Manik was confused yet understood what he need to do. He came out of the ward and saw Nandini. "Chale?" she's ready to leave. "Ha" he nodded as they went to the parking lot. Manik tried to talk but Nandini talked on phone and informed chachi about her return from Manik's place. They both sat in the car.

"Nandini, main tumhe kuch bolna chahta hu" Manik said after Nandini had cut the call. "Is it about the surgery in the morning?" she asked. "No, it's about Alya" he paused waiting Nandini to respond while she nodded as if asking him to continue. He took a deep breath. "Alya had tried to commit suicide" he said. "What? How is she now? Is that why she didn't come to hospital since yesterday?" Nandini asked him many questions.

"Nandini listen, she is fine now. No one except me know about it. I know this is gonna be awkward between us but Alya ne humare baatein sun liya on Sangeet night, she took sleeping pills as I proposed you" Manik said but Nandini didn't respond. He stopped the car. "Nandini please tum galat mat samjho, I didn't talked about it yesterday because I didn't want to spoil your mood, I was afraid how would you react Nandini" Manik explained.

"Is this the emergency for which you left from my place yesterday morning?" she asked him and he nodded yes. "What made you think I will not understand it Manik? Tum mujhse pyaar karte ho na?" she asked him. "Of course I love you, I love you more than anyone else. Humare beech itna kuch hua and finally now you are mine, I didn't want to say it but ye baat aage jaakar kuch problem create na kare isliye main ab bata raha hu" Manik said.

"It's okay if you don't share something with me Manik, I respect your privacy but agar mujhe uss baat kisi aur se pata chal gaya tho main upset ho jaungi. Just promise me that you will always say everything which will affect our relationship Manik" he promised her instantly. "Yes, I promise I will always share everything that concerns us, that concern our relationship and most importantly jo baat humare beech ek diwar khada karega, I will say it" he said.

She smiled. "I know ye tumhara pehla pyaar hai, bahut confusion honge, main hu na tumhare senior main sikhaunga" he said. "How do you know you're my first love?" she asked him. "Bollywood heroes pe crush ko first love nahi kehte hai Nandini" he elaborated how she was a crazy fan of few actors in her college days. "Actors ke alawa bhi mera pehla pyaar hai college mein" she said getting offended.

"Wo chashmish wala tha na, tumne tho usse bhaav bhi nahi diya, aur wo junior tumhara usse bhi na kaha tumne" he said much to her surprise. "Aur tumhara wo school crush! Pata bhi hai kya ab wo kaha hai? You'll be scared to see him now. By the way, uska Shaadi bhi ho gaya" Manik said about her school crush. "Manik, how mean! You know everything about me and I don't know anything about you. Agar kuch jaanti hu tho tumhara be wajah gussa" she said making a face.

"Be wajah gussa nahi Nandini, there would be a reason which you don't know" he cleared. "See, I don't know even this" she complained. "So tum na roz mujhse kuch time spend karo, you will get to know me, understand me" he said. "Ha yeh bhi acha idea hai, tum mujhe aise hi roz kahi leke jao" she said. "Yeah why don't we go on a date?" he asked her. "Manik, I was just joking" she said. "Tonight? And place?" he asked her. She tried to talk but he interrupted. "I know a place and wait for me, we'll go out tonight and chachi se bhi bol do, I'll drop you before 10" he just instructed and left her at her place and asked her to get ready.

**************************************************
Navya's dad opened the door when he heard the door bell. "Sir aap?" he was surprised to see his colleague. "Acha hai aap mujhe pehchaan gaye, I thought you must have forgotten me" he smiled. "How would I forget you sir?" he offered to get a cup of coffee. "Uski zarurat nahi hai sir, I'm diabetic and I gave up having coffee" he denied. "I heard about your wife sir, I'm sorry and I must you are lucky to have a daughter like Navya" Navya's dad didn't know what he was talking about.

"Main kuch samjha nahi?" he asked. "Every father wants their children to reach good heights but Navya usne tho aap ko bhi heights pe rakhne ki koshish ki na?" he said showing a file for him. Navya's father looked at it. "Navya ne aapke research papers ko thesis bana diya, she sent it to a university" he told him while he went through it. He is elated to see his work as thesis. "Navya ne apko sach mein proud kar diya" he told and he remembered about Navya. His colleague left after some time.

Navya came home after some time. She saw thesis after coming home. "Ye tumne kab send kiya?" he asked her. "Papa wo!" he interrupted her before she could speak. "What do you want to prove by doing all this Navya?" he asked sternly. "I want you to forget everything and accept me as your daughter" she said. "And that would not happen ever again. I didn't forget how your mom died, pleading you to get back to us. Ye sab karne se kuch fayda nahi hai, these papers and thesis mean nothing to me now. I failed as a father and how would I expect to be a good teacher. I hope tujhe ye baat jaldi samaj aaye aur tum yaha se chali jao" he said as he left her.

**********************************************
Manik had picked Nandini up from her place. "You look beautiful in this dress" Manik complimented her. "Thank you so much Manik, and tum bhi acha hi lag rahe ho" she replied. "Is that a compliment or a taunt!" he whined. "Ab hum kaha jaa rahe hai Manik?" she asked with enthusiasm. "Wait Nandini and I'm sure it will be worth your wait" he asked her not to ask anything until they reach the destination. "Manik, ab tum batao, apne baare mein sab kuch batao, mujhe bhi tumhare baare mein sab kuch jaan na hai" she asked him. "Bataane ke liye kya hai Nandini" he sighed. "Kyu nahi hai? Nyonika aunty ke baare mein batao, uncle ke baare mein aur tumhara unse relation ke baare mein, about your school days and all" she said in one go. "Relax, main utna bhi shaitaan bacha nahi tha, I was quiet and serious kid, main kabhi mumma papa ko pareshaan bhi nahi kiya, most of my childhood days were without dad, I will rarely see him only when he was on holidays. So obviously main mumma's boy hu as you said" he said.

"Alya aur tumhare baare mein?" Nandini asked hesitantly. Manik looked at her before he could speak. "Alya mere life mein ek closed chapter hai Nandini, hum Pehle best friends the when we met, she used to share everything with me, even her crushes and about her proposals too. She was the diva of our college, and main uska nerd senior" he continued. "Tumhe pata hai, neither Alya nor me had proposed each other" he said. "Then how did you both get into a relationship?" Nandini asked with curiosity. "Alya was going through a tough time, her jiju had committed suicide, business ke saare shareholders demanded their debts and loans back. They were in a dire financial condition, she was completely stressed out" Manik paused for a while. "Tab Alya ke behen ne hi business aur Alya ko sambhala thi na" Nandini asked. "How do you know?" Manik asked suddenly stopping the car.

"Mujhe Alya ne hi bataya that her sister cares for her so much and when her husband died, she had taken control of their business and Alya's responsibility too" Nandini said. "Tum car kyu ruk diya, is everything Ok?" she asked him. "Yes, maine aise hi" he couldn't complete his sentence before starting his car. "Aur kya bataya Alya ne?" Manik was serious this time. "Yahi ki wo apni behen se bahut pyaar karti hai and all, kuch naam bhi bataya Alya ne. Kya naam hai Alya ke sister ka?" she asked Manik trying to memorize. "Sonya, Alya ke behen, Sonya hai uska naam" Manik said. "Ha she said it but I couldn't remember" Nandini said.

"So Sonya ne hi tumhe aur Alya ko milaane ki koshish ki na? Manik agar Alya uss din mandap se chali nahi jaati tho aaj tum dono ek saath hote the na" Nandini asked looking at him. "Zaruri nahi ki jo dikhta hai wahi sach hai Nandini, Sonya ne koshish tho kiya hai, par kis liye ye mujhe nahi pata, I don't want to talk about that day" he said stopping the car. She put her hand on his shoulder. "We reached our destination, lets go" he said and got out of the car. He opened the door for her as a gentleman. "Tumhe ye jagah yaad hai?" he asked and she looked clueless. "Nahi?" he asked looking at her. "Yaad hona chahiye tha kya?" she asked him. "Nandini, I wonder when I turn 80 and you turn 77, will you at least remember me granny?" he made a face. "Main granny nahi hu" she said. "Abhi nahi tho kabhi ban hi jaogi na?" he chuckled. "Kya hua?" she asked. "Nothing, I've just imagined you as a cute old woman who still throw tantrums on this poor husband of her" he laughed uncontrollably.

"Manik, utna bhi mat hasna, agar main buddhi ho jaungi tho tum bhi budda ban jaoge na" she said. "Yes, I want to grow old with you. I believe in destiny Nandini and I strongly believe that we are destined to be together" she hugged him. "Tum romantic baad mein hona, Pehle ye batao ki tumhe ye jagah seriously yaad nahi hai?" Manik asked again and she tried to memorize but of no use. "Seriously tumhe memory loss tho nahi ho raha hai na, because you forgot what Alya told and now you forgot this place also" Nandini is horrified at his statement. she looked around but couldn't remember anything. "Manik, sach mein mujhe kuch yaad nahi aa raha hai" she said. He closed her eyes with his hands from her back. "What are you doing Manik? Where are we going?" she asked. "Just a few more steps" they walked and he took off his hands. She opened her eyes to see a camp fire by the lake side. There was a tiny tent by its side.

She looked at him. "This place? I wish I had come here earlier but I cant remember anything" she said. "No, you have never been here to identify or remember this place, but remember tum bachpan se yaha aane ki zid karti thi" he told her. "For star gazing with your mom and dad" Nandini's eyes shined like stars when he mentioned it. "Kya ye wahi place hai?" she asked excited. "Yes, wahi hai that your Appa has promised to take on your next birthday before they died" Manik hugged Nandini from back. "I want to fulfil your wish Nandini" he whispered into her ears before he gently bit her ear lobe. A jolt of current passed through her spine. "Manik" she said out of pleasure. They walked down the aisle towards the lake.

"This is too beautiful Manik!" she exclaimed. "No, you're beautiful" he told her. "I love you so much Manik" she hugged him tighter. "I love you too" he felt contended when he pulled her into a tighter hug. They laid down near the lake for star gazing. "Manik, tumhe constellations pata hai na?" she asked him. "Not really" he said as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Tumne mujhe star gazing ke liye date pe le aaya aur tumhe constellations pata nahi?" she asked looking into his eyes. "Yeah, because I obviously want to gaze at only one star" she raised her brows and he quickly cupped her face in his hands. "You are my shining star" he whispered as he neared her lips. His lips felt soft on hers for the first time. She didn't want to rush him nor his heart beat raised like always. It was a passionate, slow yet deeper kiss. If time could stand still, they would like to capture it with their hearts.

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

Navya felt sad as her father had threw the thesis away. "Navya, tum ab tak ghar nahi gayi?" Cabir asked. She didn't reply. "Tumhara night duty bhi nhi hai na aaj, tho tum ruk kyu gayi? Jaldi jao tumhare papa wait kartha hoga" he said. "Koi mera wait karne wala nahi hai uss ghar mein" Navya spoke. He knew that something is bothering her. "Papa ne kuch kaha phirse?" he asked her. "Usme naya kya hai Cabir, I think we both are habituated to it ab hum dono ko kuch fark hi nahi padta" she said sadly giving the file to Cabir. He opened the file. "Ye kya hai?" he asked her. "Papa ke thesis" she said showing it to him. "Tumhara papa, physics teacher the na? Then how could he managed to write these research papers" Cabir asked seeing those papers.

"He got to teach at most of the reputed colleges Cabir but still he chose to make the careers of the children. He loved to teach in that school, he always said that right guidance should start from school. I had even taken coaching for medical entrance exams only from him. Maine unke ye research papers ko university ko send kiya hai, I thought he would be happy but he is angry on him. I've let him down Cabir, meri ek galti, Harshad ke wajhe se papa ka poora mehnat kharab, he is no more a respected person in the society today, today he became an alcohol addict just because of me. Unhone padna chod diya, padaana chod diya. He left his passion, he said that he cant control his own daughter and how could he write the future of other children. Main itni buri beti ban gayi hu Cabir ki papa kabhi mujhe maaf bhi nahi kar payega" she had cried her heart out. Cabir doesn't know how to console her. "Navya please calm down, galti har kisi se hota hai, but life doesn't stop there Navya, should learn to move on" he said.

He managed to console her and asked her if he can drop her home. They saw Aryaman as they were about to leave. "Aryaman, abhi bhi yaha hai?" Navya wondered. "Sanju ke liye wo yahi raha hai kal se" Cabir said. "I wish Sanju jaldi se theek ho jaye" she said, "kal Nandini ne bataya ki uss face reader ko pehle si pata tha ki Nihal mar jaane wala hai" Navya remembered. "Tho?" Cabir didn't get her point. "Hum agar Sanju ke baare mein bhi poocha tho wo batayega na?" Navya said. "No, that cant happen, Aryaman ko kaise lagega?" Cabir denied her. "I'm ready for it" they turned around to see Aryaman. "Hume bas kaise bhi karke, Sanju ko usko dikhana hai" Aryaman said. Navya and Cabir nodded to him.

Cabir and Navya went to Mr. Sharma who is sleeping. They woke him up. "Sir, please hume aap ki madad chahiye, ab hum aapko ek ladki ko dikhayenge, please tell about her" Cabir asked him. Aryaman managed to get Sanju without anyone's notice. Sanju was unconscious when Aryaman got her in wheel chair. "Ye wahi ladki hai na, tum log tho iske baare mein already maine bataya bhi na!" he said. "But please ab wo life and death ke beech hai, please say that if she will fight through this" Cabir asked. Mr. Sharma didn't reply. Aryaman ran to him, "please sir, please mere Sanju ko bachana, please tell if we can find a donor for her" Aryaman pleaded with tears in his eyes.

"Nahi ye ladki iss baar nahi bachegi, she will die of this pain" Mr. Sharma had shocked everyone with his words.