This morning… something truly unexpected happened.
My eyes blinked open to the soft light of dawn. A lingering drowsiness clung to me, warm and stubborn. I reached over to the bedside table, grabbed my phone, and lazily unlocked the screen.
That's when I saw it.
"Congratulations! Your interview is scheduled at our Gurgaon branch. Please arrive on time for further information regarding the job."
I sat up straight. My heartbeat spiked.
'Is this real?'
I stared at the screen, reading the line over and over—half-expecting it to vanish. But it didn't. It was real.
'This is happening.'
The last threads of sleep vanished. I stood, walked to the window, and let the cool breeze wash over my face. The sky outside was slowly turning gold, as if morning itself was cheering for me.
"I won't let this chance slip away," I whispered, a quiet promise to no one but myself.
Behind me, a sleepy voice yawned into the silence. "Bhaiya, you're up already?"
I turned. Anya stood in the doorway, still rubbing her eyes. Her hair was a mess, one strand stuck awkwardly to her cheek. But when she saw the smile on my face, her drowsiness vanished.
"Hey! What happened? Why do you look so… suspiciously happy?"
Without a word, I rushed forward, grabbed her by the waist, and spun her into the air.
"Bhaiyaa! Stop! I'm scared!" she squealed, but her giggles betrayed her panic.
"I got called for an interview, Anya!" I shouted.
Her eyes widened. "Wait—what? An interview?!"
I nodded, grinning.
"That means you'll finally earn more than your current pocket-change salary!" she teased.
"Yes, you little nut!" I laughed.
She clapped excitedly. "Yaaay! Bhaiya, you're seriously lucky! Yesterday your heart broke, and today you got a job!"
My smile vanished.
The moment she said it, everything in me stilled. Her words cut sharper than she intended. I looked away, my joy deflating in an instant. My legs felt heavy as I slowly backed away and sat down at the edge of the bed.
"My luck is just awful…" I muttered, eyes fixed on the floor.
Anya's smile faded. She rushed over, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.
"Bhaiya… I was just joking," she said quietly.
I nodded, breathing deep—trying to swallow the ache clawing its way back up. After a moment, I exhaled and stood again.
"No," I said, voice steadier now. "No more regrets. I'm not losing this chance. If the salary's better, I'll leave my current job. With more money, we can finally live a better life."
Anya lit up. "Yes, Bhaiya! I know you'll make it! All your hard work—it won't go to waste." She balled her tiny hand into a fist. "And I'll become a doctor too—a big one! Then all three of us will be set!"
I blinked. "Three of us?"
She gave a mischievous smile. "Me, you, and your future wife—my bhabhi, duh!"
I smacked her lightly on the head. "You little drama queen! What goes on in that head of yours?"
She struck a pose. "If I were your boss, I'd make you do all the sweeping and mopping—and cook paneer tikka every night!"
I folded my arms. "And I'd do it all with tears and joy, Madam CEO!"
We both burst into laughter.
Later, I slipped into my best clothes—a crisp white shirt and black trousers. I smoothed the wrinkles with my palms and stared at myself in the mirror.
"Ufff… it's been years since my last interview," I muttered. "No idea what they'll ask."
From behind, Anya called out, "I know exactly what they'll ask—'When are you getting married?'"
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, okay. As if you run the company."
"Maybe I do," she said dramatically. "Maybe I'm testing your patience right now."
I laughed, put on my shoes, and typed out a quick message in my department's WhatsApp group asking for a day off. I slung my bag over my shoulder and looked at Anya, who stood by the door with a grin on her face.
"Alright, I'm heading out."
She raised her hand in a mock salute. "Best of luck, Bhaiya!"
The door closed behind me with a soft thud.
A breeze greeted me outside—cool, calm, and full of promise. With every step down the road, something stirred in my chest.
'This is my chance.'
'And I'm going to give it everything I've got.'
But deep inside…
a small voice whispered: 'Just don't mess this up too.'
Amidst the soft hum of the metro and the low murmur of half-asleep passengers, I sat in my seat, scrolling aimlessly through my phone.
Trinity Foundation…
I re-read the email, letting the words linger: "Your interview is scheduled at our Gurgaon branch…"
The screen's glow reflected off my face, but my mind was miles ahead—already imagining what kind of place this was, and what kind of future it might hold.
As soon as I stepped out of the station, I was swallowed by the chaos of Gurgaon. Glass towers stretched skyward. Cars sped past like thoughts in a restless mind. Crowds surged in every direction, no one pausing, no one noticing. I felt… small. Like I didn't quite belong.
My phone buzzed with GPS directions. I followed them carefully until I stopped in front of a small, three-story building tucked between a bank and an under-construction café.
No glowing signboards. No security guards. No fancy logo.
Just a plain, silent building—so ordinary it almost felt suspicious.
I smoothed my shirt, took a breath, and stepped inside.
________________________________________
Reception Area
A soft hum of air conditioning greeted me, along with the quiet tap-tap of a keyboard. Behind a sleek desk sat a neatly dressed receptionist, her eyes locked on her computer screen.
I walked up and gave her my name.
She glanced up briefly, gave a polite smile, and said, "You'll have to wait a little while, sir. You can take a seat over there."
I nodded, walked over, and sat down. The office was quiet—too quiet. A few employees moved about with calm precision, like parts of a well-oiled machine. The whole place felt… still.
Next to me sat a man reading a newspaper and casually munching on a samosa.
White hair. Long black beard. Dark sunglasses hiding his eyes—even indoors. And his outfit? Just shorts and a loose t-shirt. Completely at odds with the formal atmosphere.
I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye, and right then—grrrr—my stomach betrayed me with a soft growl.
The man lowered his newspaper, looked directly at me, and said, "You want some too?"
I blinked. "Oh no, uncle ji, please—go ahead."
"Come on, don't act shy. Here," he said, pressing a warm samosa into my hand like it was the most normal thing in the world.
I hesitated. Then smiled. "Thank you, uncle ji…"
I wasn't planning to take it, but my hunger won.
Before I could even take a bite, the receptionist's voice called out:
"Ayaan, you may come in now."
I stood up in a hurry and looked at the samosa still in my hand. Turning to the man, I said, "Uncle ji, I'm really sorry. I have to go—I didn't get a chance to eat it."
He took it back with a grin, not at all bothered. He flipped the page of his newspaper, leaned back slightly, and said—almost too softly:
"Ayaan… hmm. That's a good name."
My breath caught for a second.
I don't remember ever telling him my name.
At home
It was around 8 at night. Anya and I sat at the dining table, quietly finishing dinner. Matar paneer was on the plate—but the moment I took a bite, I noticed it was a little low on salt.
Just as I reached for the shaker, Anya gave a sly little smile. "So tell me, Bhaiya—how did the interview go?"
I paused for a moment, thought a little, then gave a faint smile. "It was... interesting. But this isn't some ordinary job."
That got her attention. She set her piece of roti down and looked up at me, eyes wide with curiosity.
"Really? Come on, tell me—I want all the details!"
I took a deep breath, broke off another piece of roti, and started, "There was only one guy in the room. Looked serious. Confident. I thought he'd ask for my resume, but instead… he told me the background check was already done."
"Background check?" she echoed, blinking.
"Yeah. No questions about my degree or experience. They'd already looked into me. All that mattered was whether I could do the job."
"What kind of job is this?" she asked, brows drawn.
I hesitated a second, then said, "I'll be sent to different locations to collect samples."
"Samples? What kind?"
"Could be anything," I shrugged. "Not just human—animal samples too. Hair, blood, even things like soil or grass."
She wrinkled her nose. "That sounds... kind of gross. And weird."
I chuckled. "Maybe. But work is work. And the best part? They said I could bring two people with me. I'm thinking of taking Roshit and Varun."
Anya fell silent for a moment, sipping her water thoughtfully. "And the salary?"
"They said I could quote my own number. I just have to coordinate with their accounts team."
Her eyes widened slightly. "That sounds... too good. Field jobs can be risky, Bhaiya. Are you sure about this?"
I took another bite. "All I'm doing is collecting samples. It's not like I'm going to war. And if anything feels off, I'll leave."
She didn't look fully convinced but nodded slowly, twisting a strand of hair around her finger.
"So… when do you start?"
I smiled. "Already did. They've added me to their WhatsApp group. I'll get sample instructions and locations directly there. I just have to go, collect the item, keep it with me, and their pickup team takes care of the rest. The payment gets processed instantly."
Anya blinked, then laughed. "That's it? Sounds like the easiest job ever. You'll be making money blindfolded!"
I grinned. "See? Your brother's a genius. And now, I can finally start saving for your NEET fees."
Her expression softened. She placed her hand gently over mine.
"Thank you, Bhaiya. You're always supporting me… I promise, I won't let you down. I'll crack NEET this year. I'll become a doctor—you'll see."
I looked at her and smiled, filled with quiet pride. "I believe in you, Anya."
Then I smirked. "But for now, finish your dinner and go to bed! You've got revision tomorrow!"
"Okay, okay!" she said with a giggle. "As you say, Bhaiya!"
The two of us laughed, the sound echoing softly through the house. These conversations, this quiet warmth—that's what made our bond feel unshakable.
For the first time in a long while, it felt like we were on the edge of something better. A new job. A hopeful future. A promise between siblings.
But the world doesn't always unfold the way we expect.
And as one chapter closed, another had already begun—quietly, and without warning.