"Now that you are here, we all can have fun together at dinner", Akira said and looked at Katherine with her eyes filled with warmth.

"Isn't she just way too sweet brother?", Katherine said and looked back at Raymond who was somehow controlling his anger. He knew it very well that she was up to some sort of mischief. No wonder she was known as the troublemaker in their entire family.

"Where is Kate?", asked Raymond.

"Oh, she has gone for a sleepover to one of her friend's place. So I am going to be a free bird tonight", Katherine said with an elated tone.

"Oh, and by the way, she had asked me to send you hugs and kisses Akira. I totally forgot to text you that", Katherine added.

"Oh c'mon its totally fine. Tell her that I love her too", Akira said happily.

"Well now all the friends of Kate not only know you as the 'SuperWoman Aunty' but also as a 'SuperMagician' as well", Katherine harped.

"Jeez these kids", Akira exclaimed.

"Well, that's some title that you got. What bribe did you give the kids to make them fond of you?", chuckled Raymond.

Katherine turned back with a savage look on her face.

"What did you say? Have you lost all your senses? Your niece is alive today because she saved her from being run over by vehicles on a busy road. She didn't even care about herself and got injured too. And you are comparing this with bribing. Have some sense Raymond before you speak. Not everyone's heart is made of stone like yours", Katherine said almost barking at Raymond.

"Hey hey chill. He didn't know. He was just trying to lighten up everyone's mood by joking. Weren't you Raymond?", Akira rushed in to save him.

He stood there all perplexed. He owed her one. Big time.

"What's in that casserole?", Akira asked to steer away from the subject.

"Oh, nothing. Just some grilled chicken and braised beans. I thought this idiot had gone into hibernation mode so I got some food for him" Katherine said.

"Wow, that's so thoughtful of you. But why hibernation? Is he not talking with you guys?", asked Akira curiously.

"Enough of this chit chat. Can we focus on completing our salad Akira?", Raymond asked interrupting the conversation in between.

"Oh no", Akira exclaimed and ran towards the kitchen as she had forgotten to switch off the gas.

"Why didn't you tell me about it earlier", Raymond asked Katherine after Akira had left the room.

"How to tell you anything, when you don't have time to even talk with me", Katherine retorted.

"What are you trying to do now Katherine?", Raymond asked all irritated.

"Wow, I should be the one asking you this question. What is going on between you two?" Katherine replied back.

"Well anything that was supposed to go on, cannot go on since you are here. So whatever you are thinking is supposedly going on, can go on if you please leave right now", Raymond said with a straight face.

"Jeez, you are lucky that you were given birth by my mom, else I would have kicked your ass by now and I would have taped that blunt mouth of yours", Katherine sneered.

"I do not care about..." Raymond paused as he saw Akira enter the room.

"So you were saying", she said and looked at Katherine, starting the conversation back from the point where it had stopped.

Before Raymond could intervene in between any further, Katherine said,

"Well ask him. We have the same cook as he was with our family for long. Today when he came to my place he told that this guy had asked him to take leave for the whole day and clean up the fridge completely. I was just scared that he was going into some hibernation mode and that he didn't want to be disturbed by anybody, not even by the cook. Assuming how serious he gets while working I thought I would bring food for him. So yeah that's the hibernation hypothesis of mine", Katherine said and picked up her bag which she had placed on the sofa.

"Anyways you guys enjoy because I don't want to ruin my once in a lifetime opportunity to binge watch something on Netflix all alone by myself. See ya", Katherine said and left the room.

Deadpan silence prevailed in the room.

Akira stood there in the room silently staring at Raymond in disbelief.

"You said that your cook was out of town", Akira questioned.

"I lied", Raymond spoke with a straight face. He didn't want to make up any new story and deceive her any further. He was sick of playing this game of hide and seek.

"Why did you lie?", Akira asked.

"Well if I didn't, I don't think we would be having this conversation right now in this room. You would have stormed back to your place long back", Raymond said.

"Can't he just lie and make up some story now. What is he speaking the truth like this right now", Akira screamed inside her head.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were injured while saving my niece?", Raymond questioned her back.

"Well, that never came up as a question?", Akira replied.

"Then why didn't you tell me about it when you were hurt. Why didn't you tell me that you were in pain? What's with all this hiding?", Raymond asked.

"Because...", Akira said and stopped.

"Stop giving half answers Akira", Raymond said with a hint of irritation in his tone.

"Because I didn't want you to be all nice with me just because I saved your niece. I wanted you to be with me just the way you are because of just the way I am. I didn't want your behavior towards me influenced or dictated by some random act, which might be perceived as an act of kindness by you", Akira said and started fiddling with her skirt nervously. She didn't want to tell all this, but she just couldn't help herself.

"Then what do I assume of your behavior? Do you act nice to me because I saved you from Anthony? Is that what it is Akira?", Raymond asked and certainly, there was a pain in his voice.