So sorry for keeping you all wait for so long. But since everyone of you asked me take proper rest and then come back , I thought let's get fine first so that this problem doesn't arises again in future.

So, now I'm here. Will try to update regularly. Right now I'm not of my town but just few days.

Thank you everyone for the support and encouragement.

This update is dedicated to divya659 who has helped me a lot with the pictures and is a real sweet heart. Thanks Divya.

Happy reading....

****************

Same evening, in the hotel room.

"Manik, whenever we used to be alone earlier and now also, you often call me baccha. Why?" She asked polity. 

"Why? You don't like it? Fine I won't call you that from now." He said casually shrugging his shoulders and she listening to this sat straight immediately.  

"Manik I didn't mean that, please. I am sorry if you felt bad." She said in an apologetic tone.

Manik smiled at her and pulled her back and she again adjusted herself beside him and he wrapped his left hand around her, taking her in a side hug. 

"Who said I felt bad? I was just teasing you crazy." He said with a naughty smile and she rolled her eyes. He laughed at her reaction and further continued, "but why do you want to know it?" he asked it.

"Just like that. Tell na, please." She insisted lightly tapping on his chest and he sighed with her eagerness. 

"Well, you really think I need any solid reason to call you that? I mean.." He stopped in the middle of his sentence and looked her from head to toe. 

Nandini at first frowned on his statement but after a minute when she realized what he meant she glared at him. "Manik..!" She shouted slapping his arm and he laughed.  

"I look like a kid to you?" She asked frowning at him and he laughed more seeing her irritated. 

His increasing laughter irked her more and she started beating him.

"How mean Manik?" She shouted in frustration.

"OK, ok, sorry. Relax. Relax." He caught hold of her hand and pulled her towards him.

"Relax yaar, I was kidding. You don't look like a kid but you are definitely a kid." He said to her softly with a smile.

She frowned on his words and he nodded his head, giving further affirmation to his words.

"Because all your tantrums and your dramas, it's only me who has to bear it. I see that hidden child inside you which you bring out only in my presence." He explained to her, tucking a hair strand behind her hair.

She was constantly looking at him and said in a stern tone, "I show tantrums and drama to you? Really?"

"Yes you do. Forgot about your stay in the hospital? Nandini, I very well know that it was just me who had to bear your crankiness and craziness when it came to having medicines or food. You never use to have problems when Mukti, Cabir or any nurse would give you that. It was just me who was exclusively booked for it." Manik said to her faking a smile and her mouth was wide open in shock.

He nodded in disbelief on this reaction of hers and closed her mouth.

"See, this is the reason I call you that. You behave like one." He said pulling her more towards him and she smilingly hided her face in his chest, encircling her hands around his waist and he encircled her shoulder with left hand and placed his right hand too over his hand to complete the hug.

"And I also know, that you love hearing that for yourself for me." He added softly.

Nandini smiled listening to him and snuggled more into his chest. Manik smiled looking at her and tightened his grip more on her but didn't said anything further.

After a minute of silence, Nandini looked up at his face and saw him resting his head with the bed rest and eyes were closed.

"Manik." She called him softly and he opened his eyes to look at her.

She gently raised her one hand and he loosened his grip on her. She placed her hand on his right cheek and caressed it.

"Thank you Manik. Thank you for everything. For being the bestest friend I could ever have. Thank you for being their always as a friend. You made my believe over the relation of friendship stronger day by day. More than anything, I am blessed that you are my friend. My best friend. No doubt today our relation has taken the step ahead but I don't want this bond of friendship to fade away between us. Thank you for taking care of me. I know, when as a friend you were that awesome, then, now, as a partner, people will envy me, for sure. Thank you. Really." She confessed everything with a smile and kissed his cheek.

Manik smiled at her and kissed her forehead. "Thanks to you Nandini. You don't know what peace who have given to my heart after coming in my life. I didn't did anything much. You deserve all this. Am just glad that I have you." Manik said and both smiled looking at each other.

Nandini again buried her face in his chest and he kissed her head.

"By the way.." Manik started to say something and Nandini raised her head to look at him. He too looked back at her.

"Does anyone know you are with me? I mean, Navya. What have you told her regarding not being at home at night." Manik asked her.

"I informed bhai. He knows we are here. He said he will handle Navya. I don't know what he told her." She replied back and Manik nodded when suddenly his mind got diverted towards something else.

Nandini observed him thinking something so asked softly, "what happened? What are you thinking?"

Manik looked at her and took her hand in his.

"Nandini, for how long are you planning to hide your medical condition from everyone? Abhi told me, you didn't let him inform your family about this also." He asked her looking at her and she lowered her gaze.

She rested her head again on his chest and he rubbed her arm gently as he knew this topic is sensitive for her.

"I don't know Manik. I really don't know. I just can't even imagine their reaction to this. I'm just too scared." She spoke slowly.

"I can understand that, but hiding is certainly not the option. Your parents have the rights, full rights to know about this." Manik made her understand.

"You are right. Bhai also spoke about it. I will talk to bhai. He will tell them. I can't." She spoke with a glimpse of sadness and Manik nodded.

"And about our friends, I will call them for lunch on weekend and we will announce about us. They should know we are together. All were so worried. And then I will  them the reason behind my weird behavior towards you." She spoke with guilt covered words and Manik tightened his grip on her as an assurance of support.

Both kept talking for a while and at around 3 Manik forcefully made her sleep.

***********

Next Morning....

At 7 Manik's sleep was disturbed with the alarm of his phone. He woke up and switched it off before it could wake Nandini up.

He looked at Nandini sleeping peacefully and smiled remembering the incidents of last night. He slowly bent towards her and kissed her forehead.

Manik quietly sneaked out of the bed, covering her properly with the duvet and moved towards the washroom.

After around 10 minutes, he was back from the wash room and looking at the time thought to wake Nandini up.

"Nandini, Nandu, wake up. We need to leave." Manik sat in front of her and softly tried to wake her up but she stirred in sleep and didn't woke up.

"Nandu.. wake up baby. We'll be late. Come on." He again said, caressing her hair and she lazily opened her eyes.

"Good morning." He wished her with a smile and kissed her forehead.

"Good morning." She too replied with a broad smile but in a sleepy tone.

"Come on." He held her hands and made her sit up to which she obliged. He saw her still sleepy so he came towards her side and took her in a side hug and she kept her head on his shoulder.

"Should I order a coffee?" He ruffled her hair and asked seeing her closing her eyes.

"No, I'm fine." She said and opened her eyes. "I'll just freshen up and then we'll leave." She continued and he nodded.

Nandini moved towards the washroom and meanwhile Manik checked his phone.

After 5 minutes, Nandini came out of the washroom dabbing her face with give towel.

"Nandu, you'll come like this. I mean, Navya will question you seeing like this."

"I have my change Manik. I didn't came like this." She said and grabbed her casual dress from her bag and Manik mouthed an ok.

Soon Nandini changed and they moved out of the room. Nandini checked on the reception to cross check all dues are cleared by her or not. They talked to the manager and thanked him for helping in making their special moment more perfect.

They moved towards the parking and Manik drove off in his car towards Nandini's building.

*************

At Nandini's Building...

Manik parked the car in the parking and Nandini untied her seat belt.

"So me are meeting after office." She said looking at him with smile.

"No." He replied curtly and she frowned.

"But why?" She asked back with a surprise.

"Because I don't want you to stress yourself." He replied calmly but she was unsatisfied with his answer.

"What's the stress in meeting you?" She asked in confusion.

"Nandini.. yesterday you worked up hard to leave early for evening. Whole evening went in celebration, at night you were not ready to sleep and we chatted till late. You hardly got 3 hours sleep and we moved out and now it's almost time for you to leave for office. You will again get worked up there and besides you want to meet that means again no rest. You want to spoil your health?" He asked her and she made a bad face.

Though she agreed to whatever he said but then she also wanted to meet him.

"But Manik..." she was about to say something but was cut in between by Manik.

"No but. Don't stress please. You need to take care yourself. And besides, it's just a matter of few days. You only said na we will plan something on weekend to announce about us. So after that I can easily come at your place. But till then we need to adjust." He explained her and she nodded in understanding but was still not convinced.

"So that means we will not till weekend?" she asked with an upset tone.

"I didn't said that. I will see to it and will meet you but definitely not today. You will take good rest after returning back." He said in a commanding tone and she smiled looking at him.

"ok. bye." She said with a smile and grabbed her bag from the back seat. Manik side hugged her and kissed her head. "Bye. Take care." he said and she smilingly moved out of the car.

Manik remained there till she didn't went inside the lift. Once lift came, she waved bye to him and he too replied waving his hand and Nandini went inside the lift.

Once lift was closed, Manik took a deep breath and leaned back his head on the head rest of the seat and closed his eyes. He smiled remembering the last night's moments and a sweet peaceful smile appeared on his face. After few minutes, he opened his eyes and drove out from her building towards his home. 

**************

Nandini reached her flat and ringed the bell but Navya didn't open the door. She unlocked the door with her set of keys and and found a note stuck near the switch board.

I had to leave early. Some pending work. Your phone was off. See you in evening.

Navya.

Nandini checked her phone which was switched off. She came to her to get room and stood in front of the mirror. Flashes of last evening started to play in front of her eyes and she blushed remembering her moments with Manik.

After a minute, she unwillingly moved towards the washroom to get ready for the office.

Manik reached his place and crashed himself on bed for a sound sleep and here Nandini reached office and started off with her work.

*********

To be continued .....

I tried to cover up till their vacation planning and it was getting too long. Will post soon.

Do read the next note regarding "Beast and the wild cat" story.