Hey people!

An early update, here. The only reason- your love for a crying Nandini. LOL! I didn't know you loved Nandini having her monthly tears! Enjoy!

~When Heart does not whisper, I ask the reflection in front of me, for it is also ME~

-Affu-

In India

MruNi's Home

In Nandini's Bedroom

"Grumpy coffee!" Nandini sniffled again, and Manik kept her on the bed. "I remember the nickname you've given me, well. You did not have to repeat it for 100 times, Lilliput." Manik mocked at her, who did not glare at him. She rather simply pouted, and wiped at her nose, with the hanky in her hand.

And he did not like it a bit!

He likes it when she irritates him with her witty replies. He likes it when she doesn't keep her mouth shut, and make others' shut.

"Don't talk to me." she looked the other side, before looking at him again. "Didn't I tell you to put me down? I don't like to get treated by some Princess. I can walk." Nandini stated, rigid yet softly.

And Manik stared on. He could find a childish Nandini in here. She did not fight like how she used to, but is cribbing like some kid.

"But your brothers do treat you like a Princess. Don't they?" Manik questioned, and she frowned. "So what? They are my brothers. Do you want me to have one more brother, now?" she asked, and his eyes widened on getting her hint.

"You think I'm your brother?" he cried out. "Like hell I am!" he stared at her angrily, failing to realize the anger in his tone. But that just wasn't the case with Nandini.

Her lips trembled, eyes watered and before he knew, she was sniffling. Again.

"Lilliput!" Manik stared at her in horror. "Get out!" she sniffled, with more tears spilling out of her eyes. "If--If you're here to shout at me, then go away." she started to hiccup, and Manik did not know what to do.

Why the hell was she crying instead of throwing abusive remarks at him?!

"Lilliput, listen--" he began, moving his arms forward to touch her, which she swatted away. "Don't! Don't touch me." she glared up at him, while he constantly tried to get hold of her. "Lilliput, sunn na. I'm sorry. Please!" he apologized softly, and finally pulled her in, for a hug.

"I'm sorry!" he held her captured in his embrace, while pulling her chin up to make her look at him. "I really am." He wiped her tears, and smiled worriedly, at her. "Please don't cry." her eyes spilled more tears, and before he could stop himself, he bent to place a butterfly kiss on her forehead.

"Sorry!" he muttered on her skin, and she looked up at him, with reddened cheeks, on which tear marks stayed put. "Okay! I forgive you." she said, and he smiled down at her. "But don't you dare shout at me, again." she said, and he pinched his throat.

"I promise!" he said, and she smiled brightly at him. He gripped her tighter, before placing his chin on her head, while she snuggled up close to his chest, ready to fall in a peaceful slumber.

***

"What happened to Lilliput?" Manik repeated the question, and Mrunal stared at him with the very same widened eyes.

"Mrunal! Do not test my patience. How many times should I ask you the same question?" he growled lowly, and she gulped down.

"I-I-I said right..she fell sick." Mrunal replied, and his nostrils flared. "Sick? Just fell sick? Mrunal, I don't know the duration of your friendship, but surely it doesn't fall under some months list, right?" he questioned, and Mrunal looked offended.

"Fluffy is my best friend, since the moment we heard 'boys are trouble' from our fathers. Yaani, bachpan se." Mrunal stated, and Manik rubbed at his forehead, in distress. "Then, you are supposed to know that Nandini is not a person to crib and cry, just because she fell sick." he gritted his teeth, and Mrunal looked down, admiring the floor.

"Uh--yeah!" and she let out a sigh, before looking up. "Okay! I know, I shouldn't open my mouth. That's exactly why my mouth was shut. If I open my mouth again, then I might tell you that, which I'm not supposed to say. And if it's something supposed to be not said, then it's a secret. It's a forbidden message. So yeah.." she babbled, before breathing out deep. "I can't tell you the true reason. Nope. Not with my lungs breathing in and out." she added, before going towards a couch and sitting on it.

"Kill me, but I'm not opening my mouth again." and she shut her mouth.

Manik stared at her incredulously.

"Mru! Nan! I'm home." Manik turned to the voice, to see Cadbury entering inside. He didn't even ring the doorbell, but walked inside, like he owned the home just like MruNi did.

"The hell is he doing here?" the question was directed at Mrunal, from both the men, and she stared at them aghast.

"Uh.." she fumbled, before looking at Cadbury. "He's here to meet Fluffy." and that just got his gaze narrowed at Manik. Mrunal turned to Manik, ignoring the look on Cadbury's face. "And he's fluffy's bodyguard slash another best friend slash father's best friend. Hence, he lives here." Mrunal completed, while Manik's pupils dilated.

"He lives here?" Manik cried out, in disbelief, before looking up at Cadbury. "You're supposed to protect Lilliput, when she's out of her home. Why the hell would you stay with her?" Manik questioned, agitated, and Cadbury was no less.

"Um..because, he doesn't have any other place to stay. You can't expect him to buy one whole Villa for himself. He's alone." Mrunal intervened. "I'll get him a Villa, then." Manik suggested, and Mrunal frowned.

"Like hell I'll stay liable to you. I serve under Shekhar. Besides, I'm also his best friend. His daughter's protection is my responsibility." Cadbury exclaimed, and Manik muttered sweet profanities under his breath. "Where is Nan?" Cadbury turned towards Mrunal. "I don't trust this guy with her." he added, and Manik glared up at him.

"Er...she's sick?" Mrunal's statement came out as a question. "What? She was fine till yesterday. She would never get sick all of a sudden. She's supposed to get at least a headache, before falling sick." Cadbury walked towards Mrunal, worryingly, while Manik was bothered with the fact that Cadbury knew a lot of about Nandini.

"Er...this is that kind of sickness that she's not supposed to talk about." Mrunal grinned, and Cadbury shut his mouth. Of course, he knew about her mood swings. He's been serving Shekhar for the past 20 years, and protecting Nandini when Shekhar is not around was his job. It was in her puberty age, Cadbury came to know about her mood swings and why it is caused. Once she grew up, he doesn't question her why she cries, all of a sudden.

"Great! Even he knows! And I don't know?" Manik's sorrow filled sighs were heard, and Cadbury looked at Mrunal, raising his eyebrows, as if he's asking her if she told Manik. She nodded in negative. 

"I just told him, she's sick, but he didn't believe me. I mean, it's quite easy to figure it out that fluffy won't be a cry baby once she gets sick. But I didn't tell him the reason, though. Heck! Even you're not supposed to know." Mrunal cursed at her fate, before sighing at the men in front of her.

"This is personal!" she said, and Cadbury nodded in understanding. "Then why does he know?" Manik questioned, frustrated, while pointing at Cadbury. "Because I'm Nan's Appa's best friend, making her my daughter as well. It's not a sin to know about your daughter's problems." Cadbury said, glaring at Manik, who reciprocated mutual facial expressions, at him.

"I'm not even going to argue with him, on this matter." Manik dismissed the topic, and sprinted upstairs, while Cadbury looked on, with horror. "Where is he going?" Cadbury questioned Mrunal, who was rubbing at her forehead.

"To my funeral!" she answered before looking up and throwing her hands in air. "Can you all just leave my eardrums alone? Thank you!" and she walked towards the Kitchen.

"The heck is he doing upstairs!" Cadbury muttered to himself, before climbing the stairs.

***

"Lilliput! Wake up! See, I got you medicines." Manik was settled on the bed, beside Nandini, who was sleeping soundly. "I think you can take a Paracetamol for whatever pain you're going through." he frowned at the medicine, before looking down at Nandini.

He sighed on seeing her sleeping.

"Lilliput!" he nudged at her sleeping form, before placing the medicine on the side table. He bent to stroke her cheeks, and she snuggled closer to him, taking him by surprise. His lips broke into a small smile, before he start to caress her hairs.

"Appa?" He heard her whispering and he sat frozen, with his hands in the mid-air. "Its Manik!" Manik answered, and he saw her eyeballs moving under her closed eyelids.

"Manik?" she questioned, ready to detach herself from the person. Who's this unknown Manik, now?!

"Lilliput!" He pulled her towards him, and her eyes fluttered open. She blinked rapidly, before palming her face. "The heck is holding me?!" she muttered, and he took her palm away. "Me!" he answered, and Nandini stared at Manik.

"Grumpy coffee?" she questioned, and then remembered she slept in his embrace. "Oh! I forgot!" she replied, slapping at her forehead, and then getting up.

And then she rested her head on her knees, closing her eyes.

"Lilliput! Come have this medicine." Manik pulled at her arms, and she swatted him away. "I don't take medicines, for no reason." she said, and he stared at her. "You have headache. Don't you?" he questioned, and she shrugged. "It's fine, now." she replied, and he kept the medicine on the table.

"Is it really just a headache?" he questioned, and she nodded, before snuggling close to her own arms, as her body was in pain.

"Come here!" he pulled her in his embrace, and she squealed. "Hey!" she tried to detach herself from his hold, when he stared down at her in surprise. "I'm trying to soothe your nerves." he said, and she narrowed her gaze at him.

"You're behaving like those typical boyfriends I got to see in my University." she said, and he rolled his eyes at it. "I don't take that as a compliment. Now, try to calm yourself down, without bothering your own body heat. I am warm, if you didn't know." he said, and she nodded.

"Valid point. You're warm." he smiled at it, while she felt calm and free of pain, while being in his arms, that she did neglect the fact that they were not really a couple. Manik took his mobile to send a message to his mother, as well as his assistant.

While Cadbury watched the scene, from outside Nandini's bedroom, in pure horror.

"Nan is getting mushy with a guy!" he whispered to himself, in disbelief!

***

"Baby?" Sidharth barged inside MruNi's home, followed by the seven brothers, whose heads were moving around frantically. "Jaan? Where are you?" Rithvik started to rush towards the Kitchen, along with Viren.

"She's not in this room. Choti?" Om walked out of the room, which is used as MruNi's office at home. "Cutie? Wher--" Rudr trailed off, on seeing Mrunal walking out of a washroom. "Mrunal!" Karan walked towards Mrunal, who was standing rooted, in her place.

"Please tell me I'm hallucinating!" Mrunal spoke to herself, when Karan approached her. "Mrunal! Where's cutie?" and this time, all 8 brothers were surrounding her. 

Mrunal cringed, her lips wobbled, before she looked up, the direction towards Nandini's bedroom, where both Manik and Nandini were present. Together!

"Oh! I'm having a nightmare, bhagwan ji!" she muttered to herself.

"What? Mrunal! Hamne poocha Angel kaha hai? Subah se usko phone kar rahe hai hum, but she's not answering any of our calls. Hospital bhi nahi gayi wo aaj." Viren held Mrunal, by her shoulders, and she stiffened in her place, and shook her head. She was shit scared. Again!

"Mrunal! Wo teek tho hain na?" Shivaay stepped forward, and Mrunal nodded at him, gulping down. "Then why are you silent? Kaha hai wo? Yahi hai na?" Sidharth asked, and Mrunal just stared at the worried brothers, in dilemma.

Can she say that their sister is going through her monthly mood swings, and now, getting pampered by her fake boyfriend? Probably not a good idea!

"Mrunal!" and this time, she turned towards Asad, whose face was stoic. "Princess kaha hain?" he questioned, rather calmly, unlike others, and it didn't take Mrunal another second to point her finger, towards upstairs.

"I-In--her r-room." Mrunal replied, and the brothers sprinted upstairs, while she slumped on the ground. 

"I just hope fluffy ke G.C. lives to continue with their maybe-to-be-lovestory." Mrunal prayed, while calming her heart down.

"If she was home, why didn't she answer to our calls?" Rudr asked himself, while others were also walking towards Nandini's bedroom.

"I don't know! We'll ask her. For now, we just have to make sure she's s--" Viren trailed off, only to stop in his tracks, followed by others, who stood still in their places. In front of Nandini's bedroom.

"Afe!" Viren completed, in horror, on seeing his baby sister, all curled up, in their like-a-brother Manik Malhotra's embrace, who also happens to be in a deep slumber, just like Nandini.

"Holy Mamma Murthys!" Karan's pupils dilated, and so others' except for Asad and Shivaay, whose faces were emotionless. Fearfully emotionless.

"Is--Is that--Manik? O-Our Maan? Sleeping with--" Rithvik questioned, unable to complete his sentence. "Our sister!" Shivaay completed, with his nostrils flared, in anger.

And that was enough for the rest of them to flare like a red hot balloon!

In Malhotra's Home

"Ma! Where's Manik Bhai?" Mukti plopped herself down on the kitchen countertop, while Nyonika turned around to face her. "With your Bhabi." she replied, shrugging, and looked back at the curry on the stove.

"What? Bhabi ke saath?" Mukti jumped off the countertop, excitingly, and walked towards Nyonika. "Really, Ma? Mein bhi jaun, Ma? Please?" Mukti pleaded, and Nyonika stared at her. "Bhabi paas mein hi rehthi hain." Mukti added, and Nyonika frowned.

"You knew she lives nearby?" Nyonika asked, and Mukti shrugged. "Haa! Bhabi said. Yesterday, I talked a lot with Bhabi. And you know what, Ma. She's so good. She was such a sweet girl." Mukti gushed, and Nyonika nodded. "She is. Lekin Mukti, you shouldn't trust people so easily. Not that Nandini isn't trustworthy, but you just met Nandini, and here you're already voting for her. Kisiko jaanne mein thoda waqt tho lena hai aapko Mukku. (You should take a little time, to know a person.)" Nyonika explained, and Mukti pouted.

"I know, Ma. But she was really good at heart. You know that vibe we get from people? I always get it, when I speak with people. And it always came out true. I got only positive vibes from Nandini Bhabi. Aur apko patha hai wo..." Mukti bit onto her lips, and then looked away. Nyonika noticed it.

"Complete it." Nyonika encouraged, and Mukti looked at her, with an apologetic smile on her face. "She--She resembles-your best friend." Mukti said, and Nyonika stood still, before she looked at her daughter. "I mean, her character. Some advices she gave me, were similar to those you gave me. The same ones taught by your best friend." Mukti explained, and Nyonika stared on.

"Similar advices?" Nyonika questioned, and Mukti nodded. "That's why I felt so good talking to her. She was such a sweetheart." Mukti replied, and Nyonika thought back to her meetings with Nandini.

"Ma! Can I also go and meet Bhabi? Please? Mein Bhai ke saath wapas aungi." Mukti pleaded, and Nyonika being too lost in her thoughts, nodded at Mukti, who squealed before rushing out of the kitchen. 

"Kaali hath nahi jaathi mein kahi. Kyunki jab haath kaali hothi hai tho iska mathlab ye hothi ki apke dil bhi kaali hai. (I don't go anywhere with my hands empty. Because when your hands are empty, your heart is also empty.) Void of any emotions for the person you're meeting with." Nyonika remembered Nandini's words, from the Lunch, when she saw her gifting something to Harshvardhan.

Those were Shamishti's words, too.

"How could that be possible?" Nyonika questioned herself, stunned.

In MruNi's Home

"I didn't do anything." Mrunal said, who was seated on the couch, opposite to the Murthy brothers, who looked anything, but calm.

"I just said, she's sick, and Fluffy ke G.C. came like a thunderstorm, who I didn't even wish to happen to anyone in the world." Mrunal justified herself. "Fluffy ke G.C. just enquired about fluffy's health and took her to her room. Fluffy ke G.C. didn't even bother to ask for my permission, so I didn't know he would end up sleeping with her. Fluffy ke G.C.--" She was about to continue, when Shivaay threw his head downwards, in agitation.

"What the heck is G.C.?" Shivaay questioned, and Mrunal grinned. "Grumpy coffee. That's the nickname given to Manik Malhotra, by fluffy. Isiliye mein usko fluffy ke G.C. bulathi hun." she said, and Asad's face reddened.

"Fluffy ke G.C.? When the hell did he become my sister's?" Asad gritted at his teeth, and Mrunal gulped down.

"Uh..what I meant is..Bh-Bhai...fluffy is the only one--who calls Manik---G.C.! That's why I---call him fluffy ke---G.C." Mrunal replied, and Asad's gaze hardened. "Mrunal!" he stared at her blankly, and she wanted to scream and run around the house.

"He is Manik. Manik Malhotra. Just Manik. Do not call her my sister's." said Asad, and Mrunal nodded her head, frantically. "And why the hell do you look like some scared chicken? You are also a sister to me. I won't hurt you." Asad cried out, while Rithvik stared at him, blankly.

"You act like a vulture and then scold her for being scared of you? Shut up, Asad." Rithvik glared at Asad, who looked away, unable to control his anger. "Mrunal!" Rithvik walked towards where Mrunal sat, and got settled beside her. She tried to scoot closer towards the edge of the couch, but went in vain, when she saw Rithvik raising his hands in surrender.

"I'm not gonna scold you. Trust me." Rithvik gave her an apologetic look. "We couldn't help it. We just saw our sister in--That's not something a brother would like to see, now. Right?" Rithvik said, gulping down his anger, and Mrunal nodded.

"Yes! Probably not a good position, especially when your sister never liked to get close to a guy, for mushy business." Mrunal pointed out, but dropped it down, when she saw the twitch in Viren's face, which he was barely controlling down.

"But that doesn't mean she should stay single, forever, right?" Mrunal turned to face Rithvik, as his face was a better option, than others. "She can also fall in love, one day. You won't take that right away from her, will you?" Mrunal squinted her eyes at Rithvik. "She's my best friend too. And I want to see her kids playing with mine, one day." Mrunal added, and Rithvik stared at her, in discomfort.

"K-Kids?" Rithvik questioned. "She's still a kid, Mrunal." Om cried out, and Mrunal threw a look to him. "She's 23, a Gynecologist, who's seen tons of babies and who's also the reason of many babies' safe arrival in this world. Uske umar ke hamare kuch friends hai jo ab married and expecting hai, Bhai." Mrunal stated, and Om sighed.

"Filhaal, wo abhi bhi bachi hain." Asad said, and Mrunal shook her head. "One day, fluffy is gonna come to you and say she didn't get a guy because they all were scared of you." Mrunal stood up. "I'll get you something to drink, until fluffy wakes up. And yeah, there's nothing going on between fluffy and Manik." she said, turning to leave. "Yet!" she muttered to herself, inaudibly.

But the brothers were too lost in Mrunal's accusation!

DING DONG

***

While everything was filled with chaos outside, two souls were sleeping peacefully, in here. 

Nandini's head was rested on Manik's chest, with his arms wrapped around her, protectively. His chin was rested on top of her head, who was sleeping peacefully.

But that was enough of sleep, for the day.

Nandini's eyes were fluttered open, and she snuggled closer to the pillow, beneath her face. But the pillow was not soft, anymore. What went wrong with her pillow?

She looked down at the pillow, and then trailed her eyes upwards, to realize that her pillow was Manik Malhotra a.k.a. Grumpy coffee.

She sprang up straight, and moved away from Manik, who frowned, but then slept on his stomach, with his mouth ajar.

Nandini stared at him for a while, before palming her face.

"Why the hell was I sleeping on him?" She muttered to herself, when she felt her bladder full. She got down her bed, and walked inside the washroom, taking faint steps, so that Manik doesn't wake up.

Finishing her business, she looked in the mirror, and started to brush her teeth.

"Okay! You just slept with a guy. Waittt! That sounds..vulgar. It's just sleeping. Not the other sleeping which includes mushy stuffs. So yeah..it's just sleeping, and nothing happened. No big deal." she splashed water on her face, and then looked at herself.

"You never slept in a guy's arms, Shona!" Nandini scolded herself, before throwing water on her face. "It's a big deal. It's not good to sleep in some random guy's arms. That's only your man's right." She added, before asking herself if Manik was just a random guy.

Breathing in and out, she looked at her reflection, which looked determined, now.

"Do not let this happen, again, Shona. This is wrong. You get to hug, sleep with, make a teddy bear with, get warmth from, only with your man. And your Appa will find that man for you. For now, don't even think about those cringeworthy stuffs." she said to herself, before wiping her face with a towel.

"Yup! That's right. You forget everything, and not repeating anything." she threw the towel on the towel holder, and opened the washroom's door, with a determined smile on her lips.

Only for it to fade away, on watching the scene in front of her eyes!

Oh dear me!

***

Hey guys!

How was the chapter? Guess, I'm trynna be regular again.

How's the book so far? Any suggestions?

With love,

Affu.