Next Day

Nandini & Navya arrived at their office and got into the elevator. At that time, Manik & Cabir also arrived like they always do. Manik entered the elevator and smiled at Nandini.

"Good morning Nandini." Manik greeted her. Nandini was pleasantly surprised and greeted him back.

"Good Morning." The two of them got lost in each other's eyes & didnt even realize Cabir had not entered the elevator yet. Cabir stood outside & tried discreetly getting Navya's attention.

"Chh chh!" Cabir made a sound. Navya looked at him and he motioned fro her to come out. It took a moment but she finally understood & ran out of the elevator before the doors started closing. 

"Navu tu bahar kya kar rahi hai?" Finally Nandini noticed them. Navya & Cabir grinned & just waved.

"We will take the next elevator up Di!" Navya replied as the doors closed on her face.

"What the- jaan bhuj ke kiya hai dono ne!" Nandini grumbled. 

"Kyun? Mere saath yahan akele ho toh nervous feel ho raha hai?" Manik smirked, moving closer to Nandini.

"N..Nahi toh..." Nandini shook her head, backing up a step.

"Are you sure?" Manik again stepped closer, backing her into a corner. 

"H...H...Haan...." The nervousness was clear on Nandini's face as she gulped. Manik felt amused & put his hand up against the elevator wall to block her way. Now it was Nandini's turn to smirk as she easily ducked under his arm and escaped.

"Nice try Mr Malhotra...par main na itni easy target bhi nahi hoon." Nandini replied in a teasing tone. At that moment the elevator doors opened at their level and Nandini left with Manik close behind.

Suddenly while walking, Manik bumped into Nandini because she had stopped in her tracks. "Oof....Nandini....kya hua?"

"Oh....we are screwed." Nandini whispered. 

"Matlab?" Manik looked in the direction Nandini was looking and found a large poster up on the wall.

NO FRATERNIZATION POLICY

Employees are not allowed to date, cohabitate or have any close personal/ physical relationships with each other or any of their supervisors.

Violation of this policy will result in immediate disciplinary actions, upto & including termination of employment.

"Yeh kab hua? We never had this policy before!" Manik asked.

"Aaj se shuru hua hai." Dhruv informed them as he walked. "Woh merger hua tha na? So as a result we got new bosses who are.... kinda khadus."

"Whats up guys? Yeh kya hai?" Cabir, who finally reached along with Navya came over and read the new policy. Navya looked at Nandini while Cabir looked at Manik.

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"What do we do?" Navya asked. She along with Cabir, Nandini & Manik were in the stairwell, discussing the development. "Di aur Jiju ki shaadi hone wali hai agar yeh baat kisiko paata chala toh they can loose their jobs!"

"Jiju?" Nandini & Manik asked.

"Haan....aap mere Di ke hone wale pati hai toh mere Jiju hi hue na?" Navya shrugged. "But...back to the problem!"

"Vaise Navya is right." Nandini spoke up. "We can even be sued or something....bohot badi problem ho jayegi."

"Lekin hum apne personal life mein kya karte hai...how is it any of their business? We are good at our jobs...bas that should be whats important." Manik said angrily. "This fraternization policy is stupid."

"Hum thodi na kuch kar sakte hai....I love my job! Mujhe isse khona nahi hai." Nandini replied.

"Idea!" Cabir finally yelled out. Navya, Nandini & Manik looked at him. "Guys look....agar bosses ko paata chala ke tum dono ki shaadi hone wali hai then you will be in trouble right? Lekin paata chala TOH na? I mean so far sirf hum chaaron ko yeh baat paata hai. All we have to do is keep it that way."

"Matlab?" Manik asked.

"Matlab as far as anyone in this office knows...tum dono baat bhi nahi karte ho ek dusre ke saath. So just continue with that here...aur office ke bahar tum dono kuch bhi kar sakte ho of course." Cabir explained.

"Par...Abhi aur Dhruv ka kya?"

"Ya and Mukti Aliya? Jab hum unko sagaai aur shaadi pe invite karenge tab toh paata chal hi jayega na?"

"Yaar utna nahi socha maine. This is just a temporary solution." Cabir shrugged. "See...sagaai ka mahurat toh 6 mahine baad ka nikla hai right? Tab tak koi permanent solution dhund hi loge tum dono....but until then, yeh baat sabse chupake rakhna hai. EVEN the rest of the gang....vaise bhi Im sure they will understand ki yeh baat kyun chupaya hai humne."

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"Great...just great! Mujhe laga ki 6 mahine baad sagaai hai but at least hum saath kaam karte hai so we will get lots of bonding time....par yahan toh ulta door door rehna parega!" Nandini complained to her sister.

"Arre par door kyun rehna hai Di? Havent you ever read a secret romance wala Wattpad story? Uska apna hi maaza hota hai." Navya commented. 

"Unfortunately this is real life sister dear." Nandini rolled her eyes. "Vaise bhi Manik office mein chup chap apna kaam karta hai. I hardly think he can be that romantic."

Cabir who was walking by their desk to get coffee heard Nandini and quickly ran back to Manik.

"Manik mere bhai....tere saath ghor anyaay ho raha hai!" Cabir panted.

"An...what?" Manik looked confused.

"Uff...kaha se aa gaya yeh angrez mere life mein." Cabir sighed, shaking his head dramatically. "Injustice Manik...tere saath injustice ho raha hai! Tujhe underestimate kar rahi hai Nandini!"

"Kis mamle mein?" Manik asked.

"Romance! She thinks you cant be romantic!"

"Aisa usne bola?" Manik asked, feeling offended.

"Haan...Navya ko bol rahi thi woh. Dude....you have to do something. Tere reputation ka sawal hai! I mean your future fiance thinks like that...bilkul sahi nahi hai yeh." 

"Dont worry Cabir...Nandini abhi asi Manik Malhotra ko janti kaha hai? Aisa romance dikhaunga na mein....SRK ko bhi mere paas training ke liye aana parega!"

"SRK....really? Yeh thoda zyada over confidence nahi hai? I mean be realistic Manik." Cabir commented.

"Shutup Cabir." 

To Be Continued....

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