Uljhe Rishtey (Book-1 Khanna Sibling' Saga)

Chapter- 24

As Prem entered his room, a sigh escaped his lips when he saw his younger son snuggled up to Priya. The teary eyes and sad look didn't sit well with him. He so wished to go and pull him into his embrace, yet he controlled his urge and walked inside. He needed to talk first!

Ayan saw him and threw himself at his father, snuggling in his warmth. The husband and wife looked at each other, and Priya shook her head sadly. She tried talking to her son, but he refused to listen to her. In fact, they had always been so gentle with him that she didn't know if they would also scold him, and he might think it was unfair. Prem nodded in understanding as he shared her thoughts.

Their younger son was the most pampered in the house. Priya or he himself rarely scolded him for anything, and with Rudra and Abhay, they had their own ways to deal with him, yet in the end, that too was gentle, not too harsh. However, that doesn't mean they would let Ayan go down the wrong track! Their son was 17 and soon going to be 18. He was impulsive and had that hot-headed teenage blood, but he was no longer a kid, so he could handle the reality check he was about to receive!

After a while, Prem pulled back and sat on the bed, making Ayan sit facing him. "Kya hua, itna sad sad kyu hai?"

Ayan tried to look away, but Prem didn't let him. "Baat kar beta, or how will I understand what is going on in your head?"

"Jiji slapped me," Ayan whispered slowly. "Bhaiya aur Bhaiyu bhi naraz ho gaye mujhse."

Prem nodded and cupped his face. "Your Jiji slapped you... doesn't she have a right to correct your mistakes if you are wrong?"

Ayan looked down. "Par maine jaan bhuj ke toh nahi kiya tha na Dad. It was a genuine mistake, and I apologized too."

Prem sighed and pulled back. "Koi assignment submit karna hai tujhe kal?"

Ayan looked at him, startled at the sudden change of topic.

"Ayu, I asked you something. Koi assignment submit karna hai kal?" Prem repeated a bit sternly.

Ayan nodded meekly.

"Go and bring it then!" Prem commanded.

"Pr..." Ayan trailed off and immediately left as Prem glared at him. His father rarely took that stance with him, and when he did, Ayan just didn't know how to defy it.

He immediately came back with his science assignment, thinking his father wanted to check it like always. Usually, it's his bhaiya who looks after his studies, but when he is overloaded with work and meetings, his father helps him out, and Ayan doesn't mind that!

Prem took the file and went through it thoroughly, "Kab submit karna hai ye tujhe?"

"Kal."

"Aur nahi kar paya toh?"

Ayan frowned, "Marks nahi milenge aur teacher punish karegi vo alag."

Prem nodded and placed the file on the side table. He reached for the glass of water that was there, but intentionally dropped it, causing it to fall on the file and spoiling it.

Priya gasped, as did Ayan.

"Dad! Yeh kya kiya aapne? Dyan se lena chaiye tha na paani...see you spoiled my whole work. Ab kal teacher ko kya kahunga main...." He continued like that, and Prem sat there unfazed.

Priya gently took the file from Ayan's hand as he tried to clean the wet and messed up papers inside. She hugged him and glared at Prem, "Yeh sab kya tha Raj?"

Prem stood up, "Galti se gir gaya Priya, I didn't do it on purpose."

"Par dhyan dena chahiye tha na Raj. Aapko file waha rakhne ki kya zarurat thi?"