INNOCENCE : An Innocent Lovestory

Chapter : 4

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The city's hustle seemed to slow down in the embrace of a park, Raj Mehra sat patiently on a weathered bench under the shade of a grand old peepal tree. Beside him sat his younger brother, Rihaan, who despite his adult appearance, possessed the innocent heart and mind of a child. Raj had promised Rihaan an ice cream treat, and with a reassuring smile, he had ventured off to fetch it from the vendor across the park.

"Why is brother taking so long?" Rihaan muttered, his impatience betraying the childlike anticipation that glinted in his eyes. The minutes stretched longer than Rihaan could bear, and soon, the thrill of waiting turned into a tinge of boredom. He gazed around the park, searching for anything to distract him from the tick of time.

His eyes fell upon a group of children playing a game of tag not far from where he sat. Rihaan's face lit up with excitement—a chance to join them and chase away the boredom! With an eager grin, he bounded over to them, his strides filled with hope and a childlike eagerness.

"Hey, can I play too?" Rihaan asked, his voice filled with innocent enthusiasm as he approached the group of children.

The children stopped abruptly, their playful expressions turning into uncertain glances exchanged among themselves. Finally, one boy, with a hint of scorn in his voice, replied, "No, you cannot."

Confusion flickered across Rihaan's face. "But why?" he asked, genuinely perplexed by their refusal.

Another child, a girl with pigtails, chimed in, "Yeah, you're too old to play with us. We only play with kids our own age. You're like an uncle to us!"

The words stung Rihaan deeply, a wave of hurt and rejection washing over him. His eyes glistened with unshed tears as he turned away from the children, trying to hide the pain that threatened to spill over. With heavy steps, he trudged back to the bench where he had been waiting, his heart heavier than before.

Meanwhile, Raj returned with two cones of ice cream in hand, a smile of anticipation on his face, only to find the bench empty. Panic clawed at his chest as he scanned the park in frantic search of his brother. "Rihaan!" he called out, his voice tinged with worry and rising frustration at himself for leaving Rihaan alone.

The distant sound of muffled sobs caught Raj's attention, and he hastened towards the source—a large tree just a few yards away. There, he found Rihaan huddled against the trunk, tears streaming down his cheeks, his shoulders shaking with suppressed sobs.

Relief flooded through Raj as he knelt beside Rihaan, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "Rihaan, what happened? Why are you crying?" he asked softly, concern etched in every line of his face.

Between sniffles and hiccups, Rihaan managed to explain, "They... they didn't let me play with them. They said I'm too old and... and they didn't want me there."

Raj's heart clenched with empathy for his younger brother. He knew all too well how Rihaan struggled to fit in with others. "Hey, don't worry about them," Raj comforted, his voice gentle yet firm. "You know who loves to play with you? Isha and Rishi—they're always asking about you!"

Rihaan's tear-streaked face brightened a little at the mention of his niece and nephew. "But... but they have homework," Rihaan murmured, his disappointment evident.

Raj smiled warmly. "Alright then, how about I play with you?" he suggested, hoping to lift Rihaan's spirits.

A glimmer of hope returned to Rihaan's eyes. "Really?" he asked, his voice tinged with a mixture of surprise and excitement.