A major contributor

"I have tried but not found other cure. Okay, drop this topic. I want to talk you about something." Arik had something on his mind.

"Before you change the topic tell me why were you absent in the burial process?" Shikhar raised his brows.

Turning back to his bro, "Bro, you know I don't want to visit that place. It makes me feel sad and it isn't right time for me to visit. I have to do something before I face the dead ones. That's the first reason. Second, I had bid goodbye to godfather yesterday so I didn't go there. Third is, I want to play hide and seek with few observers." Arik chuckled. It's wasn't a happy one but filled with scorn.

"Whatever…And…are you trying to treat my place like your base? If you want to use it than better pay. Don't think as my brother you can take advantage of me." Shikhar tried to trick Arik to pay.

"I don't have a place for now. Keep me for few day without cost. In the future I am gonna be richest and expensive but I am poor now. My money is with my personal assistant as he handles my expenditure. He is busy for now. If you don't give me shelter maybe I have to sleep on the road. " Arik tried to be pitiful.

"Ahh…Neil said it right. You are a sucker and a parasite. No one can get benefit or sympathy from you. Purely a devil in a human mask. Even listening to those words gave me goosebumps but do you know what…Neil was praising you for having such character and was proud of you. You both are really good brothers. I would have doubt that both of you were sibling if I didn't know you both personally." Shikar shook his head.

"Hahh…That's my big brother. And you aren't better than me, people don't talk about you because they can't see behind your façade. Oh yeah!! By the way have you seen any girl around Big Brother recently?" Arik asked with curiosity.

"It was better if you didn't ask that question. Did you forgot what you did to his first love? I don't think after that he was interested in any girl or even reached them." Shikhar snorted.

"You can't blame that all on me. You are a major contributor too in that case. Who thought you would have such a method. Anyway, leave the past. I am being serious."

"Why do think he had someone around?" Shikar questioned back.

"It's not me. Godfather said to me before his death. Big brother was worrying about a girl and I am delegated to take care of her until Bother wakes up." Arik turned serious.

Shikhar instantly sat straight, "Godfather said so…if that old man had said then it must be true. I was always afraid of his hawk like eyes. Nothing can be hidden from him. Did he gave any clues?"

"Sadly no. If you and I both don't know then there is only a way to find out."

"Do you mean to investigate his personal life?"

Arik nodded his head in response.

"Use my people if you need. I am very interested to know what sort of girl has Neil taken a fancy? How did he meet and how much did their relationship develop?" Shikhar turned into a chatterbox.

"No one can be as fast as you. You like a girl and made her your fiancé the next day just because she neglected your proposal. The girl wanted to reject the engagement but even her family sided with you. I don't know what magic you did to them. Thankfully Sister Nina hasn't broken the engagement and still wants to marry a monkey like you." Arik wasn't the one to lose a chance to mock.

"You know that's called a charm. Learn something from me too." Shikhar laughed out loud.

"I don't want to be lovesick like you. Leave me on my own."

"Don't come back to me to learn about those things in future. Hurry up and do your investigation." Shikar hurried.

"No one can do better than me."

Arik was usually a cold, heartless and ruthless guy. Only with people very familiar to him would he act friendly. Among those were Shikhar, Neil and sometimes his subordinates. Same was with Shikhar.

###

<<Back story>>

Arik couldn't return back to Grasal. His godfather have banned him from entering Grasal. So, Neil along with Shikhar used to have a month break every two years and the three visited the cities nearby. Neil's father only approved it after a lot of consideration.

Their latest meeting was two years ago in Asnor. During that time Neil and Shikhar had met with Arik's people.

About eight years ago, when Arik was in his teens all those two were around twenty they entered a red light area mistakenly. They thought that was a restaurant but it turned out to be a brothel.

Arik and Shikhar noticed it but decided to prank Neil. Neil was a bit simple minded then both of them. They made him believe it was a restaurant with different features.

They visited that place for a week. Neil was attracted to a girl who acted very innocent and shy. He wanted to propose to her.

Arik noticed that the girl had done plastic surgery and wore heavy makeup. She was double the age of Neil. At first they incited Neil to profess his love but on the day of proposal, Shikhar collected the proof of her plastic surgery and her age and showed it to Neil.

Arik made the girl remove her makeup and showed the real face to Neil which was also planned by Shikar. Later they got to know that the woman used a voice changer to make her voice sound sweet and she acted shy with every customer.

Neil was heartbroken not because of the woman's real identity but her character. She was totally fake and acted more coy to other beside him.

From that day Neil stayed out from matters related to the opposite gender. He didn't even attend any blind dates.