A Thousand Encounters

Chapter-39

"There's nothing to tell," She murmured and Daadu giggled. 

"Yeas, sure," He replied and Nandini drove off. 

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"Keep this," Harshad handed Manik woolen scarf as Manik got ready to leave for his daily duty to stand under the lamppost. 

"What would I do with this?" Manik asked baffled. 

"It's cold outside. You would need it. Wait, I will bring you tea flask," Harshad said walking towards the door. 

Manik saw him leaving in haste and couldn't understand what was wrong with that man. He had turned himself into a mother who was preparing for her son's picnic to some park. 

"This," He returned with a steel flask. 

"Do you think I am going out camping?" Manik mocked and Harshad opened his mouth to say something. 

"You know you behave so weird sometimes," Manik didn't let him. 

"Leave it," Harshad didn't even try to reason his anxiety. 

"Tell her tonight that you love her," He instructed keenly. 

"Are you having temperature?" Manik checked Harshad's forehead. 

"You are talking some all over the place shit tonight," He added after bestowing a light pat on Harshad's forehead. 

"Leave it," Harshad again shrugged off his previous rambling. 

"Listen," He started to say only to get a glare from Manik. 

"Okay," Harshad shut up totally getting the signal how he shouldn't blabber anymore. 

"It's still an hour," Manik sat on his bed fully dressed up. 

Harshad looked at impatient Manik and then at clock. Even he couldn't wait for Manik to go out and do something worth evading the academy every night. 

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Daadu sipped another mug of coffee to keep himself awake. Harlow sat in his feet cuddling to his boot. 

"How's he?" Daadu asked as Nandini entered the office. 

"Scared," She replied crashing into her chair. 

A newly rescued puppy was having his first night in shelter and that called for a night duty without cheating on it with sleep. 

Little devil again started to yelp and Nandini groaned in helplessness. 

"You go and look after him. Harlow and I have got the post here," Daadu spoke without taking his eyes off the road. 

"What exactly you are giving this night duty for?" Nandini asked getting up from her chair. 

"Harlow has been telling me how someone comes here with a puppy face every night," Daadu quipped and Nandini couldn't believe that prying man. 

"You go, real puppy is crying," Daadu said and Nandini left knowing how Daadu won't budge.

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 "Maybe I played my cards wrong
Oh, just a little bit wrong"  

Harlow woofed knowingly and Daadu opened his eyes lazily. A tall man was walking out of haze wearing a coat Daadu knew. Daadu smiled and waited for Manik to roll all the pebbles he had. Manik stood under lamppost and looked up rubbing his palms. Daadu chuckled seeing how that young man was so predictable.