~~~~~

The next time Manik and Nandini met was during their first song recording. It was awkward for both of them. Nandini kept reminding herself that she has to focus on her job and not the one she was doing the job with, but Manik on the other hand didn't even try to do that. He made his admiration visible, making sure she was fully aware of his presence.

"Let's do this?" Manik asked.

"Yes!"

After an hour, both of them stepped out, tired of their work. They finally finished their first song together and it sounded heavenly.

"It's amazing." Nandini said, taking her headphones off.

"Yes! As I said, your voices blend together well. You two are the dream duo." The studio manager praised them for the umpteenth time that evening. Nandini smiled and looked away shyly while Manik pretended like he didn't hear it.

After a short break, he tried to approach Nandini to talk to her properly but he saw her busy on a call.

"Yes, Smaran. Okay, see you." Nandini said into the phone. When Manik heard the name 'Smaran', he let himself out of the room before Nandini could see him. After all, just because he called it off with Alya didn't mean Nandini would do the same.

~~~~~

Nandini sat in front of Smaran and kept nodding at whatever he was saying. She noticed how handsome he was, how expressive his eyes were. But nothing made her feel anything in her heart or made her heart race. Like it did with Manik. One touch of his, and she felt enthralled. It felt like his touch burned her skin.

She felt as though she was committing a sin as she thought about Manik. In a way, she was.

"Nandini?" She heard him call out her name.

"Yeah?"

"You zoned out."

"Yeah sorry! Actually I was just feeling very tired and sore." Nandini said. It wasn't a lie though.

"I think we should leave. You should take care." Smaran said with concern and Nandini's heart pinched. Why did she feel nothing but guilt?

Smaran dropped Nandini at her doorstep and looked at her with his standard smile. Nandini leaned towards him, intending to kiss his lips but ended up kissing his cheek and backing off.

"Good night, Smaran." Nandini said softly.

"Good night, Nandini." Smaran said, before walking off.

Nandini went into her room and changed into more comfortable clothes. Sliding between the sheets, she began to think about her life.

"What are you doing?! Leave me naa!" She whined sweetly.

"I am just romancing with my wife, can't you see?"

"Achha ji?"

"Haa!"

Nandini turned around and saw Manik staring at her intensely. She placed her lips on his and they kissed passionately, leaning against the platform in the kitchen.

Nandini woke up in shock. This was not what she expected when she decided to stop thinking about Manik outside of work.

"Aiyappa, I have to distance myself from Manik after the album. This is not good." Nandini thought worriedly and eventually fell asleep.

~~~~~

The day of the album launch finally arrived. Manik and Nandini had completed three songs together, as per their contract. The teasers were already trending, no doubt. They were given an option to be cast in a music video but they refused, owing to the fact that they were publicly engaged to different people and not wanting to ignite more sparks.

Nandini reached the venue with Smaran, hand-in-hand. They posed for the paps before entering the luxurious hall where a party was being thrown in her and Manik's honour.

She led Smaran and they made their way to Manik and the other producers. Manik was the first one to notice her and he made sure he got a good look of her. Nandini blushed under his gaze and distracted herself.

"Hello! Meet my fiancé, Smaran." Nandini introduced Smaran to everyone, who shook hands with him cordially. Nandini noticed some slight tension on Manik's side as he did the same.

"Glad to meet you." Smaran said genuinely.

"I can say the same." Manik said with a plastic smile. Nandini was becoming nervous. She really didn't want the situation to get ugly.

"Now that our musical duo is here, let's call them up on the stage to make them sing a duet for us." The host announced.

"Go Manik! Go Nandini!" Cabir cheered.

They made their way to the stage and decided to sing a small part of their song 'Tu jo nahi'. Everyone swayed along to the melodious beats and appreciated the song just like it was expected. They ended it with a brief eye lock, which did not go unnoticed by certain people.

~~~~~

Manik was sipping a drink when he saw Nandini alone, without Smaran. He noticed her walking out of the venue and found himself following her.

"Nandini." He whispered her name like a prayer.

Nandini didn't turn around, deliberately. Manik knew she heard him. He went and stood next to her.

"Aur kitna bhagogi?" He asked bluntly.

Nandini looked at him and then looked away, the intensity of his gaze being too much for her to handle.

"What?" She asked, trying to play dumb.

"Don't act."

"I don't know what you are talking about, Manik." Nandini feigned ignorance.

"Really Nandini? Who are you kidding Nandini? The spark is obvious. Tell me you can't see it." Manik challenged her.

"I...I can't." She trembled as she tried to not get affected by his proximity.

"Jhoot! Stop lying to yourself Nandini. Just stop it."

"Manik, please! It's wrong! No!" Nandini tried to free herself from his hold.

"Then why does it feel so right?" Manik asked, aggressively turning her around and pulling her close.

"Manik, yeh tum-"

"Shh!" He placed his finger on her plump red lips. She looked at his finger and then back at him.

"Why does it feel right? Jab bhi tum paas aati ho, achha lagta hai. Tumhare aas paas main sirf Manik ban sakta hu. What have you done to me, Nandini?" Manik asked, caressing her face. Nandini closed her eyes at his touch, with an increasing awareness of their proximity.

"Manik..." She said his name in a low voice.

"Hmm...?"

She knew it wasn't right, but she let him be. She let him place his forehead against hers. She couldn't deny Manik. He was right. It did feel right. Even if it was so, so wrong. But they were like two puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly.

"But Alya..." She said and he slowly backed away.

"I broke up with her." He said plainly as if it meant nothing.

Nandini was mortified. She didn't know what to say. She didn't want to be the reason for the breakup. She wondered if he expected the same? Did he expect her to break it off with Smaran as well?

"She loves someone else. In fact, I am calling off my engagement in two weeks." Manik said.

Nandini didn't know what to say at all.

"Nandini, take your time...to figure yourself out. But don't deny the fact that we have some connection. Even if it feels forbidden at the moment." Manik said and slowly walked away, leaving Nandini in a dilemma.

~~~~~

Two days later, Nandini sat on the sofa to read the newspaper. She saw Shanno reading one already.

"Itne dhyaan se kya padh rahe ho Chachi?"

"Manik ke baare main news hai. Uski sagai tut gayi." Shanno said and turned the paper towards Nandini and showed her a picture of Manik and Alya.

A strange relief shot through her and she tried to ignore it.

"Achha."

"Bada hi sohna munda laga mujhe yeh. Pata nahi kya ho gaya." Shanno said.

Nandini sank into her chair, not saying anything. She noticed a shiny ring around her ring finger which reminded her of her own engaged status.

"Aaj kal shaadi kya, sagaai bhi tut jaati hai. Na jaane yeh zamane ko kya ho raha hai." Shanno said and went to the kitchen.

Nandini was scared. Scared to even think about it. It was daunting.

Manik. Smaran. Manik. Smaran. Manik. Smaran...Manik...Manik...Manik...

Nandini was so frustrated and her helplessness only caused her to get into a frenzy. She found herself snapping at the littlest of things. She really needed to get it together.

~~~~~~

Two months passed but there was no communication between Manik and Nandini. Manik was beginning to give up hope. In fact, he felt like he wasn't made for love. He saw Alya and Dhruv in a relationship, happy while being in love.

One day, he met Cabir at a lounge for drinks.

"Kya haal chaal hai mere sher?" Cabir asked.

"Eww Cabir."

"Arre tu bol na. Aaj kal Devdas bana hua hai. Alya ke saath jo bhi hua uska afsos hai?" Cabir asked.

Manik didn't reply.

"Bhai batayega? I am sorry lekin pehle jaise main tujhe read nahi kar sakta. Bohot mysterious ban gya hai tu." Cabir said, sounding concerned.

"Cabir...Am I not worthy of love?" Manik asked.

"What? Aisa kuch nahi hai Manik. Tu aisa ulta seedha mat soch. It's just that you probably haven't met the one yet." Cabir reassured him.

"No! I have met the one."

"Manik...Alya and you aren't meant to be. I think it is for the better-"

"It's not Alya!!!! It's Nandini!" Manik exclaimed, slamming his glass on the counter and attracting the attention of the tipsy people nearby. Thankfully no one could hear them over the loud music blaring in the pub.

"N-Nandini Murthy?" Cabir stumbled back in his stool at this sudden reveal.

"Yes."

"Manik...fuck yaar." Cabir said and laid his head down on the bar counter for a moment before sitting up straight.

"Manik, are you mad? How did you even start liking her? She is engaged, man."

"Trust me Cabir, she feels the same for me. I have seen it in her eyes and gestures." Manik said.

"Tune isliye engagement call off kiya? Over Nandini, a fleeting crush?" Cabir asked.

"Engagement maine call off ki kyon ki Alya mujhse pyaar nahi karti. Dhruv se karti hai."

"Tu yeh bata ke Nandini kahan se aayi yeh scene main?" Cabir asked.

"The two months we spent together were better than the decade that I spent with Alya."

"Mujhe kuch samaj nahi aa raha Manik." Cabir said.

"Baat toh mujhe bhi samaj nahi aa rahi hai ki Nandini maan kyu nahi rahi?" Manik muttered.

"Kya yeh sach hai ki vo bhi tujhe pasand karti hai?" Cabir asked.

"Haan bro."

"Then give her an ultimatum. I think you will come to know your importance in her life." Cabir said, unsure of his own advice.

"Do you think it'll work?" Manik asked.

"Cannot promise that."

~~~~~

Manik texted Nandini to meet him in a restaurant on the outskirts of Mumbai.

"What is this Manik? You can't just call me like this?!" Nandini whisper-yelled as they sat in a very ordinary dhaba to ward off suspicion.

"You still came." Manik said, smirking.

"Just tell me what you want to say Manik." Nandini said, losing her temper.

"Alright. You know I am interested in you, right?" Manik asked.

"What about it?" Nandini tried hard not to blush in front of him. She had planned to maintain a neutral exterior to not give Manik a hint about her own feelings.

"So here's this. I know you like me too. But clearly some factors are stopping you. Nandini, I am tired of waiting. So I will give you a deadline of one month to wrap this thing up. Trust me, we can just run away from here." Manik said, sounding confident with his fool-proof plan.

Nandini slowly got up from the seat.

"You are crazy Manik." Nandini said and walked away.

"Nandini, listen!"

"What?! Are you crazy? I am bloody engaged. You want me to ditch Smaran and run away with you?"

"You can let him down. Listen Nandini, I will wait here, right here, within fifteen days. If you don't meet me by 2 PM, I will assume that you don't want to pursue us." Manik said and got into his car and drove away, leaving a confused Nandini behind.

Nandini drove back home, angry, stressed and confused. Angry at Manik's brazen behaviour, stressed due to the situation, confused with her feelings. For the first time, Nandini felt uncertain.

~~~~~

The next day, she met Smaran for a date that he arranged. He suggested a long drive and she agreed. She didn't even know why she agreed.

"Aaj kal bahut distant ho rahi ho." Smaran said.

"Aisa kuch nahi hai." Nandini said, fiddling with her phone. Smaran looked at her body language.

"Is it something related to our marriage?"

"What?"

"Yeah. Your Amms called by Mom to discuss our wedding preparations." Smaran said.

"But we got engaged just five months ago!"

"Yeah I know. Ma asked me but I told her we need more time." Smaran said and Nandini heaved a sigh of relief.

"Yeah."

"You look relieved." Smaran pointed out and Nandini licked her lips nervously.

"Aisa kuch nahi hai. It's just that...never mind. We need more time, yes." Nandini said.

Smaran knew she was hiding something. He also had a clue. He wasn't blind.

"Acha, now that the sun is setting we have somewhere to go." Smaran said, getting up.

"Huh?"

"Arre come!" Smaran offered her his hand and she got up. They sat back in the car and Smaran drove deeper into the forest.

"This looks shady, Smaran." Nandini said, looking at the dimly lit streets.

"It's safe, chalo." Smaran got down.

Nandini was hesitant but she followed suit.

"Where are they? They are supposed to be here." Smaran said.

"They? Who are they?" Nandini was confused.

"Lagta hai plan flop ho gaya. Okay, now that the surprise has been ruined, I will tell you." Smaran said.

Nandini frowned.

"Fireflies. I am talking about fireflies. I came to know that this jungle has a lot of fireflies during this season. Yahan toh kuch nahi dikh raha. I got scammed I guess." Smaran said.

Nandini smiled and held his hand.

"This gesture is special enough. Maybe you got scammed. But it's okay, I love the fact that you brought me here. Thanks Smaran!" Nandini said.

"You're welcome Madame!" He said playfully and they made their way out.

Nandini thought to herself.

'When fireflies glow, they show that there is true love.' She remembered her mother's words.

'Is it Manik?' She asked aloud, when Smaran went and sat in the car. She turned around and saw the fireflies glowing.

~~~~~

Days kept flying away. The deadline came closer and closer.

Manik was getting jittery. He couldn't stop coming up with a million different scenarios. Would Nandini actually come? Or had he been imagining her feelings? Was it one-sided?

Nandini on the other hand was scared. One part of her wanted to follow her heart but the other, rational part forbade her to do that. It was a severe case of an Id-Ego battle.

"Kanna, mujhko lagta hai tumko date teh kar lena chahiye." Amms said, looking at the Hindu Calendar.

Nandini looked at Amms, scared to tell her that she wasn't even sure about this marriage.

"Amms, aur thoda time chahiye." She said, after mustering up courage.

"Kis cheez ka?"

"Vo Amms..."

"Nandini, koi baat hai?" Amms asked, concerned.

"No...no." Nandini smiled and left for her room, leaving a frowning Amms behind.

~~~~~~

"Tu aajkal itna stressed rehta hai. Baat kya hai?" Mukti asked Manik.

"Usne Nandini ko ultimatum jo diya hai." Cabir said.

"Aisa ghatiya ideas sirf Cabir ko aa sakta hai." Mukti taunted.

"Toh main kya karta Mukti?"

"Mujhe nahi pata. Lekin, it will be so heartbreaking for you if she doesn't come." Mukti pointed out. Manik was scared to even think about that possibility.

"Just five more days are left." Manik said, looking at the calendar.

~~~~~

Nandini was sitting in the living room when the doorbell rang. She opened the door and saw a delivery man.

"Parcel for Ms. Murthy."

"That's me." Nandini said, frowning.

"Here you go, ma'am."

"But I-"

She didn't say anything and took the parcel. She shook it, to guess what it contained but it made no noise. Carefully opening it, she saw a note at first.

If you decide to give 'us' a chance, wear this when you come.

~MM

Nandini sighed deeply. Why was he making it so difficult for her?

She tore the packaging and it revealed a beautiful red and golden saree. It looked really expensive but she knew she could totally pull it off. She knew Manik must have thought the same

'Ab tak Smaran ne mujhe itne expensive gifts diye nahi. What is Manik trying to do?'

Nandini placed all the items on the bed and went to the balcony to attend to a call.

Shanno, who came to Nandini's room to call her for lunch, saw a classy saree kept on the bed with a note.

"MM? Yeh kaun hai? Yeh kaisa message hai?" Shanno was shocked. If it was Smaran, why would he write MM?

"Chachi aap?" Nandini was shocked, seeing the saree and note in Shanno's hands.

"Yeh kya hai Nandu? Yeh MM kaun hai? Smaran?!" Shanno asked.

"Vo..."

"Nandini yeh kya chal raha hai. Bata!"

"Chachi please aap meri baat toh suniye."

"Nandu, yeh Smaran hai ya nahi?" Shanno asked, calmly.

Nandini never lied to Shanno. She just wouldn't and couldn't. Shanno was like her mother. She was the closest to being a mother for her and her brother. Lying to her would be a bigger sin.

"Nahi."

"Nandini, tum kar kya rahi ho? Yeh hai kaun?"

"Chachi..." Nandini's eyes welled up.

"Nandu tu ro kyun rahi hai?" Shanno rushed to Nandini, who hugged her tightly.

"It's...it's Manik." Nandini whispered between her sobs.

Shanno hugged her back, trying to console her.

"He...he has given me...an ultimatum...aur 4 din baaki hai Chachi."

Shanno slightly moved away.

"Tum dono ke beech..." She asked, suggestively.

"Nahi! Humaare beech ab tak kuch nahi hua Chachi! Main aisa kabhi nahi kar sakti!"

Shanno regretted doubting her daughter immediately.

"Sorry beta, bas...lekin...Smaran?"

"Mujhe kuch nahi samajh aa raha Chachi!"

Shanno made Nandini sit on the bed and confronted her.

"Nandu, ek baat sun le. Tu jo bhi decision legi, hum usse accept karenge. Tu itni toh mature hogayi hi, jo tujhe sahi lagta hai, vahi kar. Agar tujhe lagta hai ki tu Manik ke saath zyada khush hai, toh mil le usse."

"Lekin Chachi Smaran ka kya?" Nandini asked.

"Vo toh tujhe sambhalna hoga. Pehle usse baat kar phir Amma se baat kariyo." Shanno advised.

"Thik hai, main usse baat karti hu." Nandini said and kept the gift and note carefully inside.

~~~~~

"I had a clue about this." Smaran said with a sad smile. Nandini had just told him everything. They were at Smaran's house, sitting on his couch.

"Really?"

"Yeah. The day I came for your album launch, I saw how you two looked at each other. The chemistry was evident. You didn't say anything about it so I didn't bring it up. I thought I was just imagining stuff." Smaran said, sipping his coffee.

"Vo Smaran...I am so sorry, I was so unsure."

"I understand. I hope you feel happy with this decision." Smaran said, patting her arm.

"I think I am happy. You are a gem of a person, Smaran." Nandini said.

Smaran nodded and placed his cup aside. He took off the ring he was wearing and placed it in her palm. Nandini did the same.

"I hope we can stay in touch, Smaran." Nandini said.

"We will. This is amicable, right?" He asked.

"Totally." Nandini said and hugged him. Smaran sighed deeply and let her go, one last time.

"I'll leave now. Thanks a lot, Smaran!" Nandini said and left Smaran standing at his door, with sad eyes.

"At least one of us is happy with this decision." He said to himself and closed the door.

~~~~~

"Yeh kya hai Nandini!" Amms exploded, looking at Smaran's ring. Shanno, Venkatesh and Rishabh were standing in the background while Amms shouted at Nandini.

"Amms, vo..."

"Vo kya?! How can you do this to me Nandini? Ek acche khaase rishte ko todkar tum ek dusre ladke ke saath jaana chahti ho?"

"Amms aisa nahi hai. Smaran aur mere beech vo connection nahi jo main Manik ke saath feel karti hu."

"Manik Manik Manik! Aisa kya hai uss ladke main jo Smaran main nahi? Manik ki bhi sagaai tuti na? Tum ho uski reason? Batao!"

Nandini didn't say anything as her tears said everything. Kishori did not want to lose her cool but this matter was too big an issue for her to not say anything.

"Amms please. I love him, Amms!" Nandini said it out aloud for the first time. The conviction with which Nandini confessed shook all of them.

"Love?"

Nandini nodded, smiling in realisation.

"Tumko uss 'love' ke kaaran ek achha ghar ka rishta todna padh raha hai. Yeh achhe se yaad rakhna. Thik hai?" Amms said.

"Yes Amms. I know. But please..."

"Main unse baat karlungi." Amms said and Nandini pounced on Amms to hug her.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you Amms!" Nandini cried with happiness.

"Tum khush toh hum sab khush." Amms whispered and looked at her family who stood watching with smiles.

~~~~~

It was the day of the ultimatum.

Nandini got dressed in the saree that Manik sent her. She wore golden jhumkas to complement them and light makeup. She smiled brightly as she looked at herself in the mirror.

"Today I will tell you how much I love you Manik." Nandini said to herselg and blushed at the mere thought of it.

She rushed downstairs as the clock struck 12. The place was almost 1.5 hours away and she wanted to be there before time.

Meanwhile, Manik had already started driving. His anxiety was at peak. The idea of ultimatum seemed stupid and juvenile to him now.

'Why did I even listen to Cabir? I should have let our relationship take its own course. But what if she ended up getting married to Smaran?

Manik drove with a sense of doom. He did not know what to expect. He knew he would feel terribly humiliated if she didn't turn up. He wouldn't know what to do with himself after another failed relationship.

'What will I tell her if she does come? Will I tell her that I love her?'

He bit his lip at that thought. He remembered how he realised that he had fallen in love with her.

Flashback-

Two months ago, Nandini and Manik were at an NGO for kids, to donate some food and necessities to the kids, as Nandini believed in charity. She wanted to do it before the launch. She believed that instead of going to the temple to pray for their success, they could just go to an orphanage and donate to children who actually need it.

Manik, having done neither in his life, decided to tag along. When they reached there, he was shocked as all the kids gathered around Nandini.

"She comes here every month. They love her." The caretaker told him.

As if Manik didn't know Nandini was a beautiful person from inside as well as outside, this just added to it. She was great with kids and behaved like a kid with them too.

That was the moment he fell in love with her. She made him realize that he had a soft corner in him as well, as he bonded with the kids too.

Manik smiled and pulled up into the parking of the dhaba. It was kind of isolated as it looked like it was about to rain a lot.

Nandini was barely thirty minutes away when it started pouring like crazy. It was really difficult to drive with zero visibility as it was beginning to fog up. Nandini drove slowly and tried not to give up.

~~~~~

Manik looked at the time. 1:50 PM. he wondered if she was testing his patience or if she wasn't planning to come at all. The roads looked deserted. He was all alone with just two workers who were busy closing up the Dhaba.

~~~~~

Nandini checked the time and was horrified. It was 1:58 and she was still five minutes away.

~~~~~

A teardrop landed on Manik's cheek but it didn't show due to the heavy rain pouring on him. He felt defeated by the world at that moment. All his hopes came crashing down.

Was he an idiot to think about Nandini? Was it one sided? Was he-

"Manik!!"

He heard a voice from a distance. Nandini was standing in front of him, almost hundred metres away. He saw her wearing the red saree he gifted her. She was drenched, just like him, but she had a huge smile on her face, and in a second, so did he!

"Nandini!"

She came running towards him and he did the same. She paused just a few centimetres apart.

"I love you."

Nandini whispered and Manik would have missed it due to the sound of heavy downpour, but he didn't, because his entire focus was on her.

"I love you too!"

Manik replied and pulled her into a tight hug, not wanting to lose her at all. She smiled against his chest while wrapping her arms around him too.

He pulled away just to place his lips in hers, claiming her forever!

-----

"I think we would have ended up together, anyway." Manik said, imagining an entire scenario.

"Same." Nandini said, placing her hand in his.

"As I said, we are meant to be together, humesha."

-----

Author's note -

MaNan will always find each other, regardless of the context💖

Tomorrow's update might be late because I'm on a vacation and the chapter is yet to be written😂