Time passed by, summers burned bright and loud, monsoon bloomed the flowers, and winters wrapped everything in a quiet, comforting stillness that healed what the storms had broken.
Just like the lives of Dhanrajgir siblings slowly changed… spilling out the truth, emptying the system, was the hardest task for Radha, but after she did, after she finally let it all out without holding back, her heart felt lightened. There was no weight dragging her down with every breath she took, no constant ache reminding her of her past mistakes anymore.
Mahir asked her to forgive her parents, and she was on the journey of doing so. There were days she still flinched, hesitated, looked back, or faced sleepless nights, but with her bhaiya beside her at every moment, she learned to stand through it all, the cracks in her soul slowly stitching themselves back together with time and love.
A new day arrived. Sunrays peeked through the wide windows, spilling warmth into every corner of the house. Radha’s giggles filled the home as she ran down the stairs straight to the kitchen, her laughter echoing like a melody that refused to fade.
“Bhaiya, help!” She shrieked, hiding behind Mahir, who was busy preparing breakfast for her.
“Now what did you do?” Mahir asked, done. His brat was finally in action; within a few months, there were visible changes in Radha. He was grateful for them; even when she faltered, he made sure to be there for her, guiding her back without letting her fall too deep again.
Radha buried her face in his back lazily. ”I am a good girl. Your brother has gone nuts.” Fake innocence dripped from her words.
Mahir sighed. He could believe the sky was pink for once, but he would never believe his sister’s feigned innocence. From the day she started to let go of her past and live in the present without carrying her guilt, he was getting to see the real version of Radhika Dhanrajgir, the one he craved, and the one that was hidden away for years behind fear and silence… even for him too.
Each day, she found different ways to prank her brothers. Her usual target was always Abhi. It didn’t help that Arjun joined her every now and then, hyping her in her stunts. He was older than them; he should have stopped theme.
Like you can stop her. His own conscience mocked. Well, that was the truth, too. He couldn’t say anything to his baby sister. He liked the laugh that bubbled out of her, filling their home with a sense of warmth and happiness that had been missing for a decade. Once a house made of brick, silence, and bitterness was finally turning into a home they could truly belong to and breathe freely in.
“Radhika!” Abhi’s angry voice filled the kitchen.
Mahir gasped, startled, as he took in his brother’s state, all drenched in colourful water, dripping from head to toe like he had been ambushed without warning.
Like a small kitten peeking out of a bag, Radha peeked out from behind Mahir, her cute hazel orbs gleaming with mischief, a sheepish smile adoring her lips nervously.
“Did you call me bhai?” She asked innocently, tilting her head slightly.
Abhi’s glare sharpened, ”Don’t you dare act like a five-year-old cute angel who does nothing wrong. For your kind information, it’s not Holi that you threw water balloons at me, breaking my peaceful slumber.”
He looked at his bhaiya, ”Tell her something. Yell at her, scold her. Come on bhaiya, if it had been me doing the same with your little baby sister, you would have skinned me alive.”
Mahir winced, ”Really, Abhi? I don’t think I have been this cruel or unfair with you.”
Abhi’s eyes narrowed, ”That’s not the point here, bhaiya. The point is...” His gaze drifted to Radha, ”Your sister has lost it. Every day, she finds new ways to make my life a living hell. Kuch din pehle isne mere muh par apne paint colour ke haath saaf kiye. Phir meri coffee mein namak daal diya. Mujhe keechad mein dhakka diya. Mujhe mirchi wale ladoo khilaye (A few days ago, she wiped her paint-covered hands on my face. Then she put salt in my coffee. And she pushed me into the mud. She fed me, chilli-filled sweets). The list of her stupidity is long and annoying. Agar main yahi sab karta iske saath toh aap kya karte? (If I did the same to her, what would you do?)”
Mahir gave it a thought; the list was definitely very long. His sister was indeed going overboard these days, tbh if it had been Abhi, Mahir would have whacked some sense into the boy without any remorse, but with Radha, he always chose to let go. However, now he can’t let go; his brother will get upset, and Mahir has to balance for both his younger ones without being biased or making them feel neglected or unheard.
“Radhika samne aa!” He ordered sternly.
Radha stepped forward slowly, before Mahir, staring at the white marble. She just couldn’t bring herself to defy that tone of her bhaiya, and he uses that authority that she can’t even act cute to get away from the situation.
“Look at me,” Mahir commanded firmly.
Radha shook her head, ”The floor looks more fascinating than your scary eyes.” She mumbled loud enough for both her brothers to hear.
Mahir gave up. In one swift move, he got hold of her ear, giving it a good twist.
Radha reached out, holding his hand on her ear instinctively, “Ouch… bhaiya it’s… hurting…” She gave him a pleading look, jumping on her toes.
Her brother never went easy on her; he was calm, patient, soft like a teddy bear, even when dealing with her tantrums, but when strict, he made sure she felt the heat of it without any exception. Within a few months, she had witnessed her brother’s stern side, an experience enough to know not to test him ever again, yet her unruly self made sure she danced before the lion to become his prey.
Mahir raised an eyebrow, giving her ear yet another twist, ”Come again? Scary eyes, huh? After all that bratty attitude, you still want to argue with me, right? Fine… go on now.”
Radha shook her head immediately, ”Sorry sorry… I was just joking yaar.”
“Bhaiya!” Mahir corrected sternly, ”Stop using that ‘yaar’ with me. I am your elder brother, not your buddy.”
Radha clenched her eyes shut; her ears might have turned red like a tomato. She nodded her head instantly, ”Sorry… really sorry. Please just leave them… It’s hurting.”
Abhi stepped beside Radha immediately. He didn’t think his bhaiya would choose an outright punishing way, not like Mahir was always in sliding-off mode with Radha.
She got to face even her own version of Godzilla, they call their brother, but only when she down-talked about herself drowning in her past, that was the only time Mahir had to be stern with her. So this was new for him… He thought she would get scolded and end the topic. He didn’t mean to throw his sister in front of the hungry lion.
“Bhaiya, please leave. She is…” He trailed away as Mahir’s dark orbs fixed on him.
Swallowing hard, he stepped back. Okay, this was different altogether. He could have texted his bhaiyu to come and help, but the man was out for some work and with Mahir’s gaze fixed on him, he didn’t dare to take out his phone and message his saviour so openly. He doesn’t have that much courage.
Mahir gave one last hard twist before leaving her ear with a jerk.
Radha rubbed her ear painfully, ”Why did you do that?” She whined.
Mahir glared at her, ”You still want to ask me that, Radhika? I told you last week only, pranks are fine and fun, but they should be kept in a limit. Just because you are free to do anything doesn’t mean you can cross lines of someone else without their consent.”
Radha looked down, ”Sorry. Pyaar se bhi toh samjha sakte the na. (You could have explained it lovingly, too, right?)”
Mahir whacked her hard, ”I was doing that for the last few weeks, but guess what, I forgot how thick-skinned my child is in real.”
Abhi held her hand in support as Radha’s face fell, ”It’s okay bhaiya…”
“Enough!” Mahir interjected firmly, ”I am not done yet. What I just said to her, it applies to you, too, Abhishek. If you are not happy with her pranks or feel like she is crossing a line, you can tell her rather than letting her take everything for granted. I want my brother and sister to understand each other’s perspective, rather than choosing to adjust just to avoid confrontation. That’s not what I taught you both.”
Abhi’s gaze lowered.
“Tune Radha ko bataya ki mirchi khane se tujhe gale mein kitni jalan ho rahi thi? (Did you tell Radha how much your throat was burning after eating chillies?)” Mahir added, ”Did you tell her that when she pushed you into the mud, you scratched your knee due to the pebbles?”
Radha’s head snapped at Abhi in shock. She didn’t know her pranks hurt her brother like that at all. She was always careful not to actually harm him, so what she heard stunned her into silence. He could have at least told her the truth instead of hiding it.
Abhi stood frozen. He didn’t mind bearing a little pain, but he minded stopping Radha, fearing she would pull back completely, especially when she was stepping out of her shell after so long. He feared she might retreat and keep quiet.
“Sorry,” Radha mumbled, turning to leave.
Tears stung her eyes. She hated pity of any kind. She preferred being called out for actions just like her bhaiya and bhaiyu did with her. When she went overboard, they made sure to pull her back gently yet firmly in ways her parents never did. That was the right she gave her brothers.
She didn’t expect Abhi to adjust just for her sake. Whatever happened in the past, both Arjun and Abhi knew about it; she herself recited it all because she wanted them to be aware of why she changed, feared, or flinched at every step. Her Bhaiyu gave her his understanding just like her bhaiya, but Abhi…
Now she understood why he was being so damn generous towards her. If it had been his usual self, he would have whacked some sense into her, yelled at her, made sure she paid in shapes for her silly pranks, but he chose endurance and adjustment, terms that have no place between them. She hated that distance it created between them.
Abhi held her wrist, stopping her. ”Radha…” He stopped as she pulled away from his grasp harshly.
“Mujhe tujhse koi baat nahi karni hai. (I don’t want to talk to you.)” Radha snapped, ”You know what, this suits you. Being the overly understanding person. I think I will order a customised award for you. The best self-sacrificing person goes to Abhishek Dhanrajgir. Place it in your room as the best reward of your life. After all, you are doing such a good deed, adjusting for your sister rather than calling out her flaws.”
Abhi shook his head, ”It’s not like that. At least listen to me…”
“What? And why should I?” Radha shot back sharply. She pulled Abhi closer, ”maine apna sach isliye nahi bataya ki mera bhai jo mera sabse achha dost hai woh mere liye space banaye. Mere liye so-called adjustment ka game khele. Tu bhaiya se puch raha tha na ki woh tere saath kya karte? Tu bata agar maine bhi wahi kiya hota jo tune kiya toh tu kya karta? (I didn’t share my truth so my brother, my best friend, would start creating space for me and play this so-called adjustment game. You were asking bhaiya what he would do if you were in my place, right? Tell me, if I had done the same thing to you, what would you have done?)”
She stepped back, shaking her head sadly, ”I thought you shared my fears, my insecurities, my weakness with a friend who will encourage me to find a better version of me. Who will support me and call me out when I go wrong, but what did you choose, Abhishek? Pity me? Sympathy for me? Great then! Thank you so much for your…” She stopped abruptly as Abhi pulled her into a hug.
“Leave me.” She spat angrily, trying to push him away.
Abhi tightened his hold around her. The tears shimmering in her eyes, the hurt lacing her words, broke his heart. He didn’t mean to show pity or sympathy; he would never dare to look at her that way. All he thought was to protect her from anything that could hurt her again, but his approach was wrong.
Radha’s words gave him a reality check. His bhaiya was right, they were siblings, but more than that, friends. And friends don’t always stay silent to keep the other comfortable.
“I am sorry,” He mumbled quietly, pulling back, cradling Radha’s face gently, ”I will never insult your feelings by pitying you, Radha. Whatever happened, it was never your fault, never your burden to carry. I-I just thought giving you space would help you heal, and I am sorry for making you feel that I see you as weak or broken person. I just didn’t want you to retreat back into the shell you finally broke yourself from. I just wanted you to be yourself, even if it meant crossing the lines without even you realising. I know my sister… my friend can never hurt me purposely. It wasn’t your intention; it’s just we both failed to communicate properly. I am sorry.”
Radha blinked away the tears that fogged her eyes. She pulled Abhi back into her warmth. In her whole life, she had only one friend, and that was Abhi. Despite starting to let go, she couldn’t bring herself to find a new friend who could understand her the way he does.
She was fine with her brothers, her two elder brothers, one being the dictator, the other her savior, and lastly Abhi, who was her brother, yet her friend too. They switched roles as per their bond and understanding.
True friendship didn’t always mean silent understanding and constant adjustment; sometimes it meant calling each other out, arguing, and still choosing to stay, and Abhishek Dhanrajgir was just that for her.
“Next time you try being so generous with me, and I will show you hell,” she threatened out loud, her voice still shaky but holding its old spark.
“And I will drag you with me,” Abhi shot back like his usual self.
Mahir smiled faintly. That’s what he was looking for: understanding that came wrapped in honesty and confrontation, not silence and sacrifice.
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