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"It is not the destination where you end up but the mishaps and memories you create along the way!" –Penelope Riley

Fab4 was attending guests in the hall. Most of them were from music industry. There were famous music directors, producers and owners of music companies. After the performance of Fab5, they were extremely interested in them.

Manik walked inside with Nandini. When they were about to step in the light, Nandini pulled her palms out of his grip and took a few steps away from him. Manik looked at her at surprise.

"What's wrong, Nandini?"

"Nothing. We're in the hall."

Manik exhaled a sigh looking at her. He stood facing her. "You know right I don't care about what they think about me? Also they're here to judge my music, not my personal life. It's not their concern who's in my life or what's going on in it." He was trying to make her understand.

"Manik, I know, you're not concerned about it. But think of me. I'm from a very simple family. If they spot me today with you, then from the next morning, they'll come behind me too. I mean the media people. You know I can't afford that. It's not only about me. Think about chacha, chachi, Rishav, amms."

"You can escape them now. What about us then? They'll find out about us one day. We're already married and we've to announce it in front of the world one day. How will you escape them then?"

"That time everyone will know of us. Our family too. Please try to understand."

"Do whatever you wish. Anyways, the sun will come out in the opposite direction, the day you'll start listening to me."

Manik gave her a last glance and walked inside furiously. The events were already taking a toll on him. He failed to think straight. Besides, Nandini was giving him a hard time as well. He could see things messing up and he knew it was going out of his hand and he couldn't do anything about it.

Nandini called him a few times from back. But he ignored her completely and walked away. She felt bad looking at his retreating figure. She wanted this day to be special for Manik but here she hurt him and now he was angry on her. He was in real bad mood. She didn't know what he would end up doing. There were so many people inside. She ran behind him not wanting to take any risk as he might end up doing something which would affect him badly.

Manik directly went to the bar counter and asked for a vodka shot. Even though Nandini didn't drink, she knew it was a hard shot. Before he could gulp it, Nandini held his hand preventing him from taking it.

"What're you doing, Manik?" She took the glass away from his hand.

Manik looked at her with a frown which got replaced with a sarcastic smile on his face. "What're you doing, Nandini?" He pointed at their hands. Then he pretended to be looking around. "What if someone sees you holding my hand? You can't take the risk, right?"

He freed his hand from her hold and was about to take the drink as well. But Nandini again took that away.

"Manik, don't do this. Please. It's an important day for you." She pleaded.

"I can handle myself, Nandini. You should go from here." He turned his face to other side.

"You're not gonna sit here. Come with me. Fab4 must be waiting for you."

"I'll take care of that."

Nandini looked around and found no one noticing them. Taking it as a chance, she pulled Manik with her to the nearest dark corner. No one could spot them easily there. She pinned Manik with the wall and stood extremely close to him with their bodies touching each other.

Manik was astonished with her bold move. He was still in the trance and was staring at her with his wide eyes. He couldn't believe if it was actually happening or not.

"Nandini?"

"She...." Nandini placed her finger on his lips. "Don't say anything. Hear me out first."

Manik's body relaxed under her touch and he let her took over. He kept standing there quietly and waited for her to continue. He knew that time he was acting impulsive so it's better to hear her out first before reacting further.

"Manik, I know you're not scared of holding my hand in front of the world and accepting me. I'm lucky about that. But think of me. I want to do something on my own. Once I'm exposed to the world with you, it would be hard for me. They'll pursue me that what I'm doing is because of you. Do you want that?" She tried to explain him calmly.

Manik who was hearing her realized she wasn't wrong. Actually she was totally right. It's better for them only to hide their relationship. It would only keep it healthy.

Manik sighed and smiled looking at her. He took her palms in between his and pecked on them. "What would have happened to me without you?"

Nandini passed her beautiful smile to him. "You would've been the same monster Manik and no one could see this beautiful heart of yours." She pecked over his heart. "I never knew this monster Manik has such a beautiful pure heart and I'm gonna own it one day."

"You own not only my heart but my everything." He caressed her cheeks with his thumb.

Nandini snuggled more into his touch. They were enjoying their moment when Manik's phone buzzed with a call.

It was from Cabir.

"Yes, Cabir?"

"No. Everything is fine. We were coming back only."

"You guys wait a minute. We'll be there in a while."

"Okay."

Manik kept his phone back in his pocket. "We need to go."

Nandini nodded and was about to walk away but before that only Manik pulled her back to him. "I can't let you like that."

"What do you mean?" Nandini frowned.

"See I'm letting you go as per your wish. So, you should also do something for me."

"Are you trying to make a deal with me?" She raised her eyebrows.

Manik simply shrugged his shoulders. "You can think anything."

"And what will I have to do?"

"You have to kiss me. Like a proper kiss."

Nandini looked at him with a jerk. "What're you saying? How.... How can I?"

"Why can't you? Now don't say someone will see us. Because you should have thought of it before pulling me here. Now make it fast. Everyone is waiting for us."

Nandini was staring at him.

"Your staring isn't gonna work." He pulled her closer.

Nandini was also well aware of it. She inhaled a deep breath and stood on her toes to match his height. She cupped his face and moved near his face slowly. Her lips were shivering already. Their breaths were entangling with each other. She closed her eyes and without making any delay joined their lips together.

All the while Manik was observing her. He clutched her waist tightly as she started kissing him and deepened the kiss. Nandini's hands moved to his hair gripping them tightly and moaned in his mouth as he bit her lips. Manik turned their position and now she was pinned with the wall.

Feeling out of breath, they broke the kiss. Nandini's was breathing heavily with her eyes were closed. Manik stared at her face. She glowed under the dim light. A smile appeared on his face seeing her.

Nandini opened her eyes only to meet his gaze directly.

"I love you." Manik mouthed.

Nandini only smiled.

"Let's go." Manik took a step back but Nandini stopped him.

He raised his eyebrows asking what. She stopped on his legs and wiped his lips softly with her fingers. They were having the traces of her lipstick.

"Now it's okay."

"Put the lipstick again."

Nandini nodded and fixed herself. Then they went from there. She went inside first and Manik came after her. She stood with Navya and Manik joined Fab5. But his eyes never left her site. Nandini felt his gazes on her and this time she didn't leave from there not wanting to make him worried like before.

Nandini was standing at one side with Navya. She was talking to her as she didn't know anyone else there. That time they heard the voice of Mr. Mehra from the stage.

"May I have your attention ladies and gentlemen? I can see you all are enjoying the party. But let's make it a little more interesting. I would request all of you to join the dance floor. But there is a twist. You all will wear these masks." He himself wore a mask on his face. "I hope you are gonna enjoy it. Thank you."

Everyone were given a mask and were asked to pick anyone from the floor and join others in the dance floor.

Nandini and Manik wore their respective masks too. But she didn't go near the dance floor instead Manik walked to her and forwarded his hand to her.

"Before you deny, let me tell you. No one is gonna see us behind the masks. So, you can surely join me."

Nandini smiled and held his hand. Manik took her to the dance floor. They stood almost in the middle. Manik placed his hands on her waist and Nandini's hands were on his shoulder.

The lights were low there but he could see her well even in that lack of light.

"Why do you keep staring me like this all the time?" Nandini asked noticing him staring her once again.

Manik spinned her once and took her in a back hug still moving with the slow rhythm of the music. He placed his hands on stomach. She placed her palms over his. Manik moved his face near her ear. "You're seriously asking this to me? Don't you know it?" He uttered huskily and bit her earlobe.

"Manik!" She turned her face sideways to look at him.

"Tell me, Nandini...."

They looked into each others eyes being completely lost into each other.

"You never told me that you've written a song for us." Nandini whispered.

Manik chuckled and turned her to face him. "You never asked me or maybe I never got the chance to express it to you."

"Is it so?" She looked at him in disbelief.

He didn't say anything. In response, he just smiled and puller her more into his hold.

Other side, someone was keeping an eye on them from a little distance. She was calculating all their moves waiting for the right time to execute her plan. She was determined to fulfill her plan at any cost tonight. She knew she won't get a better chance than this. Because after tonight they would become more careful and it would become almost impossible for her to reach Nandini. She couldn't afford to fail this time.

She took a glance at her surroundings to make sure that everyone was busy. When she was sure, she wore one mask and hid her face behind it, then took out a sharp knife from her pursue. Hiding it in behind her, she started nearing the couple who were drowned in their own world.

In the dance floor, Manik and Nandini were having their own sweet time not knowing what was appearing them.

"Did you like the song?" Manik asked.

Nandini smiled sweetly even when she wasn't sure whether Manik noticed it or not. "I loved it. It was so soothing that I can hear it all my life." She expressed her feeling looking into his eyes.

Manik could see the sincerity in her eyes. He knew she wasn't lying. Every word that she uttered was true. She meant every piece of it.

"By the way, in the stage you told that you've written this song a long back for some special moment. When did you write it?" She couldn't wait any longer to ask this. She saw Manik's lips curving into a smile as he heard her question.

"You really want to know this?"

"Of course."

"I had written it a long back actually. The moment when I had realized what you mean to me. When I had realized how precious you're to me. When I had realized that I love you."

"And when did you realize all this?"

"That day in the storeroom. You were surrounded by fire lying unconscious on the floor. That site had almost killed me and seeing you like that, I had realized for the first time what you are to me. I felt someone has stabbed my heart and I'm not gonna make it. I got my breath back when you opened your eyes in the hospital."

Nandini was overwhelmed with his confession. In between the constant happenings of their lives, they never got the chance to discuss all this or to explore these feelings between them. That's why Nandini was completely unaware of all these things.

"What if I couldn't make it that day?" These words escaped her lips unconsciously and she regretted that very next moment as she noticed the smiling dropping from his face.

"Then I would have burnt everyone alive who were behind the plot."

Manik's jaw cleanched even when he thought of it and his grip tightened around her. Something burnt inside her even with the thought of that day. Nandini could see the change in him. She knew the matter had enraged him and she had to do something to calm him down.

She looked around and saw everyone were busy among themselves. Taking it as a chance, she stood on her toes and moved her face near his. She pecked on the corner of his lips and sucked his lower lip for a few seconds. Before he could realize it and respond to the kiss, she pulled away.

Manik looked at her being all surprised with her bold act. "What was that?"

Nandini bit her lower lip blushing hard and looked down not able to meet his gaze.

Manik held her chin and made her look at him. "You're feeling shy now?" He pecked on the side of her neck. "Didn't you feel shy when you kissed me in front of all these people? What if they had noticed us?"

Nandini only clutched his collar in between her palm and moved her gaze downstairs.

Suddenly Manik's gaze fell on someone standing at Nandini's back whereas she was completely oblivious of the presence of that person. His eyes went wide when he saw that person taking her hand out from her back and what made him more shocked was she was holding a knife.

Before Manik could realize anything, he saw her trying to attack Nandini. He didn't have the time to stop her or do anything else so he simply turned their position and instead of Nandini, the knife pierced the side of his waist badly.

"Ahhh....." His loud voice echoed in the whole room making everyone startled.

"Manik!!!" It was Nandini's voice followed his when she felt something was wrong and Manik stumbled at his place and his hold weakened on her.

~~•°•~~
Cliffhanger!!!!

That's all for now. I hope you all enjoyed the part. Don't forget to vote and share your favourite moment. Also guess what might have happened.

Complete the target soon for new part.

16.08.2024