~When she stepped back, I held onto my breath, for the heart was never at ease when she's away~

-Affu-

In India

Lifecare Hospital

"Hey!" Manik let go off Nandini, and stepped ahead to shake Aadit's hand, who smiled at him before reciprocating to the gesture. "Hey Manik! It's been a while since we've met." 

"Yeah! Work gets better every day." Manik chuckled, and Aadit joined him, but his smile was a bit strained, when he moved his gaze towards Nandini, and then back at Manik. "Uh...you know Nandini?" Aadit questioned, and Nandini stood still, staring at the guys blankly.

"Yeah!" Nandini answered, before Manik could, who glanced at her way. "But how do you guys know each other? I mean, clearly not College friends. Yeah?" she pointed out, noticing the fact that Aadit is a Doctor, while Manik did Business. Does India have Universities where they teach both Medicine and Business?

She doubts it!

"No, Nandini." Aadit smiled charmingly at Nandini, chuckling lightly. "We're family friends." he added, and looked at Manik, who was staring a bit closely towards Aadit. The Aadit Sharma was never known to be an all-smile-personality. So what changed, now?

"That's right." Manik turned towards Nandini, who was nodding in understanding. "That explains the pleasantries, then." And the way Manik is claiming her to be his girlfriend. She nodded at the guys, who smiled at her. "Uh...but how do you know her, Manik?" Aadit looked at Manik. "She's from London, and been here only for a month."  Aadit added, and Manik was about to speak, when his eyes widened a bit, in realization.

While Nandini thought about a good reply that she could give to Aadit. Clearly, she can't speak about her family problems to Aadit, and how she met Manik, and how they've been in a fake relationship. That's too personal to share with Aadit.

"Well, actually we j--" she was cut off abruptly, by an arm shooting towards her, curling around her waist, pressing her to a chiseled chest. She breathed out rapidly, before looking up at Manik, who was smiling down at her, and the looking up at Aadit.

"Oh, I would know her better than anyone else." Manik said, while Nandini stared at him aghast. "She's my girlfriend, after all." he announced, and she couldn't help, but notice a tinge of pride in his voice, and she wondered what wrong went in his head.

"Wh-What?" Aadit questioned, almost breathlessly, staring at the duo in front of him. "G-girlfriend?" he asked, staring at Nandini, with his eyes squinting at her, almost on the verge of breaking down.

"Yeah! For 3 months, now. She flew to India, just to visit my family." Manik said, nodding his head. "Oh! I thought Navya would have already told you about Nandini." Manik added, and Nandini who was still gaping at him, straightened up.

"Navya?" Nandini questioned. "Oh yeah, Li-AHEM-Nandini." Manik cleared his throat, before continuing. "Our Navya. Cabir's girlfriend. Aadit is Navya's brother." Manik looked back at Aadit, who was still holding onto his broken heart.

For sure he heard about a certain NANDINI BHABI from his little sister, but he never thought it would be his CRUSH.

"Oh!" Nandini exclaimed, her eyes widening. "Now, that's a heartbreaking news. I mean, how come you're a brother of such a sweet girl? I almost thought that you were a single child until you told me about your sister, but heck, I never knew your sister was sweet." Nandini continued, babbling, remembering about the times she witnessed Aadit scolding his subordinates.

"Uh, Nandini..." Manik squeezed her waist, and she winced at the tingling sensation it brought along. "He's not that bad, you know. I'm sure, he's just being a good boss, right Aadit?" Manik passed a smile to Aadit, who cleared his throat, before looking down.

"Uh, actually I gotta go. I just remembered that I had to talk to my Dad. Bye Manik." Aadit nodded at Manik, who nodded back. "And...see you around, Nandini." Aadit looked at Nandini, looking heartbroken, and Nandini frowned, nodding at him. "Yeah, Aadit!"

And Aadit left clutching onto his broken heart!

"He looked upset. Lilliput..." Manik sighed, and she looked up at him. "What? I was just stating facts. He was a freaking ferocious godzilla who turned to a Honey bee." she retorted, and Manik frowned. "Godzi--Honey bee? What are you talking about, Lilliput?" he questioned, sounding confused, and she shrugged it off.

"Nothing that you would understand. You're supposed to have a brain as wise as mine to understand what I say." and she walked away, with Manik behind her. "Yeah right!" he scoffed, which she ignored. "Time for serious talk, Coffee wala." she glanced behind her, at him, and then looked ahead.

"Yeah!" he sighed, remembering they need to come to a conclusion.

***

"So...not talking to Raj Papa?" Cabir questioned, and Nandini stared at him blankly. "If I were planning on it, I wouldn't have been here, Cabir Bhai. Grandpa would have been on his way, with a stick that could blow up your Bhai's Gigantic Cells!" Nandini deadpanned, and the guys wriggled their eyebrows.

"What's Bhai's Gigantic Cells?" Shravan questioned, confusingly, and Nandini stared up at him, and then at Manik's bottom, making his eyes to go wide. "What the f***, Lilliput!" Manik groaned out loud, and Nandini shrugged.

"That's a code word for your...uh, bottoms. The flesh bottoms, I meant." Nandini said, glancing at Shravan who stared at her blankly, before cracking out. "I'm gonna borrow it from you, then." Shravan grinned at Nandini.

"I don't give away my stuffs to anyone to use and return." Nandini commented, and Shravan pouted, but she's already looked back at Manik. "So yeah, I'm gonna let it go, because I cannot tell about Manik's girlfriend to anyone." She said, nodding her head and then gathering her mobile, a file and her pager from the table. "But I would also like to know more about your girlfriend, so that I can help Manik in finding her." Manik frowned hearing his name from her, while others widened their eyes.

"You're gonna help Bhai to find his love?" Cabir asked, sounding surprised. "You mean, you don't feel anything?" Abhimanyu questioned, dumbly, and Nandini stared at him blankly, followed by everyone else around the table. 

"Oh! I mean, you're a girl, and you're willing to find a girl, though it's not for yourself, but someone else." Abhimanyu babbled, and Nandini didn't blink. "You're stupid. Have anyone told you that?" She asked, squinting her eyes at him, who frowned. "No! And I would like to keep it that way. But of course, you cannot keep yourself from insulting." Abhimanyu cribbed, and she narrowed her eyes.

"When you act stupid, people call you that. They can't call you intelligent if you're behaving like some chipmunk who lost his memory." She retorted, and his eyes widened. "You think I'm a chipmunk?" Abhimanyu cried out, and Arijit slapped at his best friend's head. "Ow! What?" Abhimanyu turned to glare at Arijit, who sighed before shaking his head in disbelief.

"Why do you want to help me find her, Lilliput?" Manik asked, staring at her, who simply looked back at him. "Because I always rectify my mistakes. Even though, it was your fault, I have my own part in it, so maybe I can feel good once I get to help you in finding her and then talking to her in person." she shrugged again, and Manik clenched his fists at the indifference on her face.

"Now! I gotta go. I have a surgery in an hour. Damn, wish I could get pregnant and take a maternity leave." she bid them her goodbyes, while massaging her neck, for she couldn't get a good night sleep, last night, and she cannot take rest even now.

"Does she really not feel...anything for Bhai?" Shravan stared at Nandini, who was now at the door, talking to a middle aged Doctor, and then leaving after waving her hand at the man. "No!" they turned towards the voice, alarmed.

"If she had, she would have confessed it. I mean, she's not the shy type. Right?" Manik said, more like, convinced himself. "Anyhow, I'm leaving. I--I have a meeting." and Manik left the Restaurant, while the guys too stood up to leave.

"Bhai is upset." Cabir muttered to Shravan, who nodded at him, gloomily and then walking forward. "I may have acted stupid over there, but I did see something akin to love in Nandini's eyes whenever she looked at him. Now, don't call me blind too." Abhimanyu muttered to Arijit, who looked at him.

"How do you see love? Isn't that a feeling, Abhi?" Arijit raised his eyebrows at Abhimanyu, who smiled at him. "You'll be able to see love, when you understand what Love is." Abhimanyu patted at Arijit's back, who had a far-off look on his face.

"Then maybe we can try to know what love is, for Nandini." Arijit looked at Abhimanyu, whose eyebrows were raised in surprise. "You think that would work?" he questioned, and Arijit smirked. "Did we ever lose, Thakkar?" Arijit questioned, and Abhimanyu smirked right back at him. "Nah!" and they let their fists to bump, for a mission to begin with.

At night

"Yeah, I'm on my way, Mruno." Nandini spoke on her mobile, while trying to open her car's door. "Oh for heck's sake! I'm not here to have a struggling WWE with you, my damn car door." Nandini barked at the door, before hanging up on the call.

"Need help, Miss?" Nandini turned around, to the voice, only to see a stranger, staring at her with something that's alarming for her, in his eyes. Danger, it was! "I guess you shouldn't offer help, until you're asked for." and she turned around to open the door, while waving her hand in air, in dismissal. "You can leave. Thanks, though!" 

"Now, that's not fair for a beautiful woman's hands to get broken by a car." the man walked closer towards Nandini, and she turned towards him. "Oh! How sweet! Now, I would think that if you would say the same if I weren't beautiful. Oh my bad! I'm wearing shorts. That's enough for you, after all." Nandini said, sarcastically, noticing the man's gaze on her legs.

"Feisty much, are we?" the man smirked, sickeningly, and Nandini clenched her fists, ready to punch in his gut. "Yes! And what would you do about that?" Nandini's eyes went wide, because it did not come from her. The man turned towards the voice, feeling startled.

"Sohesh Papa!" Nandini muttered to herself silently, but the man did hear her. Oh damn! This is the girl's father. "Oh! Something happened, boy?" Sohesh chuckled and moved forward to the man. "I guess, you don't have that much of sass in there, but only in your mouth." Sohesh held the man's arms, pressing onto his biceps quite hardly, and looking at those in disapproval.

"What the heck! Leave, Mi-" the boy was pulled towards Sohesh, with his collar crumpled in the former's fists. "Do not approach a girl if she asks you to step back. Ask your father what he did to those who tried the same to your mother or your sister. You will learn something good, from him." and Sohesh pushed him away. "Nikal yahan se. (Get lost!)." and the boy scrambled away, while Nandini watched the scene in awe.

"Wow!" she breathed out, gaining Sohesh's attention. "Now, that was so manly." she gushed grinning, and Sohesh sighed. "You shouldn't roam around Mumbai alone, Nandini. This isn't London." he said, scolding lightly, and she only smiled, for she was glad to be around him.

"I came to shop groceries for our dinner." she shrugged, and Sohesh moved forward to open her car's door. "It's jammed." he commented, and Nandini nodded. "That always happens with me. Appa says its because I don't shut the door but slam them. I mean, you can't expect me to be sweet with car doors when all they have done for me is to let me enclosed in this car, while I'm driving." she pointed out, and Sohesh chuckled.

"You're safe, if you're enclosed in this thing, while you're driving." Sohesh said. "No! I'm safe because I'm a boxing champion, and my Appa is the decider of all these stuffs inside my bag, which includes a knife too." she replied, and Sohesh smiled at her. "You talk a lot about your Appa and Ma." he said, gaining her attention. Damn! Now, does he doubt her?

"When you talk about someone, it either means you're too obsessed to let go off them or you're crazy. In my case, I would prefer the former one." she stated, and Sohesh chuckled loudly, before forwarding his hands towards her grocery bags. "Give me those to me." she frowned, nevertheless, she obeyed him.

"I'm going to drop you." he said, and motioned her to walk ahead, and he'll follow her. "Why would I leave my car in this dark place, where anyone could take advantages of a sexy looking vehicle of mine?" she stared back at her car, in dilemma, and Sohesh's eyes widened. "Now, that's a bit, ahem, extreme." he said, chuckling to himself.

"I'll take care of it. I'm not going to leave you alone here, to fight anymore hormonal guys." Sohesh said sternly, and she sighed, before moving ahead with Sohesh beside her. "A car drive slash date wasn't on my to-do-list for tonight." she muttered, and Sohesh stared at her wide-eyed again.

"A car drive slash date? Don't you remember that I'm like a father to Maan, so that makes you my daughter-in-law?" Sohesh cried out, dramatically, and she rolled her eyes at it. "How weird to think that you're the son of King of Seriousness!" she muttered out loud, and he stared at her blankly, before grinning. "I can always tell this to my Papa." he said, while opening his car's door.

"Oh! I wouldn't mind. I like to be honest, and your father is too serious, calm and silent for my liking. How do you guys eat food with him? It will be like Ra. One came for the Dinner, and you're supposed to be scared that he might crush you the next moment to take your face in your household." she deadpanned, staring at Sohesh, who was laughing out loudly, before the duo got inside the car, and closed their respective side's doors.

"So, I called it date, because that's what I always called the long drives that I have with my Appa," Nandini began, and Sohesh ignited the engine, listening to her. "We always go out together. Appa, Ma and I. But sometimes, we used to do this father-daughter thing, which includes going for a drive and him getting me all types of fresh juices in the world." Nandini smiled reminiscing about her time with her family, back in London. "While Ma hates that we don't eat ice-cream like her, when we go out." she glanced at Sohesh, grinning, who was smiling.

"I mean, usually girls love ice-cream more than anything in the world, but you--might be an exception." Sohesh said, shrugging, and Nandini grinned. "Not bad! You recognize people well." she said, impressed, and he chuckled. "But I like to be called unique." and that's when her mobile rang.

It was from Shekhar.

"You can attend. You don't need to ask for my permission, you know. I'm such a cool personality." Sohesh ruffled at his hair playfully, and she rolled her eyes. "Who even planned to ask? I'm not getting a call in your mobile, you know." she said, before answering to the call, and Sohesh stared at her dumbfounded.

"Hey Appa! Uh, NOPE. I'm out. Shopping, Appa. Hmm. No, actually Mruno will be coming home late. She's got a few late night appointments in the Hospital rooms. You know the psychiatry sessions that she has to give her in-patients. Mmm, yeah. That's why I'm alone. Uh, no I asked Cad to wait for Mruno, so that she doesn't come home alone. I did right, yeah?" Nandini started to talk with her father, with Sohesh glancing at her way, smilingly.

"I knew I was always right." she had a grin on her face. "I'm on my way back home. Don't worry, I have all the essentials in my bag, and I'm gonna ring you to let you know that your beautiful daughter got back home safe, leaving the stereotypes to change their facts that girls can come back home safe even if she's alone. Bye. Miss me, and love you." and she hung up on the call, before turning to Sohesh.

"Sorry! I was blabbering so much, I guess, but he was worried." she said, smiling at Sohesh, who stared at her, and smiled before parking the car. "It's alright. It's not every day you see a girl like you who has a mouth of her own and also someone else's mouth on rent, so that she could talk without letting anyone else to talk either." Sohesh deadpanned, and Nandini's eyebrows were raised. She knew her father was right about her being slightly like her Uncle.

"I like you." she smiled, and he stared on. "You're so much like me. Maybe, I could call you Papa, because you're a lot playful with me like how my Appa is." She joked, before looking outside. "Well, thanks though." she got out of the car with her grocery bags, and smiled at Sohesh. "Meet you soon, Murthy saab." she grinned, waving her hand at him. That's something she used to call her father and Sooraj.

"Nandini!" Sohesh halted Nandini in her tracks, who turned around to face him. "Maybe you can try calling me Papa." Sohesh smiled at Nandini, who stood surprised. "Meet you soon, uh...Murthy sahiba. We share the same surnames too." Sohesh mumbled gleefully, and looked at the gate that she was about to open.

"Not getting in?" he asked, and she nodded, before opening her gate and then going inside. "Lock the gate." he instructed, and she obeyed. "Now go inside, Nandini. I'll be able to see your foyer from here, before you close the door." Sohesh said, and Nandini did accordingly. Sohesh gestured for her to close the door, which she did silently.

"Chote would have loved her." Sohesh mumbled to himself, before smiling. "Papa." he muttered smilingly, before zooming off towards his destination.

Next Day

"What? He really did that?" Manik exclaimed, staring at a gleeful Nandini, who was sitting on his office table, while he was leaning forward, being in his chair. "Yep! I was shocked, you know. I mean, I know Sohesh Papa is a very cool personality, but letting me call him Papa is like...something different and too family-ish." She babbled, and Manik smiled before holding onto her hands.

"Didn't you always call yourself charming? Even Sohesh Murthy couldn't resist your charms." Manik said playfully, and she flipped back her hairs, nodding her head. "Well! You are becoming intelligent. I guess, it's because of my presence in your life. I'm proud of myself, you know." she spoke, while staring at her nails and blowing on it, like some teenager obsessed with her nails.

"Yeah, right. How could I expect you to grin or smile as a gesture to thank me for that compliment!" Manik rolled his eyes, and sighed. "You shouldn't expect me to thank you if you compliment me, because compliments are facts. So what good did you do to receive a thanks from me?" she questioned, and Manik glared up at her.

"Lilliput!" he warned her, and she nodded. "Listening, Grumpy coffee. I'm sitting right in front of you. Don't talk like I'm sitting in the next office." she continued, and he let out another sigh. "I'm letting it go. Now, did you tell this to your Bhais?" he questioned, raising his eyebrows.

"Of course, I did. I mean, while you were paralysed in your seat for the first 2 minutes when I told you, I sent a message in the Whatsapp group that I have with my Bhayyus." she said, grinning, and he glared at her for the first half of the sentence. "You and Bhayyus are involved in this plan, so, it's only fair if I let you people know at one time." she added, and he grinned at her.

"So...I got the privilege to know it first." he said, with his chest getting tightened with happiness. He means something to her, then. "No. I told this to Mruno, by waking her up from her sleep. She came late last night, you know. I cannot sleep until she comes back home. I waited for her to finish with her food, but she was already sleeping on the table." she said, shrugging, and his ears emitted smoke.

"Of course, there's nothing in your life without your Mruno." he said, sarcastically, and she nodded. "You don't need to have a jealous tone. She's my best friend, and you're my friend. There's a diference." she stated, without any hesitation, and his jaws dropped down. "You didn't even think of saying something sweet, so that you don't hurt my feelings, Lilliput!" he cried out, and she just sighed.

"I don't like to lie." she kept it simple, and he groaned loudly, before there was a knock at the door. "Come in!" Manik said, and they both turned around to the employee, who entered the cabin.

"Uh! G-Good morning, Sir." the guy fumbled, while staring at Nandini, who was sitting on his boss' desk, rather than any chairs. "We need your signatures in here." the guy kept the file on the table, and then stepped aside. Nandini took the file and gave it to Manik, who smiled at her, before nodding at the employee.

The guy was still in shock on seeing a girl sitting comfortably on Manik's table, and now a smile directed at the girl was too shocking. Manik doesn't act playful in his ofice.

"So you can start with your boring slash not-so-appealing business work. I'm off to work." Nandini was about to get up, when Manik frowned. "You didn't have your breakfast yet, right?" he asked, and she squinted her eyes at him. "You shouldn't have forgotten it so soon, Gr-Manik." she said, and he rolled his eyes. "We'll have breakfast together. I'm hungry too." he said, and when she opened her mouth to object, he shook his head. "No arguments. I'm really hungry." he stated, and she rolled her eyes, before starting to look around, and then at the guy, who was staring at his shoes.

"You know you can look up. Your shoes are not so beautiful." the guy's head snapped up at her, who grinned at him. "Good! Chin up and look around. Although the office interior is too dull, looking around is better than you black shoes. I mean, it's not even colorful to admire them." she stated, while looking at the guy's shoes. 

Manik chuckled silently hearing her, while going through the file.

"Uh! O-Okay, Mam." the guy fumbled, and Manik looked up at Nandini. "L-Nandini! Dial Mr. Sumesh's number, and book a table in his Restaurant." Manik gave his mobile to her,  and she nodded at him, before starting to do the same.

"All look fine!" Manik muttered, before signing the file, and closing it and looked up at the guy to talk, when he noticed his employee staring at Nandini wide-eyed. Manik frowned, before noticing that the guy was flushed looking at Nandini's bare legs due to her knee length skirt.

Being infuriated, Manik grabbed onto Nandini's knees and pulled them towards his seat, from where they were dangling on the corner. He shifted his seat closer and his her legs in between his own, and then keeping his arms on the table, caging her with his body. 

While all Nandini did was to gape at him, which was broken the by the person on the other end of the call, and she started to speak to him, in broken words, while trying to maintain distance between her and Manik.

"Leave!" Manik threw the file towards his employee, and barked out loud, that the guy nodded and left the cabin in a second.

"Uh, that's all." and Nandini hung up on the call, before squinting her eyes at him. "What the hell happened to your sanskari brain?" she yelled out, trying to pry his arms away. "He was staring." and Manik started to pull the skirt a bit lower to cover her knees. "Why the hell is it above your knees?" he scowled at the skirt, and she rolled her eyes at him.

"Because, I'm sitting. Now, you better let go, before I harm your precious baby making machine." Nandini warned, and his eyes widened, before he stepped back, and she stood up, smoothening her skirt. "See! Now, it looks better. Don't sit on tables when I'm not around, now." Manik stood up, and pulled her skirt down, a little more. "What do you think about wearing stickings to match your skirt?" Manik questioned, frowning at her outfit, and Nandini grabbed onto his arms to drag him out.

"I don't like to change my style, Grumpy coffee." she stated, and he sighed. "But he was staring." he exclaimed, and she shrugged. "Let him stare. I'm beautiful." she said, shrugging. "That's why I'm worried." he muttered to himself, before holding her hand in his and taking her out of his office, silently claiming her to be his.

Sometimes he confuses her mind so much, that Nandini stared up at Manik, blankly. What does his want?

***

Ramadan Kareem!

How was the chapter? 

I think Manik is confused. He just needs a lot more pushing than a normal human being requires. So let's relax and watch him struggling, peeps!

P.S: The chapter is unedited.

With love,

Affu.