Rohan stepped into the office to find every teacher already seated. On the conference screen, Mrs. Watson's expression was carefully composed. Beside her feed, the country's most renowned advocate, Mr. Walker, watched the room with sharp, assessing eyes.
Rabina, Bella, and Grace sat to one side.
Rohan took his seat quietly.
The principal cleared his throat. "We are here today to discuss a very important matter."
A pause.
"The case of Meena Lee."
Rohan said nothing. He simply looked around the room.
Mr. Walker leaned forward slightly. "Could someone please explain the details of this case to me? I cannot help without the full picture."
The principal nodded. "Meena Lee was a student at this school. One day, without warning, she jumped from the school rooftop. Her father — Mr. Lee, who was a teacher here — has now filed a case against the school and its staff, holding us responsible."
Mr. Walker's expression darkened. "I see. This is a serious matter."
"They are responsible."
Every head in the room turned.
Rohan sat with his arms crossed, his voice completely calm.
Rabina's eyes snapped to him.
The principal stammered. "What — Rohan, what are you saying?"
Mrs. Watson's jaw tightened, but with Mr. Walker on the screen, she said nothing.
"Please," Mr. Walker said evenly, "someone tell me clearly — was Meena Lee murdered, or did she take her own life? And whoever is responsible — I need names."
Rabina tilted her head and spoke before anyone else could.
"Meena was our close friend," she said smoothly. "She had been struggling with depression. She took her own life because of that. Nothing more."
Mr. Walker's gaze shifted to her. "If she was your close friend, then you will need to appear in court."
Rabina's composure shattered instantly.
"Excuse me?" Her voice rose sharply. "Do you know who you're speaking to? I am Rabina Manoban. The future CEO of Manoban Group of Industries. You think you can drag me into a courtroom?"
A stunned silence fell over the room.
Rohan looked at her sideways.
Mr. Walker did not blink.
"Excuse me," he said, his tone dropping to something dangerously quiet. "Save that attitude for someone else. I am the most powerful advocate in this country. One case — just one — and I will tie your precious Manoban Group of Industries into a legal knot they will never escape from. Then we'll see how proudly you say that name."
Rabina went completely silent.
Rohan pressed his lips together to hide a smile.
Mrs. Watson jumped in quickly. "Please, ignore her — she's just a child, she doesn't know what she's saying. Let's not get distracted. The case—"
"She just asked me if I knew who I was speaking to," Mr. Walker said flatly. "I think that's worth addressing."
"Yes, yes — moving on," Mrs. Watson said firmly.
Rohan straightened and opened his mouth.
"That's enough."
Mrs. Watson's voice cut through the room like a blade.
"Say only what needs to be said. Understood?"
Rohan stared at her.
"Then why did you call me here?" he said quietly.
He pushed his chair back and stood.
"Rohan—" Bella started.
"Shut up."
He walked out.
Bella sat frozen, humiliation creeping up her face as every eye in the room turned toward her.
The principal's expression tightened with visible anger.
"That boy has gotten completely out of hand," Mrs. Watson muttered under her breath.
Bella leaned toward Grace and whispered — "He's only acting like this because of that girl."
Mrs. Watson redirected the conversation back to Meena's case before anyone could respond.
Rohan stepped out of the office to find the school grounds empty.
He glanced at his phone.
6:30 PM.
He exhaled slowly.
Half an hour.
He walked out of the school gates, hands in his pockets.
Meanwhile, Raha sat at home, stealing glances at the clock.
Should I go?
The door opened. Her mother walked in — earlier than usual.
Raha's face lit up. She ran to her and pulled out her notepad.
"You're home early?"
"Not much work today," her mother smiled. "And no one else was home either."
Raha went quiet at that.
"Nothing happened at school today?" her mother asked gently.
Raha shook her head. No.
"Good. Rohan told me — no one would dare bother you."
Rohan's name settled somewhere in Raha's chest. She looked away.
Her mother held out her phone. "Subin called again, by the way."
Raha's entire face changed.
She snatched the phone and ran to her room.
She video-called immediately.
Subin appeared on screen, worry written all over his face. "Are you okay? Nothing happened at school?"
Raha shook her head. No.
"Be careful. I worry about you."
Raha just smiled.
And something about that smile made Subin forget everything else entirely.
They stayed on the call for a long time — Raha writing, Subin talking, both of them pretending they weren't counting the minutes.
When Subin finally ended the call, Raha floated back out of her room, still glowing.
Her mother raised an eyebrow. "It's 9 o'clock. Eat something. You went in there at 6:30 and you're only coming out now — that much to talk about?"
Raha laughed silently.
And then, mid-laugh — it hit her.
Oh.
Oh no.
Rohan.
She ran to the door and threw it open.
Rain. Heavy, relentless rain.
Raha stood there, hand pressed to her forehead.
"What's wrong?" her mother called.
Nothing, Raha signed quickly.
She looked at the clock. Then at the rain. Then at the clock again.
He's probably gone by now. It's too late. There's no way he's still—
"If someone is crazy enough," her mother's voice drifted in from the kitchen, "they'll wait for anyone."
Raha blinked.
She hadn't even realized she'd written the question — Would anyone wait for someone on a rainy night like this?
Her mother was still smiling to herself. "Only if they're completely mad."
Raha stood very still.
...He is completely mad.
She grabbed her umbrella and ran.
"Where are you going at this hour?!" her mother called after her.
Raha gestured over her shoulder — Back soon — and disappeared into the rain.
Her mother watched the door for a moment.
"Crazy girl," she said softly. And smiled.
The rain had grown heavier.
Raha arrived at the mall, umbrella barely keeping her dry, and looked around.
A figure stood at the entrance.
Umbrella in hand. Still waiting.
Rohan.
He turned as she approached, and his gaze was heavy — unreadable.
Raha lowered her head.
"Why did you even come?" he said loudly.
She didn't respond.
"Do you know what time it is?"
Still nothing. Still looking at the ground.
The next moment, Rohan reached out and knocked her umbrella straight out of her hand.
Raha looked up — eyes wide, rain soaking through her immediately.
Then, without a word, she reached over and knocked his umbrella out of his hand too.
"Are you insane?" he said.
She glared at him.
He went quiet.
Then he grabbed her hand and pulled her inside.
Raha stood dripping in the entrance, still making a face at him.
"Get changed," Rohan said simply.
Raha signed — Where?
"Don't worry about it." He gestured around at the empty, gleaming mall. "I bought it for tonight."
Raha stared at him.
You WHAT?
"Go. Change. Before you get sick."
She picked up the nearest dress, made a face at him one more time, and disappeared into the changing room.
Inside, she stood for a moment in the quiet.
What kind of person knocks over your umbrella in the rain and then tells you not to get sick?
She almost laughed.
When she came back out, Rohan was already changed, leaning against the wall.
Raha stopped.
She stared.
Rohan caught her expression and straightened. "Something to say?"
He disappeared for a moment and came back with a notebook and pen.
"Here. Write it."
Raha took the pen.
You're insane. Who waits this long for someone?
"I knew you'd come," he said simply.
Why did you throw my umbrella?
"Because you were supposed to be here at seven." His voice was matter-of-fact. "You showed up at nine thirty. I was a little angry."
Raha blinked at him.
A little.
"Are you hungry?" he asked. "Because I'm starving."
He pulled her to a table before she could answer.
"What do you want?"
Raha thought for a moment. Outside, the rain drummed against the glass walls of the empty mall. Cold. Heavy. Perfect.
She wrote — Ice cream.
Rohan looked at her. "Ice cream. Right now. In this weather."
Raha set her chin and looked away.
He watched her for a second. Something softened in his expression that he didn't quite manage to hide.
"Fine. Ice cream. What flavor?"
Chocolate.
He called the waiter and ordered two.
Raha looked up — two?
By the time the ice cream arrived, the clock read 10:30. The rain hadn't eased at all.
Raha wrote — It's late. I need to go home. My mother will worry. Why did you call me here?
Rohan hesitated.
The gift sat in his pocket, where it had been sitting for two days now.
"Eat first," he said. "Stop worrying."
Raha picked up her spoon.
And then Rohan placed it on the table between them — quietly, without ceremony.
The small, wrapped gift.
Raha looked at it.
What is this?
"Open it."
This is for me?
"Who else is here?"
Raha stared at it for a long moment.
Then she wrote — I don't want to open it.
Rohan's expression shifted. "Why not?"
She didn't answer. She just sat there, hands still, eyes somewhere far away.
Shawn's voice moved through her memory like a current she couldn't stop.
Rohan is just as responsible for what happened to Meena.
Rohan watched her face carefully. He understood without needing the words.
He picked up the gift and held it out to her gently.
"Take it."
Raha wrote — It's late. I'm going home.
She stood.
She turned toward the exit.
And then his hand closed around her.