CHAPTER 2
Lakshman rushed around, making sure he had all the things he needed packed in his bag. In contrast, Raghav Suryavanshi stood at the door, amused with his younger brother's antics.
"Okay Bhaiya. I am done. We can leave", said Lakshman, grinning at his elder brother.
"Good", said Raghav, ruffling Lakshman's hair with a smirk on his face.
"Bhaiya!", said Lakshman, shaking his hair back to its usual messy way.
"It is anyway messy. What difference does it make, brother of mine?", asked Raghav, grinning.
"I like it this way", said Lakshman, childishly. "And you always show this side of yours only to me, and direct your mischief at me. Both you and Bharat Bhaiya, those rare times he gets mischievous"
"You are like that with us, aren't you?", asked Raghav.
"I might be?", said Lakshman, looking sheepish.
"Exactly. Tit for tat, kid", said Raghav, smirking again.
"Bhaiya, your smirk scares me", said Lakshman.
"Why Lakshman?", asked Raghav.
"You tend to subtly prank everyone", said Lakshman.
"I might", said Raghav. "And you are going to help me"
Lakshman grinned impishly. His Raghav Bhaiya planning a prank means one thing, FUN!
"Raghav! Lakshman!"
The loving, soothing voice of their mother Sumitra called out to them. The two brothers exchanged a look, and rushed out of the room, Lakshman almost sprinting, Raghav, more sedately, but faster than usual.
"Ma!"
Lakshman bounced into the room, the familiar look of his mother holding the aarti plate making him grin. He fell at her feet, got her blessings, after which she applied tika for him.
"Lakshman, calm down", said Bharat, grinning happily.
"You are as excited, Bharat Bhaiya", said Lakshman, grinning.
"I am. Seeing you race is always fun", said Bharat. "You know Ma? That is one of the few times we see Raghav Bhaiya get extremely excited"
"Is that so?", asked Sumitra, as Raghav walked into the room.
"Ma"
Raghav's voice had the ability to soothe anyone and everyone. Just hearing his voice calmed all of them down.
"Come here son"
Sumitra's love for Raghav oozed out of her voice.
"Ma!", said Raghav, hugging his mother tightly.
Sumitra hugged him back tightly, and then said, "Look. Your three brothers are babies"
Raghav looked at them and laughed, seeing the pouts on their faces.
"Come here, you three", said Sumitra, causing the three of them to join in the hug.
The four brothers, all towering over their mother, hugged her tightly, overwhelmed as they were, for each time, they felt her absolute and unconditional love for them.
"Urmi Di!" said Kirti, running into Urmi's room. "Di, I have an event to cover!"
"And you want to go, and me to tell Choti Ma and Chote Pitaji?"
"No, baba! I want you to come with me!"
"Oh oka.. wait, what?"
"Pleaaassseee, Di? It's on F1 racing, and you know me and my sports stuff. Please?"
Urmi sighed and shook her head. What did one do to a sister like this? Finally she nodded.
"Coming, just let me get ready."
"Fast, Di! I should have left by now."
In half an hour, Kirti and Urmi had reached the race course, and Kirti was walking superfast, and talking nonstop.
Urmi, on the other hand, was paying more attention to her surroundings, drinking in the details, and trying to gauge what was happening. As it was, she loved sports, and watching this, live, would be amazing.
She felt a pair of eyes on her, and turned in the direction she felt it from, but there was no one. Shaking off the nagging feeling that someone had been observing her a while ago, she walked with Kirti.
"Come, Di, we have to go to the VIP box. That's where the reporters have been put up. Here, camera. You're my cameraman. Shush, now."
"You're a baby, Kirti. Coming, calm down," Urmi responded, still distracted.
"Di, fast!" Kirti ignored Urmi's protests and dragged her straight into the VIP box. She stood there, watching as people interacted with each other, and then finally, to the centre of the room, where four people were standing.
"Di, come here, you have to take a picture before the race as well"
Kirti's voice cut through her quiet observation. She walked with Kirti and was just taking the picture when she suddenly felt like someone was watching her, again.
She whipped around. Her eyes found a pair of warm, yet mischievous brown eyes, full of laughter, yet quietly intense. She froze.
"Bhaiya, come on, it is time," said Lakshman, impatiently, as Bharat drove to the races. He was getting jittery. He should have been there by now and he was late.
"Calm down, will you? Traffic," said Bharat, soothingly. He knew that racing was his younger brother's passion. Well, one of his passions. Lakshman had many.
"Bhaiya!"
"I know, kid. But, calm. I can only go this fast."
After what seemed like ages to Lakshman, they finally reached the race course. Almost jumping out of the car, he stood impatiently as his brothers got out more sedately and the four of them made their way to the VIP box of the race course. Suddenly he froze.
"Bhaiya," said Shravan. "You were the impatient one and now you are the one who is dawdling?"
Lakshman threw one last look in the direction he had been looking, before quickly following his brothers.
"We are lucky I know the shorter route to get to the VIP box. Had we got stuck with the paparazzi, I would have had to watch the rerun of the race on TV."
"Calm down, Lakshman," said Raghav, sensing his brother's tension. "Nothing will happen. We are here on time, now. Calm"
That was probably the only thing that would calm him down. His brother's soothing words. He took a deep breath and pushed the VIP lounge door open. The paparazzi wasn't in there yet. He heaved a sigh of relief as the four brothers picked up refreshments.
"Okay, Bhaiya, Bhaiya, kid, I am off to race", said Lakshman.
"Good luck Lakshman", said Raghav, hugging his younger brother tightly, before Lakshman was assaulted by Bharat and Shatrughan.
Just in time,' thought Shravan, even as the VIP box flooded with people from the media. The brothers stood talking to each other, even as Lakshman slyly slipped out of the box. Something or rather someone caught his attention. A girl standing with a camera that was trained on the race. Beside her stood another girl.
"Raghav Bhaiya!" Bharat's voice cut through his thoughts. "Isn't that the reporter who interviewed us that day? Nimi.. Kirti Nimi? Right?"
"Yeah it is her," said Raghav, looking across at the reporter. Catching her eye, Raghav smiled at her.
Both turned to look at Shravan, who had a partially dazed look on his face.
"Diii! Come with me!" said Kirti, dragging Urmi over to the brothers.
"Wa.. Ki.. They don't.. I don't know them!" Urmi's protests went unheard as Kirti led her sister to where the brothers were standing.
"Good evening," she said formally.
"Miss Nimi," said Dr Suryavanshi, smiling at her.
"Please, I am Kirti, Miss Nimi sounds way too formal," she said, smiling at them all. "Thank you for offering me the privilege of covering this event."
"Of course!" said Raghav, smiling.
"We have read some of your articles, and we could see you never distort the facts at all", said Bharat.
"I don't like the facts being distorted Mr Suryavanshi. Oh, allow me to introduce to you, my sister, Urmila. Di, Dr. Raghav Suryavanshi, Mr. Bharat Suryavanshi, and Mr. Shravan Suryavanshi"
"Bharat Suryavanshi? As in the painter?", asked Urmila, excited.
"Yes, I am a painter", said Bharat, smiling, already feeling a brotherly bond towards the bubbly Urmila.
"I love painting", said Urmila. "It is one of my favourite hobbies"
"She is a fantastic painter", added Kirti. The pride, sincerity and affection in Kirti's voice for Urmi rolled in waves. Shravan could see that though Kirti seemed to be younger, she was also mature and sensible in the decisions she takes.
"I am not all that great, Kirti", said Urmila, blushing. Raghav could observe that Urmila was embarrassed. She doesn't like praise of any kind. I wonder if she likes pity then. Raghav shook his head at himself. His profession has led him to analyse everyone around him.
"I am sure you are great", said Bharat.
"She is", said Kirti, bouncing.
"Kirti, relax?", asked Urmila.
"As you wish, Di", said Kirti, toning down the praise immediately. Extremely understanding and obedient, but not blindly, observed Shravan.
Raghav Suryavanshi liked the two cousins. They were lovely girls, who knew their decorum, and didn't nose around like many others did.
"Bhaiya!"
Lakshman came to them, happy. He never knew failure, thought Bharat. And as he and Lakshman often say, it was because of their mother's unconditional love., and her support and understanding.
"Lakshman", said Raghav, hugging him tightly. "You won again"
"You know it is Ma and Pa's love and blessings, and the three of your love and support", said Lakshman.
"Lakshman, you always say that", said Bharat, affectionately.
"It is true, Bharat Bhaiya", said Lakshman, smiling. Lakshman turned around to see two young women standing with them. One was the same girl whose brown eyes he had met before the race. Her eyes had motivated him somehow to do even better than usual in his race.
"Lakshman Bhaiya, this is Ms. Kirti Nimi, the reporter who is covering this event and is interviewing the four of us", said Shravan, a pink tinge on his cheeks. "And this is her cousin sister, Urmila Nimi"
Lakshman smiled at Kirti, turning his gaze to Urmila. His deep brown eyes met her light ones, and their eyes did a passionate dance with each other. Raghav smiled. Looks like his brother who actually had no idea of falling in love will fall in love soon!
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Udne Ki Aasha
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