Nandini and Ansh entered inside the Murthy Mansion only to witness Amms. Ansh just rolled his eyes and turned to Nandini.

"Nandi, go to your room. We will have our dinner there only. Let me tell Suresh about the menu." Saying this he left while Nandini nodded at him. She was leaving when she heard Amms saying.

"Where were you all night? Dint even feel a bit shame? God knows till when I have to see all this." Nandini dint pay attention to her and was moving forward when she held her hand. Nandini stopped and took a deep breathe.

"Leave my hand."

"Then answer me. I asked you something? You both were missing whole night. Ansh toh uske kisi dost ke pass gaya hoga. What about you? You went with that boy, right? Apna muh kala karne-"

"Enough. Don't say anything about Manik. I will not tolerate. You don't need to know with whom I was and what I was doing. You are free to think anything you want to because I don't care." Nandini snapped at her jerking her hand and left. Amms fumed.

"She started talking too much nowadays. Abhi se baat karni hi hogi." Saying this she went to her room.

____________________

Malhotras were having dinner together.

"I'm missing Nandu so much. We both bonded so well. Jaise ki barso ki pehchan ho." Niyonika said smiling sadly. All men smiled at her.

"Kya baat hai! Ekdam perfect! Ghar aate hi sabse pehle bahu ne saas ko hi vash me kar liya. Tch! Now we won't get to see any saas-bahu drama in future. Instead their lovey-dovey moments. Uff!!" Cabir said dramatically to which Niyonika glared at him while Raj smacked his head. Manik chuckled.

"Chup kar. Nowadays, you started speaking too much. What's going on, Cabir? Yesterday also you were talking something about their grandmother." Raj spoke sternly to which Cabir's face turned hard.

"I don't regret that, Dad. Nandini is like my small sister. She is going to be my bhabhi. She went through so much and that woman is adding worst to it. I'm sorry to say but in future also if she says or does something inappropriate with my sister then I won't spare her." Cabir said seriously. Manik and Raj looked at him in surprise. Niyonika shook her head smiling.

Cabir and seriousness are two opposite things. He is always being naughty, cracking jokes, whinning, eating and making everyone around him laugh. This Cabir seemed different.  Nandini was the first one to make special space in his heart.

"Possessive brother, ah?" Manik teased. Cabir gave him a look.

"Protective. And take it as a warning to you too. Make her cry once and I'll dig your grave then and there." He said making Raj and Niyonika laugh. Manik gritted his teeth.

"You don't have to teach me how to behave with my love." Manik said glaring him. He shrugged.

"And moreover you dint even have a single conversation with her and-"

"Chuck it, Manik. Baaton ka kya hai? Hoti rahegi. Aaj nahi toh kal. Feelings are important. And I already consider her as my sister, so I don't care when we will talk and all. Duh!" Cabir spoke in no non sense tone. Manik's jaw ticked.

"Cabir tu-"

"Shut up you both. No one will say anything. Finish your dinner and off to bed. Hurry up." Raj said strictly. Niyonika pressed her lips as both digged their heads in respective plates.

"Fighting like kids." Raj muttered.

"He started first!" Both whined together and then gave glares to each other.

"Silence." Raj spoke loudly while Niyonika laughed without control. Raj also smiled shaking his head.

__________________

"Hey"

"Oh My goodness! Am I dreaming? Is this real? The NM is messaging me?" Manik typed with a teasing smile. He was on seventh sky seeing her message.

"Huh! Manik? I dint message to hear your taunts, ok?" Nandini typed making angry face. Manik chuckled.

"Oh. Then why did you message me? Mujhe miss kar rahi thi?" Manik typed with a wink emoji. Nandini widened her eyes and huffed.

"Mr. Malhotra surely have guts to flirt with NM." Nandini typed with a smirk.

"Ah! I have much more guts. Are you willing to see?" Manik teased and Nandini's cheeks heated.

Oh! The NM can blush. News flash, isn't it?

"Shut up Manik."

Manik sent laughing emojis to her. Her cheeks puffed. She dint type anything.

"Someone is angry."

No reply.

"Did I awake The NM?"

No reply.

"Yarr Nandini sorry na. I was just teasing you. Okay see I'm holding my ears. Ab toh maaf kar do. Please????" Manik typed. Nandini smiled.

"Liar. You are holding phone and saying that you are holding your ears. Manik, you are such a cheat. Huh!" Nandini typed with a teasing smile. Manik read and smiled thinking something.

He quickly opened selfie camera and set the timer. Keeping the phone in front of him, he held his ears giving pose. Picture got clicked and he immediately sent it to her. Nandini smiled looking at his pic.

"Hahh! Who can reject such a cute face?"

"Not again. Why do you always find me cute? I'm anything but cute." Manik typed making faces. Nandini laughed imagining his annoyed face.

"You look more cute when you are annoyed." Reading her message he glared at the screen as if it's Nandini.

"Nandini!"

"Yes Manik?"

"Don't tease me or else I'll go to sleep."

"Okay then. Good night." Nandini typed with a teasing smile. Manik's mouth dropped down.

"Bye Manik." She typed controlling her laugh while Manik immediately typed.

"Arey no! Wait. I just joked." He typed but still Nandini could imagine is grumpy face. She chuckled.

"Haha. So cute. Manik! Aaj se I'll call you CM." Nandini typed to which he frowned.

"I'm not Chief Minister, Nandini. I'm businessman. I don't like politics." Nandini laughed reading his message.

" I din't mean Chief Minister."

"Then?"

"CM= Cutie Manik."

"Nandini! I'm not cute. Fine. I also have a nick name for you."

"Is it? Tell me. I'm all ears."

"You are Golu. You are so chubby bubby. I feel like pulling your cheeks. Golu molu!" Manik typed with laughing emoji. Nandini's expression changed.

"It's more cute, like?"

No reply

"Nandini?"

No reply.

"Are you there?"

No reply.

"Nandini! Did I say anything wrong? I'm sorry. Please say something."

No reply.

And conversation ended abruptly. Manik got worried. He looked at clock. It was 11:45 pm. He was hesitant to call Ansh this time but he chucked it. He was his buddy. And he knows how much he loves Nandini. He called him.

"Aapne jis number pe call kiya hai, uska owner abhi sone mei vyast hai, kripaya unhe firse call na kare. Jake apni girlfriend ki neend kharab kare. Dhanyawad." Said Ansh in sleepy tone while Manik rolled his eye.

Such a drama king. He was as same as Cabir. Their behavior was same. Evil twins. Instead of him, Ansh and Cabir suited as brother more. Manik chuckled at his thought.

"Oyy chup kar nautanki. Now get up and go to Nandini's room. We were chatting and then suddenly she stopped chatting. Check on her please." Manik said worriedly. Ansh got up from his bed lazily and walked out of room while talking on phone.

"Yarr so gayi hogi. She wasn't well and also tired. So must be sleeping. You are worrying too much." Ansh said and opened her room door. Seeing the sight in front of him, his lips curved in smile.

Nandini was sleeping on her bed hugging small pillow.

"Abey oh romeo, ghode bechke so rahi hai teri juliet. Happy now? Ab usey aur mujhe, baksh de aur so ja tu bhi. Huh! Broke my beauty sleep." Ansh said yawning. Manik sighed in relief and made faces at his words.

"Haan haan. Go sleep. Kumbhkaran ka bhai. Good night."

"Good night."

Ansh ended the call and adjusted blanket over Nandini. Pecking her forehead he left. Nandini opened her eyes when he left. Her tears fell.

_________________

Nandini came hurriedly towards dining table and picked up glass of juice. Ansh sighed. Amms looked at her angrily while Abhi was looking at her from corner of his eyes.

"Bhai, I'm leaving. Important meeting hai. Will meet you in noon. Bye."

"Nandi, breakfast toh karti ja. You remember what Niyo Maa told you?" Ansh said raising his brows while Amms and Abhi frowned hearing him calling someone as Maa.

"I'll tell mumma that I was getting late. Please bhai. Only today." Nandini pleaded while Amms and Abhi looked shocked. Mumma? Who?

"We shouldn't disrespect the food and also the person who's elder to you. It will be better if you hear what your bhai says. Finish your breakfast and leave." Abhi spoke sternly shocking all. Are they dreaming? Is this really happening?

After 3 years, first time, very first time he asked Nandini to have her breakfast. Amms looked at him with strange look. He avoided looking at anyone and kept eating. Nandini looked at Ansh who nodded at her and she sat on chair beside him. Ansh served her. Abhi was silently observing everything.

Nandini had first bite of parantha, second, third and thud!

She suddenly got up from her chair gulping the water and left muttering a quick sorry. Ansh let out a sigh. Abhi clenched his fist tight and left to his room leaving breakfast in middle. Amms kept looking at the way he left.

________________

Someone knocked on Nandini's cabin door.

"Come in."

She said busy typing something on laptop. Person came inside and sat on the chair infront of her. She felt it and looked up furiously ready to shout.

"Who the hell- YOU?" She stopped in middle looking at person.

"Manik? What are you doing here at this time?" Nandini asked again digging her face in laptop. Manik smirked.

"Why? Can't I come to meet my friend?"

"Yes you can. But not in office time. I am busy."

"How rude. I came to meet you from so far and you are being so mean. Tch!" Manik faked sadness. Nandini looked at him raising her brow.

"Ohh surely you came from too far. Like your office is whole 10 minutes distance from here. Nei? 10 minutes! Oh my god, Manik! 10 minutes mei 600 seconds hote hain. Such a long time span." Nandini said sarcastically. Manik made faces.

"Haan haan. Theeke. You na, always ready to mock me. Huh!" He puffed his cheeks and tapped his foot on floor. Nandini laughed and pulled his cheek.

"Aww cutie got angry." Manik shot glare to her and moved near her. She moved back. He pulled her both cheeks by his hands. Her eyes widened.

"Hawww golu. Same pinch. You are also very cute. Bilkul golu molu. Awlelele." Said Manik and her face turned pale. Manik noticed it while she jerked his hands.

"Don't.. don't call me that."

She said holding chair tightly. Manik got worried.

"Nandini? What happened? What's wrong?"

"Just don't Manik- please go. Leave me alone. Please."

"Nandini but-"

"Please."

"No. You have to tell me. What's wrong? Why can't I call you golu? What's wrong in that?" Manik asked strictly making her face him.

"Because my papa used to call me that. Suna tumne? You make me remember him. You make me remember our moments!" Nandini yelled with tears while Manik looked at her.

Screen freezes.