"Daya, coffee?"

Daya looked up at the offering man and took the mug saying, "Iss baar tum late.." but his sentence left incomplete as a file came sliding towards him. He confusingly looked at Abhijeet only to find him sipping his coffee. He took that file in his hand and a shocked voice hit Abhijeet's ears as, "Tumhe yeh kahan se mili?"

Abhijeet trying not to meet his gaze : Dad ke cupboard se.

Daya nodded in confusion but spoke while eyeing him : Chabi?

While trying to cover up for his blunder, "Ah. Mere paas duplicate hai.". Daya looked at him with his mouth open slightly, "Kaise?".

"Will you stop interrogating?". Embarrassment was clear in his voice forming a smile over Daya's face. When Abhijeet looked up, he noticed Daya was still smiling, teasing him. He delivered irritatingly, "Ab tum bataoge bhi kuch iske baremein?"

Daya turning a bit serious, " Oh haan!"

Flashback

The scared teen was just starring his dad for any explanation about what was going on. Though the man was looking much tensed. They were waiting outside the operation theatre. But now Daya was irked. He grabbed ACP sir's hand softly in try to look very calm : Kya ho raha hai yeh sab dad.

ACP sir looked at his son with guilty eyes. Daya understood it well but didn't said anything for this time he wanted his father to talk. He was not much awaited.

"Daya, promise me ki iss meinse kuch bhi tum apne bhai ko nahi bataoge. Abhijeet ko iss baremein kuch bhi pata nahi chalna chahiye."

Daya gazed him with confusion : Kissliye Dad? (in a determined tone) Use bhi yeh janne ka haq hai.

ACP sir looked down : Haan Daya. Shayad use yeh janne ka haq hai magar uske baad pata nahi vo kaise react karega.

Daya didn't getting his meaning: Aap kehna kya chahte hai?

ACP sir let out a sigh continuing: Daya, jab Abhijeet ke maa ka dehant hua tab vo chota hi tha. Shayad issliye uspar iss baat ka bahot asar pada. Emotionally bhi aur mentally bhi. Kaise toh karke hum sabne usse uss phase se bahar laya tha magar doctor ne uski reports dekar bataya tha ki vo abbhi kafi emotionally kafi weak hai aur aage chalke kuch bhi ho sakta hai.(He stopped for a moment and looked at Daya) Mai use leke koi chance nahi lena chahta. Agar use iss sab ke baremein pata chala toh ..

His sentence was interrupted by Daya's firm voice: Nahi dad. Ab aap yeh mujhpar chod dijiye. (with slightly moist eyes) Mai use iss sabke baremein kuch bhi pata nahi hone dunga.

At the same time doctor came out of the operation theatre and both hurried towards him

Present

" Tumse inn chizon ko chipana mera farz ban gaya, (with a sad smile) Doctor ne hume bataya ki halat kissi bhi waqt bigad sakte the. Mom ko kisi bhi waqt hospital mein shift karana pad sakta tha. (He sighed looking up in his brother's eyes who was starring him too) Ab aisemein tumhara vahan rehna theek nahi hota. Maine socha ki agar tum mujhse nafrat karne lag jaoge toh apne aap hi maa se bhi nafrat karne lag jaoge. Issliye maine dusre din.. (he looked down feeling a crystal ball stuck in his throat but overcame soon concluding) Dusre din competition mein tumhe disqualify karwaya aur aise jataya jaise tum mere liye kuch nahi ho. (with a smile again) Bas fir, hum bhai dushman ban gae, tum vapas Mumbai nahi aae aur maine bhi kabhi tumse khud contact kiya na yahan kisi aur ko karne diya."

Abhijeet was still staring Daya silently without speaking anything. Daya was confused by his stare and somewhere a bit scared too. Abhijeet kept the empty coffee mug on the sidetable asking: Fir ab mujhpe iss baat ka koi asar kyun nahi hua?

Daya nodded understandably, answered after a moment : Tumhara gussa shayad aur (after a pause with a meaningful look) Tumhara akelapan.

Abhijeet drew back his gaze while Daya continued : Apne ghar se dur, kisi aur sheher mein, akela rehna asan nahi hota Abhi. Insaan apne aap hi aur mazbut ho jata hai. Independent bhi. (with a smirk in the end) Aur tumhari will power itni bhi kamzor nahi hai ki tumhare sentiments use hara de.

But it didn't worked. Rather than giving another taunt or another tease to make the moment light, Abhijeet got up from his place and moved out of the room. Daya watched him go all the way. He too kept the mug down and followed him silently.

His feet moved towards terrace for his disturbed mind now needed some amount of fresh air to blow up the emotions stuck in his inner conflict. He stood along the boundary walls, closing his eyelids snapping away with the silence.

Lowered his head when felt a soft yet strong grip over his shoulders and that very known whisper of his name. All that he had at that time came out with a short framing : Bahot der ho gai na.

Daya understanding his meaning: Nahi Abhi. Tumhe toh iss sabke baremein kuch bhi..

Abhijeet interrupting him : Daya paanch saal yaar. (Daya looked at him though was understanding where this was going) Kya mai nahi samajh sakta ki iss pure waqt mein tum teenone kya kya face kiya hoga.

Daya looked away hearing that while Abhijeet continued, "Paanch saal tak tum sabse dur rehta aa raha hun (with pain in his own tone) balki nafrat karta aa raha hun tujhse. (He looked at Daya who was looking unswerving. Spoke again looking down) Ab mujhe apne aapse nafrat hone lagi hai yaar.

"Abhijeet!"

Abhijeet with a flare : This can't get to normal, this really can't. Tum sabko sirf meri wajah se takleef hui hai, are you getting it.

Daya also in an angry gesture: No I am not getting it. I am not getting that why are you reacting in such a way when everything is just fine now? Yeh sach humne chupaya tha, jiss takleef ki tum baat kar rahe ho voh takleef tumhe bhi toh hui thi. Fir iss baat ko kheechna kya fayda hai?

Abhijeet in a meaningful tone: Toh tum yakin ke saath keh sakte ho na ki humara ateet humare bich vapas kabhi nahi aaega?

"Kya tum keh sakte ho?", Daya asked him back feeling his insecurity.

Abhijeet looked down in try to hide his eyes shocking Daya for a while. "Abhi?". Abhijeet looked up at him. Daya could notice his eyes shining more because of the tears formed in them.

"I am sorry. I mean it."

"Kisliye magar?", Daya asked seeing those cheeks becoming wet. Abhijeet didn't answered it and Daya didn't ask anything either. There was silence for a moment till the small whisper took Abhijeet's attention.

"Tum.. Tum theek ho na?", an hesitant question from Daya. Abhijeet didn't let it sustain now, " Tum mere saath ho na?". He seemed a bit scared from inside with his this tone and Daya got it weel about what was going in his brother's mind.

"Abhijeet zyada mat socho. Jo kuch bhi tumne mere saath kiya vo jayaz tha. Tumhe uske liye khudko blame karne ki zarurat nahi hai. (he looked towards his brother but he was still not looking convinced) Mai bhul chuka hun, tum bhi bhul jao na."

A pleading it looked like. Abhijeet bit his lips holding his tears back as said, "Mai jaanta hun bhai magar (looking deep in his eyes) magar waqt toh lagta hai na. I need sometime. But I hope I will be fine."

Daya smiled tearily listening to the broken, not assured voice of later. He hugged his brother tight enough to let him expel out his tears whispering softly in his ears, "Yeah, you will be fine."

A/N Review it guys. All negative and positive reviews accepted.

I will update the next soon.

Take care, Janhvi.