The trio has now sat down for breakfast, the clinking of cutlery and the aroma of freshly cooked food filling the air.

Kunj has completely refused to talk to Krishav, not even sparing a glance in his direction.

Kunj munched on the veges angrily, the sound of his harsh chomping adding to the tense atmosphere as he stared at the nearby wall with complete focus.

Prerna sat amused, her eyes fixed on her angry bird, watching him munch on carrots, which she knew were Kunj's worst enemy according to him but look at him now.

Her eyes shifted from Kunj to Krishav, who sat across from him, guilt clearly visible on his face as he unknowingly played with the food on his plate.

"Krishu, bache nasta Karo," Prerna spoke, her voice breaking the silence. She knew Krishav was worried and guilty, but skipping meals was something she would never allow.

Hearing Prerna's voice, Kunj also looked at Krishav, their eyes meeting briefly before Kunj frowned upon seeing the plate full. But before Krishav could say anything, Kunj looked away and continued to grumpily eat his breakfast.

Krishav looked down at his plate intently, several thoughts whirling around his head. Would his baby boo never talk to him again? Shaking his head to get rid of the negative thoughts, Krishav picked his breakfast, the clinking of cutlery merging with his inner turmoil as he made plans to ask for forgiveness.

On the other side, Prerna frowned, her gaze shifting between the brothers. She had planned to take a step back in this matter, wanting to observe how they would solve their dispute. Hopefully, they would patch up soon, otherwise she wouldn't have any other option but to intervene.

Prerna lightly squeezed Krishav's shoulder in encouragement, her touch providing a sense of comfort and support. Hopefully, he will soon gather the courage to confront Kunj.

Prerna couldn't help but laugh as she looked at Kunj, who had managed to make a mess for himself using the yogurt.

He fed his clothes and face more than himself, creating a messy yet endearing sight.

Taking out her phone, Prerna quickly clicked a picture of Kunj, capturing the moment of his yoghurt-covered face. The click sound caught Kunj's attention, his toothy grin forming as he stared at Prerna, a playful sparkle in his eyes.

Clicking another picture, Prerna kept the phone aside and grabbed a tissue paper, gently wiping Kunj's face. "My little monkey, you fed your clothes more than yourself, huh?" Prerna questioned, her voice filled with affection and amusement as she cleaned Kunj's face.

"Hello everyone!" The cozy atmosphere was abruptly interrupted by an excited and loud voice as Viren approached the trio.

The sound of his voice filled the air, creating a sense of anticipation.

"Buddy!" Kunj's voice echoed with excitement as he wiggled in Prerna's arms, his outstretched hands ready to jump into Viraj's embrace.

Prerna gently loosened her grip on Kunj, allowing him to eagerly leap into Viren's arms.

With effortless grace, Viren caught Kunj and playfully tossed him up in the air, eliciting joyful giggles from Kunj and quickening Krishav's heartbeat.

"Yaar, Viraj, I've told you so many times, he may get hurt," Krishav expressed his concern in a worried tone. "And I've also told you countless times that I won't let my Bubba fall, so stop worrying unnecessarily."

Kunj nodded in agreement, casting a mischievous glance at Krishav, who shook his head in resignation, knowing that his words would go unheard by the playful duo.

Dismissing the topic, Krishav didn't want to further upset Kunj. Viraj gave a quick peck on Kunj's cheek, and Viraj, squishing Kunj's face lightly, exclaimed, "Aww! I missed you so much, bubba."

Kunj snuggled into Viren's warmth, reciprocating the same amount of love.

Prerna cleared her throat, capturing Viraj's attention. He sheepishly smiled at her and called out softly, "massi maa!"

Safely placing Kunj on his high chair, Viraj approached Prerna for a hug.

Instead of a warm embrace, he received a firm twist of his ear, prompting Viraj to let out a soft shriek. "Ahh massi maa, my poor ear," Viraj pleaded with puppy eyes.

Prerna released her grip on Viraj's ear after giving it another twist. Once free, Viraj took two steps back, rubbing his ears gently. "My poor ear, massi maa, why did you punish me? I didn't even do anything," Viraj muttered softly, looking at Prerna with an expression of injustice.

"Come here, young man, let me twist your ear again, then you'll finally realize what you did," Prerna warned, her big eyes fixed on Viraj, causing him to twiddle his fingers nervously.

Viraj stood in his place, not uttering a word, trying to recall his actions that led to his sweet massi maa scolding him.

Prerna glanced at Viraj, who shifted nervously in his place, his eyes avoiding hers.

The room was filled with the sound of silence, broken only by Prerna's loud sigh.

She gently twisted Viraj's ear again, causing him to wince. "Huh, young man, does the word 'bike' ring a bell?" she asked, her voice soft but firm.

Viraj reached out and held Prerna's hand, his touch light and trembling. "Maasi maa, my ear, please," he spoke softly, a nervous smile playing on his lips.

Prerna released him, and Viraj quickly covered his ears, his gaze shifting to Krishav with a sense of betrayal.

Krishav, seemingly unaffected, spoke nonchalantly, "Don't look at me like that, it wasn't me."

Prerna lightly slapped Viraj. "What do you think, if you both hide things from me, I won't find out?" she questioned, her voice tinged with anger as she glanced at both of them.

Viraj hugged Prerna, seeking comfort. "I'm sorry, massi maa, I know it was my fault. I'm okay, maa, I didn't get hurt. Please don't worry about it," he spoke soothingly, aware of Prerna's concern for his well-being.

He realized it was futile to hide the truth any longer. "I promise you, massi maa, I won't even touch the bike again before reaching legal age, and I promise I will not be reckless again," he rushed to say before Prerna could scold him further.

Pulling away from the embrace, he looked at Prerna with pleading eyes. "No more scoldings, please. I've already received enough punishment for it."

Prerna sighed, her hand gently ruffling his hair. "Bacha, we are just worried about you. Fine, you three go now and play together. I have some work to do. You can find me in the study if you need anything," she said, getting up from the breakfast table and making her way towards the study.

Viraj let out a sigh of relief looking at Prerna's disappearing body, which he didn't release he was holding

Viraj carried Kunj in his arms as they walked towards the living room. He couldn't help but feel surprised at how easily Kunj nestled into his embrace.

The room was filled with the scent of fresh carpet and the sight of Kunj's toys spread out on the floor.

Krishav sat down beside Viraj, passing blocks to Kunj, who paid him no attention. Instead, he reached out for a teddy bear held by Viraj, leaving Viraj shocked and Krishav defeated.

"Wow! What's happening here? Kunj ignored his bhai. Am I dreaming?" Viraj exclaimed, lightly slapping himself in disbelief.

Kunj laughed, the sound filling the room as he looked at his buddy's silly action.

"Tell me quickly, what's gotten into both of you??" Viraj exclaimed, his eyebrows raised with anticipation, as he looked at Krishav.

Krishav let out a small sigh and avoided Viraj's gaze, instead focusing on Kunj, who was engrossed in playing with cars.

The sound of cars crashing into each other filled the room, accompanied by Kunj's adorable sounds of delight. Krishav couldn't help but smile, his heart warming at the sight of Kunj's innocent actions.

Interrupting Krishav, Viraj's head came between them, causing Krishav to push his best friend away in frustration.

However, Viraj was persistent and wouldn't back down until he unraveled the truth. He continued pestering Krishav until he finally gave in.

"Fine, Kunj is angry at me and ignoring me, too. Happy? Now get away and stop irritating me," Krishav spoke irritably, shoving away Viraj's hand that was wrapped around his shoulder.

But Viraj wouldn't be easily brushed off. He insisted on knowing the reason, blowing air into Krishav's ear, making him cringe and lightly hit Viraj.

"I promised to spend the whole day with him and Mom, but I got caught up in football practice and the gaming zone, and I forgot about it. By the time I realized, it was too late. Plus, I woke up late and didn't even wake him up, Kunj. So now he's angry with me," Krishav explained, his face etched with a deep frown.

Viraj burst into laughter, finding Krishav's predicament amusing. "Wow! It's a once-in-a-century occurrence, you forgetting a promise, especially to Kunj," Viraj chuckled, imagining Krishav's desperate attempts to appease Kunj.

Kunj watched Viraj laugh hysterically, his own brain refusing to be influenced by such madness. He moved away from them, wanting to distance himself from Viraj's foolish behavior.

"Let me guess, you asked for forgiveness and Kunj refused, isn't it?" Krishav nodded with a sulking expression.

"Haha, someone finally made the great Krishav Singh Ranawat grovel for forgiveness," Viraj laughed, looking at Krishav's annoyed face.

Krishav shoved his best friend away, settling on the sofa with a huff. He glanced at Viraj, who was now sticking close to Kunj, making him even more jealous. Krishav longed to touch even Kunj's hair, but it was Viraj who had the privilege, as Kunj sat peacefully, enjoying his toy guitar.

Viraj caught Krishav's eye and winked, then squished Kunj's cheek and made him kiss his own cheek. .

Krishav clenched his fist, his face contorted with anger and sadness, and swiftly rose from his seat.

He made his way towards the kitchen, the sound of his footsteps echoing through the room.

Viraj watched Krishav's hunched figure, sensing the sadness emanating from him.

Once he was certain Krishav was out of earshot, Viraj turned to Kunj. "Bubba, why are you so angry with your bhai??" Viraj spoke softly, his gentle touch caressing Kunj's soft hair.

"Bhai promised, didn't spend time with kannu and mumma, and and forgot kannu in the morning," Kunj sulked, expressing his grievances about his brother's mistakes.

"Huh, that's too bad. He shouldn't have forgotten his promise," Viraj replied, feigning anger as he supported Kunj.

Kunj nodded, showing his agreement with Viraj's words. "But bacha, bhai is also trying to express that he is sorry about forgetting his promise. I know he's not expressive, but he's really sorry, bacha," Viraj explained.

Kunj stared at Viraj, his expression filled with shock as he observed Viraj suddenly speaking in Krishav's support.

"Listen to me first, bache. Krishu was really tired yesterday, and we forced him to come along with us. I know he still hasn't fulfilled his promise, but look at him now, he's completely wilted like a flower," Viraj continued.

"Your bhai is really sorry, kannu. He would almost cry, his eyes are holding tears, bache. He really loves you a lot, baby," Viraj spoke softly and simply, hoping that Kunj would understand.

Kunj stared at Viraj for a few seconds, then turned his gaze towards the kitchen where his bhai had disappeared a few minutes ago.

Viraj noticed Kunj's contemplative expression and sighed. "It's okay, bubba, if you don't want to forgive your bhai. I can take him along with me forever," Viraj said, his tone serious as he hugged the teddy bear that Krishav had given to Kunj.

Kunj quickly snapped his head towards Viraj, glaring at him cutely, and snatched the teddy from his hand, causing Viraj to smile internally.

"My bhaii," Kunj possessively declared, holding the teddy close to himself. J

ust before Viraj could say anything, Krishav emerged from the kitchen, holding a plate covered with a cloche in his hand.

Viraj and Kunj stared at Krishav as he placed the plate in front of Kunj and nervously knelt down in front of him. Krishav removed the cloche, revealing a stunning bento cake with "sorry" adorably written on it.

Viraj smiled softly, his eyes fixed on the cake, while Kunj looked at it with fascination, his mouth watering. Krishav's voice broke the silence, capturing their attention once more.

"I'm sorry, kannu," Krishav's voice quivered as tears welled up in his eyes.

"Bhai didn't mean to fail to fulfill his promise." The room was filled with a heavy silence as he continued, "As much as you want to spend time with me, I too want to do the same. But yesterday, unexpected scenarios arose out of nowhere, and I have no excuses. And today, I was too tired. I didn't even realize when the clock rang, and I switched off, going to sleep."

His voice cracked with emotion, and tears slipped down from Krishav's eyes, tracing a path down his cheeks.

In a rush, Kunj, rushed up to him and wrapped his tiny arms around his bhai. Krishav held him close to his chest, feeling the warmth and softness of Kunj's embrace.

A broken sob escaped Krishav's lips as Kunj whispered, "Kannu, sorry, bhaii don't cry, please. Kannu forgives bhaii. Kannu not angry. Bhai, no cry."

Tears welled up in Kunj's eyes too as he wiped Krishav's tears with his tiny hands. Both brothers wept softly into one another's arms, their tears mingling. The room was filled with the sound of their quiet sobs, creating a melody of sorrow and forgiveness.

Krishav held Kunj tightly, feeling the rise and fall of his little brother's chest against his own. He breathed in the familiar scent of Kunj's milky skin, finding solace in its sweetness.

Reluctantly, Krishav loosened his hold on Kunj, wanting to make sure his little brother wasn't angry anymore.

Viraj, turned away, quickly wiping his own tears. The room filled with a cheery tone as he spoke, "If you both are done with your crying session and forgiving one another, shall we eat the cake? Rats are jumping in my tummy now."

Krishav laughed, feeling a sense of relief washed over him, and pulled Viraj into a hug. "Thanks yarr," Krishav spoke softly as he broke the hug.

Viraj lightly hit Krishav's arm, playfully teasing him. "Yarr v bolta haii aur sorry v." Krishav laughed, feeling a weight lifting off his shoulders, and held Kunj's hand as they cut the cake together.

Prerna, watched the scene unfolding downstairs with moist eyes and a smile on her face. The room was filled with her silent prayers as she hoped for their happiness to remain intact and may they always be together.

Wiping the tears from her own eyes, she made her way back to the study, her heart filled with love and gratitude.

                     *****************

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