✨
They all had dinner together, the room echoing with laughter and chatter. After the meal, everyone slowly retired to their rooms—especially Shashi, who had been yawning non-stop at the dining table. One look at a bed or even a chair, and she would have dozed off.
As they lazily entered their room, Aakash shut the door while Shashi, like a lifeless feather, collapsed onto the bed.
He chuckled, changed quickly, and joined her on the bed. Stroking her hair lovingly, he didn’t even realize when sleep took over
✨
Next Morning:
The mansion bloomed with dark, elegant decorations in preparation for tomorrow's banquet. The silence of the house had been taken over by the sound of laughter, cheerful banter, and footsteps echoing through the halls. Everyone was gathered in the living room, enjoying each other's company.
Meanwhile, in their room, Aakash was already dressed in a casual outfit. Shashi had just stepped out of the closet, fresh from the shower, wearing an oversized hoodie and black trousers. Her hair was still damp, and her nose had turned a light shade of red from the cold water. She picked up her phone from the bed and said,
"Chalo niche chalte hain." (Let’s go downstairs.)
Aakash looked up from the couch and asked,
"Aapki naak laal kyun hai? Sardi hai kya?" (Why is your nose red? Do you have a cold?)
"Haan voh… thodi si," she replied, her voice carrying a hoarse edge of illness. (Yes… a little.)
"Toh aap room mein hi raho, main breakfast aur adrak wali chai laata hoon," he offered. (Then you stay in the room, I’ll get breakfast and some ginger tea for you.)
"Sardi hui hai sirf, main toh breakfast niche jaake hi karungi. Aur chai main khud bana lungi. Chill." (It’s just a cold, I’ll have breakfast downstairs. And I’ll make my own tea. Chill.)
Without letting him argue, she walked out of the room. He shook his head and followed her.
Downstairs:
As they descended the stairs, they were welcomed by the sound of chaos—Agastya was getting slapped lightly on the head by his mother, Suhani.
"Yaar mummy, chhod do please!" pleaded Agastya. (Mom, please leave me alone!)
"Choti Maa, ab kyun daant rahi ho? Kya kiya isne?" Aakash asked curiously. (Choti Maa, why are you scolding him now? What did he do?)
"Isne Choti Maa ki chai mein shakkar ki jagah namak mila diya!" said Akriti, trying hard not to laugh. (He put salt instead of sugar in her tea!)
"Pata nahi kahan se dimaag aata hai isme," Sarthak muttered, shaking his head. (I don't know where he gets these ideas from.)
"Maa, ab chhod do na please, sorry!" Agastya pleaded again. Suhani finally let go of his ear and he rubbed it, pouting.
Everyone burst out laughing.
Just then, Shashi sneezed loudly.
"Achooo!" She sniffed, and then again,
"Achooo!" Her nose and cheeks turned red.
"O beta, tujhe sardi lag gayi kya?" Abhiraj Papa asked. (Oh dear, did you catch a cold?)
"Ab tak toh kuch nahi hua tha," she replied with a slight sniff. (Nothing had happened until now.)
Aadarsh and Saksham burst into laughter.
"Tum dono ko kis baat ki hansi aa rahi hai?" Sarthak asked sternly. (What are you two laughing at?)
"Uski awaaz…" Saksham wiped his tears. (Her voice…)
"Dono behen ke pakode ho gaye," Shashi muttered. (Both sisters have become fragile fritters.)
"Oberoi tu Rab se nazuk kali ban gayi," Aadarsh teased. (Oberoi, you've become God's delicate flower.)
"Nazuk kali!" Saksham repeated, laughing and giving Aadarsh a high-five.
Shashi narrowed her eyes.
"Chappal, mukka, belan, thappad ya meri laat—kya khana pasand karoge tum dono?" (Slipper, punch, rolling pin, slap or my kick—what would you prefer?)
"Yeh maaregi toh aisa lagega jaise bachpan laut aaya hai," Aadarsh smirked, making Aakash chuckle beside her. (If she hits us, it’ll feel like childhood all over again.)
"Aapko badi hansi aa rahi hai?" she questioned Aakash. (You're finding this funny?)
"Main? Main toh bilkul nahi hasa," he said quickly. (Me? I didn’t laugh at all.)
"Jhoothe kahin ke," Aadarsh muttered. (Liar.)
"Oye bandaron, meri biwi ko tang bandh karo," Aakash finally scolded. (Hey monkeys, stop messing with my wife.)
Just then, Laksha and Lee-Yoon emerged from the basement staircase into the living room.
"Good morning," Lee-Yoon greeted.
"Good morning," Shashi replied warmly.
Laksha was about to walk toward Aparna and Dadi Saa but stopped mid-way.
"Teri awaaz ko kya hua?" she asked, concerned. (What happened to your voice?)
"Nazuk kali ko sardi ho gayi," Saksham answered with a grin. (The delicate flower caught a cold.)
Both sisters glared at him, and he fell silent.
"Sardi? Ruk, tujhe kadha bana ke deti hoon," Laksha said, heading to the kitchen. (Cold? Wait, I’ll make you a herbal decoction.)
"Shashi, but how did you catch a cold so easily? You sleep in thin T-shirts even in winter," Lee-Yoon asked, his voice unexpectedly gentle.
"Maybe because of the weather change," she replied.
"But I’m sure Madam will make an effective kadha," he said.
"I remember she made it 6 years ago."
Shashi chuckled.
"You just had to ask, she would've sent anything you needed," Lee-Yoon added.
"Btw, leave all that. I want to ask something important," she said.
"Go ahead," he replied.
"Are you dating?"
"Nope," he said simply.
"Why so boring, man?"
"Hey! It's not boring. Single life is good too," he defended.
"But what's the point of being single even after building yourself this well?" she asked.
"You think I’m well built?"
"Obviously! Look at these muscles, mister. You might just be a fictional character, I'm telling you!"
Aakash, from a distance, was staring at them like a villain from a noir film—his jealousy clear as day.
Kadha Time:
"Shashi, come here! Everyone, breakfast is ready!" Laksha called out.
Everyone gathered at the dining table, sitting beside their partners. Laksha sat at the head—like a Queen in command.
"Did you make it bitter?" someone teased.
"Kadha is supposed to be bitter," Dadi Saa reminded.
"Aadhi baat sun ke iske adhe-tedhe muh dekhna!" Saksham laughed. (Just watch her make faces after tasting it!)
Shashi took the steaming kadha in her hands, sniffed it, and scrunched her nose. Aadarsh and Saksham leaned forward, expecting drama.
But to everyone’s surprise, she gulped the whole thing down in one go—without a single grimace.
"Abe vodka thodi tha!" Saksham exclaimed in shock. (Bro, it wasn't vodka!)
"Voh bachpan se hi aisi hai. Kabhi dawai khane mein nakhre nahi kiye. Haan par injection se darti thi," Laksha chuckled. (She’s been like this since childhood. Never fussed over medicine, but was terrified of injections.)
"Ab nahi darti," Shashi said coolly. (Not anymore.)
"That’s a nice thing… if it’s true," Laksha smirked.
Everyone savoured their breakfast, enjoying the food and each other’s company.
✨
Later that evening, most of the family sat outside in the lawn, engaged in lively conversation. Shashi was in the kitchen, brewing her special coffee. Laksha was now dressed in a formal blazer outfit, ready to attend an important meeting.
Meanwhile, upstairs on the balcony, Saksham and Aadarsh crouched like mischievous teens, each holding a bucket full of cold water.
"She should be walking through that door any minute now," Saksham whispered.
"Perfect aim, bro. This is gonna be iconic," Aadarsh grinned.
But destiny had its own plan.
The door creaked open—
SPLASH!
"AAAHHH!"
Both buckets landed perfectly… on Laksha.
Drenched from head to toe, mascara smeared and blazer soaked, Laksha stood motionless.
Saksham and Aadarsh froze in horror.
She didn’t say a single word. Instead, she calmly pulled out her gun from behind and aimed straight at them.
"OH SHIT!" they screamed in unison.
But after a second’s pause, she lowered the gun. Still silent. Still deadly.
She turned and walked inside the mansion without a word.
"Shashi! SHASHI! Please bacha le hum dono ko!" Aadarsh cried. (Shashi, please save us both!)
"Hum toh gaye," Saksham muttered. (We’re dead.)
Shashi walked out from the kitchen at that moment—and then Laksha reappeared…
Changed.
Dry.
Looking like a goddess of wrath.
And then—
She BURST into laughter.
A terrifying, villainous laugh.
"HAHAAHAHAHAHA!"
Shashi joined in, unable to control herself.
Everyone stared at them, mouths wide open.
"TU PAGAL HO GAYI HAI KYA?" Aadarsh yelled. (ARE YOU CRAZY?)
"YAAR DIMAAG KA BLOW-FUSE HO GAYA!" Saksham added. (MY BRAIN JUST SHORT-CIRCUITED!)
"TUMHARA BADLA AAYEGA! Laksha shouted in full drama mode, pointing dramatically at them. (Your revenge is coming!)
"Mujhe toh laga AK-47 nikal legi!" Shashi laughed. (I thought she was gonna pull out an AK-47!)
"Main toh zindagi bhar bhool nahi sakta yeh scene," Aakash chuckled from the side. (I’ll never forget this scene in my life.)
And just like that, the mansion echoed with chaotic, unfiltered, unforgettable laughter.
________________________________________________
This chapter has my efforts more than the others so please respond
I'm requesting you all
Ik I'm a new author I don't deserve the response yet , but it requires efforts to write yrr . I just want your response or love please nothing else . 🥹
This is my hobby and i love writing that's why I'm trying to be a good author
🥺
Sorry if this story disappoints you all
A heartfelt thanks to those who gave importance to the authors note
The next chapter will surely be more interesting
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🖤🩶🤍
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