Manik walked into the house followed by the rest of FAB5 and Navya. All of them were deciding to change into comfortable clothes and gather in Cabir and Dhruv's room to chill later. However, Manik's Dad interrupted their conversation.
Mr. Malhotra - Manik, tumse kuch important baat karni hai. Let's have a drink together?
Manik - Okay Dad.
He turned to his friends.
Manik - Tum log chill karo. I'll join you guys in a bit.
Just then, he saw Nandini running up the stairs trying to pass on a bottle of water to a butler for Navya's room.
Manik - NANDINI! Slow down!
He yelled out at her.
Nandini - I'm fine Manik. Stop overreacting.
This girl was limping a few minutes ago and now she's running around and she's asking him to not overreact. The butler, who had gone to buy Nandini's medicines, came over to Manik handing him all the medicines.
Manik - Thank you. Dad, main half an hour mein aapse milta hoon. Nandini ko yeh medicines deni hai. Aur main bhi change karke aata hoon.
Mr. Malhotra once again noticed that Nandini was before everyone else, even him.
Mr. Malhotra - Theek hai. I'm waiting.
All of them retired to their rooms to change into comfortable clothes. Manik entered his room to see Nandini holding up her hair and looking for a hair band to tie her hair up. He loved Nandini's hair let down. Free and flying, just like her spirit. But Nandini had a habit to tie them up towards the end of the day. It was her way of telling herself that the day was over and she needed to tidy up everything that happened in the day and keep it away until the next day starts. A gesture which said she'd leave the outside world outside of her bedroom and have a peaceful night. She went to the dresser to look for some cotton and a make up remover but couldn't find it. He in the meanwhile left her heels near the dresser so she could place them wherever she wanted.
Nandini - Manik... where are all my things? Jo puraane dresser mein rakhe the?
Manik - It'll be with all the clothes only. In the closet.
Nandini went into the closet and found her makeup remover, her night face cream and a pair of pajamas to change into.
Manik, in the meanwhile, removed his tuxedo jacket, his waistcoat and untied the bow-tie. He removed the cufflinks and kept them back carefully into the box and stored them safely in the bedside table drawer before he lost them. He'd put them safely in the closet later when Nandini finished setting it up.
Nandini - Manik...
He was keeping his phone to charge when he heard her call.
Manik - Hmmm?
Nandini - Tum keh rahe the that your surprise is incomplete. But yeh Toh complete hai? Isme aur kya pending hai?
Manik - Tumhare study pe lights fix karna baaki hai. That electrician got the wrong lights or something. So he had to go and exchange it. And aaj, he had to focus on the event Toh reh gaya. He said he'll do it kal.
Nandini - Hmmm.
Nandini had finished removing her makeup and was now trying to unzip her dress and again, the zip was stuck.
Nandini - Unzip this na. Please. Phir se it's stuck.
Manik - Phir se?
Manik went to her and was trying to unzip her dress when he decided to tease her a little bit.
Manik - Looks like you've put on some weight. Zip is getting stuck and all. Ghar baithe baithe moti ho rahi ho.
He pulled onto her cheeks and was now expecting Nandini to blast at him any moment for this comment but what happened next completely surprised him.
Nandini - Maybe. Last few weeks I have eaten a lot more due to exam stress. Maybe I'll just cut down on sugar from tomorrow. And also start some form of workout.
Manik was so surprised about how she didn't make it a big deal about growing fat unlike every other girl he knew. But again, this was Nandini and she was different. Uniquely different.
Manik - Main mazaak kar raha tha. I was trying to pull your leg. You haven't put on any weight. Chill. You don't have to cut down on sugar and all. This zip is a little crooked beech mein. Isiliye it's getting stuck baar baar.
Nandini - No but your right. I've eaten too much junk recently. And forget being fat, it's important to be fit and healthy.
He finally managed to undo the zip and Nandini held her gown on her chest to prevent it from falling down. Manik pulled onto her head and kissed her temple and slightly whispered into her ear.
Manik - You're one of a kind. That's why I love you the most.
Nandini - I love you too. Now I'm going for a shower and then I'm going to have a good night's sleep and wake up super late tomorrow. No exams and no studying for sometime now.
Manik - Haan. Aur mujhe bhi holiday mil gaya for the 5 am coffees.
Nandini - 5 am coffee nahi but 10 am coffee tum hi banaoge. I've missed your coffees.
Manik - Of course madam. At your service. Anyway, jaldi shower lena, I need to give you your medicines and put that ointment on your foot before you sleep.
Nandini - 5 mins.
Nandini quickly went into the washroom for a shower while Manik was busy checking his phone to get the social media's reaction to their performance. Cabir had also put on a few pictures and a short clip of their performance online and he was checking all the comments there.
Now that the day was over, he was thinking about all that had happened today. It was a long day for sure. But a lot of things had happened today and the weirdest thing was his Dad turning up. He had not attended the annual Malhotra party in years. What had suddenly brought him to Mumbai after so long? He didn't even remember mentioning too many details about this launch to his dad assuming that he'd not be interested. And he didn't even expect him to. His parents had not been a part of his daily life, his ups or downs in the past and now he didn't even expect them to be a part of any in the future. For him, it was enough if only Nandini was there. She was his family, his world and his soul and he didn't need anyone anymore. Yes, FAB5 was also his family too. But Nandini was more than that. And she was the only one he needed to be beside him to share his achievements, his happiness, his moments of weakness and sadness and someone he'd want to come back home to. It didn't matter if anyone else was there or not. So why was his Dad here? What was even more suspicious was that he and Nyonika hadn't had a verbal spat today. Was there something happening which was beyond what was meeting the eye? Did Manik's dad really want to be a part of Manik's achievement or was it some other reason? The only way he'd find that out was when he spoke to him.
Nandini came out of the washroom in her pajamas, put her towel to dry, and came onto the bed where she found Manik staring into space. She sat on his right side, picked his right arm and put it around her, while she snuggled into him a little more. He tightened his hold around her but was still lost in thought. After a while of staying in silence, she poked a finger at his stomach.
Nandini - Where are you lost? Give me attention!
Manik looked at her and smiled. She was in one of those kid moods today. She wouldn't demand his attention like this normally.
Manik - Yes, my love. All my attention is yours. What's on your mind?
Nandini - That's what I want to ask you? What are you lost thinking about?
Manik - I was thinking about Dad turning up today. Maine unko zyaada kuch bola bhi nahi tha about this launch but he still came. It's just odd.
Nandini - Isme odd kya hai? He came to be a part of your big milestone. You should be happy Manik.
Manik - No. it's not like that. I just think there's something more to it. He wouldn't come all the way just for the launch.
Nandini - Stop thinking so much Manik. Even if he has some other work along with coming for the album launch, how does it make a difference. The important part is that he was there for you on your big day. And you need to tell him how happy you are to see him.
Manik - Hmmm. Probably.
They sat there in silence for sometime. Just the feeling of them being with each other after so long was beautiful.
Nandini - Manik...
Manik - Hmmm...
Nandini - Can you just hug me super super tight? Like really really tight? Please?
Manik - Of course. Come here.
Manik pulled her a little shifting her onto his lap and hugged her right. Nandini would her hands and legs around him hugging him even more. The two of them stayed like that for what felt like eternity. He occasionally dropped kisses on her shoulder and neck.
Nandini - I missed you so much Manik. And by missing, I didn't miss the kissing or the make outs or the sex, I just missed you being around. Like just being there. Even if you're doing your own thing like playing the guitar or eating or sleeping. You must think I'm the weirdest person on earth but I don't care. You just being around makes a lot of difference. It makes me feel happy and safe. And when you're not there, it feels like a part of me is missing. Am I even making sense?
Manik - Absolutely and completely. I feel the exact same thing.
She smiled when he said that and pulled him into a deep kiss. The two of them kissed and kissed and kissed till they were out of breath. Nandini had a beautiful and a dazed smile on her face after. But she also looked very tired. Manik gently made her sit down on the bed, gave her the painkillers, put the ointment on her foot and secured her foot with the ankle brace. He then made her lay down and covered her with a blanket and switched off the lights. He was about to move away when she held his hand making him sit next to her.
Nandini - Tum kahaan jaa rahe ho? Sleep with me?
Manik - I'll come back in a bit. Dad ne bulaaya hai.
Nandini - What? Why didn't you tell me earlier? Aur tum kabse time pass kar rahe ho? Why are you making him wait like this?
Manik - Relax Nandini. I told him I'll come in half an hour. I still have 5 mins more.
Nandini - Okay.
Manik - I'll be back soon and I'll hold you so tight until morning that you won't be able to move.
Nandini - Looking forward to it Mr. Malhotra. Ab jaldi jao aur jaldi aao.
He bent down and kissed her forehead and went out of his room, shutting the room behind.
He came down to the living room to see his Dad making himself a drink.
Manik - Dad.
Mr. Malhotra - Manik. Finally time mil gaya apne Dad se milne ka?
Manik - Aisa kuch nahi hai Dad. You know how the day has been.
Mr. Malhotra - I know. I saw. By the way, it was a fantastic performance. All of you were very good. And you were very good too.
Manik - Thanks Dad. I'm glad you came.
Mr. Malhotra made Manik a drink too and both the father and son sat down to have a chat after a long long time.
Mr. Malhotra - So, aur kya chal raha hai tumhari life mein?
Manik was taken aback by this question. His Dad and him never discussed his life. They usually discussed work and current affairs and Nyonika. But this was a first.
Manik - Nothing much Dad. I mean just college and competitions and ab yeh album?
Mr. Malhotra - Aur phir, iske baad?
Manik - Iske baad matlab?
Mr. Malhotra - Iske baad kya plans hai tumhare? Next year tumhara graduation bhi ho jayega. Uske baad kya kya karna hai socha hai tumne?
Manik - I don't know Dad. Abhi socha nahi hai. I mean it all depends on this album and how that turns out. And if we get responses or any other offers post that. We haven't planned anything yet.
Mr. Malhotra - Hmm. Manik, just a hypothetical question. What's your Plan B?
Manik - Plan B?
Mr. Malhotra - If your music career doesn't land up being successful, what are your other career options?
Manik - I don't know Dad. Music has always been a passion for me. Maine kai saalon se music ke alaawa aur koi career options ke baare mein socha bhi nahi hai. And besides, why wouldn't it be successful, aapne humaara aaj ka performance toh dekha na? We were awesome.
Mr. Malhotra - I agree. Tumhare aaj ka performance bohot accha tha but Manik, talent is not the only thing that makes one successful. Talent ke saath saath, you need discipline, dedication, management, marketing, networking and so on. Aur FAB5 ke case mein tum sab ka utna hi commitment hona chahiye. All your goals need to be aligned. Aur agar tum sab mein se kisi ek ke bhi goals alag hue, then all 5 of you will lose your careers. Aur jahaan tak aaj maine tum sabko observe kiya, tum log on-stage toh bohot acche se ek doosre ko samajte ho, par off-stage par all of you are not on the same page. I don't want to get into the details of what I saw. Because I know you know your friends better than me. But all I'm trying to say is that you should think of a Plan B, just in case FAB5 doesn't work out.
Manik got a little angry when he mentioned that FAB5 won't make it. That's a dream he had seen since he was a child and when they had formed the band. It was just ruthless the way his Dad said it might not work out. However, he controlled his anger thinking that maybe his Dad has a point. And he should probably listen to what he had to say.
Manik - So what do you think my Plan B should be?
Mr. Malhotra - You tell me. Music ke alawa, what is it that you'd like to do?
Manik thought hard about this. There really wasn't anything he wanted to pursue other than music. The tours, the music deals and the concerts with his friends is what he had pictured his life to be like.
Manik - I don't know Dad. I only ever wanted one career and I think it is just music.
Mr. Malhotra - There must be something else you must be good at. That comes to you naturally? Something you think can be a good alternative career option?
Manik - No Dad. I can't think of anything.
Mr. Malhotra - Well you have some introspection to do, son. But of what I know you, you have a natural business sense. So your Plan B should be business. Maybe try working for a couple of years, or do an MBA and see if you're interested?
The moment Mr. Malhotra said business, Manik stopped listening to him.
Manik - Please Dad. Stop it. I don't want to do business and certainly not join Malhotra industries.
Mr. Malhotra - At least hear me out Manik. I'm not asking you to join Malhotra industries. I'm just asking you to have your options open and I think you would be good at business. Main yeh nahi keh raha hoon ki isme mera koi personal gain nahi hai. I'll be very happy if you decide to take the business forward. But only if you want it.
Manik - No ways Dad. I am not pursuing business. Chahe kuch bhi ho jaaye. And anyway, I think I should concentrate and give it all to music. Music banana is not a joke. It takes a lot of time. Business and MBA ke liye mere paas time nahi hai. I'm sorry.
Mr. Malhotra - Seriously? Time nahi hai? Time nahi hai ki karna nahi hai?
Manik - Aapko jo sochna hai aap socho. But I am not pursuing business.
Mr. Malhotra - Toh phir tumhara kya plan hai? What if FAB5 doesn't work out. Tumhare friends aur tumhare beech mujhe already bohot saare difference dikh rahe hai. Dhruv and you are not talking to each other. Alya is also not talking to Dhruv. Cabir's priority is that pregnant girl, Mukti is very casual about everything aur tumhari priority bhi ab Nandini hai. So how do you guys think you're going to work this band out?
Manik was surprised that his Dad had actually noticed all of it just by observing them for a few hours.
Manik - I don't know Dad. Humne iske baare mein ab tak baat nahi ki hai. But I'm sure things will work out. We're not that weak. Our friendship is not that weak.
Mr. Malhotra - Main friendship ki baat kar hi nahi raha hoon. Main tumhare career ki baat kar raha hoon. And you shouldn't confuse your band with your friendship too. If your band disintegrates, doesn't mean your friendship is lost too. As a matter of fact; it'll save your friendship. All that jealousy, competition and money is not very good for friendship. But that's a different topic altogether. All I am asking you is that if FAB5 doesn't make it big or your band disintegrates, what are your other options? Have you thought about this practically?
Manik - No Dad. I haven't. All I know is that I don't need a Plan B.
Mr. Malhotra - But isme problem kya hai? Why are you so hell bent on not having a backup plan? Does it have anything to do with your girlfriend?
Manik - Isme Nandini kahaan se aa gayi? What has she got to do with any of this?
Mr. Malhotra - Well, what else can possibly be a reason? You have made no decisions about your career. No plans. Nothing. You're 20 years old Manik. Iss age mein kids your age are achieving what not and you're busy running behind a girl.
Manik - Dad. Don't go there.
Mr. Malhotra - Why shouldn't I? Tumhe tumhare career ke baare mein kuch bhi nahi socha hai. All you can think of is Nandini. I mean look at both of you. Tumhara koi kaam uske bina nahi hota. You don't eat without her, you don't sleep without her, you don't perform without her, you're going around college beating around students who harass her. You've fought with your best friend for her. You get off stage, in front of the whole world and hug her because you sing an emotional song. Aur usse ek choti si chot lagti hai and you lose your mind. What is all this? All this over possessiveness and over protectiveness is for what?
Manik - Please Dad. Stay out of my relationship with Nandini. It's none of your concern.
Mr. Malhotra - I don't even want to get involved in it. But I don't want you to throw your future away just because you are in love. Manik, you are 20 years old and both are almost living with each other. Yeh age nahi hai tumhari shaadi karne ki.
Manik - We're not getting married, Dad. We haven't even thought about it yet.
Mr. Malhotra - But you both most definitely behave like a married couple. Why don't you realise that you're throwing your life away because all your attention is on her. Aur main yeh nahi keh raha that you shouldn't have a girlfriend. It's normal for you kids to be in relationships nowadays. But all this over intense, over possessive, paagalon wala pyaar kya hai? You were so smart, practical and sometimes even ruthless when it came to protecting your interests and were determined and ready to go to any lengths to achieve what you wanted and look at you now, rose-tinted glasses pehen kar baithe ho. What has happened to you? Stop being so seriously involved and think about yourself and your life a little practically.
Manik gave out his sarcastic laugh on hearing him.
Manik - So aap isiliye aaye the aaj?
Mr. Malhotra - What?
Manik - You came here not to 'support' your son for his first ever album launch but you came here to analyse my relationship with Nandini, isn't it? I'm assuming Nyonika has spoken to you, right?
Mr. Malhotra was a little surprised at how Manik knew that Nyonika had spoken to him.
Manik - What? You're surprised on how I know about this? Well, let me clear it to you. I am still that smart and ruthless son of yours. It wasn't so difficult to put two and two together.
Mr. Malhotra - Manik, you know that I wouldn't believe what Nyonika told me. Agar maine believe kar liya hota toh I would've not bothered coming here. I wanted to see for myself if there was any truth to what Nyonika was saying.
Manik - And then you came here, observed Nandini and me for 1 day and made a judgement about our relationship? Did you even try to have a conversation with me or her about this? Do you know what she told me before I came to meet you? She told me to come to you and thank you for coming over to see my performance and to tell you how much it meant to me. When I told her that I thought you had your own agenda for coming down, which I was right by the way, she told me it didn't matter even if you did because what was important was that you were there for me today. But usse kya pata tha that this man here, who is my dad, wants to break us up.
Mr. Malhotra - Look Manik. I'm not asking you to break up with her or anything. I'm just trying to get you to think practically about your future and I think she is clouding your judgement. I'm sure she is a very nice girl but 20 saal ki umar mein you don't meet your life partners and your 'one true love'. Life is hard and it keeps getting more and more difficult. Relationships are harder. People and relationships fall apart when life gets difficult. Don't be stupid in love and throw your opportunities away for a relationship you don't even know will last forever. This is the time for a career. Concentrate on that.
Manik - You know what Dad. You say life will get harder. And relationships fall apart when life gets harder. But what makes you think that I don't already know that? My own parents decided to almost disown me from their lives claiming 'life got difficult' for them and conveniently walked out on me when I was still a child. You think that wasn't difficult for me? I became a deal between you and Nyonika since I was a child, you think that wasn't difficult enough for me? Nyonika kept taking advantage of every little mistake I made and made me pay for it every single time. You think that wasn't hard for me? And the fact that you knew it all and still never cared enough to come for me. And you think life was easy for me so far. But guess what Dad, Nandini has always been there for me. Right from the time she stepped into my life till today and that's why I can tell you that she'll stand by me through everything because she has stood by me when I was at my worst. You know, I always keep telling Nandini on how we both shouldn't bother making others understand our relationship. Har koi humaari relationship nahi samaj payega. But I wish you had tried to have a conversation with us to know about our relationship and not spoken to others and made a judgement. You're an intelligent man, Dad and you know that there's always another side to a story and there's a reason why we both are so protective and possessive about each other. The reason she's protective about me is because she has seen how Nyonika has taken advantage of me. She's been there for me when I was going to have my arm amputated and when I was framed for a murder by my own mother and also when all my friends had abandoned me. I am protective and possessive about her because Nyonika instigated a perverted teacher to kidnap her. And one of the girls who was crazy about me tried to murder her just because we both were in love with her each other. Do you think we'd have to face things worse than this in life? If yes, then let life bring them on because if we've managed to get past all of this, I'm sure we'll be able to get past the rest too.
Mr. Malhotra was shocked when he heard all of this. He couldn't believe Nandini and Manik had gone through so much in the past and most of it was because of Nyonika.
Mr. Malhotra - Sorry Manik. Mujhe nahi pata tha.
Manik - Exactly Dad. Aapko aadhi se zyaada cheezein pata hi nahi hoti but you still come down all the way and make judgements. And if you think I'm not serious about my career, iss sab chaos ke beech mein, we still managed to crack an album, which no one in SPACE has managed till date and that album was launched today. Also, Nandini is pursuing her dream of becoming an astrophysicist like her late father for which she had an entrance exam today. So we both realise that our careers are important and we support each other through it. But I heard you when you said I don't have a Plan B and I will think about it and get back to you soon but there is no way in hell Nandini is going away from my life.
Manik walked away leaving a confused and an upset Mr. Malhotra behind.