It was around 9 o'clock in the night. The hospital was quieter than usual. Manik's parents and bhabhi had gone home with Amayra. His sister Mukti was accompanying him.

"How? How do you manage to cause us happiness and sadness at the same time bhai?" Mukti asked a very interesting question.

"What do you mean?" Manik asked curiously.

"What I mean bro is that you put a huge smile on our face by hitting the winning shot, but you also landed in hospital! And do you know how many comments I'm getting on my Instagram page and twitter asking whether you are fine? Your fan girls are crazy for you!Infact it's not just the girls, even the boys too!" Mukti said in disbelief.

"What to do Mukti? Mai hoon hi aisaa, they all love me! Specially the girls!" Manik said with a smirk.

"Bhai talk about being big headed!" Mukti said as she rolled her eyes at him.

"Aray mazaak kar rahaa hoon! I'm joking!" He said with a giggle.

"Hmmmm, But on a serious note bhai, you are quite good looking. After all, you are my brother!" She said proudly.

"Oh really? Bear in mind I entered the world before you!" Manik said making a point.

"Makes no difference! I'm still better looking than you!" She stated.

"Fineee Mukti! I'm glad you're not a boy, or I would have some serious competition." He said with a smile.

"I guess you both have forgotten that you are my younger siblings and I was here before you both. You both have to admit, I'm the most good looking Malhotra sibling!" A voice came from the door of the room. Manik and Mukti knew who it was. They could recognise that sweet voice from miles away.

"Quit it Mr Aditya Malhotra, you all know the good looks came from mum and dad!" Another person said as they walked in and this time it was a beautiful woman.

"Woah Bhabhi has walked in the room! That's it no arguments here, ladies and gentlemen the prettiest woman has arrived in the room. Presenting to you all, my dearest bhabhi!" Manik said excitedly.

"Awhhh chote! This is why you're my favourite." She said as she approached him and high fived him.

"Bhabhi don't call me chote in public atleast. I mean it doesn't go with my cool boy reputation!" Manik said with a pout.

"Whatever! You will always be my chote!" She said with a giggle.

"What is this bhabhs? What about me! Aap mujhe bhool gaye?" Mukti said pretending to be upset.

"Awhhh my bachaa! How can I forget you kiddo? I love you lots!" She said as she hugged Mukti.

"Awh and I love you too!" Mukti said as she hugged her back.

"Uhumm! I'm also here!" Aditya spoke clearing his throat.

"Bhaiya! I've missed you!" Mukti said as she got up from the stool she was sat on to hug him.

"I've missed you too choti!" He said as he hugged her.

"Bhai how are you?" Manik asked with a smile.

"I should be asking you that question! Dekha maine tv pai, hero bannay chalay thay! You had to hit the last shot even with all the pain!" Aditya said in a scolding tone.

"Bhai you know how I am, I have to play until I don't get out. I'm not a quitter and I've learnt that from you." He said praising his older brother and to that Aditya gave a huge smile.

"I don't know what to say to that Manik!" Aditya said as he shrugged his shoulders.

"You don't have to say anything!" Zoya said with a smile as she linked her arm with her husbands.

"How was today's flight bhai?" Manik asked.

"Pretty cool. Flew to Goa today and back, honestly I just wanted to stay in Goa and enjoy a nice holiday there!" Aditya said dreamily.

"Aditya how can you think of holiday whilst at work? And that too without me?" Zoya said with a sad pout.

"Aray Zoya you know I would never go on holiday without you. I was joking!" Aditya said with a smile.

"Better be as well!" She said with a smirk.

"This is nice! Family time after ages, but mum, dad and Amayra are missing! Where are they?" Manik asked.

"Chote I told mum and dad to rest. They've been up on their feet all day, from coming to the match, then the hospital, so I asked them to stay at home and Amayra is also home with them. She insisted she wanted to come but she has school tomorrow and she was already so tired so I've left her at home." Zoya explained.

"But bhabhi you have been on your feet all day too. You must be tired too right?" Manik questioned.

"Never too tired to cook for you! I knew you wouldn't want to eat hospital food so I brought some food for you!" Zoya said with a smile.

"You're the best Bhabhs! I love you!" He said as he drew a love heart with his hands.

Everybody started laughing. They were all enjoying quality time with each other and eating together when there was a knock on the door. Soon after, Nandini walked in.

"I'm really sorry to disturb you but I need to do a check up of Mr Malhotra please before I go home for the night." She said politely.

"Sure doctor! We'll go and wait outside." Aditya said with a smile.

"Thank you!" She replied.

"So Mr Malhotra, how are you feeling now?" She said as she approached him.

"Much better doc. Thank you for the treatment!" He said with a genuine smile.

"It's my duty!" She replied.

"By the way, did you find out my name then?" He asked with a smirk.

"Oh god are we still playing that game?" She said with a sigh.

"That's not the answer to my question!" He stated.

"Yes, yes I did! But please don't think that I went and searched for your name online. Nope, my nurses haven't stopped talking about you all day! Manik smiled at me, Manik took medicines from my hands, Manik said hello to me, Manik did this, Manik did that!" Nandini started to imitate her nurses in a childish manner.

"Woah calm down!" Manik said with a giggle.

"Sorry I got a little carried away. But you have a lovely name, Manik! It's a really nice name!" She said genuinely.

"Why thank you! By the way you looked really cute imitating your nurses. I didn't think a serious doctor like you could be so cute." He said dreamily.

"Mr Malhotra please remember I am your doctor!" She said as she raised her eyebrows to remind him of the professional relationship they shared.

"Of course. Sorry doctor! I was simply complimenting you!" He said trying to cover up.

"Well there is no need for that. Anyways I was here to just check up on you. I hope you have taken your medicines on time." She changed the topic as she could tell things were getting a little awkward.

"Yes Doctor I have." He said like an obedient child.

"Okay I'm going home for the night now. There will be other nurses and doctors on duty. So if you need anything please give them a shout. Take care!" She said as she started to collect some of her equipments she had left behind in the room.

"Thank you. Will I be seeing you tomorrow Nandini, ooops Sorry Doctor!" He said as he realised his mistake and to this Nandini simply shook her head and gave him a small smile.

"Urm yes, you cannot be discharged without me doing your full check up first. So that will happen tomorrow! And please don't go back to playing cricket until you are better." She told him.

"That's fine and urm sorry for calling you by your name. Hope you weren't offended!" He sincerely apologised.

"Not at all!" She said with a smile.

Just then a nurse walked in.

"Doctor I have sorted all the files out. Am I okay to go home now?" She asked politely.

"Yup Shreya! That's fine. I will see you tomorrow. Good night!" She said to her with a smile.

"Good night doctor! And good night Manik. Thank you for the autograph." She said with a blush.

"You're most welcome!" He said as he winked at her.

"Please can you call the patients family inside now?" Nandini said in a firm tone to the nurse.

"Sure doctor!" She replied quietly and went outside.

"Mr Malhotra do you wink at any girl you talk to?" She asked immediately.

"I'm sorry doctor, what do you mean? I haven't winked at you yet!" He said pretending to be unaware.

"You haven't yet, exactly my point!" She said in a stern voice.

"It's just my style! Whenever someone says thank you or simply says something nice I wink at them! It's a habit!" He said as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Some weird habits you have!" She replied in a low tone but it was surely loud enough for him to hear and to that he simply smiled.

"Is he okay now doctor?" Aditya said as he walked in with Mukti and Zoya.

"Yeah he's much better. We will do a final check up tomorrow morning and then he should be fine to go home." Nandini informed.

"That's great! Thank you!" Aditya said with a smile.

"By the way bhai, did you know this doctor has never heard of me before?" Manik told his bhai about the earlier situation. He still could not decipher the fact that somebody living in India did not recognise him.

"Manik, Mum told me how you called Doctor Murthy a junior doctor. Just as you did not know about the hospitals top doctors, she similarly did not know about some of India's best cricketers. Because same way your interest does not lie in Doctors and hospitals, her interest does not lie in the Cricketers. So it's justified! However, I on the other hand have heard of Doctor Nandini Murthy from the newspapers. I don't skip to the sports section in the newspaper like you Manik. By the way Doctor Nandini, congratulations on all your achievements at such a young age. I keep reading about you every now and then in the papers and I must say you are doing a tremendous job!" Aditya beautifully explained to Manik and even appreciated Nandini's hard work.

"Thank you so much for your kind words!" She said with a heartfelt smile.

"What is this bhai? Are you taking my side or hers?" Manik said with a frown.

"I'm not taking no sides Manik. I'm just stating the facts." He stated.

"Whatever!" He said as he pretended to be upset.

"Anyways you all please enjoy your quality family time. I must get going. Also, just to remind you all, only one person is allowed to stay overnight." Nandini said.

"That's fine doctor! Thank you!" Zoya said.

"No problem! Good night to you all and especially you Mr Malhotra, please take good rest. Your body needs it!" She said as she started to go towards the door to leave.

"Yes doctor! Manik exclaimed. He was expecting her to turn around but she did not. So he called out to her again.

"Doctor Murthy!" He exclaimed.

She immediately turned around and replied,

"Yes? Everything okay?"

"Urm yeahhh! Everything is cool! Just wanted to say good night!" Nandini was confused at first but then as soon as he said good night, he winked at her!

He actually winked at her and for the first time in ages, Nandini Murthy was not sure how to react. Her mouth dropped due to the shock. How could he wink at the Nandini Murthy? She wanted to give him a few words for teasing her like that but she realised she had to remain professional. So she turned her shock face into a plastered smile, said good night with gritted teeth and walked out the room like a boss! No matter how much one annoyed Nandini, she never reacted unprofessionally when she was working. She loved and respected her job way too much to be behaving so childishly.

Once Nandini left the room, Manik was bombarded with lots of stares and questioned faces.

"What was that Manik?" Zoya immediately questioned.

"Bhai you winked at her, seriously?" Mukti asked out of shock.

"Manik, She's your Doctor! Aditya exclaimed.

"I know I winked at her and she's my doctor! But kya karu, mai hu aadat sai mazboor!" Manik said with a smirk.

"Manik honestly sometimes I feel like your thoughts and actions contradict so much. You behave like a such a playboy but your intentions are not like that I know. You're not the one will mess around with girls. I know you're waiting for the right one!" Zoya expressed her thoughts.

"Bhabhi this is getting too sentimental now. But you're right Bhabhi, I was only joking with the doctor. I'm waiting for my true love. Pataa nahi kahaa hogi!" Manik spoke dreamily.

"You were joking with her but what if she took you seriously? What if she thought you were interested in her? What if...." Aditya expressed his worries and before he could say anything more Manik decided to stop him.

"Bhai it's nothing like that. Please calm down! I assure you she won't take any wrong signs." Manik spoke trying to calm his brother down.

"But how can you be so sure?" Aditya questioned.

"Trust me bhai! I know!" He said with a smile.

"That does not answer my question Manik!" Aditya further said.

"By the way Manik, She's not bad! I mean she's amazing actually. She's pretty, confident, independent, and amazing in her job." Mukti said with a genuine smile.

"But kya faaydaa! I agree with everything you said but her and I, we don't have a chance. She doesn't believe in the concept of marriage so there is no hope at all. The whole finding your true partner and having a happily ever after with them is a concept she absolutely dislikes. And besides Mukti, I've known her for the matter of a few hours. It's not enough to know somebody!" Manik explained.

"But you seem like you know a lot about her already!" Aditya exclaimed.

"Like they say Manik, expect the unexpected!" Zoya said with a smile which confused the three of them. What was their bhabhi and Aditya's wife up to?

"Bhai please it's nothing like that! Bhabhi I will never understand your puzzled phrases. And when I find my girl, you will all know!" Manik said with a smirk.

"I think I already know Manik!" Zoya said hinting at the little connection she saw between her devar and his doctor.

"What do you mean bhabhi?" Manik questioned.

"Nothing, Nothing at all!" Zoya said shaking her head. But the reality was that she had seen a spark in Manik's eyes when he spoke about Nandini. A spark she had never seen before. Was she overthinking it all? But she genuinely saw her brother-in-law happy and at peace as he spoke about this particular woman. A woman who was quite different! Along with being Manik's bhabhi, she was also his manager and so she was always there with him for all his matches and events. She would always be there to see the attention that Manik got from the girls. However, Nandini, she wasn't like the other women Zoya had seen who went crazy over Manik. She was a woman who stayed true to her grounds, she focused on her job. She remained professional! Even if she did find Manik attractive, she did not show it as it was important for her to remain professional! She respected her job and it showed through. She seemed like a woman of grace, dignity, and a woman who valued her self-respect and for Zoya, that was something that caught her attention. And like they say, it takes a strong woman to know another strong one. And Zoya was a very strong and independent woman indeed. Zoya prayed and hoped that Manik found a soulmate soon, if not Nandini then surely somebody like her.

"Have you ever met a person who at first glance you're not attracted to but then you talk and with every word, every smile, every laugh they become more beautiful until you can't believe there was a moment you didn't think they were."

~ Atticus

A/N: Chapter 3 updated! Hope you all enjoyed it! Do let me know! What was your favourite part? Thank you for reading. Lots of love xxx