Silent Echoes, Hidden Bonds

7'

As they arrived at the beach, the sound of waves crashing against the shore welcomed them, the salty breeze swirling around, bringing a sense of calm with it. Ayu and Anshu, unable to contain their excitement, dashed toward the water, their laughter echoing as they splashed each other with playful shrieks.

Aryamaan and Naina found a quiet spot nearby on the soft sand, watching their younger siblings, a faint smile playing on both their faces.

"Tho fir, shuru kijiye," Naina said suddenly, her eyes glinting with curiosity.

Aryamaan raised an eyebrow, confused. "Kya shuru karu?"

"Arre, aapki kahani! Tell me everything. How you were all these years, where you were... sabkuch," she pressed, her tone playful but eager.

Aryamaan chuckled softly at her insistence. He looked at his younger brothers, who were lost in their fun, and then his gaze drifted to the vast ocean before them, the endless horizon holding a piece of his own untold story.

As he began speaking, his voice was steady, but his words carried the weight of everything he had kept to himself for years. Naina listened intently, her expressions shifting with every part of his tale—his struggles, his loneliness, the battles he fought quietly. Slowly, her heart clenched at the depth of pain he masked so well. Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks as Aryamaan's words painted a picture of his isolation.

"Arre arre... yeh aasu kyu?" Aryamaan's voice softened as he reached over, gently wiping her tears away. "Itna bhi koi kathin jeevan nahi tha mera..." he joked lightly, trying to ease her emotion.

But Naina shook her head, her voice barely a whisper. "Aap kaise itne saal akele rahe? Wapas aane ka man nahi kiya aapka?"

A hint of sadness flickered in Aryamaan's eyes as he looked back at the ocean. "Yahan bhi kaun hota mere saath, Naina? Kya tum yahan kabhi akela mehsoos nahi karti?" he asked quietly, his words resonating with an understanding only she could feel.

Naina looked away, her throat tightening as she swallowed back her own emotions. It was true. For years, even in a house full of people, she had felt alone—just like him. They had both been on their own, even when surrounded by family.

After a long pause, Aryamaan turned to her with a soft smile. "Ab teri baari... tu kaisi thi?"

Naina hesitated, her thoughts swirling as she tried to find the right words. She wasn't sure where to begin, or if she was even ready to open up about the burdens she had carried, but in that moment, sitting beside her brother under the open sky, she realized that maybe, just maybe, it was time to share her own story too.

Naina let out a deep sigh, her gaze drifting toward the horizon. "Mujhe toh Mr. Goenka ne aapse pehle hi bhej diya tha na... aapke jaane ke kuch saal baad Ayu ko bhi boarding school bhej diya. After that, I rarely came home. My 10th-grade boards weren't great. Although it wasn't that bad, Mr. Goenka's pride got hurt, so he put an end to my dance classes."

Aryamaan blinked, disbelief clear in his eyes. "What? He didn't let you dance? But you always wanted to be a professional dancer."

A sad chuckle escaped Naina's lips. "Yep. But he had other plans. He made me take commerce in 11th and 12th. And, I guess I lost hope that I could ever continue my dream. I tried... I really tried to be what he wanted. After I turned 18, he fixed my marriage."

Aryamaan's expression hardened, "What!"

"I made a scene, obviously. Badi Maa was pregnant with Anshu, she couldn't do much. Dadi was away. I felt helpless. So... I ran away."

Aryamaan's eyes widened. "Ran away? Where did you go?"

"Vrindavan. The great Goenka family couldn't find their own daughter." Naina chuckled bitterly. "Until Dadi came."