~Boyfriend? I don't need one, for I have a King to protect me~

-Affu-

In India 

In front of MruNi's Home

"For the final time I'm repeating myself. Let her go!" Cadbury's voice boomed around, and Nandini feared the Murthys might hear him.

"She.Is.With.Me. So do not try to even think about her." Manik gritted his teeth, and Nandini stepped ahead, to stand in between them, but Manik pulled her towards him, letting her back touch his chest. 

And that just increased the tension!

"How dare you touch her, Malhotra?!" Cadbury growled out loud, marching towards Manik and Nandini. "Stop!" Nandini shouted, and pulled Manik behind her, and showed both her palms to the men, as a stopping signal.

"Stop!" she repeated herself, while staring at the men, who were about to get hold of her.

"I'm gonna repeat myself for the nth time, today. Act humane, people." She hissed angrily, before glaring up at Cadbury. "He's my friend. Just a friend. Not a threat. Not a hormonal guy you need to protect me from." and she turned to Manik, with the very same glare, but this time directed at himself.

"And this is Cadbury. My best friend after Mruno. My personal bodyguard. My Appa's best friend, making him a second fatherly figure in my life, who wouldn't think about harming me, but only protecting me like I'm some African grey parrot, who's as precious as a diamond ring." she breathed out, before sighing out loud.

"Oh damn! I feel so thirsty with the energy that I emitted out." she fanned herself, while Manik stared at her blankly, before looking back at Cadbury, who still had an angry expression, plastered on his face.

"That doesn't give him any right to touch you. Shekhar told me not to let any guy near you. And I have been doing that for the past 20 years." Cadbury cried out, angrily, and all Manik did was to stare at him.

"You..have a personal bodyguard?" Manik asked Nandini, incredulously and she nodded in positive, while calming her heart down. "But why?" he asked, again, and Cadbury grew pissed with Manik's interruption.

"Because she's a girl." Cadbury answered, and Manik shot a glare at him. "I was speaking to Lilliput." He remarked, and Cadbury's eyes widened. "You gave a nickname to her?" He cried out, and Nandini moved towards Manik's car, to sit on it's bonnet. 

"Apparently, Lilliput is not a nickname, because nicknames are supposed to be sweet and loving. Lilliput falls under a remark of insult." Nandini stated, before taking a packet of biscuit out of her bag. "But that's alright. I call him Grumpy coffee, because of his grumpy nature, like some oldie grandpa who knows only to scoff around like some angry Panda." she added, and Cadbury palmed his face in distress.

"If I'm insulting you with the nickname, then you're doing the same." Manik stated, and Nandini shrugged. "I don't think I deny facts." she replied. "Forget it!" Manik muttered to himself.

"FYI, I don't belong to a bhulakkad's group that I forget facts. Secondly, I'm not obliged to listen to your commands." she stated, while munching on her biscuits, and then getting down the bonnet.

"Filhaal, good night." She said, walking ahead, and Manik was about to stop her. "And yeah. Try not to murder each other. I still need a bodyguard and a fake boyfriend." she added, before walking away.

Manik hissed lowly, before looking back at Cadbury whose gaze was narrowed at him. 

"We're not done with this." Manik rolled his eyes at the warning, before getting inside his car. "You're Lilliput's bodyguard, not mine. So I'm not obliged to listen to your commands." said Manik, and glared up at a surprised Cadbury.

"Besides, whatever relationship that I share with Lilliput is off limits, for anyone else. It's our business." Manik's tone was anything but polite. It was filled with protectiveness and possessiveness, that Cadbury doubted whether the former one's just a fake boyfriend to his Nan.

"Have a good day!" Manik bade adieu to Cadbury, like a gentleman and left the place.

"I need to keep an eye on this kid." Cadbury muttered to himself. "Are they really just friends?" he thought back to the way Nandini acted with Manik, which is something new to Cadbury as well.

***

At night

In Malhotra's Home

"Bhai! Why are you up till late?" Rohit got settled beside Raj, who was working on a presentation, in his laptop. 

"Work!" Raj answered, simply, and Rohit sighed. "I thought it was a Shekhs-Raja Day." Rohit squinted his eyes at Raj, who looked up at him.

"It still is! I'm gonna call him after getting done with this." Raj pointed at the work he's doing. "Oh! Good, then. It's been so long since I've talked to Shekhar Bhai." Rohit grinned, excitedly and Raj narrowed his eyes at him.

"Not happening. It's my time with my best friend. Tu kabhi aur bath kar usse." Raj said, dismissively, and Rohit pouted. "Bhai! Please! I couldn't talk to him, due to my tough schedule. Aaj mein bhi free hun." Rohit said, and Raj denied his request, the next second.

"I don't share. Period." Raj said, and Rohit's pout deepened. "I know! But I'm your brother." he said, and Raj shrugged. "And Shekhar is my best friend. I don't share friendship, love, and food." Raj said, and Rohit looked like he was about to cry.

"I'll complain to Bhabi." Rohit complained, and Raj sighed out loud. "What are you, Rohit? A kid who just got out of his mother's womb?" Raj deadpanned, and Rohit grinned. "I can't be of this size, if you were stating truth, Bhai."

"Point. Remind me to tell Anju to stop feeding you with so much of food. You've grown fat." Raj said, and Rohit looked at his brother, grumpily. "Come on, Bhai. Please let me talk with Shekhar Bhai. I also want to tell him about Nandini." Rohit exclaimed, and Raj's eyes widened.

"What?" Raj shouted, and started to cough due to the high pitch tone he used. "Bhai! You forgot that you've grown older." Rohit patted on his brother's back, to calm him down. "And why the hell do you look frantic? I said I wanted to talk about Nandini to Shekhar Bhai. She's Manu's girlfriend, after all. Shekhar Bhai needs to know about her." Rohit frowned, while staring at Raj, who faked a smile on his face.

"Um..uske zarurath nahi hai, Rohit. I'll tell him. You don't need to tell." Raj patted on Rohit's arms, like an elder brother, faking a big smile on his face. "Of course, not. I told about Alya and Navya to Shekhar Bhai, first. I want to do the same for Nandini, as well. In fact, I'm going to make her speak to him just like how I made Alya and Navya talk with him." Rohit exclaimed, and Raj grew pale.

"You're not doing any such a thing." Raj yelled out, and Rohit's frown deepened. "Why? Bhai! You're acting weird." Rohit commented, and Raj cursed himself, before faking a smile.

"Um..no. I'm not. It's just..I think you're just overdoing it. I just wanted to be sure about Nandini, for our Manu, before letting Shekhar know. Let's wait a little, before talking about it, to him." Raj patted on Rohit's arms, again.

"Oh! That's the reason. And here I was thinking maybe you didn't want Shekhar Bhai to know that his daughter is Manu's girlfriend." Rohit said. And this time, he has a big fat fake smile on his face.

"Exactly!" Raj said, when his eyes widened. He looked back at Rohit, to see him grinning, stupidly.

"How exciting!" Rohit commented, and Raj palmed his face.

"Oh God! Why me?!" Raj looked up at the God, sadly, before looking back at his brother. "Explanation!" he demanded, and Raj had no other choice, but to confess everything.

***

"Awe! She's such a braveheart!" Rohit gushed, and Raj stared at his brother blankly. "You're talking like a girl, Rohit." Raj commented.

"Who said that only girls can aww at something or someone? It's a human right. Not a women's right." Rohit stated, and Raj nodded at himself, deciding not to comment about it.

"Tell me how the hell did you know about Nandini?" Raj squinted his eyes at Rohit, who shrugged.

"I never did. It was just a doubt." Rohit said, widening Raj's eyes. "What?" Raj cried out, and Rohit just grinned. "You just cleared my doubts, Bhai." Rohit replied, and Raj's ears started to emit smoke.

"Chill! It's actually no big deal, Bhai. She's a lot like how you explained to me. After all, you and Shekhar Bhai talk more than any of us can. Besides, Nandini has Manji Ma's facial features. She's also a London brought up Doctor. And her name. Everything was gnawing at my head, from the moment I met her. Now today, when I saw her eating lunch, everything got a little more doubtful." Rohit explained, and Raj raised his eyebrows.

"Didn't you notice it, Bhai? She eats like Shekhar Bhai. Whatever she filled in her plate was cut into small bites and kept, before she started to eat. We cut our food into bites, just before popping it in mouth, but Shekhar Bhai always keep bites in his plate and then eat them. And he just gave that trait to his daughter." Rohit chuckled, and Raj palmed his face.

"You saw that?" he asked, and Rohit nodded. "That's exactly how I came to the conclusion." he said, grinning, and Raj just sighed.

"Well, Shekhar aur Manji Ma ke traits kuch zyada mila hai madam ko." Raj too chuckled, along.

"But she's really a good daughter, you know." Rohit commented, softly, while smiling. "I remember Bhai telling me that she hates lying to him, and here she's, doing the very same thing, and trying for the hardest work of her life." Raj smiled at Rohit's comment.

"But it's also not an easy job. Yash Papa is a tough nut to crack." Raj said, and Rohit smirked. "Oh don't worry, Bhai. I have full trust on our daughter. Especially, after today's lunch. A brave heart will always win at the end." Rohit stood up to leave. "Now, you can have your night out with your best friend." Rohit added.

"Rohit!" Raj called out, letting Rohit to turn around. "You're not hurt that I hid it from you?" Raj questioned, frowning, and Rohit smiled at it. "Although I don't believe in the saying, I do like to follow it. Bhai knows the best. You must have hidden it from me, because of a reason." Rohit replied, and Raj smiled broadly.

"Besides, you always confess everything, at the end. You just cannot keep secrets from me." Rohit winked at Raj, who glared at him playfully.

"Well, night, Bhai!" Rohit turned to leave, and Raj smiled at it. "Night, dude!" he replied.

Next day

In MruNi's home

"Fluffy! Your phone is ringing." Mrunal screamed from her room, while Nandini was sleeping peacefully on her bed, hugging her pillow. "Flufffyyyy!" Mrunal screamed again, but Nandini was too lost in her sleep.

"Fluffy!" Mrunal reached Nandini's bedroom, who was ready to go grace her presence at her work place. "Fluffy!" She called out again, to which Nandini hummed a reply. Finally!

Mrunal sighed and entered the bedroom, and took hold of Nandini's mobile. The call was from Shekhar.

"It's Shekhar Uncle." Mrunal said, and Nandini hummed again. "And that's my Appa." Nandini murmured, while Mrunal glared daggers through her eyes. "Fluffy! Utho." Mrunal shook Nandini's shoulders, to wake her up.

"Tch! I don't have any appointments today." and Nandini turned around to sleep. "But your Appa is waiting for you to sign an appointment time to him, for now." Mrunal exclaimed, and Nandini fluttered her eyes open, before rubbing at them with her knuckles.

"Appa!" she sat up, and remembered the way Shekhar wakes her up every morning, with a pat on her hairs, constantly calling out her beloved nickname.

"Yes! He's calling you." Mrunal informed. "But you're sleeping here as if you lost your job, and staying at my place without giving a part of your income." she added, and Nandini turned to face her best friend.

"You think I'll be a burden for you?" Nandini's lips wobbled, before she snatched her mobile from Mrunal. "Don't talk to me, then. I have my Appa and Ma, who will never leave my side." she said, with her eyes ready to spill tears. Or Water!

And Mrunal heaved a distressed sigh.

"Oh damn! It's the day." Mrunal snatched the mobile from Nandini, who was about to answer the call. "Hey! That's my Appa's call. Give my mobile back, you heartless Singhania." Nandini squinted her red eyes at Mrunal, who sighed, before smiling at her best friend.

"Fluffy! I was just joking. And now, listen, don't attend Uncle's calls, okay. You're on your monthly cry day, and if your Appa listens to you crying, he'll fly to India and spoil all your pans to reunite him with your DJ. Now, you don't want that to happen, right?" Mrunal took Nandini for a side hug, who reciprocated to the hug, wholeheartedly.

"Okay!" Nandini whispered. "But mein nahi royi." she added, and Mrunal pressed her lips hard. "Of course, not. Ye tho bas paani hai." she replied, and Nanini nodded at her best friend.

"But Appa will be worried about me." Nandini pouted. "I'll message Uncle that you're sleeping, as you don't have work today. Your Appa knows how much you love your sleep that even he can't come in between you and your sleep." Mrunal said, while sending a message to Shekhar.

"He comes first. Always." Nandini glared up at her best friend, with teary eyes, and Mrunal wanted to whimper out. "Of course, he does. I was joking, again, fluffy. Just joking." And she patted on Nandini's head, to make her sleep, as that's the best option for now.

She decided to have an off day.

***

Malhotra's Home

Manik's Bedroom

"I'm going to call Nandini." Nyonika announced, and Manik sprang up, who had his head on her lap. "What? Why?" he questioned, nervously, and she narrowed her gaze at him.

"Tum ithna worried kyu ho, Manu?" she questioned, and he gave her a nervous smile. "Um.." he trailed off, looking for a reply, and Nyonika nodded at it. "You don't seem yourself, Manu. Apparently, from the moment you introduced Nandini to us, you're fumbling with your words, while you talk to us." Nyonika commented, and Manik gulped down the lump in his throat.

"Of course not, Ma. It's just..it's just...hah..I have a feeling that you don't...like Nandini." Manik stared at Nyonika, looking nervous, while she stared at him impassively. 

"More like...I don't like her for my son." Nyonika said, and Manik felt uneasy hearing her. Although he believed that feeling is due to the fact that he's playing as Nandini's fake boyfriend and he wants his family to accept her, only for her aim to be achieved, his heart knew that that's just not the reason.

"Wh--Why? She is a good girl." Manik said, and Nyonika nodded. "Yes! She is a good girl. I can see that she's gotten a very good upbringing. There's no doubt in it. I met her only thrice, but that's enough to know her character. She's like an open book. She doesn't hide, even if it's to impress someone, she doesn't. She likes to keep it simple and honest. And I like that in a person." Nyonika replied, and Manik's eyes widened on hearing her. If he had understood these traits of Nandini in few meetings he had with her, then his mother needed only three meetings.

"But I don't like her because of the fact that my son is not in love with her." Nyonika said, and Manik's eyes widened a bit more. "Don't give that look to me, Manu. I know how a boy in love would look like. I love your Dad, as much as he loves me. And I have seen the look in his eyes when he looks at me. I have seen such looks in many other men who love their partners, including your Chachus and brothers." She added, and Manik's lips trembled to confess everything out, but he refrained himself from doing so.

"Ma! Aisa--aisa nahi hai. We're just...young in love. We just got in a relationship...two months ago." Manik fumbled again. "You can't expect me to be a love sick puppy in the beginning itself, right?" he asked, and she simply stared at him.

"So why are you marrying her?" she asked, and he gulped down. "Because...that's what I learnt from Yash Daadu." he replied, and she sighed. "Yash Papa's principles are those which I don't approve of, Manu." she looked elsewhere, lost in thoughts. "Not especially when he's the reason for my best friend's tears." her eyes held fury in them, and Manik got to see the hidden hatred in them, again.

Nyonika might give all the respect she can, to Yashjeet, but the hatred she has in her against him, for hurting her best friend, would never fade. No matter however much loving he's, with his family.

"Ma!" Manik held onto her palm, who looked back at Manik. "Do not do anything that you would regret, in the future, Manu." she cupped his cheeks, and he smiled at her. "I think I know I would regret a bit, for hurting you, but I'll also be the happiest in the future. Having to come to think about it again, she's gonna make you happy as well." Manik replied, on realizing how Nandini's wish is also a ray of hope for his mother's happiness.

"I don't understand a thing you say." Nyonika sighed, before picking Manik's mobile and opening the contact list. "I'm going to invite Nandini home." she said, and he gulped down the lump, again. "You still don't believe me?" he asked, and she nodded in positive.

"I don't. I will believe only when I see love in my son's eyes for his Nandini, like how he claims to have." She replied, and he wondered if that's possible to fake love with your eyes as well. "Waise, I can't find any Nandini in your contact list. Didn't you save her number?" she squinted her eyes at Manik, who took the mobile from her and found Nandini's number for her.

"Here!" he replied, grinning cheekily, while she stared at the name, and then at him. "Lilliput?" she questioned, frowning. "She hates when I call her that. Ab uski height bas ithni si hai tho ismein mera kya kasur." Manik shrugged, and Nyonika did see a glint in his eyes, while he talked about her. She wondered what that glint is about.

And she pressed the call button, and kept it on speaker mode.

"Hello fluffy's Grumpy coffee! Sorry to crush your hopes, but fluffy is sleeping." Nyonika heard a different voice, and she turned towards Manik, who stared at the mobile in distress.

"Mrunal! It's actually my Ma, who wants to speak to Lilliput." Manik informed, while Nyonika frowned again. She has heard this name from someone. Who was it? Oh yes! From Nandini herself!

"I don't think if I tell her that the Mamma coffee wants to speak to her, she'll wake up screaming 'oh my God oh my God, such a miracle happened. My sasuma called.' Nope. Not happening any such scenarios. So yeah fluffy ke G.C. Call some other time. Filhaal bohath saare kaam bhi hai mere." She babbled, and Nyonika's eyes widened at it. While all Manik did was to glare at his mobile.

"Tum Nandini ki hi best friend lagthi ho, ab. Mruno and fluffy. Is that how you guys are known?" Nyonika questioned on remembering Nandini's long sentences about her best friend Mrunla or Mruno like she calls. On the other side, Mrunal fell silent. "Oh shit! Did I utter something that wasn't supposed to be uttered to her, fluffy ke G.C.?" Mrunal panicked thinking she must have spilled something about the fake relationship.

Manik coughed, and faked a smile.

"Of course not, Mrunal. You haven't offended my Ma. Don't worry." Manik said, and Mrunal grew pissed. "What I meant is..." she began only for someone's sniffles to come to their attention.

"Mruno! Have you seen my mobile?" and Manik frowned at the lack of cheerfullness in her voice. She sounded dull and sad. She sounded like she was crying.

"Yes, it's in my hands. Someone decided to disturb me." Mrunal replied, before giving her attention to Nyonika and Manik. "Um..did you want to talk something important to Fluffy?" Mrunal asked, to Nyonika.

"Mrunal! Give the mobile to Lilliput." Manik took hold of his mobile from Nyonika, who stared at her son aghast. "Um fluffy ke G--Yaani, Manik. It would be good if you don't talk to her now. She's a bit sick. And she do--" Manik hung up on the call, before jumping out of his bed.

"Manik! Kya kar rahe ho tum?" Nyonika questioned on seeing her son fumbling with a shirt, which was placed on a chair nearby. "Kaha jaa rahe ho tum?" she asked when she saw him putting on the shirt.

"I-I need to meet Lilliput. She's sick, Ma. Patha nahi kaise hua. She was fine, till last night. Heck! The hell happened to her all of a sudden!" Manik buttoned up his shirt. While Nyonika stare at her soon, speechless.

"Manik!" She called out, when she was Manik about to leave the room. "Ha Ma! I'll come back soon, and have a word with you. No worries. I'll be back soon. Bas jaana hai usse hua kya hain." Manik moved towards Nyonika to cup her cheeks, and leave, when she held onto his hands.

"You forgot your car keys." she took it from the side table, and he stared at it, before staring at her.

"Uske zarurath nahi hai." he said, and she frowned. "She lives nearby. In our neighborhood." said Manik.

***

At MruNi's Home

DING DONG

"Coming, dude. Coming!" Mrunal cursed at the constant ringing of their home's doorbell. "If you happen to invite me for a good guy's dinner date, then it's fine. Warna, I'm gonna be pissed like so--" Mrunal trailed off, on seeing the person standing at the door, once she opened the door fully. "Fluffy ke G.C.?" She frowned, while Manik looked impatient.

"Can you move? Where's Lilliput?" he looked behind her, and forwarding his arms ahead, so that Mrunal takes the signal and steps back, which didn't back. "What are you doing here?" she rather questioned, and he let out a distressed sigh.

"I'm here to meet Lilliput. Could you move now, Mrunal?" he grew more impatient, but Mrunal folded her hands and stared at him in an intimidated manner. "I'm afraid you could meet her, now. She's very weak to have a conversation with anyone." Mrunal said, and Manik stared at her, angrily.

"She's weak to even have a conversation? Why the hell is she still home, then? You should take her to some hospital." Manik's voice boomed in the house, and Mrunal stumbled in her place. "Oh hello! Wo meri best friend hain. Uske khayal rakhne keliye mein hun yahan. She doesn't have to go to any damn hospital. Besides, why the hell are you getting agitated?" Although fear was present, she managed to squeak out.

"Mrunal! Step back!" Manik pressed onto the bridge of his nose, and looked up. "I need to meet Lilliput. Now!" he growled out loud, that Mrunal gasped and stepped back. He looked ready to attack her like some ferocious animal.

For the first time in Mrunal's life, she looked shit scared!

"Mruno?" Mrunal heaved a sigh of relief on hearing her best friend's voice, who could rescue her from the Monster in front of her.

While Manik looked for the voice, only to see her standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Lilliput!" he breathed out, before walking inside and sprinting towards her. "Grumpy coffee?" Nandini stared at Manik, with red nose and reddened eyes. She had a hanky in her hand, which was rubbed at her nose, every second. "What ar--" she began, only to get cut by his strong arms, which engulfed her in a tight hug.

"Thank God!" He breathed in her scent, before tilting his head sideways, to have a look at her face, which looked pretty shocked. "Tu--tum teek ho na?" he cupped her cheeks, only to see them a little pale.

"Mujhe kya hoga?" she wiped her nose with her hanky, while standing engulfed in his arms. "And what are you doing here?" she questioned, while blinking her tears away.

"Mrunal said you're sick. What has happened to you? You were all fine till yesterday." Manik asked, while taking a look of her appearance. Nandini frowned. She's not sick. Having menstruation cannot be called being sick.

She glanced at Mrunal, to see her rooted in shock. Probably at their posture.

"I'm not sick." she said, and rubbed at her nose. He squinted his eyes at her. "Sure, you're not. Look at your face. Its all pale and your eyes and nose are red. Were you crying?" He stroked her cheeks, lightly, and she felt tears threatening to spill. She was crying uptill now.

"No!" she shook her head. "Mein nahi royi." she said, and Manik stared at her blankly. "Lilliput! What happened?" he questioned, rather softly, and she sniffled. "I just miss Ma." she said, while wiping her tears. "She always used to soothe my pain. Not that Mruno can't. She's been taking care of me, all day. But Ma does it in her own way." she complained, and Manik stared on.

"Soothe your pain? Kaha dard ho raha hai?" he questioned. She was about to reply, when she realized he's not a WOMAN. It's grumpy coffee asking. A man. Her male FRIEND or Boyfriend or..a fake Boyfriend? Whatever it is!

"Uh.." she fumbled, before widening her eyes. "My head. I just get terrible headaches...sometimes." she said. Although it's not a lie that her head is throbbing due to the tears she's spilled from the morning.

"Oh!" he said, though he doubts Nandini could cry because of a mere headache. He narrowed his gaze at her, to see her looking around and at Mrunal, quite uncomfortably. As if she's avoiding the topic. "Alright! Let's not walk around a lot, then." he said, and she nodded before she felt herself in air.

"Wh--Wait! What the hell are you doing?" she cried out, while clutching onto his shoulders. "Taking you to your room. You need to take rest." he said, before climbing the stairs, with Nandini constantly rubbing at her nose, and him listening to her rants.

While poor Mrunal stared at the couple, wordlessly.

"Are they really faking it all?" she questioned herself, and felt herself smiling. "Probably not!" she muttered to herself, smirking mischievously.

***

Hey! How you doing?

How was the chapter, though? Just thought of giving you an update! Hope it was worth reading!

With love,

Affu.