(Chapter - 6)

  [Uncovering Shock]

  Asroy opens the notebook, holding onto the pages that flutter in the wind. He reads the 1st page about when he and the other 3 first met Mehaki. He keeps reading. “It’s just about the day we met. What's there to hide in it?” he thinks and smiles while remembering the early days. Then his eyes get stuck on a sentence,

  “Though I hid my real name and told them I was Aria Inufa Mehaki, they didn’t doubt me. They don’t seem harmful… But can I really trust them? Will I be able to tell them that my real name is Aria Inufa Zaman Mehaki? And my family nickname is Anami?”

  Subtle shock flickers across Asroy's face, followed by disappointment. “Wait, so the name on this notebook is actually hers and not fake? She really kept her real name a secret? And lied to us? Why?” his thought deepens with an unsettling feeling.

  Meanwhile, at Miraz Monjil,

  Tori, Karu and Tushar are in the front yard, taking care of the garden. Tori is watering the plants with his power. Tushar is brooming the off dried leaves of the yard. Karu is nurturing the soil of the plants with gloves. They don't forget to chat while working.

  Tori : Hey… Asroy isn’t back yet. Shouldn’t he have been back by now?

  Karu : *Sigh* I know nothing. Don't ask or tell me anything.

  Tushar : But, he said it won't take much time. I wonder what work he's got.

  Karu : Some urgent work, who knows what! Just let him come.

  Right at that moment, Mehaki enters the front yard, she is tucking a hair strand behind her ear as the wind is fluttering her hair. She notices the 3 doing work and talking to one another. Tori is the first one to see Mehaki before she even speaks. He stops his power and turns to the direction Mehaki is coming from. After she comes closer to the garden, the other two see her as well. Karu makes a humble greeting while others are casual.

  Tori : Hey, Mehaki.

  Mehaki : Hi!

  Karu : Oh! Welcome to ‘Miraz Monjil’.

  Mehaki : Haha, thanks.

  Tushar : Inufa! What's up?

  Mehaki : I'm good. I see you're all busy gardening.

  Karu : This is just what we do regularly. Sorry for having to make you wait.

  Mehaki : It's fine. It feels really nice to see you guys taking care of the flowers.

  Tushar : Asroy isn’t home yet though, he's out for some work he said.

  Tori : Mehaki, let me bring you some snacks then!

  Mehaki : Oh, you don’t need to. I'm fine.

  Tori : I'll be back in a few minutes.

  Tushar : I'm gonna help him too. See ya, Inufa!

  Mehaki : Wait, you don’t have to–

  Tori and Tushar rush inside the house before Mekahi can even finish her words. She sighs and turns to Karu, who has just taken the gloves off for a short break.

  Mehaki : These boys…

  Karu : Always full of energy. They've been like this since childhood. Tushar is the most chaotic among the 4 of us, next comes Asroy.

  Karu says all of that with a friendly smile. But the smile soon fades as he gets startled by Mehaki's calm yet straightforward question.

  Mehaki : You four… You’re not real brothers, are you?

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  Karu : Ah-haha… What are you saying all of a-

  Mehaki : I know you aren’t, Karu. Despite calling the same man your dad, your last names aren't the same, you guys seem different. No, you are different in every way. You aren’t related by blood at all.

  Karu is taken aback by Mehaki's stern claim and determined expression. He is at loss for words for a moment. He wonders how he should reply.

  Mehaki : Are you just gonna lie to me again now?

  Karu : No, it's not like that… You're right about us not being related by blood. We aren’t real brothers but we're mostly like it. Dad took us in when we were kids.

  Mehaki : I knew it, I've been wondering since the day I met you all. Back then, I just believed whatever you said, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was off. I guess it was my 6th sense.

  Karu feels a little guilty about having to tell her the truth like this.

  Karu : I'm sorry for hiding the truth. Actually we are sorry. We… had our reasons. And… We didn’t want the truth to be revealed like this. We wanted to tell you every now and then, but couldn’t.

  Mehaki : I get it. Only Asroy is the son of uncle Miraz, right?

  Karu : No… Asroy isn’t related to him either.

  Mehaki : …What?

  Confusion floods Mehaki's face at Karu's statement. Doubts arise, was everything she knew about them a lie? Nothing she's seeing or hearing feels real. But she gets a hold of herself quickly.

  Mehaki : But his last name is Miraz—after Uncle Miraz Muzaif. Isn’t it?

  Karu : That's not his real name. His name is Asroy Onil Newaz. Dad told him to hide his real name.

  Mehaki : …What?

  Mehaki is struck speechless, the shock hitting her all at once. Everything seems to blur up in her head. She used to think that she knew the colorful brothers well, but it seems nowhere near it now.

  Karu : I know that must've shocked you.

  Mehaki : It did…

  Karu : Oh, and there's more to it. As you know now, we were taken in by our dad. At first… Dad asked both Tori and Asroy to hide their names. But with Asroy, he didn’t just ask, he insisted. Told him to take a new name completely. We never knew why. But with Tori… it was different. Dad left the choice to him. Me and Tushar weren’t asked to keep our names hidden unlike the two of them. Reasons unknown.

  Mehaki : …I see…

  After a minute of getting lost in thoughts, Mehaki finally makes up mind to go home, with a nervous smile and a hollow laugh.

  Mehaki : Well, uh… Anyways, I guess I should go home now. Mom will be returning home soon and so… I uh–

  Karu cuts her words.

  Karu : Mehaki…

  And speaks with a tone of reassurance, to let Mehaki know that she doesn’t need to pretend to be all fine after hearing such things.

  Karu : I know you need time to get it together by yourself. It's normal after the sudden shock. It's fine, I understand. You don’t have to show that you’re okay despite being not.

  Mehaki stops for a bit. Karu’s reassuring words calm her head down a bit. But still doesn’t shake off what she’s feeling. Karu could see right through Mehaki's mind, it is indeed a bit hard to accept after spending 5 years together, trusting each other and all. Upon Karu's thoughtfulness, Mehaki shows gratitude by smiling softly, but beneath, the feeling of disbelief, shock and emptiness still remains.

  Mehaki : Thank you for understanding… See you tomorrow.

  Karu : See you.

  Mehaki leaves Miraz Monjil, mind distressed, overflowing with unsettling feelings and thoughts. She looks at the trees swaying by the wind, eyebrows slightly furrowed with dejection, like the crack on the belief of knowing them well enough. Karu keeps staring at the flowers they’ve watered. A while later Tori and Tushar show up with snacks.

  Tushar : Inuf-.. Huh? Where'd she go?

  Karu : You were so quick to bring the snacks that Mehaki left.

  Tushar : Aw c'mon…

  Tori : So soon? She usually stays a bit longer.

  Karu sighs and tells the two about how Mehaki knows everything now & how Karu confirmed it. Tori and Tushar look a bit sad and bothered.

  Tushar : So, she knows now…

  Karu : It was kinda obvious though, that she'd know.

  Tori : But… To hear that she learnt the truth like this… I feel like… We did something wrong.

  Karu : It's fine. You know her. She already was considerate towards us. But she just needs time.

  Tori : Yeah…

  Karu : C'mon, let's go inside.

  They go inside the house. Meanwhile Asroy is still reading the notebook, focused. The lines follow—

  “We held secrets that no one else knew. We trusted each other to the fullest. Though I never properly learned about the 4 brothers’ past… What could go wrong? Nothing, right?”

  Asroy's expression darkens as he reads. “Hey! Who’s there?” Suddenly a shout startles him. He looks at his left side, it is just the old man who’s a school guard. He's a bit mad to see Asroy on the rooftop at this time.

  Guard : I came up when I saw the rooftop door open. What are you doing here!? The school is over way earlier!

  Asroy : Uhh… I was just, uh- studying a bit.

  Guard : Just be quiet and go home, now! Or should I inform the teacher?

  Asroy : Okay okay, I'm sorry. I'll leave now.

  Guard : Tch! Kids these days!

  Asroy comes out of the school building, holding the notebook tightly in his hand. Wind is flowing softly, fluttering his dark red hair. His dark red eyes look displeased, twitching an eye brow.

  “I couldn’t finish reading it fully. But I also have to get home now… Should I just use my powers and fly home?”

  No sooner he thinks of it than he realises, it’s not safe. Hopelessness shadows his face, tinged with a bit of frustration.

  “No, it's too public to fly. People might find out about my supernatural powers. I guess, I just have to walk home no matter how late I am.”

  He continues to walk on his path home. The wind dragged dried leaves and dust behind him, as if echoing the weight of his thoughts.

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