The road didn't feel neutral.
It felt aware.
Every step carried resistance—not enough to stop me, just enough to remind me that movement now came with interest attached. The brand in my chest pulsed faintly, not painful, but present, like a second heartbeat that didn't belong to my body.
Arjun noticed before I said anything.
"You're slower," he said quietly, keeping pace."Not tired—just… measured."
I nodded.
"It's weighing options as I walk."
"That doesn't sound comforting."
"It isn't meant to be."
The girl glanced back at me, concern flickering across her face. She didn't ask. She didn't reach for my sleeve. She trusted that if something was wrong, I'd say it.
That trust was heavier than the brand.
Aaryan walked ahead, hands clasped behind his back, posture relaxed as if escalation was a mild inconvenience.
"So," he said casually, "how does it feel to be officially expensive?"
"Like I can't afford mistakes anymore," I replied.
He smiled."Exactly."
✦
