Chapter 42: Double The Fun, Double The Bond

A few days later,

On a Sunday,

At Vikram's house:

(The sunlight filtered through the curtains, filling the dining room with a warm glow. Vikram sat at the head of the table, sipping his tea and reading the newspaper. Anuradha sat beside him, cradling her cup, occasionally glancing at the clock.

Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from the staircase. Kiaan and Kiara appeared, still looking half-asleep, wearing mismatched nightclothes.

Kiaan's hair was a mess, and Kiara yawned loudly as she dragged her feet toward the table.)

Anuradha: (raises an eyebrow) Yeh kya? Tum dono abhi tak taiyaar nahi huay? Kiaan, tumhaari coaching class mein exam nahi hai naa, aaj?

Kiaan: (plops down on a chair, stretching lazily) Haan hai, Dadi. Lekin main off le raha hoon. Kal school ka sports day tha, aur bahut tiring tha. I feel ki mera, ek break toh banta hai.

Anuradha: (frowns) Break? Medical entrance kaise clear hoga agar breaks lete rahoge?

Vikram: (sets down his newspaper) Arrey, ek din chhutti lene se kuch nahi hoga, Maa. Bacchon ko bhi kabhi- kabhi relax karne ka mauka milna chahiye.

(He looked at both of them, an idea sparking in his mind.)

Vikram: Accha suno, waise bhi Sunday hai, toh kyun na hum sab lunch ke liye bahar chalein? Poore family ka outing plan karte hain. Kya kehte ho?

(Kiara perked up a little, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.)

Kiara: (teases) Lunch plan is good... but not all of us.

Vikram: (raises an eyebrow) Matlab?

Kiara: (grins and nudges Kiaan) I mean, aaj Kiaan aur main akele jaayenge. We need a sibling day together.

Vikram: yeh kya baat hui??? Why can't we all go?

Kiara: Itne time se, hum dono ek doosre ke saath baith ke, dhang se baat bhi nahi kar paaye. Right, Kiaan?

Kiaan: (shrugs, smiling faintly) Haan, sach bolu toh mujhe bhi thoda chill karna hai. Sibling day sounds good.

Anuradha: (mock offended) Toh hum kya karein? Tumhaare bina ghar mein baith ke bore hote rahein?

Kiara: (smirks) Aap aur Papa ghar pe aaram karo. hum sab milke, baad mein kabhi family outing kar lenge. Theek hai??? but aaj toh it is just Kiaan and Me!!!

Vikram: (chuckles) Badi maharani ne faisla suna diya hai... toh hum kya kar sakte hain!!!! Theek hai... Tum dono ka sibling day approved. Pehle jaao, take bath and come. Saath mein naashta toh kar lenge!!!

Kiara: (smiles) Haan papa!!!! Hum dono ready hoke aate hain!!!

(As Kiara and Kiaan walked back upstairs, animatedly planning their day, Vikram and Anuradha exchanged amused glances.)

Anuradha: Bade ho gaye hain dono. Lagta hai humein, ab inke plans ke liye adjust karna padega.

Vikram: (smiles) Adjust nahi, Maa. Bas enjoy karo, ki dono itne pyaar se time spend karna chahate hain ek doosre ke saath... warna pehle inn dono ko ladaai- jhagda karne se fursat kahaan milti thi???

(They both sipped their tea, watching their children's laughter echoing from the stairs.)

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Cut to:

At the Mall

(The mall was buzzing with activity as Kiara and Kiaan stepped into the arcade section, the sound of beeping machines, laughter, and cheers filling the air.

Kiara's face lit up at the sight of the games, her competitive streak kicking in immediately.)

Kiara: (grins) Kiaan, yeh dekh! Air hockey, racing simulator, basketball arcade... Pehle kya khelna hai?

Kiaan: (scratches his head) Tum hi decide kar lo...

Kiara: (smiles) sabse pehle air hockey try karte hain. Dekhte hain tumhaara aim kaisa hai.

(They walked over to the air hockey table, and Kiara quickly swiped her gaming card. The puck shot out, and the game began.)

Kiara: (focused) Dekho, main pro hoon ismein. Tumhaare 'medical entrance' wale dimaag ka yahaan koi fayda nahi hoga!

Kiaan: (smirks) Mujhe underestimate mat karo. Abhi dekhta hoon kaun jeet ta hai.

(The puck zipped across the table as both siblings played with full energy, cheering and laughing with each shot.)

Kiaan: (scores a point) Yes! Dekha, Kiru? Main toh genius hoon har field mein!!

Kiara: (rolls her eyes) Haan, haan. Dekhte hain genius kitni der tak tikta hai.

(After a closely fought game, Kiara narrowly won, raising her arms in victory.)

Kiara: Aur ab champion ka turn hai! Chalo, racing karte hain.

(They moved to the racing simulators. Kiara, already hyped, chose the fastest bike while Kiaan hesitated, settling on a car.)

Kiaan: (adjusts his seat) Bike aur car ka kya comparison? Yeh toh cheating hai!

Kiara: (grins) Cheating nahi, skill hai. Chalo, start karo.

(The race began, with Kiara pulling ahead instantly, weaving through the virtual traffic like a pro.

Kiaan struggled to keep up but managed to bump her bike at one point, causing her to crash.)

Kiara: (shouts) Kiaan! Tumhaari problem kya hai? Race mein maarna allowed nahi hai!

Kiaan: (laughs) Arrey, it was just an accidental bump.... Lekin dekho, I am winning this race!!!

(In the final stretch, Kiaan won the race by milliseconds.)

Kiaan: (cheers) YES!!!! I am the Champion!!!! Everyone bow down to me!!!!

Kiara: (laughs) tum toh sirf virtual racing mein, mujh se jeet sakte ho!!!! kabhi real track pe aao!!!! Phir main batati hoon!!!

(They continued playing other games, including the basketball arcade, where Kiaan surprisingly outscored Kiara.)

Kiara: (mock disbelief) Impossible! Tumhe basketball kab se aata hai?

Kiaan: (grinning) Arrey, ab bas thoda natural talent hai.

(After almost an hour of non-stop games, they sat down at a nearby bench, breathless and laughing.)

Kiara: Yaar, kitna maza aaya. Bahut time baad aise masti ki hai, maine!!!

Kiaan (nodding) Same here, Kiru!!! Mujhe laga hi nahi tha, ki itna mazza aayega. I miss having these moments with you!!!!

Kiara (smiling) ab kya karna hai?

Kiaan: Let's try the new buffet restaurant here.

Kiara: haan... chalo. Mere toh, hunger games shuru ho gaye hain!!

(Both of them burst into laughter as they headed toward the buffet restaurant on the top floor of the mall.)

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At the Restaurant:

(The smell of freshly baked bread, sizzling kebabs, and aromatic curries greeted Kiara and Kiaan as they entered the buffet restaurant.

The place was packed, but they managed to get a cozy booth near the window.

Kiara picked up a plate and nudged Kiaan.)

Kiara: (grins) Chal, pehle starters attack karte hain. Main kebabs lene wali hoon, aur tum?

Kiaan: (eyes the spread) Tandoori chicken wings aur spring rolls try karta hoon. and Kiru, don't take a lot... phir baaki ki cheezein try nahi kar sakte!!

Kiara: (rolls her eyes) Haan, haan, doctor sahab. Mujhe pata hai.

(They filled their plates with a mix of dishes and returned to the table.

Kiara immediately bit into a kebab, closing her eyes in delight.)

Kiara: Mmm, yeh toh next level hai! Tumhe waise kya pasand aaya buffet mein?

Kiaan: (smiles) aaj toh simple hi kha raha hoon. I just took a soup and thode starter liye hain.

Kiara: (laughing) oye!!! Itni mehnat ki hai to make our Sports day a huge success.... Thoda khaana khaake, energy toh bator le!!!!

Kiaan: haan... haan. Le loonga!!!! (tense) waise, aaj maine chutti le toh li, coaching center se.... but ab tension ho rahi hai... what if they question me tomorrow? Aur waise bhi coaching ka portion bhi Everest jaise lagne laga hai.... I shouldn't have missed today's session.

Kiara: arrey.... Itna stress mat lo, Kiaan You also need a break!! Tum toh genius ho.... cope up kar loge. Rahi baat, tumhaare absence ki, toh papa se ek sick leave ke note likhwaa kar present kar do!!!

Kiaan: haan... I can do that!!! (smiles) tum bataao, Nationals ka kya scene hai?

Kiara: (leans back) Practice intense hi chal rahi hai. I don't get to spend more time on the race track because focus abhi mera, 1st term exams pe hai. but uske baad double mehnat karna padega!!!!

Kiaan: Yaar, Kabhi- kabhi lagta hai ki sab chhod ke bas, ek din relax karun.

Kiara: (nodding) Exactly. Isiliye toh aaj ka din important hai.

Kiaan: Toh ab ek pact banate hain. Har mahine ek din aise hi nikalenge, sirf hum dono ke liye.

Kiara: (grinning) Deal! Lekin agli baar lunch, tumhaari treat hogi. We'll go for bowling next time... and then lunch.

(They moved on to the main course, piling their plates with biryani, butter chicken, dal makhani, and naan.)

(The conversation shifted to lighter topics—funny moments from their school, embarrassing incidents from childhood, and even a debate over who their parents loved more.

Finally, they hit the dessert section.)

Kiaan: (points at the counter) Tumhe kaunsa chahiye? Brownie ya phir gulab jamun?

Kiara: (thins hard) Gulab jamun. Lekin main brownie bhi try karungi. Aur wo caramel custard bhi!

Kiaan: (laughs) Lagta hai buffet ke rules tu hi tod rahi hai.

(They sat back with their desserts, smiling at each other.)

Kiara: (raises her spoon) To the best sibling day ever!

Kiaan: (clinks his spoon with hers) And many more to come.

(Kiaan put an arm around Kiara's shoulder as they walked toward the parking lot with light hearts, already excited for their next sibling day out.)

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Author’s Note ✨

Hey, amazing readers! 👋

Sibling bonds are something special, aren't they? 💙 There’s something so pure about two siblings taking a break from their busy lives to just have fun, laugh, and be there for each other.

Kiaan and Kiara may have their own goals and struggles, but at the end of the day, they’re each other’s biggest support system. And that’s what this story is about—family, love, and finding joy in the simplest things. 💕

I’d love to hear from you! What’s your favorite sibling memory? Or if you could plan your own sibling day, what would it look like? Drop your thoughts in the comments! 📝🤩

Until next time—stay awesome and cherish your loved ones! 🤗✨