The asphalt of the Tenjiku Federation highway blurred beneath the tires of Sonic's sports bike. The engine's roar was a primal scream, cutting through the humid afternoon air as the sun began its slow descent, painting the sky in bruised purples and burnt oranges. For most, the speed would be terrifying; for Arav and Sonic, it was the only way they knew how to breathe.
Sonic leaned forward, his voice straining against the wind whipping past his helmet. "So, brother! Give it to me straight. What the hell happened back there in the cafeteria? Why were you acting like a monk under a vow of silence?"
Arav tightened his grip on the bike's rear rail. His voice was steady, a sharp contrast to the chaotic vibrations of the machine. "It was nothing, man. Just... thinking about the morning."
"What morning? Stop talking in riddles, Arav!" Sonic gunned the throttle, the bike surging forward like a launched missile.
"You were talking about us traveling outside the Federation," Arav shouted back. "I've been saving every cent for that. You know Mom and Dad aren't going to fund a 'soul-searching' trip. If we're going to build our own empire, I can't be wasting money on burgers with people who don't matter."
A knowing smirk spread across Sonic's face behind his visor. He eased off the gas just enough to make conversation possible. "I knew it. You've been hoarding your pocket money like a squirrel, haven't you? I bet you've already picked out a flight to the Rising Sun Empire. I know exactly how that brain of yours works."
Arav blinked in surprise. "How did you—?"
"Brother, I'm your best friend, not some random bystander. And because I know you, I put something special in my bag. Check the side pocket."
Arav cautiously unzipped the rugged tactical bag slung over Sonic's shoulder. His fingers brushed against high-quality cardstock. He pulled them out, and his breath hitched. They were two physical flight tickets, stamped with the official seal of the Tenjiku International Transit. One was bound for the Rising Sun Empire, and the other for the Pristine Peninsula (Korea).
"Your call, brother," Sonic shouted over his shoulder. "Where do you want to plant our flag first? Japan or Korea? The world is literally in your hands."
Arav stared at the tickets, the weight of the expense hitting him. "Sonic... this is too much. These tickets aren't cheap. Why would you do this?"
"Why? Because we have a vision, Arav!" Sonic's laughter was infectious. "Look, the future is already written. I'm going to be the Founder, and you're going to be my CEO. Consider this the CEO's first international orientation. You need to see how the world moves if you're going to run it."
Arav let out a small, genuine laugh, the tension in his shoulders finally dissolving. "So, you've already got me on the payroll? That's some aggressive hiring, Sonic."
"Oh, is that a problem?" Sonic teased, swerving slightly for dramatic effect. "Fine, let's renegotiate. I'm the Founder, you're the Co-Founder. Fifty-fifty. Partners in crime and commerce. How's that for a deal?"
"Now we're talking," Arav said, punching Sonic's shoulder.
"Listen," Sonic's tone shifted, becoming uncharacteristically serious for a moment. "If you ever need cash, you ask me. Don't go 'counting' your dignity in front of those vultures at the cafeteria. We're in this together."
"I have some saved up," Arav muttered, feeling the crumpled notes in his own pocket. "Let's hit a roadside dhaba. I'm starving, and you were the one bragging about a big hotel meal."
Sonic sighed, a theatrical sound of despair. "Arav, I just bought international tickets! We're flying Economy, man. The budget is tight. Economy isn't just a class of travel; right now, it's a lifestyle."
"Economy?" Arav teased. "Is that too expensive for the 'Great Founder'?"
"Shut up! We'll travel light, we'll travel hungry, and we'll learn the grit of the streets. But mark my words—the next time we fly back from the Rising Sun Empire, it'll be Business Class. That's when we'll know we've actually made it."
The Rising Sun Empire: The Ice Queen's Domain
On the other side of the ocean, the atmosphere was far from the dusty warmth of a Tenjiku highway. In a sleek, minimalist boardroom in the heart of Edo City, the air was chilled to a precise $20^\circ C$.
Aisha Khurana sat at the head of a glass table, her eyes scanning a contract worth 15 million. To most, it was a fortune. To her, it was an insult.
"Fifteen million?" Aisha said, her voice a sharp blade of ice. She didn't look up from the document. "Do you think I'm struggling, or are you just testing how much of my time you can waste?"
The client across from her, a middle-aged executive in a stiff suit, wiped sweat from his brow. "Ma'am, you've chosen to step away from the Khurana Global shadow. Your new company is... unproven. We need to ensure you can handle a project of this scale before we commit to the larger billions."
Aisha finally looked up. Her gaze was predatory. "So you offer me a scrap from the table because you think I'll trip over the tablecloth? Listen carefully. I am building my own empire precisely because I don't need my father's name or my brothers' influence. If I wanted to play it safe, I'd be sitting in a chair worth a hundred times this deal's value back at the Khurana headquarters."
She stood up, the chair screeching against the polished floor. "I want my own throne, built with my own hands. This deal is dead."
"But Ma'am, your brother, Ryuji, he personally suggested—"
"Stop right there," Aisha hissed. Her eyes darkened. "So Ryuji set this up behind my back? Go back and tell him this: Aisha Khurana doesn't need a babysitter or a charity deal. If I win, I win on my own terms. If I fail, I fail on my own feet."
She swept out of the room, her heels clicking a rhythmic, angry cadence. Her manager scrambled to keep up.
"Ma'am, you're exhausted. Maybe we should head to the hotel?"
"Exhaustion is a luxury for the settled," Aisha snapped. "What's the status on the new Live Broadcast venture? In a market as saturated as the Rising Sun Empire, we need an edge."
"The team is looking for something unique, Ma'am. Something that isn't just another corporate stream. We need a 'hook' to establish ourselves."
Aisha paused by the elevator, her reflection in the gold doors looking back at her with fierce ambition. "Find me that hook. I'll review the proposals tomorrow. Don't fail me."
The Brotherly Bond
Back in the Tenjiku Federation, the sports bike pulled over at a rustic roadside dhaba. The scent of charred flour and spicy lentils filled the air. After a meal that cost less than a single appetizer in Edo City, Arav pulled out a thousand-rupee note to pay the bill.
Sonic leaned against the counter, watching him. "You had a thousand on you the whole time? Why didn't you throw that down at the cafeteria? Those idiots wouldn't have had a reason to open their mouths."
Arav pocketed the change, his expression unreadable. "I knew who they were, Sonic. I just wanted to see who would stand up when the 'poor friend' couldn't pay. It's an easy way to filter the garbage out of your life. Like I told you—there's a difference between a friend and someone just passing time. A friend is a brother; a 'time pass' is just noise."
Sonic looked at him for a long beat, then grinned, slapping him on the back. "So, what's the lesson of the day, Professor Arav?"
"The lesson," Arav smiled, "is that the world can go to hell as long as my brother Sonic is standing next to me."
"Brother? Man, don't get all emotional on me! We're childhood brothers, that's just a fact. Now move it, before your sister tracks your phone and sends a hit squad to bring you home."
"She's out of the country, remember?" Arav laughed. "I'm safe for now."
"Doesn't matter where she is; that woman has eyes everywhere. Let's go. We have two days to pack before we change our lives."
The bike dropped Arav off in front of his modest home.
"I'll walk you to the door," Sonic joked.
"Get out of here! Your house is right there, and mine is behind you. It's five steps. Go pack your bags, Founder."
Inside the Sharma household, the air was warm and smelled of home. Arav's father, Vikram, looked up from his newspaper. "So, college is officially over?"
"Yes, Dad. It's done." Arav took a deep breath. "I have a plan. I want to go abroad for a month."
"Abroad? Why so sudden?" his mother, Meera, asked with a worried frown.
"I need to understand how the big tech-hubs work. If I'm going to build a business, I need to see the world beyond our borders. I'm going to learn, not just wander."
"Are you sure this isn't just a vacation in disguise?" Vikram asked, his eyes narrowing playfully.
"If I wanted a vacation, I'd go to the Eagle Republic. I'm going to a tech-city to see the future."
Vikram nodded slowly. "One month. That's it. Your mother and sister are back in thirty days, and after that, you'll have to answer to them."
Arav grinned and hugged his father. "You're the best, Dad."
"I know," Vikram chuckled. "I'm the best father in the world."
Across the street, at the Verma residence, the conversation was taking a very different turn.
"Father, I'm going abroad," Sonic announced, trying to sound confident.
"Why? Is our business not big enough for you?" Amit Verma asked, his voice low and dangerous.
"It's about learning, Father! Arav is going too!"
"Arav? Are you both going to the same place?"
"Well... he's going to the Rising Sun Empire, and I'm going to Korea."
Amit Verma stood up slowly, his shadow looming large on the wall. "Where is my belt?"
Sonic scrambled back. "Father, wait! Listen! I'm a grown man! You can't still be using the belt!"
"If you're so grown, answer me properly! He goes to Japan, you go to Korea? Do I look like a fool, or do you think you're a genius? If you want to learn business, you stay together!"
The sharp crack of leather meeting air echoed through the house, followed by Sonic's yelp of pure betrayal.