(Vena’s POV) “…Excuse me for being late.” The calm voice lingered in the classroom.
For a heartbeat…
Nobody moved.
Every pair of eyes shifted toward the classroom door.
The afternoon sunlight streamed in through the corridor, casting a long shadow across the floor.
Then…
A young man stepped inside.
He looked no older than twenty.
His college uniform was perfectly neat, though his sleeves were casually rolled up to his forearms.
A black wristwatch rested on his left wrist.
His dark hair moved slightly with the breeze drifting through the open corridor.
There was nothing flashy about him.
No expensive accessories.
No attempt to stand out.
Yet…
The moment he entered— The entire classroom became strangely quiet.
Not because he looked intimidating.
But because he carried himself with an unusual calm.
The kind of calm…
That didn’t belong to someone his age.
Professor Mehta smiled warmly.
“There you are.” “We were just waiting for you.” The young man gave a polite nod.
“I apologize, sir.” “There was unexpected traffic.” Kabir leaned toward Riya and whispered, “…Traffic?” “He walked in like he owns the traffic.” Riya elbowed him.
“Quiet.” Kabir rubbed his arm dramatically.
“I was making an observation.” “You’re making noise.” The professor turned toward the class.
“Everyone…” “This is your new classmate.” “He transferred here from another university due to personal reasons.” The classroom immediately filled with whispers.
“Transfer?” “In the middle of the semester?” “That’s rare.” “I wonder where he’s from.” Professor Mehta raised his hand.
“Settle down.” The room quieted again.
“Would you like to introduce yourself?” The new student looked around the classroom.
Not nervously.
Simply…
Observantly.
His gaze moved from one student to another.
Never lingering too long.
Until…
For the briefest moment…
Our eyes met.
My heart skipped.
Not because he was handsome.
There was simply…
Something familiar about those eyes.
Like I had seen them somewhere before.
He looked away first.
“My name is…” “…Arther.” “My previous college was in Mumbai.” “I hope we get along.” That was it.
No long speech.
No attempt to impress anyone.
He simply finished and stood quietly.
Kabir blinked.
“…That’s the shortest introduction I’ve ever heard.” Someone from the back laughed.
“At least tell us your hobbies.” Arther answered without hesitation.
“Reading.” Kabir grinned.
“Finally.” “Someone more boring than Riya.” The entire class burst into laughter.
Riya threw a pen at him.
It hit his shoulder perfectly.
“Ouch!” Kabir looked offended.
“Violence?” “In an educational institution?” Ananya laughed so hard she nearly dropped her notebook.
Even Professor Mehta smiled.
“Enough.” Kabir looked back at Arther.
“So…” “What kind of books?” Arther thought for a moment.
“History.” “Mystery.” “And psychology.” Kabir’s smile slowly disappeared.
“…Yeah.” “We’re definitely not becoming study partners.” The room erupted again.
Arther smiled.
Just a little.
Barely noticeable.
But it was enough to change the atmosphere.
His smile wasn’t arrogant.
Or forced.
It felt…
Natural.
Professor Mehta picked up the attendance register.
“Alright.” “Let’s continue the class.” He looked around the room.
“There’s an empty seat…” Before he could finish— Kabir immediately raised his hand.
“Sir!” “Please don’t make him sit beside me.” Professor Mehta looked confused.
“Why?” Kabir answered with complete seriousness.
“If he’s actually smart…” “…my reputation as the class’s biggest academic disaster will become even worse.” The class exploded with laughter.
Professor Mehta shook his head.
“Your reputation doesn’t need anyone’s help.” Even Arther let out a soft chuckle.
Kabir pointed dramatically.
“He laughed.” “I like him already.” While everyone laughed…
I remained silent.
Something…
Was bothering me.
The pendant beneath my shirt hadn’t reacted.
Not once.
It remained completely cold.
Then why…
Did it feel like I already knew him?
Not his face.
Not his name.
Just…
His presence.
It was as if my memories were trying to reach something hidden behind a locked door.
Something…
That refused to open.
I lowered my eyes.
“…Who are you?” The question remained trapped inside my heart.
Unanswered.
As Professor Mehta looked around the classroom, deciding where Arther should sit…
I had no idea…
That this ordinary decision…
Would quietly begin changing the course of both our lives.
The classroom remained quiet as Professor Mehta looked around.
“Hmm…” “We’re one seat short.” He adjusted his glasses before pointing toward the middle row.
“Arther.” “There’s an empty seat beside Kabir.” Kabir’s smile instantly disappeared.
“…Sir.” “I was just joking.” The class burst into laughter.
Professor Mehta ignored him.
“Go ahead.” Arther gave a polite nod.
“Yes, sir.” He walked down the aisle with steady footsteps.
No hurry.
No unnecessary confidence.
No nervousness either.
Just…
Calm.
As he passed each row, several girls whispered among themselves.
“He’s handsome.” “I like his voice.” “I wonder if he has a girlfriend.” “He’s definitely from a rich family.” Another girl shook her head.
“No.” “Rich people don’t wear such simple watches.” From the back, Kabir whispered dramatically, “Congratulations.” “You’ve become today’s hottest topic.” Without stopping, Arther replied, “I noticed.” Kabir blinked.
“…You noticed?” “Yes.” “And?” “It doesn’t change anything.” Kabir stared at him for two seconds.
Then looked at Riya.
“I don’t know whether he’s cool…” “…or impossible.” Riya smiled.
“You’ll figure it out.” Arther stopped beside the empty desk.
He placed his backpack down carefully.
Notebooks.
One black pen.
A water bottle.
Nothing else.
Kabir leaned closer.
“That’s it?” Arther looked at him.
“…Is there supposed to be more?” “My entire bag has snacks.” Kabir proudly opened his backpack.
Packets of biscuits.
Peanuts.
Chocolate.
Even another samosa.
Ananya covered her face.
“Kabir…” “How are you carrying all that?” He answered proudly, “Preparation.” “For what?” “You never know when hunger attacks.” The class laughed again.
Even Arther smiled faintly.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Kabir immediately gasped.
“Guys…” “He made a joke.” “I’ve accepted him.” Professor Mehta clapped once.
“Enough.” “Let’s continue.” The room slowly settled.
Students opened their notebooks.
Pens clicked open.
The lecture resumed.
I tried focusing on the board.
I really did.
But every few minutes…
My eyes drifted toward the middle row.
Arther wasn’t taking many notes.
Instead…
He listened carefully.
Completely focused.
As though every word mattered.
There was something unusual about him.
Not mysterious.
Disciplined.
Like someone who had trained himself to observe before speaking.
Halfway through the lecture…
Professor Mehta wrote a difficult concept on the board.
“This topic confused last year’s batch.” “So let’s see…” He turned toward the class.
“Who can solve this?” Silence.
Students looked down at their notebooks.
Kabir suddenly became fascinated by the ceiling fan.
Professor Mehta sighed.
“No volunteers?” A calm voice answered.
“I can try.” Everyone turned.
Arther stood up.
He walked toward the board without any hesitation.
Taking the chalk…
He solved the problem step by step.
Not quickly.
Not dramatically.
Simply…
Correctly.
Professor Mehta examined the answer.
Then smiled.
“Excellent.” “That’s exactly right.” Several students looked impressed.
Kabir whispered, “…Okay.” “I’ve officially lost confidence.” Riya smirked.
“You never had any.” As Arther returned to his seat…
Something unexpected happened.
His notebook slipped from his hand.
A few loose papers scattered across the floor.
Without thinking…
I stood up.
“So did he.” We both bent down at the same moment.
Our hands reached for the same sheet.
Our fingertips brushed.
For just a fraction of a second.
A strange warmth spread through my fingers.
Not from the pendant.
Not from the room.
Just…
That brief touch.
I instinctively pulled my hand back.
“…Sorry.” He looked at me quietly.
“No.” “I should apologize.” He picked up the paper and handed me another page that had landed near my desk.
“Thank you.” “…You’re welcome.” Our conversation lasted less than ten seconds.
Yet…
It felt oddly familiar.
As though this wasn’t our first meeting.
When he returned to his seat, Kabir leaned over immediately.
“Dangerous.” Arther looked confused.
“What is?” Kabir whispered dramatically, “You made the quietest girl in class speak twice in one day.” Arther glanced toward me for a brief second before replying, “She doesn’t seem quiet.” Kabir nearly fell off his chair.
“See?” “He’s only been here for ten minutes.” “He’s already exposing our misconceptions.” Even I smiled slightly after hearing that.
Maybe…
People really had misunderstood me.
Or perhaps…
I had spent too many years misunderstanding myself.
The lecture continued.
Outside the classroom windows, the afternoon breeze rustled the leaves of the old banyan tree.
Inside…
No one noticed that two ordinary introductions…
Had quietly set destiny into motion.
The lecture continued.
Professor Mehta walked slowly between the rows, explaining each point with his usual patience.
Most students copied notes as quickly as they could.
Kabir…
Pretended to.
Every few seconds, his pen stopped moving.
Instead, he looked at Arther.
Then at his own notebook.
Then sighed dramatically.
Finally…
He leaned closer.
“…Can I ask you something?” Arther looked up from his notebook.
“You already did.” Kabir blinked.
“…Right.” The students nearby laughed quietly.
“I mean…” “I have another question.” Arther nodded.
“Go ahead.” Kabir lowered his voice.
“Were you born smart…” “…or is this a software update?” Even Professor Mehta paused to hide a smile.
Arther thought seriously for a second.
“I’m still waiting for the update.” The classroom erupted into laughter.
Kabir slowly nodded.
“…I like you.” Professor Mehta tapped the board with the chalk.
“If both comedians are finished…” “…shall we continue?” Kabir immediately saluted.
“Yes, sir.” The lecture resumed.
About twenty minutes later…
Professor Mehta placed a file on the table.
“I’ll be back in five minutes.” “Don’t turn the classroom into a marketplace.” The moment he walked out…
The room exploded into conversation.
Exactly as expected.
Several students immediately surrounded Arther’s desk.
“So…” “Which college were you in before?” “Do you live nearby?” “Why did you transfer?” “Are you staying in the hostel?” Questions came one after another.
Arther answered politely.
“Yes.” “No.” “A family matter.” “Not in the hostel.” Short.
Simple.
Enough to satisfy the question…
But never enough to reveal anything important.
Kabir whispered to Riya, “He answers like he’s attending a press conference.” Riya nodded.
“And somehow…” “…he still sounds polite.” I quietly continued arranging my notes.
In my previous life…
This scene had happened many times whenever a new student joined.
I never participated.
Today…
I still didn’t feel like pushing into the crowd.
Some habits didn’t disappear overnight.
Suddenly…
A notebook slid onto my desk.
I looked up.
It belonged to Arther.
“I’m sorry.” “I think it fell this way.” I picked it up.
“It didn’t.” He looked at the notebook.
Then at the floor.
“It bounced off Kabir’s bag.” Kabir immediately protested.
“My bag is innocent.” Ananya laughed.
“Your bag is full of snacks.” “It’s guilty by default.” Kabir placed a hand over his heart.
“I feel attacked.” The group laughed again.
I handed the notebook back.
“Here.” “Thank you.” Our eyes met for only a second.
Then he quietly returned to answering another classmate’s questions.
Something felt…
Strange.
Not uncomfortable.
Just unusual.
He spoke to everyone the same way.
Patiently.
Respectfully.
Without trying to impress anyone.
Yet…
There was always a small distance.
Like an invisible wall.
No matter how friendly the conversation became…
No one truly crossed it.
Not even Kabir.
I looked out of the window.
The breeze gently moved the leaves outside.
For some reason…
A memory surfaced.
The man beneath the black umbrella.
His voice.
His posture.
The calm in his eyes.
“…No.” I shook my head.
“They’re different.” Weren’t they?
I glanced toward Arther again.
At that exact moment…
He also looked toward the window.
Not at me.
Beyond me.
Toward the old banyan tree.
His expression changed for the first time since entering the classroom.
Only slightly.
His eyes sharpened.
As though…
He had noticed something.
Then, just as quickly…
The expression disappeared.
He smiled politely at another student, as if nothing had happened.
I frowned.
“…What did you see?” Outside…
The branches of the banyan tree swayed gently in the afternoon wind.
There was no one there.
At least…
No one I could see.
The final bell of the lecture echoed through the corridor.
Professor Mehta closed his notebook and looked around the classroom.
“Read the next topic before tomorrow.” “And Kabir…” Kabir immediately stood up.
“Yes, sir?” “Bring your notebook tomorrow.” Kabir blinked innocently.
“I brought it today.” “I know.” “But next time…” “…write something inside it.” The classroom burst into laughter.
Even Professor Mehta couldn’t hide his smile as he walked out.
The moment the door closed…
Kabir dramatically collapsed onto his desk.
“My academic career has officially ended.” Riya packed her books calmly.
“It never started.” “I expected support.” “You expected the wrong person.” Ananya laughed.
“I’ll pray for you.” Kabir sighed.
“At least someone cares.” “I said I’ll pray.” “I didn’t say it’ll work.” The four of us laughed.
Across the classroom…
Several students still surrounded Arther.
Questions continued coming from every direction.
“Which area do you live in?” “Do you play any sports?” “Why did you transfer so suddenly?” “Have you visited our college canteen?” Arther answered each question politely.
“Near the east side.” “A little.” “Family reasons.” “Not yet.” Kabir suddenly squeezed himself into the crowd.
“Forget all those boring questions.” Everyone looked at him.
He folded his arms seriously.
“Most important question.” Arther looked at him.
“…Go ahead.” Kabir pointed toward the window.
“Do you like samosas?” Silence.
The entire classroom stared at him.
Riya closed her eyes.
“I knew this was coming.” Arther looked thoughtful for a second.
“…I’ve never really compared them.” Kabir gasped dramatically.
“You’ve…” “…never compared samosas?” “No.” “How have you survived until now?” Ananya burst into laughter.
Kabir placed a hand on Arther’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry.” “As your classmate…” “I’ll personally guide you through the finest samosas around the college.” Arther smiled politely.
“I appreciate your dedication.” Kabir looked proud.
“You should.” “It’s a difficult responsibility.” I quietly watched the conversation.
Everyone seemed comfortable around Arther.
Not because he spoke a lot.
But because…
He listened.
Whenever someone talked…
He gave them his complete attention.
It was a small habit.
Yet…
Very few people actually did it.
“Vena.” I looked up.
Ananya smiled.
“Come here.” I hesitated.
“There are already enough people.” “So?” She tilted her head.
“You’re part of the class too.” Before I could think of another excuse…
Kabir noticed me.
“There she is!” “Our Window Queen has arrived.” I sighed.
“My name…” “…is Vena.” Kabir grinned.
“I know.” “But Window Queen is now an official title.” Arther looked at Kabir.
“She doesn’t seem to like it.” Kabir immediately scratched his head.
“…Really?” I nodded.
“A little.” He looked genuinely embarrassed.
“Oh…” “I’m sorry.” “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” The classroom became quiet.
I could tell…
He wasn’t joking this time.
I smiled softly.
“It’s okay.” “But…” “…just call me Vena.” Kabir immediately saluted.
“Understood.” “Mission accepted.” From today onwards…
“Vena.” Everyone laughed again.
For some reason…
That small moment warmed my heart.
In the past…
If someone misunderstood me…
I stayed silent.
Today…
I spoke.
And instead of creating distance…
It cleared the misunderstanding.
Maybe…
Communication really could change relationships.
Arther quietly observed the exchange.
Then he said, “…Names matter.” Everyone looked at him.
He continued calmly, “They’re the first gift we’re given.” “So it’s better to call people by the name they choose.” The room fell silent for a brief moment.
Even Kabir nodded seriously.
“…That’s actually…” “…a really cool line.” Riya smirked.
“Write it down.” Kabir immediately opened his notebook.
“I will.” “Maybe Professor Mehta will finally think I study.” The laughter slowly settled.
Students began leaving for the next lecture.
As I picked up my bag…
A folded timetable slipped from between my books.
Before it touched the floor…
Someone caught it.
I looked up.
Arther handed it back.
“You dropped this.” “Thank you.” Our fingers didn’t touch this time.
Yet…
For some reason…
It still felt strangely familiar.
He looked at the timetable for a brief second.
“You have Practical Zoology after lunch tomorrow.” I blinked.
“…How do you know?” He pointed toward the printed schedule.
“The corner is highlighted in blue.” “You’ve folded the page exactly there.” “I guessed it was important.” I looked down.
He was right.
I hadn’t even realized I had highlighted it last week.
Kabir stared at Arther.
“…Do you notice everything?” Arther answered with the same calm expression.
“Only the things people usually ignore.” Those words stayed with me.
Only the things people usually ignore…
For some reason…
It felt as though he wasn’t talking about the timetable.
It felt…
Like he was talking about people.
His eyes briefly met mine again.
Just for a second.
Then he politely stepped aside to let others leave the classroom.
I couldn’t explain it.
But every time we crossed paths…
It felt less like meeting a stranger…
And more like remembering someone I had forgotten.
Outside the classroom…
The old banyan tree rustled once more in the afternoon wind.
High above its branches…
A lone black crow suddenly took flight.
Neither I…
Nor anyone else in the corridor…
Noticed the silver-eyed figure watching the academic building from the rooftop of the opposite block.
His gaze wasn’t on the students.
It was fixed on only two people.
Vena…
And…
Arther.
“Come on!” Kabir’s loud voice pulled me back to reality.
“If we don’t reach the laboratory first, we’ll end up standing at the back again.” Riya adjusted her bag.
“That’s because you spend every break talking.” “I call it networking.” “You call everything networking.” “It sounds professional.” Ananya laughed.
“I swear, one day you’ll become a motivational speaker.” Kabir straightened his collar dramatically.
“‘Believe in yourself,'” “‘Believe in samosas,'” “‘Success will follow.'” I couldn’t stop myself from smiling.
“…That’s probably the worst motivational speech I’ve ever heard.” Kabir placed a hand over his heart.
“I’ve been insulted.” Arther, who had been walking a few steps behind us, spoke in the same calm tone as always.
“…At least it’s original.” Kabir immediately turned around.
“See?” “He understands my talent.” Riya muttered, “He encourages your nonsense.” The five of us walked toward the Zoology block.
The corridor connecting the main building to the laboratories was quieter than the rest of the campus.
Large windows overlooked the college garden.
A cool breeze drifted inside.
Students from other departments crossed paths with us every now and then.
Everything felt…
Peaceful.
As we reached the staircase…
An elderly peon carrying several cardboard boxes stumbled.
One of the boxes slipped from his hands.
Glass specimen jars rolled across the floor.
“Oh no…” The old man hurried to pick them up.
Before anyone else reacted…
Arther was already kneeling.
He carefully stopped one of the jars before it struck the wall.
Kabir immediately joined him.
“I’ve got this one!” I bent down as well, gathering the smaller bottles.
Ananya picked up the scattered papers while Riya helped the peon stand.
Within a minute…
Everything was back inside the box.
The elderly man smiled gratefully.
“Thank you, children.” “I thought they were going to break.” Kabir grinned.
“If they broke…” “…our practical class would become very practical.” Everyone laughed.
Even the old peon chuckled.
“You youngsters…” He shook his head with a smile before continuing down the corridor.
As we stood up…
Kabir stretched his back dramatically.
“Helping people is hard work.” Riya folded her arms.
“You picked up one jar.” “It was a heavy jar.” “It was empty.” Kabir looked toward Arther.
“You’re on my side, right?” Arther calmly replied, “I think…” “…gravity did most of the work.” For a second…
Kabir simply stared at him.
Then burst into laughter.
“That was actually good.” “I didn’t expect that.” We resumed walking.
For some reason…
I found myself slowing down.
Soon…
I was walking beside Arther.
Neither of us spoke immediately.
The silence wasn’t awkward.
It was…
Comfortable.
After a few moments…
He broke it.
“You’re in the Zoology department?” I looked at him.
“…Yes.” He nodded slightly.
“I guessed.” “How?” “You were carrying a practical record file.” “I noticed the department stamp.” I looked at the file in my hands.
He was right.
The blue stamp was clearly visible near the corner.
“…You really do notice everything.” He smiled faintly.
“Not everything.” “Only habits.” “Habits?” “People reveal more through habits than words.” His answer lingered in my mind.
For some reason…
It reminded me of someone.
Someone who always spoke in riddles.
The man beneath the black umbrella.
I quickly pushed the thought away.
“No…” “They’re different.” The laboratory building came into view.
Just before entering…
Arther suddenly stopped walking.
His gaze shifted toward the far end of the campus.
His expression didn’t change.
But…
His eyes became noticeably sharper.
As though he had sensed something.
I followed his gaze.
There was nothing unusual.
Only students walking across the lawn.
A gardener watering plants.
A security guard speaking on the phone.
“…What happened?” I asked quietly.
Arther looked at me for a brief second.
Then…
He smiled politely.
“Nothing.” “You looked worried.” “I thought I heard something.” “What?” He remained silent for a moment.
“…Probably the wind.” He continued walking.
But somehow…
I didn’t believe him.
Far beyond the college boundary wall…
A black SUV remained parked beneath the shade of an old neem tree.
Its windows were completely tinted.
From the outside…
It looked like an ordinary vehicle.
Inside…
A man dressed in a charcoal-grey suit lowered the binoculars from his eyes.
“They’ve met.” His voice was calm.
The person sitting beside him didn’t answer immediately.
Instead…
A gloved hand slowly closed a leather file.
On its cover…
A silver emblem shimmered in the fading afternoon light.
A feather…
Encircling a drop of light.
The same symbol…
That had been sealed on the black envelope in my room.
The suited man spoke again.
“Should we proceed?” Silence filled the vehicle.
Finally…
A deep voice replied, “…No.” “Not yet.” “The pieces have only just begun to move.” The engine started.
Without attracting anyone’s attention…
The SUV quietly pulled away from the college.
Completely unnoticed.
Except…
For Arther.
As he stepped inside the laboratory building…
He glanced once toward the road beyond the campus gate.
Just once.
His expression remained calm.
But deep within his dark eyes…
A single thought surfaced.
“So…
they’ve found her already.” He said nothing.
He simply walked forward…
As if he had never seen the vehicle at all.
As he stepped inside the laboratory building…
He glanced once toward the road beyond the campus gate.
Just once.
His expression remained calm.
But deep within his dark eyes…
A single thought surfaced.
“So…
they’ve found her already.” He said nothing.
He simply walked forward…
As if he had never seen the vehicle at all.
The practical laboratory smelled faintly of formalin and old wooden shelves.
Rows of microscopes were neatly arranged on the long tables.
Glass specimen jars reflected the white fluorescent lights above.
Students immediately gathered around their assigned benches.
Professor Deshmukh entered carrying the attendance register.
“Good afternoon.” “Good afternoon, ma’am.” She looked around the room.
“Today we’ll revise microscope handling.” “Since we have a new student…” She glanced toward Arther.
“…you’ll join one of the existing groups.” Kabir immediately raised his hand.
“Ma’am!” “We have one empty place.” Riya whispered, “We don’t.” Kabir whispered back, “We do now.” The professor looked toward their table.
“Fine.” “Arther, you’ll work with Kabir, Riya…” She paused for a moment before looking at me.
“…and Vena.” My fingers tightened slightly around my notebook.
Kabir grinned.
“Welcome to the most entertaining group in the laboratory.” Riya sighed.
“Please ignore him.” Ananya laughed from the next table.
“I’ll pray for you, Arther.” Kabir looked offended.
“Why does everyone think I’m the problem?” Three voices answered together.
“Because you are.” The entire laboratory laughed.
Practical class began.
Professor Deshmukh demonstrated the microscope adjustments while everyone carefully followed.
Kabir looked into the microscope.
“…I can’t see anything.” Riya looked over.
“Because you forgot to switch on the light.” “Oh.” He switched it on.
“…Still nothing.” Arther calmly rotated the objective lens.
“You were looking through the wrong magnification.” Kabir blinked.
“…That explains a lot.” “It usually does.” Even Riya smiled.
“You learn fast.” Arther replied, “I’ve handled similar equipment before.” No one questioned it.
Except me.
Handled similar equipment?
Most students only used microscopes during practical classes.
The way he adjusted it…
It felt practiced.
Almost…
Professional.
Professor Deshmukh walked past our table.
She examined Arther’s slide.
“Very good.” “You’ve used a microscope before?” “A little.” “A little?” She smiled.
“I wish all students’ ‘little’ looked like this.” Kabir leaned toward me.
“I’ve officially become the weakest member of this group.” I whispered, “You’ve been saying that since morning.” He nodded seriously.
“Because new evidence keeps appearing.” The class continued peacefully.
For nearly forty minutes…
Everything felt perfectly normal.
Then…
The pendant beneath my shirt suddenly became warm.
Not gradually.
Instantly.
My hand froze.
The warmth spread through the silver chain…
Reaching my fingertips.
“…Again?” I whispered.
At the exact same moment…
The microscope in front of me lost focus.
The image blurred completely.
I adjusted the knob.
Nothing.
I blinked.
For less than a second…
The circular lens reflected something impossible.
Not the specimen.
Not the laboratory.
A pair of ancient stone doors…
Covered in glowing silver symbols.
I gasped softly.
The vision vanished.
The microscope showed the specimen once again.
Normal.
As if nothing had happened.
“Vena?” I looked up.
Arther was watching me.
Not with curiosity.
With concern.
“…Are you alright?” I quickly nodded.
“Yes.” “You stopped moving.” “I…” “…Just felt dizzy.” Before anyone else could notice…
He quietly placed a sealed bottle of water beside me.
“You should drink.” There was no unnecessary concern.
No dramatic reaction.
Just a simple gesture.
“…Thank you.” He nodded once.
Then returned to his work.
As though helping people was simply…
Habit.
The final bell echoed through the laboratory.
Students immediately began packing their bags.
Professor Deshmukh reminded everyone about the next practical assignment before leaving.
Kabir stretched dramatically.
“I survived.” “Barely.” Riya closed her notebook.
“You’ll survive tomorrow too.” “Please don’t curse me.” Ananya appeared at our table.
“Vena!” “Are you coming to the bus stop with us?” Before I could answer…
My phone vibrated inside my bag.
Unknown Number.
I frowned.
No caller ID.
Just…
Private Number.
For some reason…
My heartbeat quickened.
I answered.
“…Hello?” Silence.
Only the faint sound of wind.
Then…
A familiar male voice spoke.
Calm.
Slow.
Exactly the same voice that had echoed beneath the black umbrella.
“You made a new friend today.” The blood drained from my face.
My grip on the phone tightened.
“Be careful who walks beside you…” “…because this time…” “…the hunter entered your world before you entered his.” The call disconnected.
I stood frozen.
“Vena?” Ananya’s voice sounded distant.
“Are you okay?” I slowly lowered the phone.
My hands were trembling.
Across the corridor…
Arther was already looking at me.
Not surprised.
Not confused.
As if…
He already knew…
Who had just called.
Outside the college gate…
The black SUV had returned.
Inside…
The gloved hand opened another file.
A new photograph rested on top.
Not Vena’s.
Not Nikhil’s.
Arther’s.
Stamped across the photograph in bold crimson letters were only three words— DO NOT ENGAGE.
The gloved figure let out a quiet laugh.
“Too late…” The file slowly closed.
Who was the man behind the black umbrella?
Why did he warn Vena about Arther instead of threatening her?
Why was Arther’s file marked “DO NOT ENGAGE” by the very organization hunting the Last Bloodline?
And if Arther wasn’t the hunter…
…then who was truly watching them from the shadows?
To Be Continued…
Do you think Vena is being followed…
or protected?” Thank you for reading another chapter.
Every small detail has a purpose, even if it doesn’t seem important yet.
I’d love to know your theories—what do you think will happen next?
Don’t forget to add the novel to your library and share your thoughts.
See you in the next chapter.Your gift is the motivation for my creation.
Give me more motivation!