The sun bathed the wellness centre in a warm yellow glow. Dew sparkled on the lawns, sparrows filled the sky with their restless chirping, and the fragrance of flowers drifted between the pathways. People in simple white clothes walked with unhurried steps, mirroring the slowed rhythm of life that matched the steady hum of mantras rising from the meditation hall.

For Rudraksh, stepping through the gates felt like entering another world – one where silence and fragrance spoke louder than words. Beside him walked Aanand, Siddharth, and Karan. They hadn't spoken much during the drive, yet their quiet presence said enough:

Sometimes, you just have to accept things as they are and take small steps forward... for your own peace of mind.

"Rudraksh!" Dr. Tanvi approached the men with a warm smile, her light pink cotton saree rustling softly with each step.

"Good morning, Doctor," Rudraksh greeted, his tone neutral.

"A very promising good morning to you, Rudraksh." Tanvi's eyes flicked down to his side. "Ah, I see. The cast has been removed. How's your hand?" She looked back at him, clasping her hands behind her back.

Rudraksh's gaze dropped to his left arm. The skin was still pale where the plaster had been. He stretched it slowly, testing the movement. "Good."

"Very good..." Tanvi's voice softened. "So, are you ready for the journey ahead?"

Pressing his lips together, Rudraksh gave a firm nod. "Yes."

"That's the spirit, child!" Tanvi smiled, raising a fist playfully near her shoulder.

"Doctor?"

Her head snapped toward the deep voice, eyebrows lifting slightly. "Ah, Siddharth." A smile spread across her lips. "Forgive me. I was too focused on our new student."

"Student?"

She shifted her gaze at the sound, finally noticing the two unfamiliar men standing beside Rudraksh.

"He's Karan," Rudraksh said with a warm smile. "My best friend. And..." He gestured toward the man standing just beyond Karan. "Justice Aanand Maurya." His jaw tightened, his eyes dropping to the damp grass below. "My father," he added in a low whisper.

Suddenly, a spray of water arced through the air, scattering into fine droplets before landing across the group. They flinched as one, hands rising instinctively, eyes snapping shut under the surprise veil.

Rudraksh let out a sharp exhale, running his fingers through his damp hair with a clenched jaw. Beside him, Siddharth gave a low chuckle, brushing the droplets off his shoulder with deliberate ease. Karan shook his head, muttering something inaudible. Aanand, however, simply stiffened, his eyebrows knitting together, but he said nothing.

"What are you doing? Keep the pipe down," Tanvi's stern voice rang out, even and controlled. She swiped a hand across her cheek where a few droplets clung.

The gardener, a man of average build with fair skin, froze mid-motion. His eyes widened, and he bent quickly into a crouch. "Sorry, madam! Sorry! I’m sorry!" Tightening his hold, he angled the pipe downward, letting the water patter harmlessly onto the soil.

Rudraksh exhaled, shaking his wrist as droplets slid down his skin.

Karan smirked sideways at him, whispering, "welcome to your first test of patience."

Rudraksh's eyes flickered toward him, and he flashed a forced, wide grin. "Thank you... Time bomb."

"Hmm, hmm, the Volcano is boiling." Karan wriggled his eyebrows, leaning forward with a smug smile.

Rudraksh's mouth twisted, and he slammed his heel down on Karan's foot.

Karan hissed, "Ouch!" and yanked his foot back, stomping down in return.

Before round two of their stomping competition could begin, two firm hands clamped onto their shoulders, startling them.

"What are you two doing, Changu-Mangu?" Siddharth's voice cut in, his lips pressing into a thin line. "You both can't stay still, can you?" His gaze darted between them like that of a weary parent.

Both friends exchanged glances. The corners of their mouths twitched, and slowly, at the same time, they broke into awkward chuckles.

"That's our love language," Rudraksh announced grandly, looping his arm around Karan's neck and yanking him into a side hug. His other hand came up to cradle Karan's chin. "He's my buddy."

Karan threw both arms around Rudraksh in return, squeezing him tightly. "Yes!" He rubbed his forehead against the blade of Rudraksh's shoulder. "We're made for each other."

Siddharth pulled his hands back to his sides. "You both need a stay here," he muttered, then strode away without sparing another glance.

Rudraksh and Karan remained rooted to the spot, their shoulders leaning together, their heads tilted like conspiring schoolboys plotting their next mischief.

"Karan," Rudraksh said quietly.

"Hmm?"

Straightening, Rudraksh folded his hands and locked eyes with Karan. "You should become a girl in your next life." His expression carved into dead seriousness.

Karan's eyebrows furrowed, lips tightening as he mirrored the action. "No." His voice dropped, heavy and stern. "You should be the girl. I'll be the boy."

Rudraksh's lips pressed together, forehead wrinkling deeply as he shook his head with his eyes squeezed shut. "No, no, no." He jabbed a finger toward Karan's face, looking straight in his eyes. "You are fair-skinned. You fit more for a girl." A grin broadened across his face as he thumped his own chest with a palm. "I'll take care of you. Protect you with my life. My next life wife."

"Poor kids."

Their heads turned together.

An old woman shuffled closer, her back bent in a permanent bow, both hands gripping a thick bamboo stick that tapped against the ground with each careful step. Her faded violet colour cotton saree swayed with the breeze, her white hair escaping its braid, strands clinging to the deep creases of her face.

Rudraksh and Karan's eyes narrowed, following her approach warily, like mischievous kids watching a tortoise reach the finish line.

The woman finally reached them and lifted her trembling hand, patting each of their arms in turns. "Don't worry, beta." Her voice trembled with age. "Believe in God. You both will be fine very soon. Here the doctors are very much capable." With that blessing, she steadied herself on her stick and resumed her slow journey down the path.

Both boys' lips parted, eyes blinking after the retreating figure as though they had just witnessed an alien.

Karan's mouth dropped wider, and he flung his hand out toward her. "Oh, dadi! We're not insane!"

"Yes." Rudraksh dragged a hand through his hair. "Dadi should learn to take jokes."

Before Karan could answer, Rudraksh's arm slung heavily around his shoulder, and pulled him closer, steering away from the curious eyes that lingered nearby.

"C'mon, wife-" Rudraksh's tongue tripped, "-I mean, Karan. C'mon." He suppressed the arriving grin, tightening his jaw.

Karan snapped his head, narrowing his eyes at him. The smirk Rudraksh was trying to cage tugged higher at the corner of his lips, making Karan's glare sharpen.

💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥

"You two are in the headlines these days," Tanvi said, walking between Aanand and Siddharth. "Justice Maurya and Barrister Solanki." She smiled, glancing at the men on either side before looking ahead. "I, as a member of the public, am very happy that at least this time, that rapist and murderer is not walking around with his head held high despite his political connections."

With his hands clasped behind his back, Aanand lifted his head. "We only supported the truth; and if the public is determined, the government does not have the strength to allow any criminal to roam freely like a bull." His eyes lingered on the rows of clay huts on one side of the gravel path, nestled between the trees. "But the public is such that it does not matter to anyone. People remember for a few days, then everyone gets busy with their work."

Siddharth, walking with his arms folded across his chest, smiled thinly. "Actually, sir, the problem of this country is that numerous laws have been made regarding women's safety and such, but none come into implementation when the time comes. It's a two-way problem; both the government and the public need to think about it."

Both Tanvi and Aanand nodded at Siddharth's words, and the three of them continued walking in silence.

The doctor's gaze flickered toward the gardener from earlier, now standing a little distance away with a long black pipe in his hands, spraying water across the rows of towering Banyan, Mango, and Neem trees.

"What are you doing, gardener?" Her authoritative voice rang out, firm and sharp.

Startled, the gardener lifted his head, shifting uneasily on his feet. "Madam, I'm watering these trees." His eyes darted between Aanand and Siddharth's unreadable expressions.

"They can draw water on their own from beneath the surface," Tanvi said. "Do what you were asked to. Water the plants in the botanical garden. Go."

The gardener's fingers stiffened around the rubber pipe. For a moment, the water sputtered and hissed as he pressed its mouth shut with the pad of his thumb. Without another word, he bowed and turned, dragging the pipe along the gravel.

"Doctor?"

Hearing Siddharth's voice, Tanvi turned on her heels, rejoining the men. "Yes?"

Siddharth's eyes flickered briefly toward Aanand before settling back on her. "We... we heard that there is a lunatic asylum here as well." His eyes narrowed slightly. "Would that be good for our Rudraksh?"

A gentle smile spread across Tanvi's lips. She lowered her gaze to the path, then looked back up at the men. "I understand both of your concerns. But please, have faith in us. Rudraksh will be living here"—she gestured toward the line of sun-baked clay huts ahead—"and the asylum is approximately thirty metres away from here."

Her tone softened as she continued, "Also, it is surrounded by thick stone walls. Besides, we're planning to shift them to a new place where they can also be healed without being caged."

Siddharth shifted his weight, his eyes still fixed on the huts. "What routine will Rudraksh be following?"

Tanvi raised a hand near her stomach, curling her fingers into a loose fist. "Umm... let's call Rudraksh first, then I'll brief things."

Siddharth nodded and turned his head over his shoulder, looking for his two friends.

A little distance away, Rudraksh and Karan were standing beneath an Ashoka tree; its long, drooping leaves swayed lightly in the evening breeze. The dim sunlight filtered through the branches, casting restless shadows across their faces.

Rudraksh leaned in slightly, his hand raised halfway... in a gesture of persuasion, perhaps.

Karan, on the other hand, looked anything but calm. His arms were folded tight across his chest, jaw clenched, and his foot tapped impatiently against the dry earth. Every now and then, he shifted his stance sharply, like someone battling the urge to walk away mid-conversation.

"Rudraksh! Karan!" Siddharth called out, lifting a hand above his head.

💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥

"How long have you planned to stay here?" Karan asked, walking beside Rudraksh.

"Umm... to be precise, I can't say anything. But, two months."

"Hmm..." Karan nodded, lips pressing together.

They walked in the shadow of an Ashoka tree when Rudraksh's step halted mid-air. His fingers curled outward, then relaxed, as though he wanted to speak but was weighing the consequences.

"What happened?" Karan asked, mirroring his friend's movements.

"Karan..." Rudraksh's eyes lingered on his friend’s expectant expression. "I want you to check in on something."

Karan nodded, keeping his gaze fixed on Rudraksh's eyes.

Rudraksh exhaled lightly, his lips pressing together before parting. "I don't trust the CEO."

Karan wriggled his eyebrows and folded his arms across his chest.

Rudraksh continued, his voice taking on a mysterious tone. "Like... he's the CEO; he's supposed to look over everything inside the company. But—"

"He only sits and smiles?" Karan finished for him, raising his eyebrows. "Always asks us for everything? Never bothers to give any useful opinions?"

Rudraksh's eyes widened. "You noticed that too?"

Karan's jaw tightened; his eyes darted downward before snapping back to Rudraksh. "Bloody old man has turned our company into a fish market," he said through clenched teeth. "Everyone is doing things as they please."

Rudraksh lifted a hand near Karan's shoulder. "Karan, calm down. Anger isn't going to help us in this situation."

"It will, Rudraksh," Karan said instantly. "It will. One punch to that 'haha' jaw and he'll blurt out everything."

"Karan..." Rudraksh smiled faintly. "He's an old citizen. Let's not disrespect him."

Karan looked away. His face puffed slightly, as though he were restraining boiling lava inside him, and his foot tapped restlessly against the ground.

"Rudraksh! Karan!" Siddharth's voice rang out, and both of them turned at the same time.

He stood a little distance away, hand raised high, gesturing for them to join the group of three.

Rudraksh gave a brief nod in acknowledgment and started walking ahead.

Karan trailed beside him, the storm still brewing on his face. "What do you want me to do then?" he asked abruptly.

Rudraksh's lips curled into something between a smirk and a smile. He tilted his head, catching his friend's furrowed expression, and with easy familiarity slid an arm around Karan's shoulder, tugging him closer as their steps fell into rhythm again.

"Why don't you stay with me here as well... my next life wife?" Rudraksh's smirk widened as he asked, his tone deliberately light.

Karan's head turned slowly, a disapproving scowl cutting across his face. "Are you fed up with your life?"

A small burst of laughter escaped Rudraksh's chest. He coughed lightly, clearing his throat as his gaze drifted over the garden.

"Okay, okay. No more teasing," he said, his voice softening. "I just want you to keep an eye on him and observe his movements or actions in the company."

"And then?"

"Then"—Rudraksh's eyes shifted ahead, locking onto Aanand, who stood beside Siddharth and Tanvi, watching his son with an unwavering gaze—"I'll try to get the Power of Attorney back in my hands as soon as I return." He looked back at Karan, smiling. "Don't worry. Everything will be back in place in no time."

Karan nodded. His shoulders loosened just slightly, enough to show trust more than agreement.

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

The evening sun painted small shadows of the two girls as they walked side by side, a notebook and ball pen dangling loosely from their hands.

"Where were you?" Ira asked, flicking her gaze toward Navya. "It's been more than a week."

Navya's lips curled into a cheeky smile as she tilted her head. "Why? Did you miss me, cutie?"

Ira's lips parted as she scratched the back of her head with her free hand. "Umm... I guess so." An awkward smile spread across her face. "I was the only girl among six boys. So... yeah."

"Aww..." Navya reached out and brushed her fingers gently through the wisps of hair above Ira's head before pulling her hand back. "Actually, there was a puja for my father's new bike showroom opening. So my mother and I went to Patna for a week."

Ira blinked. "Patna?"

"Yeah. My home is in Patna." Navya tossed her hair back with a practiced sweep. "My mother's posting is here as a government teacher, so I live with her." She beamed, her teeth flashing in the fading light. "But once my mother clears the NET exam, or if she gets a transfer to Patna, then we'll move back!"

"Your mother too is preparing for that exam?" Ira's eyes widened a little as her pace slowed for a moment.

"Your mother too?" Navya shot back instantly, pointing a finger at Ira, her eyebrows raised high.

A small laugh escaped Ira's lips, soft and shy. "Yeah."

Silence settled between them, heavy but comfortable. The only sounds were the soft pitter-patter of their sandals on the uneven road and the gentle rustle of leaves overhead, stirred by the faint evening breeze.

"Umm... what about your graduation?" Ira asked, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Your college is here, isn't it?"

Navya nodded, shifting the notebook and pen from one hand to the other. "Yeah, but the final exam will be held in the last week of April or so." She tilted her head and winked at Ira. "It'll be fine. Our state government is too lazy to do paperwork and annoying transfers this early."

Ira let out a short laugh, her shoulders shaking. "True. They only come out in the streets for votes—" She stopped mid-step as her eyes widened, her hand shooting out to grab Navya's arm. "Hey, your mother is a government teacher. And Nidhi's father is also a government teacher, as I remember."

"Right!" Navya exclaimed, her eyes widening. "I can get information from my mother!" Her voice rose, and she squealed before pulling Ira into a tight, impulsive hug.

Ira's lips curved in a soft, warm smile as she wrapped her arms around her friend, then slowly pulled away.

They resumed their walk, their steps syncing again as they turned a corner. The path spilled them into the bustling main market, where vendors called out prices, bicycles rang their bells, and the aroma of street food drifted through the air.

"Hey!" Navya tugged at Ira's arm, stopping her mid-walk.

Ira blinked, taken aback. "What happened?"

A grin slowly spread across Navya's lips, her eyes sparkling. She patted Ira's back. "So? How was he?"

Ira's eyebrows drew together, her lips twitching at the corners. "Who 'he'?"

"C'mon." Navya smirked, bumping her shoulder lightly against Ira's. "My brother? You talked to him right?"

Ira exhaled sharply through her nose, pressing her lips together. "So, what's a big deal there, Navya?" Her nose wrinkled. "You're so biased toward your brother. Even Nidhi said, 'Navya sings her brother's praises'."

Navya's mouth fell open, her eyes enlarging. "What?! She said that?"

"You do that," Ira nodded, her eyes still fixed on the crowd ahead.

Navya tossed her hair back with a little flick. "You both don't know my brother. He's very handsome and intelligent." A proud smile settled on her face, glowing with sisterly pride.

Ira's eyes rolled instinctively, and one corner of her lips stretched sideways.

"Hey, don't roll your eyes!" Navya scolded, pointing her pen at Ira's face like a child waving a favorite toy. "You will fall for him at the first sight if you see him once."

Ira burst into a low chuckle and snatched the pen from Navya's hand. "You know, Navya? There was this girl in our school who always used to say this one line like a catchphrase: 'If you see it once, you'll pass out, I swear.'" Tilting her head like a pendulum, she mimicked the girl's mannerisms.

Their laughter tumbled out, twining together until even they couldn't tell where one voice ended and the other began. Navya bent slightly, a palm pressed to her stomach, shoulders shaking with the remnants of joy. Ira leaned close, her breath hitching, a loose strand of hair clinging to the curve of her flushed cheek.

For a moment, the crowd blurred into a distant hum, the market's colors and clamor falling away like a curtain. All that remained was the warmth of their shared laughter.

And then, with the sound still trembling between them like an unfinished note, they walked on – two silhouettes slipping into the tide of people, carrying their quiet brightness into the evening.

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

Rudraksh lay on a low wooden cot, its thin mattress rustling beneath him. A thick, handwoven blanket was pulled up to his chest, wrapping him in its coarse warmth. The mud walls around him glowed faintly in the light of an oil lamp dangling from a hook in the corner.

The silence here was different, dense and earthy, carrying the smell of damp mud and woodsmoke. It pressed against his ears, making his own breathing sound louder than it should.

He shifted under the blanket, the soft white kurta brushing against his skin, the pyjama folds creasing as he bent one knee. The cot creaked faintly, reminding him he wasn't home, wasn't anywhere familiar. The day had been long but dull: tiresome therapy sessions, wandering along garden paths, fiddling with paints and scraps of paper in the hobby centre without meaning to.

And now, it was night.

He should have been tired, but sleep didn't come. Instead, thoughts curled and uncurled in his head.

Doubt whispered, "What are you doing here, wasting days like this?"

Excitement murmured back, "What if this stillness becomes something you didn't know you needed?"

It was a strange in-between, like standing at the edge of two worlds – one foot stuck in the chaos he had left behind, the other testing this muted, almost ancient calm. He wondered if he could belong to either.

The flame flickered; shadows danced across the clay walls, pulling his gaze back. For a fleeting moment, it felt as though time had shifted, dragging him out of the present and dropping him into a village from another century. No hum of traffic. No buzzing phone. No city glow beyond the windows. Just an oil lamp, clay walls, and silence thick enough to echo his thoughts back at him.

A small thrill flickered in his chest at that thought, like something might happen here, in this timeless quiet. Maybe he could become who he had once imagined himself to be – the tension-free, happy, mischievous goofball of his childhood.

His lips stretched into a genuine smile, as though the corners had found their own thread to pull.

💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥

"Yes, boss. Yes." A man's whisper bled into the darkness beneath the neem tree, swallowed by the night. "Justice Maurya and Barrister Solanki—both were here today at this wellness centre."

His throat tightened as he listened. "Absolutely, boss. First that judge Maurya, and now this greenhorn Solanki. Both have started troubling us."

He lowered his voice further, as though afraid the branches themselves might overhear. "This is the perfect time to take revenge for your miseries."

"Rudraksh. Rudraksh Maurya. Son of Justice Aanand Maurya... and someone very important to Barrister Siddharth Solanki."

His lips curled as he added in a rasp, "There was another boy with them too, who looked just as useless as Maurya's son. But they didn't admit him here."

The man forced out a laugh that mimicked the inhuman one on the other end. "Of course, boss. Nothing stings more than hurting someone they love."

His mockery faltered when he sucked in a sharp breath. "Boss! He's just a kid, totally insane. I saw it with my own eyes today. Was babbling nonsense."

Sweat slid down his temple even in the February chill. He swallowed hard at the whispered instructions seeping through the line.

"Oh-okay, okay, boss. I'll do it."

The connection died. The night loosened around him, and he exhaled a trembling breath of relief.

"Rudraksh..." His chuckle rose low and hungry. "Let's see what you've got."

A/N: A pretty much of things are happening. 🧐

What are your thoughts on the new turn of these events?