Ping!

A notification sound echoed almost simultaneously in three completely different parts of the city.

Inside a lively, upscale café...

Kabir was lazily sitting with his college friends, absentmindedly stirring the cold coffee in front of him while half-listening to whatever drama they were discussing.

Just then...

Ping!

His phone vibrated softly against the wooden table.

Kabir casually picked it up, expecting a boring social media alert. But the moment his eyes landed on the lock screen notification...

His lips curved into an immediate, bright smile.

[Cupcake 🧁 added you to the group "The Family Under Construction 🚧"]

Without caring in the slightest that all his friends were sitting right in front of him waiting for him to reply to their conversation, Kabir immediately tapped the notification and opened the chat.

At the exact same time...

Inside Rathore City Hospital...

Arjun had just finished examining his last patient for the afternoon.

Removing his surgical gloves and tossing them into the bin, he returned to his private cabin and sat down on his leather chair with a long, tired sigh.

The sheer weight of a full day of surgical duties rested heavy on his shoulders.

Before he could even reach out to pick up the next patient's file resting on his desk...

Ping!

His phone lit up brightly beside the pen stand.

He glanced at the screen, and a soft, genuine smile instantly broke through his weary expression.

[Sunshine 💛 added you to the group "The Family Under Construction 🚧"]

Without another thought... he set the medical file aside and unlocked his phone.

Meanwhile...

Inside the grand, conference room of Rathore Enterprises...

Several senior directors were presenting their quarterly financial reports.

The large projector screen displayed endless graphs, revenue stats, and profit charts.

Around the long, polished conference table, high-level executives sat with strict, serious expressions.

At the head of the table sat the three men who ruled both the corporate world and the underworld:

Vikram.
Rudra.
And Veeransh.

They were listening silently, their faces unreadable, cold, and imposing.

The atmosphere inside the room was so thick with tension that nobody dared to make a sound or even breathe too loudly.

Then...

Ping! Ping! Ping!

Three phones vibrated almost together on the polished table.

The presenting directors froze mid-sentence. Several managers secretly exchanged panicked glances.

Who in their right mind... would dare disturb the three most dangerous men in the state right in the middle of a high-stakes board meeting?

Slowly, without a hint of rush, Vikram picked up his phone.

Almost at the exact same time, Rudra and Veeransh did the same.

And then... the unthinkable happened.
Their expressions-which had been icy, strict, and intimidating only moments ago-softened instantly.
The notifications on their respective screens read:

Vikram's screen: [Princess ❤️ added you to the group "The Family Under Construction 🚧"]

Rudra's screen: [Angel ❤️ added you to the group "The Family Under Construction 🚧"]

Veeransh's screen: [Sona 💓 added you to the group "The Family Under Construction 🚧"]

Every single director and manager inside the meeting room widened their eyes in absolute shock.

Nobody dared utter a single word, but the silent panic in the room was palpable.

"The Young Masters are checking their phones... mid-presentation?!"

Ignoring everyone's completely stunned faces, the three Rathores tapped their screens and opened the group chat without the slightest hesitation.

Back at Rathore Mansion...

The late afternoon breeze rustled softly through the grand oak trees in the garden.

Vanya sat cross-legged on the white wrought-iron bench, her face glowing with pure pride.

Beside her, Aarav wasn't even paying attention to the newly created family group-he was completely absorbed in his own phone, concentrated on doing something else, his thumb swiping steadily across his screen.

Vanya glanced down at the group member list.

Seven members.

Perfect.

Without wasting another second, her fingers flew across her keyboard to type the very first message.

Vanya: Hello, everyone! Welcome to our official family group! 🎉🎉

Barely three seconds passed before the screen buzzed.

Kabir: Ohooo... What's all this, Cupcake? 👀

Vanya rolled her eyes playfully and typed right back.

Vanya: Family group. 😌

Almost instantly, another notification popped up.

Arjun: Nice group name, Sunshine. Very creative. 😂

Vanya's face brightened up like a Christmas tree.

Vanya: Thank you, Ari Bhaiya! 💜 At least someone here has an eye for true genius!

Beside her, Aarav remained completely engrossed in whatever he was doing on his own device, completely unfazed by the sudden burst of notifications vibrating on everyone else's phones.

Meanwhile...

Inside the executive conference room of Rathore Enterprises...

The board meeting had officially come to an unofficial halt.

Not because Vikram or Rudra had announced a break... but because every single executive in the room was utterly mesmerized and bewildered.

Their eyes secretly drifted toward the head of the table. They couldn't believe what they were witnessing with their own eyes.

The Rathores

Were all... actively typing on their phones. During an emergency presentation.

One elderly director almost adjusted his heavy glasses twice just to make sure he wasn't having a stroke.

Another manager lowered his head, biting the inside of his cheek to hide his bewildered expression.

Inside the group chat, a new message popped up.

Veeransh: Sona... why this name?

Vanya grinned triumphantly. She nudged Aarav's arm with her elbow, though he barely glanced up from his phone.

"Dekha?" she whispered smugly. "Maine kaha tha na... sab poochne wale hain!"
(See? I told you... everyone would ask!)

Aarav simply gave a short, helpless shake of his head without taking his eyes off his screen, continuing whatever task he was working on.

Vanya immediately turned back to her chat, her fingers typing at record speed.

Vanya: Simple. 😊

Vanya: Main iss family mein nayi hoon.
(I am new to this family.)

Vanya: Aur tum sab robots ki tarah jeete ho... office, ghar, ghar, office. 🤖
(And all of you live like robots... office, home, home, office.)

Vanya: Isliye jab tak tum sab normal family ki tarah rehna nahi seekh jaate...
(So until all of you learn to live like a normal family...)

Vanya: Tab tak group ka naam yahi rahega. 😌🚧
(...this group name will remain the same.)

For a few long seconds...

The group fell dead silent.

And then... miles apart from one another...

Small, genuine smiles appeared on every brother's face.

Inside the tense corporate boardroom, even Vikram couldn't stop the corner of his stern lips from lifting slightly upward.

Because... for the very first time in years... someone had brought vibrant, uncontrollable life straight into their cold Family.

After chatting for a few more minutes

Vikram, Rudra, and Veeransh set their phones down, silently signaling the frozen directors to resume their presentation.

Arjun placed his phone aside and picked up his patient file with a lighter heart.

Kabir tucked his phone away and went right back to annoying his college friends at the café.

After setting her phone aside on the bench, Vanya turned her head toward Aarav.

She rested her chin in her hands, looking at him with a slight, playful pout.

"Avi... tum phone par kya kar rahe ho? Tumne group par ek bhi message nahi kiya!"
(Avi... what are you doing on your phone? You didn't even send a single message on the group!)

Aarav didn't look up immediately. His thumb moved smoothly across his screen, adding the final timing adjustments and color filters to an editing app.

He replied in his usual calm, steady tone,

"Main humari photos ki video bana raha hoon."
(I am making a video out of our photos.)

Vanya tilted her head, her curiosity instantly piqued.

"Kyun?"
(Why?)

Aarav finally locked his screen and turned his head to look at her, explaining softly,

"Apne Instagram status par lagane ke liye."
(To put it on my Instagram status.)

Before Vanya could say anything or ask about privacy, Aarav added reassuringly, knowing how strict their family was about social media,

"Darro mat, mera Instagram account private hai... aur wahan sirf family members hi hain."
(Don't worry, my Instagram account is private... and only family members are on there.)

The moment those words registered, Vanya's face instantly brightened with pure excitement. Her eyes sparkled as she nudged his arm.

"Acha?! Phir toh mujhe tag karo! Mention me!"
(Really?! Then tag me! Mention me!)

Aarav gave a subtle, amused nod.

"Haan, kar dunga."
(Yeah, I will.)

Unable to wait even a second longer, Vanya leaned closer to him on the bench, peeking over his shoulder with wide, eager eyes.

"Pehle mujhe dikhao! Show me!"
(First show me! Show me!)

Aarav unlocked his phone and tapped play.

The video edit turned out surprisingly aesthetic and high quality.

The transitions between their photos-from Vanya's dramatic rocket-launcher racquet pose to their mid-laugh candid picture-were perfectly synced to the rhythm of the song.

The aesthetic, trending beat of
'Shame Malang See' played softly through the phone's speaker, giving the entire collage a warm, magical vibe.

As the short clip finished playing, Vanya stared at the screen for a moment before looking up at Aarav, genuinely amazed by his hidden talent.

"Wah, Avi! Tum toh editing mein bohot achhe ho!"
(Wow, Avi! You are really good at editing!)

Aarav felt a subtle, comfortable warmth spread across his chest.

A soft, rare, and genuine smile touched his lips as he locked his phone after posting it.

"Thank you."

As soon as Aarav posted the video to his private Instagram story...

Barely five minutes passed before Kabir was sitting at his café table, casually scrolling through his feed while sipping his iced coffee.

Ping!

A notification banner slid across the top of his phone screen:

[AaravRathore posted a story.]

Kabir instantly froze, his eyes widening in sheer disbelief.

He stared at the screen as if it were playing a cruel trick on him. Aarav? Posting a story?!

In all the years they had known him, Aarav never posted anything on social media-not reels, not pictures, not even a casual update, except for formal birthday wishes shared out of sheer family obligation once a year.

For Aarav to willingly post a personal story on a random evening was nothing short of a miracle.

Without wasting a single second, Kabir tapped the notification bubble.

The screen opened to the smooth, aesthetic edit Aarav had put up.

As the visual transitions of Vanya and Aarav played out against the backdrop of the song 'Shami Malang See', accompanied by the neat caption

"Golden hours, better company."

-a wave of pure, unadulterated jealousy hit Kabir straight in the chest.

"Yeh kya baat hui?!"
(What is this nonsense?)

Kabir muttered under his breath, his eyes glued to the screen.

"Agar main mansion seedha chala jata... toh main bhi uske saath photos click karwa leta!"
(If I had gone straight to the mansion... I would have clicked photos with her too!)

He watched the story three times in a row, thoroughly salty that Aarav had secured the ultimate sibling photo-op while he was stuck sitting at a café.

Knowing that his father, Vikram, and his older brothers-Rudra, Veeransh, and Arjun-were far too busy with high-stakes corporate business and surgeries to ever check Instagram stories on a random workday, Kabir quickly screen-recorded the status.

Without hesitation, he forwarded the video directly to the family's new WhatsApp chat, along with a string of dramatic crying and angry emojis.

Kabir: CHEATER! @Aarav You took advantage of my absence! 😭😭💔

After sending it to the group so everyone-Dad and the rest of his brothers-could see what he was suffering through, Kabir locked his phone, grabbed his car keys off the table, and abruptly stood up.

He looked at his bewildered college friends.

"Guys, emergency! Mujhe abhi ghar jaana padega!"
(Guys, emergency! I have to go home right now!)

Before his friends could even ask what was wrong, Kabir practically sprinted out of the café, sliding into his car and speeding off toward Rathore Mansion with one single mission in mind: stealing Vanya away for his own photoshoot!

Inside Rathore Mansion, Aarav and Vanya headed upstairs to their respective rooms to freshen up after their long evening in the garden.

A little while later, after changing into comfortable clothes, both of them walked back down to the spacious living area and settled onto the plush leather sofa.

Vanya bounced slightly on the cushions, her eyes practically sparkling with anticipation as she turned to Aarav.

"Avi, main toh gifts dekhne ke liye bohot zyada excited hoon!"
(Avi, I am so excited to see the gifts!)

Aarav merely gave a subtle nod in response, maintaining his usual quiet composure on the outside.

But deep down, he was feeling the exact same level of excitement.

Suddenly, from the grand driveway outside, the sharp sound of a car coming to a halt echoed through the living room.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city...

At Rathore Enterprise, Rudra and Veeransh were sitting inside the CEO cabin, putting the final finishing touches on their pending work.

After some time, both of them stood up from their chairs, closing their laptops.

Neither of them had checked their phones yet.

Veeransh looked at Rudra, adjusting his sleeve cuffs.

"Bhai, pehle humein mall jaana padega, Aarav ka gift lene."
(Bhai, first we have to go to the mall to bring Aarav's gift.)

Rudra nodded in agreement, his voice calm and firm.

"Haan, chalo."
(Yeah, let's go.)

Without any delay, they left the office premises and headed straight for the mall.

At the same time, in the Chairman's cabin...

Vikram sat quietly in his grand leather chair. The dimly lit, luxurious room was silent as he leaned back, deeply lost in thought.

His mind kept drifting toward Vanya-thinking about how they could win her heart and make her truly accept them as a real family.

Ping!

The sharp sound of a notification interrupted his thoughts.

He glanced down at his phone on the desk. It was the notification from the WhatsApp group where Kabir had sent the video and message.

Vikram picked up his device and opened the newly created WhatsApp group.

As the screen loaded, his eyes fell upon the photos of Vanya and Aarav. Watching the bright, genuine smiles on both of their faces, a feeling of deep, quiet happiness washed over him.

A faint, warm smile curved Vikram's lips as he stared at his children's happy faces on the screen.

Meanwhile, at Hospital...

Arjun was packing his stethoscope into his bag, just about to get up from his desk and head home after a long, exhausting shift.

Ping!

His phone vibrated softly on the desk. He picked it up and tapped the new notification from the family group.

The moment the video played, showing Vanya and Aarav laughing together in the garden under the sunset, a sudden wave of playful jealousy hit Arjun's chest.

"Yeh kya baat hui?!"
(What is this?!)

Arjun muttered to himself, looking at the screen with a mock frown.

"Sabse pehle bhai toh main bana tha... par photos sabse pehle Aarav ke saath click karwayi!"
(I was the one to become her first brother... but she took photos with Aarav first!)

He watched the clip once more, but as he saw how genuinely happy and relaxed both Vanya and Aarav looked together, his dramatic annoyance quickly melted away into deep warmth.

A soft, affectionate smile appeared on his face.

"Par kitne cute lag rahe hain dono... Kisi ki Nazar na lage."
(But both of them are looking so cute... May they not catch any evil eye.)

Whispering a quiet blessing, Arjun locked his phone, slipped it into his coat pocket, and walked out of the hospital with a light heart.

Back at Rathore Mansion...

The front doors slammed open as Kabir marched through the main entrance of the hall like a man on a desperate mission.

His eyes immediately locked onto the living room sofa, where Aarav and Vanya were sitting comfortably.

Kabir directly walked toward them with long, dramatic strides, fully prepared to confront them about the Instagram story.

"Tum dono..."
(You two...)

Before he could even start his dramatic accusation, Vanya looked up at him, her eyes immediately dropping to his empty hands.

She blinked, her brow furrowing in instant disappointment.

"Kabir bhaiya... aapke haath khali kyun hain? Did you forget the samosas and cake in the car?!"
(Kabir bhaiya... why are your hands empty? Did you forget the samosas and cake in the car?!)

Kabir froze dead in his tracks.

The entire speech he had prepared about "betrayal" and "sibling photo rights" completely vanished from his mind.

A sudden, cold wave of panic surged right through him as he realized what he had done in his rush to confront Aarav.

He gulped, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Uh... No, Cupcake... actually, main apna wallet ghar par hi bhool gaya tha..."
(Uh... No, Cupcake... actually, I forgot my wallet at home...)

Vanya narrowed her eyes at him dangerously, placing her hands on her hips as she gave him a sharp, disbelieving glare.

"Aapko kya lagta hai, main stupid hoon?! Aap jab apne dosto se milne gaye the, tab wallet bhool gaye?!"
(Do you think I am stupid?! When you went to meet your friends, you forgot your wallet then?!)

Kabir winced under her sharp cross-examination.

"Arre Cupcake, woh-"

"Chalo, let's consider for a second ki aap wallet bhool gaye,"

"Aapke paas UPI app nahi hai?!"
(Come on, let's consider for a second that you forgot your wallet... Do you not have a UPI app?!)

Vanya interrupted smoothly, tilting her head with an evil little smirk.

Kabir stood completely speechless, caught red-handed in his own ridiculous lie.

Beside Vanya, Aarav quietly turned his head away, biting the inside of his cheek to hide his amusement.

Kabir nervously raised his hands in defeat, bowing his head.

"Sorry Cupcake... Sorry Aarav! Main abhi jaa raha hoon... I will get them in fifteen minutes! Promise!"
(Sorry Cupcake... Sorry Aarav! I am going right now... I will get them in fifteen minutes! Promise!)

Without waiting for another lecture, Kabir turned right around and ran back out of the mansion as fast as his feet could carry him, sprinting toward his car to fulfill his snack duty before Vanya could disown him!

Soon, the distinct sound of another car coming to a halt echoed from the grand driveway outside Rathore Mansion.

The driver's side door clicked open, and Vikram stepped out of the luxury vehicle.

Buttoning his suit jacket, he adjusted his posture and strode with broad, stately steps into the house.

As soon as he reached the spacious living area, Vanya looked up from the sofa. Aarav turned his head toward the entrance at the exact same moment.

Aarav offered a calm, respectful nod.

"Welcome back, Dad."

Vanya chimed in right after him, giving a polite smile.

"Welcome back, Uncle!"

However, the very next second, Vanya's sharp detective mind switched on.

She narrowed her eyes slightly, tilting her head as she scrutinized the wall clock and then looked back at Vikram.

"But Uncle... aap toh dinner ke time ke aas-paas aane wale the, right?"
(But Uncle... you were supposed to come around dinner time, right?)

Vikram maintained a remarkably smooth, unbothered expression, replying casually,

"Flight landed early."

Vanya's brow furrowed in utter confusion. She tapped her chin with her index finger, muttering her thoughts out loud.

"Flight landed early...? Like bus and car, can we drive a flight fast to reach early?!"

Before her inquisitive mind could cross-examine him any further, a deep, steady voice interrupted from right behind Vikram.

"Angel, let Dad take some rest. He came from a very long flight, right?"

Rudra and Veeransh stepped into the living hall barely five seconds after Vikram, having conveniently arrived right on cue.

The sudden presence of her older brothers completely derailed Vanya's train of thought.

Her investigative instinct vanished into thin air as she quickly recalled her hospitality duties.

"Ah! Yes, Uncle, Aap betiye! Main aapke liye paani lekar aati hoon!"
(Ah! Yes, Uncle, you sit! I will bring water for you!)

Before anyone could say another word or offer to help, she scampered off toward the kitchen.

Vikram let out a long, quiet breath he didn't realize he was holding and sat down on the plush leather sofa.

Rudra and Veeransh followed suit, settling onto the surrounding armchairs with completely neutral, innocent faces.

From his spot on the sofa, Aarav narrowed his eyes in deep suspicion, watching the trio's perfectly orchestrated entry.

He knew his family too well-flights don't magically "speed up" like a taxi, and the timing of Rudra and Veeransh's entry was far too convenient.

Yet, Aarav didn't ask a single question out loud.

Instead, he simply watched Vanya hurry back from the kitchen with a tray of glasses , completely oblivious to how easily she had been distracted.

Aarav shook his head silently, an internal thought popping into his mind:

"Twinnie is way too easy to manipulate... She forgets what she was even talking about in two seconds flat. I really have to take care of her outside."

A few moments later, Vanya emerged gracefully from the kitchen carrying a sleek, silver serving tray.

Resting neatly upon it were three crystal glasses filled with ice-cold water, condensation lightly beading on the sides of the glass.

With a polite, dutiful smile on her face, she walked over to the seating area and handed the glasses one by one to Rudra, Veeransh, and Vikram, who had all settled comfortably onto the armchairs and plush leather sofa.

"Pani le lijiye, Uncle,"

. "Rudra bhaiya, Veeransh bhaiya, aap dono bhi lijiye."
(Please take water, Uncle... Rudra bhaiya, Veeransh bhaiya, both of you take it too.)

Vanya said softly as she offered the last glass.

Once her hosting duties were momentarily fulfilled to her satisfaction, she turned back with a light spring in her step and skipped right over to the sofa, plumping herself down right beside Aarav once again.

Not even ten minutes had passed before the heavy front doors swung open once more with a sudden, loud click.

In rushed Kabir, looking like a man who had just sprinted a full marathon in record time.

He was panting heavily, his hair slightly disheveled, and his knuckles white from clutching two large, branded food bags tightly in his hands.

Without wasting a single second, Kabir dragged his tired feet across the marble floor and collapsed dramatically onto a single-seater armchair, placing the heavy, warm bags down on the center coffee table with a loud thud.

"Uff! Meri jaan nikal gayi thi!"
(Uff! My life almost left my body!)

Kabir groaned out loud, throwing his head back against the leather cushion and wiping the light sheen of sweat off his forehead with the back of his wrist.

He took a few deep, dramatic breaths to catch his wind, then sat up and looked toward Vanya and Aarav with a triumphant, victorious grin.

Pushing the bags forward on the table, he announced loudly so the whole room could hear:

"Yeh lo! Apne garma-garam samosas aur fresh pineapple cake! Express delivery in record time!"
(Here! Take your piping-hot samosas and fresh pineapple cake! Express delivery in record time!)

Vanya's eyes immediately lit up with sheer delight as the mouth-watering aroma of freshly fried spices and sweet cream drifted out of the bags and filled the air of the living room.

Her hands instinctively twitched forward to open the packaging.

However, right before her fingers could touch the paper handles, she caught herself.

She pulled her hands back, raised a firm palm, and stopped Kabir's eager distribution in its tracks.

"Ruko! Aise kaise shuru kar dein?!"

"Ari bhaiya ko bhi toh aane do, phir hum sab ek saath khaayenge!"
(Wait! How can we just start like that?! Let Ari bhaiya come too, then we will all eat together!)

Vanya declared with absolute authority.

Kabir opened his mouth to complain about his hard work and the warm food getting cold, but Vanya didn't give him a single second to object.

She immediately turned her gaze toward the rest of the room, her sharp eyes sweeping over Vikram, Rudra, Veeransh, and the still-panting Kabir.

Tilting her head, she assumed full commander mode.

"Aur Aap sab log... aise kya dekh rahe ho mujhe?! Go and freshen up! Jaldi jaiye!"
(And all of you... why are you staring at me like that?! Go and freshen up! Go quickly!)

To any outsider looking in, the sight would have seemed completely mind-boggling.

Here sat Vikram Rathore-the terrifying head of the family and a man whose very name made underworld bosses shiver.

Sitting beside him were Rudra and Veeransh-the two most ruthless, feared corporate figures in the city.

And yet, when a teenager standing in the middle of their living room pointed her finger and ordered them to go wash up...

Not a single one of them offered a word of protest.

In fact, Vikram merely exhaled a quiet, amused breath, while Rudra and Veeransh stood up with subtle, obedient nods.

"Fine, fine," Kabir muttered, groaning as he pushed himself up from his chair.

"Aapke hukum ka palan hoga, Her Majesty Cupcake!"
(Your order will be obeyed, Her Majesty Cupcake!)

Within seconds, all four men cleared out of the hall and headed upstairs toward their respective rooms to wash away the day's exhaustion.

Only Vanya and Aarav remained seated in the quiet living space.

Aarav glanced over at her from the corner of his eyes, a small, subtle smirk playing on his lips.

"Tumne sach mein sabko ek second mein unke kamron mein bhej diya."
(You really sent everyone to their rooms in a single second.)

"Obviously!"

Vanya puffed out her chest proudly.

"Rules are rules!"

Just as the last echoes of footsteps faded away on the upper floor, the grand front doors clicked open once more.

Arjun stepped inside the mansion, looking visibly drained after a long, intense day at the hospital.

He loosened his silk tie with one hand, letting out a heavy, tired exhale.

Before Arjun could even take two full steps into the hall, Vanya bounded off the sofa and scampered over to him with wide, urgent eyes.

"Ari bhaiya!"

she gasped, grabbing him gently by his coat sleeve and tugging him toward the corridor.

"Jaldi se jaakar fresh up ho kar aao! Samosa thanda ho raha hai!"
(Ari bhaiya! Go freshen up quickly and come back! The samosa is getting cold!)

Arjun blinked in complete surprise at her sudden, high-energy reception.

The sheer tiredness in his eyes instantly dissolved, replaced by a deep, helpless affection as he looked down at her worried face.

"Arre, shanti, Sunshine,"

"Theek hai, theek hai... bas paanch minute do mujhe. Main abhi washup karke aata hoon."
(Arre, peace, Sunshine... Okay, okay... just give me five minutes. I'll wash up and come right back.)

Arjun chuckled warmly, patting her head gently.

True to his word, within ten minutes, the entire Rathore household had reassembled in the grand living room.

Everyone found a spot, settling onto the plush sofas and comfortable armchairs.

The atmosphere, which was usually cold and quiet in this massive mansion, now felt vibrant, loud, and full of cozy energy.

Vanya took complete charge of the food distribution like a professional host.

She carefully plated a golden, perfectly crisp samosa and a neat slice of layered, sweet pineapple cake on individual plates, handing them out one by one.

"Yeh lijiye Uncle... yeh Rudra bhaiya ke liye... yeh Veeransh bhaiya... yeh Ari bhaiya... aur yeh Kabir bhaiya,"

she announced, handing out the final plate to Aarav before taking her own.

"Shukriya, Princess," Vikram said softly, his deep voice carrying a rare, gentle warmth as he accepted his plate.

In the excitement of snacks vanya didn't hear or clearly noticed the 'princess' word.

As soon as everyone had their food, the feast officially began.

Vanya sat cross-legged on her cushion, picking up her crispy samosa with both hands.

She took a big, satisfying bite, savoring the spicy potato filling. But then, right after chewing and swallowing that single bite,

she immediately set the samosa down on her plate, picked up her dessert fork, and took a massive, creamy bite of the pineapple cake!

Sitting right across from her on the opposite couch, Arjun was in the middle of taking a bite of his own samosa when he froze.

He stared at Vanya, his eyebrows pulling together in utter medical and culinary bewilderment.

He lowered his hand, pointing his fork toward her plate.

"Sunshine... zara mujhe samjhaogi ki yeh kya chal raha hai?"
(Sunshine... will you please explain to me what is going on here?)

Arjun asked, looking at her as if she were a complicated medical anomaly.

"Why are you eating one bite of samosa and then immediately taking one bite of sweet cake? Spicy aur sweet ko aise alternate karke khana kaunsa naya digestive science hai?!"
(Why are you eating one bite of samosa and then immediately taking one bite of sweet cake? What new digestive science is alternating spicy and sweet like this?!)

Everyone stopped eating and turned their attention to Vanya.

Vanya blinked back at Arjun with complete innocence, swallowing her mouth full of pineapple cream before replying in the most casual, matter-of-fact tone possible.

"Arre Ari bhaiya! Aap toh doctor ho, aapko itna bhi nahi pata? Woh main testing kar rahi hoon!"
(Arre Ari bhaiya! You are a doctor, you don't even know this much? I am doing testing!)

Vanya explained enthusiastically, waving her fork around in the air to emphasize her point.

Arjun raised an eyebrow.

"Testing? Kis cheez ki testing?"
(Testing? Testing for what?)

"Pehle taste test karna padta hai na ki samosa zyada tasty hai ya cake!"
(First I have to taste-test whether the samosa is tastier or the cake!)

Vanya stated proudly, pointing to both items on her plate.

"Dono ko baari-baari khakar compare karungi. Phir jo zyada achha niklega, main usse sabse last mein khaungi! taaki last taste wahi rahe."
(By eating both turn by turn, I will compare them. Then whichever turns out to be better, I will eat all of it at the very end for my mouth's final taste!)

A heavy, stunned silence fell over the entire living room for two full seconds.

And then...

Simultaneous bursts of laughter echoed through the hall!

Kabir, who was in the middle of drinking water, nearly choked and burst into a loud fit of laughter, clutching his stomach.

Veeransh threw his head back, shaking his head with a broad, rare grin, while Rudra let out a soft, genuine chuckle that he didn't even bother to hide.

Even Vikram, sitting at the head of the room, watched her with eyes sparkling with pure, unfiltered adoration.

Arjun covered his face with his palm, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter at her bizarre logic.

"Wah... kya scientific theory hai. Medical science toh fail kar di tumne, Sunshine!"
(Wow... what a scientific theory. You completely failed medical science, Sunshine!)

Beside her, Aarav simply shook his head, leaning back against the sofa cushions with a soft, quiet sigh.

Vanya grinned triumphantly, taking another bite of her samosa, completely unbothered by their laughter, feeling happier than she had in a very long time.

To be continued...