Qurbat, Near You

12- BUNKING?

Presenting you with a really chaotic chapter. I apologize for the random things happening in this chapter. I hope you enjoy the update!

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Nikhil had always been the good boy of the house. Except for some of his theories and curiosity, he was pretty much an innocent kid who never went against his father's words. He had an unruly mouth, but his unfiltered thoughts were what made him Nikhil Kabir Raheja. 

So when the good boy walked inside the cafe Adhir worked in, the latter was shocked. Dressed in his school uniform, fancy sipper bottle in his left hand, and his tie loosely hanging around his neck, the youngest Raheja walked inside with the broadest smile he could muster. 

Shouldn't he be at school right now? 

Adhir was cleaning a table, asking the customers what they wanted when his gaze fell on the little rebel walking inside like he owned the place. Before he could ask the young boy what brought him here, he was tackled by a bear hug, taking the older one by surprise. Adhir passed an apologetic smile to the customers before wrapping his arms around the young boy, gently taking him away from the dining place, and gesturing one of his colleagues to take care of the customer. 

"Nikki, are you okay? Shouldn't you be at school?" Adhir asked him, gently cupping his face, looking for any signs of bruises on the boy's body. "Did anyone bully you again?" 

Nikhil saw Adhir's eyes darkening as he asked him questions. The mere thought of someone bullying Nikhil again made him angry. Like their father always said they were restricted territories, Adhir believed the same. His brothers and his father were restricted territories. Nikhil happened to top that list. 

"Nobody bullied me." Nikhil said with a smile that was meant to calm his brother down. His eyes turned normal when Adhir found no sign of lies in the youngest Raheja's voice. The dangerous aura he was exuding turned gentle. 

"Phir?" 

"You won't believe what I did." The excitement rolled off his voice in waves, successfully making the older Raheja arch his eyebrows in amusement and confusion. 

"And what might have you done so great that you're beaming like a squirrel who just discovered a stash of acorns?" Adhir asked him, and Nikhil's eyes narrowed at the comparison. 

"I am not beaming like a squirrel." Nikhil countered back, offended at being compared to a squirrel. Adhir laughed at the expression and reached forward to tousle his hair lovingly but teasingly. 

"Are you not?" Adhir gasped dramatically. "My, my, my eyesight must be turning poor because I can still see you beaming— oops, sorry, pouting like a squirrel. Wanna see?" 

Nikhil glared at his brother, who laughed once again, making him look away in annoyance. Should've just attended the school. He thought grumpily. Seeing the irritated look on the little one's face, Adhir couldn't help the smile that formed on his face. 

"Acha, acha. Sorry. Tell me, what did you do?" Adhir asked him, and Nikhil gave him one last glare before his eyes twinkled once again and he pulled Adhir down by his apron, making the older one raise his eyebrows but comply with the silent demand. 

"I bunked school. For the first time." Nikhil said excitedly. 

Adhir watched in silence for ten seconds, and then twenty, and then forty before he burst out laughing. He threw his head back, the dark but amused chuckles filling the air as he looked at his youngest brother. God, why is this boy so adorably innocent and mischievous at the same time?