The Dating Charade ✔️

Chapter-15

The next morning found Shivaay whistling in the kitchen while making breakfast, and his brothers grinned seeing his state as they walked in. One look and they could tell that his date last night had gone amazing.

"Good morning," Rudra greeted him chirpily, and he looked up with a bright smile.

"Morning, guys. Lovely day, isn't it?" He asked, while flipping an omelette, and his brothers raised their eyebrows in surprise, seeing the sudden change in him.

"It is, but I'm sure it was an even lovelier night," Rudra teased, and sent a wink towards Om, who hid his smile with a fist. The entire exchange, however, went unnoticed by Shivaay, who seemed to have gotten a dazed look in his eyes at the question.

"Oh, it was perfect," he said dreamily, ignoring his brothers and abandoning the wooden ladle, lost in memories of last night, and staring into the far distance as if in a trance. Om and Rudra stared at him with their mouths hanging open, wondering just what had happened to make him so happy. Rudra had to click his fingers in front of Shivaay's face to bring him back from dreamland. Shivaay realized he had gotten carried away, and cleared his throat, resuming cooking.

"Perfect, huh?" Om said, raising an immaculate eyebrow. "Please elaborate."

Shivaay rolled his eyes at that, but couldn't keep the blush or grin from his face.

"Shut up, you guys," he muttered. "Anyway," he continued, trying to divert the topic from himself, lest they have fun at his expense again, "what are your plans for today?"

"Nothing much," Rudra said with a shrug of his shoulders, "Go to college, go to gym, go to bed. The usual. But, hey," his eyes suddenly lightened up at an idea, "I have an idea- why don't we all go watch a movie tonight?" He said excitedly.

Om considered this for a moment. He would be done with work at his art gallery by evening, so a movie plan after that sounded fun and relaxing.

"Sure, I don't have a problem." He said, making Rudra hug him tight. Shivaay, however, blatantly refused.

"Nope, not happening. I have a lot of work, and don't have time to watch movies. You guys go without me. In fact, why don't you use our home theater?" He said while serving breakfast on their plates. The Oberoi Mansion of course housed a large theater, but it was only used by Rudra, Prinku, and more recently, Saumya. Rudra rolled his eyes at that and said they should go out to the actual cinema sometimes, like normal people, earning a smack from Shivaay.

"Come on, bhaiya," Rudra whined. "You always have work! Can't you agree for this one thing for your brother?" he said making a puppy-dog face that melted hearts.

"He's right, Shivaay," Om agreed. "It'll be fun watching a movie together. We haven't done this in quite long." Shivaay, however, was unrelenting, making Rudra huff in annoyance.

"Fine," Rudra said with a dramatic sigh, "Guess it'll just be me, O, Prinku, Somu, and Annika didi," he paused here to gauge Shivaay's reaction, who stilled hearing her name. "Maybe we can take Sahil along too..."

"Did you say Annika?" Shivaay asked, suddenly interested in the whole idea. Maybe a movie night would actually be fun, and he could indeed complete his work later...

"Yeah, I'm sure Annika didi would love to go, too. She knows how to have fun on top of work, unlike someone," he emphasized on the last word, but the jab was ignored by Shivaay who was too wrapped up in other thoughts to notice.

"Did you ask her yet?" He asked eagerly, pressing for more information. Plans of not being made fun of failed as his brothers tried hard to hide their grins at his sudden appeal.