Hey guys! Sorry for disappearing. But got busy with my work.

Here is the new chapter. Do vote, like, comment and share guys.

Avoid mistakes if any.

2k words ka chapter

16.05.2023

"Bhaiiiii!" Mahak shouted coming inside her brother's room not caring about his friend sleeping beside him. Manik took the pillow to cover his ears where as Cabir woke up and glared at Mahak.

"Chillana band kar Mahak. Jo kaan abhi kaam rahe hai tumhari awaz se phat jayenge." He said making her glare at him.

Mahak moved closer to her dear brother and room his pillow off which only let him to leave out an irritating voice.

"Tch! Sone de na Mahak."

"No! Get up na bhai. You promised me that we will go to movie today. It's already 10:30. The show will begin at 12 clock." Manik sighed and got up.

"Main badla jarur lunga." Saying so he went to freshen up where as Cabir pulled Mahak's hair and ran away to get fresh in other room.

"Bhai!!!!" She screamed holding her hair. Pouting she moved out of the room.

The bond that sibling has can never be found in other relationship. The cute fight over slight things, monifying each other after their argument, the care which comes out in concern is more than anything.

Dinning Table

"Good morning maa." Manik wished his mother taking a place beside Cabir. His father was already out for his office. The breakfast table was filled with Manik's favourite. From variety of parathas to orange juice everything was available.

"Maa, hum sab movie dekhne ja rahe hai aap bhi chale humare sath." He said taking a bite of paratha. His mother politely declined the offer and told them to enjoy their time.

"Nahi, tum log jao. Vaise bhi aaj koi aane wala hai ghar par."

"Kaun aane wala hai mumma?" Mahak asked looking at her. Beside her was Rhea munching on her favourite jam and bread.

"Well, mere ek dost hai. Tumhare bhai ke liye rishta leke aayengi." Listening her all of them except for Manik reacted in teasing way.

"Ohhhooooo"

Manik stopped eating and looked at his mother not before glaring at the vanar sena.

"Maa, you do know na why I have been rejecting proposals?" Manik asked making everyone sigh.

"Hum sham ko baat karenge. Abhi tu ja aur enjoy kar." Before he could say she signalled others to tale him away.

"Pata nahi yeh kab meri baat manega."

Mall Infinity

They stood in a line to check in, to enter the inox. The ongoing film which is quite famous right now they had come to watch it. Whole scenario could tell the popularity of the movie.

They entered the movie hall and settled according to the seat numbers. Cabir, Manik, Mahak and Rhea were sitting accordingly.

Whole movie was enjoyable to everyone except for few. Some cried towards the end and some wede not satisfied with the end. Mahak and Rhea fell into the former category. They come out with irritated Manik and Cabir with two crying girls.

"Can you both stop? Itna kya rona yaar?" Cabir commented making them from and glare at him.

"Shut up bhai! Aap toh puri movie ke time sote rahe. You don't know what was the actual movie. Huh! It was so emotional." Manik sighed at their reaction and told them to go to food court while uses the washroom.

Malhotra House

Yamini was waiting for her friend eagerly. She wanted to know the hype that the girl had created in her friend's mind that she immediately wanted her to get tied with Manik.

Her patience was reaching to no level when finally the door bell rang.

"Finally!" Getting up she she murmured and opened the door. She welcomed her friend and immediately they both settled down.

"Kitni der laga di yaar. Kabse wait kar rahi hun."

"Sorry, late ho gaya. Ghar ke kaam hi kahan khatam hote hai. Accha main directly point pe aati hun. Yeh le uss larki ki photo. Main kya batao, bacchi bahut hi well mannered hai. Isne toh mera dil chu liya."

"Dikhne mein toh bahut pyari hai." Yamini said taking a glance at her.

"Haan, agar mera koi beta hota na toh maine isko apni bana liya hota. Par, bhagwan ki marzi kuch aur hi thi. Anyways, yeh photo Annual day ki hai. Nandini Mehta naam hai iska. Main jiss school mein padhati hun woh ussi schooleim padhati hai. Abhi yeh chhabbis (26) saal ki hai. Manik ko main apne bete jaisa manti hun. Toh socha uske liye yeh sahi rahegi."

She said smiling at her friend who was engrossed in staring at the pic.

"Thank you. But Manik ko manana bahut mushkil hai. Tum toh janti ho na woh kyun mana karta rehta hai." Yamini expressed her concern who bobbed her head.

"Ek baari aur try kar lo. Agar milna chahogi toh bol dena mujhe. I can talk to them." Yamini nodded and they both continued talking to each other. Later it became late so her friend went to her house.

Around 6:30 all returned home. Manik avoided having conversation on marriage until late 10 clock. He had locked himself inside his room when he heard his door knocked. He closed his eyes tightly and huffing opened the door.

His mother came inside with an envelope. Knowing her intention Manik said "Maa, aap please..."

"Shh, meri baat toh sun le. Yahan baith." She pulled him on the bed and handed him the envelope and told whatever her friend had said.

"Maa, aapko mera jawab pata hai. Mujhe kisi ko jhuthi aasha nahi dikhani. Being an army officer meri gurantee nahi hai maa, main aaj hun kal nahi rahunga. Kisi ko meri vajah uss pain se gujarneki zarurat nahi hai." He voiced out his concern making his mother sigh.

"Dekh Manik, tujhe lagta hai ki aaj zinda hai lekin kal ko nahi hoga. Yeh bhi toh humare sath ho sakta hai. Main janti hun how destiny works. Kisi na kisi ko har mod par aisi situations ko handle karna padti hai jiska hume andaza nahi hota. I just want you to know ki even can have a beautiful family. Just because of your job you can't avoid it. Tumhare siblings hai Manik, unka bhi toh socha, kahi na kahi woh bhi chahtein hai ki tum khush raho. Kab tak aise single rahoge?"

Manik sighed and lied down in her lap. Yamini starting stroking his hair while trying to explain him.

"Manik, main nahi chahti ki tum bina kisi life partner ke jiyo. Mujhe apne chote chote pote dekhne hai. Kya kain kahun kal agar main na rahi iske karan maine ghar se bahar jana hi chod dun. Aisa nahi hota Manik. Main bas tumhari khushi dekhna chahti hun. I promise agar yeh larki tumhe pasand nahi aayi toh main tumhe force nahi karungi. Bas ek baar maan jao."

She pleaded making him sigh. He looked at the envelope and eventually opened it. She smiled seeing him doing so.

"Naam kya hai?" He asked looking at the picture with an amusement.

"Nandini Mehta hai. Bataya toh tha. Bhool gaye?"

"Yeh seriously 26 age ki hai? She looks like a kid to me." Listening to him she slapped his hand.

"Shut up. She is 26 and also a teacher. Bahut hi acchi bacchi hai. Shreya ka kehna hai ki isse behtar tumhare liye koi nahi hoga."

"Seriously maa, aapko pata hai na meri age? I am 31 and will be 32 in 6 months. We almost 6 years gap. I thought you will choose someone my age." He said making her sad. He was not worried about anything but the fact that she is too young for him. Lookung at his mother's face he bit his lower lip and said.

"Fine. I'll meet her. But if I don't find her good enough you won't force me to meet anyone else. Promise?" She hesitated first but then promised him to do so.

"Chaliye. Go to sleep now. Aapka maksat ho gaya ab jaiye." Listening him she pouted and went after wishing him good night. He for the last time glanced at the pic and went to sleep.

A Day Later

Nandini entered the house as she and her sister-in-law had gone for a walk. As soon as she did she met with her senior colleague sitting on the couch.

"Ma'am, aap yahan?" She ws surprised seeing her.

"Haan. Tumse aur tumhare parents se baat karni thi. Please sit. " Nandini settled as her parents were already sitting opposite to Nandini.

"Look Nandini, I don't want to scare you and also I don't like bushing around. Maine bina bataye tumhare proposal apni friend ke bete ke liye leke gayi. I'm sorry for that but I couldn't loose someone as good human being as you." Everyone were surprised knowing so. Nandini kind off felt offended with it but she didn't voice out. Shreya ma'am had been her favourite since so long and she couldn't say anything bad.

"Larka bahut hi accha hai. Ma woh sharab pita hai aur na hi jua khelta hai. Usko main apna beta manti hun. Manik Malhotra naam bai uska. Army mein hai."

As soon as they heard him being an army officer that too Manik Malhotra they all gasped except for Nandini.

"Army officer? Yeh vahi hai na Indian army ka captain?" Nandini's ma'am nodded her head at her father's words. Everyone were in dilemma. The fear of sending off their daughter to army officer's house which is being as dangerous as anything (lifewise) had been eating them.

"Dekho, ek baat usse mil lo. Larka bahut hi accha hai. Aur woh log tumse milna bhi chahtein hai. Ek minute I'll show you his photo."

They all looked at the pic and then looked at each other. Shreya turned to Nandini and taking her hand in her's she said "Mere paas ek mauka hota toh shayad main tumhe meri hi bahu bana deti. Main tumpe koi jor nahi daal rahi hun. Tum apna time le lo aur mujhe bata dena agar milna chahati ho toh. Hmm?"

Nandini bobbed her head and looked at her parents who blinked their eyes. They made sure that Shreya stayed back with them for lunch.

Nandini was in her room with everyone around her discussing about Manik and Nandini. She was all silent when she noticed her brother engrossed in the phone. She peeped in to take a glance of what is he doing. Well, he was trying to search for Manik's account on social media.

"Bhai, woh social media pe nahi honge. Being an army officer they are not allowed to have one." Listening her all of their attention shifted to her making her nervous. She gave them what look.

"Tujhe bada pata hai." Her brother Hriday said making her sigh.

"Itna basic toh sabko pata hai bhai. Huh!" She said to which he made a face.

"Baat karke dekhe kya?" Her father asked to which her brother said

"Par papa he is an army officer!"

"Toh?" His father found it irrelevant. "Acchi baat hai na, ki woh desh ki raksha kar raha hai."

"He is 5 years elder to her." Listening him all looked at Nandini who was silent.

"Give me sometime all of you. I'll tell you by evening tomorrow." She shooed them away who left immediately knowing she needs to sort out her mind.

Last time when she went to meet someone she felt he was not compatible but what about this guy, who is alot more older than her. An army officer. Will he be able to keep up to her expectations? Will he be able to fulfill the responsibilities if both the nation and the family?

Sighing she turned and looked at the bio which cleary stated his name in a bold and age. Ofcourse his bad habits being none were something suspicious to her. Koi itna perfect kaise ho sakta hai?

How was it?

Hope you liked it.

Next part will be after my exam.