Dil Jaanta Hai | ✔

sixty-six

||CHAPTER 66||
《¤》

I was watching yet another South Korean series on Friday evening when Dad knocked on my open door. "Are you studying or something?"

That was unlike him, asking whether I was busy or not. "Anneyong," I said slowly, flipping my laptop shut.

"What?" He frowned, raising his eyebrows questioningly.

"No," I cleared my throat, sitting straight on my bed.

He strode in with a blue folder in his hands. "Is that a new teenage lingo?"

"Nope," I watched him keep the folder on my bedside table. It had to be something related to the school trip. Arnav wasn't lying. "It was South Korean."

"Why and how do you know South Korean of all languages? Bachpan mein French ke classes lagwaye, woh tho seekha nahi, South Korean seekh liya tumne."

I opened my mouth to reply with an explanation which never came to me. Thank god he jumped straight to the point. "Chhodo woh sab. This file, isko sambhal ke rakhna, and when you reach the hotel you will be staying at for the school trip, go to Mr. Chaudhry's office and hand it over to him, personally."

"Okay," I pursed my lips. "So we're sponsoring the lodging for the trip?"

My father was no longer looking at me, he was adjusting his cuff links and picking up random things on my table. This was probably the first time he had come to my room in this house. "Baath tho aise kar rahi ho jaise ki tumhe kuchh pata hi nahi hai. Mai ye Arnav ko bol deta karne, but I know how he had found out about this, and he is too emotionally biased."

This time, Arnav being the first choice didn't bother me. It made me laugh instead. "Or maybe you should just let him do what he actually wants to do."

I could feel the instant change in the room, almost a glass-shattering effect. His eyes had turned steely, daring me to speak a word more on the matter. "Tum in sab mamlon mein ghusne ki bhi mat koshish karna. He's my son, and I know what to do with him."

Arnav was right. He knew everything about it, and yet he showed no concern whatsoever.

"Bhai hai woh mera," I managed to speak. For the first time, it felt like my father was actually scaring me.

"Ye jo bhai ke liye itni hamdardi aa rahi hai na, iska dhong band karo. Tumhe ab wo competition nahi lagta hai, isiliye bada pyaar aa raha hai uspar tumhe. At least mere samne ye natak mat karo."

I was stunned. No words came out in response, not just because he was actually frightening me by slamming the paper weight on table, but because I couldn't counter his point.

I was not acting, I actually was in support of Arnav's passion. But my support had been questionable from the very beginning.

"Ayinda kabhi is baremey mujhse, ya kisi se bhi for that matter, ek shabd bhi bolne ki jurrat mat karna. Apne bhai se seekho chup kaise rehte hai."

I swallowed my words, and lowered my gaze.

"I'll be in Dubai for the next two weeks. Christmas taq aane ki koshish karunga."