Aarav reaches the office and everyone gives him a warm welcome. He sits on his desk and the manager places a few files in front of him. 

"Sir aapko.." 

"Aarav bolo mujhe! yahan hum dono ka boss ek hi hai"  Aarav replied eyeing Vikram. 

Vikram stared at him and smiles a bit. He moves to his chamber and asked the manager to follow him. he removes his coat and places it on the back of the chair. 

"tumne Aaru ko purani files hi di hai na?" he asked

"ji Sir.. maine unka laptop bhi 2017 ke hisab se set kar diya tha aur baaki kisiki bhi files pe unhe access nahi milega" Manager informed him.

"thik hai jao" Vikram said and the manager left his chamber. 

Aarav began to work, it was 5 pm and everyone began to leave the office. Vikram moved out of the chamber and said "Aaru chal ghar"

"bhai bas 10 minute" he replied

"kal kar lena abhi itna zor mat do deemag par" Vikram said out of concern. 

Aarav gets up from the chair and stared at him "bhai aap hamesha ek hi baat kyun bolte ho? main thik hun aap toh aise kar rahe ho jaise main paagal.." 

Vikram gets angry hearing his words "Aaru.. kitni baar kaha hai mujhse behes mat kiya kar! meri baat sunni hai toh sunni hai samjha" he said 

Aarav closes the file and agreed "thik hai.. chalo" 

Vikram walks out while Aarav follows him. He sits inside the car and glanced at Vikram. "aise kya dekh raha hai mujhe" he asked rolling his eyes towards him. 

"kuch nahi aap drive karo" Aarav denied

They reached home and had dinner together. Aarav went to his room and began to search for the things he had collected for his would be sister-in-law but couldn't find it. 

"bhai.. bhai" he panicked as those were precious.

Vikram came to his room in few minutes "kya hua?"

"bhai.. maine bhabhi ke liye earrings, bracelet aur bhi bahut kuch leke rakha tha na kuch nahi hai yahan kaha gaya?" he asked

Vikram gulped down his throat, everything is already with Poonam. The way he had planned Vikram had given it to Poonam. 

"bolo na bhai" he asked

"Aaru maine sambhalke rakha hai la ye saree de yeh bhi uske saath rakh deta hun" he lied to him. 

Aarav had a sigh of relief hearing that "mujhe laga chachi ne sab chura liya meri bhabhi ki cheezein.." he hands the saree to him and smiled. 

"ab jaldi se bhabhi le aao aap.. kabtak main aapke nakhre uthaunga?" he asked teasingly.

Vikram smiled lightly hearing his words. "chal tu soja" he just ignored and went to his room. He picked up his phone and was about to call her but remembered her harsh behavior. He placed the phone back and slept with teary eyes.  

A few weeks Later

It was Aarav's appointment with the doctor. "Dr. sahab mere bhai ko batayie mujhe bache ki tarah treat karna band kare main ek dum perfect hun" he said

Vikram glared at him "chup baitha rah tu.." he scolded him.

Aarav sealed his lips and Dr. Dheer did his regular checkups. "tumhe kuch ajeeb sapne aate hai?" he inquired 

"nahi doc.. main toh maze mein sota hun" Aarav replied

"Great.. any anxiety? andhera kiska ka darr?" he questioned

"nahi doctor main kisise nahi darta hun apne bhai se bhi nahi" Aarav said laughing a bit. 

"maar khayega tu mujhse Aaru.. chup chap bas wahi jawab de jo doctor puch rahe hai" Vikram slapped his arm

Dr. Dheer glared at him "Vikram tum bahar jao please mujhe usse baat karne do"

Vikram moved out and sighed deeply "har baat mazak mein leta hai yeh ladka!" 

After a few minutes, the doctor steps out of the consultant's room. Vikram asked him about his health. 

"relax Vikram Aarav is completely fine ab tum dheere dheere usey bata sakte ho ki ye 2017 nahi 2023 hai he can mentally handle this now" Dr. Dheer suggested. 

Vikram shook his head positively. 

At home

Aarav changed and does some important office work. Vikram takes out the album from the hidden place and stared at it. "tumhe 6 saal ki baatein batana bahut zaroori hai Aaru.. main nahi chahta Poonam bas ek khoya hissa banke rahe tumhari zindagi mei aaj tum mere saath sahi salamat ho uski wajah se.." 

He recalled everything and thought "nahi agar use bataya usne mujhe maara toh.. bardasht nahi kar payega! bhagwaan kyun aap aisa karte ho mere saath.." 

His phone rings and he picks it up "haa.. bolo Shaan" 

"Sir overseas client urgent meeting karna chahte hai aap aa sakte hai office" he said

Vikram asked "kya hua?"

"kuch conflict hai! it's really urgent sir" Shaan replied

"Acha thik hai main aata hun" he agreed and moves out of the room. He headed out of the house and headed to the office. 

Aarav closes the laptop and moves out of the room. He hears some noise from the storeroom. Aarav runs and sees Maria trying to place the heavy box on the shelf. "Di aapko lag jayegi layie main rakhta hun" he said

Maria refused "nahi baba main kar lungi" 

"aapko lag jayegi main rakhta hun aap please kuch bana dijiye mere liye bahut bhook lagi hai" Aarav said

"thik hai baba.." she agreed. Maria walked out of the store room and Aarav placed the box on the shelf. 

The shelf moved a bit and something falls on the floor. He picks it up and it was another drawing. He was left stunned seeing it as it was a mental asylum picture. Aarav looked up and a box was placed. He picked it up and placed it on the floor. He sits down and desperately takes out all the things. 

These were the toys, a few soft toys, a remote car, and a sketchbook. He opened it and there were all the paintings which he had made. They were horrifying, he had a feeling he had been through all this. 

He rushes towards Vikram's room and tries again to locate the album. He finds it on the bed which Vikram forgot to keep back. 

He flips the pages and stops seeing Vikram and Poonam's wedding picture. He flipped further, and he finds himself with them in the garden. Flying the kite and other precious moments for which he didn't have a single memory in his mind. 

He grabs his head tightly and tries to recall but failed miserably. "yeh sab mujhe yaad kyun nahi hai?" 

Vikram returns home after attending the meeting. He looks around the hall but couldn't find Aarav "yeh ladka abtak kaam kar raha hai?" he moves upstairs and stops by his room. 

He sees Aarav sitting on the floor, he moves closer and saw the photo album in his hand. Vikram sits down beside him and notices a lot of questions on his face. It was a blank canvas for him, he held his hand and pressed it lightly. 

"sach batao bhai! mujhe kya hua tha? store room mein khilone wo bhayanak paintings.. aur yeh tasveerein ye sab meri zindagi ka hissa hai lekin mujhe yaad hi nahi kaise bhai?" Aarav asked anxiously. 

Vikram takes a deep breath, it's high time he should reveal the truth to him. Aarav stared at him and he could see his eyes filled with pain and guilt. 

"bolo bhai main sach bardasht kar sakta hun.." he said understanding him. 

"kaunsa saal hai Aaru?" He asked

"2017" Aarav replied

"nahi.. 2023 hai" Vikram said leaving Aarav in disbelief. 

"what?? 2023.. 6 saal" Aarav uttered

Vikram said "haan tujhe teri zindagi ke 6 saal yaad nahi hai Aaru.. aur ye wo waqt hai jisne mujhe tera bachpan phirse dikhaya" 

Aarav tries to disgust his sentence. Aarav picks up the paintings and sees a man getting tortured by two figures "Yeh main hun? aur ye.. chacha chachi hai na?" he asked with teary eyes. 

Vikram nodded yes. Aarav asked with curiosity "sab batao bhai inn 6 saalon mein kya hua? maine aapko kitna pareshan kiya! kuch mat chupana mujhse please" 

"Aaru sab bataunga lekin pehle khana khale hmm.. phir dawa bhi toh" Vikram said but Aarav refused. 

"nahi koi dawai nahi khani mujhe sirf sach sunna hai! meri zindagi ke 6 saal mujhe yaad nahi hai.. I need to know everything bhai please warna main marr.." he paused when Vikram placed his hand on his mouth. Aarav pleaded with him to reveal the entire truth. 

"khabardar aage kuch bola toh tune! batata hun main sab.. " Vikram said

"tera accident hua tujhe hosh aaya toh tu ek 5 saal ke bache ki tarah bartaav karne laga tha Aaru.. tujhe mere alawa apne aas paas koi nahi chahiye hota tha! kisine agar tujhe haath bhi laya toh tu.." Vikram paused remembering him hitting the servants and others. 

"main kya bhai?" he asked scared 

"unhe maarta tha! kitne naukar bhaag gaye tujhse darke.." Vikram said 

"main jab office ke kaam se bahar jaata tha toh chacha chachi bhi tujhe nahi sambhal paate they kabhi tu tanki pe chadta tha kabhi kahi.. mere haath se khana khana sona nahana sab kuch.. shoe laces tak nahi bande jaate they tujhse apne" Vikram further added. Tears slip down Aarav's eyes constantly. 

"itna tang kiya maine aapko.." he said with broken words. 

"nahi tu hamesha complaint karta tha na main kaam mein busy rehta hun.. inn 6 saalon mein teri har shikhayat door kardi maine" Vikram replied tapping his cheek lightly. 

Aarav smiles a bit "phir kya hua bhai?" 

"tujhe bhabhi chahiye thi isliye maine socha shaadi kar hi leta hun ab! lekin jis ladki ke saath meri engagement chacha chachi ne fix ki thi tumne use bhi maara.. " 

Aarav removes the grip from his hand. Vikram smiles "aur agar tu aisa nahi karta toh main teri bhabhi se kaise milta haan? Pune mei.. meri mulakat phir Poonam se hui" 

The name got him conscious.  Vikram told how he meet Poonam and they fell in love with each other. "Poonam ko main ghar laaya dost banake.. bahut tang kiya tune Poonam ko! lekin wo bhi kum ziddi nahi thi tumhare dil mein usne apni jagah banayi aur tumne khud kaha mujhse main use tumhari bhabhi bana lun.. " 

Aarav smiles a bit hearing his words. "uske aane ke baad tu thik hone laga tha Aaru.. kisiko nahi marta tha tu.. you were on the edge of recovering" Vikram said cupping his face. 

"phir kya bhai? mujhe itna waqt kyun laga.. aur bhabhi hai toh wo hamare saath ghar mein kyun nahi hai?" Aarav asked with curiosity. 

Vikram gulps down his throat. The most painful part of his life changed everything for the trio. 

"Aaru aage mat puch main nahi bata paunga tujhe!" he turned to other side. Aarav had a feeling there is strong reason for Poonam not being with them.

Mumbai

Poonam wakes up from sleep and feels reckless. She thought about Vikram and Aarav, she picked up her phone and called  him but his phone was switched off.

"itni bechani kyu ho rahi hai mujhe waha dono thik toh hai na" she thought.

She called Maria and after a few rings she picked up the phone call. "bhabhi.."

"dono thik hai?" she asked

"haan bhabhi Aarav baba toh.." she was about to reveal but stop as Vikram had told her not to inform her about this.

"Aarav kya?" Poonam questioned

"bhabhi sab thik hai aap thik hai?" she  asked

"haan.. Ek baar phone dono ke kamre mei leke jaogi mujhe dono ko dekhna hai" she said

"ji bhabhi" she agreed. Maria gets up from bed and heads towards the rooms. She stopped on front of Vikram's room and saw both of them speaking. She immediately kept her hand on the phone speaker.

She walked away and spoke on the phone "bhabhi abhi.."

"samajh gayi dono jage hue hai.. Rakhti hun" she ends the call and Maria felt disheartened. She prayed that family unites soon.