection. Just then the door hung open & fab4, navya & Abhi saw them smiling at their reflection. Nandini immediately got away from manik. They all entered the room,
Cabir: if u both r done with ur romance, then there is some1 who wants to meet u...
And with this manik saw chachi following them into the room. She held manik's ears & said,
Chachi: I knew u won't listen to me....
Soon manik was sent out of the house & the ceremony began. The girlshad prepared a dance on the song chittiyaan kalaiyaan & everyone was enjoying. Unlike manik's haldi, for nandini it was a bit decent & no one else applied haldi on each other. All of them sang, danced & enjoyed, but 1 pair of eyes was continuously staring at the beautiful girl sitting at the centre with haldi on her face. Yes manik was present there; he was sitting up behind the stairs & was looking at his love. It was after about 20 to 30 mins nandini sensed some1 staring at her & found it was manik. She smiled at him & from time to time they both got engrossed in their cute & lovely eye locks. The day went awesome. After that all the 4 girls were sitting together and talking about the day's events. They were telling nandini about all that which happened at manik's place. The fun they all had. Then navya said,
Navya: do u all knw, boys hv planned a bachelor party 4 manik tonight.... I heard Cabir talking to Dhruv about it.
Aliya: what bachelor party??? I m not gonna leave Dhruv...
Nandini: why aliya..... Whats the problem??? I really don't mind if manik wants to celebrate his bachelor party.....
Mukti: nandini if u think so, then I m sorry to say but u actually don't knw how much manik loves u.... I m sure even if these guys plan, manik won't go..... for him u r his life... in these 7 yrs v all didn't even leave 1 chance to get manik move on in life... But he loved u so eternally that he didn't even look at any other girl. All our efforts went in vein. He can't even think about any1 else than u.....
Aliya: yes nandini!! Mukti is right.... V all hv seen how much he has loved u & believe me, its much more than u can or anyone else can even think of...
Nandini's eyes were filled with tears, she hugged her friends.... And just then her phone beeped with a msg...
Manik::: "Really finding it hard, to wait.... I just hope this night passes away as soon as possible & u become mine for ever & ever...... Can I plzzzz come n meet u now???....
Nandini read this msg & a smile appeared on her face....
Aliya: it seems that its manik's msg only... let us also see...
And with this aliya snatched her phone & started running. Nandini ran behind her to get her phone back, but mukti & navya held her hand & stopped her. Aliya read the msg out loud & every1 came out with the sound "awww..... So sweet!!!". Nandini blushed at it & suddenlt heard her phone ring, aliya picked it up & kept it on speaker.
Aliya: sorry mr. manik malhotra.... But u still hv to wait coz u can't meet ur love at present.....
Manik: aliya u???? With nandini's phone....??
Nandini: aliya plzz na give my phone back... plzz aliya..
Mukti: sorry manik.... but vcan't help u....
Nandini: manik u plz disconnect the call.... I'll call u back in a few minutes, they all r not giving my phone back to me...
Manik: aliya, mukti.... Plzz yr how can u do such a thing with me..???
Aliya: what r v doing to u.... we r doing it to nandini...
Mukti: areey aliya, nandini hi to manik ki life h... how can he let us do such a thing to her.
Just then nandini snatched her phone from aliya & ran towards her room shouting, "sorry guys.... See u all latr.."
She locked her room door as she got in & sat on her bed & said to manik,
Nandini: sorry actually aliya snatched my cell as ur msg came.
Manik: so these girls r giving u a tough time haan.... Don't worry its just the last day then I'll be with u always.
Nandini: I just can't wait 4 tommorow..
Manik: same here... but more than that I can't wait to see u...
Nandini: manik u knw na it's a custom....
Manik: ya ya I understand.... Btw nandini I wanted to talk to u about something......
Nandini: yes..
Manik: did mukti & aliya tell u anything about the ceremony at my place today...
Nandini: ya they told me how much fun u all had...
Manik: but I think they didn't tell u that nyonika too came here.
Nandini: nyonika ma'am!!!
Manik then told her the entire incident that occurred & then said,
Manik: nandini I wanted to thank u... bcoz if u wouldn't hv said all that to nyonika then I wouldn't hv done all this today, in fact I wouldn't hv even allow her enter my place..... u knw it was 4 the first time I felt that nyonika wasn't angry, but was hurt when I asked chachi to come first on her place. I even saw tears in her eyes when she was going away, I don'y knw y but 4 d first time I felt like thanking her. As she came one part of me wanted to throw her out & the other was happy to knw that my mother was there...
Nandini: u don't hv to thank me.... I knw u hv a pure heart n what u did today was what ur heart asked u to do.... Just do the same always & I'm sure u'll be happy always...
Manik: (changing the sad mood into a romantic one) just stay with me always & I'm sure I'll be happy...
Nandini: ohh really!! So u r happy when I m with u??
Manik: yes always!!! If u wish, u can test it....
Nandini: I don't need to test u 4 anything.... I trust u for each & every word u say or each & every action u do..... I knw u can never do anything which hurts me or which is bad 4 me... u hv already given enough tests to prove ur love 4 me & if I wish anything now then it is just ur happiness...
Manik: and my happiness lies within u..... btw it seems some1 is in a very romantic mood tonight....
Nandini: any doubt???
Manik: no I was just thinking what can be done to make this mood useful...
Nandini: manik malhotra don't forget u rn't allowed to meet me...
Manik: I knw, but I hope u knw, I hv always broken rules all my life.... I m coming now!!
Nandini: manik its 11:30.... And tomorrow its our wedding, its going to be a long day
Just then chachi knocked the door.
Nandini: manik hold on for a sec... chachi is here..
Manik: ohk...
Nandini opened the door,
Chachi: nandu sleep fast, I'll wake u up at 3:30 then u'll hv to eat ur food also na...
Nandini: ohk chachi... good night!!
Nandini closed the door n manik asked:
Manik: why at 3:30...
Nandini: to eat...
Manik: who eats at that time??
Nandini: manik.... it's a custom that the bride has to fast on her wedding day & then after the ceremonies the groom feeds her by his own hands & breaks her fast... so tomorrow all day I hv to fast & for that I hv to get up at 3:30 & eat something coz after 4 am I can't eat anything...
Manik: what?? All day fast??? Rubbish... have u lost ur mind... why the hell will u stay hungry???
Nandini: this fast is done 4 a happy & long future of the couple.....
Manik: but none of mukti, aliya or navya did this....
Nandini: bcoz in their marriage, no 1 told them about this fast... I m sure if some1 would hv, then they would also hv done it for their husbands...
Manik: But how will u do it??? U'll fall weak....
Nandini: manik don't worry... nothing will happen to me, I m doing these kinds of fast for the past 8 yrs.
Manik: 8 yrs.... Why???
Nandini: nothing.... Forget it...
Manik: Nandini!!!! Tell me....
Nandini: Actually, I hv been keeping karwa chouth frm the past 8 yrs along with chachi..... It's kept for the partner's long life... It gets over after seeing the moon & the partner's face.
Manik: (mocking tone) whom did u do it for???
Nandini: off course u.... manik!!!
Manik: u were praying 4 my long life, without even knowing whether I m still single or married..... in fact I read in ur dairy that u felt I must would hv married some1 by now.... Then why were u doing it??? (Emotionally)
Nandini: it doesn't matter to me, whether u r with me or with some1 else.... All which matters is ur life & ur happiness.....
Manik: I LOVE U NANDINI!!!
Nandini: I LOVE U TOO....
Manik: now sleep fast, u hv to get up & eat.... And promise me that u'll eat properly & after that u'll not jump around all day, otherwise I'll make u break ur fst before the ceremonies only...
Nandini: ohk.... I promise!!!
Manik: good night.... Sleep well bcoz tomorrow night I'll not let u sleep....
Nandini: why what will v do then???
Nandini asked innocently & then realized what she just said
Manik: do u want me to explain that to u... now???
Nandini: shut up manik.... good night...
Nandini disconnected the call & went to sleep. Manik also slept after adding an alarm of 3:15 am on his phone. As the alarm rang, manik got up & directly went towards the kitchen. He searched something to eat but couldn't find anything.... He went & woke up his cook,
Cook: sir aap.... Abhi??
Manik: sorry Rama, I m waking u up at this time..... Actually I was feeling hungry & there is nothing in the kitchen. Can u plz gimme something to eat...
Rama: sure sir.... U sit I'll make something 4 u right now...
Manik: no no don't prepare anything.... If there is something then only give me.... Otherwise its ohk....
Rama: sir, u already ask 4 such things rarely.... U always eat whatever v feel like serving to u. Let me atleast make something 4 u today...
Manik smiled at him & got out of his room. He waited 4 sometime & then had the parathas which the cook had prepared... manik smiled at him seeing him make his favorite parathas.
On the other hand, chachi woke nandini up & she too had her food. Both were finished with eating till 4 am & after that they again went to sleep.
Precap: finally wedding day...