A Part, Yet Apart

Chapter 53- Falling for her

She playfully shifted him to the other side. ''Romance and sex, have a thin line of difference. Whenever you say romance, you just mean sex'' Nandini ignored him and went aside. ''Oh hello, I know the difference, but if I romance a girl, when I love her. That's going to be intense'' Manik said in his deeper voice tone. ''That must be insane'' she said trying to tease him but he then accepted her. ''Love is insane'' he added. ''Ye sab chodo but please cook something to eat now'' she said. ''Give me just 2 minutes, I'll go change and come back'' he said and went into his room. Manik found Nandini has shifted back to her room after Aryaman left. Manik went into kitchen and Nandini was already waiting there. ''Ab tum kya banaane wale ho?'' she asked. ''Aaj kuch special banaunga, you'll love the taste'' he raised the curiosity. ''I'm in'' she said and he got the ingredients from the fridge. ''Methi malai matar'' he said showing the ingredients. ''Isse pehle kabhi khayi nahi, but am waiting to taste this'' she said. 

''How was your day?'' he asked her. ''Boring, poora din panda ki tarah kabhi hall, kabhi bedroom pe padi rehti hu'' she said. ''And how's yours?'' she asked in return. ''What about me! Just office things'' he said busy in cooking. ''Why don't you share anything with me?'' she asked. ''Aisa nahi hai but I have an unsaid rule that main ghar ki baatein office mein aur office ki baatein ghar mein yaad nahi karunga'' he said. ''Agar mere paas kehne ko kuch hota tho main rukti hi nahi. Abhi abhi maine kisi couple ko dekha, they were so happy in love. He brought jasmine flowers for her. I wish ki hume bhi true love mil jaaye'' she said. ''Hume?'' Manik asked surprised. ''Ha, I wish hum dono ko apni true love jaldi mil jaaye'' she said. ''Exactly'' Inaya said coming inside. ''True love ki baatein aur tumhara aana, what a timing!'' Manik said. ''It's funny how you both still believe in true love yet didn't find any'' Inaya said. ''It's not something you find in a super market to go and buy it, you just have to feel it'' Nandini said. ''Par din bhar aise ghar baithne se bhi koi nahi milne wala hai tumhe. Go out, meet people, know them and then you'll like someone'' Inaya said. 

''No, Nandini going out alone doesn't sound like a good idea'' Manik said. ''I agree this is a new place to her, but it isn't like she is going out for the first time. She was independent and used to go out alone in Hyderabad, then why not here. Usse restrict mat karo'' Inaya said. ''Suddenly mujhpe itna pyaar kaise?'' Nandini asked doubtful. ''Koi pyaar nahi, tumhe koi milega tho yaha se chale jaogi na'' she said. ''Humesha apni matlab ki baat sochti ho na'' Nandini said. ''Bhagawan kare aise landlord kisi ko na de!'' Manik said. ''Even I want to go out Manik, aise ghar baithe baithe bore ho rahi hu and you are free only on weekends. And banks are closed on weekends, if I want to try for a loan, I should go and check with few banks for loans, interest rates and all'' Nandini said. ''Perfect, loan hunt in daytime and boyfriend hunt at nights'' Inaya said. Nandini nodded and there's an awkward silence in the room. Not Nandini, but Inaya noticed a hint of disappointment in Manik's eyes. 

''The dinner is ready, Inaya, would you like to have dinner with us?'' Manik asked. ''No, I need to go'' Inaya said but Nandini insisted. ''Manik ne aaj kuch special banaya, waise bhi tum akele dinner karni wali ho na, just eat with us'' Nandini asked Inaya to stay back and both Nandini and Inaya had set the table for dinner. Manik didn't speak anything and Inaya knew that he is upset. ''Wow, this is delicious'' Inaya praised Manik after the first bite but Manik waited for Nandini's reaction. Nandini ate 2 morsels but said nothing. ''You didn't comment anything about food'' Inaya asked Nandini. ''It's good but feels like something's missing'' Nandini said. ''Tumhara aur mera khaana banaane ka tareeka alag hai, swaad alag hai, yaha ki eating habits, cuisine sab alag hai'' Manik stated. ''Exactly, we don't have even a thing in common between us'' Nandini said not understanding Manik's intentions. Nandini is the first one to complete her meal and got up from her chair. 

''I'll do the dishes in the morning, I'm going to bed'' she said. ''I'm going for a walk, please door lock kar lena'' Manik said. ''Night walk! ok, I'll lock it but take your keys along so that you can unlock once you're back'' she said. Manik went out and Inaya accompanied him silently. ''Why are you so silent?'' she asked him. ''I just came out for peace'' he said. Inaya stopped walking and asked, ''what do you want from Nandini?''. ''What kind of a question is it?'' he wondered. ''Don't bluff now, I saw it in your eyes, her each word has a great impact on you. It seems like you're seeking her validation for everything. For the food you made for her, for the choices you made for her and not just it, you are taking decisions for her'' Inaya said. ''How do you expect me to take responsibilities then? Should I leave her just like that! This is a new place, I'm concerned for her safety, she doesn't know cooking, I'm making sure she eats well. But she doesn't like the food I cook, doesn't like anything which I say, I think she doesn't like me at all'' he said in frustration. 

''Not just eating well, but you want her to appreciate the dish. Not just being concerned, but you want to tag along with her wherever she goes'' Inaya said. ''What! No. I can't be such a creep who want to control her actions'' Manik couldn't hear his reality from Inaya. ''Ok, but did you notice any change in yourself after you moved in with her?'' she asked. ''What change you're talking about?'' he asked clueless. ''Office and home are the only two places you're visiting since quite a few weeks, weekends, week days, mornings it's just either office or Nandini'' she said. ''You used to go for gym in the morning and those silent and calm evening walks have now been replaced by these after meal night walks huh!'' she asked him. Manik has never realized that his routine has completely changed after Nandini came into his life. ''Right, I should hit the gym. Tomorrow morning'' Manik said and Inaya laughed. ''This isn't joke, I seriously need to get over her'' Manik said determined. Ínaya left from there smiling at Manik. 

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Nandini woke up a little early than her usual routine but didn't find Manik in kitchen. She wondered where he would have gone and tried calling him. She found it ringing in his room which meant Manik put his phone at home while he left home. Nandini is surprised to see a painting in his room on a canvas. She got alerted by his presence behind her and turned back. He stood there without any expression. ''Wow Manik, this painting!'' she looked fascinatingly at it. ''Hmm'' he hummed feeling nothing special about it. ''Kal tak ye painting yaha nahi thi and this also looks so newly painted'' she sounded excited like a child. ''I've painted it last night'' he said, going to freshen up. ''I didn't knew you are such a good artist, this painting looks so lovely and beautiful. I can't even put it in words that how beautiful it is'' she said taking pictures on the painting in her phone. 

''Architect hu, painting is just my hobby'' Manik said casually. ''Kitna sundar hai'' she can't take her eyes off of the painting. Her face lit up as she examined the painting. ''Wait, is it what it is!'' she asked narrowing her brows. ''A calm yet fierce ocean, a lone girl, moon light, soothing waves'' Manik said looking at it, ''And stars & fireflies'' she completed his sentence. ''Hmm'' he nodded with her to show his agreement. ''You've painted this for me!'' she asked looking at him. Her eyes were shining like stars when she asked him. Manik is smitten by her innocence but didn't want to be obvious. ''I didn't feel like sleeping last night, so out of boredom I just made this one. This was the last thing we discussed last night, so'' he tried to find words to speak. ''I just love it! Bas ek kami hai isme'' she said. Nandini has flat tired Manik's dream. ''I've even put jasmine flowers in your hair, aur kya chahiye tumhe?'' he asked disappointed. ''Why am I alone! Itni raat ko akele beach mein kya kar rahi hu? Sochne ke liye mujhe ye idea romantic laga but I get scared being alone. You should have also made Manik beside this Nandini'' she said. 

''Kya Manik humesha Nandini ke saath hi rahega?'' Manik asked her. ''Until someone enter our lives, I will always be with you. I'm your responsibility'' she said. Manik's heart is happily dancing in the air now. ''You're flirting skills are getting better'' he said and left to washroom. She knocked on his door and said, ''Agar jasmine flowers lagana hai tho real flowers leke aana, paint won't look good in my braid'' she shouted so that he could hear. Manik smiled to himself but Nandini got no reply from him. By the time Manik came out ready Nandini made noodles for him. ''Subah subah noodles'' Manik asked surprised. ''Tumne  mere liye itna beautiful painting banaya, main tho sirf ye bana sakti, instant noodles'' she said. ''No! I would love to eat it as breakfast'' Manik took his bowl not wanting to disappoint her. ''Thank you, mujhe laga ki tum koi naye morning routine start kiya tho you won't have junk'' she said and Manik emptied the bowl. ''Nandini'' she stopped hearing him. ''Aise junk food roz roz khaana acha nahi hai, it's not healthy'' he said. He came near her and whispered, ''that was so yummy but mujhe spoil mat karna''. She smiled at his comment and said, ''sure'' and he went to office.

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''Manik'' Inaya snapped at him for nth time as he was lost in his thoughts. ''Calm down, this is office'' Manik said. ''I've called you many times slowly but tum sunte kaha ho'' she said. ''Tell me, what's the matter?'' he asked and she asked him to settle in his place and offered a cup of coffee. ''This project is very important and that shaitaan is prepping up for it and yaha tumhe dekhu tho hawa mein dance kar rahe ho tum'' she said concerned. ''Relax, usse karne do uske preparations, end mein ye project mujhe hi milega'' Manik said confidently. ''Last night you look disturbed because of Nandini and now you're in happy mood again, is it Nandini again?'' Inaya asked. ''Not everything is about her'' Manik ignored. 

''Manik, to be honest, I think you are falling for her'' Inaya said.