In Vairagya's Cabin
"So you don't want to stay with the Rajvansh family anymore, right...?" Vairagya asked.
Rajveer nodded silently.
"Reason?" Vairagya raised his eyebrows.
"I can't say..." Rajveer replied, eyes lowered.
Vairagya stared at him and said, "I brought you to Delhi because I trust you. How can I just let you leave? What if something happens to you tomorrow—God forbid—what will I tell your parents, your sister?"
"I'm not a child anymore…" Rajveer said.
"Oh really?" Vairagya taunted. "Wait, talk to your sister then…" he picked up his phone.
"Sir, please…" Rajveer pleaded, his voice desperate.
"What happened? Can't say these things to your sister? But you had no trouble opening your mouth in front of me…" Vairagya continued sarcastically.
"Please try to understand, sir..." Rajveer said.
"For that, you'll need to explain, Raj…" Vairagya said angrily.
"Sir…"
"You're not going anywhere. Got it? Get back to work," Vairagya snapped, and Rajveer walked out, sulking.
It was the first time Vairagya had scolded him, and it hit hard. Even though Rajveer knew he was at fault, it still stung.
That evening, on their way home, Rajveer looked downcast. Vairagya noticed but didn't react and got into the car.
"I'll come later..." Rajveer began to say, but Vairagya glared at him, so he silently sat beside him.
"You're my wife's brother, but don't think that gets you any special treatment. My personal and professional lives are always separate. Meet me in the hall with your books ten minutes after we get home," Vairagya said coldly.
"Yes, sir…" Rajveer replied, head bowed.
At home, Vairagya went straight to his room. As Rajveer was heading to his own, Karnika blocked his way. Already in a bad mood, Rajveer grew even more irritated.
When she stepped in front of him, he snapped, "Please move."
"Raj, just listen to me—" Karnika tried again.
"Please move... I've got better things to do than waste time on random people," he said and started to walk past her.
Karnika held his hand, but he pulled away sharply. Her hand hit a lamp behind her, knocking it over. The noise brought Rudraksh out of his room—since the lamp had fallen just outside his door.
(Don't ask why Rajveer was near Rudraksh's room—they share the room, I already mentioned that.)
"What happened?" Rudraksh asked.
"Nothing, I just knocked over the lamp..." Karnika replied, a little nervous.
"Oh... but what are you doing here?" Rudraksh raised his brows.
"I came to see you. The lights in my room aren't working..." Karnika tried to explain.
"Okay... I'm in the last round of a game, otherwise I would've come. Raj, please..." Rudraksh looked at Rajveer.
"No. I have other things to do," Rajveer said sharply and entered the room.
"What's up with him?" Rudraksh and Karnika were both stunned. For the first time, Rajveer had refused them, and in such a stern tone.
"I'll ask Vairagya bhai to help me instead..." Karnika told Rudraksh.
"Yes, please... Oh no, my last round!" Rudraksh said, rushing inside and watching Rajveer, who had quickly changed and was heading to the hall with his books.
After dinner, when Rajveer returned to the room, Rudraksh asked, "Is everything okay...?"
"What?" Rajveer responded.
"Between you and Karnika di…" Rudraksh clarified.
Rajveer turned to him, startled. "There's nothing going on," he quickly said.
"What do you mean 'nothing'?" Rudraksh said, and Rajveer looked uneasy. He hadn't even accused him, and yet Rajveer was already explaining. He closed his eyes in frustration and guilt.
"I just…" Rajveer tried to say something but couldn't find the words.
"I get it. Some things are hard to say or handle. But if you can't manage, come to me or bhai anytime," Rudraksh said wisely, his voice full of empathy.
Rajveer nodded, and Rudraksh took some papers from his bag.
"Uh... Raj, can you help me with this assignment...?"
Rajveer gave him a sharp look, and Rudraksh made a puppy face.
"Why do you always remember this at night?" Rajveer asked, irritated.
"I forgot, man. Come on, help me…" Rudraksh pleaded.
"But you never forget to play video games...!" Rajveer taunted.
"Please, bro! I help you too, don't I?" Rudraksh begged.
"When?" Rajveer asked.
"I started going to the gym with you every morning!" Rudraksh said.
"That's only because Vairagya drags you there. You don't go on your own…" Rajveer pointed out the truth.
"No, bro, it's only for you…" Rudraksh buttered him up.
Rajveer finally helped him, then lay down. His eyes were heavy, but he was drowning in worry. His biggest fear was that his problems might ruin his sister's happy life.
And then there was the stress about Shikha. She hadn't answered his calls after that day. When he called home, he was told she had returned to the hostel. What could've happened...? He was going mad thinking about it, even pulling his hair in frustration.
Vairagya was sitting on his bed, leaning against the headboard with a book in his hands, but his mind was elsewhere. Sarangi entered, took her nightwear into the closet, and after washing her face, sat beside him. But he didn't even notice.
"Mr. Rajvansh..." Sarangi said softly.
"Hmm..." It was like he snapped out of a trance. "Yeah, tell me…"
"Are you upset?" Sarangi asked.
"No…" Vairagya replied.
"Sure?"
"Yeah, just some office stuff..." he said, putting the book aside and lying down. Sarangi turned off the lights and rested her head on his chest.
"Jaan…" Vairagya said.
"Hmm?"
"Did you say something to Raj?"
"What do you mean?" Sarangi asked.
"I mean, did he scold you or did anyone in the house...?" Vairagya clarified.
"No, he said something..." Sarangi replied.
"Yeah, today he told me he wants to live separately..." Vairagya shared.
"But why?" Sarangi asked in surprise.
"He didn't say..." Vairagya said, his voice tinged with concern.
"Do you think maybe your parents...?" Vairagya voiced his concern.
"No way, I talked to them today in front of Raj. They didn't say anything to me..." Sarangi said.
"Hm..." Vairagya murmured thoughtfully.
"Will you let him go?" Sarangi asked.
"Never. He's like Rudraksh to me. I brought him here under my responsibility. I won't just let him leave," Vairagya said firmly.
"Go to sleep..." he said, kissing her forehead. Sarangi's heart melted with his loving touch. She closed her eyes tightly and drifted off.
Next Morning
When Vairagya went to Rajveer's room, he found him already awake.
"Raj…" he called, and Rajveer immediately got up.
"Were you already awake or didn't sleep at all?" Vairagya asked.
"No, I just woke up," Rajveer lied, though he had spent the whole night staring at the ceiling.
"Wake him up and join me in the gym," Vairagya said and left.
Rajveer took a deep breath and woke Rudraksh. After some whining, he finally got up.
While doing push-ups, Rudraksh said, "Bhai, you already have bhabhi, so who are you trying to impress with all this body-building?"
Vairagya had fewer and fewer reasons not to scold him these days.
"You don't exercise to impress anyone, you do it to stay fit," Vairagya scolded him. He knew very well his brother was the laziest of them all.
Rajveer quietly focused on his workout.