Shaurya Malhotra didn't know what was scarier - his elder brother waking up from a two-hour-long coma and calling him "Sahadev," or the intense silence that had followed that statement. Karan - or Karna or whoever he thought he was - was now sitting up on the hospital bed, staring at the window with such conviction that Shaurya half-expected a divine vision to manifest there.
He tapped his phone, glanced at the time, and sighed.
"Bro, you okay? Want me to get you water? Coffee? An exorcist?"
Karan turned, blinking slowly. "Shaurya. That is your name, is it not?"
Shaurya nodded hesitantly. "Yup. Full marks. You remembered. That means you're sane, right?"
Karan furrowed his brows. "And the other one, the talkative one-"
"Arnav," Shaurya supplied.
"Yes. Arjun."
"No, bro. AR-NAV. Two syllables. Ar. Nav. Not Arjun," Shaurya emphasized, but he was already laughing. "Dude, you scared the crap out of us! For a second, I thought you got possessed. Like, legit possessed."
Karan just stared at him.
Shaurya laughed nervously, patting Karan's shoulder. "But you didn't, right? Right?"
Before Karan could answer, the door burst open with the drama of a daily soap climax.
"Karan beta!"
Kavita Malhotra rushed in, followed by Meera and Yash. Her eyes were misty, and her hands trembled as she reached for her son. Meera followed, looking composed but clearly emotional.
Karan looked up.
His mouth went dry.
"Mata Kunti?"
Kavita blinked. "What?"
Meera raised an eyebrow. Shaurya made a choking noise.
Yash looked like he wanted to disappear. He had already survived one round of scolding for bringing them here in a cab with a driver who played remixed bhajans.
Kavita embraced Karan tightly. "You scared us, stupid boy! Two hours you slept like a log!"
Meera chuckled. "He's always been dramatic. Just like you."
Karan was still frozen. His mind screamed. What is happening? Why does she look exactly like my mother?
Just then, Arnav walked in.
"Yo! Good news, folks. Doctor said he's fine. Just needs rest. He can be discharged today."
"You went to talk to the doctor?" Kavita said sweetly.
Arnav froze.
Kavita leaned close. Bent his ear down.
And hissed: "You little menace! You couldn't CALL us earlier?The cab's driver played Bhajan, while I was on a video call with my BOSS. If I lose my job, you are funding my retirement."
Arnav winced. "Ow-ow-ow okay okay sorry maa sorry!"
Karan watched the scene with a dazed look.He voiced out his thoughts loud and clean.
"Mata Kunti is scolding Arjun? That's new."
Shaurya snorted so hard he nearly fell over.
Yash sighed. "He's definitely lost it."
Meera nodded. "Or he's just overly dramatic. Must be genetic."
Eventually, they all filtered out of the room, giving Karan space to change.
Karan sat still. Slowly, he lowered his face into his hands.
"Vasudev... help me. I don't understand anything. What is this world? Who are these people? What happened to my family?"
And then...
He heard it.
A voice, smooth as wind, calm as moonlight.
"Five thousand years have passed, Angraj. You are reborn in Kaliyug, along with the others. Learn about yourself first, before others learn about you."
Karan jolted. "Vasudev?"
Silence.
---
Scene Shift: Malhotra House
Nikhil and Bhavesh were lounging on the couch, playing a racing game. The tension had slowly leaked out of the house the moment they heard Karan was conscious.
"Did he say anything yet?" Nikhil asked, eyes on the screen.
"Dunno. Probably some Shakespearean monologue. He's always been intense," Bhavesh replied, dodging a car on the TV.
On the other couch sat Radha Verma, twisting her dupatta in her lap, eyes flicking to the door every ten seconds.
"He's like my own son," she muttered. "That boy better be alright."
Sitting beside her, Bhavesh tried to offer comfort. "He'll be fine, Kaki. The doctor said so."
"I know, beta. I just want to see his face."
In the Verma house next door, Sia and Diya had finally stopped pacing. Diya scrolled mindlessly on her phone. Sia was staring at the ceiling.
"So what do you think happened to him, haan? Karan bhaiya is not the dramatic type," Sia muttered.
"No clue. But Rhea... she's still not okay."
Indeed, Rhea Verma had been standing at the gate for the last fifteen minutes, arms crossed, anxiety practically radiating from her.
"I just want to see him," she muttered. "Once. Just once. Then I'll breathe."
Back in the hospital room, Karan finally dressed.
His eyes were dark, his mind heavier.
But his soul?
That... was starting to wake up.
---