The day had settled into its usual rhythm as evening approached. After college, they went to pick up Shivani from school.
The sun was dipping low as Bhairava, Aarya, and Mano waited outside Shivani's school. Students poured out in waves, laughing and chatting, but Shivani was nowhere to be seen.
Bhairava checked the time, his brow furrowed. "Where is she? She didn't come still?" he asked, voice tinged with worry.
Aarya placed a calming hand on his arm. "Just wait for a moment. She'll come."
He nodded, but his eyes stayed fixed on the school gate.
Then, finally, Shivani appeared—walking slowly beside a girl her age. Bhairava's shoulders relaxed the moment he saw her.
Aarya smiled. "I told you, right? There she is."
Shivani approached quietly. Bhairava stepped forward. "Why are you late?" he asked.
Without meeting his eyes, Shivani replied, "I had some work."
Bhairava gently placed his hand under her chin and lifted her face. Her eyes met his—and he saw it. The sadness. The faint redness around her eyes.
"Did you cry?" he asked softly.
Mano and Aarya turned sharply, their expressions shifting to concern.
Shivani moved his hand away and shook her head. No, her gesture said, but her silence spoke louder.
Bhairava stepped in front of her. "What happened?"
The girl beside Shivani hesitated, then stepped forward. "I'm sorry… this is all because of me."
All three—Bhairava, Aarya, Mano—turned to her, surprised.
Shivani quickly reached out and held her friend's hand, girl glanced at Shivani one last time. Shivani shook her head gently, eyes pleading doesn't say anything.
But the girl looked at Bhairava, and then decided to speak.
"There's an upper-class boy who's been following me… forcing me to love him. Today after lunch, he came and threatened me. Shivani was standing next to me. He tried to misbehave… and Shivani got angry. She stepped forward and slapped him."
The words hung heavy in the air.
Bhairava, Aarya, and Mano turned to Shivani, who stood silently, her gaze fixed on the ground. Her hands trembled slightly, but she didn't speak.
The girl continued, voice cracking. "She didn't do anything wrong… she was just protecting me. But the boy got triggered. When she was alone… he came with his friends and…"
She paused, swallowed hard, her eyes filling with tears. "And then… he touched her." Her voice trembled.
Shivani's shoulders shook, and tears spilled down her cheeks. She started to cry.
Aarya rushed forward, wrapping her arms around Shivani. "It's okay… I'm here," she whispered, trying to soothe her.
Bhairava stood frozen, his fists clenched, his breath shallow. This can't be real, he thought. This shouldn't have happened.
Mano, voice low, asked, "Did you make a complaint?"
The girl nodded. "We tried. But the professor refused to take it. Said the boy was some big shot."
She looked down, guilt washing over her face. "I'm sorry. This is all because of me."
Mano stepped forward. "Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong."
Bhairava, who had been standing still, silent, unreadable—finally spoke.
"Who are they?"
The tone shifted. The air around him felt heavier, colder.
Everyone turned to him. Shivani looked up, alarmed, and signed urgently stop. Aarya's eyes widened— There was no emotion on his face. No fire. No fury. Just stillness. And that terrified her more.
She stepped closer, her voice urgent. "Bhairava… calm down. Don't do anything stupid."
But he didn't hear her.
He looked at the girl. "Show me where they are."
Aarya tried to hold Bhairava back. She knew what could happen if he lost control. She'd seen it before - the silence before the storm.
But Bhairava didn't stop.
Shivani, still shaken, forgot her own pain rushing behind him to stop.
He walked into the school campus, The girl pointed, her hand trembling. "He is the guy."
A group of boys stood nearby, laughing, carefree. Bhairava walked toward them, his steps slow, deliberate. The air around him felt heavier with each stride.
He called out. "You."
The boy turned, amused. Shivani rushed behind him, grabbing his hand, trying to pull him back and her eyes pleaded.
But Bhairava didn't move.
He looked at the boy and said, "Ask sorry to her."
The boy glanced at Shivani, smirked, and stepped closer to Bhairava. "Who are you, man?"
Bhairava didn't blink. "That doesn't matter."
The boy laughed, tilting his head. "What's with that look? What if I say no? You gonna beat me, huh?"
Shivani tugged harder, her grip trembling. But Bhairava didn't move.
The boy turned to his friends, grinning. "Hey, see guys? He's gonna beat me!"
They laughed. Mocking. Loud.
He stepped closer, voice low and arrogant. "You can't do anything. Do you know who I am?"
Aarya appeared beside Bhairava, her hand on his arm. "Bhairava, calm. This is school campus."
But Bhairava's voice was firm. "I don't care. Just ask sorry."
The boy smirked, his voice dripping with mock sincerity. "Do you know what? I'm feeling really sorry. I'm serious."
He raised his hand, eyes glinting with cruelty. "Even though she's mute… her body… ufff."
Bhairava's fist clenched tight. He is controlling his temper. But the boy's words were venom, and Aarya's grip on his arm wasn't enough to hold back the storm.
The boy leaned in, laughing. "I could've enjoyed more. I'm really feeling bad for tha—"
Crack.
The punch landed before the sentence could finish.
The boy staggered back two steps, stunned. His friends froze, their laughter vanishing into silence.
He stood, blinking, then touched his nose. A warm trickle ran down his fingers.
Blood.
He stared at it, confused—then the pain hit. "Ahhhhhhh!" he screamed, clutching his face.
His friends jolted into action, rushing toward Bhairava with fists raised. One threw a punch—Bhairava ducked. Another swung—he twisted, dodged, and countered with a sharp elbow.
Aarya shouted from behind the chaos. "Stop, Bhairava!"
But the boy, still clutching his bleeding nose, screamed louder. "Don't leave him!"
Bhairava took a hit to the shoulder, staggered, then spun and landed a brutal punch to the attacker's jaw. The courtyard erupted in shouts and gasps.
Mano stood at the edge, arms crossed, watching with a faint smile.
Aarya turned to him, furious. "Hey! What are you doing? Go stop him!"
Mano didn't flinch. "Why should I?" he said calmly.
Aarya stared at him, speechless.
Mano shrugged. "They asked for it. He gave two chances. But that guy… he only wanted this."
The moment turned chaotic.
Two boys grabbed Bhairava's arms from behind, and another lunged from the front with a raised fist. But before the punch could land—snap—Mano stepped in, catching the attacker's wrist mid-air.
"One against three, huh? That's not fair," Mano said coolly.
Aarya, watching from the side, groaned in frustration. "You idiot," she muttered, eyes wide with disbelief.
The boy tried to strike Mano, but Mano dodged effortlessly and countered with a sharp blow to the ribs. The fight split into two fronts—Mano handling the attackers, Bhairava heading straight for the main culprit.
Bhairava's eyes were locked, his fury precise. He grabbed the boy and slammed him against the wall, fists flying.
"If she's mute, you think you can do anything?" he shouted, landing another punch. "You thought no one would come? I'm here for her."
The boy tried to escape, but Bhairava caught his arm and twisted it back, bending it painfully. "This is the hand that touched her, right?"
The boy screamed in pain, collapsing to the ground.
Students gathered around, murmuring, shocked. The boy's nose was bleeding, his friends bruised and silent. Bhairava and Mano stood opposite them, breathing hard but unshaken.
Then a staff member stormed in, voice booming. "What is happening here? Are you students or rowdies?"
He looked at Bhairava and Mano, furious. "Who are you?"
Shivani stepped forward, standing beside Bhairava. Her presence was quiet but firm.
The man turned to her. "Shivani, are they with you? Are you the reason for this mess?"
Her friend stepped up and pulled Bhairava hand. "He's the one who refused to take our complaint."
Bhairava didn't wait. He walked up to the man, grabbed his wrist, and twisted it. "Are you really a teacher?" he growled. "A girl came to you for help, and you refused?"
The man cried out, clutching his twisted wrist. "Leave me! Let me go!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the courtyard.
Aarya rushed forward, grabbing Bhairava's arm and pulling him back. "That's enough, Bhairava!" she shouted, her voice laced with urgency.
The boy lay on the ground, clutching his arm, groaning. The teacher knelt beside him, tears streaming, humiliated and broken.
Bhairava turned to the boy one last time. His voice was cold. "Say sorry."
The boy, now understanding the weight of what had happened, looked at Shivani and her friend. His voice was weak, but audible. "Sorry."
Bhairava stepped closer, eyes locked. "If I ever see you lay a hand on another girl…"
Aarya tugged his arm again, firmer this time. "That's enough, Bhairava. He said sorry."
Shivani joined her, gently pulling him away. Together, they guided him out of the school campus. Mano followed behind, hands in his pockets, silent but steady.