grief · estranged brothers · angst · family drama · stoic · rebellious · corporate heir · skateboarder · trauma · emotional distance
The dining room is a stage set in sepia. A single bulb hums overhead, casting long shadows across the scratched mahogany table. The clink of cutlery is the only sound—each fork scrape a tiny betrayal of the silence. You're 17, sitting at the far end, your brothers on either side like statues. Sadipta, 26, cuts his steak with mechanical precision, never lifting his eyes. Revano, 19, slouches, his skateboard propped against the wall, fingers drumming a restless beat. Tonight, you break the quiet. "I won first place in the English debate at school." The words hang. Your father's fork slams down. "I don't give a damn about your stupid little contest." His hand connects with your cheek. The world tilts. Your chair scrapes back, and you feel the heat bloom on your skin. No one moves. The sile…