Evening arrived, and after dropping Kunwar off at his villa, Prakhar returned home to find that the three brothers had already set everything up for the celebration.
On the party table, giant bottles of apple fizz and Coca-Cola stood tall as the designated "drinks." It wasn't like Ajit didn't drink, or that Pranay and Shrey never did — but in each other's company, all of them maintained their limits.Ajit didn't want to set a bad example for his younger brothers…And Pranay and Shrey respected him too much to cross that line.
The moment Prakhar arrived, Shrey snatched Diamond from him and, along with the others, handed him a black and white panda-themed t-shirt.There was an identical cute little one for Diamond too.
Prakhar stared at them all in surprise and walked to his room without a word.
"Your Highness! Hurry up! We won't wait forever for you!" Ajit shouted from outside.
In just a few minutes, Prakhar emerged — hesitant. He had never worn anything like this before — his wardrobe only contained plain tees, shirts, or formal clothes. And now, there was a panda printed across his chest. In the black-and-white t-shirt, his face flushed red with slight embarrassment.
"Don't be shy, Babu… we're all dressed like you!" Pranay said, patting his shoulder and pulling him close.
Before Prakhar could respond, Shrey gave Pranay a sharp glare. Pranay cheekily winked and playfully sat Prakhar between them.
Now the seating was set: Prakhar in the middle, Shrey on one side, Pranay on the other, with Ajit beside them. Diamond sat happily in someone's lap, proudly wearing his new clothes.
"Game time!" Pranay shouted, handing everyone their game remotes.
Before Prakhar could even figure out what was happening, Pranay placed glasses in front of everyone — Appy Fizz for them, and milk for Diamond.
"This is plain injustice… but whatever… the poor guy never escapes human tyranny anyway."
"Let's start... 3, 2, 1...!" Pranay counted down, and the game began.
Shrey and Pranay were pros — their fingers flying over the buttons as their in-game characters zoomed through the racetrack.
Ajit lagged a bit behind — he wasn't as experienced.
Prakhar... he had no idea what was going on."Where's the brake on this thing?""It's a race, why would you need brakes?" — Pranay laughed.
"I've driven real cars... this feels like a toy," Prakhar muttered.
"Then fly it like a toy!" — Shrey said without looking at him, but a faint smile tugged at his lips.
Even Diamond's eyes were fixed on the screen — darting around quickly.
Then suddenly, Prakhar's character crashed into a wall and the screen flashed: "CRASHED."
"Oh my God! Who let this guy in the game?!" Pranay groaned, clutching his head.
Prakhar glared and raised an eyebrow — "Now watch…"
And just like that, the old focused Prakhar returned.He gripped the remote tightly, locked his eyes on the screen, and his fingers began flying.
All the hesitance from the first round was gone. Now his control at every turn grew stronger.
Gradually...
He overtook one car from the inside lane, hit a small ramp with two wheels airborne and landed with a perfect thud.
"Whoa!" Ajit exclaimed.
At the last moment, Prakhar's car made a perfect cut and crossed the finish line through a shortcut.
WINNER — flashed on the screen.
"My car…" Shrey muttered. His own had just crashed into a corner and lay smoking on screen.
Even Pranay was stunned — the self-declared game champion had just been beaten by a rookie.This was definitely a "drown me in a glass of Appy Fizz" moment.
"Next round!" Pranay yelled — "Now I'm winning!"
He downed his glass in one go — whether in grief or in eagerness to erase defeat was unclear.
"Let's see…" Prakhar teased with a soft smile.
Shrey and Ajit had already set their remotes aside and stepped out, saying they'd just enjoy the show — this was now a battle between two masters.
The room grew intense. A cool breeze blew outside, but inside, the heat was rising.
On one side: Pranay — who couldn't stand losing.On the other: Prakhar — who was used to winning.
They gripped their remotes again."3... 2... 1... GO!"
The next round began.
As usual, Pranay took the lead early on. His face was unusually focused; his eyes didn't blink once.But within minutes, Prakhar overtook him.
Now both cars ran parallel — same speed, same balance.The room was silent.The glow of the TV lit up all their faces.Even Diamond was staring, like he too awaited the outcome.
Tires screeched, the racing music played in the background, and the anticipation of victory reflected on every face.
Just when it seemed they'd both cross the finish line together — no winner, no loser — Prakhar looked at Pranay.
Pranay's eyes blazed with determination. He was all in, like this wasn't just a game — but a war. His breath was heavy, fingers quick, face drenched in sweat.His hunger to win was undeniable.
Prakhar watched him for a moment... then quietly slowed down.
Pranay saw his car surge ahead on screen.His eyebrows raised — "How did that happen?"He glanced at Prakhar, who was still watching the screen, trying to act like everything was normal.
Pranay didn't understand, but seized the chance and accelerated further.And the next second…
WINNER: PRANAY — flashed on screen.
"YAAHOO!" Pranay screamed in joy.
Shrey hugged him tightly.
"What's this? The lovebird isn't even upset about losing?" Pranay whispered.
"I'm happy my brother won…" Shrey replied softly.
Pranay hugged him even tighter.
"Let's eat now… you both haven't eaten since afternoon," Ajit said as he began plating food for everyone.
The table was full of delicious dishes — hot paneer curry, puris, pulao, raita, and gulab jamun.Everyone's faces lit up.
Diamond got his usual milk and roti — no complaints, especially when Shrey secretly slipped his favorite jam biscuits into the plate.
After dinner, they all went to the balcony, where soft lights were strung up and mattresses laid out.
Diamond had fallen asleep right after dinner — the rest of them started playing "Truth or Dare."
"Okay, this bottle will spin, and whoever it lands on goes next!"Pranay spun it — it stopped on Ajit.
"Bro, truth or dare?"Pranay asked mischievously.
"Hmm... dare."Ajit answered boldly.
Shrey and Pranay exchanged a look and smiled mysteriously.
Shrey stepped forward —"You have to call your bodyguard 'Samay' and confess that you like him."
Ajit, who had just taken a sip of water, spat it all out."What...?!"
"What happened, bro? Can't do it?"Pranay winked, "Then the punishment is certain…"
"I'm the eldest!"Ajit tried to argue.
"And this game's the same for all!"Shrey snapped.
Ajit looked pleadingly at Prakhar —But Prakhar just shrugged.
"You'll pay for this…"Ajit muttered toward Pranay and said,"Kids these days…"
"So, you give up?"Shrey teased.
Ajit nodded in defeat. Shrey and Pranay grabbed their pillows — ready to deliver the punishment...
But then —Ajit pulled out his phone.
Both froze.He dialed Samay.
"Yes, boss?"A prompt voice answered.
"Samay... um…"
"Boss, are you okay?"Samay sounded concerned.
"I... I need to tell you something…"
"Yes, boss... what is it?"
"Um… ahem…"
"Hurry up, bro…"Pranay whispered from behind.
"I'm saying it..."Ajit placed a hand over his chest, feeling his heartbeat. His face turned red.
"I like you, Samay."
Silence.
"…have you been drinking, boss?"Samay asked on the other end.
"Wait, so you only say this stuff when you're drunk?"Shrey said, barely able to hide his laughter.
Samay, clearly flustered, replied —"I'll talk to you in the morning, boss…"and hung up.
"Ohh... look at him — he already had something going with Samay and didn't even tell us!"Pranay teased.
Shrey nodded in agreement.
"Shut up, both of you… or I'll hit you!"Ajit mumbled, burying his face in a pillow, his whole face now beet-red.
"Stop teasing him now..."Prakhar gently scolded them.
"Next round!"Pranay spun the bottle again — this time it landed on him.
"Truth or dare?"Shrey grinned.
"Dare."Pranay puffed up his chest.
"Then… sell your darling 'Rampyaari'."(Rampyaari = his beloved car.)
"Shrey!!"Pranay shouted.
His Rampyaari — his car — his life..."Kill me instead, but not Rampyaari!"
"Relax, I was kidding…"Shrey grinned.
Pranay threw a pillow at him."One day your jokes will give someone a heart attack!"
Their laughter echoed through the room.
"Alright, now call the principal and say what you actually think of him..."Shrey's eyes sparkled.
"So tomorrow I get called to the principal's office?"Ajit glared at them.
"Please, bro…"Pranay begged. "Just once — vent it all out…"
Ajit turned away, uninterested.
Pranay, ignoring the consequences, dialed the number."Whatever happens now, we'll see…"
Shrey snatched the phone and put it on speaker.Tring Tring…
Dead silence in the room.
"Hello...?"A groggy but stern voice answered.
Pranay shut his eyes for a second, then launched into full mode —
"Hey baldy... sleeping? Sorry, man, didn't mean to disturb. It's just, looking at your shiny head every day fries my brain. And that belly of yours — flapping like a bride's dupatta! Can't you take care of yourself? Ever tried exercise? You yell all day, but your voice? Like a goat bleating 'meh meh.' Got no mirror at home? Ever looked at yourself? And ask the kids why they're scared of you! If you'd spent even one percent of the time on yourself that you spend invading kids' personal space and dragging their parents to school, you wouldn't have lost that English professor you liked… Tell me, do you even have self-respect? After the amount of humiliation kids throw at you daily, and you still show up like nothing happened? Show some shame!"
"Hello?! Who is this?! What nonsense—?"The principal's startled voice came through.
Pranay hung up.
Ajit sat holding his head."They'll kick you out of college tomorrow for sure…"
Pranay grinned."Nothing's more important than Rampyaari."
Shrey burst out laughing —"And tomorrow you'll be sacrificed at the principal's altar!"
Prakhar shook his head —"At least we'll have one farewell memory we'll never forget."
Next round.The bottle spun and landed on Shrey.
"Your turn, truth or dare?" — Pranay asked gleefully.
"Is there another option?" — Shrey asked with a puppy face.
"Yes…" — Pranay said instantly, "Pillow beatdown! From all three of us."
"I'm the youngest…" — Shrey tried to gain sympathy.
"Oh yeah? You don't remember that when you beat me like a punching bag?" — Pranay retorted.
"Bro…"
"No mercy." — Ajit grabbed a pillow.
"Fine… truth…" — Shrey exhaled.
"Alright, tell the truth — that girl always following you around campus... she's your girlfriend, right?" — Pranay asked mischievously.
Shrey's eyes widened, and the nearby Prakhar suddenly turned icy.
"No! She's just a friend..." — Shrey replied quickly, but his voice trembled.
"Friend?" — Pranay added fuel. "She kissed you!"
Everyone stared at Shrey.But one pair of eyes — Prakhar's — landed right on his lips.
"That... that was by mistake..." — Shrey stammered.
"Mistake?" — Pranay shouted, pretending to be shocked.
"Are you trying to get me killed…" — Shrey pinched him hard and glanced at Prakhar, who was still staring.
"Prakhar... I swear... she's just a friend. I'm totally loyal to you..." — his voice was both panicked and sincere.
"…so you admit he's your boyfriend?" — Pranay smirked.
Shrey glared and slowly nodded.
Prakhar still watched silently, then turned his gaze to Pranay.
"Bro… please manage your lovebird…" — Pranay whispered, "or he'll vaporize me with his eyes…"
He glanced at Shrey and scooted back a bit.
Shrey quietly placed his hand on Prakhar's.That gentle touch seemed to calm the fire in Prakhar's eyes.
Next round.The bottle spun and landed on Prakhar.
"Truth or dare?" — Pranay asked.
Prakhar looked at Shrey beside him, then said without blinking — "Truth."
Ajit asked with a soft smile —"Tell us… you're Izaan, aren't you?"
Prakhar's smile faded. His eyes grew colder.
Shrey's palms gripped his hands tightly, as if to give him strength for the answer.
Feeling the warmth of his touch, Prakhar looked at everyone…and nodded slightly.
The room fell into silence.
Ajit's voice was softer now —"Then tell us… why did you change your name?"
Prakhar replied —"I'll only answer one question."
"Izaan please… we need to know…After you left… we searched everywhere for you…"
Prakhar gave no answer.But his silence was answer enough. They all understood — he wouldn't say more.
A heavy stillness spread in the room.
Ajit broke it with a laugh —"Fine… let's go for a drive!"
"Prakhar's driving today!" — Pranay jumped up like nothing had happened moments ago.
Without a word, Prakhar grabbed the keys and stepped out.Shrey quietly followed.
Left behind in the room, Pranay whispered —"Bro... he's not saying anything."
Ajit replied softly —"I've got my sources… we'll know everything soon."
A little while later, they were on a deserted road.Prakhar was driving, Shrey beside him — still shy after today's confession. His face was as red as a ripe tomato.
Ajit and Pranay enjoyed the breeze from the back seat.
After a pause, Prakhar gently took Shrey's handand placed it on the gear.
Shrey looked at him —there was no blame in his eyes,just a soft smile,full of peace and silent affection.
And then…
"Ahem ahem… are we third-wheeling here?"— came Pranay's teasing voice from the back.
Ajit stared at him without a word.
Pranay raised both hands,"Alright, alright, salute to love… just slow down a bit, or we'll be flying off the next turn!"
The car kept moving forward, the breeze carrying away all the past sorrow —only love and the scent of friendship remained in the air.