Aditya's POV

“Aditya…. Can I ask you a question?” Zoya asked as I was keeping our bags in the car trunk.

We were at Mumbai airport back from Delhi after attending Aarohi's engagement. It was indeed a fun trip. Thanks to Zoya for taking me there or I would have missed such a good chance. 

“Hmm…” I nodded, smiling. 

We were continuously talking about this or that, the whole way. Though we still didn't agree with each other about Akhilesh's behaviour. According to her, he was being friendly. I scowled at that. He was being cheap and flirty. That's all. 

“Is Arjun your brother?” 

“Hmm…” I agreed on that smiling.

“As in cousin brother? Because you don't have any real sibling…” She asked. I closed the car trunk and rounded the car to sit on the driver seat.

“Aditya…” She called after me as I sat on the driver seat. Soon, she too settled herself in the passenger seat beside me.

“No Zoya… He is my best friend.” I answered while bringing the engine to life. 

“You only agreed that he is your brother. Isn't he a Hooda too?” She asked frowning. I rolled my eyes.

“Am I the only Hooda present on earth? Can't another family have the same surname…” Realisation crossed her face.

“I haven't got the surname patent!” I chuckled.

“So… Arjun isn't your brother…” 

God! She is so thick!

“Zoya… The way Aarohi is like your sister, Arjun is like my brother…” 

“Now, got it?” I glanced at her while driving. She nodded.

“His family?” She asked, hesitating.

I understand why she wants to know more about Arjun. First of all, he is dating Noor. Secondly, he also comes in her friend circle. She must have been curious about him from sometime or maybe not. 

“His family died in a train accident.” I voiced out.

“Oh…” She couldn't say anything else about it. 

“I still remember he wanted to be all alone at that time….” Saying so, I went down the memory lane.

The train accident was a disaster. The hospital was full of injured people, dead bodies and people searching for their loved ones. Till the end Arjun didn't lose hope that his parents might be alive but he received their bodies. On the above he showed frustration but I knew he was sad from inside.

Some of his relatives arrived directly at the place where he was performing the last rites and left from there only, sympathizing him. Mumma and Dad were also there helping him. Mumma asked me to bring Arjun home and this stubborn guy was asking me to leave him alone.

After so much persuasion, I am here dropping him at his home and he is getting frustrated because he wanted me to leave. As soon I parked the car in the cooperative society he lives, he stormed out of the car taking his bag. I have never seen him like this. I followed him till his apartment.

Standing in front of the main door of his apartment, he started to search for the keys in his pocket, hastily. Not finding them, he groaned. I took out the key from my pocket. Idiot forgot that he gave it to me. 

“Here…” I forwarded him the key.

“Thanks…” He muttered taking it. 

“You know I can do this on my own…” He spoke while opening the door. 

“I know you can… But you don't have to…!” I replied. He shook his head sighing. 

I stayed with him that day. Mumma sent us food through driver. Next day, he heard an earful from Mumma. You know she loves Arjun just like me. Sharing the same surname, his parents became our close friends and indeed they were good people. You can guess it by looking at Arjun. She asked him to stay with us but he didn't. We all insisted but he used to left after dinner. Then after few days he, himself started to stay with us. 

I told Zoya about all these.

“Ofcourse… Empty home used to have remind him of his parents.” She spoke, with a tint of sadness in her voice.

“Same have happened with you…” I kind of stated.

“I had Noor. Noor had me. And Maasi stayed with us for a long time.” I nodded. 

“But it isn't easy to cope up. I can understand what Arjun was going through as he wasn't opening up. Did he ever talked about it?” She asked. I shook my head.

“He never talked about it but after sometime he was back to normal.”

“Isn't it weird that we look at others and say they have better life than us, that they are so happy. Whereas those people are also dealing with something not same as ours but still.” I couldn't help but agree.

“Everyone have their own problems to deal with Zoya. Different yet they are there in all lives.” 

Soon we reached her home and I stopped the car in front of the gates of Raichand villa. 

“Byee…” I spoke not knowing what to say now. 

Why byes are so awkward?

“Amm… Wait!” She spoke and shuffled through her handbag. I looked at her amused.

What is she searching for?

“Ahh… Here it is…”

She forwarded me a hanging. I took it from her and gazed at it. I read what was written on it and smiled. 

“I didn't know what is your favourite. I bought it because you can hang it here on your rear view mirror. It will look good. I mean if you like it, you can hang it. No pressure on that. An-” 

“Hey… hey…” I stopped her babble, softly.

She gave me a nervous and sheepish smile.

“It's beautiful. Here, hang it!” I forwarded it to her to hang. 

She took it from me and hung it on the rear view mirror with a wide smile.

“Chalo, bye..!” She said and climbed down the car. I too came out of the car and took out her bags from the car trunk. 

“Thanks…” She said and I raised my brows asking for what.

“For the ride till here…” She spoke with a tight lipped smile.

She is thanking me as if she was not the one who was ordering me around for booking tickets and driving us to airport, while we were leaving for Delhi.

“Thank you…” I spoke. She looked at me with a confused smile.

“For that car accessory.” I referred to that hanging. I was genuine and wasn't teasing like her.

She shook her head smiling. Then I went stiff because she suddenly hugged me wrapping her arms around my torso. 

“Thank you so much for those little figurines.” She whispered. 

I think she really really like those small figurines. I am glad, she liked the ones I brought.

I smiled and hugged her lightly by circling her shoulders.

“Your welcome.”

“And for coming to Delhi….” She whispered. 

I acted as if I didn't hear it. It is me who is grateful Zoya. It shouldn't be you.
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I entered the office and all the chitter-chatter died down as soon everyone got it that I am there. Woah! Am I that scary? I never realised it. 

I walked in and many of my employees greeted me to which I replied with a nod. Without even sparing a glance to my cabin, I moved towards Arjun's cabin. Ofcourse, I have returned today and it's evening now, I am not gonna work now.

I entered his cabin without knocking, only to find him sleeping by keeping his head on the closed laptop with his mouth open. 

What is wrong with him these days? Not talking to me properly, always being busy and now sleeping in office. 

Nobody would have the heart to wake him up after seeing him like this. But I do not come in that nobody category. I so much want to wake him up by kicking him. But I ain't that cruel.

“Arjun!!!” I called him loudly and shook him so that he could wake up.

“Huh? Haa?” He woke up hastily. His hands immediately searching for his glasses. 

In a minute he was awake with his glasses on his nose.

“Aditya??” He looked at me as if I did a crime by coming here.

I decided to ignore it because he looks quite tired. 

“Lets go home.” He thought for a minute and then nodded. 

I was not planning to let my frustration out in the office. Let's maintain professionalism here.
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We were in the car on the way to home. I was driving and Arjun is trying to take a nap but I am not letting him.

“How was the ceremony? You went out after quite a while.” He asked yawning, finally giving up the idea of taking a nap.

“Finally! You got time to talk.” I taunted. He scoffed.

“I had important works to handle. I will tell about all of it when we will reach home. Now tell me how was it there?” 

I told him almost everything and by the time I finished, I was parking the car. We climbed out and he rang the doorbell. He was smiling without saying anything. I frowned. What is it that he found so funny?

“What?!” I asked. Before he could answer Mumma opened the door and squealed. 

“Oh! Adi you are back!” She hugged me. I chuckled. She can never change. 

The time passed away just like that and I decided to skip discussing work with Arjun. We will talk about it tomorrow morning in office.

I retired to my room and changing I slipped into my bed. For the first time in these few years, I am going to bed without any question, worries and distractions. I glanced at the book which was lying on my bedside table. It was given by Zoya. But before I could pick it up to continue where I left it, I felt my eyes drooping. Soon I was pulled in a peaceful slumber.
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