When they returned from the puja mandap, Dev was up and ready with a new pair of clothes. When she asked him, he simply said, "Manyu uncle gave me a chocolate bar and asked if I'd like to go with him to visit the mountains."

Oh! Shreya was slightly taken aback. He actually considered her suggestion? Wow!

Ritu didn't know any of it, so she excitedly asked what was it all about? Shreya answered vaguely keeping the part away that it was her suggestion. Ritu expressed her enthusiasm and interest that she also wanted to tour.

"Last time I went on a tour was five years ago. To Shillong. With Maa, Papa and Gyan. We had a nice time. Meghalaya is a beautiful place. Have you ever been to there?" Ritu asked while combing through her hair.

She was getting ready for the runway her college had arranged. It'd take place today. She was looking stunning not to mention in her sky-blue fishtail dress. The glitters on her dress were complementing her expensive opal necklace.

Shreya had never seen such precious stone ornaments in her life. Could owning materialistic expensive possessions be the definition of privilege? She didn't know whether to feel envious of these high-class people or just feel morose that she didn't have the same privilege as them? She found herself admiring her exotic attire more than necessary when her eyes didn't stray from Ritu for over a minute. She blinked and looked away at Ritu's words.

"No. I have never been to Shillong." Much like she'd never been to any other state apart from her home-state and here.

"Ah! You must at least visit there once. The waterfalls of Sohra valley are just amazing. And Laithlum Grand Canyon. If it was possible, I wouldn't have returned from there." She grinned looking at her through the mirror.

She was right now sitting in Ritu's room with Dev who was busy eating ice cream, while Dona was busy in the kitchen. She hadn't seen Gyan since they returned from puja mandap. Probably he was in his room, but given he didn't like unsolicited intrusion, no one dared disturbing him.

After a few more minutes, Ritu was done with her makeup and hairstyle. Spraying the setting spray all over she beamed at the mirror. "Dev, how am I looking? Good?"

"Ritu aunt is beautiful," Dev said, while nodding his head quite a few times.

"Indeed." Shreya quietly agreed with a smile which seemed to satisfy Ritu so much as she left with a huge plastered on her face.

Shreya and Dev returned to the hall and switched on the television. She changed the channel where the Puja Parikrama was live telecasting.

"Dev, do you like it? Or do you want to see cartoon?"

He looked at the screen for a while, watched the decorations, lighting, idols and crowds then said, "Cartoons."

"Okay." Shreya changed the channel, then picked up her phone and started scrolling through it. Opening her whatsapp, she received 50+ notification from the family group. Everyone sent their selfie or photos while puja hopping. Should she call them? She thought for a moment but video-called nonetheless.

The first person to answer the call was Deepali. "Hello Di, what's up?" She beamed at the screen. Clearly, she was outside, because of the noise in the background it was evident. Next Medha picked up the call before she could answer. "Hey guys! Hi di. We're missing you here." Govind peeked from behind her and Deepti peeked from behind Deepali. Other accounts disconnected since all of them were present except Satya.

"Hey," Shreya smiled at them. "Are you guys enjoying?"

"Too much di. We're now at New Alipore. Suruchi Sangha's theme puja was marvelous," Deepali yelled causing Deepti to flinch back.

"Yeah, we'll be heading towards Dumdum now. I heard Sreebhumi's Durga idol won the first prize," Govind added.

"Okay. That's great. Where's Satya?" Shreya asked.

Deepali answered, "He went to buy chips for us."

Medha quipped in, "For you specifically."

"Oh, shut up. As if you won't be eating." Deepali snarled at the wrong accusation.

Shreya was laughing at her cousins fooling around.

Deepti said while taking the phone from Deepali, "We're missing you di. You should've come home at least once."

"I know. I want to go to. But my employer will be returning tomorrow. But on Dashami finally we can be together," she assured.

Satya came into frame behind Deepti and Deepali and raised the chips packet. "We can't save anything for you."

Shreya giggled. "That's okay. As long as you guys are well-fed and happy."

"Okay, di. We're hanging up now," Medha said.

"Yeah, sure. See you guys later. Bye."

"Bye," everyone said in unison before they hung up.

A whole lot to catch up was waiting for her.

~~~

The same night around 2 a.m.,

She felt the cover being removed slowly from over her as she opened her eyes right away and hastily sat up.

"Sshhh, come with me."

"Oh my God! Gyan!! Stop doing that! Someday I'll get a heart attack because of your late-night strikes." She yelled at him.

"Sshhh...sshhh!!" He hurriedly came over and closed her mouth with his hand. "Damn Shreya! Keep it low. You'll wake everyone up."

She quickly grabbed his hand and plucked it off. "I'm not coming! Go away. Why are you here anyway?"

"Come with me." He kept on insisting.

She reached for her phone and checked the time. "Oh my God! It's two in the morning, Gyan. Are you crazy?"

He said nothing for a moment, just brought out a chewing gum from his sweatpants' pocket and threw it inside his mouth. The long strands of his hair were down, looking like mane. At least they were still black and he hadn't dyed with actual mane's color. He chewed the gum for a few times looking around the room before focusing back on her. His hazel eyes twinkled from the light emitting from the night lamp. He buried one of his hands into his pocket and ran the other one through his hair. "Come with me."

Oh my God! Again? This man was so persuasive! He simply wouldn't back off. Would he?

"But why now? I'm sure it can wait."

He blinked and chewed on the gum again. "I can't sleep."

"That doesn't mean you'd come and bother me! Go away, Gyan. Let me sleep," she said a little harshly.

He didn't budge but pulled a chair and sat down right in front of her bed. "Okay. Go to sleep. I won't bother you," he said before pulling out his phone and started scrolling through it.

"What?" She sat there dumbfounded.

"Go back to sleep," he said, without looking up.

"I cannot go to sleep when you are sitting right in front of me like this."

He sighed audibly then raised his phone up and shoved it into her face. "I saw this and it's bothering me. And now I can't sleep."

The phone was too close so she couldn't even properly see what was written on it. Although it was irritating, she took the phone from him and saw what the display was showing. It was a short video of Steve Jobs' speech. She glanced at him before staring down on the phone screen again. Before she could comprehend why was she listening to him and acting accordingly, she pressed the play button.

"If today were the last day of my life, would I wanna do what I am about to do today? And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to CHANGE something."

It was supposed to be a motivational video, not a trigger for insomnia.

"Why can't you sleep after watc-" she stopped short at Dev stirring in his bed. Both of them turned towards him, dreading he'd wake up. Her eyes widened as she panicked and reached for Dev, but Gyan was quicker. Before she could even put her feet on the ground, he reached over and softly grazed his hand over the sleeping boy's head, even patted twice. Dev again turned around on his side and went back to sleep.

Gyaan gently retreated his hand and shifted his attention back to her.

"You were saying?" He raised his eyebrows questioningly.

She rolled her eyes then got up from the bed and said, "Let's go outside. I don't want him to wake up again."

He shrugged then followed her out.

Once they were outside, they traversed the passageway that led to the hall. But instead of going to the hall, she stopped around the corner and turned around, coming face to face with him.

"Okay. Tell me what's wrong? Why can't you sleep after watching this?"

He buried both of his hands in his pockets and turned away from her while looking far ahead, not particularly at anything before a grumble left his mouth. "I can't sleep at night."

"And why is that?"

"I have questions spinning round in my head all the time. But I don't find anyone useful to talk to. Except Maa. But she's not here. So, I can't sleep."

"Why don't you talk to Ritu?"

He scoffed. "She's useless. She knows nothing. So..." he shifted his focus on her. "I thought, why not try you."

What? What did that mean? She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "Excuse me? Gyan, what are you talking about?"

"Can you not talk to me regarding things that don't belong to meatspace (real world)?"

Shreya faltered in her thoughts as her crossed over arms slackened a little.

He added after taking in her reaction, "Would you believe me if I say there are other universes apart from our own? Would you believe there are soul tribes we are meant to find in our lifetimes?" He paused for a moment, searching her confused eyes a few times before saying, "Do you believe in soulmates?"

She drew in a sharp breath while her arms dropped at her sides. He turned fully towards her without breaking their eye contact.

She gulped, then started, "Gyaan... I don't know what... you're talking..."

He blinked. Breaking the eye contact then brought up a hand and did a dismissive gesture. "Never mind."

She was still not sure what was going on in his head but she didn't ask or press him anymore.

He started again, "About Steve Jobs' question, I never found a 'Yes' answer. Have you?"

She stared at him flabbergasted. "Steve Jobs?"

"Yeah, the video that I showed you."

Oh! He switched again. This boy was definitely a fickle mind. But the question though.

What about it? If she were to die today, would she had done something, she was about to do? That's a clear shot 'No'. She would probably take a chanting beads bag and chant the holy name of God until taking her last breath. Did that make sense? Was it just a hypothetical way of dealing problems? Or was she inclined towards spiritually bypassing her real-life issues? For the first time in her life, she was confused about her practice in spiritualism. But she was certain of one thing. The answer was a big fat 'No'.

She was about to answer him, when another voice disrupted them from across the hall. The night light of the left wing switched on as Abhimanyu's face came into view.

"What is going on?"

Her eyes went wide as she took a step back creating a distance between her and Gyan, who looked unbothered however.

"I- we... we were ju- just talking." She stammered while Abhimanyu strode forward reducing the distance between them. Gyan looked daringly at his brother, as if he wouldn't think twice to pick up on a fight if provoked.

AR calmly came and stood a few feet away from them. He glanced between Gyan and her for a few times before focusing on Gyan. "What is going on?" He repeated his question to his brother. Clearly the first time also it was meant for him. She didn't know what to do so she just stayed frozen exactly where she was standing and looked between the men nervously. She didn't want Abhimanyu to get the wrong idea about them, and seeing Gyan's expression she couldn't tell what he was thinking. That young man can be unpredictable very well. She fidgeted with the hem of her nightsuit-kurti and prayed to heavens that she wouldn't have to face any drama.

"I have decided not to answer you," Gyan responded bitterly.

AR looked unfazed by his answer and shifted his eyes on her. "You can go to the room."

She flinched and clutched her clothes more tightly in her fists. She was expecting a scolding of some sort, but he only asked her to leave.

She nodded then turned away intending to leave. As soon as she took a couple of steps, she heard Abhimanyu speaking again.

"This kind of behavior is not appreciated in our family. Maa-Papa would be disappointed."

"Oh? So, you care about that – huh?" Gyan's voice came up shortly. "Then you must be greatly entertained if Maa-Papa get disappointed in me? Huh? Is that your plan?"

"You're not thinking before talking."

"I don't need to learn how to talk from you. Go and do business and make Papa proud. I don't give a fuck! Stop poking your nose in my business."

"Go to your room, Gyan." Abhimanyu's flat voice was low-pitched but firm.

A muffled thud came along with shuffling of footsteps before Gyan's frustrated voice echoed around. "You- why don't you fight with me huh? Your indifference fucks up my brain! I'm being disrespectful, disobedient, reckless...even though... you simply don't care! Why the fuck you're like this?"

Shreya couldn't anymore hold back. She turned around just to see the front of Abhimanyu's t-shirt in Gyan's hold as he pushed his brother fiercely. Their faces were inches apart and both of them of same height, plus-minus few centimeters.

"I don't care if you're the one to crack the whip as Papa wants, but if you're the one, do it as if it actually means something to you. Living with you feels like living under a rock! What is your problem huh? What the fuck is your problem?" He pushed further as Abhimanyu shuffled back and hit the wall behind.

Instinctively, she ran towards them and tugged on Gyan's arms. "Let go, Gyan! Let go!"

AR stood there stoically and watched them without reacting any way. He didn't even raise his hands and try to pluck off Gyan's aggressive hands.

"Gyaan!"

Gyaan had his fists tightly holding his brother's t-shirt as it raised up and revealed Abhimanyu's abs beneath.

"Why don't you fight me, huh?" Gyan roared for the last one time before letting go. He swiftly turned away and threw his hands behind his head in anger and frustration. Shreya took a step back and stared at Abhimanyu with concern. The front of his shirt was crinkled and disheveled.

Their eyes met for a fraction of seconds before he blinked, averted his gaze.

"Go to your rooms," he said monotonously and smoothed down his shirt, as much as he could with his hands.

Gyaan let out a curse which was laced with disgust and resentment.

"What's happening?" Ritu's voice echoed from the first floor.

As they were standing below the hanging balcony, she couldn't see any of them.

AR went out so that she could she him and responded, "Nothing. I was just thirsty."

"Oh. I thought, I heard Gyan..."

"Go to sleep. Goodnight."

"Yes. Goodnight Dadabhai."

A moment later the sound of closing a door flew in. Abhimanyu looked at their way quietly, then he left without saying anything.

Gyaan left as well leaving her standing alone and she kept on reflecting on what just happened long after the brothers left.

~~~

Author's note: Who's your favorite character till now?