As Ayaan stepped into his home, the air felt both familiar and distant. "I am back," he said, his voice steady yet carrying the weight of time spent away.
His mother's gaze lingered on him for a moment before she spoke. "Go and freshen up first."
Just as Ayaan nodded, a sudden blast of game sound effects filled the room. Rohan.
Ayaan didn't even have to turn around to know what had happened—his younger brother had cranked up the volume, making sure everyone in the house knew he was in the middle of a game.
Ayaan sighed. Some things never change.
Without another word, he made his way to his room. The same walls. The same faint scent of home. Yet, something felt off—like a piece of him was struggling to settle back in.
Shaking off the thought, he grabbed a towel and stepped into the bathroom. A shower. That's all he needed. A moment to reset.
After refreshing, Ayaan stepped out of his room, rubbing a towel over his damp hair. A quick glance at the clock—8 PM. Dinner time.
He made his way to the dining table and sat down, stretching slightly. Just as he settled in, the familiar sound of an argument erupted from the other room.
"Rohan, put that game down and come eat!" his mother's voice carried through the house, firm yet composed.
"Just one more minute, Mom! I'm almost done!" Rohan shot back, his tone filled with desperation.
Ayaan smirked, leaning back in his chair. "He deserves it," he murmured to himself, watching the chaos unfold with mild amusement.
Yet, as the argument continued, Ayaan found his thoughts drifting elsewhere.
His mother.
Even in moments like these, she never truly lashed out. Firm, cold, yet never harsh. She raised her voice, but never blamed anyone. It was something Ayaan had noticed for years, but now, after being away, it stood out even more.
A quiet question settled in his mind. Why?
After some time, Rohan plopped into the seat beside Ayaan, leaning forward with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Hey, Ayaan, did you see anything weird around NSRM City?" he asked, his tone laced with curiosity.
Ayaan raised an eyebrow. "Weird? What do you mean?, Oh you mean that weird structures around NSRM City"
Before he could get an answer, Rohan grinned excitedly. "YES! Do you know? Only two more years until beta testing for the new VR game! If I get in... my dream of playing will finally come true!"
Ayaan let out a laugh—half amused, half irritated. "You're hopeless."
Just as Rohan was about to say something more, their mother swiftly slapped the back of his head with a plate.
"At least stop thinking about games while eating!" she scolded, her voice sharp yet familiar.
As the scolding continued, their mother set four plates on the dining table—one for Ayaan, one for Rohan, one for herself... and one for an empty chair.
Ayaan's gaze lingered on that untouched plate.
His elder brother.
Unlike Ayaan, he had never been good at studying, avoiding books at every chance. Kind yet wild. A fire in his spirit, fueled by one thing—the absence of their father.
Ayaan barely recalled the heated argument from exactly 1.4 years ago. The moment when his brother, after finding a clue about my father, had confronted my mother. The shouting. The frustration. The decision.
He left home.
And from that day on, their mother always placed an extra plate at dinner. Waiting. Hoping.
Ayaan stared at the plate, a strange mix of emotions tightening in his chest. A missing feeling.
----
After finishing dinner, Ayaan leaned back in his chair, listening to the casual conversation between his mother and Rohan. The usual banter, the lighthearted teasing—it felt oddly comforting after so long.
But soon, fatigue weighed on him. "I'll head to bed," he said, pushing his chair back.
His mother simply nodded, while Rohan, still hyped about his VR games, barely paid attention.
Back in his room, Ayaan let out a slow breath, sinking onto his bed. His muscles still ached from the past months of relentless training, but his mind refused to rest.
As he reached into his pocket, his fingers brushed against a folded piece of paper. He pulled it out, unfolding it under the dim glow of his bedside lamp.
The Singing Competition Poster.
His eyes lingered on the bold letters, the date marked at the bottom. He traced it with his thumb, a small smirk playing on his lips.
"Only six days left," he murmured to himself.
---
In a different place, under a different night sky, another pair of hands held the same poster.
Anaya's fingers gently smoothed over the creases in the paper, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. A soft smile tugged at her lips.
"Only six days left," she whispered, the excitement in her voice mirroring Ayaan's.
The night stretched on, the city resting in its silence—unaware that two hearts, once entwined by fate, were unknowingly counting down the same days.