Hello Fam :)

A short but sweet and important one. :)

Happy Reading...

"Well that was interesting", commented Yash, handing Nandini her mug of coffee, before taking a seat beside her on the couch. They have returned from the castle and Yash, the man who knew her heart better than anyone in the whole world, made her coffee the first thing after coming home.

Nandini nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. The caffeine worked her brain into functioning again and then she had a series of questions. One question topped her priority list and she narrowed her eyes on her dad. "Dad, Raj Malhotra was way cooler than you portrayed him to be. What the hell? With your description, I thought he was the villain." Of course, she was exaggerating but the look on her dad's face was hilarious.

"What? I never have. I respect him, okay?", he told. "But he comes to my home and informs me something about my daughter which would possibly take her away from me, I would panic. And I did. I panicked. How would I know he wanted you to join him in business? Coming to that, what have you decided about that?"

She sighed. "I don't know, dad. It's huge. Do you think I am capable of handling it? Do you think I am even worth it? And there's Manik. I don't know what to think about him in between all this."

"Do you love him, Nandini?", asked Yash but he answered his own question. "I know you don't but what's actually your equation with him? Because as far as I can see, he isn't another Cabir in your life."

She nodded, taking another sip of her coffee, and mentally recollected the past six months in her head when she was with the Prince. "Dad, I don't love him but there is something. A connection between us. I don't know how to explain it in words without sounding like a creep. Every time I am with him, we have fun as I have with any other friend even if it's the end of the day and we are dead tired to the world but then it comes the time when we have to part ways. And suddenly, I don't feel like leaving. I don't know if it's because I have more fun when I am with him than with anyone else or alone. He calms me down when I am worried sick or panicking for a deadline or angry enough to punch someone but he does that with Cabir too. It's how he is. Sometimes, I blurt things out and I get afraid of making it weird between us but then he says he feels the same. I just don't know what to think about all this."

Yash chuckled, throwing an arm around her and pulling her close. "You went to a party you weren't expected to go to. You met him again in Delhi, in a mall out of all places because guess how many malls are in Delhi and you both have to be there on that day at the same time. And then your company lands a contract in his hospital. You become friends and then his dad asks you to be a part of his family business. You know what people call all this?", he asked and continued when Nandini shook her head. "It's what destiny is. It throws two people into circumstances they never thought they would be part of and creates a bond they never thought they needed."

"Do you believe in destiny?", she asked.

"I do, of course. I do. That's how I met your mother. I am a lawyer, just out of college, and started my practice. I first saw her in front of my court where she was protesting for some student rights which didn't even make sense. Later I got to know that she didn't prepare for her exams so she started a protest all over the campus. She was capable of that."

"Oh, God. She was really chaotic", commented Nandini. She had known a million stories about her parents but not how they met and fell in love. Her mother never told them and after her, Yash said he would if he needed them to know. "How did you know she was the one? Because you are always composed and I don't know, dignified?"

Yash laughed at that. "Trust me on this. I was a nerd. A boring geek who would stuff his nose in his books. At one point I even tried memorizing all the clauses in the constitution book of India. That's what happened, Nandini, we met and circumstances forced us to meet again. When that happens, you never plan the things, they just happen. When I told her that I love her, I thought I would be happy with her. When I proposed to her to marry me, I believed that if she wasn't there in my life, nothing makes sense. So, think about it. Does Manik make you feel anything like it?"

Nandini thought about it and shook her head. "I am happier when I am around him, I agree. And he makes things easy for me. But yeah, I can go on without him in my life too."

"But if he is there, you would love to have him present in your life."

She shrugged. "Who wouldn't, dad?", she asked. "He is one of the best people I have met. Who wouldn't want a lifetime worth of happiness as a promise?"

Yash laughed. "Think about it. And about the King's offer. Talk to him, maybe. No need to rush anything. And yeah, just because something worked between your mom and me, doesn't mean the same should happen between you two. Love happens differently to different people and there's no right way about it. Anyway, I have some pending things to work on, so I am going to court. Do you want to take some rest? Catch on some sleep?"

"Yeah, I will do that."

Yash patted her head and went to his room to gather his coat and files. When he came back to the living room again, he came towards her again. "What are you thinking now?"

"Dad, do you love me so much to go into a panic mode?", she asked. She felt stupid to question even because she didn't know where that came from but she wanted to hear it.

Contrasting to hers, Yash didn't have any confusion on his face as he knelt down in front of her. Cupping her cheek with one hand, he grabbed her hand with his free one and kissed her knuckles. "Baby girl, if I have to choose between being the best lawyer and your father for the rest of my life, I would choose you a million times", he told and stood up, dusting his pants before dropping a kiss on her head. "But that day isn't today and I have work at the court. So, don't think, don't overthink, and for god's sake inform Cabir. That boy has spammed my mobile with messages nonstop since last night."

Nandini smirked. "Isn't it you who told me not to talk to my best friend? Serves you right."

XXX

At seven in the evening, Nandini expected Yash to return home but when she opened the door to knock, she found the Prince in front of her. "Manik, what are you doing here? Come in."

"Is your dad in?", he asked.

She shook her head. "No, no one's home. Dad went to court and Alya to some conference."

"Let's talk outside?"

"What?"

"Come out", he told and turned to walk towards his car, leaning on it.

Nandini closed the door behind her and followed him.

"It doesn't look good if I am visiting you when you are home alone", he informed.

She was amused. Because what the hell? Hadn't they spent their days in each other's apartments?

Manik rolled his eyes as if guessing the question by looking at her. "It's fine in Delhi but this is a village and people are more familial here so, nosier than the city."

"Is it some kind of sorcery? To read my mind before I ask a question?", she teased.

It brought a laugh out of him. "Psychology. I had an interest in Psychology at one point and I have read many books on that."

"You read Psychology books for fun?"

When he didn't deny, Nandini gave him a disappointed stare which earned her another laugh.

"I am leaving tomorrow. Wanted to meet you before leaving", he told.

"Already?"

"Yeah, I have some work there. Not that they have given me any time to finish it before forcefully dragging here", he said, crossing his arms.

Raj Malhotra was right. Manik wasn't even trying to stay back here.

"What did you think about dad's offer?", asked Manik.

Nandini sighed and leaned against the car beside him. "I don't know, Manik. It feels as if I am using you to fulfill my dreams if we aren't in love with each other. Manik, do we love each other?"

"I do. I can see spending the rest of my life with you but I am mentally not in a state to bring an entire person into my life. You are the first person who knows about everything about me, both personal and professional, and I am still wrapping my head around the fact that I could be myself with you completely without hiding anything about me", he confessed. "Is that weird?", he added when Nandini didn't reply immediately.

She shook her head. "No, it's not. There's nothing not to love about you but I just-"

"Yeah, I understand", he said, giving an assuring smile.

They stayed silent, letting the new information sink in. The more she thought about it, the more the idea of loving Manik made sense. Don't start a longtime relationship because it makes sense. Start a relationship because, without them, nothing makes sense. Her dad's words surfaced in her mind from a very long time in the past. It didn't make sense then but it did now.

They were startled when another car arrived. It was Yash. And Manik waved at him.

"Hello, Uncle."

"Manik? Your highness?", started her dad, awkwardly.

Nandini rolled her eyes seeing Manik gaping at him. "Dad, are you trying to scare him?"

"Uncle, I didn't have that long conversation with you for you to call me 'your highness'. I am Manik-"

"No, stop right there", interrupted Nandini. "Dad, call him Manik otherwise he would start his introduction, and trust me, it involves Pincode of an area."

Manik rolled his eyes but didn't deny it.

"Okay, Manik. What are you doing here?", asked Yash. "Nandini, why didn't you invite him in?"

Nandini smirked. "He was scared, I would do something when we are home alone at this point."

Manik spluttered beside her. "I was talking about me, Nandini. It's the guy people wouldn't trust about."

"No one would question you, Prince of Amritpuri", she retorted. Even if they don't know Manik, no one was stupid enough to question any royal people.

"That makes me feel like I could get away with anything", said Manik, with a frown.

Yash cleared his throat. Yeah, they have ignored him between their banter. "Do you want to come in?"

"No, Uncle, I am leaving anyway. I just came to meet Nandini before going back to Delhi", said Manik.

Yash nodded. "If you change your mind, I will start with dinner", he told and went in, leaving them alone.

As soon as he left, Manik faced her, taking her hand into his. "Nandini, what I came here for was to suggest you take the offer. You feel like you are using our friendship? Fine. You are my best friend, so that's okay. Because we won't get a better person to handle the business other than you and you would gain your experience if we aren't getting married. Personally, I don't think our relationship should matter if you are looking after our business or not. And let's just keep our personal lives aside. If we are falling in love after some time, it's fine. If not, it's fine too. It's better not to mix them up."

"Wouldn't it be awkward if we aren't personally related but I was offered this in the hope that I would love you someday?"

"Love happens, okay. If we aren't falling in love, we are growing professionally, right? Why deny our freedom to fall in love by tying us together?", he told. "I am working there, you work here and we will think about the next when the time comes. You told me you don't want to lose me as a friend. Do you still stand by that?"

Nandini nodded.

"Perfect. So, if everything fails, we will at least have that", he said.

XXX

"Didn't stay for dinner?", asked Yash when Nandini came to the kitchen alone after Manik left.

"No, he came to convince me to take up the offer", she told.

"Not surprised there", said her father. "Whoever knows you well and about Harshad would want you to take up the offer. I just don't understand what's holding you back."

"Dad", she said with a sigh. "No one has been a good friend to him without taking advantage of him in some or the other way. I just...I just don't want to be one of his regular friends, I guess."

"Oh, trust me, sweetheart. There's nothing regular going between you two", he said.

Nandini snapped her head towards him and found her dad smirking at her. She glared at him.

"What? You ignored my whole presence. I thought I would make dinner and bring it out for you two before you would notice my absence there", he teased.

Nandini rolled her eyes. "I was just teasing him."

"Of course, you have strange ways to show your love. And don't start with me, baby girl. I have been the victim for so many years. It's nice to have a partner now", he told.

It was a call on her phone that rescued her from commenting on it. "Cabir, you are god's savior in my life", she told him, boosting his ego.

Okay, so they aren't denying loving each other. Just that it's not yet enough to be with each other. :P