Meanwhile, Advait and Pranay were sitting across from each other. Advait's eyes were fixed on the TV… and Pranay's, on Advait.
"Do you want to say something?"Advait asked without looking at him.
Pranay was slightly startled — "No…"
"Then why have you been staring at me for so long?"
"What nonsense…? I wasn't staring. Don't talk rubbish."Pranay snapped, but his nervous movements and shifting gaze betrayed him.
Advait looked at him sharply — Lying so confidently in front of a well-trained person… what a joke. I can count the feathers of a flying bird, and you think I wouldn't notice your gaze? Huh. Stupid kid.
Pranay looked away, embarrassed.
"Well, I'm going to sleep now. You're a night owl anyway, you can stay up…" Advait said, stretching his body, then picked up Diamond in his arms and started walking toward Prakhar's room.
Pranay could only watch him go.
After a few steps, Advait turned around and said,"If you get scared, come to me…" — then winked playfully.
Pranay looked around awkwardly — Why do this boy's eyes always make him feel so weird…?
Advait smirked slightly and walked away.
The next morning —
Prakhar and Shrey returned. Advait had already woken up and left. He'd left Diamond asleep next to Pranay — and Pranay didn't even realize it, as he was fast asleep.
"Hey Pranay!"Shrey jumped on him.
"You dog… you broke my back!"Pranay yelled in pain.
"Do you know, bro, I went to such a beautiful place!"Shrey said excitedly.
"Get off me first…"Pranay glared.
Shrey rolled off him and lay down beside him. Poor Pranay groaned as he tried to straighten himself — his back was in pain.
Still, Shrey kept chattering excitedly, telling him everything, while Pranay just stared at him, silently listening.
After a while, Pranay rolled his eyes and said,"You didn't ask your Romeo one important thing…"
"What?" Shrey blinked.
"He's not in the mafia or something, is he…?"
"Shut up!" Shrey threw a pillow at him.
"Do you even know the rent of the bungalow you're talking about?" Pranay raised an eyebrow.
"So what? My boyfriend is rich," Shrey said proudly.
"Not rich — mafia!" Pranay teased and ran toward the washroom, laughing.
Shrey shouted from behind,"Wait, you idiot! I'll show you…" — and he too started laughing.
Kunwar was sitting alone in his darkened room. The entire room was silent, except for the sound of his breathing and a strange tension in the air. In front of him stood a trembling boy — he had just informed Kunwar that Prakhar and Shrey had spent the night out together.
Kunwar's face remained calm as ice… but his eyes blazed like fire.
"Bring him back…"Kunwar said in a chilling but firm voice, "Do whatever it takes… however it takes… I want him back in the palace."
"But… Your Highness, that might not be—"The boy couldn't even finish his sentence before Kunwar suddenly picked up a knife and flung it at him.
It struck him straight in the chest. The boy fell to the floor, screaming in pain.
Kunwar got up, walked slowly over to him, and leaned down, whispering,"It hurts, doesn't it? It hurts me too… when I see him with someone else. He's mine… only mine. He has to come back to me."
"I'll try my best—" the boy began, but before he could finish, Kunwar smashed his knee into his face. The boy fell to the ground, groaning in agony.
"Not just effort… I want results,"Kunwar said in a venomous tone and walked away calmly.
He headed to the bar counter and began pouring himself a drink. As the ice clinked in the glass, his mind drifted again to that one moment — when Prakhar had come to him… tried to explain… touched him…
Now everything was clear.
Now he understood why Prakhar had come that day. His jaw clenched, and his eyes filled with rage.
Elsewhere, Prakhar was in the kitchen watching a YouTube video as he tried to make a dish for Shrey. He had just learned about it from Pranay yesterday and was now completely focused. Diamond sat nearby on the counter, watching the entire process seriously — as if he, too, were trying to learn.
Even after two or three attempts, Prakhar hadn't gotten the dish right… but he wasn't one to give up. With each try, he got better.
On the other hand, Shrey was more cheerful than usual today. Even he didn't quite know why — his heart was just light and joyful. Everything that once felt boring now seemed colorful as he walked toward college.
At the corridor, Pranay turned toward his class while Shrey went toward his — their classes were in different blocks.
As soon as Shrey entered the classroom, he noticed all the students were already seated, and the professor had arrived.
He cleared his throat and stepped inside.
"May I come in?" — Shrey asked, a little hesitant.
"Yeah, sure…" — came a cold, steady voice.
As Shrey raised his eyes, Kunwar was standing there… smiling.
Shrey quickly walked to the back and silently took a seat.
Kunwar began teaching, but his gaze kept drifting toward Shrey. He noticed — Shrey's glowing smile… the way he kept getting lost in thoughts… smiling without reason...
And that smile… it was burning Kunwar from the inside.
That old madness began to return to his eyes.Something inside him was ready to explode — but outwardly, he just kept smiling.
As if everything were… completely normal.