Nandini waited for Mukti to say something but just then Manik suddenly jumped up,
Manik: Freak.... Nandini its 7:30pm, u missed ur medicine
Nandini: Manik calm down!
Manik: No nandini u had to hv it on time.. Kaka!!
The servant came running in & Manik said,
Manik: Kaka get nandini's medicines... The ones that i gave u yesterday.
The servant  went back inside while Aliya said,
Aliya: Ohho... So Mr. New Boyfriend was on duty yesterday!!
Manik ignored her comment & got the medicines that the servant brought. He made nandini hv them & then Mukti said,
Mukti: Bhai were u here last night with Nandini...
Manik looked at Mukti & then nodded slowly.
Mukti: Achcha toh ab girlfriend ban gyi toh mujhse bhi jhoot.... Not fair!!
All of them laughed at it, when Manik's phone started ringing. Manik picked it up & said,
Manik: Guys I'll just be back!!
He walked away to talk on the phone. All the others were sitting there & talking when Aliya said,
Aliya: Come on guys... this calls for a celebration.
Mukti: Absolutely... Lets party guys!! What say cabir??
Cabir: I think its an awesome idea.
Manik: No guys...
Manik said & walked closer to them & then said,
Manik: We will party but not today guys... Firstly, Nandini is not well & secondly, I just got a call from dad, so i hv to go.
Mukti: No yr bhai u can't go back today!!
Manik: Mukti... I m not going alone!! U r coming along with me, Dad had called to tell me that Nyonika will be coming for dinner tonight, so we hv to be there.
And the moment Mukti heard this her face dropped.
Mukti: Again!!
Manik: Mukti... dad has called, we hv to go!! And then we'll party when Nandini gets well fully.
Mukti: Ohk!!
Manik smiled hearing Mukti agree & then turned towards the others,
Manik: Guys... We gotta leave!! Its 7:30 & Nyonika is gonna come by 8 so i think we should be there.
Cabir: I think u right... U both should leave immediately.
Manik turned towards Nandini & said,
Manik: Nandini u wanna go up to the room now, or should I take u up when I return??
Nandini: Return!! What do u mean return??
Manik: I m coming back after dinner.
Nandini: No Manik... Its ohk I m f9!! U hv not taken rest at all from yesterday... Last night also my fever & all worried u, so today u stay at home & don't worry I'll be fine!
Manik: Did I ask u anything??
Nandini gave him a black look & said,
Nandini: Look Manik I-
Manik: I don't know anything... I m not leaving u alone & thats it!
Nandini: But-
Mukti: I can stay back with Nandini...
Manik turned back towards Mukti & said,
Manik: Mukti u...
Mukti: Yeah Bhai!! I mean only unless u wanna spend some alone romantic time with nandini..
All of them laughed at it & Nandini said,
Nandini: Yes Mukti can stay... That way i won't be alone & manik u too can take some rest.
Manik: As u wish!! Ohk so I'll come in an hour or so to drop Mukti..
Mukti: Bhai... I myself can drive the car.
Aliya: Come on Mukti... Stop pulling his leg!! U also know why he wants to drop u..
Mukti & cabir laughed out loud while manik again asked Nandini again.
Manik: so u'll sit here till then??
Nandini: Yeah!!
Cabir: I m with her for some time... u don't worry!!
Manik: Thats good... Mukti lets go...
Mukti got up to leave but nandini could see that she was nervous about something. She smiled at herself & Manik left along with Mukti. Soon both of them reached home. Both of them entered & Manik said to Mukti.
Manik: Mukti, u go up & freshen up!! I'll call u when she is here.
Mukti: Cool bhai... Thanks!!
Manik too went up to his room & freshened up. But instead of wearing something comfortable enough for home, he again changed into a formal suit. He was sure that he wanted to make this a strictly limited meeting. He walked out of his room & went to his dad's room & not too much by his surprise, his dad was also wearing formals, busy working on his laptop!! Manik slightly knocked the door & said,
Manik: Dad!!
Raj: Manik... Come in Son!!
He entered the room & saw what was his father working on & that was it. The ever so hard working, father-son agin got into a business discussion. They were interuppted by a knock at the door when the servant said,
Servant: Sir..... Nyonika Ma'am is here!! She is waiting for u..
Raj: Ohk.. U go!!
Raj closed his laptop & both of them walked downstairs to see Nyonika sitting on the sofa. She noticed both of them & got up with a smile.
Nyonika: No doubt Manik is so charming... After all he has got all his looks from his dad. U look as amazing as always Raj.
She moved closer & hugged Raj, who responded in a compulsion.
Raj: So do u nyonika... Nyc to see u!!
Nyonika: Yeah... Both father-son look exactly alike today, wearing these formals.
Manik opted to ignore her comment & shouted,
Manik: Kaka!!
The servant came outside & to which manik said,
Manik: Go & tell Mukti that I m calling her & ask them to get the dinner ready on the table.
The servant bowed & went away when manik noticed Nyonika's face got stirn for a micro second listening about Mukti. He immediately got agitated, but before he could say anything Raj held his hand & stopped him.
Raj: Come lets sit!!
All three of them settled down when Nyonika started asking Raj about his work & the duration of his stay & other stuff. Raj asnwered her questions, while Manik took out his phone & got busy. He looked up from his phone when he heard foot steps on the stairs & saw Mukti getting down. Mukti reached down & walk towards Raj & Nyonika. Mukti smiled & hugged Raj & saying,
Mukti: Hey Dad... Good evening!!
Raj: Hello child...
Mukti turned towards Nyonika & said in a plane tone, mostly out of compulsion.
Mukti: Hi Nyonika...
Nyonika got up at this & said,
Nyonika: Here is my girl... How r u Mukti??
Nyonika was about to come forward to hug her when Mukti abrupted backed off & turned towards Manik.
Mukti: I m f9..
She walked towards Manik & sat next to him.
Nyonika: So good to see that u r also joining us!!
Manik could sense the tinch in her voice which he didn't want Mukti to notice so he said,
Manik: I think now we should move to the dining table & get finished with this awkward dinner.
They all moved to the table & settled down. They were quitely eating while Nyonika was continuously trying to get in a conversation with raj & finally trying to shut her up Raj asked Manik,
Raj: By the way manik, I forgot to ask.... How is Nandini, I mean is her leg fine?
Manik: Ya its better but still not that gud.
Nyonika: So, u also met nandini moorthy I guess??
Raj: Yeah... I did hv a meeting with her, i must say she is really good at her work.
Nyonika: That she is.... But now that u hv met her, u would hv seen ur son's personal friendship with her.... I mean she has bcom gud friends with Manik as well as Mukti.
Manik looked at Nyonika, he didn't wish to hear anything about Nandini from her.
Raj: So whats the problem in that Nyonika, Mukti & Nandini are same college as well, why can't they be frndzz...
Nyonika: But other than that r business partners.... So don't u think Manik should not be making any strong personal friendship with her.
Manik: Listen Nyonika, I choose my friends myself..... And I don't need ur advise in that, so it will be nice if u don't worry about that.
Raj: Manik relax...
Mukti: No dad, why should Bhai relax??? This lady thinks that she owns our life & we would do anything that she wishes. Nyonika get one thing right, we r not ur children so don't put ur nose in every matter related to us.
Raj: Mukti chill.... And Nyonika, I don't think there is any problem in this, why are u saying so??
Nyonika: Raj don't u think that this friendship can be harmful for our company... And moreover that Nandini is too smart. I wonder she is being good to Manik just bcoz she want to get attached to Malhotra Industries personally & then she'll know some more things about us by the help of this so called friendship.
As Manik heard this, he felt very angry, already he was not liking Nandini's topic to be brought up by Nyonika & now this, so he shouted,
Manik: Nyonika..... Manik ur words!!! I don't care if it is good for our company or not, but I know Nandini very well & thus I asure u that nothing of this sort is gonna happen. And yes now I hope that u r not going to say anything against her bcoz the thing that u call as "so called frndship" is actually Love. I love Nandini be clear about that.