Hello sweeties.

How are you? Feeling bored? I know right, par kya kare.

Alright, Lets get back to the story.

Sorry for the late update🙃

Hope you like it,

Have fun reading.

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Malhotra mansion.

"Mannu uth jaa, shaam ko teri sagaai hai, ready nahi hoga tu." Neyonika spoke making manik frown.

"Mumma?" He rubbed his eyes to see Neyonika sitting on the bed caressing his hair.

"Haan teri maa, ab chalo jaldi se jogging karlo." She said standing up from the bed and went down to fresh up.

*Did I sleep for so long that mom had to come up and wake me? But I usually am up at 5:30.*

He thought, scratching his head as he turned to see the clock.

*4:30...............*

He had a bewildered expression on his face.

Surely this was a dream. There is no way his beloved mom will wake him up at 4:30 to jog. And the engagement was in the evening. Was he going to get ready until the evening?

*damn, ab kya karu me?*

Heart: pehle toh ready ho jaa. Warna mom phir se aa jaaye gi.

Manik wanted to hit his head somewhere.

"I am never going to get married. Never again." Manik muttered as he made his way inside.

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Manik came out in his tracksuit and went down to see aunties bustling around everywhere while some uncles were exercising. The sleepy youngsters were just sitting on the sofas ready to doze off any moment. And some like Cabir, Mukthi already dozed off.

Manik jogged out of the house towards the park near his house.

He jogged for around 15 minutes before coming home with sweat dripping off him.

It was certainly a sight to see. Especially to his distant cousins who almost let out a whistle.

"ahem." Cabir cleared his throat and smiled at Manik's cousins who smiled sheepishly before running away.

"Wah bhai wah, Shaadi hone wali hai aur tumhare abhi tak fans hai. Hum jaise Bachelors ko bhi kuch chood do." Cabir spoke dramatically while Manik rolled his eyes.

"Drama bandh kar Cabir. Aur Manik chal jaldi se ready ho jaa. Aunty puch rahi thi." Dhruv spoke while Manik looked at him in horror.

"Kounsi aunty Dhruv?"

"Wo Neyo mom ke dad ki sister ki panchvi beti." He spoke as he counted on his finger but made a bad face.

"Panchvi beti thi ya dusri?" He asked while scratching his head in a confused manner.

"Haye matarani, aap ka shukriya aada karna chatha hoon. Thank you ki meri sirf ek hi aunty hai."Cabir spoke dramatically while Manik hit his head.

"Chal, aur Cabir mere wo Mr. Ahmed ke files hai na. Wo zara mere room me send karna. He is having some problems with the site." Manik said as he walked towards his room while Cabir muttered grumpily 'Teek hai, jaa tha hoon. Kadoos'

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Murthy Mansion.

Phone convo.

"Yes, take care of the recording for me Addy and Starz too. Monkey- I mean tell Siddharth that they are going to record the album on xz of this month." Nandini spoke while Addy noted down the things to do.

"I will be opening a branch in New York so I will be leaving this branch to you, Addy." She spoke while Addy dropped his book in shock.

"Really! Nanz. Thank you soo much. I will make sure to reach your expectations." He said happily while Nandini chuckled.

"Of course I expect no less though." She spoke and talked for some time before cutting the call.

"So, all set Ms. Bride to be," Navya asked raising her brow while Nandini rolled her eyes.

"Ahan! Let's see what happens." She spoke as she plopped onto the bean bag.

"Rishu, Abhi, and others decided to play a little game," Navya said slowly observing Nandini's expression who frowned.

"What game? Navu, don't tell me." Nandini stood up while Navya held her in her place.

"Nandu pleaseee. It's just for fun."

"Navu! Last time this happened, It wasn't 'FUN'. I don't wanna play. How can I?" Nandini said widening her eyes shaking her head while Navya pouted.

"Just this once. Please baby." She pleaded while Nandini sighed.

"But-" Navya looked at her blinking her teary eyes like a puppy.

"I don't wanna get in trouble, Just ask them first." Nandini spoke while Navya squealed.

"You won't, I promise." She said hugging Nandini tightly.

"Let me guess, Its DJ's Idea," Nandini said while Navya chuckled.

"Ahan! On the spot." She said while Nandini rolled her eyes.

"Mom's killing us tonight. I am gonna go, get ready. At least I will be beautiful when I die. And I need to prepare for it." Nandini spoke while Navya shook her head.

"Oh my matarani, please make sure we succeed, I will make sure to keep your favourite sweets in the prayer." Navya spoke chuckling mischievously looking up.

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"Arre, chalo chalo. Jaldi!!! Time toh deko. Aur tum samne se hato." One of Manik's Aunties pushed Mukhti forward and went towards someone else.

Mukthi looked at the aunty with a bad face.

"Ye kya tha?" Cabir laughed hard looking at Mukthi while she glared at him.

"Itna has mat, varna muh tod dungi." She spoke showing her fist while Cabir still couldn't control his laugh.

"Oye meri Lady hulk, Chal jaldi varna Aunty phir se aa jaaye gi." Dhruv said and laughed heartily making Mukthi stomp her foot.

"Kaise doost ho tum log. Insaniyat naam ki koi chees bhi hai ya nahi." She spoke.

"Insaniyat naam ki koi cheese nahi hai, mene supermarket me deka, sirf Amul cheese hai." He said making them laugh again.

"Saale, ruk. Tere aaj aakri din hoga. Marega tu mere haaton me." She spoke running towards him but Aliya stopped her.

"Mukku, chill, wo duffer aise hi hai. Apna mood karab mat kar." She spoke dragging her away.

"Bach gaya tu abhi. Baad me dek loongi." Mukthi spoke while Cabir smirked at her.

"Dek le na." He shouted while Mukthi glared at him one last time.

"Achooo." Manik sneezed while Neyo looked at him concerned.

"Mannu, kya huva?"

"Kuch nahi Mumma. Lets go." He said shaking his head in a no. While Neyonika nodded her head with a smile. While Raj rolled his eyes at them.

"Teek hai chalo. Murthy's ke ghar." Raj announced while everyone echoed an yes.

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Murthy Mansion.

"Welcome, Ji welcome." Raman along with DJ, Ishita, and Amms welcomed the Malhotra while the youngsters looked at them and smiled mischievously.

Everyone settled down in the chairs looking here and there, praising the Murthy's for the decoration and the aunties chatted away joining new relations.

Navya went down to see this commotion. She looked around for sometime before stopping her gaze at Neyonika. She grinned as she strode towards her.

"Hi Aunty, I am Nandini's friend. Can I talk to you for a second? Alone?" She spoke while Neyonika smiled widely.

"Of course dear! Let's go." She spoke and stood up. Then walked away with Navya. This was observed by Ishita but she was confused. She looked at Rishab who avoided her eyes in a second.

*Something is wrong! definitely.* She thought as she narrowed her eyes at Rishab who wished the earth would gobble him up.

But she was interrupted by some relatives.

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Meanwhile near the garden.

"But beta, that's-" Neyonika trailed off while Navya gave her a troubled expression.

"Please aunty, It isn't anything harmful. I swear right after the game we will send Manik to the room. The same will happen to Nandini." She spoke while Neyonika pursued her lips.

"Ok but, It shouldn't go overboard," Neyonika warned jokingly while Navya nodded her head vigorously. Seeing this, she chuckled and patted Navya's head.

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They soon went towards Manik who was talking with Raman and raj.

"Mannu, chal." She spoke while Raman got a hint of the plan. He smiled when Manik excused himself. Raj looked at Neyonika in confusion.

"Me bata tha hoon na raj. Bache ek game khel na chahte hai-" He told the whole thing with a low voice as he didn't want to ruin the fun.

Raj chuckled and looked at Raman in astonishment.

"Wah! ye huyi na enjoyment." He spoke while Raman nodded his head.

"Aaj kal ke bache apna dimag bohot zada laga rahe hai in sab me." He spoke laughing while Raj nodded his head but his smile never went away.

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"Mumma! Why am I wearing this? Shouldn't I be wearing my engagement suit?" Manik questioned looking at his light pink kurta while Neyonika stayed silent.

"Mumma?" He questioned again.

"Offo Manik kitne questions. Tumhe jaldi hi pata chelega. Don't worry." She spoke while Manik reluctantly nodded his head.

Navya came inside after a few minutes saying it's ready. Neyonika pushed Manik outside.

Manik pouted at her before turning front. There was a path filled with flower petals. He looked beside him to see Rishab smiling at him while recording a video. Manik smiled at him.

"Mannu go." Neyonika urged from behind while Manik finally surrendered his will and started walking as told. He reached the end of the flower path but there was a big circle drawn with flowers and Nandini stood in the middle wearing a light pink salwar suit looking beautiful while the others stood outside the circle and cheered for him. He went inside and walked towards Nandini.

He looked around to see Ishita pouting and glaring DJ who had a big smile on his face.

"Ahan! mick testing 123321. Ok, Mr. groom to be, Manik. As you know, today is your engagement. It is a very special day to you guys. And to make it more special we decided to have a small game.

You guys didn't get a chance to propose each other right. Let me fulfill that little wish of yours.

Let me explain the rules, one of you both will propose to the other here in the circle first, and next, the other will do the same. Simple right, Oh no. I forgot to tell." She exclaimed when Manik narrowed his eyes at Nandini who shook her head.

"Ok, Spill." Manik spoke.

"Not me! Let her talk." Nandini said widening her eyes when Manik shook her head and looked at Navya again.

"So Manik, we would be your audience and you know the audience has opinions. And If someone didn't like the proposal or they felt you could do better, they will throw this." She spoke as she lifted her hand in which there was a water balloon.

Manik widened his eyes in horror.

"Deal?" Navya asked while Manik looked at his mother who nodded her head.

*Mom you knew this! Oh god, now what? How can I propose?* He looked at Nandini who looked at him with a sorry face.

"Fine, but whose first?" Manik asked sighing when Navya walked inside the circle.

"Heads or tails?" She asked while both of them said heads.

"Guys I asked heads or tails not heads or heads. Choose." Navya spoke impatiently while Nandini rolled her eyes.

"Tails then," Manik said while Nandini smiled at him. Navya tossed the coin and it fell on the floor.

It was tails.

"Awee, let's get the game started! All the best Manik." Navya exclaimed as she stepped out of the circle.

Nandini moved towards Manik.

"I am sorry for troubling you. It seems like they only asked your parents." She spoke with an apologetic smile while Manik shook his head.

"Its ok, mom didn't say anything to me too. But there is one problem." He spoke while Nandini raised her brow.

"I never proposed," Manik said making Nandini laugh.

"Common, you gotta be kidding me." She said but Manik looked at her seriously.

"Not even when you had a girl friend?" Nandini questioned.

"I don't have a girl friend. I never did." He spoke while Nandini widened her eyes in surprise.

"Common guys! Manik, you have to propose not talk." Navya said while Nandini rolled her eyes at her. Manik chuckled.

"Ok, here goes nothing." He said stepping back from her.

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Ok guys this one's a really long chapter.

Word count: 2076

How was it?

Did you like the game?

How was manan's interaction?

Next episode will be even more funny and fantastic. It will be full of manan I promise.

Do comment on this.

Stay tuned to know more.

Yours one and only

Harmony.