Quick Character Catch-Up
* Shiva Sharma: Arun's younger brother and his silent shadow. At twenty, he carries a quiet maturity beyond his university years. With a light beard and features that are a mirror image of his father, Arun, he is the kind of person who says very little but sees everything. He is the steady, calm anchor in the room.
* Rajni Sharma: The heart of the Sharma house. Though she has a delicate, thin frame and simple short hair, her spirit is vibrant. She isn't one for long speeches, but her kindness shows in the small things—a funny remark at just the right time or a warm look that tells you everything is okay. She is quiet, but her love is loud.
* Arun Sharma: A man who carries a natural, healthy strength. With his neatly kept beard and kind eyes, he is the light that the family revolves around. He is the person everyone turns to when they need truth and warmth. His presence feels like home; genuine, protective, and deeply caring .
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"Shiva Bhai, he is really handsome now! I mean, he is both hot and handsome."
Shiva maintained a stoic expression while Aditi talked non-stop about Rudra after her return. She was repeating every single detail about him in a non stopping loop. Because of this Shiva felt his patience thinning like a worn thread ready to break any moment.
"Now shut up, meri maa. Will you please? You've already eaten my brain today; leave something for tomorrow to eat or you are dead mission on leaving it empty for the rest of night" Shiva whispered-yelled in her ear. "And the last time I checked, you had a huge ass crush on Rajveer. Now you have one on Rudra? Don't you find any of your own age to melt over?"
Aditi huffed, pouting defiantly. "I love my Raj, and I don't have a crush on Rudra BHAIYA! I am just admiring him, okay? I am just letting you know how kind and sweet he is. So please."
Shiva nodded annoyingly, trapped by his elder brother's instincts as he listened to his sister's rants. They were both sitting at the dining table, waiting for the others to join. Arav and Rajni were in the kitchen preparing dinner, and Rajesh was still in his room.
Arav soon brought the steaming dishes to the table and joined them. "What were you two talking about? I could hear your whispering all the way in the kitchen."
"Nothing, just random talk," Aditi replied with a bright smile that could bring shame to the shining stars. Arun patted her head affectionately. "Cutie." Shiva moved his head closer to Arav silently seeking his own share of attention Arav smiled at his silliness and ruffled Shiva's hair with adoration.
Soon, the family gathered for the meal. "I heard that Rudra Rana saa will be joining your company," Arun noted, breaking the silence while grabbing a bite from his plate.
Arav looked at him and replied casually, "I guess so, paa. He will likely stay with Rajveer. It's better if he learns everything now so he doesn't feel the pressure after the coronation. So yeah, maybe."
Everyone nodded completely immersed in the ongoing conversation, but Arun paused, his brow furrowing as he took a bite "But I don't understand how he could just leave for ten years like that."
The question hung in the air like a sudden frost.
Rajni and Arun turned pale the food seemed to catch in their throats, and for a moment, the room grew deathly still. Sensing the shift in atmosphere, Arav looked up carefully, hesitating to press further.
Arun diverted the conversation instantly before the silence could swallow them. "Shiva, he might be in your class, so take care of him, beta. He has done a lot for us in the past," Arun said, looking at Shiva and side eyeing Arav.
Arav's inner self
Why? The question echoed in his mind like a persistent, haunting melody. Why does the air in this house turn cold the moment I mention Rudra's ten-year exile? It was as if a heavy curtain had been pulled over the past, and he was the only one left standing in the dark. Even Grandma's words felt like a riddle—"Everything happens for a reason... you don't have to worry as long as the Divine is alive."
Who was this 'Divine' that everyone spoke of with such hushed reverence? And more importantly, where was he when the world shifted? He felt a hollow ache in his chest, a missing piece of his own memory that he wants to know very dearly. Something had happened—something dark enough to force a Prince into exile—and everyone was working together to bury the truth before anyone could find it.
He wanted to ask Rudra, to look him in the eyes and demand the truth. But the thought of it made his heart sink. What if my questions trigger the very trauma he tried to escape? What if I became the one who brings the shadows back into his eyes? No. He would rather live in the dark forever than be the reason a single tear fell from Ru's eyes.
He huffed inwardly. Arun and Rajni exchanged a look—one filled with a worry so deep it didn't even have a name.
"Pa" Shiva interjected, breaking the tension, "if you are free tomorrow, please give me the car keys. I want to practice my driving,"
Arun smiled and nodded. "Roger that sir." Arav looked at him with narrow eyes. "Wait, I just remember. I heard you messed with someone at school today."
Shiva smiled nervously, secretly pinching Aditi's thigh under the table to signal for help. He needed protection from his non-violence-supporting brother who would gladly choose violence to turn him into a 'good boy.'
"Ouch! I mean... no, my Dear Brother! He would NEVER do that," Aditi said with a fake sincere honey dipped tone. "Why would he PUNCH someone's face without a reason? No, Papa, my brother would never do Something like that. EVER!" her eyes blinking with exaggerated sincerity and mockery.
Rajni laughed and shook her head at her dramatic way. "But Iti, Arav never mentioned a punch."
Aditi flashed a guilty, gummy smile. She had been caught in her own web of lies. "I just thought... well, he usually punches people, so..." She tried to act nonchalant.
They all smiled whole heartedly while Arav joined in. "Same, same, but no different," he sang, referring to the duo's shared habit of creative lying.
"Everyone should sleep now. Aru beta, you should sleep too. Tomorrow Rudra officially joins, and you'll need to handle the paperwork for his return. Rest well." Arun said while eating his last bite.
Arav too finished his food while Aditi hung onto his arm. "Can I have a sleepover in your room, please? It's been so many days since I had your warmth," she pleaded with puppy eyes knowing very well he wouldn't say no to her with these eyes.
The dinner ended, taking with it the lingering tension between the elders.
Back in Arav's Room:
He finished his night routine and lay down. Aditi immediately wrapped her arms around his torso, locking her legs over him so tightly he could barely move. Arav kissed her temple sweetly "Good night."
"Have sweet dreams, Aru Bhaiya, just like you," she whispered.
Before they could drift off, a soft knock signaled the door opening. And Aditi rolled her eyes in pure irration as Shiva stood there, smiling like a toothless child. He slid into the bed on Arun's other side. Now, Arav was trapped between two human koalas.
"I couldn't sleep in my room, so.... I came here. Good night, Aru," Shiva snuggled into his chest without one bit of hesitation.
"This is your daily routine, Shiva," Aditi teased, making a weird face at him. "Wait until my sister in law comes; then you won't have any 'trouble' sleeping in your own room!"
"You—" Shiva started to argue, but Arav hushed them. . "Shhh. Sleep now. No more talking. Good night."
Shiva and Aditi glared at each other one last time and fell asleep in their brothers warmth.
"Good night, Ru," Arun whispered silently before falling into a dream. It had become a habit—a nightly wish for someone he hadn't met in a decade, yet a soul his own seemed to recognize across the void.