N confusingly: Kya kar rahi hu?

M: Nandini bahar tumhara potential groom tumhe dekhne aya hai aab tum mujhe aise hug karogi toh log kuch toh kahenge nah. I mean I am pretty open minded but you have to be careful.

N: Manik tum kya bol rahe ho?

M: Arey tumhare sare old friend tumhe dekhne aye hai. Itna time ho gaya mile nahi nah. Navya ne bataya ki koi ladka dekhne aane wala hai tumhe so humne socha hum sab bhi aa jate hai for moral support. Aur jab mein aaya toh your mom was busy iss liye unhone mujhe upar bhej diya to bring you down

N thinks: Shit.... Yeh kya kar diya meine. What am I thinking? Matlab yeh yaha hai aur usse koi farak nahi padta ki koi mujhe dekhne aaya hai

M: Oh hello madam chalo tumhara potential dulha kabse wait kar raha hai

N: Huh..

M: Aur Nandini, airport ke liye sorry. I was not expecting you there aur waise react kar diya but now you are taking a step ahead in your life so I want to wish you all the best.

N: Humm.....

M: Chalo aab! Arey wait tumhara dupatta toh bhool gai tum; mein le kar aata hu

Manik grabs her red dupatta and carefully places it on Nandini's shoulder. Nandini is looking at him with pain in her eyes.

M: Haan ab thik lag raha hai! Chalo

Manik holds Nandini's hands and take her down with him

Pyar Jhutha Tha Jataya Hi Kyun
Pyar Jhutha Tha Jataya Hi Kyun
Aise Jaana Tha Toh Aaya Hi Kyun
Aise Jaana Tha Toh Aaya Hi Kyun

Nandini looked at their locked hands and how she wished this was her forever but alas. Manik is here taking her to "The potential groom"


Aye Sitamgar Tu Zara
Aur Sitam Karde Aa
Aaja Bewajah Sa Yeh
Rishta Khatam Karde Aa

Nandini remembers their last moments before leaving for the USA. How she wanted him to mark her and make her his! How she kept pushing him and he kept ensuring her that no distance can change their relationship! They are together forever.

O Bedardeya Yaar Bedardeya
O Bedardeya Yaar Bedardeya
O Bedardeya Yaar Bedardeya
O Bedardeya Yaar Bedardeya O

Nandini remember their first kiss, their first fight and their happy moments

Dard-E-Dil Ke Bina
Mehfil Hi Kya
Dard-E-Dil Ke Bina
Mehfil Hi Kya

She kept reminding herself that she can't think of all those days now. It was her decision to push Manik and now when Manik has moved on in his life she can't come back and demand him the same love

Jo Na Toota Kabhi
Woh Dil Hi Kya
Jo Na Toota Kabhi
Woh Dil Hi Kya

Hai Mera Haal Bura
Aur Bura Karde Aa
Mere Zakhmon Ko Zara
Aur Hara Karde Aa

She can't just leave and come back after 9 years and expect things to be the same but it is that easy for Manik to talk to her so casually. Even checking to ensure she is looking presentable for the potential groom. There old love; does it mean nothing to him now

O Bedardeya Yaar Bedardeya
O Bedardeya Yaar Bedardeya
O Bedardeya Yaar Bedardeya
O Bedardeya Yaar Bedardeya O

Kyun Saiyan
Maahi Mera Saudaiyan
Dhoop Loot Ke
Jo De Gaya Parchhaiyan

Hmm.. Badle Wafa Ke
Maine Payi Kyun Tabahiyan

Tears start forming in her eyes and she slowly wipes them before it comes out.

Rabba Jiske Dil Mein Tu Ishq
Duniya Bhar Ka Deta Hai
Usi Ke Dilbar Ko Phir Kyun
Dil Patthar Ka Deta Hai

Hum Mein Jo Tha
Woh Raha Kyun Nahi
Hum Mein Jo Tha
Woh Raha Kyun Nahi

Manik and Nandini reach the drawing room and she sees all her friends and Jaan there. She missed them; all of them. Did they miss her like she misses them?

Dil Mein Tha Kuchh Toh
Kaha Kyun Nahi
Dil Mein Tha Kuchh Toh
Kaha Kyun Nahi

Tha Kabhi Pyar Toh
Insaaf Mera Karde Aa
Ya Kabhi Tha Hi Nahi
Saaf Mana Karde Aa

Her eyes fell on "Jaan" by just the look she could tell "Jaan" is not very happy with this "Ladka dekhne aane wala hai" setting. She blinks her eyes ensuring "Jaan" everything is under control

O Bedardeya Yaar Bedardeya
O Bedardeya Yaar Bedardeya
O Bedardeya Yaar Bedardeya
O Bedardeya Yaar Bedardeya

Manik left Nandini's hands. She kept looking at her palm just a second ago. She felt content and warm holding Manik's hand and now her hands feel empty.

S: Nandini beta kaha kho gai?

N: Kuch nahi aapa.

S: Come here apne appa ke pass betho

Nandini walks and sits beside her appa. Everyone settled down. Not for once she raise her eyes to look at the "Potential Dulha's face"

S: Nandu apko kuch puchna hai?

Nandini shakes her head negatively

R whisper in N ears: Ek baar chera uthakar ladke ko dekh toh lo beta.

Nandini lifts her eyes and it falls on MANIK! Both Manik and Nandini have an eye lock

R whispers: Waha nahi beta tumhare right side mein hai ladka

Nandini turns her head a little towards the right and gets shocked to see the "Potential Groom". She turned her head back to Manik. He looked calm and composed. Is he that okay if her "Potential groom is HIM"

Nandini looked at Navya asking from her eyes "Is it really HIM" Navya response by shaking her head slightly

"Hello Nandini, mujhe laga tum 3 saal baad aaogi. How are you"

N: I am good ARYAMAN! Kuch kaam tha iss liye rukna pada. Kaam finish ho gaya iss liye aa gai. How are you?

"I am good too"

S: Dekho mile nahi ki kaam ki batein suru

M: Uncle log sach hi khete hai engineer ki shadi engineer se, Teacher ki shadi teacher se aur doctor ki shadi doctor se. Same profession hoga toh understanding bhadegi

S: Yeh sahi baat ki Manik ne. Nandu tum Aryaman ko apna kamara dikha kar aao

Nandini: Dad I just came back abhi mera room properly arranged nahi hai

S: Aacha thik hai bahar garden mein le jao. Hum coffee wahi bhijwa denge

Reluctantly Nandini agreed and walk to the garden area with Aryaman following her like a lost love sick puppy

-------------

After 10 minutes

Aryaman and Nandini come back after "Their talk" in the garden area

S: Arey badi jaldi aa gaye tum dono

Ar: Uncle we know each other since forever aur USA mein bhi sath hi the toh kuch jyada naya nahi tha baat karne ko 

S: See, you guys are each others childhood friends and turning into life partners. This is what truly meant to be looks like!

R: Aap bhi nah baccho ko embarrass kar rahe ho. Nandu you know we won't force and we have seen Aryaman grow into such a gentleman. Decisions will be yours!

Nandini nodes

S: Kuch decide kiya yaa aap dono ko aur time chahiye 

Nandini looks at Aryaman and ask her to give "their decision" raising her eyebrows 

Ar: Uncle hum dono ki taraf se HAAN hai!

As soon as "HAAN HAI" slip from his mouth Nandini look at him with a jerk and the floor sunk underneath her. Did she hear him right? This is not what they decided outside. WTF is happening around. Before she could process what is happening around her; she was engulfed in gigantic hug from her amma; who was ranting how happy she is. No, no, no this is not how it was supposed to go; this is not what she planed. She look towards Manik, who has a small smile plastered on his face looking at her parents.

She pushed her parents slightly; suddenly all this LOVE felt suffocating to her and she ran towards her room not even glancing at anyone.

"Isse kya hua?"

"Kuch nahi Radha hamari bacchi sarma gai; lagta hai"