Radhe Radhe readers💙🦚✨

Author

The office floor buzzed with its usual rhythm. Keyboards clicked endlessly, phones rang every few minutes, and the low hum of conversations drifted through the spacious workspace. Some employees remained glued to their computer screens, racing against deadlines, while others had already mentally checked out and were waiting for the lunch break to begin.

Near the coffee station, a trio of ladies had gathered as usual.

The coffee machine hissed softly as cups filled one after another, but the aroma of fresh coffee wasn't the only thing spreading through the area. Gossip was too and office gossip always travelled faster than emails.
One of the senior employees leaned slightly closer to the other two women, her eyes sparkling with the excitement of having information nobody else seemed to know.

"Did you guys hear Akshay sir and Shivanya ma'am have shifted with Shivanya ma'am ex-husband?" She gasped dramatically, slightly chuckling as she filled in the other two with the latest gossip she had received.

The words instantly caught the attention of the other two.
The intern standing beside her nearly dropped the sugar sachet she was holding. "Haan maine bhi suna. Mujhe toh laga tha ki wo divorced h" The intern beside her added, with an expression filled with genuine shock as she tried piecing together the information she had heard from various corners of the office.

"Kahan?" The previous lady scoffed with a smirk, shaking her head as she blew on her coffee. "Maine toh suna tha ki wo Akshay sir aur apni beti ko leke bhaagi thi ghar se. Unke husband h na Ekaghra Singh Raizada, the owner of the Raizada Empire? Maine toh suna h ki unke aur ma'am ke beech kuch thik nhi tha isliye wo ghar chhodhke chali gyi thi." She leaned forward and lowered her voice despite clearly wanting everyone around to hear her.

"Is that true?" The third one gasped this time, her mouth flying to her mouth. "Aur kya? Did you guys know unke aur bhi teen bete h?," The first one nodded as she added confidently. Her voice carried a confidence usually reserved for people discussing facts rather than rumours.

The other ladies eyes widened at the information they had just received. She took a leisurely sip of her coffee before continuing, thoroughly enjoying the attention she was receiving.

"Haan woh teen Raizada brothers. I remember seeing them in several articles." The second lady chimed in exclaiming with excitement as the article flashed back in her mind with a sudden gush of curiosity taking over her. Her eyes lit up as old magazine covers and business articles flashed through her mind.

She remembered scrolling through countless features about the influential Raizada family, each article accompanied by polished photographs that looked more like luxury brand campaigns than business profiles.

The intern also nodded in her support before adding dreamingly, leaning onto the slab as her chin rested on her hand,"But kuch bhi kaho chaaron bhai h toh hot hi"

The statement came out so suddenly that the other two women paused mid-conversation. The senior employee blinked while the second lady nearly choked on her coffee.

"Seriously?" The senior lady looked at her with surprise as all the eyes turned towards the intern at the sudden statement. "Akshay sir toh h hi. Dekha nhi h kya aapne baakiyon ko" The intern replied back in her defence as she grinned remembering the other three young men she had seen in articles.

"I have seen Shivansh Singh Raizada. By god kya lagta h yrr! He and Akshay sir actually look so similar. No doubt they are brothers." The second lady chimed in with excitement again, slipping into her own lala land as she remembered the godly face of Shivansh Singh Raizada from the last Forbes magazine in which he had featured onto the front page

The image of Shivansh Singh Raizada from a recent Forbes had been sensation on Instagram for a good amount of time. People shared it endlessly, fan pages reposted it, and comment sections seemed incapable of discussing anything else. The guy's genetics have been in talks for a while now. The sharp suit, stoic expression yet the effortless smile he gave to the camera, the kind that made people stop and stare even in photographs.

The photograph somehow captured both power and warmth at once; the image of a man who looked capable of running an empire in the morning and making someone's heart skip a beat in the evening. It was precisely the sort of face that made girls stare at a magazine cover far longer than necessary, inventing entire love stories in their heads before reluctantly scrolling away.

"As far as I know, he is even the heir to the Raizada industries." The senior lady said intellectually with a thinking face. Then she blew into her coffee a little bit before she took a casual sip from the mug adding,"Mujhe toh lgta h ki unka aur Akshay sir ka relation kaafi strained hoga. I think Akshay sir ka sabhi bhaiyon ke saath hi aisa relation hoga because you know itne saal durr rehne ke baad."

The others hummed in response their faces also morphed into a thinking one. The words seemed heavy but they etched like an unsaid truth even through the gossip because it was normal for any sane mind to evaluate how strained an estranged family's relations might be. The judgement from their senior felt correct somehow. It sounded believable.

The years of separation and a fractured family, that was the reality of the Raizadas. So the truth wasn't hidden neither was it difficult for an outsider to comprehend. A mother who had left with two children while the others stayed behind so any normal person would assume there had to be scars left behind.

"But tujhe kya lgta h kya reason hoga Shivanya ma'am ke aise apne husband ko chhodh ke jaane ka?" The second lady asked looking at the other two as the question nudged her inner curiosity from the moment she had heard the gossip. A silence spread for a second as everyone waited for the other two to say the truth but none did.

For a moment, the gossip transformed into genuine curiosity. They found themselves imagining what it must have been like for a family separated for so many years.

Then suddenly the intern catching the other two's attention spoke up,"Koi dusri..." She trailed off her words when a loud voice behind her startled her,"Mai btaun?"

Came Akshay's loud and heavy voice from behind them. The sudden interruption made all three women jump in their places. The two ladies, who were listening quietly waiting for the intern to complete, turned instantly towards the source of voice, Akshay, who had entered the area without them noticing.

The senior lady's smile vanished instantly. The second woman nearly dropped the stirrer she was holding. Nobody had noticed when he had entered. Nobody had heard his footsteps but looking at his face now, at the dangerous stillness in his eyes and the tension visible in every muscle of his body, one thing became painfully clear.

He had heard everything. Every single word. Every disgusting little theory they had built about his family while standing beside a coffee machine. The atmosphere shifted immediately. The casualness disappeared. The gossip died and fear took its place.

The two ladies glanced at each other, their throats instantly went dry as fear etched onto their expressions. While the intern had frozen in her stance, the words already died down in her throat. Her stomach dropped somewhere near her feet. She couldn't even bring herself to properly look at him.

Not just because of Akshay's presence or because he was her boss but because she had clearly heard the rage in his voice. Her eyes were wide but she didn't dare to turn around and be the victim of Akshay's wrath.

Akshay Singh Raizada had always been known as the calm one. The composed one. The man who could handle collapsing deals, difficult clients, and impossible negotiations just by his calm attitude and his knowledge. He was the man who carried patience like a second skin.

He was the man even Rajveer trusted blindly because no matter how chaotic things became, Akshay always remained level-headed.

He had always been Rajveer's favourite for this reason. Because to Rajveer, Akshay was an asset he couldn't afford to lose.

Which was exactly why seeing him like this felt terrifying because calm people only became dangerous when they finally stopped being calm.

"Aksh...Akshay sir" The intern slowly turned around, her ears red from embarrassment as she now stood awkwardly with her one hand over another against her and her head bowed. The confidence she had moments ago while gossiping was nowhere to be seen. Akshay's jaw clenched, his fists tightening by his side clearly showcasing how much anger he was restraining within himself.

The muscle near his cheek twitched visibly. His fists remained clenched so hard beside him that the veins on his hands stood out. He closed his eyes inhaling deeply through his nostrils to quiten the fire charging in him.

If only she was a guy... He would've actually showed her what one gets for gossiping about his family.

His Mom, His Dad

The people he loved. The people whose sacrifices nobody understood and the same people whose story nobody had the right to gossip over coffee breaks and add their own fragments to.

"We are sorry sir!" The senior lady instantly covered up with an apology, evidently sensing how Akshay was seconds away from losing his grip over himself. But Akshay didn't pay a heed to it. His teeth gritted against each other as he yelled at them furiously, showing them the doorway before he did something inevitable.

"Kaam kro sabke sab jaake apna wrna mere ghar ke baare me gossip krne ke liye yahan se aisa nikalunga na ki apna ghar chalane layak nhi bachoge" The threat literally made the ladies shivered while one of them gasped lowly seeing Akshay so angry. Her quivering hand went to her mouth.

"We are really sorry sir, we didn't-" The second lady tried again only to be cut off as Akshay's harsh voice came in,"Save it." His words made her pause mid sentence. A pin drop silence spread through the room. The underlying meaning was clear. He wasn't interested in excuses and he certainly wasn't interested in listening to justifications.

The lady instantly bowed her head feeling much more embarrassed because she knew better than to argue or cross her boss. She never thought that a mere gossip might change into such a nightmare.

Nobody had ever seen Akshay this furious before and suddenly none of them wanted to.

As the three women stood near the coffee machine, Akshay felt his patience wearing thinner with every passing second. He pinched the bridge of his nose. The pounding headache behind his eyes only seemed to worsen. For a moment, he simply stood there trying to regain control over himself. Then he dropped his hand and looked at them.

"Get back to work everyone," He ordered them. The three of them took their cue. They murmured hurried apologies under their breaths before practically fleeing the area.

As the silence followed after the ladies departure, for a few minutes, Akshay stood alone in the room, trying his best to calm himself and not break anything there.

The door had long closed behind the employees, yet the bitterness they left behind still hung in the air. His chest rose and fell heavily as he struggled to regain control over himself.

He had just walked out of a draining meeting. His head already throbbed from hours of discussions, negotiations, and responsibilities. All he had wanted was a simple cup of coffee.

A few minutes of peace before throwing himself back into work. All he badly craved for was a cup of coffee but something that he didn't crave for was what he heard. Those agonizing words wrapped in the form of gossip. The words alone made something ugly twist inside him.

His life, his family becoming a headline amongst his office employees. Something that they talked about during lunch breaks and free time over coffee. He slightly punched the nearby wall letting out a slow grunt of seething anger before he made his way towards the coffee machine.

If anything the situation made him crave more for a good cup of coffee. Something that could get whatever he had heard out of his head. Something strong enough to wash away the bitterness lodged in his chest.

As he tore the sachet, pouring it into the cup he muttered under his breath,
"Koi dusri..." Repeating those words as if they were poison to his own tongue,"Tamasha bana rkha h meri zindagi ka"

His hand slightly quivered for a bit as he repeated the words in his head. The words escaped him in a low, exhausted voice. All the words were nothing less than a stab to his heart when but when the last one mentioned about another lady only he knew how protective he had felt about his Dad's image.

Even if his mom and they had separated years ago yet that doesn't gives anyone a right to question his Mom or Dad's character. Because even if his heart refused to accept yet he still knows they were deeply in love with each other.

People could say whatever they wanted but Akshay knew the truth.
Even when his heart still struggled to make peace with the past. He had seen his mother sitting alone on countless nights when the entire world was asleep and seen her clutching his father's photograph to her chest as though it was the only thing keeping her together.

He has seen his mom cry for years at night holding his Dad's photograph to her heart. He had seen his mom struggle for the man she had love beyond all accords.

He had seen those letters. Those living proofs of whatever she had been hiding in herself. They were fragments of a love she had buried inside herself. Words written years ago that still carried enough emotion to make her eyes well up.

He had watched Shivanya love a man who wasn't even beside her. Love him with a quiet ache that refused to fade despite years of separation.

And after all these years regardless of the distance, even if he hadn't witnessed his Dad's condition yet he still knew that he had struggled the same. Maybe he hadn't witnessed Ekaghra's pain with his own eyes. Maybe he hadn't been there to see those years but he knew.

Some things didn't require proof. Some things were simply understood. His parents had loved each other deeply. Perhaps too deeply, enough for their separation to destroy far more than just a marriage.

It had broken an entire family. Both his brothers and him as well.

The coffee machine beeped softly, snapping him out of his thoughts. Akshay instantly grabbed the cup.

He took a sip from his coffee cup, leaning his back onto the slab. His grip tightened around the cup as the ladies questions echoed in his mind.
He had always known this would happen. The moment Shivanya returned, the moment their family became visible again. His Nanu had told him.

The moment the Raizadas stood together under one roof, of course people would talk. He had expected curiosity. He knew people will speak about this yet this brutally, he never thought.

Somewhere, his Nanu's words made sense to him now. Maybe he was right...

Flashback

"Tumhari maa ne wapas jaane ka decision toh krr liya h Aksh par hume pta h ki tum jaante ho ki iska anjaam kya hoga?" Rajveer's words echoed in the silence of the room Akshay stood on the opposite side of the table, shoulders stiff, gaze lowered toward the polished wooden floor, in front of his grandfather.

It had been two days since they had returned from the Raizada mansion for Nikki's exams and Shivanya had informed her father of her decision of moving back with Ekaghra and reconciling their marriage. Akshay had already comprehended how against his Nanu will be of his mom's decision.

His grandfather had spent years watching his daughter rebuild herself from the ruins of that separation. There was no way he would willingly send her back toward the same chapter.

Yet there was one thing Rajveer often forgot that his Shivanya Sharma had inherited every ounce of stubbornness from her father. His mom was one rebellious daughter as well (Something he secretly wished his little sister won't be). She wouldn't pay heed to anyone's opinion until and unless she felt it was important.

Especially when it was her father's advice about her marriage.

"Ji Nanu," Akshay replied, barely looking up at the old man. He didn't want to look at his grandfather because somewhere even his heart silently supported his mother yet his heart still felt conflicted after years of distance.

His heart remained trapped between the pain of the past and the hope of the future.

"Kya ji Nanu?" Rajveer questioned angrily as he suddenly leaned forward in his chair. The frustration in his voice exploded through the room. His fingers intertwine with each other,"Tumhe darr nhi lagta log baate banayenge tumhare baare me. Arrey apna nhi toh Nikki ka toh socho bacchi h wo abhi."

He yelled angrily, the last sentence coming out more frustrated than he wanted. Akshay's head snapped up in a second at the mere mention of 'Nikki's' name. His expression shifted at the mention of his younger sister. Something in him tightened at the thought of her being pulled into consequences she didn't choose.

His instincts kicked in as he defended,"Nanu mai mummy ko kuch nhi keh skta unhone decide krr liya h"

"Arrey toh smjhao usse Aksh tum hi toh ho jiski sunegi abhi," Rajveer's voice rose sharply, cutting through Akshay's words. He pushed his chair slightly back, the sound scraping against the floor, irritation building in every line of his face.

The sound echoed through the study as he stood up in one swift motion. Years of helplessness reflected in every movement equalised with the years of carrying resentment towards a man he believed had ruined her life.

"Meri toh sunni waise bhi usne saalon pehle chhodh di thi," Rajveer said those words with a painful bitterness, acknowledging the fact. He stood up his hands locked behind his back as his glance remained fixed onto the marble floor with gnawing tension in them. Akshay also looked away mumbling under his breath,"Haan toh kuch sahi bhi toh bola kriye."

"Kya bola tumne?" Rajveer's brows furrowed as he heard Akshay murmur but couldn't make out what the guy had said. His head snapped towards Akshay. The old man's sharp eyes narrowed suspiciously. Akshay instantly shook his head,"Kuch nhi Nanu."

Internally, however, he cursed himself.
Spending too much time around Nikki was genuinely affecting him. The girl had somehow infected him with her inability to filter thoughts before speaking. "You know your Dad right? Kyun apni maa ko iss dard me dhakel rhe ho?" Rajveer banged his fist onto the mahogany table with extreme force, his rage seeping out of him. The papers atop it trembled.

"But Nanu he must've changed..." Akshay tried to reason but Rajveer raised his hand, clearly showcasing him to pause because he wasn't interested in hearing a single defence in Ekaghra's favour.

"Kutte ki dum kabhi seedhi nhi hoti Aksh. Wo Ekaghra phir apni galtiyan dohrayega dekhna tum." Rajveer deadpanned, his voice growing serious and his eyes fixed on a distant wall with determination. His face twisted in agony as he added,"Wo kabhi kisi ke liye nhi badlega."

At that point, Akshay wanted nothing but to defend his father's image. But Rajveer was in no mood to give the latter a chance to do so. Rajveer spoke again this time with viciousness,"Aur agar badal bhi gya h na toh yaad rkhna badalne wale logon ko khasiyat hoti h ki wo baar baar badalte h."

Akshay froze at those words. Somehow those words didn't sit well with him that too in the context of his father as his fists balled by his sides. Out of everything his grandfather had said today, this was the one statement that struck a nerve deep inside him.

He didn't know whether he was angry, hurt, or simply disappointed. Maybe all three. Because regardless of how complicated his feelings towards Ekaghra were, hearing someone reduce his father to nothing more than a man destined to fail felt wrong.

"Hum tumhe 6 mahine ka samay dete h." Rajveer spoke firmly. There was no hesitation in his tone. No room for discussion. It sounded less like an offer and more like an order. The statement felt so random after their argument that Akshay's brows furrowed deeply.

"Kis liye Nanu?" He questioned, genuinely confused by his grandfather's words. He stared at his grandfather, waiting for some explanation that would justify the sudden timeline being placed before him. A strange knot formed inside his stomach. Something about Rajveer's expression made him feel as though he wasn't going to like whatever came next.

Rajveer didn't glance at him, instead, he picked up the crystal paperweight resting on the mahogany desk and slowly twisted it between his fingers. The silence stretched for a few seconds, making Akshay even more anxious. The old man's gaze remained fixed upon the spinning object as though he was carefully choosing every word before speaking,"Inn 6 mahino me tumhe apni maa ko wapas yahan leke aana hoga humare paas. Uss Ekaghra se alag"

Akshay's eyes widened in pure horror as he perceived those words. The world seemed to stop. "Ye kya bol rhe h aap Nanu?" He asked, horrified by even the thought of what the meaning behind his grandfather's words held. He anticipated that he might've heard wrong or he was interpreting the whole situation wrong.

It felt like someone had pulled the ground from beneath his feet without warning. The office around him blurred for a moment as disbelief crashed into him. He had expected opposition. He had expected arguments. He had even expected emotional blackmail.
But this? This was something else entirely.

"Sahi bol rhe h hum." Rajveer said, his eyes unable to conceal the disturbing determination in them as he looked at Akshay and that determination in his eyes terrified Akshay far more than any raised voice ever could.

"Tum apni Maa ko dard me dekh skte ho hum apni beti ko nhi." Rajveer announced, the heart of a father trembling even at the thought of his daughter going through the same fate again.

The image of Shivanya crying through countless nights was forever etched into his memory. He had watched his daughter break apart piece by piece years ago. He had stood helpless while she smiled during the day and shattered behind closed doors and he refused to witness it again.

He was determined to not let that happen at any cost. There was no anger there in him anymore. No frustration for the past but only mere conviction for the future. The kind of conviction that made people move mountains and destroy relationships without looking back.

Because if fate intended to hurt his daughter once more, then Rajveer was prepared to fight fate with his bare hands.

Akshay's blood boiled but he was too stunned to utter even a syllable. Every muscle in his body tightened painfully. He wanted to argue. Wanted to shout. Wanted to tell his grandfather that this wasn't his decision to make. He wanted to storm out of the office but his feet remain frozen at the place, still processing if he was dreaming of was it the truth.

"Agar tumne aisa krr diya toh hum apni yeh company tumhare naam krenge par agar nhi krr paye toh iss company alvida kehna." Rajveer's words were no less than a verdict, strict enough to slip the floor from beneath Akshay's feet. This time Rajveer didn't even try to disguise it as a request. It was a clear ultimatum, more of a condition.

And suddenly Akshay felt as though he had been pushed into an impossible war where every outcome ended with someone he loved getting hurt.

His heartbeat pounded against his ribs.
His eyes widened as he stared at the man who had practically raised him, unable to recognise the grandfather standing before him.

Akshay's throat went dry, his eyes wide in horror as he barely spoke,"Nanu..." But he trailed off when Rajveer didn't even bother to look his way and exited the office in one swift motion leaving Akshay int he worst whirlpool of his life.

Flashback over

Since then he had tried to talk to Rajveer so many times yet the old man wasn't even ready to look his way let alone listen to him.

That day he literally thought that his grandfather might turn around to laugh and say it was anger speaking. That he didn't actually mean it. Or just one day come and tell him that but that never happened. He still wished that his grandfather didn't mean any of those words.

Because if he did...Then Akshay didn't know how he was supposed to stand between the two people he loved most.

He wanted to share this with someone but he couldn't because a part of him didn't know who to approach. He didn't want to cause havoc in his mother and his grandfather's relationship nor did he have the courage to tell this to anyone. Not even his own father.

That's why he had cut himself off from interacting with Ekaghra because the child in him still craved for his Dad, he had missed in all these years.

He thought maybe returning to Raizada mansion might even change his mind and he might work his grandfather's way yet he couldn't bring himself to break his own family with his own bare hands. He didn't wanted the company, he had no greed for that.

He just wanted to see his loved ones happy forever like they were right now. His hand went to his forehead, massaging the growing pain in them. Everyday living with this secret was becoming difficult for him yet he didn't know who to approach.

He didn't even want to share it with his friends. Not even his closest ones because he didn't want to make a more headline out of his family drama than already was there.

The photographs he had seen those days had changed something in him.
He had realised that the spark in those pictures were lost now. Even though there still was they stood together today in family photographs there was a clear crack in the frame. A clear like separating him from his brothers and father. A past that stood like a barrier between them.

Everyone was just holding together because of just one person-their Nikki. Just because she deserved a broken family. She was like a ray of hope in their lost worlds and everyone was holding onto each other for her.

How could he be so cruel to snatch her happiness away?
The only chance of mending things that were broken beyond repair.

"Sir!" Akshay snapped out of his thought process upon hearing a female voice that had just entered the room. He kept the cup away and looked up to find his Secretary standing there.

She looked as if she had called him more than once. He replied instantly, stuttering a bit,"Yes...yes Ms. Sinha ab aapko kya h?"

"Sir aaj aapki evening me koi meeting nhi h." The secretary said, looking into her iPad once for confirmation.
Akshay nodded his head, adding further,"Thik h phir tum bhi half day off lelo"

A smile bloomed on Ms.Sinha's face as she said cheerfully,"Sure sir. Thank you so much." Akshay again nodded, as Ms.Sinha walked out of the room while he dashed his phone out of his pocket. The time was clear: 2:00 pm.

"Aaj toh mai Nikki ko pick up krke rahunga school se." He muttered to himself, before a small smile bloomed onto his lips as his eyes drifted towards the wallpaper on his lock screen, with him and his little troublemaker. He said softly, warmth creeping into his eyes,"Accha h aaj usko surprise bhi mil jyega"

He shoved his phone back into his pocket, taking the last sip of his coffee, before walking out with clear determination. Taking the lift straight to the parking lot, as he was about to enter it, his focus faltered as he saw a figure leaning onto his car, scrolling through his phone.

Akshay couldn't believe his eyes for a second. It was the least person, that he had expected right now, that too at his office. He unconsciously muttered to gain the guy's attention,"Aap...?"

His words trailed off as his eldest brother looked up from his phone. Seeing Akshay so stunned, Shivansh kept his phone in his pocket before standing straight as he said firmly,"Aksh I want to talk to you"

Akshay stood uncertain for a second. His eldest brother, during the office hours was here just to speak with him. If it was any other time, he would've considered it rubbish but seeing Shivansh's stern expression and his firm tone, Akshay couldn't resist complying with his eldest brother's words.

He looked around the parking lot once, seeing no one there, he just gestured towards the car saying,"Chaliye"

-×-

The bell for the last period had rung and Viaansh was still mustering up the courage to apologise to Nikki for last night's foolish stunt. For perhaps the first time in his life, the boy who never thought twice before doing anything was actually gathering courage. Courage to apologise to someone. The irony would've made him laugh if he wasn't so troubled.

Honestly, he wasn't at least a bit apologetic about the stunt but still he had realised that by doing all that, he had made Nikki uncomfortable.

Which was the opposite of his intentions. The golden rays of the afternoon sun streamed through the large windows, stretching across the desks. Nikki sat beside him, completely engrossed in copying the notes from the last lecture using his notebook. Her brows were slightly furrowed in concentration as her pen moved steadily across the page.

He leaned back onto his chair, his head crossing under his head against the wall as he rested there, watching her silently. Subtle enough for her to not notice him. His blue eyes remained fixed on her.

He hoped that she didn't notice because the moment she caught him staring at her, she'd probably throw his notebook at his face. A small smile unknowingly appeared on his lips as he suppressed a chuckle that threatened to escape out of him at the thought.

He still couldn't get what black magic had taken over him last night but since she had been around him yesterday, things had been feeling really different to him. That was what made everything more weird. Even sensing her presence around him somehow had been giving his stomach an immense amount of butterflies.

Something he can't explain to anyone else-the way she made him feel. He wasn't sure if that was a crush or what but it was something he couldn't define in words.

"Tum kab free ho next week?" Nikki's words pulled him out of his trance as she capped the pen, looking back at him with a neutral expression. He hadn't realised that he had zoned out.
"Huh?" Viaansh blinked, not interpreting what she said. Apparently, she had asked him something and unfortunately, he had been too busy staring at her to hear a single word.

Nikki sighed at the guy's poor hearing skills before repeating her question patiently while turning back to look at him,"I asked tum kab free ho next week?" Her voice was firm, her eyes fixed on him. Between his midnight stunt and Agastya's morning outburst, her patience had already been hanging by a thread.

And Viaansh seemed determined to test whatever remained of it.
Yet instead of being offended, he looked thoroughly entertained. A wicked smile spread into Viaansh's face as he teased her,"Kyun date pe le jaa rhi ho kya?"

"Shut up! Tumhe bakwas ke siwa kuch aata nhi h kya?" Nikki snapped back, still pissed from both his yesterday's stunt and the morning fight with Agastya. "Tumse hi seekha h" Viaansh retorted back but not with any anger.

"I don't wanna argue with you. Mera mood waise hi kharab h" Nikki said turning around to focus onto the notes she was completing, already fed up of the conversation. She had absolutely no energy to argue right now.

Viaansh's expression instantly contoured at those words. He frowned, his initially playfulness vanishing into thin air. He instantly straightened up looking serious,"Kya hua? Kisine kuch kaha..." But he trailed off when Nikki curtly replied back without any hesitation,"None of your business"

Viaansh was taken aback by the sharpness in her tone. So someone was really pissed-the thought crossed his mind more like a warning.
"Anyways mai isliye puch rhi thi so we can start the pair assessment next week" Nikki added, coming back to the point.

"Oh!" Viaansh's lips unconsciously slipped into an 'O' as he rememberee the assignment. He had completely forgotten about it, but that was nothing new though. This was Viaansh's memory whenever it came to his studies. He relied more on forgetting rather than remembering something he wasn't ever looking forward to.

Academics and Viaansh had always maintained a healthy distance from each other.

"I wanna finish it off at the earliest taaki tumse peecha choothe" Before Viaansh could even speak up, Nikki said with pure exhaustion. The sentence that was meant to stab Viaansh brought nothing but a smirk onto his lips. As he leaned back against the wall, relaxed as ever,"Woh toh ab nhi choothega madam"

His tone carried an almost dangerous confidence. As though the statement itself was the most obvious truth in existence. As though he had already decided that whether she liked it or not-He wasn't going anywhere.
And somehow, that ridiculous certainty only made Nikki want to throw something at his face even more.

But before she could do that, Viaansh's tone instantly turned sincere enough for her to stop,"But I am seriously sorry for yesterday." Nikki snapped her head around to look at him to confirm that she wasn't imagining that tone.

Viaansh saw the confusion on her face. So he cleared his throat before repeating more sincerely this time,"Sorry, Kal raat ke liye." She just stared at him for a moment, her expressions remaining neutral.

She folded her arms across her chest, asking more firmly this time,"Kis part ke liye? Mere kamre me choron ki tarah ghusne ke liye ya mujhe aadhi raat ko bhagane ki koshish krne ke liye?"

Viaansh winced at the sharpness in the tone. It was more brutal than what his mother had ever spoken to him.
"Dono." He gulped, admitting without any hesitation. For a moment neither spoke. Nikki just stared at him, while Viaansh's blue eyes tried his best to hide away from deep brown ones.

Then Viaansh let out a slow breath, shifting a little onto his seat,"Honestly... mujhe uss waqt laga hi nhi ki mai kitna weird behave krr rha hoon." He genuinely confessed, his head everywhere at the point as he fended for words to explain what he had been feeling.

His voice was quiet, as he looked up sincerely at her, looking straight into her eyes. "Mai bas..." He stopped, searching for words, "Pta nhi. Mujhe bas tumhare aas paas rehna tha at that moment. I couldn't think of anything else and I did that"

Nikki stared at him,"Barely ek din hua h tumhe jaante hue." She said decisively, the sternness in her tone not wavering even for a second. "Haan I know,"Viaansh lowered his gaze for a second before continuing,"Isi liye sorry bol rha hoon."

"Tum mujhe barely jaanti ho aur mai tumhare kamre ki khidki tak pahunch gya. Agar meri jagah koi aur hota toh shayad tum aur zyada darr jaati. I didn't realise that. I am really sorry Nikita"

Viaansh said staring at her with an honest intent without any duels.

The words made Nikki blink because there was no joke hidden behind them. There was no attempt to even justify his actions as she thought he would do but just pure acknowledgement. Nikki held back and urge to pinch herself to bring her back into reality.

Viaansh shook his head lightly, continuing as he thought that Nikki still was upset with him,"Main generally aisa nhi karta hoon." A humourless laugh escaped him, "Actually main kabhi aisa karta hi nhi hoon."

"But I really wanna be friends with you I don't know why," Viaansh remarked, The usual playfulness that constantly danced in his voice was nowhere to be found. Instead, there was something unexpectedly vulnerable in his tone. His lips almost formed a pout-something that was so out of his usual teenage personality that liked acting all mature.

A ridiculous expression for someone who spent most of his time acting cool, mature, and entirely unaffected by the world around him. Yet somehow, right now, he looked more genuine than he ever had before. Nikki simply stared at him.

Seeing no reply from her, not even a twitch of an eyebrow as if she was cemented onto her place, Viaansh scratched the back of his neck awkwardly before continuing,"Tumhe nhi lgta hume ek mahine saath baithna h, ekdusre ko tolerate krna h toh we should be friends"

"Bilkul nhi lgta" she blurted out instantly. Nikki heard the word 'friends' and her mind instantly went back to Agastya and how angry her Bhaiyu was on her. She felt that she wanted to accept Viaansh's friendship yet a part of her wasn't wanting to disobey her Bhaiyu anymore. Not when he was already angry with her.

"Tumne sabko toh dost bana liya, why not me" Viaansh whined, frowning at the partiality. Something about the way he said it made Nikki's heart pause. She genuinely reconsidered if this was the same Viaansh she had met yesterday and her Bhaiyu had told her about it. The arrogant rude badboy people considered him.

Yet he was totally different in front of her.

After his stunt yesterday, since the morning Nikki had decided to act on her brother's advice and maintain a distance from Viaansh. She was sure he wasn't even at least sorry about his stunt but his apology had flipped the folds of her heart unknowingly, changing her perspective how she saw him.

For the first time, not from her brother's but her own perspective. She seriously wanted to stay away from this guy but he was making it difficult for her by doing all this in front of her. By melting her piece by piece.

Nikki shook her head out of the thoughts and turned away from Viaansh as she muttered audible enough for him,"Bas hum dost nhi bann skte Viaansh" she said firmly, not even glancing at him once.

"If you were uncomfortable yesterday..." Viaansh continued quickly, his heart racing at her words,"then I am genuinely sorry, Nikita. But at least just think about being friends with me."

The sincerity in his voice was impossible to miss. At this rate he really held back his urge to hold her hand to imply the undeniable earnestness growing in his heart. But he didn't want to give her another reason to be uncomfortable around him.

Nikki remained unresponsive, strangled between the threads of heart and brain at that very moment. She was lost. Viaansh noticed that he had actually startled her, but that was fair enough because apologies coming from Viaansh Malhotra were rare.

He just lowered his eyes and looked back at her. This time his blue eyes held nothing but sincerity as he spoke,"Fine I won't pressure you to make me your friend but just know that I really wanna be your friend."

His voice softened and small shrug followed as he pressed his lips. Nikki's heart genuinely warmed at that. Not because the words were romantic because they respected her.

For the first time since meeting him,
Viaansh wasn't trying to force his way into her space. He was giving her the choice. At that moment, she felt that maybe this might be the toughest choice yet she was glad that he was respectful enough without getting offended.

Because if it was any other guy then they would have genuinely taken a grudge over her flat rejection. She just nodded her head and said,"Sochungi." That one word instantly lightened up Viaansh's face because even after every mess up, he was glad that he still had a chance.

Then, because he was still Viaansh, he ruined the perfect moment. A small smile tugged at his lips as he spoke,"Waise agar tum mujhe maaf kar do toh mujhe baar baar guilt me marna nhi padega."

Nikki rolled her eyes mumbling under her breath,"There he is again." Though even after that a small smile tugged onto her lips, no matter how much she tried to hide it.

Then to tease him further, she said, folding her arms against her chest,"But agar tumne dubara aisi harkat ki toh yaad rkhna mummy meri lawyer h agar tumhara khoon ho gya na mere haanthon toh bacha lengi mujhe yaad rkhna"

Her eyes scrunched as she tried to hide the amusement on her face while she threatened him playfully, trying to act all serious to press onto the credibility of her threat.

But Viaansh wasn't even a least bit affected. Instead he smiled further, keeping his elbow onto the table before leaning his face onto his hand,"Kitna pyaara bolti ho tum yaar!"

"But for your info, meri mummy bhi lawyer. Agar tumne mujhe chua bhi toh woh tumhe pkka jail me daalengi
Par phir mujhe tumpe taras aa jyega aur mai unhe ye krne hi nhi dunga" He added before Nikki could come up with a retort. Nikki just looked at him wide eyed, wa sthis guy being serious right now?

Was he really threatening to send her to jail?

"Taras toh mujhe tumpe tab aayega jab mere bhaiyu tumhari dhulai krenge" She added sassily, placing her hands on either side of her waist,"Kal toh tumhe bacha liya maine but agar aaj ke baad aisi waisi koi bhi harkat ki toh taange tod dungi"

"Abhi toh tumhe meri bahut saari aisi waisi harkatein dekhni h. Apna gussa bachake rkho" Viaansh teased grinning like a cheshire cat, annoying her further. "Viaansh!" Nikki whined but Viaansh just winked at her, mimicking her tone,"Nikita"

Nikki sighed, turning away to her abandoned notebook. There was no point in arguing with him anyways.
It'll only cause her headache. She was about to commence writing again when Viaansh spoke up from behind,"Toh tumne mujhe maaf kiya?"

Nikki hadn't realised where he was but as she turned around to give him another sassy reply. But froze when she saw how dangerously close he was to her. She hadn't realised and maybe he didn't too that he had actually shifted really close to her while he asked her that question.

Her breath hitched slightly as her eyes adjusted, and only then did she fully register him sitting there, beside her. Her gaze flickered, almost unwillingly, staring at his face.

His blue eyes were already on her, steady, unreadable for once, but softer than usual, as if he was genuinely waiting for an answer rather than teasing her into one. There was no smirk this time, no sarcasm curling at the edges of his lips.

Just a quiet patience that made him look unfamiliar. Her gaze unconsciously drifted to the small silver stud adorning his ear, the same one that had caused her so much confusion yesterday. For a ridiculous second, her mind flashed back to the black hoodie, the supermarket, the lost stud resting safely in her drawer. Then her attention shifted again.

To the messy strands of hair falling carelessly over his forehead. To the sharp slope of his nose. To the way his blue eyes somehow looked lighter when sunlight filtered through the classroom windows behind him. Even the faint dimple threatening to appear near his cheek whenever he fought back a smile seemed noticeable now.

It was as if her brain had temporarily abandoned all common sense and decided to focus entirely on the infuriatingly handsome boy standing inches away from her.

She felt like the rest of the world had blurred except for him. Even the small rise and fall of his breath felt louder than it should've been in the silence between them.

The subtle softness in his expression that didn't match the confident, annoying boy she had been dealing with since yesterday. The way he wasn't invading her space on purpose but somehow still made it feel like he belonged there for that one moment.
Nikki's thoughts slowed without permission.

Her irritation, her argument, her sarcasm, all of it just dropped. She didn't even realise she was staring at him openly. That when he was so near her and then, snap jolted her.
The sharp sound of fingers snapping right in front of her face broke through everything like a sudden jolt of reality.

Nikki blinked rapidly, stepping back instinctively as her focus shattered.
"Haan" she said nervously, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, as she looked away. Viaansh almost jumped from happiness, beaming,"That's great"

His shoulders relaxed instantly, the tension that had been sitting there for the last few minutes finally disappearing. Even his blue eyes seemed to light up with relief. As if her forgiveness genuinely mattered to him.

The realization made Nikki look away again. Something about that thought felt strangely unsettling. She didn't understand what but there was definitely something odd happening inside her chest like a strange flutter or a warmth-A feeling she couldn't properly name.

"Ye ho kya rha h?" Nikki whispered to herself but still she didn't feel like acknowledging whatever was happening to her. She reminded herself that she had known this idiot for barely a day.

Meanwhile, completely unaware of the crisis happening inside her head, Viaansh was still smiling like an idiot.
Nikki stole a glance at him. That was indeed a big mistake.

The smile was still there on Viaansh's lips as he said something to Karan, who was now talking to him and somehow that made the unfamiliar flutter inside her chest return again.

She looked away so fast that she nearly gave herself whiplash. She told herself that it was definitely brain damage or she had been overthinking so much. Her grip tightened around her pen.

-×-

At night, Nikki was sitting in her room, all her copies open as she copied her pending notes from Arushi's copy that she had brought home. Her earpods plugged in, and with music blasting, she barely had any knowledge of what was happening around her.

The door of her room barely opened when with light footsteps, Akshay walked in. Nikki didn't notice his presence until the bed beside her dipped and she frowned turning around instantly. Her face brightened seeing Akshay sitting beside her. She instantly unplugged her earpods, abandoning her work, her full attention on her Dada.

"Ice cream," Akshay said smiling at her as he kept his promise. Nikki's eyes twinkled seeing the tub in his hand. She instantly lunged forward onto him with excitement,"Aww I love you so much Dada"

Akshay chuckled, shaking his head at the momentary sentence. He does one thing wrong and this love changes to hate instantly. Yet before he could hug her back, Nikki pulled away snatching the tub from his hand. Akshay let her.

"Mummy ko mat btana hum dinner ke pehle ye kha rhe" He said giving one spoon to her and keeping one to himself. Nikki nodded, not wanting to get into trouble with the actual big boss. If Shivanya knew what she had been snacking onto before dinner, she and her Dada both are screwed.

"Waise aaj dinner kyun late ho rha h?" She asked, genuinely confused as she took a spoonful of ice cream. Her teeth numbing at the effect while her brain almost experienced like a short circuit at that. For a moment, she had forgotten her teeth were sensitive.

"Woh Bhaiyu nhi aaye na ghar wapas abhi tak isliye maa wait krna chah rhi thi unka" Akshay informed flatly, dipping his spoon into the tub to get more of the ice cream. A slight frown appeared on Nikki's face as she heard about Agastya.

Her spoon stopped mid-air as she asked with curiosity,"Bhaiyu kahan gye?" Akshay shrugged, focusing onto the ice cream more than the question,"Mujhe nhi pta, woh subah kahin gye the phir abhi tak laute hi nhi"

"You know Shiv Bhaiya bhi bta rhe the ki wo aaj office nhi aaye" He revealed making poor Nikki's heart drop to her stomach at that very moment. "Woh meri wajah se ghar nhi aaye abhi tak...?" She uttered, hesitating at the end as if the answer itself was enough to make her dwell further into her guilt.

"Kyun tune aisa kya kiya?" Akshay questioned, genuinely curious now at her tone and the paleness that had clouded her face. Nikki didn't hesitate for even a second as she narrated him everything from how Agastya had asked her to call 'Bhaiyu,' to the morning incident.

Akshay slapped his forehead, snorting in regret,"Yaar Nikki, kya krti h tu?" Nikki felt offended by his tone and since the guilt was already eating her up. "Maine kya kiya? Woh pareshan krr rhe the mujhe kuch smjh nhi aaya toh maine socha thoda chidha doon" she defended herself.

"Mujhe kya pta tha unhe itna bura lag jyega uss baat ka. Mera seriously aisa koi intention nhi tha." She mumbled to herself but remorse took over her more profoundly. Then as if on cue she again muttered to herself, as a matter of fact,"Thode sensitive toh h wo"

Akshay shook his head, taking the matter into his hands now. He spoke up gaining her attention,"Phir bhi Nikki tujhe unke saath aisa nhi krna chahiye tha. Tujhe pta h wo tujhe kitna maante h sabme. You've seen right. Mai bhi bua ke saamne tumhare liye stand nhi le paaya but he never did that to you Nikki"

Now hearing Akshay's words Nikki genuinely felt more weight upon her conscience. She averted her gaze away from him to stop the words stabbing her heart like a sharp dagger.

"Woh humesha tujhe bachate h and one thing I know about Bhaiyu is that he isn't expressive at all now after all these years. Still unhone tujhse saamne se bola, you shouldn't have rejected him like that." Akshay spoke, his heavy voice dropping at the last sentence as he hoped to drive the point across his stubborn sister's pea-sized brain.

"Sorry Dada, realise nhi hua tab ki ye baat itni escalate ho jyegi" Nikki confessed genuinely feeling a new wave of gnawing remorse crushing every bit of resentment she had against accepting her fault. "Fine idhar aa," Akshay just opened his arms, gesturing her.

Nikki didn't wait for her another second before dropping into them because she needed his bear hug after a good session of dwelling into her guilt. "Ab jab wo wapas aayenge, you gonna tell him how sorry you're, alright?" Akshay told her softly, enveloping her fully into his embrace.

"What if he gets mad again at me?" Nikki said unsuringly. Akshay looked down at her in his embrace as he flicked her forehead,"Bhaiyu tujhe bahut pyaar krte h pagal. He won't. Trust me what you saw in the morning wasn't even one percent of his anger toh bas ye smjh ki wo khud pe bhi gussa krr skte h but tujh pe nhi."

He explained calmly, chuckling at her frown. He brushed her hair, running his hand through them as he said,"He lashed out in the morning because he was really hurt Nikki, but you're gonna make up to him now."

"Yes Dada" Nikki said for Akshay's sake yet an uncertainty about Agastya's reaction had settled into her heart. Akshay smiled though he saw through the unsurity in her expressions, because he knew that since Nikki had realised where she had been wrong, he was sure his little sister would correct herself without him interfering.

He led that unsurity be there, not addressing it because if Nikki and Agastya talked, Nikki was in for a real surprise. And he would let it be a surprise for her. "Ab aise muhh mat bana, itne mann se ice cream laaya hoon mai tere liye" He said lifting the tub of ice cream in front of Nikki as her small pout vanished from her lips into a faint smile.

But as Akshay kept it onto the bed a voice echoed from downstairs,"Dinner time." Shivanya called everyone for dinner and Akshay and Nikki groaned at the same time."Gaye, raat me khaate h" Akshay said, taking the tub away as they made their way downstairs.

-×-

The faint light of the kitchen was still glowing as Agastya entered the house at midnight. His hair was tousled, falling onto his forehead as he ran a hand through them. He had been out all day, somewhere he didn't want to mention to people. He needed a break from everything to get his head clear of Amrita's morning words.

He had been ignoring all family calls. The entire house was asleep or at least that was what he hoped. His shoulders felt heavier than they had that morning. The day had dragged him through hours of aimless driving, long walks, and countless attempts to outrun thoughts that refused to leave him alone. He had gone everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

Anything just to escape the suffocating weight sitting inside his chest ever since his confrontation with Amrita. Unfortunately, some things couldn't be escaped, not even by distance or by time.

His dark jacket hung loosely over his broad shoulders while the sleeves had been rolled carelessly to his forearms. The top few buttons of his black shirt were undone, exposing the strong column of his neck. His hair, usually styled to perfection, was now tousled from the wind, stubborn strands falling over his forehead every few seconds before he impatiently pushed them back again.

Despite looking exhausted, he still carried the same dangerous presence he always did. The kind that made people move out of his way without being asked. The kind that made him intimidatingly handsome.

His deep brown eyes looked darker than usual under the dim lights.
If someone saw him right now, they would've probably thought he had walked straight out of a magazine cover after a bad day. Unfortunately for everyone around him, Agastya wasn't interested in being admired.

At least not tonight, when his mind was far too occupied. He tossed his keys onto the nearby console table before making his way towards the kitchen. The silence around him felt oddly comforting.

Exactly what he needed. Reaching the kitchen island, Agastya grabbed a glass absentmindedly before turning towards the refrigerator. His fingers wrapped around the bottle.

Then he winced. A sharp sting shot through his hand. His brows knitted together. Only then did he finally bother looking down. Dried blood coated the back of his knuckles.

The wound had partially crusted over by now, the crimson stain stretching across his skin. For a brief second, a memory flashed through his mind. He remembers how he got hurt but let's it be because his mind was more bruised at the moment.

The memory vanished as quickly as it had appeared. He didn't care. His hand wasn't what hurt the most right now. Compared to the chaos inside his head, this injury barely registered. Without another thought, he twisted the bottle cap open and let the water begin pouring into the glass. The steady sound echoed through the quiet kitchen, filling the silence in a way that should've felt calming, but didn't.

Then soft, slow and sleepy footsteps echoed in the silence. Agastya froze.
His hand instinctively stopped mid-motion, yet the water continued overflowing from the glass, spilling onto the counter unnoticed. He didn't even register it anymore.

A few seconds later, another figure appeared near the kitchen entrance-Nikki

Her eyes were barely open, one hand rubbing lazily at them while the other held onto the doorway for support. Her hair was messy from sleep, falling around her shoulders in every direction possible. She wore an oversized T-shirt that nearly swallowed her frame whole. She had only woken up for water and nothing more.

She took one sleepy step forward, then another and froze completely.
Because standing inside the kitchen was the last person she had expected to see-Agastya

Because according to her mom, he had skipped dinner that's why she hadn't even gotten an opportunity to talk to him during that. To say she was stunned seeing him standing in the kitchen at midnight would be an understatement.

For a second, neither moved. Neither spoke. The heavy silence stretched between them. Nikki blinked twice, slowly, as though trying to confirm she wasn't dreaming. Agastya stared back just as stunned, the glass still half-tilted in his hand, water spilling endlessly as neither of them acknowledged it.

Even he hadn't expected to see her after how he lashed out on her in the morning. If it wasn't for his Bhaiya entering the kitchen, he would've damaged things further more. He had realised it the moment Shivansh entered the kitchen that's why he exited the room.

The last thing he had expected after spending the entire day avoiding his family was running into her at midnight. Especially her. Especially after everything that had happened. If not for everyone, he wanted to avoid her the most because he actually felt guilty for lashing out onto his younger sister for no reason that concerned her.

Yes he was upset about how she had outwardly rejected him yet he knew that at the end of the day it was her choice and he couldn't pressure her.

Nikki's lips parted,"Aap-"The word barely left her mouth before Agastya looked away from her. Ignoring her presence as much as he could. Guilt simmered in his chest heavily. Nikki noticed that but as she was about to say something further when something caught her attention.

A strange red glimmer reflected under the kitchen light. Her gaze dropped instinctively straight to his hand. The sleep vanished from her eyes instantly. Her entire expression shifted within a heartbeat, confusion dissolving into immediate concern.

Her brows knitted together, her lips parting slightly as she processed what she was seeing. Her eyes widened in horror as she noticed the dried blood covering the back of his hand. She gasped loudly and the glass nearly slipped from Agastya's grip.

He turned to see what she was looking at and as he saw realisation drawned upon him. Before he could even react, before he could hide it or dismiss it. Nikki rushed to him as the words escaped her lips,"Bhaiyu... kya hua aapke haanth ko?"

She said instantly standing beside him as she took his hand in her grip, keeping the glass aside. And for the first time that entire day, Agastya forgot how to breathe or answer her.

For the first time that day, his anger didn't know where to go.

-×-