After finishing their food and joking around until their bodies felt too heavy to even sit upright, Kian and Ekaksh left the infirmary quietly. Aarav and Ruhi were already drifting in and out of sleep, worn out from everything they had endured.
Ekaksh yawned loudly the moment he stepped into the hallway. "I'm sleeping till noon," he declared, dragging his feet toward his room.
Kian shook his head with a tired smile. "As if that's new."
They split ways. Ekaksh went straight to bed and knocked out the moment his head touched the pillow.
Kian, though exhausted, slept lightly. His body was tired, but his mind didn't allow him to rest for long. Even after such a dangerous day, he woke up naturally around six in the morning. The sky outside the window was still a soft grey-blue, the sun not fully up yet.
The first place he went was the infirmary. He pushed the door open gently, careful not to make any noise. Inside, Ruhi and Aarav were still fast asleep, their breathing steady but heavy with exhaustion. The sight made him smile slightly. They had fought with everything they had , and their bodies clearly needed rest.
He stepped closer to Ruhi's bed and checked if she was ohk. she had curled slightly on her side, clutching the blanket gently, her face peaceful. Aarav, on the other hand, slept like a rock flat on his back with one hand hanging off the bed. Kian almost smirked
Seeing both of them sound asleep, he decided to let them rest longer.
He left the infirmary quietly and walked out of the Topaz house campus. The morning air was crisp and cool. The market nearby was already awake; morning vendors were setting up their stalls, arranging fresh produce that had come in before sunrise.
Kian walked through the market, keeping his hood on. He stopped at a fruit stall where the freshest items were kept in neat rows. Without hesitation, he picked up ripe mangoes Aarav's favorite and then guavas for Ruhi. He checked each one carefully, choosing the ones that looked the sweetest and freshest.
After paying the vendor, he walked further to a small breakfast shop that had just opened. Steam rose in soft curls from the large pots of soup they had prepared for early customers. He asked for four servings hot, fragrant, and filling. The shopkeeper packed them into sturdy bowls.
Balancing the fruit and the soup, he walked back to the Topaz campus. The path was quiet, and the sun had just begun to rise fully, casting a warm glow across the grounds.
He returned to the infirmary around six-thirty. Nothing had changed inside; both Aarav and Ruhi were still fast asleep. Their faces looked more relaxed than yesterday, the strain of the battle slowly fading.
Kian placed the mangoes carefully near Aarav's bed and the guavas near Ruhi's. He took his time setting them down, almost like he wanted everything to be perfect when they woke up.
Then he pulled a stool and placed it between their beds. He sat down slowly, resting his elbows on his knees, looking at the two people who had fought beside him, scared him, and impressed him all in one day.
Kian stayed there, reading a book , & watching over them as the morning light grew brighter.
Just as Kian was reading his book, the quiet of the infirmary was shattered. Anya, Karan, Vedant, and Jia burst in, their full enthusiasm filling the room instantly. The sudden commotion made Aarav and Ruhi stir awake, blinking sleepily at the unexpected noise. Even the other patients in the infirmary, who had been dozing peacefully, stirred and murmured in surprise. The nurse, frowning and trying to maintain order, called out sharply, asking them to keep it down.
Kian, watching it all with a faint huff, could hardly hide his amusement. Because of their noise, not only had Ruhi and Aarav woken up, but the previously undisturbed patients had also been roused from their restful sleep. He leaned back slightly, letting the chaos unfold around him without a word, his eyes scanning each of the four with quiet curiosity.
The four of them had been on their way to a mission, but something had caught their attention when they heard Ruhi and Aarav were in the infirmary. As they rushed inside, uncertainty and urgency colored their movements. Anya was the first to reach Ruhi, concern written across her face as she hurriedly asked, "Ruhi, what happened?"
Karan, ever the sunshine, made his way quickly to Aarav, his words tumbling out even as he checked if Aarav was okay. Vedant, eager to impress Ruhi, hovered close, his gaze focused, trying to show concern in just the right way. Jia, with her queen bee arrogance, strode directly toward Kian, her posture confident, eyes sharp, as if asserting her presence in the room.
The infirmary, once calm and still in the early morning light, now buzzed with energy, worry, and a flurry of personalities, each one moving in their own distinct rhythm, yet all converging on the two who had been admitted in the infirmary.
Anya and Karan spoke at the same time, their voices full of worry. "What happened?"
Ruhi and Aarav, still asleep , barely lifted their heads. Kian, seeing the concern on everyone's faces, spoke up calmly, explaining everything that had happened.
As he laid out the events the monsters, the battle, and pleasing of Shinigami ,everyone froze. Their faces were full of shock. Monsters hadn't appeared in any of the realms for the past eight years. How had they come now? And Shinigami, pleasing for the first time and wielding its deadly wish power, made the situation even more unbelievable.
Anya immediately rushed to Ruhi and hugged her tightly. "I'm so grateful you're safe and sound," she said, her voice trembling as she held her best friend, finally letting her emotions show.
Karan, standing beside Aarav, smiled widely. "Man, I knew it. You could have done it. I expected nothing less from you," he said, his voice full of admiration.
Vedant, trying to make an impression, stepped closer to Ruhi. "Ruhi, you are great," he said, adding a few extra lines of praise, trying to butter her up.
Jia strode over to Kian, her expression serious. "Kian, it's all because of you. If you weren't there, if it wasn't your idea, none of these people would have been saved," she said, her voice a mixture of awe and insistence.
Kian, cold and arrogant as ever, shook his head slightly. "It's not because of me. If even one of us ....the five of us.....wasn't there, none of us would have been here. If Ruhi wasn't there, we couldn't have communicated or healed the villagers. If Aarav wasn't there, we couldn't have used spatial magic. Ekaksh… well, he.... ig helped with distraction, but still," he said, his voice calm but edged with pride.
Hearing him, Ruhi and Aarav couldn't help but smile.
Jia tried again to butter him up, but this time Kian didn't respond. He just remained silent, letting her words hang in the air.
Anya stepped forward, looking between all of them. "We have to rush for our mission now, but don't worry. When we come back, we can take some time, maybe hang out, or even spend a Sunday together. Grab lunch, dinner, maybe even have a picnic. I hope you get discharged soon, and we can finally relax a little," she said warmly, her voice full of hope and care.
After the four of them left and the squad moved out for their mission, Ruhi and Aarav turned toward Kian, who had been quietly sitting between them.
"How long have you been sitting here?" Aarav asked, his voice still tired but curious.
Kian shrugged lightly. "Perhaps… I guess, thirty minutes now."
Both Ruhi and Aarav's eyes widened in surprise. Their gaze then fell on the neatly arranged fruits near their heads and a small package wrapped in a paper bag on the table.
Ruhi leaned forward slightly. "Who bought the fruits? And what's in the package?"
Kian's expression remained cool, but his tone carried a subtle warmth. "I woke up early and saw you both were sleeping. I went to the market… I needed something, so I went. Then I saw a shopkeeper selling these fruits at a good price, so I thought… it might help. And I was hungry too, so I ...I got some for us."
Ruhi and Aarav shared a quiet, knowing smile. They understood his words were meant to act casual, to cover up his true intention but they also knew the real reason behind it.
Ruhi then asks, " what did you wanted that you went to the market?"
Kian didn't knew what to answer so he remained quite, putting his head down .
Aarav, feeling a surge of gratitude, got up from his bed and leaned in for a quick side hug. Kian stiffened slightly, his usual "I don't like being touchy, or being touched" came out . "Since when did you start acting like Ekaksh?" he said, a half-smirk on his face.
Aarav chuckled, shrugging. "I could never really act like him … but seeing your effort, it was just too cute to ignore. I wanted to show my gratitude."
Ruhi's lips curved into a soft smile, silently echoing the same gratitude.
"I'll go freshen up first, brush, and then have the soup," Aarav said, moving toward the washroom.
Ruhi, still weak but trying to keep up, asked, "By the way… where's Ekaksh?"
Kian answered, "He's sleeping so deeply, lazily sprawled on the bed in our room." Both Ruhi and Aarav chuckled quietly at the image.
Aarav headed toward the washroom to brush up, and Ruhi followed shortly after. As she tried to stand, her legs wobbled dangerously, and she almost fell.
Kian moved instantly, placing his right hand on her shoulder and his left hand gently holding her wrist. "CAREFUL," he said softly, steadying her as she took cautious steps toward the washroom.
He stayed with her the entire way, watching closely. "Just so you know," he said quietly, "if you feel dizzy or need any help, just ask. You can ask anytime."
He remained there, silently ensuring she could make it safely.
He stood patiently outside the washroom, his arms folded loosely as he waited. He didn't move, didn't speak, simply stayed there.
Soon, Aarav emerged first, looking refreshed after washing up. His hair was still damp, and he ran a hand through it as he came toward the bed.
Not long after, Ruhi came out, her movements slow but steady. Kian gave her a small, reassuring nod as she steadied herself. Together, the three of them moved back to the bed, sitting down near their respective spaces. They began to sip quietly, each absorbed in the simple comfort of the morning meal, the warmth of the soup easing the lingering fatigue in their bodies.
They were nearly done when the infirmary door opened with a measured authority. Captain Nivan, the captain of the Topaz house, stepped in, his expression firm but not unkind. "Listen, four of you....well, the fourth one is not here anyways," he began, glancing at them, "you three, and the fourth member of your team, plus the fifth person who accompanied you during the interrogation, all five of you should report to the auditorium at ten o'clock. You'll be meeting with the king, queen, the princess, and the prince of all three realms. I won't be able to accompany you because this meeting is only for you five, and the king, queen, and Highest level of authority in this matter ."
He paused, giving them a moment to process the news, and then added, "The prince has asked me to reward you. You'll have Saturday off, and five points will be added to your house score as paid leave ."
All three of them froze for a second, eyes widening. The weight of the announcement sank in slowly. Meeting the royalty of all three realms was something they hadn't imagined possible so soon. Kian's usual calm, arrogant demeanor faltered just slightly as he took in the magnitude of the situation.
"Do not forget to tell them everything," Captain Nivan said, breaking their stunned silence. "Be confident. I trust you."
Before leaving, he glanced at Ruhi and Aarav. "How's your health?" he asked quietly.
Both of them nodded, offering small but genuine reassurances. "We're fine," they said almost in unison.
Captain Nivan gave a curt nod and stepped out, leaving the three of them in a moment of reflective quiet. The faint clatter of spoons against the bowls was the only sound.
Aarav set his empty bowl down and looked at Kian. "Go wake Ekaksh," he said softly.
Kian merely nodded, rising from his seat.
Kian walked to the room and gently nudged Ekaksh. "Wake up, Ekaksh. We have to go to the auditorium and meet the king, queen, and the higher authorities," he said calmly.
Ekaksh's eyes fluttered open, his expression still heavy with sleep. "What?" he mumbled, sitting up slowly. He shook his head, trying to clear the fog, and then swung his legs off the bed. After a quick stretch, he headed to freshen up, washing his face and brushing his hair. Once ready, he made his way to the infirmary, his steps light but purposeful.
As he entered, his eyes immediately sought Ruhi. "Ruhi, how's your health? Feeling any fatigue or dizziness? Do you want me to cut... oh, guava, your favorite fruit, right? If I'm not wrong. Do you want me to cut it?" His tone was careful, genuinely concerned, yet his voice carried a soft teasing note that was typical of him.
Aarav, leaning back slightly with a playful grin, piped up teasingly. "It's Kian."
Ekaksh blinked, surprised. "When did Kian bring this?"
Aarav, shrugged. " Apparently he woke up early, saw us both still asleep, and went to the market for something he wanted.... though he's not even sure what it was," then "The shopkeeper had the fruits, and he thought it would help. So he got guavas and mangoes for us. And he grabbed four bowls of soup as well."
Ekaksh's eyes widened, a grin spreading across his face. "Wow, he even got Ruhi's favorite fruit and your favorite fruit," he said excitedly. Without thinking, he jumped toward Kian and wrapped his arms around him. "Thank you, bro, for your concern and for the soup!"
Kian lightly pushed him away, his voice firm but not unkind. "Do not do that again," he said, a hint of amusement in his tone.
Everyone chuckled at the interaction, the sound filling the room with a warm, easy energy. Ekaksh quickly moved to sit down and began his soup.
ekaksh asked aarav, " how are you bro"?
Aarav answered. "I'm fine. The cut is almost healed; it's starting to darken and the blood has dried. I'm absolutely fine," he said confidently, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Infact Ruhi is the one who is recovering very slowly.
they chatted, occasionally contributing to the conversation, while ekaksh finished his soup. The room was filled with soft laughter, teasing remarks, and easy companionship, a moment of calm and warmth after the chaos they had endured.
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