Who are you closed with? Who is your person? With whom you can share anything and everything?

Well for me it's my mother.

So who's yours....

Nandini returned home and went to her room. After changing, she sat there with a book, but her mind kept drifting back to the boy she met in the bar.

She was never comfortable talking to any stranger, but she didn’t know how she got comfortable with that boy without knowing anything about him.

Priya came to Nandini's room and saw her busy reading the book.

She caressed her face, and Nandini looked at her.

Nandini: "Mumma, aap yaha itni raat ko?"

Priya: "Haan beta, tumse kuch important baat karni hai. Are you free?"

Nandini nodded, closed her book, and sat with her mother.

Priya: "Baccha, since you have completed your studies, we were thinking about your marriage."

Nandini looked surprised.

Nandini: "Mumma, marriage? But itni jaldi? I mean…"

Priya: "Baccha, this is the right age according to me. Aur tumhari bhabhi bhi jab tumhari age ki thi, tabhi humare ghar aayi thi shaadi karke. Tum soch lo baccha, no one is forcing you."

Saying this, Priya left, and Nandini lay down, but sleep was far from her eyes, so she sighed and went to the terrace.

She sat on the swing there, looking at the sky, lost in her thoughts when a hand with an ice cream came in front of her.

Nandini looked at the ice cream, took it, and started eating it.

The person covered her with a shawl and sat beside her.

Person: "Want to share what’s going on in my choti behen’s chote se dimag?"

Nandini: "Bhai!"

Rithwik: "Aree, aree shaant, meri angry bird. Achha, now tell me, what are you thinking?"

Nandini sighed and kept her head on Rithwik's shoulder, eating the ice cream.

Nandini: "Mumma was asking about marriage."

Rithwik: "Hmm, so yeh baat hai."

Nandini: "Hmm, I don't know, bhai. Matlab, arranged marriage… I don't know what to do."

Rithwik: "Nandu, princess, no one is forcing you. You know that, right? Just ask your heart if you’re ready for it. Aur waise bhi, kisi aise waise ke saath toh na kar denge hum shaadi. Humari princess ke ladke ko papa aur tumhare yeh bhai ke kaafi tests face karne padenge."

Nandini laughed, and like this, they talked till late night and then went to their rooms.

Nandini reached her room and lay down.

Nandini: "I don't know if I’m ready or not. Anika was also saying, ‘try karne mein kya jata hai.’ Aiyappa, help me decide."

Saying this, she slept, thinking about the same.

Meanwhile, Manik also reached Malhotra mansion and went to his room. After freshening up, he sat with his laptop, finishing some pending work. That’s when there was a knock on the door.

He looked up to see Jeevika standing there.

Manik: "Aree bhabhi, aap aaiye na, bahar kyu khadi hai?"

Jeevika looked at him for some time, and when Manik noticed she was trying to say something, he sighed and kept his laptop aside.

Manik: "Kya hua bhabhi? Aap kuch kehna chahti hai?"

Jeevika nodded.

Jeevika: "Manik, as you are now well-settled, have you ever thought about marriage?"

Manik was flabbergasted hearing her.

Manik: "Bhabhi, aise achanak yeh baat?"

Jeevika: "See, Manik, you are already well-settled in your career. Sooner or later, you have to get married, right? Achha tell me one thing, do you love someone?"

Manik: "Love? No bhabhi, aisa kuch nahi hai. It’s just… I don't know if I’m ready for this. Aur upar se arranged marriage… I don't know."

Jeevika: "Manik, tumhare bhaiya aur meri bhi shaadi arranged hi thi, so do you think it’s wrong?"

Manik got lost in his thoughts. Jeevika sighed.

Jeevika: "Manik, everyone wants your decision about it so that Mom and Dad can look for a girl. So think about it and tell us your decision. No one will be forcing you."

She caressed his face, kissed his forehead, and left.

He lay down and drifted to sleep.

It was a new morning. The sun was peeking into Manik's room when he opened his eyes. The first thought that came to his mind was the talk between him and Jeevika last night.

Manik (self-talk): "Should I try? Kya main ready hoon iske liye? God, this is so confusing. But I think I should give it a shot. Aur waise bhi, no one is going to force me."

He got up and went to get ready.

After getting ready, he went downstairs for breakfast. Reaching the dining area, he saw his entire family having breakfast. Wishing them, he sat and started his breakfast.

Everyone was exchanging glances with each other when Manik suddenly spoke.

Manik: "Okay, stop talking with your eyes, guys. I am ready for marriage."

Everyone jumped with excitement, and he shook his head in disbelief.

Nyonika: "Aree waah, yeh toh tune bahut achhi khabar sunayi hai, Manik! Main abhi panditji ko call karti hoon ladkiyan dhoondhne ke liye."

Manik: "Mom, calm down. Pehle breakfast toh kar lo. Aap toh aise bol rahe ho jaise 1 minute bhi late hua toh duniya mein koi ladki nahi bachegi mere liye."

Everyone burst into laughter, and Nyonika smiled sheepishly.

Manik: "Aur maine sirf ladki dekhne ke liye haan kiya hai. The last decision will be mine only."

Raj: "Don't worry, Manik. No one will be forcing you."

He nodded and left for the office, but before leaving, he messaged Fab 5 about meeting in the evening.

---

**Murthy Mansion**

Nandini woke up and, after freshening up, left to have breakfast.

When she sat down and started eating, Priya asked.

Priya: "Nandu baccha, tumne kya socha jo kal baat ki thi?"

Nandini looked at Rithwik, who nodded, smiling, and she took a deep breath and said.

Nandini: "Mumma, I am ready."

Ram: "Princess, are you sure? We are not pressurizing you. You know that, right?"

Nandini nodded.

Nandini: "I know, Papa, but I want to give this a try."

Everyone smiled when Asha came and side-hugged her.

Asha: "Don't worry, I'll always be with you. Whenever you have any thoughts in your mind, you can come to me."

Nandini smiled.

Nandini: "I know, bhabhi."

---

It was now evening. Manik called Fab 5 to Malhotra mansion to tell them about his decision regarding marriage.

Everyone was sitting, chilling when Manik spoke.

Manik: "Guys, actually, I wanted to talk about something important."

Cabir: "What? Don't tell me, Manik, you are pregnant."

Manik glared at him, and Dhruv hit him on the head.

Dhruv: "What happened, Manik? What do you want to talk about?"

Manik: "Actually, Mom and Dad want to get me married, and I said yes."

There was silence for a minute before everyone pounced on him with questions.

Mukti: "Kya?"

Aaliya: "Kab?"

Dhruv: "Sach?"

Cabir: "Shaadi mein khane me kya rakhega?"

Everyone looked at Cabir, gaping, and he made an innocent face.

Cabir: "What? I was just asking. You know, pehle hi confirm kar lena chahiye."

Everyone shook their heads in disbelief.

Dhruv: "But Manik, aise achanak? I mean, are you sure?"

Manik sighed.

Manik: "I don't know, guys. It’s just Mom and Dad were looking so happy with my decision, so I said yes."

Aaliya: "Wow, Manik! Who is the girl?"

Manik: "Abhi sirf haan bola hai, Aaliya. Ladki select nahi ki. And I wanted to tell you guys before doing anything."

Mukti: "We are very happy for you, Manik."

Cabir: "Achha, now tell me which cuisine you will keep at your wedding?"

Everyone burst into laughter, and they group hugged.

**************************************

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