Five years passed in the blink of an eye.
The year was now 1991.
In a peaceful residential area of Chennai stood a beautiful villa belonging to the Konidela family.
The house wasn’t the largest among celebrity homes, but it carried a warm atmosphere that made it feel like a real family home rather than a luxurious mansion.
Early in the morning, sunlight filtered through the curtains while birds chirped outside.
Inside the house, however, a completely different scene was unfolding.
“Kids!
Hurry up!
You’ll miss the school bus!” Surekha’s voice echoed through the hallway as she stood outside a bedroom door.
Unfortunately, nobody answered her.
She waited for several seconds before knocking again.
“Raman!
Sushmita!
Come out immediately!”
Still no response.
A small vein appeared on Surekha’s forehead.
She knew her children very well.
Whenever things became this quiet, it usually meant trouble was brewing inside the room.
After waiting for another minute, she finally lost her patience.
“If you don’t come out right now, I’ll eat all the sweets myself!”
The reaction was immediate.
The bedroom door swung open at lightning speed.
Standing there was a ten-year-old Sushmita.
Although she had grown older, she still possessed the same adorable features from childhood.
Her large expressive eyes, long hair, and energetic personality made her the center of attention wherever she went.
At this moment, however, she looked extremely offended.
She puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms.
“Amma!
I’m busy helping my little brother get ready!
Why are you disturbing us?”
Surekha stared at her daughter for two seconds.
Then she gently smacked her forehead.
“Ouch!”
Sushmita immediately held her head and looked wronged.
“What was that for?”
Surekha ignored her dramatic acting and stepped into the room.
The moment she entered, she froze.
For a brief second, the entire room became silent.
Then she covered her mouth.
And finally burst into laughter.
Sitting on a chair near the mirror was Raman.
Or rather…
What remained of Raman after Sushmita’s “help.”
The five-year-old boy was dressed in a crooked school uniform.
His shirt buttons were mismatched.
His tie was hanging sideways.
His neatly combed hair had somehow transformed into a bird’s nest.
As if that wasn’t enough, white powder covered half of his cheeks.
There was even a large black dot of kajal on one side of his face.
The result looked less like a school student and more like a tiny clown preparing for a stage performance.
Raman’s expression was completely blank.
He looked as though he had already accepted his fate.
Seeing her mother’s laughter, Sushmita became confused.
“What happened?”
Surekha pointed toward the mirror.
Sushmita turned around.
A few seconds later even she couldn’t stop laughing.
“Hahaha!
Brother, you look so funny!”
Raman’s eyelids twitched.
He silently stared at his sister.
After five years together, he had learned an important lesson.
Never trust Sushmita with anything important.
Especially not clothing.
Surekha walked over and gently fixed everything.
She straightened his uniform, cleaned the powder from his face, adjusted his tie, and carefully combed his hair.
A few minutes later, Raman finally looked presentable.
The little boy possessed striking crystal-blue eyes and handsome facial features that seemed unusually refined for his age.
Combined with his calm temperament, he often attracted attention wherever he went.
The moment his appearance returned to normal, Sushmita’s eyes sparkled.
Without warning, she lunged forward.
“Brother!”
Before Raman could react, she wrapped her arms around him and began rubbing her face against his cheek.
Raman looked toward the ceiling.
Why?
Just why?
As if things weren’t difficult enough, another small figure suddenly ran into the room.
“Anna!”
A three-year-old girl jumped forward and attached herself to his other side.
It was Sreeja.
The youngest child of the family.
Unlike Sushmita’s energetic personality, Sreeja was softer and more affectionate.
Her adorable face and innocent smile made it nearly impossible for anyone in the family to refuse her requests.
Now both sisters had successfully trapped him.
One on the left.
One on the right.
Raman felt like a prisoner being escorted by two tiny bodyguards.
Surekha couldn’t help laughing at the sight.
Looking at her three children together filled her heart with happiness.
The entertainment industry was full of uncertainty and pressure, but moments like these reminded her what truly mattered.
She gently patted Sreeja’s head.
Then she smiled warmly.
“I hope all three of you remain close like this forever.”
Neither child understood the deeper meaning behind her words.
Sushmita simply raised her chin proudly.
Then she placed a hand on her chest.
“Brother!”
Raman immediately sensed danger.
“From now on, follow me in school. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
If you listen to your elder sister, you’ll definitely achieve greatness in the future.”
The room became silent.
Surekha stared at her daughter.
Sushmita smiled proudly.
A second later—
Bonk.
Another light smack landed on her forehead.
“Ouch!”
Sushmita covered her head once more.
“Amma!
Why do you keep hitting me?”
“Because you’re acting like a gang leader.”
“I’m not a gang leader!”
“You sound exactly like one.”
Sreeja began giggling.
Even Raman couldn’t hide a small smile.
Seeing this, Sushmita immediately pointed accusingly at her brother.
“Look!
Even brother is laughing at me!”
The entire room erupted into laughter.
For the first time in a while, Raman simply enjoyed the moment.
In his previous life, he had spent most of his childhood worrying about studies, responsibilities, and eventually work.
This life felt different.
Lighter.
Warmer.
More precious.
And perhaps…
That wasn’t such a bad thing after all.
A few minutes later, the three children finally made their way downstairs.
The dining table was already prepared with breakfast.
Fresh idlis, dosa, coconut chutney, and warm sambar filled the room with a delicious aroma.
Surekha had personally supervised everything because she knew her children had a habit of skipping breakfast whenever they became excited.
Sushmita immediately sat down and started eating.
Meanwhile, Raman quietly took his seat and began eating properly.
Compared to most children his age, he was unusually calm and well-behaved.
Years of memories from his previous life naturally made him more mature than ordinary kids.
Even so, he never tried to act overly smart because he knew it would only attract unnecessary attention.
Across from him, Sreeja sat in her mother’s lap while happily swinging her tiny legs.
Every now and then she would point toward Raman.
“Anna!”
Then she would giggle as if she had accomplished something important.
Raman simply smiled at her.
Truthfully, he had grown quite fond of his younger sister over the years.
Soon, a familiar figure entered the dining room.
It was Chiranjeevi.
Although his schedule remained extremely busy, he always tried to spend some time with his family whenever possible.
Even after becoming one of the biggest stars in the country, he never allowed fame to distance him from his loved ones.
Seeing their father arrive, all three children immediately brightened.
“Nana!”
Sushmita jumped from her chair.
Sreeja stretched out her arms.
Even Raman couldn’t help smiling.
Chiranjeevi greeted everyone before sitting down beside his family.
He gently patted Sushmita’s head and kissed Sreeja’s forehead before turning toward his youngest son.
“So, Raman.”
A teasing smile appeared on his face.
“Ready for school?”
Raman nodded confidently.
Seeing his son’s serious expression, Chiranjeevi chuckled softly.
His son had always been surprisingly mature.
Sometimes it felt as though he was speaking with a tiny adult rather than a five-year-old child.
Breakfast passed in a lively atmosphere.
After everyone finished eating, Surekha began gathering school bags while repeatedly reminding the children not to forget anything.
Naturally, Sushmita immediately forgot something.
Her water bottle.
Surekha sighed helplessly.
Raman wasn’t even surprised anymore.
A few minutes later, the sound of a school bus horn echoed from outside.
The children quickly grabbed their belongings and hurried toward the front gate.
Surekha carried Sreeja in her arms while Chiranjeevi walked beside them.
The entire family stood outside to see the children off.
“Study properly.”
“Listen to your teachers.”
“Don’t cause trouble.”
The usual parental advice began immediately.
Most of it was directed toward Sushmita.
Because everyone knew Raman wasn’t the troublemaker.
Sushmita was.
“I know, Amma!”
She dramatically rolled her eyes.
Then she grabbed Raman’s hand and started dragging him toward the bus.
“Come on, brother!”
Raman sighed.
His sister treated him less like a sibling and more like a loyal sidekick.
The bus doors opened.
Several children were already seated inside.
Sushmita confidently boarded first before finding seats near the middle.
Raman followed behind her and sat down beside the window.
Outside, Surekha and Sreeja waved at them.
The little girl enthusiastically shouted.
“Bye Anna!”
Raman smiled and waved back.
Soon, the bus began moving.
The streets of Chennai slowly passed by outside the window.
Small shops were opening for business, vendors were setting up stalls, and people were beginning another busy day.
For a moment, Raman simply enjoyed the scenery.
This was something he never had the chance to experience properly in his previous life.
Back then, everything had been rushed.
School. Follow the newest chapters on novelping.com.
Studies.
Work.
Responsibilities.
Now he could finally enjoy the simple moments.
Unfortunately…
Peace never lasted long around him.
Before he could fully appreciate the morning, something suddenly slammed into his side.
Thump.
Raman blinked.
Then he turned his head.
A familiar girl had somehow appeared beside him.
Large eyes.
Bright smile.
Long hair tied neatly.
And an expression filled with excitement.
It was Shruthi.
The future superstar herself.
Or in his current situation…
His personal clingy shadow.
The moment she saw him looking at her, her smile became even brighter.
“Ram!”
Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him.
“I missed you!”
Several nearby children immediately started giggling.
Meanwhile, Raman remained perfectly still.
His expression didn’t change at all.
He had already accepted reality.
Resistance was futile.
Over the past few years, Shruthi had somehow become even more attached to him than before.
Whether at family gatherings, festivals, birthdays, or casual visits, she always ended up beside him.
Nobody knew why.
Well…
Except perhaps the mysterious system.
The same system that had disappeared years ago after gifting him that ridiculous physique.
Thinking about it now, Raman suddenly suspected the system had known exactly what would happen.
“Traitorous system…”
he muttered internally.
Shruthi tilted her head.
“What?”
Raman immediately shook his head.
“Nothing.”
She smiled happily and leaned closer.
“Let’s sit together today.”
Before Raman could answer, Sushmita suddenly leaned over from the seat behind them.
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“Shruthi.”
“Hmm?”
“Don’t bother my brother too much.”
Shruthi puffed her cheeks.
“I’m not bothering him.”
“You are.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I’m not.”
The two girls immediately began arguing.
Raman quietly looked out the window.
He had seen this exact conversation at least fifty times.
Perhaps even more.
The bus continued moving through the streets of Chennai while the two girls continued their childish battle.
For some reason, Raman found the scene strangely comforting.
Life was peaceful.
His family was happy.
His childhood was finally something worth remembering.
There were no industry pressures yet.
No fame.
No responsibilities.
No endless expectations.
Just school.
Friends.
Family.
And a future waiting ahead.
As the school building slowly appeared in the distance, Raman smiled slightly.
This second life had only just begun.
And for now…
He intended to enjoy every moment of it.
Special Scenario
[Author]: I couldn’t keep writing baby chapters forever.
The story was starting to drag.
[Ram]: Humph.
I forgive you.
[Author]: Really?
[Ram]: Only because I finally escaped being carried around all day.
[Shruthi]: Not anymore.
[Ram]: …
[Sushmita]: Brother belongs to me.
[Ram]: Why is nobody asking my opinion?
[Author]: Good question.
[Ram]: I regret forgiving you.
To be continued….
Author’s Note:
Thank you for reading!
If you enjoyed the chapter and would like to support me, even a small donation of ₹1 means a lot.
MY UPI: akn4841@oksbi I’m currently balancing writing with a stressful job, and every bit of support helps motivate me to keep bringing you more chapters.
Thank you!