Aryan's pov:
For a second, the whole world froze. Baba sa was laughing so hard his shoulders were shaking, and this girl—this mystery girl—was just staring at me like I’d lost my last brain cell.
Okay, maybe I had. But in my defense, she was adorable.
She blinked at me, her lips still squished in my palms. “...What are you doing?”
Oof. Her voice. Tiny, soft, but carrying this edge, like she wasn’t used to being playful. Like she had built walls around her.
I quickly let go of her cheeks and stepped back, scratching my neck.
“Uh… appreciating art?”
Baba sa chuckled, shaking his head. “Aryan, tum bhi na…”
But I wasn’t embarrassed. Nope. Instead, I folded my arms dramatically and tilted my head at her.
“What’s your name, Miss Cute Cheeks?”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “Why should I tell you? And what's this cute cheeks nonsense?”
I grinned. "That's my nickname for you!"
“Because I just promoted you, from random stranger in the market to potential little sister material. It’s a big deal, okay?”
Her jaw dropped slightly, and I swear Baba sa was enjoying this like his personal entertainment show.
"Sister! Where did that ever come from?" She said.
"My heart" I said lovingly.
I leaned closer, lowering my voice conspiratorially.
“But there's just one problem… you'll have to go through an interrogation. Matlab—basic details. Like first and most important your name, your favourite ice cream flavour, favourite chocolate. Just a future best-brother-ever in training.”
She huffed and looked away, muttering.
“I don’t have to tell you anything.”
Ouch. Direct hit. But instead of backing off, I clutched my chest dramatically.
“Dekha Baba sa? Pehli baar mili hai aur already mujhe torture kar rahi hai. Bilkul asli behen wali vibes!”
("See Baba sa? met her for the first time and she is already torturing me. Absolutely authentic sister vibes!”)
Baba sa laughed again, and I caught a tiny flicker in her eyes—a softening, like she wasn’t used to people teasing her gently.
“Fine,” I said, grinning again.
“Mat batao. Main khud hi guess karta hoon.”
("Don't tell, I'll guess myself")
I pointed at her.
“Naam… hmmm… tumhari shakal dekho toh lagta hai… ‘Khushboo.’ Nahi? Okay okay, maybe ‘Pooja?’”
She glared at me. “Wrong.”
“Okay one more try… ‘Shaktimaan?”
This time, despite herself, the corner of her lips twitched. Just a little. But I saw it. Victory.
Inside, I was already punching the air. Because for some reason… making this stranger smile felt like the most important thing I’d ever done.
Her glare softened ever so slightly, and I leaned in, waiting for her to break. I could see the little war inside her—annoyed, stubborn, yet curious enough to respond.
“…Saanvi,” she finally muttered, barely above a whisper.
I froze mid-gesture, hands still hovering dramatically in the air.
Saanvi. Her name… it fits her. Sweet, mysterious, like it was meant for someone who could steal hearts without even trying.
“Say what?” I repeated, loud enough to sound casual but clearly thrilled.
“Saanvi” she repeated, sharper this time, as if daring me to mock her.
I grinned, holding my hands to my chest as if she’d just given me a treasure.
“Ah! Finally! Miss Cute Cheeks has a name! And it’s… Saanvi. Beautiful. Perfect. Totally destined. I knew it.”
She rolled her eyes, but the corner of her lips betrayed her. Victory.
I leaned back, pretending to examine her like a masterpiece.
“Saanvi, huh? Very… sophisticated. Definitely sounds like someone who secretly eats chocolate in bed while reading mystery novels.”
Her nose scrunched. “I don’t—”
“Ah, caught in a lie!” I pointed a finger at her like a detective.
“See? This is why you can’t hide anything from your future big brother. I’ve got instincts.”
She crossed her arms, a faint blush creeping up her cheeks.
“Future… big brother?”
“Yes! Obviously. You’re welcome in advance. Lifetime membership, no refunds.”
I bowed dramatically, grinning like a fool.
“Certificate coming soon. Official Aryan-approved little sister.”
Baba sa’s laughter was echoing in the background, and I caught a flicker of amusement in Saanvi’s eyes. Victory… again.
I leaned a little closer, lowering my voice.
“Okay, but seriously… now that I know your name, I feel like I need to know… your story. Are you a secret superhero?
Her glare returned, sharper this time with a smirk.
"What if I am? I kidnap irritating people, the next one can be you"
I gasped loudly, staggering back as if she had just stabbed me. One hand flew to my chest, the other to my forehead in a pure Bollywood style.
“Omg! Did you hear that, Baba sa? She just threatened to kidnap me! A delicate, innocent, pure soul like me—snatched away by this dangerous, mysterious criminal mastermind!”
I dropped to his knees in front of her, eyes wide with exaggerated horror.
“But wait… if you do kidnap me, Cute Cheeks, who will make you laugh? Who will bring terrible jokes into your noble villain life?Who will stand between you and the forces of boredom?”
Then I leaned even closer, lowering my voice conspiratorially, lips twitching into a grin.
“Fine. Kidnap me. Lekin ek shart pe… at least give me a comfortable cell, unlimited chocolate, and… obviously… your company. Because what’s the point of kidnapping me if you won’t let me annoy you daily?”
And just like that, I noticed a small, almost imperceptible smile tug at her lips. Not wide, not even brave enough to call a smile—just a tiny little curve that made my chest feel… lighter.
I realized then, maybe this wasn’t just a market encounter. Maybe it was the start of something… unpredictable. Something fun.
“Alright, Cute Cheeks” I said, straightening up.
“Challenge accepted. I’ll earn your secrets. Step one… survive my terrible jokes. Step two… tolerate my dramatic flair. Step three… maybe, just maybe, become the best little sister anyone could ask for.”
She shook her head, exasperated, but I swear I saw her shoulders relax a bit.
She groaned softly, muttering something under her breath that I didn’t catch—but it sounded suspiciously like amusement.
Victory number… too many to count. And I wasn’t done yet.
Baba sa chuckled, shaking his head as he gestured for us to move.
“Alright, let’s get out of the market before you two turn this place upside down.”
I glanced at her, grinning devilishly. “Miss Saanvi, honour us with your presence.”
She crossed her arms, tilting her head.
“Why should I?”
“Ohh… afraid of your big brother now?” I teased, nudging her shoulder lightly.
She shot me a sharp look. “Afraid, my foot. I just don’t make connections… especially with irritating people.”
I gasped, clutching my chest dramatically.
“Excuse me?! How dare you… my poor heart! You are my sister, that’s it. Let’s do one thing—if I make you laugh, you accept me as your brother.
And if I fail… well, no, I cannot fail. I know I won’t. Baba sa, let’s go to that park—you’ll be our judge. I’m going to win.”
She raised an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at her lips.
“Overconfidence much? But… challenge accepted. But if you lose, we’ll never meet again.”
I threw my hands up in mock horror. “No way!”
“Yes way,” she said firmly. “Let’s go.”
Baba sa laughed heartily behind us. “Alright, you two, lead the way. I’ll be the judge of this… whatever nonsense is about to happen.”
I grabbed her hand playfully—not too tight, just enough to get a reaction—and started leading the way.
“Prepare yourself, Cutie. Today, you’ll witness my unbeatable charm, my unmatched jokes, and my legendary… okay, okay, maybe just my terrible jokes. But trust me, they’re guaranteed to make you laugh.”
She snorted softly, pretending to groan. “Oh no… what have I gotten myself into?”
“Exactly!” I said, grinning like a maniac. “Welcome to the Aryan Experience. Step one: try not to laugh while I conquer your stubborn heart.”
She rolled her eyes, but the tiny upward twitch at the corner of her lips told me I was already halfway there. Victory never felt this close.
Baba sa trailed behind, chuckling to himself.
“I’m telling you… this kid has no shame. But somehow, Saanvi, I think you’re going to enjoy this.”
I looked back at her with mock seriousness. “Oh, you will enjoy it. Or else… I’ll consider it a personal failure, and that… can never happen.”
Saanvi just shook her head, trying not to laugh, and I knew… this was going to be fun.
Saanvi's pov:
The park was almost empty that afternoon, a quiet little oasis of swings, slides, and winding pathways. Rajveer sat on a nearby bench, arms crossed, a grin on his face as he watched the scene unfold before him.
On one side of the seesaw sat Aryan, all energy and mischief, and on the other, Saanvi—stone-faced, arms crossed, and utterly unimpressed.
Aryan, determined as ever, launched into his first joke.
“Why don’t skeletons fight each other?” he called, hands flailing dramatically.
Saanvi didn’t even blink.
“Because they don’t have the guts!” he roared, bouncing up and down.
Still nothing.
He groaned, flopping dramatically onto the seesaw.
“Okay… okay… what do you call fake spaghetti?”
“An impasta!” he added before she could even respond.
Saanvi remained stoic, her expression betraying nothing.
Aryan’s eyes widened. “Impossible! How can someone resist my geniusness?”
He flailed, bouncing harder, almost tipping the seesaw.
“Alright… alright… why did the chicken cross the playground?”
“To get to the other slide!” he shouted, throwing his arms in the air.
No reaction. Not a twitch. Not even a tiny smirk.
He groaned louder this time, clutching his chest. “Baba sa! Can you believe this? She… she’s… un-laughable! My poor heart!”
Rajveer chuckled, shaking his head. “Patience, Aryan. Maybe she’s… just serious,” he said, enjoying every second of Aryan’s theatrics.
But Aryan was far from done. He threw himself into his final arsenal.
“Okay, joke marathon, round two! Why did the banana go to the doctor?”
“Because it wasn’t peeling well!”
Still nothing.
“Why did the tomato blush?”
“Because it saw the salad dressing!”
He bounced up and down like a man possessed, arms flailing wildly, nearly losing balance.
“Why did the computer go to the doctor? Because it caught a virus!
Why don’t eggs tell jokes? They’d crack each other up!”
Saanvi remained unmoved, a small crease between her brows the only hint of reaction.
Frustration overtook him. He threw himself down on the seesaw, covering his face.
Then, over-the-top, he began crying—loud, drawn-out, irritatingly fake cries that echoed across the park. The bodyguards, hidden in the shadows, froze. They had never seen him like this.
“ My life is over! No one appreciates my geniusness!” he wailed, rolling as dramatically as possible.
That’s when Saanvi, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, gave the seesaw a firm push. Aryan shot up mid-cry, caught completely off guard, and then slammed down hard on his end.
He lost balance entirely and toppled sideways, limbs flailing. And then… the sound came.
It started soft, uncertain, but quickly swelled into full-blown, unrestrained laughter—angelic, musical, pure joy.
Saanvi. Laughing. Really laughing. Tears streamed down her face, and she had no idea anyone was watching. For a moment, the world paused.
Rajveer froze mid-laugh on the bench. Aryan lay sideways on the grass, stunned.
The bodyguards stopped in their tracks. Even a few distant park-goers paused. Her laugh was so captivating, so radiant, that everyone who heard it was unconsciously admiring it.
Saanvi, however, cared for none of that. She was lost in the moment, laughing harder than she had in… perhaps ever. Her cheeks glistened with tears of joy, shoulders shaking with mirth, and she didn’t even notice her surroundings.
Aryan, still lying sideways like a fallen warrior, blinked in awe. “I… I did it,” he whispered hoarsely, a triumphant grin spreading across his face.
“I actually… did it.”
Saanvi tried to catch her breath, wiping tears from her eyes as she gasped between giggles.
“You… you’re… ridiculous!”
“I know,” Aryan said, still flopped on the grass, “but apparently… ridiculously effective.”
Rajveer shook his head, still laughing.
“I never thought I’d see the day… Aryan actually made someone laugh this hard.”
And in that moment, as the echoes of her laughter faded into soft giggles, it was clear: this wasn’t just a victory. It was a bridge.
The stone-faced Saanvi had let him in, even if just a little, and Aryan knew that this laugh—pure, joyous, unrestrained—was the start of something unforgettable.
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