He cleared his throat the moment I answered the call, his gaze drifting back and forth as though he couldn't bring himself to stay still.
Once I ended the call, he swallowed before asking,
"W-what did he say?"
A grin trailed its way onto my lips.
I cast him a sly glance before answering,
"He wants us to visit my parents' house."
"When?" he asked hurriedly.
"This evening."
Suddenly-
He slammed on the brakes, and I instinctively gripped my seat in surprise.
My head snapped towards him.
The sight that greeted me left me utterly bewildered.
His pupils were dilated, and his composure had completely crumbled.
He looked nervous.
No...
He looked terrified.
"Haider-"
Before I could say another word, he tightened his grip on the steering wheel, pressed down on the accelerator, and drove off once more, noticeably faster than before.
"Haider!?"
He didn't reply.
Instead, he sped through the roads before abruptly stopping in front of a familiar house.
He was panting now, clutching the steering wheel as though his life depended on it.
At this point, my concern had completely overtaken my confusion.
"Hey... are you okay?"
I asked, carefully examining his face.
He frowned deeply before silently shaking his head.
Without another word, he stepped out of the car.
I quickly followed after him.
As my gaze settled upon the house before us, a weary sigh escaped my lips.
"It's still not evening, though..."
I pressed the doorbell.
Meanwhile, Haider stood hidden behind me, his face still etched with unmistakable terror.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed the faint tremble of his fingertips.
He was petrified.
The door slowly creaked open, revealing the man standing on the other side.
He wore a permanent scowl, his imposing presence enough to intimidate almost anyone at first glance.
The moment Haider saw him, he nearly jolted in place.
Without hesitation, he lunged forward, vigorously shaking the man's hand.
"Assalamualaikum, Brother!!"
My older brother remained utterly unimpressed.
"Walaikumussalam."
His reply was as cold as ever.
I let out a tired chuckle and stepped forward, choosing to ignore Haider's pitiful state.
The moment my brother saw me, his face instantly lit up with delight.
"Oh, my little sister!"
Without a second thought, he pulled me into a tight embrace before effortlessly lifting me off the ground and spinning me around.
"Have you been well!?"
"Alhamdulillah, I've been well," I replied enthusiastically.
"B-Brother..."
Haider stuttered.
Almost instantly, the warmth vanished from my brother's face, replaced by a glare sharp enough to send shivers down anyone's spine.
The poor man nearly withered beneath it, beads of sweat forming across his forehead.
"Scoff"
"What a coward-"
"IDRAK!!"
A woman's voice thundered from inside the house.
Before my brother could even react, a hand shot forward, seized him by the collar, and yanked him backwards.
THUD!
He crashed onto the floor with a pitiful groan.
Both Haider and I stood frozen, our eyes widening in complete disbelief.
"Mama!! Let me go!"
My brother flailed helplessly as our mother continued dragging him across the floor as though he weighed nothing.
"You dare frighten my son-in-law again!?" she scolded, refusing to loosen her grip.
"I wasn't even doing anything!"
"You were glaring at him!"
"I was greeting him!"
"Since when is threatening someone considered a greeting?"
"I wasn't threatening him!"
"You call that face welcoming?"
She gave his ear a sharp tug.
"Ouch! Mama!"
Only then did she notice us still standing at the doorway.
Her expression softened in an instant.
Haider straightened so quickly it was almost comical.
"A-Assalamualaikum, Mother."
She smiled warmly.
"Walaikumussalam."
Behind her, Idraak slowly rose to his feet, rubbing the back of his neck with a deep frown.
"...This family has favourites."
"You got that right brother..."
A sorry laugh escaped my lips after being completely ignored by my own mother, whose entire attention was fixed on the newest son of the family.
Only after I spoke did my mother finally notice that I had been left standing there.
She let out an awkward giggle before pulling me into a warm embrace.
"Oh, my daughter! You look tired."
"You don't have to pretend, Mom. I'm good."
At my dry reply, she quietly let go before immediately dragging Haider into the living room by his arm.
I snickered, as I saw him leave with a tense and worried expression.
It was a whole new side to him that I was just finding out.
He almost resembled Lion at home, all over the place and skittish.
The smile on my face lingered as I entered my house.