11:00 PM — At Aditya’s House
Aditya walked toward his main door. Even after finding it half-open, not a single wrinkle of worry appeared on his calm face.
He quietly stepped inside, and just one glance at the shoes near the entrance was enough for him to know exactly who had left the door open so carelessly.
He neatly arranged the pair next to his own and locked the door behind him.
The living room was a complete mess. Aditya sighed deeply and muttered to himself, “Did they fight again? Uncle… you…! Why do you always end up upsetting my friend?”
He moved further in, noticing the kitchen light was on — and instantly walked there.
The kitchen looked no better than the hall — it was chaos. He scanned the place, but there was no one around. Without wasting another second, he rushed toward the terrace.
The moment he stepped out, he slowed down.
There, sitting on the beautifully decorated terrace table, was his friend — AniketHis back faced Aditya.
With a faint smile, Aditya climbed up the last few steps and said warmly, “Hey man… lately, you’ve been missing your best friend’s house a lot! Isn't it?!”
Aniket turned around. Aditya’s eyes instantly fell on the bottle of liquor on the table.
The sight drained the life out of his gaze.
Aniket smiled innocently and said, “Oh? Did Ira kick you out so early tonight?”
Aditya sighed, walked up to him, grabbed the bottle — and smashed it onto the floor.
Aniket frowned dramatically, “See! That’s why I told that guy not to give me a glass bottle! But the idiot still did!”
He grabbed Aditya’s hand and pointed to the chair beside him.
“Sit down, man! Treat it like your own home!”
Aditya took off his suit jacket and sat. As soon as he pulled out his phone, Aniket asked suspiciously, “Hey, wait! What are you doing? Reporting me already?”
“Yes. Because I need to know what the hell happened between you two this time!”
Aniket chuckled at Aditya’s angry face, then gently took his friend’s hand and kissed it playfully.
“You’re such a good friend, man… seriously! Were you really about to call my dad?”
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“I was—” Aditya began, but Aniket cut him off with a cute hush gesture.
“The car’s moving in the wrong direction, buddy. Change the route! I didn’t fight with Dad, and he’s not the reason I’m drinking tonight.
Sure, he was the reason the first time I ever drank — but that doesn’t mean he’s the reason for this second time too!”
Hearing that, Aditya’s mind drifted back to that day — the first time Aniket had ever drunk — and the reason had been his father, Mr. Shekhar Rajput.
Back when Aniket’s mother left him and his father to move to Bhutan, the young Aniket — angry and heartbroken — stole money from home and ran away to Bhutan with the help of his uncle.
He stayed there for two months. He didn’t contact his father even once, nor did he ever pick up his calls.
It was only through his mother that Shekhar learned where his son was.
When Aniket finally returned home, he was sure his father would scold him — maybe even hit him.
But nothing happened.
Just silence.
For Aniket, silence was the worst punishment of all.
He could endure pain, but not silence.
In that childish rage, he smashed everything valuable in the house, right in front of his father — yet the man didn’t even look at him. He totally ignored him.
That day, Aniket’s heart broke completely.
He felt like an orphan — despite having both parents alive.
That same night, for the first time in his life, he drank.
And then he went straight to Aditya’s house.
Seeing him in that condition, Aditya’s father was furious — but not at Aniket or at his actions, rather at his father.
Aditya never knew what was said between the two men, but after that night, Aniket stayed at Aditya’s house for several days.
His parents treated Aniket with love and helped him promise that he would never drink again.
A few days later, Shekhar himself came to take him back. That day, for the first and last time, Aditya heard Shekhar apologize.
Now, seeing Aniket like this again — Aditya’s heart trembled.
He wanted answers, but more than that, he didn’t want his friend to feel alone.
Aditya finally asked gently, “What happened, Aniket? Even the other day… you tried to hide something from me.”
Aniket smiled faintly, “Oh my dear Aditya… I didn’t hide it. I told you, didn’t I? But the thing is… my words are hard to understand, same as my feelings!”
Aditya slammed his hand on the table, but then took a deep breath.
“Aditya… calm down. Don’t turn your concern into anger. Stay calm…” he whispered to himself.
Meanwhile“Does it hurt? You’re such an idiot — you’re angry at me, but you hurt yourself!
Well, since you’re his hand, you kinda have to obey him, right? I get it!”
Aditya pulled his hand back quickly and said softly, "Aniket… didn’t I tell you? I’ll always be here for you.”
“I know,” Aniket said with a childish smile, “That’s why I came here!
And that’s why I broke your stuff — because if I’d done it at home, Dad would’ve gotten mad!
But I knew… even if I broke millions worth of things here, you wouldn’t be angry.”
Aditya placed a hand on his shoulder.
“If it’s not your father, then who is it? Tell me, please…”
Aniket smiled sadly.
“Maybe… I caught your disease.”
“What?” Aditya asked, confused.
Aniket stumbled to his feet, his voice breaking.
“She didn’t understand my silence… nor my words.
She returned my gift, Aditya! Tell me — am I that untrustworthy?
Why did she think that just because her father betrayed her mother, I’d do the same?
Do I look like some cheap liar like her father?!”
He took a few shaky steps and suddenly fell. Aditya rushed forward in panic.
As Aditya reached out to help, Aniket grabbed his suit jacket and buried his face into it.
Soft sobs filled the air.
He was crying — like a child broken from the inside.
Aditya didn’t say a word. He just sat beside him, quietly… like a guardian who had promised to protect his soul.
Eventually, Aniket fell asleep in his tears.
Aditya carefully lifted him, took him downstairs, and laid him on his own bed — the closest one from the terrace.
Then, Aditya picked up Aniket’s phone.
Like a detective, he spent the entire night scrolling through it — hoping to find something, anything, that would tell him what had happened.
The night passed slowly.
Morning…
The first ray of sunlight slipped through the window and touched Aniket’s face.
He squinted, rubbed his eyes, and slowly sat up.
Aditya wasn’t in the room.
Holding his head, Aniket mumbled groggily, “Of all places… Why do I always end up at Adi’s house when I’m drunk? Every single time…!
Last time, his mom and dad didn’t say much, but…”
He remembered Aditya’s angry childhood face and stood up instantly.
“No way! Not again! I have to figure out how to calm him down this time!
Last time he was so mad — like I’d murdered someone!
I can handle Dad’s anger, but not his! What should I do… what should I do?!”
Just then, he heard the door open.
He froze. Slowly turned around — and saw Aditya standing there.
The usual sparkle in Aditya’s eyes was gone.
They were silent. Emotionless.
Between them — only silence remained.
And in that silence… lay the question neither dared to ask —
