Manik came home at evening from office, the house was empty as nyonica and raj were out on some business party.

He entered his room loosening his tie when he noticed food on the table with two chairs set up and his favourite scented frosted cranberry candle lit in the middle.

"I hoped you would like some food" A voice came from behind and he suddenly turned around surprised by the voice.

"Wow! Coming outta nowhere scaring me like caspar the ghost real nice nandini!" Manik said sarcastically but his heart swelled up with so much happiness as he saw her after so long.

She was fiddling with her hands nervously looking gorgeous in her yellow jumper dress. Her hair down with some gloss and she was looking pretty as ever.

"Um I thought I would surprise you!" She said nervously which was weird because she was always loud and violent in front of manik.

"Well shock would be the correct word here" He lied and her smile disappeared. "And what are you doing here?"

"I didn't know meeting your best friend after so long is such a big crime." She said with her hands on her hips.

"Yeah best friends right!" Manik said bitterly. She was going to say something when he beat her. "I can't to this anymore nandini I think you should leave." He said in a cold tone and turned his back towards her.

She flinched at his tone but kept her calm.

"But I got your favourite Chinese food from your favourite place. You know I drove for like two hours to get this and I even downloaded all the marvel movies so we can watch it toge--" She was cut off by manik.

"Enough nandini! Just leave okay I don't want to do this right now" He yelled at her and boi it made her angry.

"No why should I leave manik? What is your problem? Why are you acting like that?" She was equally angry now and took steps closer to him so that they were standing a few inches apart.

"My problem is you nandini don't you get it? I'm so tired of you and your behaviour it's mentally exhausting." He said frustrated pulling his hair.

"It's hard for me too manik these feelings are hard for me to figure out but I'm trying here okay?" She yelled at him.

"I'm the one whose always hurting and I'm tired of fighting, for once I want to be fought for." He said in a low tone looking down and it hit her like a truck.

Intentionally, unintentionally she was always hurting him and now it all made sense. Why he left from there and why he's acting like that! He was exhausted because of all the efforts he put in for her.

"Okay" She mumbled and he looked at her confused. "I will fight for you until you're ready to come back to me, until you're ready to be my meenakumari." She said softly and placed her lips on his cheek lingering there for a long time.

She backed off and he looked at her with soft expression. She gave him a bright smile which stopped his heart for a second. She turned around and left from there leaving him in his own thoughts.

He looked at the table and maybe eating Chinese wouldn't be such a bad idea.

||•••|||

Next morning nandini woke up with a determined mind. She have to do this for him. She got ready quickly and threw a beige halter top and blue jeans.

"Good morning bhai" She chirped as she approached the table all ready.

Abhi looked at her with a suspicious look as her waking up early is a miracle.

"Why are you up early in the morning?" Mukti asked serving breakfast to abhi and sushmita at the dining table.

"I wanted to meet manik" Nandini shrugged and took a seat.

"Did something happened between you two?" Sushmita asked with scrutinising gaze.

"Nah" She said casually and quickly gulped the juice in a single breath. She got up to leave quickly and to partially save herself from her family's questions.

"Gotta go I'm late" Nandini yelled and left from there leaving everyone stunned.

_______

It was 9am and manik got ready to leave. He rushed downstairs to have breakfast with this parents.

"Good morning mom!" He wished kissing her cheek and she smiled at him.

He looked at the table where his breakfast was ready on the plate. Scrambled eggs, sausages and cheese salad on the side.

"Did nandini do this?" He asked immediately and nyonica hid her smile.

"Yeah she did and left you this!" She said handing him a blue post it note.

"So that you can start your day with the thing which makes you most happy. Food." 
~sugarplum

"Where is she now?" He asked folding the note neatly and keeping it safely in his blazer pocket.

"She left after preparing your breakfast I'm impressed with her. What did she do that she have to do so much efforts for you? Because she never made anything even for her own family." Raj smirked crunching his sandwich.

"Does breaking my heart count as something serious dad?" Manik said sarcastically and dig in his plate because let's face it he really felt special as she cooked for him.

"Well she's trying give her some credit." Nyonica said seating besides raj.

"Yeah you will take her side because you obviously love her more than me." He chewed his food.

"Yeah obviously" Raj agreed and manik rolled his eyes not even surprised.

They all finished breakfast in no time and manik and raj left together for office.

Manik entered the building along with raj and they separated their ways to go to their own cabin.

He entered his cabin and he saw his  favourite iced latte and sprinkled sugar donuts were on the table. Donuts were his guilty pleasure and only nandini knew that.

He smiled brightly seeing that and there was a note again.

"Because only I'm supposed to know your deepest darkest secrets (sugar sprinkled donuts) not anyone else not even maira."
PS: Your secretary is sucha beach she didn't allow me to enter your cabin.
HATE HER."

He chuckled at the mention of maira. She was still jealous of her and deep down he liked her jealousy. He took  a bite of his donuts embracing the sugary deliciousness. A small smile made its way.

"I take it you liked early morning sugary treat!" Nandini's voice came. Manik turned around so fast he almost gave himself a whiplash.

"Nope I was just inspecting what is that!" He lied holding the donut near his mouth.

"Your sugar smeared mouth says otherwise!" Nandini smirked and started taking steps towards him.
"By the way your secretary is sucha beach she didn't let me enter your office you know. Literally hate her." She huffed in anger and took a seat on the visitor's chair.

"So you came here to complain about my bitchy secretary?" He asked raising his brows.

"Nah! Just came to see your reaction. Totally worth it." She winked at him and he suppressed his smile.
"So I'll take a leave now! Have a good day Mr Malhotra" She said standing up.

"You too Miss Murthy" He said with a boyish grin and she left with a winning smile.

She didn't text or try to reach to him the entire day which disappointed manik because he was really expecting something from her.

He reached home in the evening dead tired. He checked his phone still no messages from her. He changed in his pjs and got ready to sleep really glad that it's finally the weekend.

~~~~

It was Saturday morning, manik woke up and quickly got ready. He made his way downstairs and heard familiar voices from the kitchen.

"No aunty anushka was looking more pretty"

"Yeah but priyanka's wedding was more dreamy!"

"What is happening?" Manik asked standing on the entrance of the kitchen crossing his arms.

"We were just discussing who's wedding was better" Nandini dismissed him flapping her arms.

"No I mean what you're doing here early morning?" He asked.

"Hey that's her home too don't be so mean manik!" Nyonica scolded him chopping vegetables and he rolled his eyes.

"I just came here to meet uncle and aunty okay it's been so long" She mumbled hugging Nyonica from behind which made her smile.

"So I'm done here I'll leave you kids alone now." Nyonica said removing her apron and gave a knowing smile to manik.

Nyonica quickly left from there and nandini was busy doing kitchen stuff.

Manik walked behind her and put his both hands on the island trapping her between.

"Seems like you're busy here.'' He whispered his lips brushing her ear and her breath hitched.

She turned around slowly facing him, his arms slid from the island to her waist and pulled her closer.

He leaned in slowly so their lips were inches apart. And she stopped breathing. He smirked clearly aware of the effect he has on her.

"You know you can open your eyes right!" He whispered slowly over her lips and rolled a string of her hair in his finger.

She opened her eyes and gasped seeing the mere distance between them. She leaned in closer to him which made him smile.

"Do you like me nandini?" He suddenly asked.

"Yes" She answered in a heartbeat and  his eyes widened in shock and he backed off making her miss his touch.

"You do?" He asked in a robotic tone still shocked and she nodded with a wide grin because she never admitted her feelings to him.

"Go on a date with me manik" She asked boldly and he choked on his saliva.

"Wait what?"

"Go on a date with me tonight" She said again nervously because of his reaction.

"Like a real date? Not a 'friendly' hangout?" He said quoting to make sure and she rolled her eyes.

"No manik a date date which couples go on!" She smiled and his face lit up.

"Okay I'll go on a date date with you" He grinned and pulled her in his arms.

"A date it is" She broke the hug and gave a noisy kiss on his cheek.

|||||

Y'all can't stop commenting "update please" when you don't even leave a single appreciation comment.

So I'm on a vacation and I finished writing this and I'm super sleepy.

Hope you enjoyed it!