When Friendship Never Fades-11-As they left from Madikeri, it was already around 10 PM. Meanwhile, a deep silence filled the car. Chirant felt like he should ask Nakul something, or at least start a conversation; however, he simply remained quiet, gazing out of the window.
On the other hand, Nakul, who was driving while enjoying the cool breeze brushing against him, slowly began to feel sleepy. Then, glancing at Chirant sitting silently beside him, he got slightly irritated.
“Who is this guy? He said he’d give me company, but he’s just sitting quietly. I’m already feeling sleepy… if he talks, at least I’ll stay awake,” Nakul muttered to himself while continuing to drive.
Finally, breaking the silence, Nakul said,
“Sir, can you talk at least a little now and then? Otherwise, I might fall asleep.”
Calmly, Chirant replied,
“If you’re feeling sleepy, you can rest. I’ll drive.”
“Oh please, no need for such a big sacrifice. Just talk a little—that’s enough.”
“What should I talk about?” Chirant asked, unsure.
“Seriously? You said you’d give company, and now you’re asking me what to talk about? You’ve been thinking about something all this time… just tell me that.”
“It’s nothing, Nakul… I was just thinking casually.”
“Well then, tell me… are you upset because you won’t be able to talk to or see your girlfriend tomorrow?” Nakul teased.
At that, Chirant replied,
“That’s actually a question I should ask you.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s nothing… just tell me honestly—will you take good care of Meera?”
Hearing this, Nakul was stunned and immediately stopped the car.
“How does he know about us? That too so soon?” he wondered, feeling nervous.
“You… know about this?” he asked hesitantly.
“Just like your friends overheard your conversation with Meera, I happened to hear it too.”
“Yes… Meera and I truly love each other,” Nakul admitted.
“I already know that,” Chirant said with a slight smile. “What I asked is—will you take care of her for life?”
This time, Nakul gained some confidence.
“I will take very good care of her. I’ll protect her like a flower. She should never feel pain… I’ll make sure of that. With her, our home will always be filled with happiness and light. Why would I ever let go of such a person? Without her, my life feels meaningless.”
Every word of his clearly reflected his love for Meera. Hearing this, Chirant felt happy.
“From your words, I can clearly see how her future will be. In my life, I had two important responsibilities—finding a good husband for Meera and conducting her marriage grandly. She has already fulfilled the first one by choosing you. Now, only the second responsibility remains.”
Curious, Nakul asked,
“If she gets so angry just seeing you, why do you like her so much?”
“Maybe she has one reason to hate me. But I have hundreds of reasons to love her. If she can hate me so much for one reason, imagine how much more I can love her for many.”
“Honestly, she must be lucky to have a friend like you,” Nakul said.
Chirant smiled faintly but stayed silent.
☕ After a short tea break near Udupi…
Soon, Chirant took over the driving while Nakul rested. By morning, they reached Karwar.
As soon as they arrived, a girl named Tanu ran toward Nakul and hugged him excitedly.
Feeling awkward, Nakul said,
“Can’t you just say hi normally?”
However, she replied playfully,
“I feel better only when I hug you!”
Soon after, Nakul introduced Chirant to his parents, Mohan and Kusum.
⚡ The Twist…
While having breakfast, Nakul learned the real reason he was called there.
“There’s no function,” Kusum said. “Shivaram Uncle wanted to talk to you… about marriage.”
Then she revealed:
“Tanu likes you. If you agree, they want to fix your marriage after your studies.”
Immediately, Nakul got angry.
“Marriage? That too with Tanu? Impossible! I love Meera. If I marry, it will only be her.”
His parents were surprised but eventually supported him and asked him to clearly inform Shivaram.
🔥 Confrontation
When Nakul told Shivaram,
“I don’t like this marriage. I love someone else,”
Shivaram controlled his anger and let him go.
However, his brother Jayaram, who overheard everything, became furious.
“If you say one word, I’ll make sure that Meera disappears from this world… and even from Nakul’s memory,” he said angrily.
💥 Chirant’s Entry
At that moment, Chirant stepped in and said respectfully,
“Sir, I heard everything. Since childhood, I have protected Meera like my own life. If someone like you threatens her, how can I stay silent? As long as I’m alive, nothing will happen to her. Because she has a friend like me to protect her.”
Without waiting for a reply, he walked away.
🚗 Ending Scene
Soon after, Nakul returned, unaware of what happened inside. Then, along with Chirant, he began the journey back to Madikeri.
However, unknown to them… a storm had already begun.
When Friendship Never Fades-11 To be continued…
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When Friendship Never Fades-11
