Chapter Seven

"Bro, pinch me once" Vaibhav said as soon as they stepped inside the house.

"Shhh, lower your volume Vaibhav. You’ll wake the whole house” Vihaan said

"What’s the plan then?” asked Vaibhav confused with Vihaan’s behaviour.

"You are too excited. Let’s go to my room and talk there. Its not quite safe here" said Vihaan dragging Vaibhav with him to his room. As soon as they entered the room Vihaan locked it and turned to answer Vaibhavs questions

“Hey, what are you doing. I am married and straight, so no wrong ideas.” Vaibhav said dramatically crossing his arms across his chest making Vihaan roll his eyes.

“Shut up dude! Stop with your drama! We are here for something serious" 

"Okay. Down to business. How do you want to proceed?” Vaibhav asked completely excited to get down to cupid business. Vihaan explained him his total plan which he worked up in his mind while returning from the club. Vaibhav's eyes widened and became normal timely listening to Vihaan's plans.

"Everything sounds fine. But are you sure about this?” Vaibhav asked to confirm and Vihaan nodded his head in a ‘yes’ to confirm his plans.

"I am in bro. Let’s get this party started and bring them together" Vaibhav said and the brothers hi-fied.

"MISSION RANBIR" both said and shook their hands and Vaibhav returned to his room.

Next Morning:

As usual Vihaan dropped Myra in her collage and Vaibhav accompanied them today. As soon as she left bidding them bye, they turned and started their journey towards Ranbirs farmhouse.

After a good 30 minutes they reached there as it was quite far away from the city"

“Hello, anybody home?" Vihaan shouted finding no one visible from the side window. He was ringing the bell for the 5th time. Vaibhav pushed his brother and kept his finger on the bell and didn’t lift it, the bell rang incessantly.

"I am going to fucking kill you. Which moron showed up on my door this morning?” Ranbir opened the door ready to kill the person who disturbed his beauty sleep.

After finding Vihaan and Vaibhav at the door, his frowned disappeared and was replaced by a smile. He opened the door completely and asked them to get in. The trio were settled down in the living area. Vaibhav and Vihaan sat on the sofa and Ranbir occupied the chair opposite them. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. To push away his sleep.

"You both are here so early in the morning. Is everything alright?" asked Ranbir in a worried tone seeing them early in the morning.

"Mr.Malhotra, look at the clock. It’s 10 in the morning. We were here to see if you are fine after last night." Vaibhav replied pointing towards the clock in the living room.

"Oh freak!! I slept for so long. I didn’t realise the time" Ranbir said rubbing his forehead. His head was blasting with pain.

"hmmm after effects of party" Vihaan said and winked looking at Ranbir to which he smiled

"So, what brings you here. You guys didn’t answer” asked Ranbir trying to divert the topic from him.

"What do you mean, why did we come? From when did friends need a reason to visit other friend. I thought we were friends! You know what, we are leaving” Vihaan stood up and pulled Vaibhav with him.

"Guys, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. I’m sorry guys, I didn’t mean to offend you. sorry.”

“Then what did you mean?” Vihaan said faking anger.

"Vihaan, stop it. Enough now. You are scaring that guy” Vaibhav chided his brother.

Ranbir hit his shoulder and Vihaan faked an ‘ouch’ in response. Both giggled at their actions.

"Okay. Enough of fooling around boys. Lets get to why we are here." Vaibhav pulled up his sleeves to control the ‘small’ boys.

Raising his eyebrows Ranbir gestured the ‘big guy’ to continue.

"Nothing much. We realised yesterday that you haven’t explored much of Bangalore and stay at your farmhouse for most of the time. So we decided to show you around. Hence, we have planned the itinerary for the next three days. Get ready we are supposed to leave in” he dragged and looked at his watch and continued “Next 30 minutes. So Mr. Malhotra, you have 30 minutes to freshen up eat your breakfast. Get your lazy ass up and moving”

Vaibhav completed and looked up to see as there was no reply from the other two. Vihaan and Ranbir were looking at him like an alien from Mars.

“What you don’t want us to show around? Then its fine, we can do it as per your preference”

“What?” Ranbir was totally baffled. These two guys whom he met last night cared so much for him. His heart warmed up at their gestures.

“You in or not?” Vaibhav asked again, getting no reply.

“Huh, what?” Ranbir couldn’t come up with an answer.

“What, what? You just have to answer a simple Yes or No”

“Yes yes and Yes” Ranbir got excited like a kid and hugged Vaibhav.

“If we knew you would be so eager for site seeing, we would have come with a small bag packed” Vaibhav said and hugged Ranbir. He could see through that guy like an open book. He understood what was going on in Ranbir’s mind. Giving Vaibhav a squeeze unable to explain his feelings in words, Ranbir broke the hug.

“you know, I never had friends. Everyone was either a colleague or a business associate. I guess that is why Bappa has sent you both in my life. My time in Bangalore was limited to staying in this farmhouse, finishing off my work, hitting random clubs at times.” He chuckled sadly and continued rubbing his hands in excitement “Okay, I am blabbering,

I’ll get ready as soon as I can. Make yourselves at home, feel free. Ill be right back. I cant wait to go around with you guys” he said and zoomed off to his room to get ready.

“He is just like a kid. A grown up and lonely one though” Vaibhav said looking in the direction in which Ranbir went and Vihaan side hugged him.

“We will be there for him right. Stop sulking and lets see what is available in the kitchen for a quick breakfast. Let me make a cup of strong coffee as well. He must have a pretty bad hangover” Vihaan said and walked around in search of kitchen.

‘My baby brother’ Vaibhav mumbled to himself with a smile.

Ranbir came down in 120 minutes and after having a hearty breakfast, the trio left for the day, as per Vaibhav’s plan.

In Delhi:

“Zara” Avni tried to gain attention of Zara who was blushing looking at her phone. Putting her phone aside Zara turned to Avni

“Yes tell me Ms. Malhotra”

“Don’t you think, Bhai has been acting a little weird. I mean not completely, but a little. Yeah” she said in a lot tone looking at her fingers, which were knitted in her lap.

“What do you mean weird. I didn’t notice any changes as such” Zara replied little clueless.

“You know his trips to Bangalore. I find them little fishy. Because his partner, that so called Ranbir Malhotra, never visits Mumbai. It is always Bhai who has to go to Bangalore. I mean why doesn’t Ranbir come to Mumbai? Don’t you think that’s little weird.”

“Maybe, that guy is busy. I don’t find any reason to doubt that fella. He might be having his reasons for doing so. And if it wasn’t important I don’t think Bhai would have entertained his demands. So just let it be and chill”

“You know, I even asked him once to invite Ranbir to Bangalore, but he denied it straight away. I mean, if everything is fine, why cant he come her at least once” Avni was frustrated, for a reason unknown to her.

“Tell me one thing. Why are you so desperate to know about this Ranbir? What’s the matter” Zara narrowed her eyes and threw Avni a questioning glare.

“What! Me and desperate no way. Why would I be desperate as if he is Ranbir Kapoor. Common, you know me! Its Avni Malhotra you are talking about” Avni said dramatically and started looking for something interesting in her phone, that would save her from Zara’s questioning looks.

“Oh My Goodness! Now I get it. How can I forget that my bff is a Ranbir Kapoor fan girl. Wait don’t tell me you like that guy just because he has the same name as that actor” Zara joined the dots and after coming to a conclusion, she wasn’t ready to back down without confession from her friend.

“God, no! It’s not like that”

“Then what. Explain it to me clearly”

“You know how difficult it is to impress Bhai right! And when it comes to thins guy, Bhai just cant stop singing praises. I am just intrigued that who is this man who impressed The Ayaan Malhotra” Avni tried her best to act convinced and Zara also bought her act, very well aware of Avni’s nature.

“You sure that’s it to the story and I am not missing anything else?” she clarified and Avni nodded in a yes with a wide smile and Zara decided to let go the topic temporarily.

Flashback:

"Avni you know, working with Ranbir is so much fun. He is the type of guy, who light’s up the room with just his presence. Looking at him, you’ll never figure out, how he manages his business empire. He is full of life. You know, I think the phase ‘Live life King size’ was meant for someone like him. Sometimes I envy that guy for having everything. There is so much to learn from him” Ayaan went on but Avni was surprised seeing her brother behaving like a star struck teenager.

Never did she see her brother saying so many good things about another person, other than their parents. Hearing her brother, Avni started making a rough description of the guy.

Unable to hold the curiosity anymore she asked him

"Bhai, how does he look?”

“Nothing less than a movie star” her brother replied with a sigh.

Avni didn't know when it all started, but she was gradually getting attracted to a stranger intrigued by her brothers description.

End of flashback

“Where are you lost?” Zara asked shaking Avni who was busy drawing a rough figure of an imaginary Ranbir in her mind

"Nowhere. It’s just that I’m missing Bhai" she covered up and continued

"I have a solution. Lets go out and eat ice cream. I am craving for it from quite sometime. Let me call Abhi and see if he is free to join us” Zara said and called Abhi, who agreed to join them. He picked up the girls and the trio left for their ice-cream outing.