Brotherhood

Part : 3

(That evening, in their bedroom, Vivek sat comfortably against the headboard, deeply absorbed in a book. The room was quiet except for the soft rustle of turning pages. Arya, who had just returned from the office, changed into something more casual and comfortable before stepping into the room. She stood near the bed, watching him for a moment.)

Arya: “Umm, Vivek! Aapse ek baat karni thi, can I?”

Vivek: Hmm… (he responded with a distracted hum, his eyes still fixed on the book).

(Arya sighed, a little annoyed. While making a bun of her hair, she pulled the clutcher out and, without warning, pressed it lightly but sharply against Vivek’s toe.)

(Vivek flinched at the sudden sting and shot her a sharp, questioning look.)

Vivek: “What the hell, Arya?”

Arya: (folding her arms, firm but playful) “Well, maybe I can get your attention only like this. Ab suniye.”

Vivek: (closing his book halfway, still frowning) “Ha, boliye.”

(Arya’s expression shifted. What she said next wasn’t casual anymore—it carried weight.)

Arya: “As a female, mujhe Prince ka behavior pooja ko leke bilkul achha nahi laga.”

(Hearing the seriousness in her voice, Vivek immediately placed the book aside and straightened, giving her his full attention.)

Arya: “The way he fought with her, ignored her, and so casually said to end everything between them… that’s not how a relationship should be handled. It was careless, insensitive.”

(Vivek listened silently, his eyes fixed on her. He could sense that Arya wasn’t merely complaining—she was speaking from experience, from the perspective of someone who understood emotions deeply.)

Arya: “Yes, we scolded Pooja because she sneaked into Prince’s room at midnight. She was wrong, no doubt. But still, Prince’s behavior is the reason behind her desperation. From my perspective as a woman, she wasn’t right—but Prince wasn’t either. And I feel… we need to talk to him about it. Both of us. Aap samajh rahe hai na, what I mean?”

(Vivek’s stern features softened, and a small, warm smile curved his lips. He nodded gently.)

Vivek: “Of course. We’ll talk to him. When we were dating, we both learned a lot through our mistakes. And I think those lessons are worth passing on to him—especially the one I’ve learned the hardest way: no relationship is ever perfect on its own. It’s us who make it better day by day.”

(Arya’s tense shoulders relaxed, and she smiled, reassured.)

Arya: “I’m glad we’re on the same page about this.”

Vivek: “Always. We’ll talk to him after dinner. Don’t worry.”

Arya: (nodding) “Alright, then. I’ll go help Uncle with dinner preparations.”

Vivek: “Sure.”

(Arya smiled softly and left the room. Vivek leaned back against the headboard once more, closing his eyes—not to rest, but to let Arya’s words echo in his mind. He knew she was right, and deep down, he had already started thinking about how best to guide his younger brother.)

(After a while, Prince came downstairs from his room. The aroma of freshly fried pakode drifted through the house, pulling him straight toward the kitchen. Inside, Arya and Uncle were busy preparing dinner. The moment Prince saw Uncle frying golden, crispy pakode in the pan, his eyes lit up like a child’s.)

Prince: “Wow!” (Without hesitation, he grabbed one piece straight from the plate, popped it into his mouth, and let out a satisfied hum) “Mmm… the best! Uncle, thoda extra banana, okay?”