Aman Ji was busy working on his laptop when Raghav came downstairs.
With blue eyes, soft pink lips, fair skin, a slim frame, and chubby cheeks that looked too tempting not to pull—Raghav was a picture of innocent charm. He wore full pants and a black shirt with the sleeves neatly folded. Holding a bat in one hand, he was heading out.
Seeing him, Aman Ji asked,
"Raghav beta, where are you going?"
Raghav paused for a moment, looked at the bat in his hand, then stared at Aman Ji with a puzzled expression—his eyes practically saying,
"Who takes a bat and goes to play kabaddi? What kind of silly question is that?"
Aman Ji caught the expression and chuckled,
"Sorry beta, didn't notice the bat. Go on, go play cricket."
Raghav dashed out enthusiastically—but on his way, he bumped into Sia, knocking her to the ground. Without even looking back, he kept running.
Just behind her was Kabir, who had been chasing Sia. He quickly reached her, helped her up, and teased,
"Lizard, looks like you've eaten enough dust for the day. Come on now, let's go have some chocolate!"
In response, Sia bit Kabir's hand and ran inside.
Meanwhile, Chandrika and Yamuna, sitting upstairs, were watching everything unfold from the balcony.
Chandrika sighed as she looked down at the children and said thoughtfully,
"Yamuna... do you think we made a mistake by fixing Sia and Raghav's match so early? I mean... did you see Raghav? He didn't even care that Sia fell down or that she was crying. He just ran off.
And then look at Kabir... Sometimes I honestly get scared when I see how indifferent Raghav is towards Sia. Does he even care about her? Will he ever love her?"
Yamuna chuckled gently,
"Chandrika, they're just kids! Their idea of love isn't what we adults think. For them, love just means being together.
They don't understand emotions deeply yet. As they grow up, they'll figure it out on their own.
And honestly, I think someone like Raghav—calm and serious—is perfect for my bubbly, mischievous, and wild Sia. In every relationship, there has to be one sensible person to balance out the foolish one.
Just look at you and Aman Bhaiya!"
Chandrika, narrowing her eyes, said,
"Did you just call me foolish?"
Yamuna, grinning widely, replied,
"No! I meant him, not you."
Chandrika, shrugging with a playful smirk, said,
"Fine then! He was, is, and will always be a fool."
Yamuna, silently to herself, thought,
"Thank God someone like Aman Bhaiya, who's smart and patient, ended up with this crazy woman. Otherwise, her life would've been a total disaster."
Just then, Chandrika held up a pretty pink princess frock and exclaimed excitedly,
"Look at this! It's for Sia! Isn't it gorgeous? I'm going crazy just imagining how adorable she'll look in it!"
Yamuna, looking at the price tag, hesitated a bit and said,
"But... it's so expensive..."
Chandrika, raising her eyebrows, said,
"Why are you so bothered? I bought it for my daughter, not yours. Why are you jealous?"
Yamuna, laughing, replied,
"Alright, alright! Go ahead and dress up your daughter. Happy now?"
Chandrika then pulled out a black suit for a little boy and said,
"This is for Kabir. Isn't it nice?"
Yamuna smiled,
"It's lovely! Our Kabir will look like a hero in this outfit.
By the way, what did you get for Raghav?"
Chandrika proudly showed a blue coat and said,
"This one's for Raghav."
Yamuna, holding the coat in her hands, said,
"Wow, this is going to look amazing on him!"
Chandrika beamed and said,
"Okay now leave all this—tell me what menu we should keep?
And this time, I'm going to get a big cake… half blue, half pink."
Yamuna frowned slightly,
"You're going to spend so much again… at least let me do something."
Chandrika:
"Of course you'll do something! You'll handle all the food. I'll take care of the decorations, cake, and guest invites."
Yamuna:
"Alright, tell me what all needs to be cooked."
And so the two best friends sat down to plan everything.
Meanwhile, Sia ran up to Aman Ji, hugged him tightly, and said,
"Daddy! You're back!"
Aman Ji, caressing her hair lovingly, replied,
"Yes, Angel! Daddy is back… and look what I've brought for my little angel…"
He presented a big box filled with chocolates.
Just then Kabir ran in from behind and asked,
"Dad, what about me?"
Aman Ji, handing him two boxes, said,
"One is for you, and one is for Raghav. Go and keep his in his room."
Kabir, gleeful, ran off with both boxes… and hid them under his bed. Then, grinning mischievously, he came back and began snatching chocolates from Sia and munching on them.
Sia, holding her box, ran around the house while Kabir chased her like it was a mission.
Eventually, Sia ran to her room, and a disappointed Kabir walked to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and started eating ice cream.
You see, Kabir was a die-hard foodie. His bond with food was as deep as a human with their breath, like a thirsty man and water, like the ocean and its waves — impossible to separate.
After eating the ice cream, Kabir managed to mess up his clothes and the floor. Then he walked out and flopped onto the sofa, dirtying it too.
Aman Ji, seeing the state of things, looked around nervously and muttered,
"Good thing your mom isn't here. Otherwise, you'd be in big trouble."
Then turning to Kabir:
"Come on now, let's wash your hands."
Aman Ji washed Kabir's hands, cleaned his face, changed his clothes, and then began cleaning the sofa himself. A housemaid came over and said,
"Sir, leave it… I'll take care of it."
Aman Ji replied,
"No, no! You just keep an eye out for your madam. If she sees this, we'll both be dead!"
And he began scrubbing the sofa at lightning speed.
Meanwhile, Kabir was lounging on the other sofa, watching TV like a king.
When Aman Ji finally cleaned the sofa, he smiled like a victorious warrior — unaware that in the kitchen, a much bigger mess was screaming for attention, ready to expose Kabir's antics.
Soon after, Yamuna Ji left, and Chandrika went to the kitchen to make tea. The moment she saw the mess, she screamed,
"Kabir!!"
Just then, Raghav came back from outside, bat in one hand, hair tousled, and dripping in sweat.
Hearing Chandrika Ji's voice, Aman Ji, Kabir, and Raghav all rushed to the kitchen.
Aman Ji slapped his forehead when he saw the disaster. Raghav understood everything at a glance. But Kabir stood there like nothing had happened.
Chandrika pulled Kabir by the arm, gave him a smack, and scolded,
"How many times have I told you to eat properly? What is this mess! You could've just asked Sheela to get your food.
But no! You just love spreading chaos with your own hands."
Then her eyes caught Kabir's bright, clean clothes — a dead giveaway to Aman Ji's involvement.
She turned to Aman Ji and narrowed her eyes,
"You changed his clothes, didn't you?
This is exactly why he's so spoiled — because you always cover up for his mess!"
She smacked Kabir again, and Kabir hid behind Raghav.
Raghav moved slightly to shield him and said softly,
"Mom, he didn't do it. I did. You're scolding him for nothing. It's not his fault."
Chandrika, shocked and disappointed, slapped Raghav too and said,
"Now you're lying for him? I didn't expect this from you, Raghav."
Aman Ji stepped in, trying to calm her,
"Come on, Chandni… they're just kids…"
Chandrika, angrily: "I'm Chandrika, not Chandni! And who is this Chandni, huh? Met someone abroad, have you?"
Aman, signaling the kids with his eyes to leave, said: "You are my moon, my Chandni, and you are my light…"
Raghav pulled Kabir's hand and took him away.
Chandrika, making a face, said: "No one lies better than you!"
Aman, placing his hand on his throat, swore: "I swear…"
Chandrika laughed at his gesture.
In the room, Raghav locked the door from inside and said to Kabir: "Don't go out until I take a bath…"
And he ran off to bathe. Kabir, used to getting slapped every day, didn't care at all. He picked up his remote-controlled car and began creating a mess all over the room.
When Raghav came out after his bath, he saw the state of the room. Meanwhile, Chandrika was standing outside, calling both of them. Raghav quickly started picking up the mess and shoving everything under the bed. Just then, he saw the chocolate box and glared at Kabir, who just smiled cheekily. Raghav covered everything with the bedsheet.
When he opened the door, his mother came in and asked: "What were you two doing that it took you so long? What mischief have you done now, Kabir?"
Raghav stepped forward and said: "Mom, he didn't do anything. I was bathing, and he was playing a game. Maybe that's why he didn't open the door…"
Chandrika slapped Kabir and said: "So if Raghav doesn't open the door, you won't either? Not even if your mother screams her lungs out and dies outside? You don't care about your mom at all…"
Kabir, rubbing his cheek: "Mom, I've already received five slaps today. Please give your hands some rest…"
Chandrika landed another one and said to Raghav: "You go get the guest list from Yamuna aunty."
Kabir quickly interrupted: "Mom, shall I go?"
Chandrika, pulling his ear, said: "Oh yes, why not? Go live there permanently too! So you can trouble my delicate little girl, right? Raghav, why are you still standing? Go now!"
Raghav started walking downstairs, and Chandrika resumed scolding Kabir.
Raghav reached Yamuna's house, where Raj ji welcomed him with open arms: "Raghav beta, come here, my child…" and gave him a warm hug.
After a while, Raghav said: " baba, Mom asked for the guest list…"
Yamuna, stepping out, said: "Take it, son… but first, have a laddoo." She popped one in Raghav's mouth, which made his cheeks puff out, making him look even more adorable.
Raj ji tried to take a laddoo too, but Yamuna slapped his hand away: "No, these are all made for Raghav!"
Raj ji made a sad face, and Raghav laughed.
Raghav said to Raj ji: " baba, I have a cricket match tomorrow evening at the nearby ground. Will you come?"
Raj ji, smiling: "Yes, son, of course, I'll come."
Just then, Siya came and popped a laddoo into her mouth — but her face turned sour because it had less sugar. Yamuna used to make low-sugar laddoos for Raghav, as he didn't like sweets much.
Siya threw the laddoo aside and sat on the swing, glaring at Raghav. But Raghav, being a calm and serious boy, didn't care. He quietly continued eating the rest of the laddoos.
Siya, thinking to herself: This panda has become round from eating so much, yet every time he comes to my house, he finishes all my laddoos. And mom makes them to his taste! Huh, glutton!
After Raghav left with the guest list, Siya said to her dad: " baba, I'm telling you, I'm not marrying that panda!"
Raj ji, laughing at her innocence: "Why not, dear? What did he do this time?"
Siya, stomping her feet: " baba, you and Mom love him more than me! No one even looks at me! And he eats all my laddoos and never even helps with my homework!"
Raj ji, chuckling at her complaints: "Alright then, don't marry him. I'll find a boy who doesn't eat your laddoos."
Siya: "And don't love him more than me either!"
Raj ji, pulling her cheeks: "Okay baba, I won't. Happy now, my little doll?"
Little Siya smiled and walked away happily.