Late at night, sleep wouldn’t come. My mind kept circling back to Anik. Because of me, he cried. I messed up, and not just any small mistake—on the first day I tried to be a real brother. What if he never forgives me? What if that moment sticks with him, defining our entire relationship?
I tossed and turned for a while before giving up. I needed some air... and food. Maybe a midnight snack would clear my head. As I made my way to the kitchen, I was surprised to find Anik already there, drinking water. He hadn’t seen me yet.
My stomach twisted. This is my chance to fix it, I thought. But my feet felt heavy, like they didn’t want to move. What if I make it worse?
“Sorry,” I mumbled, barely loud enough to hear myself. The words felt clumsy in my mouth, and I wasn’t sure if he even heard me.
Anik turned slowly, his face calm, but there was something in his eyes—like he was waiting for me to say something more. “Hmm?” he hummed, his expression guarded.
I cleared my throat, forcing the words out. “I mean it. I’m sorry. I didn’t think before I spoke, and I hurt you.” My voice cracked a little, but I kept going. “I know I messed things up.”
He blinked, his face softening just a little. He gave me a small smile, like he was trying to make me feel better. “Koi baat nahi.” It was gentle, but it felt too easy, too simple. I didn’t deserve that yet.
I shook my head. “No, really. I didn’t mean to say that. I just... I didn’t think it through. I made you feel like you didn’t belong, and that’s not what I want.” The words tumbled out now, the weight of them heavy in the quiet kitchen.
Anik’s smile faded, replaced by something else—something more serious. He set the glass down and turned to face me fully.
“Bhai tell me you wanted to be an older brother to someone, right?” he asked, his voice soft but steady. “I get it. It’s not easy to accept someone who’s not even your brother by blood, and it’s even harder when... well, when things are already complicated.”
His words caught me off guard. He wasn’t accusing me. He wasn’t even angry. But there was a sadness in his voice, like he was saying, “I understand why you don’t want me.”
“That’s not it,” I said quickly, stepping forward. “Yeah, maybe I imagined having a younger brother once, but that doesn’t matter now. Family isn’t just about who’s older or who’s related by blood. I don’t care about any of that. What makes us family is... being there for each other, no matter what.” My voice faltered slightly, but I kept my eyes on him, hoping he could see I meant every word
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