I'm so overwhelmed by all your wishes 🥺🤧❤️ Made my lockdown birthday an unbelievably special one!! :)

So chotusa return gift from my end🤪

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The cab stopped in front of Manik's mansion. Both of them got down and Sonakshi commented, "Damn! Mumbai wale se kafi bada hai." Manik smiled and said, "Ha Delhi ke ghar waise bhi Mumbai ke gharo se bade hi hote hai." Sonakshi smiled in return and soon Mohini came into the living room, giving her a warm smile.

"Manik, show Sonakshi the guest room and beta you freshen up, we'll sit and talk then." "Yes mom, come Sona....akshi..uh Sonakshi,let's go." Sonakshi giggled a little before following him into guest room.

Sonakshi adjusted her luggage and made herself comfortable in the room. She then gestured Manik to leave but instead he asked, "You don't wanna see my room?" Sonakshi replied, "Oh yes, let's go." Manik smiled and forwarded his hand for her to take, but she didn't. "Choti bachi nahi hu mai!" Manik rolled his eyes at her and complained, "Pehle sirf meri flirty lines pe comeback deti thi, ab toh inn sweet gestures pe hi dene lagi ho! Darling, zindagi mein yuhi wakt kam hai mohabbat ke liye, nakhre dikhake aise wakt zaya mat kiya karo."

Sonakshi looked at him, surprised and asked, "Ye kya naya chalu kiya hai Manik?" "Tum room mein chalogi? 3 saal pehle bahut kuch chut gaya, aur kuch shuru bhi hogaya, sab batana hai, chalo." He replied.

Sonakshi nodded and said, "Ha chalo."

Sonakshi took a quick glance at Manik's bedroom, it was too neat to be believable! However, that wasn't the only thing that surprised her, she saw a guitar with a matte black finish hanging on the wall just above his bed. Manik noticed her confusion and said, "Maine kaha tha na, bahut kuch shuru kar diya? I needed a distraction when I got here- well DISTRACTIONS, plural, so I tried my hand at many things and one or two stayed. Jack of all trades,master of two!" "I play in the Beer Café on weekends, don't worry I will give you a free pass!" Sonakshi smiled and honestly she was pretty impressed. Surely, very little might've have changed between the two of them, but as individuals they have changed. But afterall, change is the only constant right?

Sonakshi looked at him quiet proudly and asked, "So what's the second thing?" Manik moved towards his study table and took out a little diary with a simple cover that stated 'Enjoy the little things.' He handed it over to her while saying "Little anecdotes, quotes,poems, shayaris. I started writing. Never published them though, ofcourse, just let my thoughts flow." Sonakshi skimmed through the little book in her hand and a genuine smile crept on her face as she read all that he had written. Mostly, it mentioned missing people...or a person in this case for Manik. She was on her mind when he wrote, and it reflected in it writings, which Sonakshi didn't fail to notice.

She smiled realising, that growing into different lives just made them more fiercely loyal to each other.

She then looked up and said, "MBA ka kya hua? Job kar rahe ho?" Manik smiled and said, "Ha ofcourse, bank mein nahi... corporate company ki marketing team mein." "Aur star gazing, woh toh nahi chuta?" Sonakshi asked.

Manik took her hand in his took her towards a balcony. It was mostly empty, except a corner, where a chair sat surrounded by little plants. He pointed out to that corner and said, "That's my star gazing spot. Guess I'll have to add another chair there for the next week." Sonakshi nodded in agreement and added, "Toh fir Mumbai aur waha ki lifestyle ke alawa kuch nahi chuta?" Manik looked at her and said, "Tumhari aadat toh chut gayi."

Sonakshi just stared back into his eyes and said nothing. After a pregnant pause, Manik said, "Uh, I ate up a lot of your relaxing time, you go rest for a whole. Ab hum saath haina? Let's live in the present. Hm?" Sonakshi nodded and left his hand to go down to the guest room, well Manik chided himself for adding the unnecessary awkwardness in the moment.

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