The response in previous chapter <<<333 Thank you so much everyone. Hope it continues though:)
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"तेरी सूरत से है आलम में बहारों को सबात,
तेरी आंखें के सिवा दुनिया में रखा क्या है?"
"Happy Birthday ShivOmRu Bhaiya." Shivay smiled at Manik and hugged him patting his back.
"Thank you Mann." One by one everyone wished Shivay, Omkara and Rudra, who thanked them with a smile.
"Ok everyone come for breakfast, Shiv, Om, Ru, I had made all your favourite dishes. Come." The trio nodded and everyone else followed them as they moved towards the dining area. They all say down to have the delicious food.
"Dadu No!!" Mrunal stopped Yash who was about to take the oily Puri and Damini shook her head in disbelief glaring him.
"Mrunal bache, It's their birthday, they will feel bad." Yash spoke pointing at Shivay, Omkara and Rudra making everyone chuckle.
"No Yash Dadu, we won't feel bad. It's okay. You can eat your tasty meal." Yash glared at Rudra and everyone snickered, when Mrunal gave Yash his everyday breakfast that is Fruits and Juice.
Shivay looked at everyone and smiled before looking at his plate where he had served himself Idli Sambhar and when he looked at the plates of his brothers, he wasn't surprised seeing the same things in their plates. Their wives glanced at each other and shared a small sad smile.
"Arre bachon! As far as I know, you don't like South Indian food that much right?" Damini asked as she saw the three boys had only Idli Sambhar in their plates.
"Haa bachon. You liked Aloo Puri and Aloo Paratha, no? Anita told me once. What happen?" Anika, Gauri and Bhavya looked at each other and then at their husbands who were silent at Nyonika's question.
"Actually, Nyo Maa, they eats South Indian food on their birthday. They just like it." Everyone nodded with an ohh face and didn't pestered much.
"Oh by the way, Manu, you will go to the orphanage naa bache?"
"Yes Dadi, I will." Damini have ham a flying kiss which he acted to catch making everyone chuckle at them.
"Manu, apne unn pantro ko bhi le jana, or Ghar bhi Lana." Manik nodded at his father with a chuckle as he mentioned about his friends. Anyway, he had to meet those two Idiots too who he feels are hiding something from him. And then he needs to think something about his The One too.
(Manu, take your gang too with you, and then bring them home too)
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"Good Morning Mumma Ki Jaan." Anahita sleepily opened her eyes and saw her mother sitting beside her, caressing her face. Anahita smiled and cupped her mother's cheeks in her small palm and giggled lightly making Nandini's heart flutter with joy. She took her small palms and kissed them.
"Moling Mumma!!" Nandini smiled and kissed her cheeks.
(Morning Mumma)
"Mumma is sorry Shona. She made you cry, no?" Anahita smiled and ran her palm in her mother's face.
"Iti no angly Mumma." Nandini smiled and again kissed Anahita cheeks making her giggle. Both mother daughter spent some time in playing with each other before Nandini took Anahita to washroom to give her a bath.
"Mumma, we going whele?" Anahita asked from her mother who was putting hairpins in her hair.
(Whele- Where)
"Yes. We are going to orphanage."
"Olange? What is that Mumma? A fruit?" Nandini chuckled at her daughter before kissing the top of her head.
"It's Orphanage, Shona. And no, Orange is a fruit. Orphanage is a place where many children stays together." Anahita made an oh face and got excited hearing that she will meet many children and will play with them. Soon, both mother and daughter were on their way to the orphanage with an excited Anahita who was looking happy and cheerful. Nandini smiled looking at her daughter and wished for her smile to be intact always.
"Mumma why are you buying cate? Today is kiska birth wala day?" Nandini looked at her daughter with a plain face as she payed the bill for the cake and other things that she just bought.
(Cate- Cake | kiska- whose | birth wala day- birthday)
"No Bacha, I just bought it for the kids there." Anahita bobbed her head in yes and held her mother's hand as they moved to the orphanage in the other lane.
Nandini met the caretaker before giving the things she bought for the kids, who smiled gratefully and thanked her gave Anahita a chocolate too making her grin. The caretaker took Nandini and Anahita to the second floor where all the children were gathered. Anahita was very excited to meet the children, and Nandini was glad seeing her happy.
As they were on doorstep Nandini's foot froze as she saw the person she was trying to avoid seeing, kneeling in front of a girl and poked her nose making her giggle. Nandini's heart was palipitating on its own accord. She was about to take a step back when her daughter ruined her plans.
"Loktal!!!!"
Manik's head snapped in their direction as he heard voice of one of his favourite person. His gaze fell on his little Princess grinning at him and then travelled to the girl who is the reason his heart was beating so fast in his chest. He was seeing her after five days and seeing her, he felt as if his sour eyes got the much needed relief. His lips tilted a bit when he saw her avoiding his gaze and tucking the losse hair strand behind her ears. Somehow, his own fingers itched to replace hers but he shook off the thought as soon as it came.
Manik chuckled when he felt his little Princess hugging his long legs. Fab Four, who were present there smiled too. No-one from Fab Four still knows about Manik's confession. Cabir and Abhi gazed at Nandini who was still standing at the threshold looking at her daughter meeting Manik. They both looked at each other with a helpless face. They both wanted to tell Manik about whatever they know, but before that they want to be sure that this is the ultimate truth. Abhi wasn't trusting Moksh for some certain reasons, and Cabir supported Abhi.
Manik picked up Anahita in his arms and kissed her forehead which earned him a big smile from her. He was amused when Anahita with her small palms caressed his left cheek softly.
"Loktal."
"Hnji?"
(Yes)
"I love you!!" Manik's heart melted more faster than ice melt in fire. He himself doesn't know but the little kid's three words were enough to bring tears in his eyes. Fab Four saw the duo with awe and smile and Nandini who entered as caretaker bought her in, was stunned seeing the scene unfolding in front of her eyes. Seeing Anahita hiding her face in Manik's neck, she felt an unknown emotion, something she couldn't name or point out.
Manik kissed Anahita's head as she snuggled in his neck and looked at Nandini.
"I love you more. Always!", Nandini inhaled a sharp breath as his eyes directly held hers and she hurriedly averted her gaze. But Fab Four raised their eyebrows in surprise looking at the view. They weren't exactly sure that if Manik indirectly confessed to Nandini or he did confessed her.
Nandini moved to the other kids and smiled at them as they met her. Mukti and Navya went to her to greet her and Cabir and Abhi moved to Manik who was chatting with the kids with Anahita in his lap.
"Very chalaak bro, very chalaak." Manik ignored Cabir and Abhi chuckled and they also started chatting with the kids. Soon all kids surrounded Manik as he was telling them some story. His friends were also enjoying his story while Nandini stood in one corner at a distance. She shook her head in No at her daughter when she gestured her to come there near her with her hand, which was very well noticed by Manik but he didn't said anything.
(Chalaak- clever)
Nandini was leaning with the wall looking at the charismatic figure in front of her. How effortlessly he was making every person around him fall for him was not surprising for her. And then he laughed at something a kid said and she felt herself admiring it. As he laughed, she feels as if she never want it to stop because hearing it makes a part of her light up inside like a firework and suddenly, the world doesn't seem as quiet anymore.
Manik who was feeling a strong gaze on him suddenly looked at the piece of his heart who was standing in a corner. He chuckled when he saw her averting her gaze hurriedly, again. He saw her moving out of the room and exhaled deeply.
Nandini found herself sitting near a tree in the playing campus made for the kids. She was confused with herself, and this confusion was frustrating for her. She rested her head with the trunk of the tree and closed her eyes, which were fluttered open when a whiff of charcoal fragrance hit her nose. She knew this fragrance and when she looked above she saw the man with fragrance standing in front of her shielding her from the sunrays which were directly falling on her face. She stood up from her place and saw Manik standing there with a smile.
"I- You." She fumbled with her words.
"You left one word, nai?" He said, mischievousness floating in his eyes.
"Huh?" Nandini confusingly looked at him who was standing with a mischievous smile but she didn't understood the meaning of his words.
"Kuch nai Meri Jaan, just came to give you this." Nandini was preplexed hearing his words. She was confused as he really said those words or she just imagined. Coming to the conclusion that, she was imagining things, she looked at Manik's hand which had her bracelet that must've fell in the room upstairs.
Manik was trying to bit back his smile as he saw the cute frowns of confusion on her face. He saw her fiddling with her fingers standing there as he looked at her which her averted because making her feel loved was his aim, not to make her feel uncomfortable.
"What are you doing here alone?" Nandini saw him grazing the beautiful flowers and plants softly.
"Nothing. I- just. Like that." Manik smiled as she shrugged innocently. But his smiled disappeared as he realised that how brutally she had to pay for this innocence. His blood boiled thinking about the person who chose his pleasure above the happiness and future of a girl.
Strangely, Nandini didn't liked the silence which erupted. Although she didn't wanted to stay close to him but her feet didn't allowed her to move out from there. She saw Manik's face blank but his eyes showed anger, which confused her, but she stayed silent.
Manik came out of trance when he heard the sounds of clouds. The weather turned pleasent and he felt cool Breeze caressing his face. His gaze fell on Nandini and he was awestruck with the sight as she had a small smile on her face as breeze would kiss her face.
Manik's feet involuntarily took him to her as he held her small hand and saw her eyes fluttered open. She gasped as he pulled her into his chest and in a reflex she kept her palms on his chest, where her right palm was directly above his heart through the t-shirt. He felt her breathing uneven and she felt his heartbeat frantic. Both kept staring in each other's eyes as the wind sang the rhythm. Manik tucked her strands behind her ears and caressed her soft cheeks softly. His hold on her was so soft that it was difficult to tell if he was actually holding her. He saw her closing her eyes when he placed his warm lips on her forehead. He kept caressing her cheeks to feel the softness of them on his rough fingers.
"I should turn you into a poetry," he said. "But you deserve more than the half truths and half lies that most poetry consists of. You deserve to be more than my poem, more than my muse that I just think of every now and then. You deserve this, us, the reality of now, and not some fictionalized version of us"
"You said something?" Manik looked at Nandini and frowned when found her standing seven feet away from her. He looked down at his place and found himself still standing at the same place. He closed his eyes and shook her head to come out of his dream. A dream, he wished to be true. A dream of them to be together. He looked at her who was standing looking at him with confusion waiting for the answer.
"No. I- nothing." He shaked his head in no giving her a smile who was still looking sceptical but let it go. Manik saw her taking the previous seat she was sitting, on the ground with the support of tree. He smiled and touched the flowers remembering his dream. It felt so real. Surreal.
"Manik!!" For once Manik felt that he was again watching a dream as he heard her soft voice calling his name. But when he looked at her who was staring at him he moved towards her and bobbed his head after taking a seat in front of her.
"You- you said. That day- you said that- that you."
"That I Love You. If you're trying to ask that is it true or not, then yes Nandini. I don't do pranks on girls and say I Love You to any random person. I said it, because I meant it." Nandini saw the honesty in his eyes and when she couldn't tolerate the intensity she averted her gaze and looked sideways. Manik's heart did felt hurt when he saw her avoiding his gaze, but he now know to handle himself and didn't let the hurt flash in his eyes. Silence prevailed between them. Both wanted to say alot, but both chose to stay quite.
"You shouldn't." Manik chuckled and Nandini saw him looking up in the sky.
"Am sorry, but that's not in my hand." he said, "but even if it was in my hand, I would've chose you." He grinned at last and Nandini looked at him with disbelief. Why this man is so so Idiot, she wondered. Why does he wants to hurt himself.
"You don't know a lot about me Manik. You'll feel disgusted with me once you know. You'll get hurt at the end. Please save yourself Manik. I'll never forgive myself if I become the reason of your sufferings." Manik had the strong urge to pull the girl in his arms. He felt himself trembling realising the fact that how broken she must be to think all this. She thinks he will feel disguised with her after knowing her truth? Her this thought told him that how badly she has ruptured herself. His hands fisted when he couldn't even took her in his arms to show her, to tell her that how pure she is.
"Beleive me Nandini, I can never feel disgusted with you. And you can never be the reason of my Pain, and even if you are, I'll gladly endure that for your Love." Nandini stared at him with helplessness.
His words, his actions, his gestures are not doing any good with her. The way he looks at her as if she is the only star to look upon in the darkness, the way he speaks with her, so softly so tenderly. This all is scaring her, scaring her that she will end up trusting him and falling in love with him only to be left broken at the end. He needs to leave. He isn't good for her heart. And at that moment she decided to tell him the ugliest truth of her, after which he won't even want to look at her let alone loving her. She wiped the tear that fell from her eye and looked straight in his eyes.
"Manik. Fine. If you say, you lo-love me, then you need to know this about me. I- I- I was fif-fifteen when I- I was..."
"Nandini!!" she paused as he spoke in between.
"Shabdon ko adhron par rakhkar Mann ke bhed na kholo.
Main aakhon se sun sakta hun,
Tum aakhon se bolo!!!"
Nandini's breath hitched as she heard him. She couldn't speak anything. She couldn't move after that. She kept staring in those black orbs who were staring right back at her directly into her soul. She felt the lump forming in her throat as he smiled a little.
"Trust me Nandini, no-one more than me wants to know the reason of your pain. But I don't want you to tell me anything because you want me to un-love you. I want to hear the story of your survival, when you will start loving and trusting me. And I promise you, I won't run away. You'll always found me beside you. Always Nandini!"
Nandini blinked her eyes as she saw him raising his hand in air and although he never touched her, she somehow felt his touch. She saw him kissing his own fingers and he slowly took those fingers and touched her forehead with them. Nandini's eyes fluttered close feeling the touch, feeling the kiss.
Manik smiled and retraced his hand before standing up and took back steps, his gaze always on her who was still sitting there with closed eyes.
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Manik entered in the room where all the children of orphanage were gathered alongwith Anahita and Fab Four. He frowned when he saw Anahita had tears in her eyes and Fab Four were trying to calm her down. He hurriedly went in and took her in his arms and sat on a chair.
"Princess? What happen? Are you hurt somewhere?" At the end he looked at Fab Four for answers and looked back at Anahita when she clutched his shirt.
"Loktal, they all- no Mumma, no Papa." Manik looked at the kids and then at the sensitive kiddo in his lap.
"No Baby, God is there no? He is their Mumma, and he is there father too." Anahita blinked her eyes and looked at the kids and then at him who nodded with a small smile.
"They no alone?" She again asked innocently and Manik shook his head in no while wiping her tears.
"No-one is alone in this world bacha." Anahita gave him a big smile at that and he kissed her forehead with all the love.
Nandini who just entered in the room witnessed the scene and her own face was reflected with a small smile, which faded away hearing Anahita's next question.
"Loktal, who is Papa?" Manik bit his lip at the innocent question and looked at Fab Four who also mirrored his reaction. Manik looked back at Anahita when she cupped his face and made him look at her.
"Umm, okay. Someone with whom you feel safe and someone who would always protect you from every harm." Anahita nodded with a deep thinking face and Manik sighed as she didn't asked anything further.
"So, that means you are My Papa. Becoz you potect me. Haina?" Manik sat shocked and so does Nandini and Fab Four.
(Becoz- Because| potect- Protect)
"Loktal tell me naa, Will you be my Papa?"
(Loktal- Rockstar)
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What would be Loktal's answer to the cutest proposal?
This was a cute chapter, correct me if I'm wrong.
A few lines about my Manik, he is the epitome of love, nai?
He freaking called Nandini "Meri Jaan" hayeeee <<<333 I'll die the day someone will call me with this name.
Do you think he did right stopping Nandini from saying anything or everything?
And his dream? Tell me who thought that was real?
And yes the MaNan kind of forehead kiss, please tell me it wasn't cringe. I'll die warna 😭
And now few words for our Iti Baby? 🥺
Few words for me 🤪 (jk if you're going to ignore it🥴)
Anyone who already saw the kind of spoiler thingy on Instagram?
Rate it Outta ten? (Kinda excited)
Do vote and comment or simply share your reviews in DM.
3403 words!
~A ♡