ALOK
A few minutes after we had left that park, silence fell over the group like a fog. Not one of my friends said anything, not after what happened. Then it was Piyush who broke the quiet.
"Alok," he said carefully, "why did you leave him alone back there? You saw the way that kid beat Karan, and you just… let him go. I'm not blaming you, but I need to know why. You do understand what it means if the others find out, right?
I let out a sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. "Ah… how should I even explain this?"
I turned to him. "First of all, that whole mess was your fault. You guys started it. If that boy hadn't stepped in, I would have — when Karan grabbed that girl's arm, I was already about to stop him."
"But still—" Piyush began.
"Listen," I cut him off. "You saw that kid — frozen at first, terrified. Then suddenly his body moved before he even thought. Why do you think that happened?"
Piyush frowned. "I don't know. Instinct, maybe?"
"Exactly," I said. "He said something before he hit Karan — 'Never touch a girl without her permission.' That isn't something you come up with on the spot. Someone precious to him must've drilled that into him. Maybe his mother."
I could still hear the impact in my ears — the sound of that punch. "That boy, Krishanu — he's younger than us, sure. But he beat Karan clean. Even if Karan was caught off guard, that strike had power. You heard that sound? That was bone meeting bone. That punch alone could have dropped me to one knee if he'd used proper technique."
Piyush blinked. "You're saying… he's trained?"
"No," I said. "That's the scary part. He hasn't trained. His endurance, his pain tolerance — both are unnatural for his age. Even though I held back against him, he stayed standing through five direct blows. His spinning hook kick — that one actually made my arm sore."
I smiled faintly, thinking back. "If that kid learns what he asked me about — the difference between reacting and responding — he won't just be strong. He'll be a monster. The kind the higher-ups won't be able to control."
Piyush stared, still processing. "So you just… let him go?"
I shrugged. "Let's just say I made an investment."
He looked confused, but I didn't explain further. Some people you fight once and forget. Others — you keep an eye on. That kid was the second kind.
---
KRISHANU — Present Time
I walked home afterwards - leaving behind both Anjali and Sweta. My arms shook with strain, my chest still heaved with each breath. Bruised muscles, raw knuckles, but I acted like nothing had happened.
Dinner passed in silence. Mom spoke of work; Dad scrolled through his phone. I ate quietly, only nodding whenever either of them spoke to me. It wasn't until I reached my room that the pain really hit.
I lay on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. My body throbbed, but my head hurt the most. The fight replayed again and again behind my eyes-every punch, every dodge I couldn't make, every second where I froze.
I wasn't angry that I lost. Losing didn't bother me. What did was this feeling-sharp, suffocating fear I'd felt when Alok stepped forward. The aura he carried. it was something else. I'd never felt that before.
He's fast.
He is older.
He's stronger.
But still, I defeated one of his friends — that Karan guy. So why did I feel like a child again, standing there, helpless?
The fight kept replaying in my head, the words of Alok still echoing.
> "You're reacting. I'm responding."
What did that mean, anyway? I went over and over it, and my head started hurting. I couldn't sleep. The clock on the wall kept ticking louder, slower, heavier.
By 2 A.M., my muscles were stiff. Every movement burned. I gritted my teeth, trying not to make a sound — I couldn't let my parents know.
Just sleep.
I turned over. Nothing. My body screamed in pain.
My alarm rang at 5 A.M. Half-awake, I dragged myself out of bed into the cold shower. The sting of water on bruises felt like needles, but it helped a little.
At breakfast, I greeted my family, forcing a smile. "I can't go to school today," I said.
My mother frowned. "Are you okay? You look pale."
"I'm fine," I lied, "Just tired."
She sighed. "Alright, but rest today."
"I'll be with Mayank," I added quickly. "Just for a while."
She hesitated, then nodded. "Fine. Be back by lunch."
I didn't go to Mayank. Couldn't. My head was too full, my body too sore. I attempted to study, but it was all just a blur of words. Every time I blinked, there were Alok's eyes, all calm, calculating, measuring me as though he was a problem he'd already solved.
By 10 A.M., I couldn't sit still anymore. I left for the library.
Outside, I saw Anjali and Sweta waiting near the gate.
"Hey," I said, walking up, trying to sound casual.
Sweta folded her arms. "Still joking around after all that, huh?
I smirked. "Yeah, still alive."
They were both looking concerned. Anjali's eyes scanned the small bruises near my jaw. "You're hurt," she said softly.
"I'm fine," I said. "Just a little sore."
She didn't look convinced.
Anyway what were you doing there yesterday, I asked Sweta.