Nandini was not in the room when Manik got home. Instead, there was a note asking him to be on the terrace after freshening up. Desperate to talk to her, Manik kept the bouquet of flowers he had bought for her on the bed and got in the bathroom to tidy up.

Nandini on the other hand was on the terrace. She had not done much but just prepared a dinner date with the help of Abhimanyu and Mukti. Nandini didn't trust anyone else properly to let them know about her problems with Manik.

Now she was here, all ready in his favourite color - a red colored saree she had to borrow from Mukti because all the orders she made today would be delivered by tomorrow or day after. She hoped Manik would like it.

Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes into half an hour before she finally heard calm and firm footsteps. She didn't turn around because Nandini knew that the moment she would face him, words would fail her yet again.

Manik: Nandini?

Manik sounded surprised. Her hands shook in nervousness and she gripped the railing hard to control her own body.

Nandini: Manik. Thank you for coming here.

Thank you for not abandoning me even if I gave you reasons to. Nandini thought but didn't say. It was not about her, it was about Manik today.

Manik: What are you doing? What is all this?

She turned around this time, and she watched his eyes go wide. If he had not noticed her saree before, he did now. Nandini looked ethereal standing there with her hair swaying a little by the wind. God, Manik won for life.

He let a smile graze his face as he stepped forward.

Manik: Did you borrow this from Mukti?

She nodded, not even surprised that he had read her like an open book.

Nandini: You are not angry anymore.

She told. Manik didn't look exactly happy. He had worry, guilt and shame in his eyes. Nandini noticed the bouquet in his hands and she knew it was for her.

Manik: I was but then dad told me everything. Why didn't you say, Nandini?

Nandini: Because you didn't even hear me. You were so angry, Manik!

Right. Manik didn't listen to her. He cursed himself as he stepped forward, coming in front of her and cupping her cheek. He kissed her forehead and smiled when she stared at him with wide eyes.

Manik handed her the bouquet of flowers.

Manik: I know it is very pathetic after behaving like that, but I could not think of anything else.

Nandini shook her head. Her eyes welled up in tears and she wiped them immediately.

Nandini: It is still better than my pathetic attempt at cooking.

Manik chuckled. He held her hand and took her to the table she had set in the middle of the terrace. It was nothing grand but a simple candle light dinner. Manik made her sit on the chair and sat down in front of her, on his knees.

Nandini: Manik, what are you -

Manik: Sh, let me say okay?

She nodded, falling silent and he looked down for a moment.

Manik: I am sorry, Nandini. I think I was so much into my own world, so much wrapped around in my own feelings - I failed to recognise yours. I just wanted you to accept me. I never thought if you were having a hard time on your own.

He shook his head, with a sad chuckle.

Manik: Actually, I didn't care enough to know what you were going through. I got angry at your friends for apologizing again and again back then and now, I ended up doing the similar thing. I kept confessing my feelings for you, but never stopped and thought if you were fine with them.

Nandini: You were not wrong, Manik. It was me who was being stubborn.

Manik: I was. I should not have included Veebha in the whole mess. I should have taken a different approach. I could have asked for your help too with the land but I ended up taking that decision in impulse. And last night, I am sorry again. I should not have behaved that way. I just - I thought you would have let me marry Veebha even after knowing I didn't love her or what kind of woman she was.

Nandini shook her immediately.

Nandini: No, I was going to stop the marriage at any cost, Manik. In fact, I was coming to you but Raj uncle came and he said all that.

She shrugged off.

Manik: I know. Dad told me he forced you to do it and why he had to force you. We need a long conversation, Nandini.

Nandini: About?

Manik: About the fact that you deserve to be loved and cherished as much as I do. The fact that you are no less just because you went through something.

Nandini almost looked embarrassed that his father had told him that too. She wanted to throw her arms around his neck and hide her face for it seemed like a better option. Manik seemed to have read her mind as he stood up and held her hand, gently guiding her to stand as well and then took her in a tight hug.

Surrounded by the warmth of his arms, she broke down. It started as tears first, then little sobs shook her body before she was crying in his arms, wetting his shirt with her tears.

Nandini: I- I am sorry for pushing you away, Manik.

Manik pulled away, a soft sigh leaving his lips seeing her cry so much. She wouldn't even look at him as she cried.

Nandini: Y- You know, Sid bhai or now everyone including you thinks I fell for you from those concert videos but it was all a lie. I fell for you before that, from the very first picture I saw of you, I knew you were the one for me. Aliya's bodyguard sent me some pictures and videos of your group for something and it was when I came across yours. I couldn't have told Bhai about it because he wouldn't have believed me. I listened to your music after I was in love with you, Manik.

A soft smile covered Manik's face. They were for sure meant to be. Because if they were not, there was no explanation to this.

Manik: You should have approached me back then, why did you not?

Nandini: Because I didn't know if you hated me or if you will even befriend me over texts or phone. Aliya and I were not exactly close. I had no idea what you thought of me, that's why I planned the trip to India but nothing went my way. S- Soha died, and I got into an accident. I even knew from before Fab5 would participate in the music competition and I thought it would be easy to control my feelings, Manik but I was so wrong.

Manik: Your eyes gave away your feelings. I knew you felt for me even when you said you didn't.

She nodded, and he waited for her to speak. It was not daily Nandini told him about her feelings and now that she was, Manik was going to make sure he knew everything that troubled her, everything he had failed to see and hear in the past week.

Nandini: You were never supposed to fall for me, Manik. It was supposed to be a professional competition and then you would fly back but instead you got tangled in all my life's mess. I was a bad news for you. You see, my parents died because of me -

Manik: Nandini -

Nandini: No let me say. My mother died while giving birth to me, and my father, he died because of me. Soha died because of me too. Had I not called her there, she would have never died. I caused it. I would have come to India, we could have been friends or married by now. We would have been happy, Manik but I ruined it all. I am sorry!

Manik shook his head, helpless and guilty he didn't see this coming. How come he had no idea she was hiding so many insecurities behind her anger and rudeness?

Manik: No. How do you know what would have happened had you come there? Do you know how immature I was back then? Maybe I would have never looked past the fact you are Aliya's step sister whom she hated. I would have seen things from her perspective because you too would always be on loggerheads and maybe, just maybe I would have never chosen love over my friendship, Nandini. Maybe if we didn't meet back then, it had a reason. I mean, look at us - I didn't plan to fall in love during the competition, especially with the owner of the company hosting it who also turned out to be my best friend's step sister but now we are married.

Nandini could not argue. It was true it could have happened. Nandini was prepared for it somewhere back then because from what she gathered from his information, Manik was someone who could do anything for his friends.

Nandini: I know. I heard all you did to save them so many times.

Manik chuckled embarrassingly, rubbing his nape and looked down.

Manik: I couldn't let things go out of my hands, could I?

Nandini shook her head and a sad smile came over her face suddenly.

Nandini: I wish I could have turned back the clock and changed things, Manik. I miss Soha so much, and I feel bad for Harshad bhai. Abhi bhai left his own company in the hands of the management team and became a manager at mine for me, and I gave him such a hard time. Sid bhai hid things for me and I kept getting rude to him. Aryaman, Madhayam - I don't know how to handle things.

Manik: Is that why you forgave all of them?

She nodded.

Nandini: I can't change the past, Manik. What's done is done. They won't stop until I do and I can't stop getting angry and upset thinking about it again and again. It is better to let the bygones be gone.

Manik: Yes, that's right but you do know, your anger is justified, right? I understand Harshad lost Soha, Abhimanyu left his company for you and Sid was covering up for the truth. Aryaman and Madhayam - I understand but they brought it upon themselves, Nandini. They refused to trust you, Sid chose to hide things from you. You have all the rights to be angry.

Nandini nodded, agreeing. Manik paused for a moment and then looked at the table.

Manik: I am so hungry, why don't we eat first?

Nandini: It must have gotten cold.

Manik: Did you cook?

She shook her head.

Nandini: Ordered. I can't cook.

Manik: and the kheer?

Nandini: YouTube. It was easy.

Manik laughed. Of course she loved challenges. People learn how to cook basics first, his dear wife learnt how to make kheer.

Manik: It is okay, I will teach you.

And he laughed again at the twinkle in her eyes. As if he would even let her cook daily. Nandini was so unaware of how much she was going to be loved and cherished, all because she deserved every bit of it.

Manik: I love you.

Nandini smiled, for the first time hearing his confession and Manik could swear he heard the piano and guitar in the background. Is that what it felt like? The whole damn zoo in his stomach? His breath hitching in his throat? The heart flutters?

Nandini: I love you too.

Manik responded by kissing her full on her lips. Nandini froze for a few moments in his hold before she kissed him back, hand traveling to his shoulder and he smiled in between the kiss, pulling her closer by her waist.

Taking in every bit of the moment, and making the most out of it.