"Agasthya..."

Aaryan again and again asked him but Agasthya remained silent. He stared at the floor instead of facing his brother.

Aaryan stepped back. From Agasthya's reaction he understood that it was a truth. Their father was murdered...

"Very nice Agasthya... You both made me a stupid... Neither you nor Anirudh believe me..."

"Aary bhaiya please... I love you... I believe you..."

"Yes of course..." Aaryan shook his head "That's why you masked this from me... Don't pretend to be innocent Agasthya... I gave you all freedom to share anything with me, I tried my best to make you one of us... And you paid back in a pretty good way..."

Agasthya was unable to correct Aaryan. What his brother said wasn't a lie. Aaryan gave him chance to open his mind, several times... But Agasthya preferred to keep it as a secret. He never thought that it will be revealed by himself in this way.

"It hurts... It really hurts when you realise that the most precious people in your life don't trust you... Am I that much useless, Agasthya?"

The torture and grief reflected in Aaryan's sound was deep... It made Agasthya regret. The damage he had made was irreversible.

"Sorry bhaiya... Sorry..."

Whispered Agasthya wiping Aaryan's tears. Then he hugged him.

Aaryan didn't hug him back and also didn't push him away. He was frozen. In his entire life he never felt this much hurt. Even though he acted as cool in front of Anirudh when the latter confessed about his lies, it was killing him from inside. Just after a moment he got the same experience from Agasthya also. It was enough for him.

"Bhaiya please... Don't hate me... Please..."

Agasthya pleaded. He was afraid to lose his brother, again.

Aaryan smiled in pain.

"For me, love and bonds are not a simple matter Agasthya... I can't hate you..."

Agasthya couldn't hold his sobs. He had thought about sharing everything with his brothers but Anirudh's avoidance made him feel doubt over that.

He waited for his eldest brother who hates him and ended up with hurting Aaryan, who loved him...

"I am sorry..." He repeated. He had nothing else to say.

"But you broke my trust, Agasthya..."

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

"Did you talk with him?"
Whispered Meghna to Anirudh while checking his bandages.

"No" Anirudh sighed. "I didn't get a chance..."

Then he turned his head towards his brothers. They were sitting touching each other but there was something unusual. Both were silent and gloomy.
They were roaming in distance even though they were physically close.

"We have to buy these medicines..." Said Meghna.

"I will go..."

Aaryan snatched the prescription from her hand and walked out of the room. He wished to escape from that suffocation.

Anirudh and Meghna narrowed their eyes on his sudden unexpected reaction.

"He usually stuck with me... "
Anirudh said. He couldn't digest anything.

Meghna smiled at Anirudh.

"Speak with Agasthya... Right now..."

"What? now!"

"Yes" exclaimed Meghna while collecting her stethoscope and writing pad from the table to move away.

"You are already late Anirudh... If not now, then never..."

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

Anirudh glared at Agasthya. He couldn't find any topics to start a conversation.
So he decided to ask his help.

"Agasthya will you help me to sit..."

"Oh, Sure..." Agasthya replied with a jerk.
He helped Anirudh and arranged a pillow for him.

"Are you comfortable?"

"Yes... Perfectly..."

Agasthya's red and swollen eyes again started to be filled with tears and Anirudh noticed it.

'You have to apologize... For everything...'

But before Anirudh could start,

"I am sorry..."

Anirudh gulped when he saw Agasthya crying heavily. He was shocked.

"What happened?"
Asked Anirudh and made Agasthya sit on his bed, near to him.

Agasthya took deep breaths to balance his mind. He expected a bursting out from Anirudh but he can't wait more.

"Forgive me Papa... " He murmured. "I am not strong enough to keep this promise..."

"Agasthya... Are you alright?"
Anirudh patted on the cheeks of his younger brother.

"I hid a secret from you..."

"What's that?"

"Our father's murder."

............. AT LONDON............
(flash back )

"No Papa... No excuses... This is the third time..."

Pouted Agasthya while throwing cushions aiming his father.

Rajeev sighed being helpless. Passifying his son was one of the greatest tasks he faced in each weekend.

"Sorry... Sorry... Sorry..." He whispered while hugging Agasthya.

Angry Agasthya tried to escape from his hold but his father defeated him by kissing on his forehead.

Agasthya moved close to his father and complained. "You don't love me Papa..."

"Really?" Rajeev laughed.

"Don't laugh... I am serious..." Commanded Agasthya.

"Oh... Sorry again..."

"If you love me, then how could you forget me?"

"Who told you that I forgot my August?"

"Don't call me 'August'..."

"Then what should I call you? September?"

"You are really irritating me... Papa... I am very dangerous when I am angry..."
Exclaimed Agasthya trying his best for a death glare.

Rajeev couldn't help but giggle.
"What a joke Agasthya... You are really cute when you become angry... Especially your red nose and puppy eyes..."

Agasthya sighed. He couldn't trap his father with anything other than his drama.

So he started to weep.

"Don't cry dear... I was just kidding... August is super hot...Not only when he is angry but everytime..."

Rajeev cupped Agasthya's face and wiped his tears with his fingers.

"What made you sad?"

"Papa... You promised me a Saturday outing and I am waiting for you last three weeks but you didn't come..."

Rajeev didn't reply. He had tried to be with Agasthya but he couldn't.

"When will you take me with you to our new house papa? I am really bored... I can't live here alone... I can't live away from you..."

"I will take you as soon as possible dear..."

"You are repeating the same for last ten years papa..."

Rajeev sighed. He was guilty for making his son alone. Agasthya was locked inside his house while other children of his age were enjoying their teenage and freedom.

"I won't make you wait more August... I will fix everything... I will make you happy..."

Agasthya couldn't understand what his father meant.

"If you want, you can make me happy right now..." Agasthya grinned.

Rajeev smiled at his mischievous little boy.

"Ok... I gussed your plan... Get ready... We can have dinner from a restaurant..."

"Oh my papa is the best..." Agasthya jumped in delight.

"Ok... Ok... I will wait for you out side... Make it fast..." Said Rajeev while closing the door.

Agasthya opened his cupboard to select a suitable dress, humming few lines of his favourite song.
He was really happy.

"NO..." He heard a sudden yell and at the same time heard the sound of a gunshot also.

"Papa..." Agasthya screamed while running towards the hall. He was sure that the cry was from his father.

Agasthya's heart skipped a beat when he saw his father lying on the floor, middle of a pool of blood.

"Papa..." He collapsed on the floor.

With a great effort Rajeev touched on his son's cheek to wipe his flowing tears.

"You won't be alone Agasthya... You won't be alone... You will have your elder brothers with you..."

Agasthya couldn't believe his ears.

"Brothers?"

Rajeev gasped. It was being really hard for him to breath.

"Don't reveal anything to them about my murder, Agasthya... Promise me..."

Agasthya couldn't reply.

"Agasthya... Please..."

"Papa... Papa... I promise you..."

"Let it all end with my death..."
Said Rajeev closing his eyes...for ever...

"Papa..." Agasthya murmured. He realized, his father was no more...

Agasthya felt a sudden pain. He felt someone crushing his heart...

Only thing visible to his eyes was darkness...

.................... (flash back ends ).........

"I don't know who was the killer... I don't remember anything after that... When I opened my eyes next time, I was in a hospital... Doctor said me, I had a panic attack..."

Agasthya chocked.

"Papa died in front of me... I... I couldn't save him..."

Anirudh embraced Agasthya tightly.
He couldn't find any words to reduce Agasthya's sorrow.

With a graving heart Anirudh remembered about the numerous missed calls on his mobile from his father. Rajeev continuously tried to speak with his eldest son, especially in the last week before his death. But as always, Anirudh denied.

"What was he trying to share with me?"

💔💔💔💔💔

This chapter isn't over. It will continue on next update...