THE FATE (✔)

Chapter 7 - Aman

"Oh, you are home?" someone greeted Radha when she put some bread she bought on the table.

Radha was a bit shocked to see a guy in light blue shirt sipped his coffee from a little cup he put on the table as he read a maroon card.

Instead of answering, Radha turned the question back, "You are not going out?"

Aman, her only brother, raised his hand, asking for a bread his sister bought. Radha pouted as she gave him a chocolate croissant and moved the bread to the flat plate. She took her seat beside Aman's and grabbed the same bread.

"Bhai, you haven't answer my question. Why haven't you left yet?" she asked after glancing at the clock which was sticking on the wall.

Aman swallowed his bread slowly, "Me? Left to?"

"Aren't you supposed to go and do your work?"

"Hey Choti Rani, I just came home, you know. I have went there, right after you left."

"What? If I knew you're going out too, I'd just ask you to drive me. Damn, it sucks. Then what is it?"

"Invitation card." Hearing his answer, Radha was just "Oh".

Aman didn't pay attention to his sister's words anymore. He still enjoyed his croissant. So does Radha. However, suddenly, Radha remembered something. She started talking while her mouth was still full of his unfinished bread. Aman watched her with disgust as he was trying to understand his sister's incoherent words, but he was also holding back the laughter at the look on his sister's face, mouth full of food and eyebrows raised.

"What are you talking about? Finish your bread, then you can talk," he said as he giggled.

Radha held back her words, chewing her bread and swallowed it. "Okay, sorry. Do you remember I told you about one of my friends liked you?"

Aman rolled his eyes and tried to recall about it. "I think I do. Why? What's that got to do with me? I haven't met her tho," he said.

"I just met her today. She dropped me home. If I knew you are here, I'd ask her to come for minutes to see you," she explained.

"What? For what?"

"To tell her that my brother, whom she once liked, is being like this, handsome indeed, but annoying," mocked Radha

Aman sighed, "Sheeessshhh, you. But, does she still like me now?"

Radha gasped and chuckled. "Do you need to know? You don't even know her, tho."

Aman grinned. "Then, tell me her name, her address, her work, her family as well."

"Be serious, yaar. You really want to know, usually don't care about any woman, but me. You even let my friends who meet you often become your fans without you wanting to know more."

"Look, Radha. I just want to know her name. If she still likes me, that's good. It means she has liked me for a long time. That's a sign, you have to introduce me to her. Who knows..." he shrugged.

"Who knows what?"

"If you have a sister-in-law you are already close with, that would be nice, na?" asked Aman mockingly. Hearing that, Radha burst into laughter.

"Bhaiyya, you know what. She doesn't even remember she liked you! Hahaha."

"What? No way. Guys like me are hard to forget, you know."

"She said it herself, Bro hahahaha. Stop hoping, she's too good for you. But fine, I'll arrange a meeting for you two later. What do you want?" Radha teased.

"You devil. Never mind, there's no need to. I don't care what her name is and whether she still likes me or not. It's a pity to have a sister-in-law like this," Aman replied to his sister's taunt.

"Okay, let's be serious, bhai. From all your friends, all your exes, isn't there anything that makes you settle on just one heart?"

Aman sipped his coffee. "If there was one, I would have married to her, Radha."

"Huh? Alright. Why was no one?"

"They can't handle me. They're not strong enough to handle me and myself this way. You know what I mean, right?" Hearing her brother's answer, Radha was stunned. She thought for a moment before she smiled and rubbed Aman's fingers.

"I see. So that's what you need?" she asked. Aman nodded before he left.

"Am I not enough?" inquired Radha with her goofy smile.

Aman chuckled. "Then you'll get married and go to your husband's house. You're going to let me spend my time alone with all this suffering, huh?"

Radha smiled. "You really need more affection. Well, I will make sure that my future sister-in-law is a strong, sincere person, and wants to accompany my annoying brother forever," she said. Aman just looked at his sister, smiling slightly.

"Thanks. Take some rest," he replied. Aman left a soft kiss on Radha's forehead and went to his room. Radha was still silent on her chair, watching her brother until he disappeared behind the door of his room. Radha shook her head and smiled languidly.

***

There were five small frames neatly lined up on the long table in Aman's room. Each contained a photo of himself with different women. As it turned out, the five different women were his ex-girlfriends he had been dating for the past few years. Everyone was still good friends with him. They were just, unable to continue their relationship, unable to accompany Aman with everything inside him for the rest of their lives. Aman chuckled softly before letting a smile linger on his lips and turning his gaze to a large frame mounted on the frame of his room. There was a picture of him and Radha when they were little, as well as their parents in the frame.

"Do I really have to live alone, Maa?" he whispered.