Arjun just stand with unbelievable expression while chuckling to saw Manik's antics .............

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continue.......

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In the evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon........... Manik was sitting on couch wearing the most annoying expressions one can have when not getting what the one actually wants.....

Manik angrily to himself- Khud tou abhi tak nahi aaye.... aur mujhy yahan bol ke gye the ki jaldi aa jayege (annoyingly...) Kya yar, ab main kya karon ghar mein, kitna bore ho raha hun main akely, TV daikhny ka bhi dil nahin ker raha maira... (looked at the wall clock and furiously...) Teen ghanty pehly time daikha tha tb bhi 5:00 baje hoye thy aur ab tk sirf 5:30 bajy hain... (confusingly...) Iss k cell tou nahin kharab ho gaye... (looked at his wrist watch and...) Nahin, 5:30 hi baje hai ab tk tou...

And finally thinking something, he took out his mobile and dialed a number with a minute hope that the one would hear him and his call got attended on third or fourth bell...

Manik- (instantly)Bhayia Kb aao gy wapis...?

Arjun- Tumhien bataya hai na, baby k mei traffic mei stuck ho gya huu...... bus thodi der tak ghar aane hii wala huu.....Ok..

Manik- jee baba, but please jaldi koshish karo na....... bahut boar ho raha hu mein and I've missed you already...... please come fast ........

Arjun- I missed you to baby...... jaldi aa raha hu mein.... just wait for some more time.... Ok

Manik- ok bhayia.....

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For passing the time Manik just decided to explore his Bhayai's wardrobe and his eyes stuck on an old album...with curiosity, he just open it.... and it was full with the pictures of Manik and Arjun..... but most of the pictures related to Manik.... with some notes write beside them..... Manik just sitting in his study, while having a photo album in his lap and there was a continuous smile playing on his face while softly spreading fingers on those photos remembering the day, of his life, last year. when it was his birthday and his loving brother gave him a beautiful yet grand party, where they all had lots of fun and enjoyment...

Each photograph held a story, a snapshot of their misadventures captured in time. There he was, young and carefree, pulling pranks on unsuspecting neighbors, sneaking into forbidden places, and causing havoc wherever he went.

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He was deeply engrossed in those past memories when the ringing doorbell brought him back in present and sighing deeply, he placed the album on the table and stood up to open the main door when stopped, after taking few steps, seeing his bhayia coming inside the study and.....

Manik- kya baba kitna time laga diya (while hugging him tightly)....look, what I've found...... our memory treasure........ just go freshen up and after dinner, we will see it and also you've to tell me all the stories related to those pictures.....Ok .....promise?

Arjun- (just shaking his head in his desperation)...Ok ..... promise babaaa.....

..and just go to his room for freshen up.....

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After dinner, they just sat in living room and Manik put photo album in Arjun's lap.....and they just engrossed in the beautiful memories of their past.....

With a sense of anticipation, they settled down amidst the sea of forgotten treasures, the album cradled between them like a precious relic of their shared past. As they turned the brittle pages, memories long buried beneath the layers of time began to resurface, each photograph a portal to a bygone era of mischief and mayhem.

Arjun-"Ah, remember this?" (he exclaimed, pointing to a picture of his younger baby brother covered in mud, grinning ear to ear as he emerged victorious from a particularly intense game of capture the flag.

Manik chuckled, a fond smile playing at the corners of his lips. "How could I forget? I was unstoppable back then."

Their laughter echoed through the room, mingling with the soft creaking of floorboards and the rustle of old paper. With each turn of the page, they revisited the scenes of their childhood, from epic water balloon battles in the backyard to covert midnight missions to raid the cookie jar.

As they turned the pages, laughter filled the room, Each photograph sparked a new memory, a story waiting to be told.

Arjun-"Remember when you convinced Mrs. Sharma that her cat could speak French?" (He chuckled, pointing at a snapshot of Manik holding up a cardboard cutout of a cat with a beret.

Manik grinned, shaking his head in disbelief.

Manik- "I can't believe she fell for that! And what about the time when I tried to build a rocket out of soda bottles with help of my friends?"

Arjun- "Oh, how could I forget?" (he laughed). "You almost set the house on fire!"

Their conversation flowed seamlessly, weaving through tales of daring escapades and narrow escapes. With each memory shared, their bond grew stronger, bridging the years that had passed since their mischievous youth.

But amidst the laughter and nostalgia, there were moments of quiet reflection, bittersweet reminders of the passage of time and the inevitable changes it wrought. They lingered over photographs of friends who had drifted away, and places they could no longer visit, swallowed by the relentless march of progress.

Manik- "It's strange, isn't it?" (he mused, his gaze fixed on a picture of their childhood treehouse, now weathered and worn with age). "How everything seems so different now, yet these memories still feel so vivid."

Arjun nodded in silent agreement, a pang of wistfulness tugging at his heartstrings.

Arjun- "Yeah, but no matter how much things change, one thing remains constant: our bond as brothers."

As they reached the final pages of the album, a sense of nostalgia settled over them like a warm blanket. They sat in comfortable silence, lost in their shared history, until Arjun spoke up softly.

Arjun- "You know, Mannu, no matter where life takes us, we'll always have these memories."

Manik nodded, a fond smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Yeah, we will. And who knows? Maybe we'll make some new mischief along the way."

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With a final glance at the album cradled in his hands, Manik closed it gently, sealing their memories within its worn pages. Together, the brothers descended from the attic, ready to embark on new adventures, but forever bound by the mischievous spirit that had defined their brotherhood.

Arjun- Mannu now go to your room and sleep baby........(while stroking his hair).

Manik- Can I sleep with you, baba ( while showing his puppy eyes to his baba).....

Arjun- No need to show your charm, while showing your signature puppy eyes.... just come with me..... and haa..... tum jab bhi chaho mere sath ssooo sakte hoo.... tumhara pura haqq hei babay....got it....

Manik- jee baba..... I love you sooooo much....

Arjun- I love you too baby..... now just sleep.... ok

And Manik just engrossed in his sleep.... in the most safest place....he have been.....

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