Kiyansh and Reet stood frozen, their playful banter completely forgotten the moment the heavy teak doors swung open.

Standing at the threshold was Vedha Malhotra. She looked radiant, dressed to the nines, and offered them a bright, polished smile as she waved her hand.

In her arms, she held a beautifully wrapped gift. Her presence wasn't the problem-she had been invited, after all. It was the two figures towering right behind her that turned Kiyansh and Reet's blood cold: Vikrant and Mannat Malhotra. Her parents.

It wasn't that the Agarwal kids harbored deep, toxic hatred for them. It was just that the Malhotras were exhausting to be around. Every conversation with Vikrant and Mannat was an endless lecture on high society, maintaining elite standard connections, and passive-aggressive reminders about keeping up appearances.

They looked down on anyone they deemed "beneath" them, and that toxic, upper-class snobbery rubbed the Agarwal siblings entirely the wrong way.

Kiyansh subtly leaned toward Reet, barely moving his lips. "Didi, yeh log yahan kaise tapak gaye?"

"Mujhe khud nahi pata," Reet whispered back, her smile tightening.

"Dad ne hi bulaya hoga," Kiyansh muttered under his breath, watching the family step inside. "After all, best friends jo hain."

Reet gave a brief, subtle nod as the Malhotras officially entered the living room.

Right on cue, Aditya's voice boomed across the hall. "Oh, Vikrant! Tumhi logon ka intezar kar raha tha. Finally, you came! Aao, aao." The two men stepped into a warm, hearty embrace.

Vaibhav, Reet father, quickly stepped up and did the same, greeting Vikrant with equal enthusiasm.

A few feet away, Shreya and Shanaya exchanged a quick, knowing look-a silent, mutual understanding passing between the sisters-in-law-before masking it with flawless hospitality to welcome their guests.

Plucking up their manners, Reet and Kiyansh walked over to greet them. Reet and Kiyansh both congratulated Vedha first, since she had also passed her 10th board exams with flying colors. Vedha thanked them warmly, adjusting the gift in her hands, which she had specially brought along to celebrate Anvay's big achievement.

Vedha's eyes subtly roamed around the bustling living room, searching for the one person who was nowhere to be seen. Just thinking about him brought a soft, involuntary smile to her lips. She subconsciously clutched the gift a little tighter against her chest.

I just hope you keep this gift as safe and precious as I have kept yours since childhood, she thought to herself, her heart swelling with a quiet fondness.

She was so lost in her own world that she didn't realize Reet had been anchoring her gaze on her the entire time. Reet gently nudged her shoulder, a teasing smirk playing on her lips.

"Hmmm... kiske intezar mein ankhein bichi ja rahi hain, Vedha?"

Vedha snapped out of her daze, a quick blush coloring her cheeks. She quickly shook her head to dismiss the teasing.

Reet let out a soft laugh at her reaction before transitioning into a casual conversation. "So, what stream have you chosen for high school?"

"It was already decided, Reet di... commerce," Vedha replied smoothly.

Reet smiled, nodding approvingly. "Sahi hai. Anvay ke sath hi rahegi."

Right at that moment, the bright chandeliers of the mansion suddenly dimmed. A sharp spotlight sliced through the dimness, focusing entirely on the grand staircase.

There he was. The man of the hour, descending the stairs with an effortlessly dramatic flair. Anvay was dressed in high-end branded clothes, looking straight out of a luxury lookbook. He carried a perfectly manufactured expression of pure, fake shock, acting as if he had absolutely no clue a celebration was planned for him. Just a few steps behind him, Kiyansh was subtly recording the whole grand entry on his phone.

When Reet and Kiyansh looked up at him, they collectively rolled their eyes. They were entirely too familiar with his daily dose of drama. Yet, despite the theatricality, fond smiles broke onto their faces. Anvay was, after all, the literal heartbeat of the house-the only one who could instantly lift the energy of the family and make the atmosphere come alive.

"Oh my god! Yeh sab mere liye? I mean, maine toh sirf 90% hi score kiya hai aur aap logon ne itna bada surprise plan kar diya? I am really, really thankful to you guys!" Anvay gasped, wiping away imaginary, fake tears for the sake of the camera lens.

The family members collectively exhaled, shaking their heads at his relentless acting, but their hearts were full.

As the main lights flooded back on, revealing the stunning, elegant decorations filling the hall, Anvay broke character and walked over to his parents. He wrapped them in a warm, genuine hug. They hugged him back tightly, his father affectionately ruffling his perfectly styled hair at his antics.

"Chalo, ab drama khatam ho gaya ho toh cake cut karein?" Shreya announced with a chuckle, signaling a nearby servant to bring out the cake. Within moments, a beautifully crafted celebration cake was wheeled in on a trolley.

Anvay cut the cake amidst a loud round of applause and cheering. He fed the first slices to his parents, laughing, before moving around to share it with everyone else. Finally, he stepped up to Vedha.

He offered her a bite with a warm, brilliant smile. Vedha smiled back, leaning in for a brief, affectionate side-hug, which he returned effortlessly. As they stepped back, she held out the beautifully wrapped box to him.

"Yeh kya zaroorat thi yaar?" Anvay said, his expression instantly dropping into a look of genuine guilt. "You also passed with flying colors, aur main tere liye kuch bhi nahi la paya. Really sorry."

Vedha just laughed softly, her eyes warm as she looked at him. "Main yeh gift tere liye isliye nahi layi hoon taaki mujhe badle mein kuch mile, Anvay."

Her smile was infectious, and a matching, relieved grin broke across Anvay's face as he accepted the package.

Then Aditya spoke up, drawing everyone's attention. "Well, my son, I have something for you."

Anvay looked at his dad with a mix of confusion and curiosity. "What is it, dad?" he asked.

Aditya simply smiled and said, "Come with me."

With that, Aditya led the way, and the rest of the family and guests trailed closely behind. They walked out into the spacious backyard of the mansion, where a large object stood in the center. It was completely draped under a sleek, dark sheet.

Somehow, the moment Anvay spotted the silhouette, a sudden realization hit him. His footsteps came to a halting stop. He slowly turned his head to look back at his father, his eyes silently asking the question: Is this really what I think it is?

Aditya gave a reassuring nod, a proud smile spreading across his face. Anvay could hardly breathe. He couldn't believe his eyes.

Taking slow, hesitant steps as if he were in a dream, he moved forward. He grabbed the edge of the cloth and pulled it away in one swift motion. The heavy sheet pooled onto the grass, revealing a stunning, brand-new sports bike gleaming under the garden lights.

It was the exact machine he had dreamed of and demanded while preparing for his boards. His dad had promised him back then that if he scored well in his examinations, the bike would be his.

Anvay was so overwhelmed with joy that he literally jumped in place. Completely speechless and not knowing how else to express his exploding happiness, he sprinted back to Aditya and threw his arms around him in a tight hug. Aditya hugged his son back warmly, leaning down to press a proud, affectionate kiss on his forehead.

Breaking away from the hug, an ecstatic Anvay dashed straight toward his new machine. He touched the gleaming fuel tank and ran his hands over the handles like an excited little kid. Perched on the seat was a matching premium helmet.

He picked it up, pulled it over his head, and gently patted the bike. "My wife, you finally came!" he sighed dramatically.

The backyard erupted into a chorus of loud laughter at his ridiculous comment.

However, the romantic moment between Anvay and his "wife" was cut short.

Shreya stepped forward, a stern look on her face, and firmly twisted his ear.

"Mere ladle, you are not allowed to ride it outside yet," she declared.

Anvay winced, his face dropping in instant shock.

"But why, mummy?" he whined through the helmet.

"Because you are not at the legal age to ride it on the main roads yet,"Shreya explained, releasing his ear.

"But you can ride it inside our mansion premises, in the backyard, and strictly under the guidance of Kiyansh only."

Anvay's jaw dropped. He immediately turned his face toward his dad, sending him a desperate, pleading look. But Aditya just chuckled, casually throwing an arm around Kiyansh's shoulders.

"Yes, for now, only Kiyansh has the ultimate ownership for riding it out on the streets. You both understand?" Aditya asked.

Kiyansh nodded happily, throwing Anvay a smug, teasing smirk. Anvay let out a dramatic sigh, but deep down, he knew his parents were entirely correct about safety.

Shreya smiled and added, "And you both don't forget to take Reet with you whenever you go out around the property. Otherwise, you two will completely forget my bachi and just do your mental boy stuff."

Shreya pulled Reet into a warm side-hug as she spoke. Reet giggled, leaning into her aunt's embrace. With the rules firmly set, the siblings gathered around the gorgeous new sports bike, striking poses as flashbulbs clicked away, capturing the perfect family memory.

Mishra Nivas ~

Late that night, the house had finally quieted down. Adhira stood in front of her dressing table, methodically going through her nighttime skincare routine. As she neatly arranged her bottles and tubs back onto the marble tabletop, her eyes scanned the surface for her prize possession: a brand-new lipstick.

It was the most incredible shade-one she had been hunting for months. She had meticulously saved up her own money to finally buy it online, and it had arrived just that afternoon.

But it wasn't on the table.

Frowning, Adhira began shifting her perfumes and creams. Nothing. She pulled open the drawers of her dressing table, then moved to her cupboard, rummaging through her clothes. She checked her bedside table, flipping open the drawer, but it was empty.

Growing anxious, she called out to her sister, who was lounging nearby. "Kiki, did you see my new lipstick?"

Kashvi didn't even look up from phone Adhira's phone. "No, didu."

A knot of panic tightened in Adhira's chest. How could a brand-new lipstick just vanish? Where could it possibly go? Becoming entirely restless, she began shuffling all over the room, turning it inside out. She searched every single corner, looked under the bed, and checked her bags, but came up empty-handed.

She paused in the middle of the room, taking a breath to think. After Kashvi, only two other women lived in the house. Should I ask mummy or choti maa? she wondered.

Deciding to head downstairs, she stepped out of her room. As she walked down the corridor, she noticed that the door leading out to the porch-where the sacred Tulsi pot was kept for daily pooja-was standing wide open. The heavy evening rain had finally stopped, but a chilly, sharp wind was still blowing into the house.

Thinking she should close the door before the house grew too cold, she walked out onto the porch. As she reached for the handle, her eyes fell on the Tulsi plant. The soil inside the terracotta pot was completely disturbed, packed loosely as if someone had recently dug into it.

Confused, Adhira leaned down and closely inspected the mud. Her heart stopped. Peeking out from the dark, damp earth was the sleek, recognizable cap of her new branded lipstick.

Adhira gasped loudly, her mouth dropping open in utter disbelief. She carefully pulled the tube out of the dirt, wiping the soil off the packaging. Yeh yahan kaise aayi? she monologued in her head, staring at the ruined tube.

She stood there on the porch, putting her brain under immense pressure, trying to connect the dots. Suddenly, a realization clicked in her mind. Her eyes snapped wide open, flashing with pure, unadulterated rage.

She turned around and shouted at the top of her lungs, echoing through the quiet house, "Aakarsh, naspite!"

Fuming, she marched back inside and stormed straight toward his room. The door was slightly ajar. She scanned the space and immediately spotted a tuft of hair peeking out from behind the sofa. The idiot was hiding.

Adhira didn't hesitate. She sprinted across the room, leaped onto the sofa, and launched herself over the backrest. Dropping down, her foot flew out in a sharp, furious kick, her chappal connecting directly with his forehead.

"Ah!" Aakarsh yelped, stumbling backward onto the floor, rubbing his head in pain.

Adhira stood over him, holding up the dirt-covered lipstick like a weapon. "Naspite! Teri chamdi udhed dungi main!"

"Maaf karde mata! Galti se ho gaya, pakka agali baar se nahin karunga," Aakarsh pleaded, instantly bringing his hands together in a desperate 🙏.

He scurried backward on the floor, cowering and trying to shield himself as if he were an innocent victim being brutally tortured.

But Adhira wasn't buying the act. Her expression remained stone-cold, her eyes glaring daggers down at him.

Deaf to his pleas, she barked, "What do you mean by agali baar se nahin karunga? Abey gadhe, ab main is tooti hui lipstick ka karungi kya? Tujhe pata bhi hai yeh kitni mahangi aati hai!"

With that, she completely snapped and threw herself straight at him. Aakarsh tried to scramble away on his hands and knees to save his life, but she lunged forward like a wild cat and pinned him down. Within seconds, a chaotic whirlwind of flying limbs and pulled hair erupted on the floor. Aakarsh desperately tried to shield his face and break free from her grip, twisting and turning to protect his head.

The two of them rolled over, flipping across the bedroom floor in a chaotic tangle. It was an absolute, full-blown, dhua-dhaar sibling war-neither one backing down as the room descended into pure comedy and chaos.

"Achcha, achcha, theek hai, theek hai! Main tujhe apne paison se la dunga, meri maa chhod de mujhe!" Aakarsh begged, practically groveling under her weight.

Even with the promise of a replacement, Adhira wasn't quite done. She remained firmly seated on his stomach, completely pinning him down. Reaching down, she grabbed his chin and forced his face up to look her dead in the eye.

"Promise kar, tujhe dilana hi padega!"

"Han han, meri maa," Aakarsh choked out, his voice laced with pure exhaustion and a defeated wheeze that made it glaringly obvious he had just been thoroughly beaten up.

Satisfied, Adhira finally stood up. She casually brushed down her clothes and gave her shoulders a sharp, triumphant shake.

Aakarsh, on the other hand, dragged his battered and broken body off the floor like a man rising from the dead. He tilted his head side to side to crack his neck, popped his knuckles, and winced, letting out a sharp groan of pain. Yet, even after getting absolutely pulverized, his stubborn attitude refused to leave him.

He smirked weakly and muttered, "Behan ke naam par chandal hai tu, sukhi hui bhindi!"

He stepped forward, about to casually bump his shoulder against hers in retaliation, but Adhira snapped. She whipped around and pointed a sharp, threatening finger right in his face.

"Oyeeeee! Hadd mein rahe!"

The sheer authority in her voice made Aakarsh instantly freeze and take a fearful step back. Once the boundary was firmly re-established, Adhira crossed her arms, glared at him, and demanded to know the truth.

"Tune aisa kiya kyon?" she asked, waiting for a very good explanation as to why her precious makeup was buried in a flowerpot.

"Yaar, main tere kamre mein Vicks inhaler dhundh raha tha. Aur jab dressing table par dhundh raha tha, toh achanak se hi gir gayi niche aur toot gayi... aur maine bachne ke liye chupa di," Aakarsh confessed, forming a guilty pout. He looked thoroughly embarrassed that his master plan to escape her wrath had completely blown up in his face.

Adhira couldn't help but burst out laughing at his ridiculous logic. The idiot actually thought he could destroy her stuff, bury it in a flowerpot, and get away scot-free!

Shaking her head, she walked over to his bed and flopped down, staring at the ceiling. "Vaise, tune commerce kyon liya? Tujhe toh PCM lena chahiye tha na? Tujhe pilot banna hai na?"

Aakarsh's eyes instantly darted away. He scratched the back of his neck, frantically trying to construct a believable excuse. But that brief split-second of hesitation was all Adhira needed. Her sharp mind instantly clicked.

"Ek minute, ek minute!" she bolted upright, sitting on her knees on the mattress. Her voice had gone up an octave because she suddenly knew exactly what-or rather, who-had influenced her brother's sudden change of heart.

Aakarsh's eyes widened as he felt her piercing gaze. He began to stammer, his casual facade crumbling. "Kya... kya... kya ek minute?"

"Maine toh bas aise hi le liya," he tried again, waving his hand dismissively and twisting his lips into a careless smirk, trying to project that there was absolutely no deep reason behind his decision.

"Aise hi nahi liya! Ab samajh mein aa raha hai... tune commerce isiliye liya hai kyunki usne bhi commerce liya hai!"

Adhira gasped, her eyes stretching wide in pure shock as she called him out.

Aakarsh squeezed his eyes shut in defeat. He hated how this girl could read him like an open book. There was absolutely nothing he could hide from her; she always managed to dig out the truth, one way or another.

"Aku, tu aisa kaise kar sakta hai? Kisi ke liye apni life nahi kharab kar sakta, apna dream nahi chhod sakta!" Adhira lectured, stepping closer to him on the bed to knock some sense into him.

Sensing her growing lecture, Aakarsh gently grabbed her by the shoulders and made her sit down on the edge of the mattress. He sighed deeply and looked at her earnestly.

"Nahin yaar, aisa nahin hai. Main bas yeh chahta hoon jab tak school life mein hoon, main woh sab cheez kar loon jo hum aage chal kar nahin kar payenge. Bas ek school life mein hi toh hum sab tareeqe ke maze kar sakte hain... Rahi baat pilot banne ki, toh main National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) se bhi physics aur maths padh ke eligible ban sakta hoon," he explained, laying out his entire plan to convince her that he hadn't completely ruined his future.

Adhira let out a long, heavy breath, completely unconvinced. "Per tu aisa kyon kar raha hai? Kyon apni life ke do saal barbaad kar raha hai kisi aise ke liye jisse tere hone se farq hi nahin padta?"

"Aisa nahi hai Aru, yaar tu samajhna meri baat..." Aakarsh pleaded, desperately trying to get her to see his perspective.

But Adhira was too stubborn and hurt by his foolishness to listen. She pushed his hands off her shoulders, got off the bed, and started walking toward the door, turning her back on his explanations.

"Aur sun, new uniforms lene jana hai, toh mujhe aur Kiki ko shaam ko le chalna. Papa busy hain, toh tujhe hi lekar chalna hoga. Waise bhi, tere liye bhi toh new uniform lena hi hai," she said over her shoulder, her tone dropping back to a practical, everyday matter.

Aakarsh snapped his fingers as he stood up, his academic dilemma temporarily forgotten. "Arey han! Main toh is bare mein bhool hi gaya... Main Anvay ko bhi inform karta hoon, woh bhi toh apne new school ke liye uniform lega," he said aloud.

Adhira didn't bother to respond or acknowledge Anvay's name. She simply stepped out of his room, letting the door close behind her as she walked away.

And as decided, the very next day, Kashvi, Adhira, and Aakarsh all head out together to buy their new uniforms.

As they approach the store, Aakarsh looks over at his younger sister. "Kashvi, tera toh uniform change nahin hua, toh tu kyon lene aayi hai?"

"Are bhai yaar, mera shirt chhota ho gaya na!" Kashvi replies, brushing past him as Aakarsh holds open the heavy glass door of the shop. This is the designated store where all their official school items and uniforms are sold.

"Tu pagal hai! Mera wala shirt le leti, woh toh ekdum new rakha hai, maine nikala bhi nahin. Aur Aru ka bhi humne last year liya tha, woh bhi usne nikala nahin tha," Aakarsh mutters, shaking his head at her unnecessary expense.

Once inside, they approach the counter and start listing the sizes and items they need to the shopkeeper. After the bundles are stacked, Aakarsh turns to the girls. "Tum donon jao jaakar change karke dekh lo size. Mera dost aane wala hai, main yahan uska wait karunga."

The two sisters head off toward the trial rooms. A few minutes later, the glass door chimes again, and Kiyansh and Anvay walk into the store.

"Aao bhai! Main tera hi intezar kar raha tha, warna meri donon bahane toh mera dimag kharab kar deti-kabhi yeh nahi achha lagta, kabhi woh nahi lagta. Chal, apan apni uniform dekhte hain," Aakarsh says, stepping forward to greet Anvay warmly.

He then turns to the guy beside his friend. "Kiyansh, yeh Aakarsh hai, mera online friend. Aur Aakarsh, yah mera bhai." He introduces them to each other, and the two exchange polite smiles and a firm handshake.

"Chalo, sabse pahle schedule ke according uniform dekhte hain. Main schedule check karta hun, mujhe shoes bhi lena hai," Anvay says, pulling out his phone. With that, the three boys completely lose themselves in their own shopping.

A little while later, having finished picking out everything they need, the three boys walk back toward the main billing counter, their hands full of shopping bags.

From the opposite direction, Kashvi is walking back, completely distracted by the multiple shopping bags she is carrying for herself and Adhira. Not paying a single bit of attention to where she is going, she marches straight ahead and collides headfirst into a rock-solid chest.