"AAS?" Aryan asked in surprise.
"AAS?"
The boys looked up to see Aniket.
Ayaansh gave him a huge smile and nodded eagerly. "Haan, Bhaiyu! AAS! Usne thode hi gaane gaaye hai par saare kitne amazing hai. I'm a huge fan of his, Bhaiyu!"
Aryan and Aniket looked at each other.
"He's the best!" Aryan couldn't hold back himself.
Ayaansh agreed wholeheartedly.
"Ek second!" Ayaansh turned to him. "Tu jaanta hai woh kon hai?"
The pride in Aryan's voice registered in his brain a second later.
A hopeful Aryan looked at Aniket who softly nodded making Aryan jump in excitement. There were only a few people who were aware of the information. His younger brother deserved to know it from them!
"Kya hua?" Ayaansh asked, confused at the interaction between his brothers.
"AAS! Bhai, achche se socho!" Aryan said.
Ayaansh frowned. He was clueless what his little brother was talking about. Aryan gave a pointed look towards Aniket and it took a moment for the realisation to dawn upon Ayaansh. His eyes widened in astonishment as he looked at his Bhaiyu.
A soft smile played on Aniket's lips. Certain memories and moments in life could never fade away, for they were treasured more than the life itself!
"Mai?"
There was evident surprise in Aniket's voice.
"Haan, Aniket. You've a brilliant voice. It would stand out like gold in the crowd. I want you to record song for me!" Ritvik told him.
"Record a song?" Aniket was taken aback. Whole country knew Ritvik Birla only took the best! He was asking him to record song for him?
Ritvik nodded.
Aniket fidgeted and looked at Arnav who was standing silently till then.
"Can you please wait for a bit, Ritvik?" Arnav asked.
Ritvik gladly agreed and walked away to give the brothers some privacy.
"Bhaiya.."
"What's the issue, Ani?" Arnav walked closer and slung an arm around his little brother. "Tera idol tujhe song offer kar rha hai! Mujhe toh laga tha tu Khushi se uchhal padega.."
Aniket smiled slightly.
"I'm happy with law, Bhaiya. Singer nhi banna mujhe!"
Arnav frowned. "Par kyun, Ani? Tu itna achcha gata hai! Ritvik is never the one to sugarcoat his words. Tu jaanta hai he only chooses the best! Use Teri awaaz bohot pasand aayi hai, bachcha! You always wanted to sing with him, hai na?"
Aniket nodded. He had always seen Ritvik on television with stars in his eyes. It was his dream to sing alongside him one day. Untill their life turned upside down!
"Bhaiya, mujhe Ritvik Bhai ke saath gaana tha par woh pehle ki baat hai. Music mera passion hai but I don't want to get into it professionally."
"Kyun, bachcha? Music is your dream!"
Aniket looked away. It was a twelve years old Aniket's dream! The child who hadn't seen the outside world, who hadn't suffered enough to differentiate between dreams and fantasies. As he started growing up, he realised music could be his fantasy, but not dream. Arnav changed that for him! Music didn't only remain as his dream but became his passion as well. But he didn't want to make it his profession anymore!
"Kya soch rha hai?" Arnav asked gently.
"Kuch nhi, Bhaiya. Mujhe lawyer banna hai. Bachpan me toh sab sapna hi lagta hai, I don't want to record any song!" Aniket tried for a playful tone but Arnav saw right through his facade.
"Pehle ki baat aur thi, Ani. Ab kyu apni ichchha maar rha hai tu?"
Aniket looked down.
His demeanor told Arnav what he was thinking. He remembered when one of Aniket's music teachers had been very impressed by his voice and suggested him to approach music industry for singing opportunities. Aniket had been fascinated by the idea. When his teacher took him and to a small music company, the person they met asked money from them in the exchange of setting up a meeting with a music director. What he had asked was a huge amount of sum for the brothers but they pooled their savings and managed the money somehow. After a few days they got to know that the person had been a fraud who had looted a lot of youngsters including them!
The incident left Aniket disheartened beyond words. He blamed himself for falling in the trap and wasting their hard earned money. He got several small offers after that he declined them without a second thought. They had just enough for their sustenance, nothing to waste anymore!
"I know you've suffered a lot, Ani. Jo hua woh galat hua!" Arnav cupped his face. His voice was heavy with regret. He wanted Aniket to take up the opportunities he was getting but at the same time he was helpless. Being financially broke had never hurt him more than at those instances when his brothers had to curb their will due to it.
"Mai haalaaton se majboor tha. Tujhe aur Aru ke liye tab Mai kuch nhi kar saka..."
"Aap yeh sab kya keh rhe ho, Bhaiya?" Aniket stopped him with a gasp. "Aapne humare liye kuch nhi kiya? Mere liye, Aru ke liye kuch nhi kiya? Humare liye aapne apni zindagi badal di aur aap yeh sab..."
Aniket pulled away from him as the angry tears rushed to his eyes.
"Ani.." Arnav tried to reach for him.
"Akela chhod do aap mujhe! Koi baat nhi karni mujhe aapse!" Aniket snapped at him angrily.
"Achcha, I'm sorry. Tu sun.." Arnav pulled him to sit down with him and spoke gently. "Mera kehne ka woh matlab nhi tha, Ani."
"Toh kya matlab tha?" Aniket's eyes filled up.
Arnav hugged him. "Achcha, I'm sorry, tu ro mat please." Aniket's tears still hurt him more than anything else.
Aniket held onto him. "Aapki vajah se hi toh aaj mai yahan tak aaya na, Bhaiya. Aapne apna bachpan qurban kar diya mujh par aur Aru par. Aapne ek anjaan bachche ko zindagi di, Bhaiya. Uss bachche se jisse aapka koi rishta bhi nhi tha, na khoon ka..."
"Dil ka rishta toh tha na, bachcha?" Arnav cut him off and pulled away gently.
"Tu aur Aru meri jaan ho, Ani. Teri siwa mera tha hi kon bata? Mujhse koi rishta nhi hai tera?"
Aniket's eyes brimmed up again. He could never express in words what Arnav meant to him!
"Give yourself another chance, Ani. Apne liye na sahi toh mere liye? Please?"
The pleading did the job. Aniket sighed. He could fight with his brother any day without hesitation but couldn't even argue back when he was pleading him that way.
