The Himalayan city of Lhasa in 2032 shimmered under a golden dawn, its futuristic skyline a blend of ancient monasteries and sleek skyscrapers. As India's third-largest economy flexed its global muscle, the Indo-China summit promised both tension and opportunity.
Rudra Veer Singh stepped off his plane, the tricolor pin on his chest catching the light. His dark eyes scanned the tarmac, a mix of resolve and unease settling in his chest.
Li Wei Jun disembarked from his plane moments later, his tailored silk suit and jade cufflinks gleaming. His playful smile masked the anticipation that had grown since their holographic call. The two leaders were escorted separately to the summit venue, a grand hall where delegates from both nations awaited, their gazes heavy with expectation.
The frost-covered glass doors parted as Rudra entered the summit chamber. Cameras clicked instantly. Flags stood tall at either end of the hall India's saffron and China's crimson fluttering in the mountain breeze.He had walked into hundreds of meetings before. Shaken hands with men who wore smiles like armor. This should've felt no different.
Except it did.
At the far end of the chamber, draped in velvet and polished steel, stood him—Li Wei Jun, President of China.Younger than Rudra expected. Shorter. But his presence was impossible to ignore. Sharp black hair, high cheekbones, eyes that didn't smile even when his lips did.
Their eyes met.
For a second, time thinned.
Rudra's stride slowed, but he didn't let it show. His aides stepped back. The space between two of the world's most powerful men shrank to inches.
Then— the handshake.
Firm. Calculated. Longer than diplomatic etiquette demanded.
Li Wei's grip was warm. His palm soft, yet certain.
"Prime Minister Singh," Li said in lightly accented English,
"I expected someone colder."
"President Li," Rudra replied, eyes still locked on his,
"I expected someone older."
Li Wei smiled. It was too charming to be genuine.
But the heat behind it was real.
Rudra took his place at the negotiation table, his presence commanding silence. Wei Jun sat opposite, his eyes locking onto Rudra's with a flicker of recognition. The air crackled as the talks began, centered on border disputes and trade imbalances. A Chinese delegate pressed, "India's economic rise doesn't justify its territorial claims." Rudra leaned forward, voice steady. "Our economic strength is built on stability, not aggression. Respect our borders, and we'll talk trade." Wei Jun's lips curved into a smirk, but his gaze lingered, intrigued by Rudra's unyielding stance.
Later, a cultural evening broke the formalities. Rudra, watched a traditional Indian dance, his thoughts drifting to Arjun's dreams of change. Wei Jun, nearby, observed a Chinese performance, his mind on his exiled brother. Their eyes met across the hall, a silent acknowledgment of their burdens. Wei Jun joined Rudra, offering a smile. "Your pin catches the light beautifully. Does it ever weigh you down?" he asked. Rudra's lips twitched. "Only when I forget why I wear it," he said, his gaze holding Wei Jun's. The crowd blurred as they stood close, the space between them charged with unspoken words.
That Evening, Rudra sat in his suite, the tricolor pin glinting as he removed it. A memory of Arjun whispered, "We'll change the world," and the Supreme Court ruling replayed in his mind. "I'm trying, Arjun," he murmured, but his thoughts shifted to Wei Jun's teasing smile, stirring a warmth he couldn't ignore. He touched the pin, whispering, "Duty first."
Later that Evening
In Private Negotiation Room
The room was circular. A glass dome overhead let the twilight pour in. Their aides had left protocol demanded privacy.A low table sat between them. Two teacups. A single folder labeled 'Bilateral Security Accord Draft - CONFIDENTIAL' lay unopened.
Neither of them reached for it.
Li Wei: "Do you believe peace can be negotiated like a business contract?"
Rudra: "No. But I believe silence can reveal more than words ever will."
Li leaned back in his chair, gaze sweeping over Rudra's face.
Room remain silent for 5 min.
Li Wei: "So you prefer silence?"
Rudra: "I prefer honesty."
Li: "Then I'll be honest. I've read every speech you've given in the last three years.
Especially the ones you whispered into the nation's ears during crises."
That caught Rudra off guard.
Rudra (frowning): "Why?"
Li (softly): "Because your voice is dangerous.
And I wanted to know if it would be just as dangerous up close."
Rudra stood up.
The room suddenly felt smaller.
"This summit isn't about admiration," Rudra said.
"It's about peace."
Li didn't stand. But his eyes followed him, unwavering.
"Perhaps peace starts with a little admiration."Li Said.
Nighttime | Rudra's Private Quarters
Rudra poured himself a drink he wouldn't finish. The silence outside was thick only the wind brushing against the fir trees broke it.
He took out the folded note left by one of Li's aides. The handwriting was neat, in dark blue ink.
"You're too serious, Rudra Veer Singh.
Tomorrow, meet me before sunrise. The balcony near the orchid room."
–Li"
Rudra stared at the note.His mind telling him
He should burn it.
He should ignore it.
He should focus on the summit.
But all he did was fold it carefully... and place it inside his coat pocket.
His heart had already started to beat a little faster.
Location: Orchid Balcony – 5:46 AM
The sky was still ink-dark when Rudra stepped out.
He wasn't wearing his formal suit just a black kurta and a charcoal wool shawl loosely wrapped around his shoulders. The mountain wind was sharp, but Rudra barely noticed it.
The balcony overlooked a valley veiled in mist. To the left, tall glass panels revealed the resort's famed orchid conservatory ,hundreds of delicate blooms asleep in the pre-dawn stillness.And standing against the railing, back to him, was Li Wei Jun.He was dressed in all white soft silk robe, hair slightly tousled, as if he hadn't slept either.
Rudra: "You wake up early for a man who sleeps like a politician."
Li Wei (smiling faintly): "Only when I expect interesting company."
Li turned around. His eyes searched Rudra's face but not with a gaze of a leader.
It was quieter. Curious. Almost tender.
Li: "I brought tea. Jasmine."
Rudra (sitting slowly): "You brought peace. That's rare."
Li: "Don't flatter me. My country taught me how to serve tea.
Yours taught you how to serve silence."
They sat side by side. A single white butterfly fluttered past, circling the air like a blessing.
"It's cold," Rudra said, after a long pause.
"So is our history," Li replied.
:Flashback – Li Wei (Internal Monologue):
I shouldn't have called him here. It was reckless.
But when he speaks, the world hushes in me.
Every leader I've met plays chess.
Rudra Veer Singh plays silence like a violin.
He doesn't realize how loud his restraint is.
Balcony – Present
Li: "Do you think they'd hang us if they found out?"
Rudra (calmly): "Who exactly? And for what?"
Li: "Your people. Mine too. If they knew we were meeting in secret like this..."
Rudra: "We're not plotting treason. So what's there to fear?"
Li: "hmmm"
Rudra: "If we fail to explain, they'll splash us on the front page, turn us into memes... and then call us traitors."
Li chuckled and said "At least we'd be trending together."
Rudra: "This can be a mistake."
Li (quietly): "Maybe. But not one I regret."
Their eyes locked again. That same pull from the day before.
Li raised his hand... slowly... hovering near Rudra's face.
He didn't touch him.
But Rudra leaned just an inch.
Just enough to feel the heat of li.
Then he walked away.
No words.
Just a shiver in the wind.
Behind him, Li watched the sunrise alone, cup still warm in his hand.....