Chapter Seventy-Two: The First Night Preparations (And Endless Teasing)
The wedding was over.
The guests had gone home. The lights had dimmed. The mansion had finally settled into something resembling peace.
But inside, chaos still reigned.
Shreya, Akshi, Chethan, and Mithun had officially moved into the mansion temporarily—at least until they found their own place in Manila. Keifer had insisted. "You're family. You stay with family."
So here they were.
Guest rooms assigned. Luggage scattered. New life beginning.
And tonight was Jay and Keifer's first night as husband and wife.
Which meant the girls had a mission.
---
Jay stood in the master bedroom doorway, confused. "Wait. Why can't I go in?"
Ella blocked her path. "Because we're decorating."
"Decorating what?"
"The room. For your first night."
Jay's face went red. "You don't need to—"
"Oh, we absolutely do." Rakii was already inside, arranging things. "It's tradition."
"Whose tradition?"
"OURS. We just made it up."
Shreya patted Jay's arm. "Go take a bath. Relax. Let us work."
Akshi nodded vigorously. "We have PLANS! SO many plans!"
Jay looked at Keifer for help.
Keifer, wisely, was already walking away. "I'm going to check on Keiran."
"KEIF!"
"Good luck, love!"
---
The door closed behind Jay.
The girls got to work.
Ella directed. "Rose petals on the bed. More on the floor."
Rakii documented. "For the album. 'First Night Preparations.'"
Freya arranged candles safely. "We don't want to burn the mansion down."
Mica hung something lacy on the bedpost. "WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?"
Honey inspected it. "I brought it. Wedding gift."
"AMAZING."
Grace, with Grazel on her hip, added small touches—flowers, soft lights, a note from Keiran that said "HAVE FUN MUMMY AND PAPPA" in crayon.
Tita Gemma had sent a basket of "essentials" that no one was allowed to open yet.
---
Shreya and Akshi worked together, adding personal touches.
Akshi held up something sparkly. "Where should this go?"
Shreya considered. "Maybe on the dresser? Near the—" She stopped. Blushed.
Akshi grinned. "Near the WHAT?"
"NOTHING!"
"You thought something!"
"I DID NOT!"
Ella watched them, amused. "You two are adorable."
Akshi preened. "I KNOW!"
Shreya pointed at her. "She's the adorable one! I'm just—"
"Just what?" Honey asked innocently. "Just hopelessly in love with someone in this house?"
Shreya's face went crimson. "I don't know what you're talking about!"
Mica gasped. "SOMEONE? WHO?"
Rakii zoomed in. "For the record."
Shreya grabbed a pillow and threw it. "NO RECORDING!"
---
The teasing began.
Mica circled her. "Is it Mithun? It's Mithun, right?"
"It's NO ONE!"
Akshi joined in. "She blushes every time he walks into a room!"
"I DO NOT!"
"You do! Yesterday, he said 'good morning' and you turned into a TOMATO!"
Honey nodded. "I saw that. Very tomato."
Freya smiled gently. "He's very kind. And calm. You two would balance each other well."
Shreya buried her face in her hands. "NOT YOU TOO!"
Grace bounced Grazel. "The baby agrees."
Grazel cooed.
"SEE? THE BABY AGREES!"
---
Ella tried to be diplomatic. "Shreya, we're not trying to embarrass you. We just—"
"Yes you are!"
"—okay, we ARE trying to embarrass you. But also, we see the way you look at him."
Shreya was quiet.
Akshi softened. "Shreya. It's okay. We're not judging."
"I know." Shreya looked up. "It's just... complicated."
"Complicated how?"
"He's my best friend. What if I ruin that?"
Rakii lowered her camera. "What if you don't?"
Honey sat beside her. "What if it becomes something even better?"
Shreya wiped her eyes. "You're all so annoying."
"But you love us."
"...Yeah. I do."
---
The teasing shifted.
Akshi tried to escape, but Mica grabbed her. "OH NO YOU DON'T! Your turn!"
"My turn for WHAT?"
"To be teased! You and Chethan are ENGAGED now! We have QUESTIONS!"
Akshi's face went red. "What questions?"
Honey pulled out a list. "I made a list."
"A LIST?!"
"An organized list. With categories."
---
Category One: The Proposal.
Ella led. "Did you have ANY idea he was going to propose?"
Akshi shook her head. "NONE! He caught the bouquet and I was like 'why is Chethan holding flowers' and then he—" She stopped, smiling. "He dropped to one knee and I just... forgot how to breathe."
Mica swooned. "THAT'S SO ROMANTIC!"
Rakii photographed her expression. "Perfect reaction shot."
Freya asked, "Did you know he had a ring?"
"NO! He'd been carrying it for a WEEK and I had NO IDEA!"
Honey checked her list. "Mithun knew. Apparently Chethan asked his advice."
Shreya's ears perked up. "Mithun knew?"
"Knew and kept the secret. Very loyal."
---
Category Two: The Wedding.
"When?" Ella asked.
"We haven't decided! Everything just happened!"
Mica pulled out her phone. "I have a spreadsheet of potential dates."
"A SPREADSHEET?"
"I'm ORGANIZED when it comes to romance!"
Calix, passing by the door, called in, "She's been working on it for a week!"
"THANK YOU, BABE!"
"YOU'RE WELCOME!"
---
Category Three: The Living Situation.
Grace asked, "You're staying here until you find your own place, right?"
Akshi nodded. "Chethan and I have a room. Shreya and Mithun have rooms. Separate rooms."
"Separate?" Mica raised an eyebrow.
"VERY separate!"
"For now," Honey murmured.
Akshi pointed at her. "STOP!"
---
The teasing continued for another hour.
By the time they finished, the room was transformed.
Rose petals everywhere. Candles flickering softly. The bed adorned with lace and silk. Keiran's crayon note prominently displayed.
And the girls were exhausted but happy.
Ella surveyed their work. "Perfect."
Rakii took one last photo. "For the archives."
Mica bounced. "Jay is going to LOVE it!"
Freya nodded. "It's beautiful."
Honey hugged everyone. "Best team ever."
Grace shifted sleeping Grazel. "She approves."
Grazel murmured in her sleep.
---
Shreya and Akshi walked to their rooms together.
"That was fun," Akshi said.
"Embarrassing. But fun."
"You okay? About the Mithun thing?"
Shreya sighed. "I don't know. Maybe. We'll see."
Akshi hugged her. "Whatever happens, I'm here."
"I know. Love you."
"Love you too, sister."
---
In the hallway, they passed Mithun.
He nodded. "Good evening."
Shreya's face went pink. "Evening."
He paused. "The room looks beautiful. What you did for Jay."
"You saw it?"
"I passed by. The door was open." He smiled slightly. "You have good taste."
She didn't know what to say.
He didn't move.
Akshi, watching, slowly backed away. "I'm just gonna... go... now..."
She disappeared.
Shreya and Mithun stood there.
Alone.
---
"The girls were teasing me," Shreya blurted.
"About?"
"About... things."
He tilted his head. "What things?"
She couldn't say it. "Just... things."
He was quiet for a moment. Then: "They tease me too."
"About what?"
"About you."
Her heart stopped. "What do they say?"
He stepped closer. "That I look at you a certain way."
"What way?"
"This way."
He looked at her. Really looked.
She couldn't breathe.
---
From around the corner, Akshi whispered to Mica, who'd somehow appeared. "ARE THEY—"
"SHH! THEY'RE HAVING A MOMENT!"
Rakii was filming through a crack. "Historical documentation."
Honey joined. "This is better than any movie."
Ella pulled them back. "Give them privacy!"
"BUT—"
"PRIVACY!"
They retreated, giggling.
---
Shreya and Mithun stood there, the moment stretching.
Finally, he spoke. "Get some sleep. Big day tomorrow."
"Big day?"
"Being here. Starting new lives." He smiled. "Together."
"Together," she echoed.
He walked away.
She watched him go.
And somewhere in the mansion, seven girls lost their minds.
---
End of Chapter Seventy-Two