Bandhan

Reunion of Siblings

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Riyansh paced the cold, sterile hospital corridor, his footsteps echoing through the empty space. His hands were clammy, and he kept rubbing them together, trying to shake off the nervous energy that gripped him. Every time the elevator dinged, his heart skipped a beat. His brothers would be here any minute. After twelve long years, he was about to face the people he once knew better than himself but who now felt like strangers.

He stopped and leaned against the wall, his eyes glued to the elevator doors. What would he say? What could he say? The memories of their childhood felt like they belonged to another life, distant and shattered beyond repair.

The elevator dinged again. Riyansh held his breath, waiting for the doors to open. When they didn't, he let out a shaky sigh, his nerves fraying with each passing second. Questions swirled in his mind, growing louder. Would they blame him for leaving? Would they even care? Or had too much time passed for it to matter?

Meanwhile, Atharv sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window as the city of Indore blurred past. His face was set in a determined expression, but beneath the surface, he was uneasy. Atharv prided himself on staying in control, but this situation was different. Facing Riyansh after all these years stirred emotions he didn't fully understand. Deep down, he knew the separation hadn't been entirely Riyansh's fault, but confronting that truth meant facing the pain they had all endured.

Aahir, driving with a tight grip on the steering wheel, tried to focus on the road, but his mind was miles away. Aahir had always been the easygoing one, the brother who could find humor in any situation. But as they neared the hospital, there was no trace of the usual smile on his face. His thoughts drifted back to simpler times when their family was whole.

Once, Aahir had been incredibly close to his mother. He had been her shadow, always eager to help or just be near her. But that bond shattered the day she left, taking Riyansh with her. Aahir had been devastated, feeling as though a part of him had been ripped away. He never truly understood why they had to leave, and the pain of their absence lingered, becoming a dull ache that never fully went away.

Riyansh... just thinking about his name brought back a flood of memories. They had been inseparable, the perfect partners in crime. Together, they pulled off countless pranks on their elder brothers, often outsmarting Atharv, who would inevitably catch them. The punishments only made them closer, and they would laugh about it later, already planning their next mischief.But when Riyansh left, Aahir lost more than just a brother—he lost his best friend. The house felt empty without their laughter. Aahir tried to fill the void, but nothing could replace what he had lost.

Chirag, sitting in the back seat, scrolled through his phone, pretending to be disinterested. But in reality, he was using it as a distraction from the anxiety that gripped him. He had no desire to be here, no interest in seeing the brothers who had walked out on them years ago. If it weren't for Atharv, he wouldn't have come at all.

Chirag had been just a kid when they left. He grew up angry and confused, blaming Riyansh for abandoning them, their mother for tearing the family apart, and himself for not being able to stop it. Seeing them again filled him with dread. It was easier to stay angry, to keep them at a distance.