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| आँखों के पन्नों पे, मैंने लिखा था सौ दफ़ा |
| लफ़्ज़ों में जो इश्क़ था, हुआ ना होठों से बयां |
| खुद से नाराज़ हूँ, क्यों बे-आवाज़ हूँ |
| मेरी खामोशियाँ हैं सज़ा |
| दिल है ये सोचता, फिर भी नहीं पता |
| किस हक़ से कहूँ बता |
| के मैं हूँ हीरो तेरा… |✨
************************************************
Inside priya’s room…
Priya sat cross-legged on her bed, dramatically wailing into a pillow like her entire world had just crumbled beneath her feet.
“Heyyy Bhagwaaaan! Main toh lut gayi, barbaad ho gayi, tabaaah ho gayi!” she shrieked, kicking her legs like a tantrum-throwing toddler.
Shagun, watching like she had front-row seats to the drama of the century, tilted her head. “Matlab?”
Aditi, as detached as ever, grabbed another paneer tikka and popped it into her mouth. Completely unbothered, she mumbled, “Matlab jise ye apne ghar ka damaad banana chahti thi, woh ab iss ghar mein bahu ban kar aayega.”
Priya shot up like someone had poured a bucket of ice water on her. “TU KYU MERE SHAK KO HAQEEQAT MEIN BADAL RAHI HAI?!”
Shagun? Oh, she was THRIVING. Arms crossed, smirk wicked, she leaned in closer. “Priya, tujhe sach mein nahi dikh raha? Ye ek carefully crafted plan hai.”
Priya froze. “KYA?!”
Shagun nodded fake-seriously. “Soch… pehle best friend, phir family friend, phir ghar pe roz aana jaana, mummy-papa ka approval…” She took a dramatic pause and whispered, “Aur ab bahu training chal rahi hai.”
Priya let out a blood-curdling scream. “SHUT UPPPPP!” She snatched a cushion and HURLED it at Shagun.
Shagun? Smoothly dodged, flipping her hair like the main villain of a saas-bahu serial.
Meanwhile…
Aditi? Still deeply committed to her plate of food. She reached for a gulab jamun, took a bite, and sighed like she was at a five-star restaurant. “Waise bhi, ghar ke khaane ka alag hi maza hota hai.”
Priya gawked at her. “TU KHAANE PE FOCUS KYU KAR RAHI HAI?! MERA DUKH DIKH NAHI RAHA KYA TUJHE?!”
Aditi shrugged. “Kyunki main teri bekaar ki theories pe focus nahi kar sakti. Aur ye toh tujhe tere bhaiya se poochna chahiye na ki unhe mera bhai kyu pasand aa gaya?”
Priya looked like she had been betrayed by her own blood. “TU NA BAS THOOSTI HI JA MUH MEIN APNE KHANA! KABHI KUCH ACHA BOL BHI NAHI SAKTI?!”
Aditi licked her fingers and deadpanned, “Khaane pe concentrate karna insaan ki mental health ke liye zaroori hota hai. Tu bhi thoda kha le. Teri health down lag rahi hai stress ka asar hai shayad.”
Priya GASPED. “TU ZARA SI BHI SHARAM NHI AA RAHI HAI?!”
Shagun, laughing like she was sent by the devil himself, leaned in. “Priya, soch… shaadi ke baad tu Prateek bhaiya ko ‘jiju’ bolegi.”
Priya let out an ear-splitting shriek, clutched her chest like a Bollywood heroine dying in slow motion, and faceplanted into her pillow. “MUJHE ISS GHAR SE BAHAR NIKALO!”
Aditi? Still eating. She casually picked up another paneer piece, zero emotions. “Par dinner ke baad.”
Shagun? Grinning ear to ear. “Shaadi ke card ka design main final kar doon?”
Priya shot up, grabbed a cushion, and CHUCKED it at Shagun’s head.
————————————————————————————————–
In the Hall…
The room was silent. Painfully silent.
The kind of silence that wasn’t comfortable or peaceful but heavy, charged, and suffocating, like the calm before a storm that everyone knew was coming but no one dared to acknowledge
Ansh sat stiffly on the couch, his gaze fixed on the wall as if it held the secrets to the universe. His jaw was tense, fingers lightly tapping against his knee an unintentional rhythm betraying the storm brewing inside him. He was aware of every single person in the room but refused to let his eyes wander. Especially not toward her.
Priya clutched a book in her hands, turning pages at random, though she hadn’t read a single word. her mind too preoccupied with the presence of the boy sitting across from her. She wasn’t looking at him. Definitely not. But the temptation to steal a glance at Prateek was almost unbearable.
Prateek’s thumb scrolled across his phone screen with unnecessary force, but his eyes weren’t really seeing anything. His mind was stuck on one thing, the letter. The letter that was still in Ansh’s room. The letter that should have been long gone. He swallowed hard, his heartbeat drumming a frantic beat against his ribs. If anyone found it if Ansh found it he was doomed.
Aditi lifted her cup of tea to her lips, taking slow, deliberate sips, maintaining the perfect illusion of calm. But beneath that composed exterior, her mind was racing. She felt the tension thick in the air, wrapping around them like an iron chain, making it impossible to relax.
Shagun leaned slightly toward Aditi, whispering something under her breath, her lips twitching in amusement. She was the only one enjoying the strange, unspoken battle happening around them.
Ruhaan sat back, arms folded across his chest, watching everyone with keen eyes and an expression of barely-contained mischief.
It was like a standoff. No one was talking. No one was looking at each other. No one dared to break the fragile balance of silence.
And then…
Ruhaan smirked.It was time to fire the first shotAnd then…Ruhaan took the damn bazooka and launched.Leaning forward casually, he let out a long, exaggerated sigh. “Yaar, yeh silence ajeeb nahi lag raha?”
No response. Not even a glance.His grin widened. Time to break the ice with fire.
He stretched lazily, like a predator preparing to strike. His voice was light, almost too innocent.
“Waise Aditi…” he mused, drawing out the words as if he were merely making small talk. “Tujhe kaisa ladka pasand hai?”
The impact was instantaneous.
Aditi, mid-sip of her tea, choked. She coughed violently, nearly spilling the cup as Shagun hurried to pat her back, her entire body trembling with suppressed laughter. Aditi shot her a glare, eyes watering, but it only made Shagun bite her lip harder to keep from bursting out.
Across the room, Ansh stiffened. His fingers curled into fists against his knees. His entire body turned rigid, as if he’d been frozen in time. He refused to look at Aditi, refused to acknowledge the way something sharp twisted in his chest at the question.
Prateek? Oh, he saw the opportunity. And he took it.
He snorted, shaking his head with an almost pitying smirk.”Aditi ko koi pasand aaye bhi toh kya faida? Akdu ki akdu hi rahegi.” The world might as well have exploded.
Aditi’s head snapped toward him so fast it was a miracle she didn’t get whiplash. Her eyes blazed, her entire demeanor shifting in an instant. “KYA BOLA?!”
Prateek instantly knew. He messed up. His smirk vanished. Regret slammed into him with the force of a freight train. His survival instincts screamed at him to run, but it was too late.
Aditi set down her cup with deliberate slowness. The air around her crackled with impending doom.
“Aur tu toh bada romantic expert bana ghoom raha hai na?” she said sweetly too sweetly.
Her tone sent a shiver down Prateek’s spine. “Kuch jyada hi aashiqui nahi chal rahi thi abhi teri…?”
Panic. Pure, raw panic.Prateek bolted upright. “Main…nahi…mera matlab tha…” he stammered, eyes darting around the room, desperate for an escape.
Ruhaan? Smirking. Shagun? Smirking. Aditi? Smirking with pure vengeance. It was a trap, and he had walked straight into it.
Ansh, on the other hand, sat motionless. If someone had a remote, he would have turned himself off. Why was he here? Why was he listening to this? Why was Ruhaan like this?
Prateek, still questioning every choice that led him here, was frantically scanning the room for backup.
There was none.He was on his own.and then as of his saviour someone came.
The door creaked open, and a tall figure stepped inside. His presence was effortless, creating a noticeable shift in the room’s atmosphere. While the usual teasing and chaos didn’t wholly cease, a new warmth enveloped the space-a silent acknowledgment that someone important had arrived. It was Aman, Priya’s, and Ansh’s older cousin’s brother.
Perched at one end of the couch, Aditi and Shagun exchanged knowing glances. The moment Ansh, Priya, Prateek, and Ruhaan turned to Aman, their faces alight with a blend of relief and excitement, it was unmistakable-he was no ordinary guest.
Before anyone could say anything, Aman first made his way to Kiran and Rajveer (Ansh’s parents), and Kriti and Sanjay (Ansh’s chacha-chachi).
With quiet respect, he bent down and touched their feet. “Namaste Chacha ji. Namaste Chachi ji.”
Rajveer placed a firm hand on his shoulder, his voice laced with deep affection. ” tu aa gaya? Bohot din ho gaye, tujhe dekhke accha lag raha hai.”
Kiran, unable to hide her joy, cupped his face. “Mera baccha kitna patla ho gaya hai! Khaana khaata bhi hai tu?”
Aman chuckled softly. “Aisa kuch nahi hai Chachi ji. Aap jaisa khana kahaan milega wahan?”
She playfully smacked his arm. “Zyada makhan mat laga! Tere liye gajar ka halwa bana rakha hai.”
Aman’s eyes lit up slightly. “Bas yeh sunne ke liye toh main aaya tha.”
Just then, Sanjay, who had been watching with a warm smile, pulled Aman into a side hug. “Kya re, bhool gaya tu apne chote chachu ko?”
Aman shook his head, grinning. “Aisa ho sakta hai kya Chachu? Aapke bina toh meri life boring ho jaati.”
Sanjay laughed heartily. “Haan haan, yeh toh tujhe tab yaad aata hai jab koi late-night gyaan dene wala nahi hota.”
Kriti , who had been waiting for her turn, gently pulled Aman’s ear. “Aur mujhe toh tune phone tak nahi kiya pichle do mahine se. Bilkul bhi yaad nahi karta tu mujhe, hai na?”
Aman winced playfully. “Arre arre Chachi! Aap toh jaanti hain na, main college aur kaam mein uljha hua tha.”
Kriti narrowed her eyes, pretending to be offended. “Haan, bas! Bahane mat bana. Agli baar agar phone nahi aaya na, toh dekh lena!”
Aman raised his hands in surrender. “Pakka, Chachi! Agli baar sabse pehle aapko phone karunga.”
Before he could say anything else, Priya let out a happy shriek and practically tackled him in a hug.
“Aman bhaiyaa!!” she exclaimed excitedly.
Aman laughed, steadying himself. “Arre, Priya! mujhe giraake hi welcome karogi kya?.”
Priya pulled back, beaming. “Aapko pata hai kitna miss kiya humne? Itne din tak koi mujhe tang nahi kar raha tha!”
Aman smirked. “Koi baat nahi Priya. Ab main aaya hoon, toh yeh kami bhi poori kar dunga.”
While Priya was all smiles, Ansh, Prateek, and Ruhaan stood nearby, watching silently. The three of them weren’t as expressive as Priya, but their eyes said it all.
Aman turned to them with a smirk. “Kya baat hai? Teenon ki zabaan kat gayi kya?”
Ansh rolled his eyes and let out a small chuckle. “nhi bass aise hi dekh rhe the apki nautanki”
Aman chuckled and threw an arm around his younger cousin. “main nahi hota toh tum logon ka kya hota?”
Ruhaan groaned. “Ab dekho gyaan bhi dena chalu kar diya inhone aate hi.”
Prateek smirked. “Ek minute ke liye laga ki aap kuch emotional bolne wale ho, par nahi… wahi attitude.”
Aman laughed, shaking his head. “Meri emotional side ke liye koi aur jagah dhoondo. Tum log ke saath toh bas yeh chalta hai.”
That’s when his gaze shifted to two unfamiliar faces-Aditi and Shagun. Unlike the rest, they had been sitting quietly, observing everything unfold.
Looking at Priya, he asked, “Aur yeh dono kaun hain?”
Priya quickly realized she hadn’t introduced them yet. She gestured towards them with a smile. “Oh! Yeh Aditi hai, aur yeh Shagun. Meri friends.”
Aman’s expression softened. His natural warmth and maturity reflected in the way he looked at them-not as a stranger, but with genuine interest.
He gave them a polite nod. “Acha laga tum dono se milke.”
Aditi, who had been silently observing him, felt something different about the way he spoke-he wasn’t just being polite; he meant it. She exchanged a glance with Shagun before smiling slightly.
“Aap se milke bhi acha laga Aman bhaiya.”
Shagun, usually more reserved, felt the same warmth and found herself smiling as well. “Haan, bohot acha laga. Priya ne aapke baare mein bohot bataya hai.”
Aman’s lips curled into a small, pleased smile. He hadn’t expected them to call him bhaiya so soon, but somehow, it felt… right.
With a teasing look, he said, “Mujhe umeed hai in logon ne tum dono ko ab tak pura bigada nahi hoga.”
Aditi smirked. “Bigadne ka chance hi nahi mila, already inki har harkat dekh chuke hain.”
Shagun giggled. “But now that you’re here, maybe we’ll get some balance?”
Ruhaan snorted. “Haan haan, balance? Bhool jao. Ab toh aur hungama hoga.”
Aman shook his head with a chuckle before looking at Aditi and Shagun again. This time, there was no teasing, just quiet sincerity.
“Chalo, ab toh pakka hai. Do aur behnein badh gayi meri.”
Aditi and Shagun both felt something shift-like they weren’t just Priya’s friends anymore. They belonged here now.
As the warm greetings settled, Kriti suddenly narrowed her eyes and looked around suspiciously.
She crossed her arms and asked, “Aman beta, tu akela aaya hai kya? Vo chuha nahi aaya tere saath?”
Aman, already knowing exactly who she was referring to, let out a chuckle. “Jaanti toh hain aap, Chachi. Bandar hai vo, kuch na kuch kar hi raha hoga.”
Sanjay shook his head with a knowing smile. “Matlab phir koi shararat ki planning chal rahi hogi.”
Just then, a thunderous bang echoed through the house-so loud that it felt like a bomb had gone off in the living room making Aditi stumble back.
“BHAAD MEIN GAYI SHANTI! KYA THA YEH?!” Ruhaan yelped, nearly jumping out of his seat.
Aditi and Shagun exchanged alarmed looks, while Kriti instinctively grabbed Sanjay’s arm. “Haye Bhagwan! Phir se toh kuch ud nahi gaya na?”
Kiran’s hand flew to her chest. “Mere ghar mein toh ek din sukoon se jeene do, Bhagwan!”
Before anyone could recover, a whirlwind of chaos burst into the room-loud, energetic, and completely unapologetic.
“AAPKA SUPERSTAR AA GAYA HAI!!” (Ik aur namoona to aap log bhi deserve karte hain 🕺🏻😌)
And there he stood at the entrance-Vivaan, aka the “Bandar” himself. His backpack was slung over one shoulder, his hair was a mess (as if he had just wrestled with the wind and lost), and his face radiated pure mischief. Dressed in his usual half-tucked shirt , he looked like he had just rolled out of bed and into trouble.
His sharp brown eyes scanned the room with an unmistakable glint of excitement, already plotting his next act of chaos. With an easy smirk playing on his lips and an energy level that rivaled a sugar-high toddler, Vivaan was a walking storm of unpredictability-one that everyone saw coming but no one could prepare for.
Aman pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Bola tha na maine? Yeh zaroor koi dhamaka karega.”
Vivaan dramatically dropped his bag on the floor and threw his arms open. “Kaisi lagi meri entry?”
Ansh deadpanned. “Jaise kisi ne nuclear bomb phoda ho.”
Before anyone could even react, a scream of pure excitement filled the air.
“HAYEEE MERA CHUHA AA GAYA!!” A blur of motion, and the next second, Priya was sprinting across the room like a missile launched at full speed.
Vivaan braced himself just in time before Priya CRASHED into him, nearly knocking him over as she wrapped her arms around him in a dramatic bear hug.
“TUJHE PATA BHI HAI MAINE KITNA MISS KIYA?!”
Vivaan, never one to be outdone in drama, threw his head back and let out a loud, theatrical sigh.
“HAYEEE MERI CHUHIYAAA!!” He spun her around in circles, making Priya squeal in delight. “TUJHE BHI BOHOT MISS KIYA MAINE!”
Then, as if possessed by the soul of a 90s Bollywood heroine, Vivaan dramatically grabbed Priya’s shoulders, looking deep into her eyes.
“Har din, har raat… main sirf tere baare mein sochta tha!”
Priya clutched her chest, gasping. “Sach?!” Vivaan nodded, “HAAN!!” Then suddenly smirked, “Lekin phir yaad aa jata ki tu boht pareshaan karti mujhe, toh maine sochna bandh kar diya.”
Priya GASPED, slapping his arm. “jhuthee…tu pareshaan karta hai sabko!”
She grabbed a cushion from the sofa and whacked him with it.
Vivaan yelped and hid behind Kriti. “Mere Papa ki Darling! Bacha lo mujhe!!”
Kriti, already used to their antics, sighed in exhaustion. “Tum dono abhi mile ho, thodi der shanti rakh sakte ho ya nahi?!”
Priya wasn’t done yet. She turned to her chachu, Sanjay, and pointed at Vivaan. “Chachu! Dekhiye apne bete ko! Aapka akela beta kitna besharam ho gaya hai!”
Vivaan crossed his arms. “Aur tu toh ekdum shareef hai na?”
Sanjay rolled his eyes. “Tum dono ke case mein mujhe koi side nahi leni. Mere dono bacche hi dimaag ke dushman hain.”
Aman, watching all of this unfold, let out a tired sigh and looked at Ansh. “Yeh dono alag hi level ke namoone hain.”
Ansh rubbed his temples. “Ab yeh normal nahi hone waale.”
Ruhaan leaned toward Prateek. “Mujhe laga tha hum sabse zyada pagal hain, lekin yeh dono alag hi duniya ke hain.” Prateek nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, Priya and Vivaan were still bickering.
Priya smirked. “Aur bata, mere bina din kaise guzaare tune?”
Vivaan dramatically wiped a fake tear. “Bohot mushkil the Chuhiya! Subah uthta tha, aur tujhe yaad karke rote rote sojaata tha!”
Priya sighed. “Aww mera Chuha!”
Aman turned to Kriti. “Chachi ji, yeh dono kabhi shaant hote hain kya?”
Kriti laughed. “Agar Vivaan aur Priya shaant ho gaye, toh samajh lena koi bahut badi problem ho gayi hai.
As the chaos between Priya and Vivaan settled (or at least took a slight pause), Vivaan turned his attention to the rest of the room. His eyes first landed on Ansh.
He narrowed his eyes and stroked his chin, pretending to analyze him. Then, with a deep sigh, he shook his head dramatically. “Aap toh vaise hi ho… boring.”
Ansh raised an eyebrow. “Aur tujhe laga tha main nagin dance seekh ke baithunga?”
Vivaan clicked his tongue. “Koi naye updates nahi hai kya, thoda toh dramatic bano! Yeh kya serious aura bana rakha hai? Mana ki aap head boy ho par iska matlab ye to nahi na ki har waqt muh sada k rakhoge apna”
Before Ansh could respond, Vivaan dramatically sighed again and turned to Prateek.
“Aap bhi boring.”
Prateek blinked. “Kya? Abhi aaya h, aur mujhe boring bol rha hai?”
Vivaan waved his hand dismissively. “Bhai, meri taraf dekho. Kitni energy hai, kitna swag hai! aap dono ko dekh ke lag raha hai kisi serious courtroom drama ka scene chal raha hai!”
Before Prateek could throw a cushion at him, Vivaan suddenly turned, his eyes landing on Ruhaan. A mischievous grin spread across his face.
Then-without warning-Vivaan ran toward Ruhaan, leaped onto the couch, and launched himself onto Ruhaan like an overexcited koala.
“RUHAAN BHAIYAAA!! MERI DARLING!!” he yelled, wrapping his arms around Ruhaan’s neck and clinging onto him for dear life. “Aapko toh bohot miss kiya maine!”
(najayaz lugaii ruhaan ki😭)
Ruhaan’s eyes widened in horror. “Arre arre arre! HAT! HAT PAGAL!!”
He tried to push Vivaan away, but Vivaan had latched on like a stubborn monkey.
Ruhaan gritted his teeth, trying to peel him off. “Bhai, tu kya Fevicol laga k aya hai?! HAT NAAA!!”
Vivaan fake-sobbed into his shoulder. “Aapko toh sabse zyada miss kiya maine! Priya aur Papa ki Darling ka toh pata tha, par aapne bhi ek phone nahi kiya mujhe!”
Ruhaan desperately looked around for help. “KOI IS BANDAR KO HATAO MERE UPAR SE!”
Prateek, Ansh, and Aman watched in amusement, making no effort to help.
Aditi and Shagun covered their mouths, trying to hold back their laughter. Priya smirked and crossed her arms surpressing her laugh
Vivaan continued his overly dramatic act, rubbing his cheek against Ruhaan’s shoulder. “Mujhe laga tha sirf aap samjhte ho mujhe! Par aap bhi dhokebaaz nikle!”
Ruhaan, now actually struggling, flailed his arms. “Bhai!! Koi toh isse uthao!! Mera gala daba raha hai yeh!!!”
Ansh leaned back, smirking. “Bas ek aur minute.”
Just then, Kriti clapped her hands loudly. “Bas bas, ab Vivaan ko hatao Ruhaan se, nahi toh sach mein unconscious ho jayega bechara!”
Vivaan finally let go and jumped back, fixing his hair. “Accha chalo, maaf kiya Ruhaan bhaiya. Lekin next time, yaad rakhna! Mujhe ignore kiya toh main aur bhi strong chipak jaunga!”
Ruhaan collapsed onto the couch, panting. “Bhai… tu kabhi normal nahi hoga na?”
Vivaan grinned proudly. “nhii!”
Aman exhaled deeply, shaking his head. “Pehle Priya, ab Vivaan… kaise jhelte ho aaplog inko”
Kiran laughed, shaking her head. “Beta, is ghar mein shanti kabhi nahi thi, aur kabhi hogi bhi nahi!”
Then, his eyes landed on two unfamiliar faces. His mischievous grin widened. “Arre arre arre… yeh do sundariyaan kaun hain?”
Aditi and Shagun looked at each other, confused.
Priya immediately smacked the back of Vivaan’s head. “Oye! limit main ! Yeh dono meri friends hain!”
Vivaan, completely unfazed, flipped his hair back and put on his most charming smile.
He walked up to Aditi first, leaning slightly closer with a teasing smirk. “Kya naam hai aapka, haseena?” The words had barely left Vivaan’s mouth before an unspoken irritation flickered in Ansh’s dark eyes. His lips pressed into a thin line as if mentally preparing himself not to throw the nearest object at his drama-king cousin.
Aditi rolled her eyes, already unimpressed. “Aditi.”
Vivaan placed a hand over his heart. “Aditi? Wah, kya naam hai! Bilkul tumhari tarah sundar.”
Aditi, deadpan, picked up a nearby cushion and SMACKED it right across his face.However, the moment Aditi picked up a cushion and whacked Vivaan across the face, Ansh’s posture eased. His fingers relaxed, and though he didn’t outwardly react, an almost imperceptible sigh of relief escaped him.
His gaze flickered to Aditi-calm, composed, and utterly unimpressed as she shut Vivaan down without a second thought. He let out a silent exhale, the corner of his lip twitching ever so slightly.
Vivaan stumbled back dramatically, clutching his chest as if he’d just been SHOT.
“Arre! Itni jaldi rejection?!”
But as Ansh glanced at Aditi again, something warm and unfamiliar settled in his chest.And for the first time in a while, he was grateful for Vivaan’s nonsense.
Aditi crossed her arms. “Haan, aur ab dobara try bhi mat karna.”
Ruhaan burst out laughing.
Vivaan huffed, brushing imaginary dust off his shirt. “Theek hai, priya ki bestie toh bohot egoistic hai.”
Then, he turned to Shagun with renewed confidence.
“Chalo, ek sundari gayi toh kya hua, doosri toh hai!”
He flashed his biggest, most dramatic grin and stepped toward Shagun. “Aur aapka naam, pyaari si pari?”
But just as he was about to continue his flirt game-
“Bas! Ruk jaa wahin!” Ruhaan’s voice BOOMED through the room.Everyone turned to look at him.Ruhaan stood up from his spot, crossing his arms over his chest, his eyes narrowed at Vivaan.
“she’s mine, ispe line mat maar!”
Shagun rolled her eyes and SHOVED Ruhaan away. “Main tumhari kabse ban gayi?!”
Ruhaan grinned shamelessly, brushing off his shoulder. “Tumse pehle koi aur nahi mila, toh obvious hai tum meri hi ho.”
Shagun shook her head. “Tum na ek din maar khaoge mujhse.”
Ruhaan sighed dramatically. “tumhaare haathon ki maar to main roz kha lu”
Vivaan whistled. “Ohooo! Yeh toh bohot serious hai!”
shagun snorted. “Nahi, yeh sirf pagal hai.”
Shagun, exasperated, turned to Priya. “Kya tu is Vivaan ko bandh ke kahin rakh sakti hai?!”
Priya grinned. “Main toh soch rahi hoon tujhe aur Ruhaan bhaiya ko ek room mein band kar doon.”
Ruhaan winked at Shagun. “Batao? Tumhe koi problem toh nahi hogi?”
Shagun, horrified, looked at Vivaan. “Tu aise dekh mat, koi aur ladki dekh le, yahan koi bhi teri nahi hone wali.”
Vivaan, throwing his hands up, sighed. “Kya yaar, Priya! Yeh kaisi dost banayi hai tune?” Priya patted his shoulder. “Tu sudhar ja, toh dost bhi achhi ho jayengi.”
Vivaan sighed dramatically, flopping onto the couch. “Kya zindagi hai! Ek bhi ladki impress nahi hoti!”
As the laughter settled (only slightly, because let’s be real-Priya and Vivaan don’t know what peace is), Vivaan dramatically flopped onto the couch, throwing his arms over his face.
“Bas! Ab aur dukh nahi seh sakta! Yeh sab ladkiyan toh meri feelings ki dhajiyaan uda rahi hain!”
Ruhaan smirked, throwing a cushion at him. ” Teri feelings itni sasti hain ki har roz nayi ladki ke liye badal jati hain!”
Vivaan caught the cushion mid-air like a Bollywood hero, sat up, and pointed at Ruhaan. “Meri feelings sasti nahi, bas flexible hain.”
Shagun rolled her eyes. “Haan haan, ekdum rubber band ki tarah.”
Just then, Priya grabbed Vivaan’s ear and twisted it and also instructed Aditi as well as Priya.
“Bas kar drama, chal andar aa, mujhe tujhe meri naye plans batane hain aur tum dono bhi chalo.”
Vivaan yelped. “Aye haye! Kaisi behen mili hai mujhe!”
Ansh, Prateek, and Ruhaan shook their heads in sync. “Pura namoona hai.”
——————————————————————————
At Singhania’s residence…
The soft morning sunlight filtered into Aman’s room, casting a golden hue over his neatly arranged belongings. His study table was in perfect order, his bed still untouched, and his wardrobe stood open, revealing crisp, well-ironed clothes. He stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his watch with precision, his face calm and unreadable.
Today was the first day of his final year of MBA. A new beginning. But to him, it was just another ordinary day.
(Aman has transferred to delhi to continue his studies here on Rajveer and Kiran’s request. until now he’s been doing his college from hostel and today though he is a final year student but it’s his first day at new college and vivaan has just went to spend time with aman in his break after class 10th boards, ghumakkad h chuha hamara…)
A knock on the door broke the silence.
“Aman andar aa sakte hain?” Rajveer’s voice was warm, filled with the same affection it always held.
Aman took a deep breath before replying, “Haan Chacha ji, aaiye.”
The door opened, and Rajveer and Kiran stepped inside. Kiran held a small plate with curd and sugar, the traditional good luck ritual. Her eyes, though filled with love, carried an unspoken sadness.
“Pehla din hai beta. Kuch meetha kha lo,” she said softly, offering him a spoonful.
Aman hesitated for a second before taking a bite. The sweetness melted on his tongue, but it did nothing to ease the dull ache in his heart.
Kiran gently brushed her fingers through his hair, her touch warm, motherly. “Aur kuch chahiye ho toh bata dena. Kitabein, paise, lunch… jo bhi lage.”
Aman shook his head, offering a small, polite smile. “Sab kuch hai Chachi ji. Aap chinta mat kariye.”
Rajveer sighed and sat on the edge of Aman’s bed, his eyes scanning his nephew’s face carefully before speaking.
“Aman… tu jaanta hai na ki humne tujhe sirf iss liye nahi bulaya ki tera college yahan hai?”
Aman’s fingers, which had been adjusting his watch strap, stilled for a moment. He didn’t look up.
“Hum chahte the ki tu parivaar ke saath rahe,” Rajveer continued. “Ek jagah jahan tujhe akela mehsoos na ho.”
Kiran placed a hand on Aman’s shoulder, her grip gentle yet firm. “Beta… jab se…” she hesitated, her voice thick with emotion, “jab se wo haadsa hua, tab se tu pehle jaisa nahi raha. Tu pehle kitna hansmukh tha, hamesha shararatein karta tha Vivaan ki tarah… ab toh bas… chup-chap rehta hai.”
Aman’s throat tightened, but he refused to let it show. His grip on his watch strap firmed as he exhaled slowly.
“Sab theek hai Chachi ji. Sach mein.” His voice was calm, practiced.
Kiran’s eyes glistened as she exchanged a glance with Rajveer. They both knew better. They had seen this child-once so full of life-build walls around himself. The day Aman lost his parents, something inside him had shattered forever.
Rajveer placed a firm hand on Aman’s shoulder. ” tu akela nahi hai. Yeh ghar utna hi tera bhi hai jitna Ansh, Priya aur Vivaan ka. Ham sab tere sath hai. Bhaiya Bhabhi ki tarah naa pyaar kar sake par unki kami kabhi bhi mehssos nahi hone dende. Yeh wada karta hu m tujhse.”
For a moment-just a moment-Aman wanted to say something. To tell them that no matter how much love they gave, the emptiness never faded. That some wounds never truly heal. But he swallowed the words, nodded, and forced a small smile.
“Mujhe pata hai Chacha ji.”
Kiran sighed, ruffling his hair softly. “Achha, kam se kam aaj toh humein college chhodne do?”
Aman let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. “Nahi Chachi ji, main khud chala jaunga. Meri bike hai na.”
Rajveer watched him for a moment longer before nodding. “Theek hai… bas itna yaad rakhna, agar kabhi bhi tujhe kisi bhi baat ki zaroorat ho, hum hamesha yahan hain.”
Aman didn’t trust himself to reply, so he simply noded, picked up his bag and walked toward the door.
Unbeknownst to them, Ansh stood in the hallway, his back pressed against the wall beside Aman’s door. He had heard everything.
His fingers curled into fists as he processed the conversation. His always-composed, ever-strong Aman bhaiya… was hurting. More than he let on.
Ansh had never seen Aman express emotions beyond his usual calm demeanor, but today, he had caught a glimpse of something raw-something Aman tried so hard to hide.
His heart ached at the realization.
But as Aman’s footsteps neared, Ansh quickly straightened up, masking all his emotions. He leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.
Just as Aman stepped out, Ansh smirked.
“Bhaiya, aap tayyar hone mein itna time kyun lagate hain? MBA kar rahe ho ya shaadi ki tayari?”
Aman blinked, momentarily caught off guard before letting out a small chuckle, shaking his head. “jyada nahi bolne lag gya tu? tujhe itni jaldi kyuu hai meri shadi ki? aur majak bhi karne lag gaya hai ab to tu…. pehle to bada shareef banta tha!”
Ansh grinned, nudging Aman’s arm. “Sikhna toh aap se hi pada na?”
Aman smiled, ruffling his younger cousin’s hair. “Chal, Ja ab school k liye late ho jayega.”
Ansh nodded, walking beside him-but inside, his mind was already racing with ways to bring back the Aman who once laughed freely.
Because if there was one thing Ansh was sure of, it was this-he wasn’t going to let his bhaiya carry this burden alone anymore.
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That’s all for this chapter hope you all liked it…🦋
Was it still boring??😭🥹
Please do vote and comment down your favorite scene….🐥💗
Thank You so much bubbles… 🫶🏻💌
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