"But now… we won't live in this house anymore!"
As soon as Om said this—with his eyes gently closed and a calm smile on his face—the reaction across the room was instant and explosive—
"What?!"
Everyone shouted together, completely stunned. No one could understand what Om was even saying anymore.
And then—
From the open doorway, another shocked voice echoed—
"What?!"
All heads turned at once.
Standing at the door were Riya and Soumya, who had just returned from their studies. Both of them stood frozen, staring at Om with wide, disbelieving eyes.
Om slowly opened his eyes and said softly—
"Yes… we won't be living here anymore."
Vijay uncle immediately stepped forward, his expression turning serious.
"What are you saying, son? If not here… then where will we live?"
Om smiled innocently, almost playfully.
"In our new house."
Those three words—
New house.
They hit the room like a shockwave.
Everyone went completely still, staring at Om as if he had suddenly turned into someone else… or something else entirely.
And then, almost in sync—
"What… new house?!"
Om couldn't help but enjoy their reactions. A soft grin spread across his face as he nodded again.
Immediately, the entire family surrounded him.
"But Om, where did this new house come from?"
"Who bought it?"
"When did you buy it?"
Questions started flying from every direction, one after another.
Om raised his hand, trying to calm everyone down.
"Well… over the past few months, both my clinic and business have been doing really well—better than I expected. I've made quite a good profit."
He paused briefly, then continued—
"And honestly… I've always liked the idea of living a little away from the city. Somewhere peaceful… surrounded by trees, away from all this traffic and noise."
His tone grew more serious.
"And after everything we've been through recently… the dangers, the problems… I felt we needed a safer place too."
He looked around at everyone.
"And anyway… when a family grows, you move into a bigger house, right?"
A soft smile.
"So… I bought one. Without telling anyone."
Vijay uncle frowned slightly.
"At least you could've told us once! What was the hurry?"
Om quickly replied, grinning—
"Arre, uncle! I wanted to surprise all of you!"
Then, clapping his hands lightly, he added with mock authority—
"And now—no more arguments. We're shifting there soon. That's final."
Before anyone could respond, he turned toward Manoj.
"And Manoj uncle… you can help me with my company instead of going somewhere else. Why work for others when you can manage your own company?"
He winked slightly.
"Honestly, I'm not really in the mood for business right now. Vijay uncle is already handling the clinic… so I might as well enjoy a little bit of my youth, right, aunt?"
Hearing his lighthearted tone, smiles began to return across everyone's faces.
The heaviness in the air slowly lifted.
And just like that—
The interrogation shifted.
This time, led by the younger army of siblings.
"So what's the new house like, Om brother?"
"How big is it?"
"What all does it have?"
"Don't you have any photos?!"
They surrounded him again, even more excited now.
Before Om could answer, Vijay uncle asked—
"By the way… where is this house?"
Om hesitated for a second.
"Uh… it's in Indraprasth Bungalows. A little outside the city."
The moment he said that—
Everyone froze again.
Soumya's eyes lit up instantly as she almost jumped in excitement—
"Indraprasth Bungalows?! That's one of the most expensive places in the city, Om brother! You bought a house there?! That's insane!"
She didn't stop—
"It's surrounded by greenery, like living inside a forest! The security there is the best in the entire city, and the bungalows are so luxurious—they feel like royal palaces!"
She pointed at him dramatically—
"Om brother… you're unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable!"
Everyone burst out laughing at her exaggerated excitement.
But then Soumya suddenly paused, thinking deeply.
"Wait… there are different categories there, right? Did you get one in the Silver Row? Or Golden Row? Or…"
Her eyes widened.
"Don't tell me—VVIP Row?!"
She leaned in closer, whispering dramatically—
"And the most special one there is Bungalow No. 0. It's the biggest, the most luxurious… and the most expensive one. Whoever buys it gets insane benefits from the estate company!"
She folded her arms, nodding confidently.
"But whatever you bought… I know it has to be the best. So tell me—which one is it?"
Om smiled, clearly enjoying this.
"My dear sister… that's a surprise. You'll see it when we get there."
Soumya pouted slightly but didn't push further.
Slowly, everyone returned to their own activities, still chatting excitedly about the new house.
But the moment Om found himself alone—
The silence returned.
And with it…
That dream.
It crept back into his mind like a shadow.
His expression turned serious again.
Without wasting a second, he called out—
"Uncle… one minute!"
Both Vijay and Manoj stopped and turned back.
"Yes, son?" Vijay asked.
Om took a deep breath.
His voice was calm… but carried something heavy within it.
"I want to see Grandfather."