Chapter: Imaginary Grave And Anvi Can't Sing Saala

Soon, they reached the Jaisingh mansion.

The entire drive, the suffocating silence, the brief but terrifying conversations Arnav had with her after the running-away incident, had made one thing painfully clear to Avyuktha:

She was in grave trouble.
Capital G. Capital T.

So naturally, she spent the whole ride doing the only logical thing left,
promising every god she could remember that she would never, ever, in her entire existence repeat this crime again.

Lord Shiva got three vows.
Krishna ji got emotional blackmail.
Ganpati ji got sweets in advance.

And when that still didn't feel enough, Avyuktha upgraded her prayers.

She begged them for help.
Specifically, she requested that the incident be gently removed from Arnav's brain.

A little short-term memory loss would be perfect.
Nothing permanent.
Just... selective amnesia.
Very neat. Very ethical.

She was right in the middle of mentally drafting this divine deal when the car suddenly stopped, brutally interrupting her holy bribery session.

The gates opened.

The Jaisingh mansion stood tall and unforgiving.

Everyone stepped out and began walking toward it.

Everyone... except Avyuktha, who followed a step behind, shoulders slumped, face solemn, soul already halfway in the afterlife.

She didn't walk in.

She snuck in.

Like someone attending her own funeral,
quiet, terrified, and absolutely certain the worst was yet to come.

So she did what any sane person would do in a situation like this.

She attempted a silent escape.

The moment everyone entered the hall, Avyuktha slowly, meekly, began to peel herself away from the group. Inch by inch. Breath held. Soul praying.

One step back.
Another step sideways.

Perfect.

In quick, careful steps, she turned toward her room, already imagining the sweet safety of her bed, a place where punishments could not reach her.

Or so she hoped.

Then a voice cut through the air.

Her heart leapt into her throat.
Her steps froze mid-motion.

She stood there....stiff, wide-eyed, like a deer caught in the unforgiving red light of an oncoming truck.

"Come here, Avyuktha."

Three words.

Just three.

Avyuktha closed her eyes.

Because in her mind, she could already see her grave.

A neat marble slab.
Well maintained.
Probably placed somewhere in the Jaisingh garden.

Engraved in elegant letters:

Here lies

Avyuktha Jaisingh

Aged: 12 years

Cause of death: Testing Arnav Jaisingh's patience.

Below it, in smaller letters:

Lovely child.
Terrible decision-maker.
Gone too soon.

And right beneath that, the words that ended her existence:

"Come here, Avyuktha."

The same three words, carved deep into stone.

She swallowed hard.

Her escape plan was officially dead.

And judging by the grave in her imagination... she was about to be too.

Arnav repeated it.

This time, his voice was cold, stripped of the warmth it usually carried, empty of affection, empty of mercy.

"Avyuktha."

That was it.

Her spiralling thoughts screeched to a halt, like a record brutally yanked off the player.

She took one last look at her imaginary gravestone, still fresh, still accusing and then, with the enthusiasm of someone walking toward certain doom, she turned around.

Slowly.
Hesitantly.

Each step toward Arnav felt heavier than the last.

He was seated on the couch, calm, composed, like a judge who already knew the verdict and was merely waiting for the criminal to arrive.

Avyuktha's eyes darted toward Maan and Anvi, who stood nearby with a sleeping Aarush in their arms.

She stared at them.
Hard.

A silent plea.

Save me.
Lie for me.
Create a distraction.
Fake a fire.

ANYTHING.

They stared back at her with equal intensity.

And then... they subtly shook their heads.

Helpless.

Traitors.

Her gaze dropped to Aarush, sleeping peacefully, completely unaware that his sister's life was moments away from being erased.

Her heart clenched.

Jiji always loved you, Aarush, she thought solemnly.
Remember me kindly. Tell people I was brave.

And with that tragic internal farewell, Avyuktha finally reached her doom.

Also known as...

Arnav Jaisingh.

She stopped in front of him, hands clasped, head lowered, soul already preparing its apology speech.

The trial had begun.

As Avyuktha stood in front of Arnav, he suddenly reached out, grasped her wrists, and gently, but firmly pulled her forward, making her stand between his knees.

That was it.

That single action wiped away whatever bravery she had left.

Avyuktha gulped, her throat dry, and looked at him meekly, like a soldier awaiting sentence.

In a cold, controlled voice, Arnav asked,
"Why were you running like a madgirl on the road, Avyuktha?"

The sound of her own name, spoken like that, shattered something inside her.

Before she could stop herself, her eyes filled, and a lone tear slipped down her cheek.

She quickly looked down and sniffled.

Arnav watched her for a moment, silent.

Then he asked, calmer now,
"Why are you crying... daanta maine?"

Avyuktha shook her head, still staring at the floor.

"Maara maine?" he asked again.

She shook her head once more.

Arnav's voice hardened just a little.
"Then why are you crying, Avyuktha? And look up when I'm talking to you."

She didn't.

Even though every nerve in her body screamed at her to look at him, she kept her gaze fixed on the floor like it held the secrets of the universe.

Arnav exhaled slowly, a long, tired breath.

"Avyuktha," he said, "I am really running thin on patience. Look at me when I talk to you."

She sniffed again.

And then, against every warning her remaining brain cells flashed, she muttered stubbornly, still looking down,

"Aap pehle mera naam leke bulao."

Silence.

Dead. Absolute. Fatal.

She instantly realized this was not the time to make demands.

Her brain screamed WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT.

Too late.

Her imaginary grave upgraded itself immediately.

Now it wasn't marble anymore, it was premium stone.

Here lies

Avyuktha Jaisingh
Age: 12

Cause of death: Talking back at the wrong time

Additional notes:
Ignored internal survival alarms
Chose attitude over life

And carved at the very bottom, in bold, unforgiving letters:

"Aap pehle mera naam leke bulao."

She swallowed hard.

This was it.

Arnav exhaled slowly, rubbing his tongue against the inside of his cheek before saying, "Avyuktha... tumhara hi naam hai na? Ya mera hai?"

Avyuktha shook her head slightly, still staring at the floor like it might open up and swallow her.

"Hoga mera naam Avyuktha..." she muttered stubbornly, voice muffled,
"Par aapke liye Avu hai.... Aap wahi bolo."

She sniffed again and wiped her nose with the back of her hand, looking very much like a tragic, emotional, and extremely unbothered child who had decided this was the hill she would die on.

Behind her, Maan and Anvi exchanged a look.

The kind of look reserved for people who clearly possessed zero survival instincts.

Maan's eyes screamed Has she lost her mind?
Anvi's expression silently asked Does she want to live?

Because demanding pet names from a man whose patience was already hanging by a thread was not bravery.

It was stupidity.

Elite-level stupidity.

Arnav stared at Avyuktha for a long moment.

Long enough for her imaginary grave to start engraving bonus text.

And then

"Avu," he said softly.

Her head snapped up instantly.

Victory flashed in her eyes for exactly half a second.

Then he continued.

"Since you seem to be in a negotiating mood, let me make something very clear."

His voice didn't rise.
Didn't waver.

"That name is used when I'm being gentle....When I'm reassuring you.... When I'm making sure you feel safe."

He leaned forward slightly, gaze locking onto hers.

"Right now," he said quietly,
"I'm not doing any of those things."

The room held its breath.

"So you don't get to decide how I call you," Arnav continued. "And you definitely don't get to test my patience when you've already exhausted it."

Avyuktha's earlier triumph evaporated instantly.

Her imaginary gravestone updated again, now glowing ominously:

Here lies

Avyuktha Jaisingh
Age: 12

Died bravely while negotiating pet names...During a life-threatening lecture

Cause of death: Overconfidence. Fatal.

Arnav straightened, his tone still frighteningly even.

"Now," he said, "Answer my question properly."

Silence.

Heavy. Final.

Avyuktha swallowed.

This time... there would be no arguing her way out.

Avyuktha finally looked at him.

Her eyes were red, lashes clumped together with tears she refused to let fall again. She wiped her nose with the back of her hand, sniffed loudly, and said in a small voice,

"Woh... Kashi dikh gayi thi... Usse milna tha mujhe... isliye."

Arnav didn't respond immediately.

He watched her, the trembling lip, the stubborn chin, the tear she was fighting with all her might and something in his expression shifted.

Not soft.

But... restrained.

"So," he said slowly, "You ran onto a road full of cars..."

His gaze sharpened.

"...because you wanted to say hello?"

Avyuktha nodded.

Once.

Very carefully.

Behind her, Maan silently closed his eyes like someone offering a prayer for her soul.
Anvi bit her lip, already knowing this answer had not helped her case at all.

Arnav leaned back, running a hand over his face.

"For that," he said quietly, "You decided your life was optional?"

Her head dropped again.

"No," she mumbled. "Maine socha nhi... I'm sorry"

Her imaginary gravestone sighed.

Even it had run out of sarcastic remarks.

Arnav looked at her for a long moment before speaking again.

And when he did, his voice was dangerously calm.

"Avyuktha," he said, "Do you have any idea what could have happened?"

Avyuktha looked at him with tear-filled eyes and whispered, "I'm sorry... maine socha nahi, sacchi..."

Arnav looked straight at her.

"You're sorry?" he said, his voice trembling despite his control. "You were just a second away from getting hit by that car, Avyuktha. Just one second..."

His eyes darkened, pain flaring into anger.

"Do you even realise," he continued, voice rising, "Teri laparwahi mein aaj hum sab tujhe kho sakte the?"

She flinched.

"And phir," Arnav added sharply,
"Dance karne ke liye... you ran across the road... AGAIN."

His control snapped.

"Apni safety ki zara si bhi fikar nahi hai na tumhe?" he said sharply. "Kuch ho jaata tujhe toh hum kya karte?...Bata....Kya karte hum sab?"

He leaned back into the sofa, running a hand through his hair, exhaustion pouring out now.

"Mujhe samajh nahi aata main kya karun tum sab ka," he said bitterly.
"Ek hai jisko deewar koodni hai, Security dodge krke ghumne jaana hai... Ek hai jisko overspeeding karni hai.... Aur ek hai jisko road pe marathon lagani hai."

He looked at all of them, Maan, Anvi, Avyuktha, his voice breaking despite his effort.

"Kya karun main?"

"Tum logon ko samajh nahi aata," he continued quietly, "Tumhari is reckless behaviour ki wajah se mujh par kya beet ti hai."

He swallowed hard.

"Har waqt darr laga rehta hai," he admitted, "Ki agla kaunsa stunt tum logon ko hospital pohcha dega."

Silence wrapped around the room.

"I'm tired," Arnav said, his voice low, defeated. "Thak gaya hoon main tum sab se."

"Zara si bhi fikar nahi hai apni zindagi ki," he went on, eyes shining now.
"Apni chhodo... tum logon ko meri bhi fikar nahi hai."

His voice cracked.

"Ki agar tumhein kuch ho gaya... toh bhaiya kaise rahega?"

Then, quieter...almost broken

"Already maa chali gayi hai."

Everyone froze.

"I can't afford to lose any of you," Arnav whispered. "And every time you do something like this..."

He closed his eyes.

"I relive that day... the day Maa died... That accident that took her away from me."

Tears welled up in everyone's eyes.
No one spoke.

Avyuktha couldn't hold it anymore.

She stepped forward, sobbing.

"I'm sorry, bhaiya..." she cried.
"Pakka dobara nahi hoga... I'm sorry."

She hugged him tightly, clinging to him like she was afraid he might disappear.

"I'm really sorry," she sobbed.
"Maine sacchi mein socha nahi... lekin aage se dhyaan rakhungi."

She pulled back just enough to look at him. "Please aise mat bolo na," she begged. "I'm sorry."

Arnav didn't push her away.

He stayed still....arms tense, jaw clenched, holding back emotions that had been buried for too long.

For the first time, the anger wasn't louder than the fear.

And for the first time, they all truly understood...why he was so strict.

Arnav blinked rapidly, forcing his tears away. He didn't want them to see him break. Not like this. Not yet.

Anvi, still holding a sleeping Aarush on the sofa, couldn't help herself. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

Maan followed instinctively, leaning into his elder brother's side.

And just like that, the three of them, Avyuktha, Anvi, and Maan, clung to Arnav.

Silent. Trembling. Sobbing quietly into his chest.

No words were needed.

His arms instinctively tightened around them, holding them close, though his own shoulders shook just slightly.

The weight of fear, relief, and unspoken love pressed down on all of them.

Arnav didn't speak. He just let them cling to him.

After a long, quiet minute, the sobs subsided into soft sniffles.

Arnav exhaled slowly, still holding them close for a heartbeat longer, then a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes.

"Shh... Rona band karo sab..." he said, voice teasing, almost gentle. "Zara sa daanto nahi... Aasu ki tanki chalu ho jaati hai."

The three froze for a second.

And then, as if on cue, they pulled away from him simultaneously, pouting, cheeks puffed, and glaring at him like tiny, furious tigers.

Arnav's lips twitched, he wanted to chuckle, maybe even let a laugh slip but he quickly masked it.

Because authority was important. Very important.

"Avyuktha... 100 situps. Right now." His voice was sharp, almost deadly.

Avyuktha froze.

Her eyes went wide as saucers.

"100?!" she squeaked.
Her brain short-circuited.
Her legs almost refused to obey basic physics.

Meanwhile, Maan and Anvi exchanged a look.

Slowly... carefully... they slid away, as if moving too close might make them explode like collateral damage in a war zone.

Avyuktha's shoulders slumped. Her imaginary grave reappeared, upgraded yet again, now featuring:

Here lies

Avyuktha Jaisingh
Age: 12
Cause of death: 100 situps and sibling betrayal
Special mention: Survived almost hitting a car, but failed at obedience.

Her sniffle escaped anyway, tiny and hopeless.

Arnav watched her, the tiniest smirk threatening at the corners of his lips

Avyuktha's mind went straight to Anvi's previous teachings: Negotiation. Survival. Always assess the terrain.

She squared her shoulders, wiped her nose, and got to work.

Sit-up number one.
Sit-up number two.
By the tenth, she was already gasping, muscles trembling as if she had been climbing Mount Everest barefoot.

"Bhaiya... pair dard kar rahe hai..." she mumbled softly, utterly defeated, her words barely audible.

Arnav hummed.
No judgment. No mercy. Just the calm, dangerous silence that made her knees shake even more.

She blinked rapidly, mentally scolding herself: Too early. Patience, Avu. Timing is everything.

Sit-up number twenty.

"Bhaiya... sacchi, pair dard kar rahe hai..." she tried again, this time louder, pouting like a small, desperate negotiator.

Arnav hummed again...slow, deliberate, and absolutely unyielding.

Her heart sank.

In a last-ditch attempt, Avyuktha shot a pleading look at him. Eyes wide, glistening, silent begging.

Rejected. Of course.

Her gaze darted desperately to Maan and Anvi, hoping for a sibling miracle.

Maan and Anvi exchanged a look, the universal sibling look that meant: "Don't speak. Don't breathe. Don't exist."

They stood frozen, torn between sibling duty and basic survival instincts.

Experience had taught them one thing: defending Avyuktha was a fast track to becoming part of the punishment.

This was not the time for bravery. This was the time for self preservation.

Both silently agreed: today was not a good day to be supportive.

Avyuktha's imaginary grave upgraded yet again:

Here lies

Avyuktha Jaisingh

Age: 12

Cause of death: 100 situps

Special mention: Pleading ignored by elder siblings

Other Siblings: survived by cowardice, chose survival over sibling duty, TRAITORS.

And still, she continued... each sit-up a small, tragic, and comedic battle in the war of survival versus punishment.

Arnav's lips twitched, just slightly, as he watched her.

Avyuktha was pouting, dramatic to the last fiber of her being, bargaining her way through pain and exhaustion, trying every trick she knew to survive the punishment.

It was almost comical.

Almost.

But inside, Arnav's chest softened.

For the first time, he realized something, he hoped, one day, she would be free enough with him to act like this anytime, to argue, to pout, to bargain, without fear or hesitation.

He watched Avyuktha struggle for breath, her face burning red, sweat clinging to her as her legs trembled. The exhaustion of the day was crushing her, he could see it, feel it.

His heart wavered. But she had crossed a line. And if he gave in now, she would learn the wrong lesson.

No matter how hard it was, he couldn’t let that happen.

Avyuktha felt the guilt settle heavy in her chest. Tears slipped into her eyes with every sit-up, the lesson sinking deeper with each painful movement.

She was loved now. She mattered.

And she couldn’t live recklessly anymore because her actions didn’t affect just her.
They affected her family too.

Maan and Anvi could barely watch, their pitiful eyes darting toward Arnav again and again, wordlessly begging him to stop her.

As Avyuktha completed the hundredth sit-up, she collapsed onto the floor, panting heavily, her legs no longer strong enough to hold her upright, not even for a moment.

Arnav moved instantly, scooping her into his arms and settling her onto his lap.
Anvi rushed forward with a glass of water. Avyuktha gulped it down in one go before letting her head fall against Arnav’s chest, completely spent.

Arnav softly wiped the sweat from her forehead with his handkerchief before placing a tender kiss there. Avyuktha curled into him, clinging to him as though afraid to let go. Arnav hugged her close, his arms tightening around her almost instinctively. The image of that speeding car was still etched into his mind, the way she had been just a breath away from disaster had shaken him to the core.

Pulling back slightly, she looked up at him, held her ears, and whispered, “I’m sorry for scaring you, bhaiya.”

His heart softened instantly. Arnav smiled reassuringly, eased her hands down, and kissed her forehead again slow, gentle, and full of love and said in a quiet voice, "Don't ever repeat that again."

She nodded immediately, then leaned forward and planted a quick kiss on his cheek before hiding her face in his shoulder, making him chuckle despite himself.

Maan and Anvi watched the scene with soft smiles, their earlier fear finally easing. One by one, they moved toward their rooms. Arnav took both Avyuktha and Aarush to his room.

Maan and Anvi, not ones to be left behind, immediately tagged along, demanding to sleep there too.

In the end, Arnav took Avyuktha and Aarush with him and Maan and Anvi followed without invitation, as if it was already decided.

And just like that, all five of them crowded into Arnav's room.

Arnav excused himself briefly to check on Abhimanyu. When he returned, he gently massaged Avyuktha's legs and arms, easing the soreness from her punishment until she relaxed completely. After that, he applied oil to Anvi's hair, then Maan's, both of them drifting off midway through the massage itself.

Avyuktha, of course, wasn't done. She pestered him endlessly until he finally sighed and gave in. Grinning victoriously, she oiled his hair herself, careful yet possessive, as if claiming him in her own way.

Soon, all five of them were asleep tangled together, breathing in sync, holding onto one another.

The night ended quietly.... Peacefully. Wrapped in warmth, safety, and the kind of love that needed no word.

∆∆∆

Morning light filtered into the room, and for the first time in a long while, Arnav’s body truly relaxed after a full seven hours of sleep.

He opened his eyes and froze, then smiled.

Avyuktha was tucked securely against his side, while Maan’s arm was wrapped around her so tightly that it also circled Arnav’s waist. Aarush was sprawled on top of Anvi, his face buried just below her chin, while Anvi held him with one arm. Her own head rested on Arnav’s shoulder, one leg hanging off the bed, mouth wide open in deep, unbothered sleep.

The sight made him chuckle softly.

A quick glance at the clock told him it was five in the morning. Carefully, painfully slowly, he disentangled himself from the human knot and slipped out of bed before heading to freshen up.

And then the chaos began.

Even though it was Sunday, Arnav dragged Maan and Anvi out of bed for their punishment. After a whole lot of whining, pouting, crying, and empty threats, the two finally gave in.

Anvi was made to do jumping jacks and skip rope, her complaints echoing through the air, while Maan, with a bucket of water in one hand and a towel slung over his shoulder, was busy washing Arnav’s car.

Arnav kept a sharp eye on both of them, all while calmly doing his own exercises, completely unfazed by the drama around him.

Anvi panted heavily after completing her 100th jumping jack, her legs giving up on her exactly like her izzat had five minutes ago. She dramatically plopped down on the grass, chest heaving, hair stuck to her sweaty forehead, eyes watering, not from pain, but from betrayal.

“Itne zalim insaan ho na aap, bhaiyu…” she gasped, one hand on her heart like a wronged heroine. “Aapko apna samjha tha maine… aur aapne mere pyaar ka yeh nateeja diya?”

She shot a murderous glare at Abhimaan, who was casually washing Arnav’s car, in the garden, of all places.

The man had very strategically parked the car there, soap in hand, enjoying the live entertainment called Anvi vs. Punishment. Honestly, the punishment itself sucked but Anvi’s sulking, pouting, cursing the universe? Chef’s kiss.

He chuckled under his breath.

That chuckle was the final nail in Anvi’s already-buried heart.

Her glare hardened. She clapped once dramatically and recited with full Bollywood tragedy mode:

“Vo kehte hai na...hume toh apno ne luta…” She paused for effect. “Parayon mein kahan dum tha…”

Abhimaan raised an eyebrow, scrubbing harder.

“Meri kashti wahaan doobi…” she continued, pointing at him accusingly,
“Jahaan paani bhi kam tha!”

She clapped again. “Waah bhaiyu, waah!” Then mockingly sang, “Achha sila diya tune mere pyaar ka…”

Maan, who was mid-rinse, almost snorted.

Anvi turned and looked at Arnav, who was stretching calmly, completely unfazed, as if this was just another Tuesday.

She crawled a little closer, folded her hands dramatically, widened her eyes to their maximum innocent capacity, and said in the softest, cutest voice:

“Bhaiya… please…”

A pause.

“Ab skipping nahi ho paayegi mujhse, bhaiya…”

Another pause, eyes glistening.
“Can we end this… please?”

Maan stopped washing for a second, leaned on the bucket, and smirked.

Oh, this is good.

He knew his bhaiya wouldn’t give in but watching Anvi try was pure entertainment.

Arnav looked at her innocent, watery eyes completely unfazed and said flatly,
“Complete your punishment, Anvi.”

That was it.

Anvi’s shoulders slumped instantly, like all hope had been personally cancelled by destiny. She sat down on the ground, legs folded, face fallen, looking exactly like a toddler whose toffee had been snatched mid-lick.

But she wasn’t done yet.

She clasped her hands dramatically and tried again, voice trembling with manufactured sincerity.

“Bhaiya please…” She sniffed.
“Kasam se aaj ke baad kabhi wall nahi jump karungi bhaiya…”

She leaned forward urgently.
“Jump karna kya… main toh gaddha dekh ke bhi jump nahi karungi bhaiya…”

Her voice cracked perfectly.
“Please iss baar maaf kar do… pleaseeee… pretty pleaseeee…”

Arnav sighed...long, tired but his face remained firm.

“Start skipping, Anvi.”

Her heart shattered into microscopic pieces.

Anvi sat there utterly defeated, staring at the ground, lips pushed out, eyes glossy. Slowly, she lifted her gaze toward Abhimaan, who was still washing the car, and looked at him like a helpless kitten asking for rescue.

Her eyes screamed
Bhaiyu… kuch karo… please… interfere… stop this injustice…

Abhimaan met her gaze.

Smirked.

And shook his head.

Anvi froze.

Slowly, she looked up at the sky, eyes shining with betrayal, then turned back to Abhimaan....hurt, wounded, personally offended.

“Bas baatein karta tha…” she began singing dramatically, standing up halfway, one hand on her chest.
“Na pyaar nibha paaya…”

She pointed straight at Abhimaan.
“Tu chaar kadam bhi saath mere chal nahi paaya…”

Abhimaan paused mid-wash.

“Fitrat mein teri aib tha…” she continued, shaking her head in deep disappointment, “Tu shaatir dil fareb tha…”

Her voice rose. “Nikla tu khudgarziiiii!”

She jabbed her finger at him again and sang louder, “Ishq tera farziii....”
“Bewafa ishq tera farziiiii!”

Then, gathering every ounce of lung power she had left, she screamed the aalap:

“OOOOOOO BEWAAAFAAAAAAA...
ISHQQQQ TERAAAAAA FARZIIIIIIIIIIIIII!”

Before she could take her next dramatic breath

WHACK.

Arnav, standing nearby, winced and smacked the back of her head.

Anvi’s hand flew down immediately, voice dying mid-note.

At the exact same moment

Ten guards rushed in, guns raised, instantly surrounding the area.

One of them asked sharply,
“Sir, is there any intruder? Someone was screaming.”

Dead silence.

Abhimaan stared at them for a second—

And then lost it.

He bent over laughing, water hose dangling forgotten, tears streaming down his eyes.

“Oh my god....” he wheezed,
“Anvi… teri singing ne security alert kar diya!”

Anvi rubbed her head, sulking, glaring at him with pure vengeance.

Arnav shook his head, stepped forward, and calmly addressed the security.
“It’s fine. No intruder.”
He gestured toward Anvi without even looking at her.
“She was… singing.”

The guards paused.

Looked at Anvi, who was still sitting cross-legged on the ground, sulking like a punished child.

Then at each other.

Then back at Anvi.

One of them nodded slowly, clearly traumatised, before they all retreated, still throwing confused, slightly judgmental glances her way.

Anvi puffed her cheeks.
Itna bhi bura nhi gaati mai

Just then

“Bhaiya! Bhaiyaaa!”

A half-asleep Avyuktha came running from inside, hair sticking out in all directions, panic plastered on her face. She was holding Aarush, who was equally panicked, his head resting on her shoulder.

“Koi chilla raha tha!” she blurted out breathlessly. “Aap theek ho na?”

Her eyes darted around frantically.
“Didi… bhaiyu… aap theek ho?”

Abhimaan completely lost it.

He bent forward, hands on his knees, laughing so hard his face had turned red. Actual tears rolled down his cheeks.

Anvi shot Avyuktha a sulking glare like,
Yeh sab teri didi ki tragedy ka mazaak uda rahe hain.

And then

Even Arnav cracked.

A proper, helpless belly laugh escaped him as he straightened up, still shaking his head.

He wiped the corner of his eyes and gently said to Avyuktha,
“Relax. Koi intruder nahi tha.”

He glanced at Anvi, who was now pointedly looking away.
“Anvi… gaana gaa rahi thi.”

Avyuktha blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Then looked at Anvi, still cross-legged, arms crossed, dignity shattered.

“…Oh.”

Aarush, murmured against her shoulder, “Didi loud thi…”

Anvi groaned and flopped backward on the grass. “ Aaj ke baad main gaana bhi nahi gaaungi... Koi value hi nhi hai mere talent ki....”

After all the chaos finally settled, Anvi, still sulking, still pouting picked herself up and completed the rest of her punishment.

Reluctantly.

With maximum drama.

Avyuktha and Aarush instantly turned into her unofficial cheer squad. They clapped enthusiastically, hopping in place, their encouragement loud enough to contrast Anvi’s silent suffering. Their excitement made the scene even more absurd, as if Anvi’s punishment were some grand sporting event rather than a consequence of her own mischief.

“Come on Didi!” Avyuktha clapped enthusiastically.

“Didi Didi...Didi...Didi!” Aarush added, clapping out of rhythm but with full sincerity.

While Maan watched it all from a distance, the perfect silent spectator. His posture was relaxed, his expression openly amused, eyes following Anvi’s dramatic misery with clear enjoyment, as though this was the best entertainment he had had all day.

And Arnav?

He stood there, arms crossed, eyes sharp, the strict referee, stepping in every time when Anvi innocently got confused between Three and fifty three... Turning three into fifty three.

By the time she finished, Anvi collapsed on the grass again, breathless, but smiling.

Because somehow…

the punishment had turned into a memory worth keeping.

Arnav walked over to Anvi, gently wiped her sweaty face with his hand, and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead before heading inside to grab juice, maybe ORS something to revive the fallen soldier.

The moment he disappeared, the atmosphere shifted.

Maan, his entertainment quota fully satisfied, settled down at a distance and began scrolling through his phone, completely relaxed, utterly unaware that destiny was sharpening its knives.

Anvi slumped on the grass, still catching her breath, eyes narrowing slowly as she stared in Maan’s direction. Her pout transformed into something far more dangerous.

She leaned closer to Avyuktha and muttered, “Mujhe badla lena hai, Avu…”
Her eyes flicked toward Maan.
“Tere paas koi idea ho toh batao.”

Maan remained unfazed, thumbs moving lazily over his screen....peaceful, ignorant, doomed.

Avyuktha followed Anvi’s gaze, looked at Maan, then back at Anvi. For a second, her face stayed blank.

Then,

Her eyebrows lifted.

A slow, knowing smile spread across her face.

“Idea.”

Anvi’s eyes lit up instantly.

The two of them exchanged a perfectly synchronized, cunning, revenge-filled glance....the kind that should legally come with background villain music.

Somewhere in the garden, a bird chirped.

And poor Maan?

He scrolled on, completely unaware that somewhere behind him,
a revenge plan had just been born.

The peaceful Maan, minding his own business and scrolling lazily, suddenly felt a violent splash of cold running water slam straight into his face.

Hard.

Strong enough to make him gasp and stagger back.

He wiped his eyes, spluttering, trying to understand what fresh betrayal this was and then he saw it.

Anvi, standing at a safe distance, holding a big, fat pipe with both hands like a weapon of mass destruction.

And beside her,

Avyuktha, wide awake now, fully alert, operating the motor with terrifying focus.

Maan groaned in disbelief just as another blast hit him.

“Anvi ki bacchi....chorunga nahi main aaj tujhe!” he shouted, charging toward them against the water flow, hair plastered to his forehead, shirt already soaked.

Anvi squealed, half-laughing, half-screaming, barely managing to hold the pipe steady. “Avuuuuu! Force tez karrr...jaldiiii!”

Avyuktha immediately obeyed, turning the motor with full seriousness, like this was a life-or-death mission.

The water pressure increased.

Maan shielded his face, still moving forward through the chaos, determination written all over him. Somehow, against all odds he reached them.

What followed was pure anarchy.

A full-fledged tug of war broke out between Anvi and Maan, both pulling the pipe with all their strength, slipping on the wet grass, laughing and yelling at the same time.

For a moment, it looked like Anvi might win.

She didn’t.

With one final pull, Maan wrestled the pipe out of her grip and instantly turned it on her.

Anvi shrieked as the water drenched her from head to toe, hair sticking to her face, revenge backfiring spectacularly.

Avyuktha tried to retreat quietly,

Big mistake.

Maan swung the pipe toward her too, showering her mercilessly. The silent supporter was exposed.

Within seconds, all three of them were completely soaked, slipping, laughing, shouting, and trying to steal the pipe back from one another.

They stumbled, collided, and finally tumbled onto the ground, rolling in the rapidly forming mud puddle, still fighting for control of the pipe like kids who had forgotten all sense of dignity.

In the middle of it all,

Aarush, the innocent bystander, got dragged into the chaos without doing absolutely anything wrong.

At first, he sat there confused.

Then he looked at the mud.

Then at them.

And decided this was fun.

Soon, he started happily splashing in the mud, hands dirty, clothes ruined, giggling like this was the best day of his life.

What began as revenge turned into a full-blown water-and-mud war, laughter echoing across the garden,

and somewhere inside the house, Arnav was probably walking back with juice, completely unaware that he was about to witness absolute disaster.

The gardener stood frozen for a second, staring at what used to be his garden and what was now nothing but a muddy battlefield. His carefully maintained grass lay trampled, puddles everywhere, plants bent like war casualties.

His soul left his body.

Without wasting another second, he ran straight inside, panic written all over his face, and burst into Arnav’s path, breathless and horrified. He barely managed to convey that the children had completely destroyed the garden and that Arnav needed to come immediately.

Arnav frowned, instantly sensing disaster, and rushed out with him.

What he saw made him stop dead in his tracks.

In barely ten minutes, the garden had transformed into chaos...mud splattered everywhere, water flowing freely, and four completely drenched figures tangled together on the ground.

Arnav’s voice thundered across the garden as he demanded to know what on earth was happening " KYA HO RHA HAI YAHA PE"

Everything froze.

Maan stood in the middle of the mess, holding the pipe casually against his shoulder, completely soaked, hair dripping while the water continued to shower all of them mercilessly. Anvi, Avyuktha, and even Aarush stood frozen like children caught red-handed, faces guilty, muddy, and unmistakably pleased.

Arnav marched forward, turned off the water supply in one sharp motion, and surveyed the destruction in silence.

Then he rubbed his forehead slowly.

This was just the beginning of the day, and already he could feel a headache developing...strong, inevitable, and entirely deserved.

He ordered all of them to get cleaned up immediately.

The garden lay ruined, the children stood soaked and muddy, and Arnav exhaled deeply, fully aware that peace in this house was always temporary and chaos never needed an invitation.

___________________________________________

Thank you so much for reading

I know some of you feel that the chapters are getting stretched a little, so let’s be honest for a second.

I’m writing this story the way I feel it, thoda chaos, thoda emotion, thoda drama, aur kaafi saara fun… all at once

That’s why sometimes it takes a few extra chapters to fully live a moment. But I promise you this, the funny chapters are meant to make you wheeze, and the emotional ones… well, they might just make you cry a little

Yes, the pace might feel slow right now, but I’ll try to make it a bit faster, okay?
Also, don’t worry about the chapter count, in the beginning I was writing around 1k words per chapter, that’s why the number looks high. The story will soon find its natural rhythm.

Thank you for staying with me, for reading, loving, and supporting this story the way you do. It genuinely means a lot to me

And do follow my Scrollstalk account for quicker updates, The link is in my bio, I know you all love this story, and I trust you’ll keep supporting it no matter what

So now tell me…
After this garden disaster, water fight, and Arnav’s growing headache, what do you think is going to happen next?

Are they about to face the real consequences?

Drop your theories below, I’m reading everything.