Jeet drove for sometime and stopped when he saw a small tea stall. He never drinks tea accept for when he is under stress. Jeet came out of the car and walked towards the stall.

Jeet "ek chai dena"

Just then he heard maan's voice "ek nahi do chai dena"

Jeet turned to look at him "Tu kabse chai peene laga?"

Maan "regular nahi pita, bas jab pareshaan hota hu tab peeta hu. Aur chai to aap bhi nahi pite fir aaj kyun le rahe ho?"

Jeet rolled his eyes, out of all the days they have spent together this was the first time he found a similarity between them and can't even point it out. That's so unfair "meri marji, mere paise, main chai piyu, coffee piyu ya Roohafza piyu, tujhe kya?" He answered irritated.

Just then the stall owner gave them two cups "20 rupay ho gaye aapke, aur kuch chahiye?"

Jeet put his hand in his pocket only to find out that he has forgotten his wallet. He took out his phone for digital payment but there were no signals or internet connectivity. He mentally cursed his luck and looked at maan embarrassed "wo main wallet lana bhool gaya" He said giving maan a nervous smile.

Maan rolled his eyes at him and took out his wallet and paid the stall owner. Just as maan was about to turn jeet took one of the packets of chips hanging on the stall and looked at maan like a child "ye bhi chahiye"

Maan gave him an irritated look. Jeet "itni shakal bigadne ki jarurat nahi hai. Ghar jaa kar wapas kar dunga tere paise."

Now maan got offended "haan kar dena wo bhi interest ke saath."

Jeet "mujhe to pata hi tha ki jai tujhse better hai, wo to mujhe loan bhi interest free de raha tha aur ek tu hai jisse chips aur chai par bhi interest chahiye."

Maan scoffed "jai aapko mujhse kahin jyada pasand hai ye pata hai mujhe, koi nayi baat ho aapke paas to wo bataiye."

Jeet "what do you mean by that abhimaan? Tu mujhe baised bol raha hai?"

Maan "wahhh aap baised ho sakte ho par main aapko baised bol bhi nahi sakta."

Jeet "kab baised hua main?"

Maan "jaise main bataunga to aap maan jaoge"

Jeet "kyun nahi manunga? Tu koi incident batayega to jarur manunga main"

Maan "achcha? Jaise mrs shekhawat ke aage maan gaye the? Ya jaise hospital me maan gaye the aap?"

Jeet felt guilty remembering his own actions. He stood silently looking down. Things were getting awkward when the stall owner spoke again "aap dono ka jhagda khatam ho gaya ho to hamare chips ke 15 rupay bhi de dijiye."

Maan looked at jeet "aur kuch chahiye?"

Jeet just shook his head.

Maan "kuch khaya aapne subah se?"

Jeet again shook his head while his eyes were still fixed on the ground. Maan bought some biscuits and paid for everything. He tried to give the biscuits to jeet but the later was feeling too guilty to eat. Maan held his hand and took him to the farthest bench there and made him sit there.

Maan "kuch khaa lijiye, lad baad me lenge." He said once again giving him the biscuits. Jeet stared eating like an obedient child. Maan also started having his tea. Once they both finished maan spoke to jeet.

Maan "gaadi ki chaabi dijiye."

Jeet "kyun?"

Maan again gave him an irritated look, jeet sighed and gave him the key. Maan went to the car and searched for something in his bag and came back. As soon as he came back he extended a bottle of water and jeet's medicine towards him. Jeet looked at him surprised.

Jeet "ye medicine kahan se aayi?"

Maan "mere paas thi, I always keep your medicine handy. Aur ab aapka Q&A poora ho gaya ho to medicine le lijiye."

Jeet took the medicine without further delay. And looked at maan for a second and fixed his gaze back on the ground "sorry" Jeet said  pouting like a toddler.

Maan "kuch kaha aapne?"

Jeet "sorry bola maine" He said irritated

Maan "kis liye?"

Jeet looked at him with disbelief "really mannu?"

Maan looked at him sternly "kis liye?" He repeated himself.

Jeet realised that he won't be let off the hook so easily so he prepared himself for some serious groveling "us din nani ke saamne tujhe thappad maara aur tujhse reason bhi nahi poocha."

Maan "aapko itna bhi bharosa nahi hai mujh par? Chalo tab aapko laga bhi ki main mrs shekhawat se badtameezi kar raha tha but what about the hospital? Tab bhi aapne reason janne ki koshish nahi ki."

Jeet "I know what I did was wrong. I should have asked you for the reason, should have trusted you. Pata hai galat kiya maine but trust me i have realised my mistake. And i am really sorry for it. I promise aage se aisa kabhi nahi hoga. Kabhi bina tera point of view samjhe react nahi karunga. Pls bas is baar maaf kar de. Please" He said giving his best doe eyes and puppy face.

Maan "fine you are forgiven for that. what else are you sorry for?"

Jeet "ab Tu har baat ke liye sorry bulwayega mujhse?" He asked shocked.

Maan just folded his hands at his chest and looked at jeet intently and the later was reminded of jai's words "jitne seedhe lagte hai na bhaiyu aapko utne hai nahi wo. Mark my words bhaiya jis din bhaiyu jidd par aayenge na us din your opinion about him will change in a second. Sabko lagta hai i am the mischievous one but it's bhaiyu who makes everyone bow down to his wishes."

Jeet groaned in irritation "fine. I am sorry i wasn't the easiest person to get along with in the begining. I am sorry I yelled at you. Sorry I was rude to you many times. I am sorry I didn't paid attention when I should have. Sorry for keeping you at distance. And sorry I didn't trust you when I should have. Ho gaya ya aur kuch bacha hai?"

Maan "and what about being so baised all the time?"

Jeet "dekh usme meri galti nahi hai. Ek to jai waise hi itna cute sa hai, upar se uski harkate extra cute hoti hai on top of it tu hamesha itni maturity dikhata hai. I don't know why you behave like you are 70 not 17. You need to let yourself a little loose. Why do you always have to behave like you have to shoulder the responsibility of the entire universe. Be normal, act your age. Ab itna hitler banke rahega to tere saath koi chill kaise karega. To mere bais hone me galti meri nahi teri hai. Ab tu bachpana dikhayega to main tujhe chote bhai ki tarah treat karunga na. Par nahi tu to dada ji wala attitude dikhata hai. I don't know why you act this way." He said without realising that he is hitting a sour nerve.

Maan "I act this way cause I didn't had any other option. I was forced to grow up over night cause I had to take care of jai. I was made responsible within days of maa's death. I had to do it. Kyunki main nahi chahta tha ki jo main jhel raha hu wo jai jhele." He said while tears spilled from his eyes.

Jeet embraced him at once and let him cry for sometime. After a few minutes jeet pulled back, cupped maan's face and spoke to maan gently "mannu kya hua bachcha? Bata kya hua tha? Why you felt like taking up jai's responsibility when dad was there with you beta."

Maan "wo sirf naam ke liye wahan the bhaiya. Wo wahan the kyunki unhone maa se wada kiya tha ki wo hume akela nahi chodenge. Aur unhone apna vaada poora kiya, unhone kabhi hume akela nahi chhoda par wo kabhi baap ban kar humare saath bhi nahi rahe. Unhone kabhi humse baat nahi ki, kabhi nahi poocha ki hum kya kar rahe, hum kya chahte hai? He always saw us as an obligation. Ek hi ghar me rehte huye bhi ajnabi ban kar rahe wo.

Main bhi bachcha hi bane rehna chahta tha bhaiya par Bada hona pada mujhe, jai ke liye. Itna samjhdar hona pada ki usse sambhal saku, ki uski koi bhi complain dad tak na jaaye. Kyunki unhe saza dena to yaad rehta tha par khatam karna nahi. Poori poori raat kone me khada kar dete the wo aur apne kamre me chale jaate the, ye bhool hi jaate the ki mujhe saza de kar gaye hai. Tabiyat kharab hoti thi to medicines ke naam bata kar office chale jaate the. Fees dete the, par kabhi padhayi ke baare me nahi poochhte the. Saalo tak us ghar me unhone khana banaya par unhe kabhi pata hi nahi chala ki hum dono ko kya pasand hai. Apne haath se khilana to door unhe ye tak nahi pata hota tha ki humne kuch khaya bhi ya nahi.

Aapko lagta hai wo aapko chhod kar apne baki dono beto ke paas chale gaye. Lekin hum dono unke liye kabhi unke bete the hi nahi. Hum bas unke liye reminder the maa se kiye wade aur aapse door hone ke. Na wo kabhi hamare dad ban paaye aur na hum kabhi unke bete. Hum bas unka daayitva the jo wo bemann nibhaye jaa rahe the." With that maan once again broke down and started crying hysterically.

Jeet pulled him in his embrace and hugged him tightly. "Bas beta, bhool jaa wo sab. I never knew that he treated you like that. I am sorry bachcha, I am so sorry I wasn't there. I am sorry I didn't understood it till now." Saying this jeet let maan cry his heart out and he just embraced him and whispered sweet nothings in his ear.

Once maan stopped crying jeet pulled back and cupped maan's face. "Wo saath nahi the, par ab main hu na. Ab koi jarurat nahi hai tujhe responsible banne ki. Koi jarurat nahi hai tujhe itna pareshan hone ki. Shayad kabhi bhi dad ki kami poori nahi kar paunga main par tujhe kabhi bhi bade bhai ki kami mehsus nahi hone dunga. Bohut rakh liya tune sabka dhyaan, now it's my turn. Let me pamper the child in you bachcha. You don't have to hide him anymore. Jitna bachpana karna hai kar, jitni shararat karni hai kar, you don't have to be the grown up now. Haan maa jarur punish karegi par wo to main aur jai bhi hote hi hai."

Listening to that maan gave out a tearful chuckle.  "Aap sach me hamesha mere saath rahoge na, ab kabhi mujhe mere bade bhai ki kami nahi hogi na bhaiya."

Jeet planted a soft kiss on his forehead and said "kabhi nahi hogi meri jaan, I am always there with you. Hamesha tere saath hu main. Give me chance mannu. I won't let you down. Let me play the elder brother now. Are you ready to do that beta?"

Maan just nodded his head. "I am bhaiya. I love you so much bhaiya. "

Jeet once again embraced him "I love you alot too mannu. I can't imagine myself without you two now. I can't wait to go back home and start living with you two baggage free. I can't wait to be mischievous with you. Can't wait to play the elder brother card on you, can't wait to punish you when you need it. Although I know that will hardly happen after today."

Maan pulled back "what do you mean after today?"

Jeet "you really think you are getting away with what all you have done scot free?"

Maan "maine kya kiya?" He asked innocently.

Jeet "achcha beta, 3 din pune me raha main, tera ek call nahi aaya. Hospital me tune kya bola mujhe, yahan se jaiye Mr. Jaisingh we don't need strangers here. What did you ask me, jai mera lagta hi kaun hai and above all teri himmat kaise hui bina mujhse pooche panchgani nikalne ki. Socha bhi kaise tune ki tu mujhe aise chhod kar jaa sakta hai. Ek baar bhi tujhe nahi laga ki tu chala jayega to mera kya hoga. Itni hi importance hai teri life me meri?" He asked getting emotional

Maan could feel the pain in his words "bhaiya wo aapko to pata hi hai na situation kaisi thi. Sorry i tried to leave like that bhaiya."

Jeet nodded his head "haan I know everything, lekin ab situation waisi nahi hai. It has changed and it has changed for good. To ab ghar jaane ke baad meri jaan aap is sabke liye achche se punish honge." With that he hugged maan once more.

Although maan wasn't very keen on getting punished but he was ready to go through anything to earn jeet's forgiveness. He was so ready to unleash the brat in him so this time can act as a practice punishment session. At least he will get to know what he has in store for himself in near future with his dream guardian.

Both embraced each other for a long time. When they pulled away only to find arjun and jai looking at them.

Jeet "tum dono yahan kya kar rahe ho?"

Arjun "chote nawab bohut  darr gaye the ki aaj inke bhaiyu ko bohut maar padne wali hai to bas wapas aana pada."

Jeet pulled jai's ear "beta ji ghar chalo maar to aapko bhi padegi aaj."

Jai hissed in pain "ouch, maine kya kiya bhaiya"

Jeet "itna kuch ho gaya aur kisi ko bataya bhi nahi tune, itna bada ho gaya hai tu? Ab baatein chupayega humse." He asked twisting jai's ear

Jai "bhaiya sorry, pls chhodo na."

Jeet let his ear go "bas ghar jaane tak wait kar lo beta, ye tum dono par jo bade aur mature hone ka bhoot sawar hai na wo achche se utarunga main. Baitho gaadi me." Saying that he walked towards the car. All sat in the car and left for home.

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Hey readers

How was this chapter?

I hope you all are satisfied with the bharat milap.

Happy reading.  😊