KHSS_____
KHSS stood silent behind him.
Rithul was near the entrance, just a few steps away from the gate.
The path beyond stretched out—uneven, messy, swallowed by overgrown grass and bushes on both sides.
But his eyes weren't there.
They stayed fixed on the gate.
Waiting.
He checked his watch.
Past ten.
A quiet sigh escaped him.
Then he turned away and started climbing the stairs.
One step.
Two.
He had already reached halfway—
"Rithul."
The voice stopped him.
He froze.
Then slowly turned around.
Zorvath.
Standing below.
Looking straight at him.
Something unreadable sat in his eyes.
"Where is Aria?" Zorvath asked.
His voice was low.
Controlled.
But sharp.
Rithul didn't answer immediately.
A few seconds passed.
Then—
"How am I supposed to know?" he said.
Zorvath stepped forward.
"Don't play with me, Rithul," he said.
"I heard you were the last one who met her."
Another step.
"And after that—she doesn't show up in KHSS."
Rithul let out a quiet breath.
"Maybe she's just done with all this," he said flatly.
"Don't put everything on me."
Zorvath climbed up.
Two steps.
Three.
Now the distance between them shrank.
Rithul stood higher on the stairs.
Zorvath below—
looking up.
Rithul looking down.
Eyes locked.
Neither moved.
Neither blinked.
The silence between them—
Heavy.
Tight.
Like something was about to break.
"I won't repeat myself."
Zorvath's voice dropped.
Not louder.
Just heavier.
The kind that didn't need force—
because it already had control.
For a split second—
Rithul flinched.
Small.
Almost unnoticeable.
But it was there.
Still—
He didn't step back.
Didn't look away.
Didn't lose his stance.
Then—
Footsteps.
From above.
Slow.
Steady.
Mirzand.
He walked down the stairs, his eyes briefly passing over Rithul—
measuring.
Then he stopped beside Zorvath.
Without turning fully, he spoke—
"Two days ago…"
A pause.
"Rithul took Aria there."
The air tightened.
"They met Clara."
"That's what I heard."
This time—
Rithul's reaction was clear.
A real flinch.
Not hidden.
That was it.
No more words.
No warning.
Zorvath moved.
Fast.
A sudden step forward—
and his fist landed straight on Rithul's cheek.
The sound cracked through the air.
Rithul staggered—
just for a second—
then hit back.
Hard.
After that—
nothing was clear.
Just fists.
Shoves.
Grabs.
A fight that didn't pause to think.
Didn't stop to breathe.
Mirzand stepped back, regret flashing across his face.
Too late.
Students started gathering.
From corridors.
From classrooms.
Drawn by the noise.
Some shouted.
Some cheered.
Some just watched.
Danvy and Sreya pushed through the crowd.
Sreya's hand flew to her mouth, eyes wide in shock.
Danvy didn't react the same.
She just stared.
Silent.
Like she had expected this.
Or maybe—
something worse.
Then—
Aswin.
Leo.
They rushed in.
Tried to pull them apart.
"Stop it—!"
"Are you mad—?!"
But it didn't matter.
Anyone who stepped in—
got hit.
Zorvath didn't hold back.
Didn't see who it was.
Didn't care.
Mirzand tried to grab him—
got shoved aside.
Aswin tried—
took a hit.
Leo stepped in—
and got dragged into it.
And just like that—
it wasn't two anymore.
It was all of them.
Five.
Fighting.
Without control.
Without reason.
Just force.
Just anger.
And in the middle of it—
Rithul.
Taking the worst of it.
Because Zorvath's focus never left him.
Not once.
Blow after blow—
meant for him.
The others tried to hold Zorvath back—
and paid for it.
Hit.
Pushed.
Thrown aside.
But Zorvath didn't slow down.
Didn't react to pain.
Didn't even feel it.
Only one thing mattered—
Rithul.
Making him feel it.
Finally—
it broke.
Not because they stopped—
but because their bodies gave up.
One by one—
they dropped.
Breathing hard.
Bruised.
Exhausted.
Silence fell.
Heavy.
Zorvath pushed himself up slightly.
His eyes found Rithul.
Sharp.
Cold.
Terrifying.
"No matter what…" he said, his voice rough but steady,
"I want to see Aria here."
A pause.
"Now."
Rithul didn't respond.
Zorvath held his gaze for a second longer—
then added,
"And don't ever show your bloody face in front of me again."
He stood up.
Turned.
And walked away.
The crowd parted instantly.
No one spoke.
No one stopped him.
All eyes shifted back—
to the ones left behind.
Shock.
Silence.
Danvy pulled out her phone.
And made a call.
***************************
Within hours—
Aria reached KHSS.
She walked straight into the entrance corridor.
Straight-fit jeans.
A plain white tank top.
Her hair left open—no clips, no ties—just falling freely down her back.
Her blue eyes—
as striking as ever.
Her skin—
glowing softly under the light.
But her face—
held tension.
Something tight.
Something restless.
The moment she stepped in—
everyone was already there.
Not crowded.
But waiting.
Watching.
The air felt heavy.
Uneasy.
Then—
her eyes found them.
Rithul, Leo, and the others—
Scattered along the corridor.
Not standing.
Couldn't.
Some were sitting on the floor, backs against the wall.
Some leaned forward, elbows on their knees, trying to catch their breath.
One lay half-turned to the side, too exhausted to even sit properly.
Silence hung between them.
Heavy.
Uneasy.
Something had already gone too far.
A little away—
Danvy and Sreya stood on their phones, typing fast, making calls, their faces tight with tension.
The air felt wrong.
As soon as they noticed Aria—
Aswin pushed himself up, stepping forward.
"Only you can control him now," he said, almost pleading.
"Please… help us."
Aria looked at him—uncertain.
Then her eyes shifted.
Bruises.
Blood.
Exhaustion.
And then—
Rithul.
Worse than the others.
She moved immediately.
Dropped to her knees beside him.
Her fingers hovered near his face, careful, not touching the bruises.
"What happened?" she asked, her voice low.
Rithul didn't answer.
Mirzand spoke instead.
"He took you somewhere he shouldn't have," he said.
"And he paid for it."
From behind—
Aswin muttered, almost annoyed,
"What I don't understand is… why I got beaten up."
Footsteps rushed in.
Sreya.
Danvy.
Aria's expression shifted slightly.
She tried to ignore them.
But Sreya didn't stop this time.
"Aria," she said, her voice tight,
"just because you're not talking to us doesn't change anything."
Aria looked at her.
Danvy stepped in.
"I called Sona," she said.
"She's on the way."
A pause.
"You should clear everything today."
Aswin cut in quickly—
"Not your drama right now."
His voice was tense.
"We don't want to get beaten up again."
He looked straight at Aria.
"Please. Go calm him down."
Rithul let out a faint breath.
"No need," he said.
"Who is she? His therapist?"
Aria shook her head slightly.
"No… I should do it."
A pause.
"I caused this."
Her voice softened.
"I'm sorry."
Rithul's eyes lifted to her.
"Who are you to apologize for what he did?"
Aswin snapped back—
"Do you have a problem with me, Rithul?"
"Or do you just want me to get beaten again?"
Rithul didn't respond.
Aria turned to Aswin.
"Where is he?"
Before he could answer—
"Rooftop."
Leo's voice.
Aria looked at him.
Then at Rithul.
Then at the rest.
Silence.
Aswin stood there—
watching her—
almost hoping.
She glanced once at Sreya and Danvy.
Then turned.
And walked straight toward the stairs.
Climbing.
"Aria!" Aswin shouted from below.
"Don't push him—he's like a mad tiger right now!"
She paused for a second.
Looked down at him—
a sharp, unreadable glance—
Then turned again.
And kept climbing.