Here is another chapter, We hope you'll enjoy reading it. Also be with us in the journey😊, the story will going to be interesting, Promise karte hai Jii!🫶

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Authors POV

The iron gate creaked the way it always did when Mahin pushed it open. He leaned his weight into it without thinking and he stepped inside casually.

Behind him, Kiaan came in with way more noise than necessary. His backpack hung off one shoulder before he dramatically flung it onto the sofa. "Uff," he sighed loudly.

From the living room, a sleepy voice called out, "Finally. Tum dono aa gaye."

Amrita was lying sideways on the couch, one leg bent awkwardly, a half-read novel resting on her stomach. Every time she breathed, the book shifted slightly.

Her hair was tied in a loose bun that was clearly done in a hurry. A few strands had escaped and were sticking to her cheek because of the heat, but she didn't seem to care.

She looked up when the boys entered.

She was tall. There was something steady about her. The kind of person who didn't rush even when everyone else did.

She was wearing a simple cotton kurta and loose pants. Still, she somehow made it look put-together without trying.

Amrita sat up slowly, stretching her arms above her head before heading toward the kitchen without a word.

The sound of the tap running and steel glasses clinking followed.

A minute later, she came back holding two glasses of water. "Drink," she said, handing one to each of them. "Tum dono ko dekh ke lag raha hai abhi bina paani ke gir jaoge." There was a small smirk on her face.

Kiaan grabbed the glass and drank, then he flopped onto the sofa dramatically, arms and legs spread out, shirt still creased and slightly sweaty.

Before Mahin could say anything, their mother's voice came from the kitchen. "Get up from there. Go change first and freshen up!"

Mahin was already heading toward the stairs. "Main change karke aata hoon, Maa," he said calmly, taking them two at a time.

Kiaan groaned loudly. "Abhi?!" he complained under his breath, dragging himself up toward the room while muttering something.

A little while later, both brothers came back in clean cotton clothes, hair still slightly damp.

Lunch had already happened. The plates were cleared, the table wiped down.

They dropped back into their usual spots in the living room without thinking about it.

Amrita shifted into the corner of the sofa, pulling her legs up comfortably. Mahin sat on the armrest beside her, phone in hand, scrolling quietly.

On the carpet, Kiaan had taken up way more space than necessary, lying flat on the floor.

Amrita noticed him and smirked a little. "So?" she asked casually. "School kaisa chal raha hai? Koi problem toh nahi hai?"

Kiaan turned his head toward her but before he could speak,

Mahin said dryly, still looking at his phone, "Of course problem hai. It's Kiaan."

Kiaan groaned loudly and threw his arm over his face. "You both are impossible. Banda thoda shaanti se so bhi nahi sakta kya?"

Amrita laughed softly. "Tu aur shaanti? Kab se?" after a second, she leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on her knees. "Achha, sach bata. Kya hua aaj?"

Kiaan dropped his arm from his face and stared at the ceiling. "Okay, listen. This time it wasn't my fault."

Mahin didn't even look up from his phone and he let out a small snort. "First lie."

"I swear!" Kiaan shot up into a sitting position. "It was free period, and I was just drinking water from my bottle, minding my own business, literally not talking, not irritating anyone-"

Amrita slowly started clapping. "Wah!" she said dryly. "Yeh toh chamatkar ho gaya."

Kiaan glared at her. "Can I finish?" he said raising his both brows.

She gestured dramatically. "Please. Continue." she said.

He huffed. "Someone pushed me from behind, okay? And the water spilled directly on Tauntika's notebook."

Both of Amrita and Mahin got paused.

"Tauntika?" Mahin finally looked up. "Yeh naam thoda... ajeeb nahi hai?" He glanced at Amrita for confirmation.

Kiaan dragged a hand down his face. "Hey Bhagwaan... itne bhole kyu hai yeh?" he muttered.

Amrita leaned forward immediately. "Achha? Toh yeh Tauntika kaun hai?" she asked, clearly enjoying this.

"Vritika!"

Mahin finally looked up from his phone. "Ab yeh Vritika kaun hai?" he asked flatly.

"Arey! Jiski notebook pe paani gir gaya tha, woh Vritika hai!" Kiaan snapped.

Mahin frowned slightly. "Tune uski notebook pe paani kab giraya?" he asked.

Kiaan threw his hands up. "Aage, bhaiya, aage! Abhi story mein aage bataunga," he insisted. 

"Haan toh," Kiaan continued quickly, "main bas bol hi raha tha ki 'I didn't do it intentionally-'" He paused before adding. "when she took her bottle and poora paani mere muh pe daal diya!"

Amrita covered her mouth. "No." she said slowly shaking her head.

"Yes!" Kiaan said immediately. "And then she smiled and said-" He straightened and copied her in an overly sweet voice. "'It's okay. Hota hai. But next time se be careful, theek?'" He even gave them a fake polite smile.

Mahin raised his eyebrows. "And then what did you do, Mr. Samjhdaar?" he said.

Kiaan blinked. "Obviously I threw water back at her." he said casually while shrugging his shoulders. 

Amrita dropped her hand to her forehead. "Of course you did." she groaned.

"But listen!" Kiaan leaned forward. "At first it was just us, okay? Just a little splashing. Then someone else joined. And then someone else." He spread his arms. "Do minute mein puri class swimming pool ban gaya."

Mahin pinched the bridge of his nose. "This is why you can't be trusted." he muttered.

"And then," Kiaan said, lowering his voice for effect, "the teacher walked in." He paused dramatically.

Amrita inhaled sharply. "Oh no." she said, her eyes widened.

Mahin didn't even blink. "Let me guess. She died on the spot?" he guessed.

Kiaan glared at him. "No. Worse." He sat up a little straighter. "She looked at Vritika. Then at me. Then at the flooded floor." He paused. "And she said, 'Both of you. Clean. The. Entire. Classroom.'" He lifted his hands in disbelief. "In one hour!"

Amrita burst out laughing. "Serves you right!" she managed between giggles.

Mahin smirked. "So you and this girl spent one full hour mopping the classroom together?" he asked.

Kiaan flopped back dramatically. "Yes!" he said, "And she wasn't even helping properly," he continued, voice full of complaint. "Bas instructions de rahi thi. 'Waha saaf karo. Idhar reh gaya.' Jaise main uska naukar hoon!"

He rolled onto his side and started copying her voice again while adding random hand movements for effect.

"'Kiaan, yeh corner chhorh diya.'"

He shifted slightly. "'Kiaan, bucket seedha rakh.'"

"'Kiaan, tu cloth wrong side use kar raha hai.'"

Amrita was fully laughing now, wiping the corners of her eyes. "Oh my God. Kya ladki hai yaar," she managed between giggles.

"Ladki?" Kiaan shot up. "Ladki nahi. Aafat hai. Puri aafat." He pointed upward. "Ek number ki nakchadi. Har baat pe taunt maaregi. Isliye toh uska naam rakha maine, Tauntika."

Amrita started laughing again, Mahin just shook his head while trying not to smile too much and Kiaan sat there in the middle of it all, still annoyed but also clearly enjoying the attention.

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Amrita was lying on her bed, propped up against too many pillows, book in hand. Her hair had come loose from its clip at some point and now rested over her shoulders. The dupatta she'd been wearing earlier was tossed somewhere near her feet.

She was barely aware of any of it as her eyes moved slowly across the page. "He didn't need to touch her to make her feel wanted." She paused.

"The way he looked at her... like she was the most precious thing in the universe..." Her grip on the book tightened slightly. "Love wasn't loud. Sometimes it was quiet. Steady. Terrifyingly beautiful."

She read that line twice. "Terrifyingly beautiful." The words sat with her longer than she expected.

She closed the book halfway, keeping a finger between the pages, and stared at the ceiling.

"Would anyone ever look at me like that?" The question slipped in quietly. "Would anyone stay?"

She let out a slow breath and pressed the book against her chest while being embarrassed by the direction her thoughts were going. "Pagal," she muttered softly to herself.

Her phone suddenly started vibrating on the side table, the sound felt louder than it should have in the quiet room.

She glanced at the screen and it screen showed Unknown number.

For a second, she just stared at it and she almost let it ring out but then she picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Okay. Listen to me carefully." The voice was of a male who sounds confident and a little too serious.

Amrita sat up slightly. "Kaun bol raha hai?" she asked in confusion as her brows knit together and she pressed the phone closer to her ear.

There was a small pause before he started, "Main woh hoon... jiska tum besabri se intezaar kar rahi ho."

Her stomach dropped, the book slipped from her lap onto the bed and she tightened her grip on the phone, her mind racing.

"Main woh hoon... jiske baare mein tum apni kitaabein padhte waqt sawaal karti ho." The way he said it made her sit up straight.

Her lips parted as a soft gasp escaped from her. "What? Tumhe kaise pata main book padh rahi thi?" she asked quickly.

A soft chuckle came from the other side. "Har pyaar karne wali ladki aisa hi karti hai."

Her brows pulled together as this was getting weird.

Then he said, more seriously, "Main sirf tumhare liye apna sab kuch chhorhkar aa raha hoon."

Amrita blinked. "Excuse me??"

He continued like she hadn't even interrupted him. "Tumhari chaah... tumhari awaaz... sab mujhe yahan kheench laayi hai."

Her grip tightened around the phone. "Ho kaun tum?" she asked, this time firmer.

There was a pause.

"Wahi... jiske liye tum apne dil mein thoda sa jagah khaali rakh ke baithi ho."

Her heart skipped for a second. "Yeh... yeh kaun sa prank hai?" she asked, tightening her grip on the phone.

"What? Tanya, tu dialogue bhool gayi kya? Scene 4 ka rehearsal chal raha hai."

Amrita blinked. "Tanya?" she repeated.

There was a pause on the other end. "...Tanya, right?" he said hesitantly.

"...Nahi."

"Oh. Oh shit. I mean- I'm so sorry! Woh dialogues the. Main kisi aur ko call kar raha tha. I didn't know- I-" He started rambling, tripping over his own words.

Amrita stared at the wall for a second while thinking "So this wasn't some mysterious soulmate situation. Just... wrong number."

She pressed the book against her chest, trying not to laugh at how panicked he sounded. "It's okay," she said, a small smile slipping out anyway.

"I swear I'm not a creep," he added quickly. "Meri friend Tanya ne bola tha rehearsal karne ke liye. Mujhe laga yeh uska number hai. Galti se tumhe lag gaya."

She bit her lip to stop herself from smiling too obviously.

His voice was completely different now as it had no drama but, just embarrassment. "...Tum sach mein book padh rahi thi?" he asked, a little cautiously.

She let out a small breath. "Haan," she said, a little surprised he remembered.

There was a pause on his end. "Acha... sorry again. But... can I know who I'm speaking to?" he whispered.

"Amrita," she replied. "And you?"

"Rishaan. I'm from DCAC. Shayad kisi group se number save ho gaya hoga." He gave a small awkward laugh. "Anyway, sorry for disturbing you."

"It's fine," she said. Then, before she could overthink it, she added, "Tumne dialogues acche bole."

"...Kya?" he asked, caught off guard.

She instantly regretted saying it. "Woh... voice achhi thi," she muttered.

And before the moment could stretch any further, she quickly ended the call.

The room went quiet again.

She kept staring at the screen for a few seconds after it went dark but still, she didn't put the phone down immediately. "It had just been a wrong number. So why did it not feel like one?" she muttered to herself and then shook her head.

________________________________

Ishaan was lying across the couch, one arm hanging off the side. His fingers made a half-hearted attempt toward the remote on the table, but he clearly wasn't planning to actually get up.

Mahin walked past, stopped, and sighed. Without a word, he picked up the remote and dropped it onto Ishaan's stomach. "Bhai, itna aalas kahan se laata hai tu?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ishaan caught it lazily. "Aalas? Bhai, stretching bolte hain isko."

Mahin just stared at him for a second before shaking his head. Ishaan, meanwhile, sank even deeper into the cushions.

"Vanya Devi! Kahan hai? Dikh nahi rahi," Ravish called from the hallway, craning his neck as he looked around.

Ishaan shrugged. "Pata nahi." he said.

Mahin frowned slightly. "Haan, hai kahan woh? Uski awaaz bhi nahi aa rahi."

For a moment, the three of them looked around the house and it felt unusually quiet.

Then their eyes met.

Ravish's lips slowly curved into a grin. Ishaan's eyebrows lifted in realization. Mahin's smirk said the rest.

In perfect unison, they said, "Pakka koi kand kar rahi hogi." and the hall filled with their laughter. It wasn't even a proper accusation at this point. If Vanya was quiet, something was definitely cooking.

Mahin dropped onto the couch with a tired sigh and melted into the cushions. Ravish followed, eyeing the tiny gap beside him and attempting to fit himself in.

Except Ishaan was already spread across the sofa.

"Thoda toh side ho, bhai?" Ravish said while trying to shove him over with his shoulder.

Ishaan didn't even open his eyes. "Main pehle aaya tha," he mumbled, his voice thick with laziness.

"Haan toh? Side ho jaayega thoda toh ghis jaayega kya?" Ravish muttered, pushing Ishaan's shoulder harder.

Ishaan pushed back with equal force while not even looking at him. "Nahi ho raha. Adjust kar."

Ravish threw his hands up. "Sudhar jaa, Khaadu, sudhar jaa!" he snapped at him.

That made Ishaan crack one eye open and a slow grin spread across his face. "Saale tu hoga, Bhoti kuttey," he shot back.

Mahin, sitting at the edge of the sofa, let out a tired breath. He looked from one to the other. "Ishaan, tu kyun usko tang karta rehta hai?" he said, rubbing his forehead. "Thoda sa side ho jaa na."

Ishaan blinked and slowly turned his head, scanning the room. "Yeh kaun bola?" he asked seriously.

Mahin stared at him.

Ishaan's grin spread. "Ooohh, Mahin ne bola kya?" He turned dramatically toward Ravish and pretended to hold a mic in his hand. "Beta, pehle tera yeh dost bol sakta tha?"

Ravish clutched his chest. "Nahi... bol sakta tha..." he cried in fake heartbreak.

"Toh ab kya hua?" Ishaan leaned in.

"Bolne laga," Ravish replied solemnly and then immediately burst into laughter.

The two of them jumped up and started doing the most ridiculous, off-beat dance imaginable. "Mera yashu, yashu!" they sang at full volume.

Mahin leaned back against the sofa and let out a slow breath. "Ho gaya tum dono ka?" he muttered, giving them a look that clearly said he was done with today's nonsense.

Ishaan stopped mid-dance and waved at him dramatically. "Aise mat dekh, pagle," he said, trying to look innocent.

Ravish stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Warna pyaar ho jaayega," he added, lightly punching Mahin's shoulder.

The two of them burst out laughing again, leaning into each other. Meanwhile, Mahin stayed where he was, jaw tight for a second longer... then he sighed and shook his head.

__________________________

The three of them walked into Ishaan's room, which looked exactly like it always did, the clothes on the chair, clothes on the bed, clothes on the floor. 

Basically, clothes everywhere except inside the cupboard.

Mahin had barely taken two steps in when his foot got caught in a pile of shirts. He lost his balance instantly and went down with a loud thud, arms flailing in a very undignified attempt to save himself.

For one full second, there was silence but then Ishaan and Ravish exploded.

Ishaan bent over, clutching his stomach. Ravish nearly fell against the wall, laughing so hard he had to wipe his eyes.

"Lagi toh nahi tujhe?" Ravish asked between laughs, trying to sound concerned.

Mahin groaned from the floor, still lying face-down on the carpet.

Ishaan, couldn't stop there. "Haan bhai, bata de... kahin aisi jagah toh nahi lagi ki mere chacha banne ka sapna toot jaaye?" he said with a wicked grin.

Mahin turned his head slowly and shot him a look. "Shut up. And what is this mess? Kamra kam, kachraghar zyada lag raha hai."

Ishaan instantly sat up straighter, mildly offended. "Arre I was just about to clean it when you guys came," he muttered, grabbing random clothes and shoving them into the cupboard without folding anything.

Within five minutes, the room looked... slightly less disastrous.

The three of them dropped to the floor, backs against the bed, shoulders bumping. Ravish tore open a packet of chips.

Soon it was just the sound of crunching, casual nudges, and the comfortable quiet that only came after shared chaos.

With Ishaan around, silence never lasted long.

Even while chewing loudly on his chips, he suddenly leaned back against the bed and squinted. "Bhai, main soch raha tha..." he said in an unnecessarily serious tone. "Agar do ladkiyaan shaadi karein, aur phir divorce ho jaaye... toh alimony kisko milegi?" He looked at them expectantly.

Mahin didn't even hesitate. "Mujhe milegi," he said dryly. "Rokega tu? Rok ke dikha."

Ravish stared at him for a second, genuinely confused. "Tu theek hai na?" he muttered, shaking his head. "Pagal ho gaya hai kya? Chida hua kyu hai?"

Ishaan opened his mouth to argue, when the door suddenly started banging loudly, leaving the three of them frozen, chips suspended halfway to their mouths.

The banging came again.

Ravish was the first to move. He pushed himself off the floor and walked to the door, frowning. When he pulled it open, he stopped cold.

Vanya stood there.

Her shoulders were shaking. Tears had left uneven trails down her cheeks, and she was wiping them away angrily.

"Kya hua?" Ravish asked, his voice dropping, softer now. "Tu ro kyu rahi hai?"

Behind Ravish, Mahin and Ishaan got up quickly, the lazy ease from moments ago gone the second they saw Vanya's face.

"Bhaiya..." Vanya's voice cracked. She looked small standing there. "Mujhse galti ho gayi."

"Kaisi galti?" Ravish asked gently, brushing his hand over her hair the way he always did when she was upset. "Kya hua, Vani?"

From behind them, Ishaan couldn't help himself. "Galti nahi, kaand bolte hain usko," he muttered, a faint grin tugging at his mouth.

Before the comment could fully land, Mahin smacked the back of his head. "Chup reh," he snapped.

Ishaan rubbed his head, offended. "Maarne ki kya zarurat thi..." he grumbled under his breath, but he stayed quiet.

Mahin stepped closer to Vanya, crouching slightly so he was at her level. "Aram se bata. Kya hua?" He asked calmly.

Vanya sniffed, nodding, trying to speak through the tears clinging to her lashes. She stepped into the room slowly while three of them exchanged quick looks.

"Bhaiya... maine..." she stammered, clutching the bedsheet tightly in her fist. "Bedsheet mein..." Her voice broke completely. "Aap maaroge mujhe," she cried, fresh tears spilling over.

Ishaan leaned back against the wall, folding his arms. "Kaam kare honge maar khaane wale toh obviously maarenge," he said with a faint grin on his face.

Ravish and Mahin shot him identical looks.

Ishaan lifted both hands. "Theek hai, theek hai. Main chup." he said.

Mahin stepped closer to Vanya and bent slightly so he could see her face properly. "Vani, Kya hua hai? Kiya kya hai tune? Yeh bata."

Vanya tried to speak, but her lips kept trembling. She sniffed hard and finally blurted it out in one breath. "Maine... galti se bedsheet pe paint gira diya. Sorry, bhaiya."

For a second, all three boys just stared at their sister.

Ravish was the first to react. He straightened up and shook his head slowly, putting on an exaggeratedly serious face. "Gayi beta tu aaj. Khatam hai tu chachi ke haath se."

Vanya's eyes widened even more. Fresh tears spilled instantly, her shoulders shaking harder.

Ishaan's expression shifted. "Tujhe kitni baar bola hai na, dhyaan se kiya kar," he said, a little sharper than he intended. "Tu sunti kyu nahi hai?"

Vanya looked down, clutching the bedsheet tighter, guilt written all over her face.

Mahin rubbed his forehead and let out a tired sigh. "Ab tujhe pata hai ki chachi daategi tujhe, toh tu ekdum se aise ban jaati hai ki pucho mat." he said, his tone calmer now.

"Please, bhaiya... bacha lo," Vanya cried, and before anyone could react, she threw herself at Ishaan, hugging him tightly around the waist. Her tears soaked into his T-shirt as she buried her face against him.

Ishaan stiffened immediately. "Arre, chhorh..." he said, trying to pry her arms off. His voice came out firmer than he meant it to. "Main kuch nahi kar sakta ab. Maine mana kiya tha tujhe pehle hi mat kar."

But Vanya only held on tighter. "Please, bhaiya," she whispered between hiccupping sobs. "Aage se dhyaan rakhungi. Pakka. Please bacha lo."

Ishaan rolled his eyes, though his jaw was tight. "Roj ka ho gaya hai tera yeh. Pehle kaand karo, phir aa jao 'bhaiya bacha lo' bolte hue."

"Maar lo mujhe aap," she said dramatically through tears, clutching him. "Par bacha lo..."

For a few seconds, Ishaan tried to stay annoyed but then, he sighed heavily and awkwardly patted her back. "Achha bas. Rona band kar pehle."

Slowly, Vanya loosened her grip and stepped back. Her fingers trembled as she wiped her cheeks, smearing tears across her face.

Ishaan looked at her properly and a small smirk appeared. "Aansu saaf kar. Chudail lag rahi hai."

Vanya shot him a furious glare while Mahin and Ravish immediately burst out laughing.

______________________________

Vanya stood outside her room, gripping the door handle so tightly her knuckles had turned pale.

Behind her, the three boys had lined up, one behind the other, all trying to peek over shoulders.

"Kholegi bhi ya yahin khade rahenge?" Ravish whispered.

Vanya gulped and slowly turned the knob.

The door opened just a crack.

All four of them leaned forward at the same time, trying to look through the tiny gap, their heads practically stacked over one another.

"Khol le na pura gate," Ishaan muttered, lightly tapping the back of her head.

Vanya shot him a look but pushed the door open properly.

They stepped inside cautiously. Vanya hovered near the door, clearly not ready to face the damage, while the boys walked further in.

And then they saw it.

Right in the middle of the pastel bedsheet was a huge splash of paint.

For a second, no one said anything. Then, all three brothers slowly turned toward Vanya and in complete synchronization, they started clapping.

Vanya blinked at them, completely confused. "Kya hai?" she demanded.

"Idhar aa tu, batata... hoon tujhe mai,," Ishaan said, trying to sound strict but the grin on his face completely ruined the effect.

Vanya took two tiny steps forward but the second Ishaan lunged toward her, she shrieked, "Bhaiya!" and darted behind Mahin, clutching the back of his shirt.

"Abey, pehle yeh decide karo ki iss paint ka kya karna hai," Ravish cut in, pointing at the bedsheet.

Ishaan crossed his arms, thinking very seriously for about two seconds. "Simple," he announced confidently. "Mai kya kehta hoon... bedsheet phek dete hain."

All three stared at him.

Mahin blinked once. "Wah! Ishaan" he said slowly, beginning to clap. "You're so smart. Kya dimaag paaya hai tune." he said before smacking the back of his head.

Ravish nodded thoughtfully, pretending to consider the idea. "Haan... ya phir jala dete hain."

"Tum dono rehne do," Mahin said, pushing Ishaan and Ravish lightly aside.

He stood there for a second, staring at the bedsheet. Then he tapped his chin for a moment before snapping his fingers. "Idea!"

All three heads turned toward him instantly.

"Kya?"
"Bata jaldi!"
"Drama mat kar!"

"Paint abhi fresh hai," Mahin said, a small victorious smile appearing. "Agar abhi dho denge, toh stain nikal sakta hai. Bedsheet wash kar dete hain."

Relief spread across the room.

But then Ravish raised a hand. "Ek minute." Everyone looked at him. "Bedsheet dhoyega kaun?"

Ishaan crossed his arms and tilted his head toward Vanya. "Jisne kaand kiya hai, wahi dhoyegi."

Mahin and Ravish slowly folded his arms too and then, all three turned toward Vanya at the exact same time.

Vanya looked from one face to another, eyes growing wider. "Aap log... mujhse dhulwaoge?" she asked softly.

The three brothers nodded together.

Her eyebrows pulled together. "Aap log seriously aisa karoge mere saath?" she asked.

Again, the three of them nodded together.

Her mouth fell open. "Main aapki behen hoon! Koi apni behen se bedsheet dhulwata hai kya?"

"Achha?" Ravish shot back immediately. "Haa toh koi bedsheet mein paint bhi nahi girata hai"

"Correct," Ishaan added, folding his arms. "Bedsheet dho shaanti se."

Vanya's shoulders drooped. Her lips pushed out into the saddest pout she could manage. "Aap log pehle jaise nahi rahe," she muttered dramatically. "Bilkul badal gaye ho sabh."

All three of them rolled their eyes at once.

"Nautanki kahin ki," Mahin muttered under his breath and then, he sighed. "Achha, theek hai," he said finally, softer this time. "Hum dho denge bedsheet. But next time se dhyaan rakhiyo."

Before Mahin could react, she threw her arms around him in a tight hug. "Thank you, bhaiya! You're my favourite," she declared dramatically.

And then, she was running out of the room before anyone could change their mind.

Mahin let out a small laugh before he noticed Ravish and Ishaan were staring at him and his smile faded. "Kya?" he asked carefully while looking everywhere expect them.

Ravish turned to Ishaan. "Ishaan..."

Ishaan looked back at him and a silent understanding passed between them as they nodded once.

Then both of them shouted together, "Haramjaade!"

Mahin's eyes widened. "Abey-!" He turned and bolted out of the room, the other two chasing after him immediately.

____________________

By the time Ravish and Mahin stepped out of Ishaan's place, the sun was already dipping low.

Mahin adjusted his sling bag over his shoulder.

Ravish swung a leg over his bike and tapped the seat behind him. "Aa ja, Rajkumari. Tere mahal tak chhorh deta hoon tujhe," he said with a grin.

Mahin gave him a flat look.

Ravish leaned forward and lightly tilted Mahin's chin with two fingers. "Seedha baithna, haan?"

Mahin swatted his hand away immediately. "Yeh nautanki mere saath mat kiya kar, Kaminey. Hutt."

He picked up the extra helmet and tried forcing it on. "Aur yeh kya hai?" he complained, tugging at the strap. "Itna chhota helmet kyun hai? Bacha hai kya tu? Itni choti mundi hai teri?"

"Helmet theek hai," Ravish shot back. "Tera dimaag zyada bada hai. Saara gyaan jo bhara hua hai usme."

Mahin scoffed. "Jal raha hai? Bike chala seedha." he muttered while settling onto the seat.

Ravish smirked but kicked the bike into gear.

A few minutes later, Ravish pulled up outside Mahin's gate. The engine slowed, then fell silent, leaving only the soft hum of the neighborhood settling into night.

Mahin hopped off the bike and stretched his arms over his head. "Chal, nikal ab. Kal school mein apni ghatiya shakal dikhaiyo seedha," he said, already stepping back toward his gate.

Ravish looked at him, suddenly serious in that over-the-top way he did. "Tu nikal chal. Ghar ke andar ho le shaanti se. Warna kuch uch‑neech hogayi toh mera naam hi badnaam hoga, ki bete ko ghar me nahi rakh sakte, itni raat me bahar bhejne ki kya jarurat thi?"

Mahin blinked at him once... then snorted. "Saale! Tere jaise baap mujhe dada bolte hain, samjha? Chal, nikal."

"Papa bol pehle," Ravish said, putting a hand on his chest like he'd been deeply hurt.

"Ghanta!" Mahin shot back instantly. "Juta bole mera papa tujhe. Lele tu!"

He laughed, eyes shining, and thumped Ravish lightly between the shoulders. "Chal, bhaag." and he slipped inside, pulling the gate shut behind him.

Ravish shook his head, still smiling to himself. "Pagal aadmi," he muttered, kicking the starter.

By the time he reached his colony, the streetlights had flickered on one by one. It was around 7:30. He parked the bike, stretched his back, and unlocked the front door.

"Aa gaya beta?" Anvitha's voice floated out from the kitchen.

"Haan, Mummy," Ravish replied, slipping off his shoes near the door and tossing his bag onto the sofa.

He was heading toward the kitchen when he noticed someone out on the balcony.

Yugveer.

He was sitting in the old cane chair, one leg crossed over the other, phone in hand. Black T-shirt, grey sweatpants. Hair slightly messy. He looked the same calm and unreadable as always.

"Bhaiya," Ravish said, stepping out into the balcony.

Yugveer glanced up briefly, then his eyes dropped back to his screen. "Where were you?" he asked casually, scrolling.

"Ishaan ke yahan... bas timepass," Ravish replied, leaning against the railing. He tried to keep his tone light.

"Homework ho gaya?" Yugveer asked.

Ravish shifted his weight. "Nahi... kar lunga baad mein," he muttered, scratching the back of his neck.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

Yugveer's thumb kept moving on his phone, but his eyes weren't really focused on it anymore.

Ravish kept looking at him from the side and after a moment, he nudged. "Bhaiya... you're always sitting here. Bore nahi hote?"

Yugveer let out a faint huff. "Balcony bored bhi hoti hai kya?" he said quietly.

Ravish smiled at that, but it didn't stay long. "Mummy pooch rahi thi... movie dekhenge saath mein," he added, glancing toward the living room.

For a second, Yugveer looked in that direction too then his gaze drifted back to the sky. "Tum log dekh lo," he said. "I'm fine here."

Ravish nodded slowly. "You don't like crowds, na?" Ravish tried again, keeping his tone casual.

Yugveer's thumb stopped mid-scroll. The phone's light reflected faintly on his face. "Maine aisa kab bola?" he replied, calm as ever.

Ravish tilted his head, studying him. "Bola nahi... but you don't really like being around people either," he said softly.

Yugveer locked his phone and placed it face-down on his thigh. He leaned back in the chair, eyes lifting to the dark stretch of sky. "I like quiet," he said simply.

Ravish pressed his teeth into his lower lip.

There were so many things he wanted to ask. Like, about the way Yugveer stiffened if someone stood too close, about how he always picked the edge seat. The corner chair. The spot near the door, and about how he never let anyone sit beside him for too long.

The questions sat heavy on his tongue.

Instead, something else slipped out. "So... you'll never marry?" The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them.

Yugveer turned to look at him and the sharpness of it made Ravish's chest tighten.

"I-I didn't mean like that," Ravish rushed, tripping over his own words. "I just... you always avoid people... and girls... and-"

Yugveer raised his hand slightly and Ravish fell silent.

When Yugveer spoke, his voice was quiet. "Shaadi is not something you decide like choosing shoes." he said. "It's not about wanting or not wanting."

Ravish leaned forward a little. "Then?"

For a second, Yugveer didn't answer. His jaw tightened. He swallowed, eyes still fixed on the dark sky.

"Then it's about..." he paused, choosing the words carefully, "whether you'll ruin someone else's life by letting them come close."

The words landed heavier than the silence.

Ravish frowned. "Why would you-"

"Anyway," Yugveer cut in smoothly. "Sab theek chal raha hai school mein?"

Ravish stared at him for a second before he let out a laugh, but it felt lighter than it should've. "You're changing the topic, Bhai."

Yugveer glanced at him, and for a split second, the corner of his mouth lifted. "Obviously." He said while slowly nodded his head once and raised his both brows. 

Before Ravish could push further, their mother's voice floated out from inside."Yug! Ravi! Khana lag gaya!"

"Aate hain, Mummy!" Ravish called back quickly.

Yugveer stood up with an easy stretch, rolling his shoulders once. "Chal, chhotu," he said, nudging Ravish lightly. "Aaj mummy ne rajma chawal banaye hain. Tera favourite."

Inside, Advik Mehta sat at his usual spot, glasses low on his nose, phone in hand. 

He looked up as they entered, a small smile settling on his face. "Aa gaye bacche log? Chalo, ab saath baith ke khana khaya jaye."

Their mother came out of the kitchen with a bowl in hand, wiping her fingers on her apron. She handed Ravish a glass of water before he even asked. "Beta, bike dhyaan se chalaya karo."

"Haan, Mummy," he said automatically, taking a sip.

For a second, he just looked around at his Papa's quiet smile. Mummy serving everyone before sitting down and, Yugveer pulling his chair back without a word.

He tore a piece of roti and dipped it into the rajma.

"Helmet pehna tha?" Yugveer asked casually, spoon halfway to his mouth.

"Pehna tha, bhaiya," Ravish shot back with a grin. "Helmet nahi pehnuga toh Mummy chappal se pit degi mujhe."

Even Papa chuckled. Mummy swatted the air in mock warning. "Hatt badmaash!"

The laughter that followed wasn't loud, but it filled the room completely and Ravish leaned back slightly in his chair, letting it sink in.