Yours, With Love

Sweet Little Kids

"Rajeev bhaiyya (brother)."

A chorus of loud, ebullient voices was heard in the premises of the 'Ray of Hope Orphanage', the moment Rajeev had set his foot in there.

He was already in the best of the moods, having spoken to his Radha just some time prior, having teased her endlessly until the point he was sure she must have been blushing.

Oh how he wanted to be with her in that moment to see that cute blush.

And now he wanted to spend some time with his dear kids. He had already gotten a bunch of different things for them, and walked into the premises, those heavy bags in his hands.

"Arre mera pillu, come here."

(Arre mera pillu - my child, pillu is an endearment for a little kid)

Kiran was the first to rush into his arms, very smartly jostling asides the rest of the kids.

"Kiran baccha, slow down.", he said gently and with the same softness flicked little Kiran's nose.

(baccha - child)

"Bhaiyya.", Kiran squealed in excitement once settled on Rajeev's lap, the other little kids surrounding them, as they had made him sit on the lawn.

"Yes baccha?"

"I missed you sooooo much.", Kiran widened his little arms to show his favourite bhaiyya how much he had missed him.

"I missed you too, my little boy.", Rajeev smiled wide seeing the clear excitement on Kiran's face.

"You did not miss me bhaiyya?", tiny Veena too made her way onto Rajeev's lap alongside her arch-nemesis Kiran. She looked at him and huffed, as he slyly nudged her with his elbow while she sat down.

"I missed you too, my sweet Veena.", Rajeev affectionately pecked her forehead.

"But he missed me more, hai na bhaiyya?", Kiran asked, or more like, he insisted.

(hai na bhaiyya - isn't it brother)

"Oh no, here they go again.", Rajeev muttered to himself as the rest of the kids around began giggling, waiting for the free entertainment show to begin.

That was the thing with Kiran and Veena. The two of them were of the same age, six years old, and were equally boisterous, and would vie for Rajeev's attention all the time. This had made them each other's sworn enemies, and each would try to triumph over the other.

But, that's one side of the things. If someone were to come for Kiran to scold him, or something were to come his way to hurt him, Veena would be the most protective person you were to encounter, and if something were to come Veena's way, Kiran would be her shield.

They shared the classic siblings relationship. Would fight with each other to the extremes, but would also stand united lest any harm were to come their way.

"Bhaiyya, tell him that you missed me more.", now it was Veena's turn to be stubborn.

Poor Rajeev was caught up in a predicament and looked to and fro between them as the rest of the kids watched with an eagerness, as to what their Rajeev bhaiyya would say now.

"But I think, someone also must have missed these little toys."

Rajeev decided to dodge the topic instead of witnessing another episode of Tom and Jerry - live episode, and carefully took some crochet toys out of one of the many bags he was carrying.

"Yayyy", this time, Priya was the one to squeal with delight. She absolutely loved these little toys, a tad bit more than the rest of the kids, and had made Rajeev promise her that he would be teaching her how to crochet.