All had retired to their rooms. Manik too left Murthy's residence cause (a) he didn't have any essentials there (b) he couldn't sleep without scribbling his whole day in his diary and moreover, he didn't want to look desperate by staying there already. So he said he'd shift in, the next time he returns back to the harbor. But Anant strongly protested that he would have to shift in within 2 days. Of course, he didn't have a truck full of things that he'd require a long time to shift. Just a cupboard of clothes, 3 uniforms, shoes, a few books/novels, his diary, and a few more regular essentials.

The next day, after office hours, Manik made his way back to Murthy's residence when "I don't need your sympathy, Manik.", her voice echoed in his ears for the umpteenth time since last night. Nandini was climbing up the stairs that directed to her room when her feet got entangled with the material of the carpet and he rushed to hold her back. "You look weak... Shall I drop you till your room?", he had said with concern. But she shut him up with those words which were ringing in his ears until he heard someone's laughter along with "She hasn't seen my real self yet. I had been nice to her all this while. But don't you worry, cause now she'll see my real self. I'll show Nandini how much I love her. Trust me, she'd have been all mine last night. If that 2 rupee officer wouldn't have come in between us, then I would've marked her mine... her under me, screaming my na-"

And bang! His 'still recovering' face was gifted with a lightning fast punch followed by 4 more, making him stumble 2/3 steps backward.

Then clutching his collars Manik said, "Watch your fucking words, Bastard Khurrana!! Especially when it comes to MY girl!!"

The guy with Aryaman ran away. Manik resumed, "You know what, I couldn't get a peaceful sleep last night because of you. For you, I parted ways with Nandini, stayed away from her, said so many hurtful things to her, made her cry so much. Only if I knew what an asshole you are, I would've never done or even think of doing those to her. Why would you even understand what does actual love feels like? You've foolishly mistaken the pure feeling of love as the gross one of lust. A guy can never say such low, mean things about his girl! He never forces himself on her and raising hands on her? Not even in his wildest dreams. You know, last night, seeing her red marked cheeks, how I controlled my urge to bury you alive? How could you?"

And another punch followed with, "How could you treat her like that huh?! I actually shouldn't be blaming you. I blame myself for that state of hers. I blame myself for being so dumb to believe in a douchebag like you and leaving her mercilessly. I failed her, I failed the only person I loved so much after my parents left me. I lost MY. ONE. TRUE. LOVE.", Manik's eyes reddened, showing his vulnerability to the only one to be blamed for everything. Manik left the collars of a dumbstruck Aryaman and almost collapsed on the grassy field, face buried in palms and shoulders shaking up and down gesturing that the rough and tough Naval officer whom Aryaman thought could never be broken, was crying, like a kid.

Aryaman was too astounded to react as he heard a scream, "Manik!!"

This voice was familiar. Manik lifted his face. Nandini it was. She was standing at a distance until he lifted up his face and ran to his direction, sat on the ground just in front of him, engulfing him in a bone-crushing, heartwarming hug.

Manik wailed more. She held him tighter as if the force of her hold would stick the broken pieces of him back together.

God knows for how long they stayed in the same position. When she felt his cries subsidized, she pulled him apart and wiped his tears. Once done she stood up forwarding a hand towards him, gesturing him to get up. Manik kept staring at her all the while, not for once did she look into his eyes.

Nonetheless, Manik got up holding her hand. He looked around, Aryaman was nowhere to be seen. She kept walking two steps ahead of his, still hand in hand. Manik stopped walking making her halt on her way too. "Nandini?", he called. After a few moments he added, "What all happened back there, you heard everything?"

"We'll talk about that later. Firstly, let's share everything about Ary.. err.. him at home.", she said looking at him. He didn't like the coldness of those beautiful eyes. He nodded in agreement. This time she left his hand. She walked ahead, he followed her.

They shared everything with Cabir and her parents, skipping their own moments though. Anant and Cabir were very angry at Aryaman and on MaNan too for hiding the incidents, but they had blind trust in them too.

Tara hugged Nandini and then Manik, whispering a 'thank you' for being there for her and protecting her, to which Manik assured with a kiss on her forehead, "I'm always there, Mom." His eyes involuntarily went to Nandini's direction who was already staring at him with a smile. He smiled in return too, but she minded that maybe as she slightly furrowed her brows and looked away. 'What was that?', Manik asked himself.

Mr. Khurrana along with Aryaman was called to Murthy's residence. Anant told everything that his son did and also his retribution for misusing his power in an ever so cold tone. Exactly after returning back to the harbor, Anant had complained about Mr. Khurrana to the higher officials and they took the decision to take him off the DNIT and transfer him to the Chennai Naval base as well. Mr. Khurrana was visibly ashamed for his son's deeds and of course for the punishment he got officially, why? Cause his love for his son was so much that he couldn't differentiate between right and wrong and did all that his son wanted, without thinking twice. But what did his son, Aryaman do? He took advantage of his father's love. Both were at fault in their own ways. Mr. Khurrana walked up to Aryaman and slapped him in front of everyone.

Aryaman was shooting daggers at Manik, who was highly unbothered. His gaze followed to Nandini, but Manik took a step to his left to block his view and glared at him. At the same moment, Cabir stepped in from the opposite direction, to block Aryaman's nasty view on his sister. Both bumped into one another, Manik totally ignored looking into Cabir's teasing eyes and Cabir was smirking.

Days passed, Manik shifted in, things were falling into place, except for the equations between Manik and Nandini. Manik kept trying either this or that to cheer her up and apologize to her, but she didn't give in that easily.

Just 2 days were left for him to go back to the sea. 'You need to try harder, Malhotra!! You have messed things up, big time. Now you only have to clear all the shit out. You have hurt her, you can make her smile too. Yes! You can do it!!' He encouraged himself.

No teddies, no chocolates, no sorry cards, no flower bouquets helped him to win her back. His mind clicked, 'These things aren't gonna help? Then be it. Maybe not such mere things bought by money won't get her smile back, but something.. Something which required no money? something which directly came from his heart? Maybe.. his feelings?'

It was almost 5 in the morning, he got up from his bed, tiptoed to the adjacent room to his and slightly pushed the door open. There she was sleeping all cuddled up with her blanket. He smiled, eyes sparkled, "Tonight", he whispered.

~•~
A/N: Benaam Rishta Woh, Bechain Karta Jo
Ho Na Sake Jo Bayaan, Darmiyaan
Darmiyaan Darmiyaan Darmiyaan Darmiyaan
Kuch Toh Tha Tere Mere Darmiyaan😭😭😭😭😭

The scene, the song, the lyrics, HIS like.... My heart😭😭💘💘💘