BLAZE: Of Passion And Allure

9. CHILD??????

Author's POV

“ Pray tell me why are you here? ” Kunal asked the boy sitting before him who seemed to have assumed this room to be his and was lounging on the chair as if it was a bed.

“ Hey big bro, that's not the way you greet your little brother who you haven't seen in—” he paused, calculated for a second before continuing, “ —a week. I missed you. ”

“ Yeah, a week. Care I remind you of the three years you spent in New York without any mention of this big bro? ” Kunal asked with a smile that Kartik recognised wasn't one and fumbled his hands before looking at the door. Closed.

Kartik gulped and was wondering of a suitable response when Kunal asked again, “ Shoot. Why are you here? ”

“ Umm.. Well Aayansh bhai told mom that he has a girlfriend. ” Kartik said looking at his brother's face trying to find any hint of worry that he was falling behind but he just found indifference, “ So? ”

“ So.. ” He started but stopped short when he realised that the reaction was wrong. His brother should be scrambling about the details of the girl and all but he seemed too composed as if he already knew.

“ Wait a minute, you don't seem surprised. Did you know it too? How could Aayansh bhai tell you and not me? ” He shouted, his expression indignant as he thought of the brother who betrayed him by telling their older brother first.

I am officially a child these four bought from a market to do their chores.

“ Because you are a clown who's of no help to him. ” Kunal answered as he remembered the mess Aayansh had almost caused in Jaipur.
“ Yeah, as if you were giving him lectures on girlfriends. ” Kartik mumbled under his breath but still clear enough for Kunal to hear him.

Kunal ignored his comment about the lectures and decided to talk about the main issue instead, “ Come to the point. ”

“ Well mom asked me to… ” Kartik trailed off as he realised what he was about to say.
Shit, am I a fool? Do I want to die by telling this devil that I'm here to spy on him? No no no.. I'm still young, a girl hasn't even proposed to me. It would be a shame if such a beautiful face left the world too early.

“ To spy on me. ” Kunal completed his sentence and Kartik looked horrified at his brother wondering if he had conjured up the ability to read minds after coming to Mumbai.

The room's temperature dropped and luckily Kartik had enough self preservation to realise it and come up with a response with that short circuited brain of his.

“ No… she and dad are going to leave for Jaipur tomorrow so she was worried about leaving me alone. ” Kartik said, feeling not the least bit bothered that there was something wrong with his statement. Even if his parents left there would still be plenty of people present in the villa.

“ You lived alone before. ” Kunal said, reminding him of the three years he spent outside.

“ That was different. I was forced to live alone as none of you guys loved me enough to accompany me. Poor me. ” Kartik said with a dramatic emphasis on poor. He even feigned a sigh as he said it as if he was really some poor boy abandoned by his family.

“ But since then I have a phobia bro, I get scared if I am alone. That is why I'm here. ” There was no ounce of shame on his face as he made up a phobia knowing all too well that his brother could call his bluff anytime. But maybe to save himself from other dramas, Kunal ignored his words.

“ They could take you with them. ” Kunal said and Kartik looked thoroughly offended by the idea.
“ Hey bro, do you want me to get killed? I already heard that Aayansh bhai is having a hard time and he's safe because Radhika bhabhi is protecting him. What if I go there and I become their target? Nope. Definitely not. ”