The scene shifted to the glowing neon lights of a buzzing nightlife street.
Rudra, Shiva, Ravi, and Sandeep stood in front of a crowded pub, where a long line of eager partygoers snaked around the entrance.
Up ahead, burly bouncers checked each couple, stamping a glowing heart-shaped mark on their wrists before letting them in.
Music thumped through the walls, and the entire street vibrated with energy.
Rudra stared at the large neon sign above the entrance—
"LunaLove – Couples Night Special"—
Then turned slowly to face his three friends, his expression a perfect mix of suspicion and disbelief.
"This... is the surprise?"
He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"____"
"____"
"____"
Shiva let out a nervous laugh while Ravi rubbed the back of his neck.
Sandeep avoided eye contact completely.
"Okay, listen,"
Shiva began, raising both hands.
"It's not what it looks like. See, I got five free passes to tonight's event. It's a one-night-only party organised by my old DJ mentor—you remember, the guy who used to sneak us snacks at the orphanage? He's kind of a big deal now."
"And this place is hosting his event?"
Rudra asked, still frowning.
Shiva nodded enthusiastically.
Nod~
"Exactly! VIP list, bro! And it's packed tonight. Music, food, lights—top tier!"
Rudra let out a sigh and massaged his forehead.
Sigh~
"And what happens if Amirtha finds out we came to a couples-only pub?"
All three of them went quiet.
"…We'll deal with that later,"
Ravi said quickly.
"Besides, we're not here to couple. We're here to party. Birthday style!"
"And we got five passes,"
Sandeep added helpfully.
"So technically, we're doing them a favour by showing up."
Rudra groaned internally but couldn't help the small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
He was surrounded by idiots—
But they were his idiots.
"Fine,"
He said.
"But I swear, if Amirtha finds out and lectures me, I'm dragging all of you down with me."
"Deal!"
The three chorused before dragging him into the line.
As they stepped forward, the music grew louder, and the glowing stamp was only moments away.
Just as the four of them were about to step into the queue,
Shiva suddenly found himself tackled by a surprise hug from behind.
"Shiva!"
Came a cheerful voice.
Startled,
Shiva nearly tripped over his own feet.
Rudra, Ravi, and Sandeep turned with confused expressions—
Only for their confusion to melt into wide-eyed realisation as they saw Meena grinning and clinging to Shiva's arm.
"____"
"____"
"____"
The three of them slowly turned their heads toward Shiva.
"You didn't…"
Rudra muttered.
"You totally did."
Ravi added, his tone flat.
"I knew he was acting too generous with that 'extra pass' excuse,"
Sandeep said, sighing.
Sigh~
Meanwhile,
Shiva chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head.
Chuckle~
"Heh… surprise? Since we had one extra pass, I thought—why not invite Meena? She was nearby, and, well… yeah."
Before they could respond,
Shiva quickly took Meena's hand and darted toward the bouncers like a man fleeing from judgment.
Rudra, Sandeep, and Ravi stood there in stunned silence, each mentally cursing Shiva.
"Unbelievable,"
Rudra mumbled.
"He set us up."
"Typical Shiva,"
Ravi muttered.
"Now we're three confused single dudes in a couple-themed party."
"Let's just get inside before this turns into another lecture-worthy incident."
Sandeep said, rolling his eyes.
The three approached the bouncers and showed their passes.
Luckily, being on the guest list meant they didn't need to come as a pair.
The glowing heart-shaped stamp was pressed onto each of their wrists, and they were waved inside.
As they stepped past the velvet ropes and into the pulsating lights of the pub, Rudra muttered under his breath,
"I swear, if I see him dancing, I'm posting it in the group chat."
Hearing Rudra's mutter, both Sandeep and Ravi paused mid-step.
Slowly, they turned to look at each other—
Then at Rudra—
With matching devilish smirks curling on their lips.
Smrik~
"Oh, we are posting it."
Ravi said with a glint in his eyes.
"Right after we make sure he owes us big time,"
Sandeep added, cracking his knuckles.
It was decided—
Shiva's betrayal of the bro-code would not go unanswered.
The pub was alive with vibrant neon lights, pulsing music, and a crowd buzzing with energy.
The DJ at the centre was dropping beats that had the floor thumping with rhythm, and laughter echoed from the bar to the dance floor.
Ravi and Sandeep didn't waste a second.
With practised ease, they scanned the room—
And locked eyes with two girls across the floor.
"Target acquired,"
Ravi whispered, straightening his jacket.
"Operation 'Make Shiva Sweat' is a go,"
Sandeep said, adjusting his sleeves.
Ravi strolled toward the dance floor, his movements casual yet confident.
The girl he had his eye on was already swaying to the music, and he matched her rhythm effortlessly, striking up a playful conversation mid-dance.
Sandeep, meanwhile, headed for a lounge-style table where the second girl sat, sipping her drink and chatting with a friend.
Flashing his signature grin, he leaned slightly on the table and said something that made her raise an eyebrow, then smile.
She gestured for him to sit.
Rudra, still standing near the entrance, watched all this unfold with a mix of amusement and disbelief.
"I just wanted a quiet night and some cake."
He muttered under his breath.
Then his phone buzzed.
BUZZ.
A message from Shiva.
Shiva: Bro… don't do anything stupid. I saw those smirks.
Rudra smirked back at the screen.
Rudra: You brought this on yourself. Enjoy the night... while you can.
He slipped the phone back into his pocket and made his way to the bar, curious to see how far Ravi and Sandeep would go.
Taking a seat at the bar,
Rudra exhaled deeply, rubbing his temples.
The ambient hum of the crowd mixed with the bass-heavy music in the background was oddly relaxing after the chaos of the past few days.
The bartender, a tall man with a neatly groomed beard and a piercing in one ear, approached him with a practised smile.
"What can I get you, man?"
Rudra glanced at the menu behind the bar—
A maze of foreign names like Tequila Sunrise, Blue Lagoon, Sex on the Beach, Bloody Mary, and so on.
"____"
He blinked slowly.
None of them made sense to him.
'What kind of names are these?'
He thought.
'Why not just call it "fruit juice with a kick"?'
Trying to hide his complete lack of alcohol knowledge,
Rudra let out a low whistle like he was deep in thought, casually nodding at random.
Whistle~
Then his eyes landed on a drink sitting under the bar's decorative lights—
A multi-colored one glowing in layers of green, red, and gold.
It looked... friendly.
He pointed at it and gave the bartender a thumbs-up.
"That one."
The bartender followed his gaze, then raised an eyebrow.
"Bold choice,"
He said, smirking slightly.
"One Rainbow Blaze coming up."
"Rainbow what?"
Rudra muttered under his breath, still unsure of what he had just ordered.
The bartender moved with speed and grace, juggling shakers and glasses with showy flair—
Clearly putting on a small performance.
As colourful liquids were poured and mixed, the drink began to take shape.
It really did look like a rainbow in a glass.
Rudra watched, pretending to know exactly what he was getting into.
When the bartender finally slid the drink in front of him, complete with a tiny umbrella and a fruit slice on the rim,
Rudra gave an approving nod.
Nod~
"Looks… dangerous."
The bartender chuckled.
Chuckle~
"Let's just say it's the prettiest way to forget your ex."
"I don't even have one."
Rudra replied, picking up the drink cautiously.
"Then it'll help you forget that, too."
Rudra chuckled, lifted the glass, and took a sip.
Chuckle~
His eyes widened instantly.
"Sweet... spicy... cold... wait—was that mint?!"
The bartender laughed.
"Exactly. Welcome to the world of cocktails, newbie."
Rudra set the glass down, coughing once, still processing the sensory overload.
Cough~
"____"
Behind him, the dance floor lit up as Shiva and Meena danced their way back into the centre spotlight.
"Maybe I should've just asked for a juice,"
Rudra muttered with a smirk.
Smirk~
Meanwhile...
Ravi and Sandeep crouched slightly behind a neon-lit pillar,
Were peeking through the crowd like two undercover agents in a high-stakes sting operation.
Ravi held up his phone like a mini binocular while whispering,
"Target in sight. Subject appears to be entranced by the female subject's ocular aesthetics."
Sandeep, crouching beside him, clicked his tongue.
Tch~
"Translation: Shiva is fully lost in Meena's eyes. We move now."
Both of them exchanged devilish grins.
Grin~
"Operation 'Romance Rupture' is a go,"
Ravi said with mock seriousness.
"Copy that,"
Sandeep replied, mimicking a comms tap on his ear.
"I'll take the left flank."
The two moved through the crowd with exaggerated stealth—
Ducking behind chairs,
Spinning with dancers to avoid attention,
And once, even crawling beneath a serving tray held by a confused waiter.
All the while,
Shiva remained blissfully unaware.
He was seated across from Meena near the dance floor,
Gazing into her eyes, as if she were the moon and he was a poet in love for the first time.
Meena giggled softly as Shiva leaned forward, telling her some tale about how he once scared off a monkey from the orphanage rooftop.
Unbeknownst to him, just behind a decorative curtain—
Snap.
Ravi took a photo.
Sandeep whispered,
"Send that to the group chat with a caption: 'Caught red-handed in public with unknown female. Immediate action required."
Ravi snorted, typing furiously.
"Make it sound like a scandal. Add some fake emoji reactions. Maybe a fire emoji too."
"Wait, add this—"
Sandeep leaned in and whispered something that made Ravi burst out laughing.
Hahaha!
As the message was sent with a swoosh,
They ducked behind a couch when Meena looked around.
Back on the table,
Shiva reached for his mocktail with a small smile.
"You know, this is the best night I've had in a long time."
Meena tilted her head.
"Really?"
He nodded.
Nod~
"Being with you... feels like music and peace mixed together."
Meanwhile, Ravi and Sandeep exchanged gagging faces.
"Cheesy line alert. I repeat, we have a level five cheddar spill."
Ravi whispered.
Sandeep pulled out a tiny folded piece of paper and held it up like a cue card, whispering,
"Plan B?"
Ravi grinned.
Grin~
"Let's save that for the dance floor."
Meanwhile...
Rudra sat quietly,
The multi-colored drink in his hand cast a glow over the counter as lights from the DJ floor pulsed behind him.
He wasn't drinking fast—
Just enough to blend in, just enough to stall the awkwardness of being in a place like this for the first time.
Then came the voice—
A sharp, exasperated one.
"No, Aarav! You were the one who said, 'Let's check it out, it'll be fun!' I only said okay after you insisted!"
Rudra turned toward the commotion.
Standing near the entrance, just past the bar's curved wall, were a young woman and a boy barely in his teens.
They were clearly siblings—
The girl looked maybe his age or a little younger,
Dressed in a semi-casual outfit that didn't quite fit the club's vibe.
The boy beside her had his arms crossed, a scowl on his face.
"If Dad finds out we were here, he'll freak."
The boy said.
"We're going, okay? We can go to Grandpa's house later."
She replied, fumbling with her phone.
"It said Ayenpuram—it's a village. So let's enjoy here before going there."
That word.
Rudra's attention locked instantly.
'Ayenpuram.'
The same place Jack had muttered in his haunting growl.
The same village that they were planning to investigate.
A coincidence?
But before the logic pieced together in his mind,
Rudra's breath caught as his eyes landed fully on her.
Her face.
Recognition hit him like a bolt.
"…Isha?"
He barely whispered the name, but the weight of it echoed in his chest.
The original female lead is Alia Bhatt.
The girl who was meant to be at the centre of the story… the one fated—
As a female lead in the Brahmastra Part One movie.
Isha was here. In this pub.
With her younger brother.
Talking about Ayenpuram.
'What was she doing here?'
And more importantly—
'Why now?'
He blinked, the drink in his hand forgotten, his heartbeat suddenly quickening.
Isha hadn't noticed him yet, too caught up in arguing with her brother.
Isha's younger brother wasn't thrilled.
His face twisted in annoyance as he turned to his sister.
"I'm not staying here, Isha. If Dad finds out, I'm toast. I'll wait in the car."
He muttered and stormed off before she could stop him.
Isha sighed but didn't chase after him.
Sigh~
She turned back to her friend with a shrug.
"He's always overreacting."
The two girls laughed and strolled over to the bar, still caught in their chatter.
There was a glow to Isha tonight—
Light from the neon signs dancing in her eyes,
Her voice was full of carefree energy as she placed her order at the counter.
They took a seat, and just a few stools down sat Rudra—
Silent, composed, sipping his drink.
The same drink he picked at random… now nearly empty.
Isha's friend noticed him first.
She leaned forward with a playful smirk and said,
"Hey there, handsome. You look like you could use some company."
Rudra didn't even glance in her direction.
"____"
He simply gave a polite, distant smile and turned his gaze back to his drink.
Not rude, but clearly uninterested.
This reaction piqued Isha's curiosity.
"Not falling for her charms?"
She teased, leaning a little closer toward Rudra, her head tilted.
He glanced at her, the corners of his lips lifting slightly.
"Just here for the colours and chaos,"
He said with a small chuckle, raising his glass.
"Didn't expect philosophy and flirting at the same time."
Isha laughed, a clear and ringing sound that carried over the music.
"You've got an interesting way of putting things,"
She said, clearly intrigued.
"I'm Isha."
Rudra tapped his glass against hers gently.
"Rudra."
From there, the conversation flowed easily—
Two strangers sharing a moment of pause in the middle of a noisy world.
They talked about the music, the energy, and the randomness of the night.
Laughter found its way into the exchange naturally,
As if they'd known each other longer than a few minutes.
Isha's eyes sparkled as a new track dropped—
Something upbeat and catchy.
She stood and playfully extended her hand toward him.
"Okay, philosopher. Time to turn those words into moves. Come dance with me."
Rudra looked at her hand, then at her bright, expectant eyes.
He let out a small chuckle and set his glass down.
Chuckle~
"How could I say no to that?"
He took her hand.
Hand in hand, they made their way toward the dance floor—
Lights flickering,
The beat pulsing under their feet, two stories beginning to entwine on the rhythm of the night.
Across the dance floor, bathed in flickering neon lights,
Sandeep nudged Ravi with his elbow, his eyes locked on Rudra—
Who was now dancing comfortably with Isha, smiling in a way that screams scandal.
Ravi followed his gaze, then slowly turned to meet Sandeep's look.
The same wicked smile spread across both their faces.
"Oh ho ho…"
Ravi whispered.
"Two wickets down tonight, and we didn't even bowl."
Sandeep stifled a laugh and pulled out his phone.
"The mighty Rudra… caught on camera, dancing with a girl. This is going in our Hall of Fame."
Snap.
Click.
Another snap—
Closer, zoomed in.
Ravi leaned over, whispering like a secret agent.
"Make sure you get the angle where he's smiling. That's the rare one."
Sandeep smirked.
Smirk~
"Already got it. Full HD. We'll show him tomorrow morning with background music."
They both quietly burst into mischievous giggles.
"Operation Rudra Romance—success,"
Ravi grinned.
"Let's just hope Amirtha doesn't get her hands on this."
Sandeep added with a mock-shiver.
They turned their phones to selfie mode, capturing themselves with goofy, exaggerated, shocked faces—
pointing behind them toward Rudra—
Before adding dramatic captions like:
"Bro lost in love?"
and
"Caught in 4K: Our boy's first dance."
Meanwhile, on the dance floor, Rudra was unaware of the photo shoot taking place behind him.
He was too focused on keeping up with Isha's energy and the unexpected comfort of being around someone new.
**********************************************************************************************************************************************************
(Author's POV)
(A/N): I mis uploaded. Since I have already uploaded a chapter. This Sunday upload will be one chapter.
Thanks for reading the chapter!
Please give a review!!! And power stone!!!
Which will motivate me more?