RUINS

8. YOU MEAN THE BLOODY WORLD TO ME!!

"Mujhe vaapas lane ke liye jo kiya woh kiya! Sab Manzoor hai. Waha ghaanv mein jo drama create kiya tune!! Voh bhi Manzoor hai mujhe. Lekin aise workers ke sath khilwaad nahi! Unki zindagi ka sawaal hai. Unki rozi roti ka sawaal hai. Unke families hote hai jo unpe dependent hai. It was your responsibility taking care of them but not only you failed, you sent some damn goons to take care of the matter?! 

Kya samajhta hai tu khud ko? 

Gali ka ghunda hai? Ya Mafia don? 

Since when did the power of your position get into your head Adi?!" It wasn't just a reprimand, it was a full-blown condemnation.

"Maine nahi bejha yaar kisi ko bhi!" Advitya protested.

"Jhoot bhi bolne laga tu ab?!"

"Jhoot nahi Bhaiyya. Sach bol raha hu. Aapki kasam. Maine kisi ko nahi bejha!!... Actually hua yeh tha... " He gulped, because even though he didn't send any goons, the fault still laid at his feet. He is going to get thrashed by the end of this anyways. The only difference being his actual and real reasons. 

"I am listening!" 

"Mujhe pata chala tha.. ki workers ke issues hai. Just 4 days ago pata chala tha. I .. I "

"You?!"

"You are intimidating me Bhaiyya! Can you step back please!!" Advitya spoke with the intentions of pleading but his tone came out completely opposite earning a sharp whack on his head.

"Ek toh galti kiya tune. Instead of agreeing, you are trying to cover it with your lies..."

"Nahi! Nahi!! Sach bol raha hu Bhaiyya. Aap sach mein dara rahe ho mujhe. I swear to god I didn't send any men. You know I won't do that to anyone Bhaiyya!" Advitya's tone was frantic, bordering on desperation. 

As his bhaiyya kept looking at him without a word, Advitya knew he had to speak and he just did that, "I chose to consciously ignore the workers problem and hoped that it would rile you up enough to come back. Manager came to me telling something about it yesterday but I was too busy following Vivek. And maine Manager se boldiya ki do as he pleases. I didn't listen to him. Mujhe nahi pata tha ki vo idiot yeh karega. I.. I am sorry." His voice was laced with regret as his bhaiyya's gaze of disappointment settled in.

Agastya's jaw clenched but eventually he sighed in resignation, "Mujhe wapis lane ke liye yeh nahi karna tha Adi! I could've handled anything.....not this. Apne matlab ke liye kisi zarurat mand ko aise hurt nahi kar sakta. 

Arey pura company ko duba deta, toh bhi mai ek shabd nahi bolta tujhe! 

They are not just assets or resources, Adi. They are humans and they have feelings." 

Agastya's tone softened as he tried to make Advitya see sense.

Advitya though understood it all, hated his bhaiyya's softened tone for some damn workers and then his lecture on someone else's feelings snapped something inside him, "Oh really!! You do know about feelings?!!

You do care about them?!

How about you first care your dear brother's feelings before being all philanthropic Bhaiyya!!" Advitya couldn't hold back anymore. He understood his bhaiyya's reasons but it wasn't easy to forget the 9 months that he spent without his bhaiyya. Especially when the last time they talked, they only yelled at each other! 

Agastya was taken aback by Advitya's sudden outburst. And he wasn't expecting the sudden shift in the topic. 

"I agree maine galat kiya!!I should have been more careful. Uske bina bhi aap wapis aagaye...Things changed in our favor!! GREAT!" He clapped just for the effect, "But guess what Bhaiyya!!! I didn't know that.