Maya sounded completely serious,
"You hesitated twice.
You dropped your shoulder before release.
And your wrist angle is inconsistent."
Rahi rubbed the back of his neck,
"...Yeah.
I haven't practiced in a long time."
"Clearly."
"Good to know some things never change."
Maya folded her arms,
"You always hated training."
"I hated your training."
"It worked."
"It was torture."
"But, It worked."
Rahi sighed dramatically, "It worked."
For a brief moment, the tension between them felt strangely familiar.
Like two people continuing a conversation that had been interrupted years ago.
"I thought you were dead.
Do you have any idea how hard you were to find?"
A pause.
" I searched everywhere.
Every database, every record, every lead."
His voice grew more frustrated with each sentence.
"You disappeared completely.
You cut yourself off from the entire world.
No digital footprint, no communications.
No trace."
He shook his head,
"It was like you erased yourself from existence."
Maya's expression became unreadable.
"I know."
"You knew?"
"You leave a trail when you worked."
Rahi groaned.
"I knew you were going to say something annoying."
"You've always been predictable."
"That's insulting."
"It's accurate."
"Do you know how many people disappear every year?
None of them disappear that well."
"You talk too much."
Rahi stopped mid-sentence.
"...Excuse me?"
Rahi groaned dramatically,
"Do you enjoy being difficult?"
"Sometimes."
"At least you're honest."
A few of the younger cousins exchanged bewildered looks.
Nahi whispered, "Are they arguing?"
Farhan whispered back,
"I think this is how they talk."
"I searched for years.
"You shouldn't have."
"I know."
"Then why did you?"
"Because there were very few people who understood what that place was."
A pause.
"And even fewer who survived it."
The corridor had gone still.
"You're actually insane."
"...What?"
"I walk into your party and say hello and you are saying me insane. "
"You called me Subject 17B in front of half the country's elite."
Rahi placed a hand over his chest,
"I was excited."
"That doesn't make it less insane."
—
Maya thought for a moment , then she exhaled once.
Her eyes moved slowly across the crowd.
Her voice low ,
"You saw nothing . You heard nothing."
A chill ran through the room.
"Do you understand?"
The stillness became uncomfortable.
The words hung in the air like a locked door.
A minister cleared his throat.
Near the back of the hall, one of the businessmen gave a nervous nod before realizing how absurd that looked.
Rahi watched the entire scene.
Then laughed once, "Still doing that."
Maya glanced at him, "Doing what?"
"Giving orders like people actually have a choice."
A few guests visibly stiffened.
Because the uncomfortable truth was—
it felt exactly like that.
Rahi shoved his hands into his pockets.
"Relax, She's not threatening you."
A pause.
"Probably."
Half the room looked less reassured than before.
Maya stared at him, "You aren't helping."
"I rarely do."
"That is true."
For some reason, that exchange only made the situation stranger.
"This is insane," Fahad muttered under his breath.
Fahan exhaled sharply.
"She's ordering us to forget what we saw?"
Nobody answered.
Because, in a way, she was.
Mahi stood frozen. Her hands trembled slightly at her sides,
"Maya ... We can't just pretend."
The words lingered in the silence.
"You can."
Mahi swallowed, "Is that what you want?"
"Yes."
A heavy silence followed.
Farhan looked at her for a long moment,
"...And if we don't?"
"Then you make it harder."
Mahim stood quietly. Then he straightened,
"Then it is done."
His voice carried through the hall,
"We saw nothing. Understood?"
Fahad stared at Maya, "...Yeah."
Fahan rubbed a hand across his face ,
"Understood."
Eventually—
One by one, the others followed.
"Understood. We all saw nothing. "
The hall had only just begun to settle.
Guests were still exchanging uneasy glances.
Then Rahi looked across the room.
He slipped his hands into his pockets,
"If tonight's conversation somehow finds its way outside these walls..."
A pause.
"...then I suggest the person responsible pays close attention to their own secrets."
Silence.
The smile that appeared on his face was small,
"You never know what might happen."
Several people immediately looked away.
One businessman nearly choked on his drink.
A senator's aide suddenly found the floor fascinating.
Near the back of the hall, someone whispered,
"Was that a threat?"
His companion whispered back immediately,
"Don't ask."
Another guest muttered nervously,
"I told you I didn't want to come tonight."
"Stop talking."
"Why?"
"Because that's Rahi."
That explanation seemed sufficient.
Fahad stared at him,
"...Did you just threaten half the room?"
Rahi looked genuinely confused,
"What?
You heard me, i didn't threaten anyone."
The room collectively failed to believe him.
Rahi shrugged,
"I merely advised people to be careful."
"That sounded exactly like a threat."
Fahan said.
"It only sounds threatening if people have secrets."
Several guests looked horrified.
Rahi noticed. His grin widened,
"Judging by the reactions, that appears to be quite a few of you."
"Mr.Rahi."
Mahim's voice cut through the room.
Rahi looked over.
Mahim's expression remained composed,
"Try not to terrify my guests."
A pause.
Then he glanced back at the crowd,
"Relax."
Nobody relaxed.
Farhan rubbed his forehead,
"I understand why people are afraid of him now."
"You understand it now?" Nahi whispered.
Meanwhile, Maya stood nearby, completely unbothered, "You enjoy this."
Rahi smirked, "A little."
"You're annoying."
Finally, Maya turned toward the staircase.
"Come with me."
Rahi raised an eyebrow.
"That sounds ominous."
"It wasn't a request."
"That sounds even more ominous."
"Are you coming?"
Rahi smirked, "Still bossy."
"And you're still slow."
"Rude."
Maya spoke, "Mr. Saad."
The butler, who had been standing quietly at the edge of the hall throughout the entire evening, stepped forward immediately.
"Yes, Miss?"
"Prepare a room for him."
For the first time, Mr. Saad hesitated.
His eyes shifted toward Mahim.
A guest near the back whispered,
"Even the staff is unsure."
"He's waiting for permission."
Mahim met the butler's gaze.
For a moment, neither spoke.Then Mahim gave a single nod.
Mr. Saad immediately inclined his head,
"As you wish, Miss."
His voice was smooth and professional,
"It will be arranged at once."
Rahi watched the activity with growing amusement,
"You know...Most people don't invite me to stay."
"Most people are sensible. "
" Crazy Monster. "
"Shut your mouth up. "
Rahi sighed dramatically,
"There she is, The terrifying little commander I remember."
Maya didn't respond. She turned and walked away.
Click...Click....Click.
Her heels echoed across the marble floor.
Rahi followed , One step behind.
His hands remained in his pockets.
His expression calmer than it had been all evening.
As though simply knowing Maya was alive had removed a burden he had carried for years.
The black fabric of her dress brushed softly against the marble steps.
"Are you always this dramatic?" she asked.
"No."
Maya continued climbing the stairs,
"You walked into a formal ceremony looking like you'd lost a fight with a hurricane."
Rahi looked down at himself,
"I was in a hurry."
"You looked homeless."
"I came to see if you were alive."
"You could have combed your hair first."
The two disappeared onto the upper floor, their voices gradually fading into the distance.
—
Behind them—the hall remained frozen.
Fahad folded his arms,
"Well.
Somehow I think we know less than we did an hour ago."
"Agreed."
Nahi blinked, "Is it just me..."
"No."
Farhan answered immediately, "I saw it too."
A guest whispered, "What just happened…?"
Another answered, "Something we weren't meant to see."
Then he adjusted his glasses and spoke quietly,
"...I think Rahi is afraid of her."
"What?" Fahad stared at him.
"That's ridiculous."
"Rahi?
The same Rahi that terrifies half the country?"
"I'm saying.....he knows exactly what she's capable of."
"Ahem."
"Ahem."
"Ahem."
The sound of a throat being cleared echoed through the room.
—
Mahim stood still , his voice low,
"Ehem. Let's continue."
The orchestra resumed playing again .
Soft music drifted through the hall.
Servants moved among the guests carrying silver trays filled with drinks and desserts.
Conversations slowly restarted.
A minister laughed at a joke.
A business executive discussed investments.
A university dean found himself speaking about research grants.
Unfortunately, curiosity proved difficult to kill.
Nearby, Fahad rubbed his temples,
"This entire evening has shortened my lifespan."
Fahan took a sip of his drink,
"Only this evening?"
"Good point."
Farhan stood near one of the windows.
His eyes occasionally drifted toward the upper floor.
Mahi stood beside Mahim.
Watching the ceremony continue despite everything.
Above them, somewhere in the vast mansion, Maya and Rahi continued talking.
Two survivors of a past no one else fully understood.
While below, beneath crystal chandeliers and golden light, the Sunayana family did their best to smile.
Slowly, the tension that had gripped the hall began to loosen.
Children ran between tables.
Old friends reunited, photographs were taken glasses were raised.
Yet beneath every conversation lingered the memory of what had happened earlier.
The mysterious reunion.
The strange code names.
The unsettling appearance of Rahi.
As evening deepened into night, the crowd gradually began to thin.
The grand doors opened and closed repeatedly.
Cars rolled down the long driveway beneath the glow of the estate's lamps.
Near the entrance, Mahi stood waiting.
A gracious smile remained on her face despite her exhaustion.
"Thank you for coming."
"It was a wonderful evening."
"We're honored you joined us."
One by one, she greeted the departing guests.
A minister's wife squeezed her hand gently,
"Your daughter is beautiful."
Mahi's smile softened, "Thank you."
Another guest nodded respectfully,
"It was an honor meeting her."
"Thank you for coming."
An elderly professor adjusted his spectacles,
"Congratulations on your daughter's return."
For a brief moment, genuine emotion flickered across Mahi's face, "Thank you."
Nearby, Mahim stood with his usual composed presence.
Exchanging farewells, offering polite words.
As always, he carried himself like a man who commanded entire industries.
Eventually, the final guests began making their way toward the exit.
Until at last— silence returned.
Mahi stood in the center of the room.
The flowers remained.
The chandeliers still glowed overhead.
The scent of tuberoses lingered faintly in the air.
She exhaled slowly, "It's finished."
Mahim walked toward her, "Yes."
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Mahi glanced toward the staircase leading to the upper floors.
Toward the part of the mansion where Maya had disappeared earlier.
Upstairs, in the study, Maya and Rahi sat across from each other.
Books lined the walls from floor to ceiling.
A lamp cast a warm pool of light across the desk between them.
" I looked for you over past years ."
"I noticed."
Rahi pointed at her, "You are crazy. "
A knock interrupted him.
Then the door opened.
Mr. Saad stood outside, "Miss Maya."
Maya lifted her head, "Yes?"
"Dinner is ready."
Rahi straightened slightly, "Dangerous."
Mr. Saad blinked, "Sir?"
"Whenever a butler says dinner is ready in a mansion like this, something terrible usually follows."
The butler's expression remained perfectly professional,
"I can assure you, sir, the dinner is harmless."
Maya stood , "Ignore him."
"I've been trying, Miss. " Mr. Saad replied smoothly.
A few minutes later, they descended the staircase together.
The dining room was brightly lit.
The entire family was already seated around the long table.
Every conversation stopped the moment Maya and Rahi entered.
Rahi immediately noticed,
"17 B, why the entire family just stopped talking? "
"That's because you're here."
"Exactly."
Rahi pointed triumphantly, "Evaluation."
Nahi snorted, "I kind of like him."
"Don't encourage him, " Fahan replied.
Rahi sat down,
"See? This one understands me."
"No, I don't."
"Excellent. We're already friends."
Nahi immediately regretted speaking.
Farhan covered his face with one hand,
"This is exhausting."
"You've known him for ten minutes."
Fahim said.
Fahad studied Rahi for a moment,
"Are you always like this?"
"According to several governments, yes."
"...Several governments?" Ohi repeated.
Rahi reached for a glass of water,
"That's not important."
"It sounds important."
"It's only important if you're one of those governments."
Fahan sighed heavily,
"Why do I feel like every answer creates three new questions?"
Fahim adjusted his glasses,
"I have a question."
"You knew Maya before she came here."
"Yes."
"How long?"
"A long time."
Farhan leaned forward, "What was she like?"
Everyone looked toward Rahi,
"Crazy."
A pause.
"Absolute devil."
Nahi nearly choked on his drink,
"WHAT?"
Mahi frowned, "What does that mean?"
Rahi looked genuinely confused,
"It means exactly what it sounds like."
Fahan said, "It absolutely does not."
He pointed toward Maya, "Extremely skilled fighter."
A pause.
"And an impossible genius."
"...You're serious?"
"Unfortunately, " Rahi replied.
Farhan stared at Maya,
"The same Maya who spends most of her day drawing?"
"Yes."
"The same Maya who looks like she weighs less than my backpack?"
Rahi took a sip of water,
"Never underestimate small people."
Fahad narrowed his eyes, "What happened?"
Rahi pointed at her,
"She was seven and I underestimated her.
I assumed I knew exactly what she would do."
"And?"
"And I was wrong."
"Then. "
"Let's just say she turned the entire exercise upside down."
Several family members exchanged looks.
"I'm being generous, by the way."
"You have a distorted definition of generosity."
"No. I have firsthand experience."
Fahad looked unconvinced,
"I don't believe you."
Rahi looked personally offended,
"You think I'm lying?"
Before the discussion could continue, Maya turned her attention toward the butler,
"Mr. Saad."
The butler appeared immediately.
As though he had materialized from the walls.
"Yes, Miss?"
"Does this estate have a training ground?"
Mr. Saad blinked once, "It does, Miss."
Across the table, Rahi looked at Mr. Saad.
The look was remarkably helpless.
Mr. Saad understood immediately.
Unfortunately for Rahi, that understanding offered no salvation.
"No."
She said calmly,
"Some people have had too much free time."
Fahad suddenly became very interested in his food.
Farhan studied the ceiling.
Fahan examined a spoon.
Rahi looked betrayed, "Mr. Saad."
"Yes, sir?"
"Help me."
"I'm afraid I cannot do that, sir."
Rahi stared at the ceiling.
He pointed dramatically at the entire table,
"See? Crazy devil."
"How are you two even friends?"
Rahi's smile faded. The humor left his face so suddenly that several people noticed.
He looked down at the glass in his hand,
"The past can be a frightening place."
He turned the glass slightly between his fingers,
"Maybe we met while trying to survive it."
"Sometimes people meet in normal ways.
And sometimes they meet because the world has become a very ugly place."
Silence settled over the table.
Because everyone understood there was more behind those words than he was willing to explain.
Maya's gaze dropped briefly to the table.
Then she changed the subject,
"Mr. Saad."
The butler appeared from nowhere once again.
Rahi jumped slightly,
"How does he keep doing that?"
"I've worked here for twenty-three years, sir."
" That's not an answer."
Mr. Saad ignored him professionally,
"Yes, Miss?"
"The training ground."
Rahi immediately pointed at Fahim,
"Doctor."
Fahim looked up, "Yes?"
"I need medical protection."
"No."
"Why not?"
"You're healthy."
"I won't be healthy tomorrow."
Even Mahim's mouth twitched slightly.
A rare occurrence.
Then Maya pushed her chair back.
The soft scrape of wood against the floor drew everyone's attention.
Rahi immediately became suspicious,
"Why are you standing?"
Maya ignored him, "Mr. Saad."
The butler appeared almost instantly,
"Yes, Miss?"
"Where is the training room?"
Mr. Saad maintained his professional composure,
"The main training facility is located behind the east wing, Miss.
Accessible through the lower courtyard."
Maya nodded once, "Thank you."
Mr. Saad cleared his throat politely,
"The training room is available whenever Miss wishes to use it."
Rahi looked at the butler,
"Help me this once. "
"I'm afraid helping is not part of my current assignment, sir."
Rahi stared at the ceiling for a moment.
"if I survive this, I'm filing a formal complaint."
Maya didn't even look back, "Survive first."
That answer caused half the family to laugh and the other half to become concerned for Rahi.
"Show us the way."
Rahi looked around the table desperately,
"Nobody is going to stop this?"
"No,"Fahad replied immediately.
"Absolutely not," Nahi added.
"In fact, we're coming too."
Within minutes, half the family was on their feet.
Eventually, Mr. Saad opened a set of large reinforced doors.
The training ground beyond was enormous.
Floodlights illuminated the space.
Practice dummies stood in rows.
Targets lined distant walls.
Training weapons rested neatly on racks.
The entire facility looked less like a private training area and more like a military academy.
"...Father," Farhan said.
"Why is your training ground larger than my school?"
Mahim didn't answer.
Faha raised an eyebrow,
"You're asking why it's so big?"
"Yes."
"You've barely been here."
Farhan immediately pointed at his father,
"Because he never lets me come here."
Several heads turned toward Mahim.
Farhan continued,
"Every time I ask, he says, 'Later.'"
A pause.
"Do you know how many years 'later' has been?"
Rahi stood near the center of the training floor, looking around,
"This family is fascinating."
Meanwhile, Maya stepped into the center of the floor.
Rahi remained near the entrance.
His expression suggested a man walking willingly toward disaster.
Farhan noticed, "You're actually nervous."
Maya slowly removed her jacket and placed it neatly on a nearby bench.
The room grew quieter.Even the cousins stopped talking. Because something about her demeanor had changed.
Maya looked at Rahi, "Are you coming?"
Rahi stared at the ceiling, "Unfortunately."
"Then attack the ."
The instant the word left her mouth—
Rahi moved.Gasps erupted around the room.
One moment he was standing still.
The next, he had crossed half the distance between them.
THUD!
His foot struck the ground. His body twisted.
Maya turned slightly and the attack missed by inches.
He attacked again, faster.
A combination of strikes flowed together seamlessly.
The sound of movement echoed through the hall.
STEP.
TURN.
SWISH.
Maya blocked the first. Redirected the second. Avoided the third entirely.
The sound of impact echoed through the training ground.
Fahad stared, "What the—"
Farhan didn't even finish breathing.
Because neither fighter seemed humanly fast.
Rahi suddenly changed rhythm.
His body dropped low, A sweeping attack followed.
Her foot lifted, the sweep passed beneath her.
As though she had known it was coming before he moved.
The spectators collectively took a step back.
"How is she doing that?" Nahi whispered.
Fahim didn't answer. Because he was wondering the same thing.
Rahi attacked again. The pace doubled.
The room became a blur of movement.
Strike.
Counter.
Block.
Evade.
The rhythm accelerated.
Rahi drove forward relentlessly.
Then suddenly—
she stopped retreating and the entire fight changed.
Rahi immediately noticed,"Oh no."
Maya moved.
He twisted away at the last possible moment.
The attack missed barely.
His eyes widened, "That was rude."
"You started it."
Maya changed direction.
One moment she was several feet away.
The next she was standing directly in front of him.
TAP.
A precise strike to his forearm.
Rahi immediately grimaced, "What—"
Before he could finish—
TAP.
Another perfectly timed hit near his shoulder.
His arm momentarily weakened,
"Hey!"
TAP.
A controlled strike to another pressure point.
Three precise movements.
Rahi took a step forward, then stopped.
His expression changed,
"Wait, Ow... ow... ow..."
He tried to raise his right arm.The arm lifed halfway and refused to cooperate.
Then his leg gave an alarming twitch,
"Ow.... Ow.....Ow.... That hurt so much. "
Then—
THUMP.
He collapsed onto the training mat.
Flat on his back, Staring at the ceiling.
The entire room erupted, "WHAT?!"
Farhan looked horrified.
Rahi pointed—or at least attempted to point,
"My arms aren't working. My legs have also submitted their resignation."
Several people tried very hard not to laugh.
"What did you do to me?"
"Nothing."
Maya crouched beside him.
Rahi looked genuinely offended, "Fix it."
"No."
"Seventeen B."
"Hm?"
"Please."
Finally, Maya sighed, "Fine."
She placed two fingers against his arm.
Then another near his shoulder.
Rahi blinked, "Oh."
He sat up immediately, "My arm works."
The family stared completely speechless.
Finally, Fahim broke the silence,
"...Was that some form of advanced nerve-targeting technique?"
"Something like that."
Nearby, Mahim stood with his arms folded.
His eyes remained fixed on Maya.
On her composure, the discipline, the control.
The instinct.
A slow breath left him.
A faint, rare curve formed at the edge of his mouth.
For a moment, he said nothing.
"Hm."
Mahi glanced at him, "What?"
Mahim's gaze never left Maya,
"That girl .... there is my blood in her veins.
.....That's my girl. "
A pause.
"I spent years training soldiers.I've seen talented fighters. I've seen exceptional fighters."
His gaze narrowed slightly.
"But what I saw just now wasn't talent.
That was something built through countless hours of training."
Rahi laughed softly,
"Countless doesn't even begin to describe it."
Mahim took a step forward,
"Who taught you to fight?
This level… even trained soldiers struggle to reach it."
Rahi glanced toward Maya, then back at Mahim,
"Just be careful what you ask, General."
Mahim's eyes sharpened,
"What do you mean?"
Rahi shrugged, "Nothing. "
Then pointed dramatically at the entire room,
"Now do you understand?"
"Understand what?" Fahad asked.
"Why I called her crazy devil ."
For the first time, a faint hint of amusement appeared in Maya's eyes,
"You've become lazy."
Rahi looked personally attacked, "Lazy?"
"Yes."
"I run an organization."
"Still not training."
"I work eighteen-hour days."
"Also not training."
The training ground remained silent.
Everyone was still trying to process what they had just witnessed.
Rahi flexed his fingers one last time.
Then Maya looked at him, "i am not finished."
Rahi froze, "...What?"
"We can continue."
Several members of the family immediately looked at Rahi.
His expression became one of pure disbelief,
"Continue?"
"Yes."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I enjoy having functioning limbs."
"You have functioning limbs."
"That is a temporary condition around you."
A few people laughed.
Rahi looked around, "Nobody is helping me."
"Correct, " Fahad replied.
"Unbelievable."
Maya took a step forward,"One more round."
Rahi stared at her for several seconds.
Then—
he laughed, "Absolutely not."
Before anyone could react, he turned.
Running straight toward one of the large windows overlooking the gardens.
"What are you doing?" Farhan asked.
"Surviving."
He pushed the window open.Cool night air rushed into the room. The entire family watched in confusion.
Then Rahi placed one foot on the sill.
"13A ," Maya said.
"No."
"Come back."
"I choose life."
And before anyone could stop him—
he put one hand on the window frame.
And jumped.
Several people rushed forward, "What is he doing?!"
Only to find Rahi landing lightly on the lawn below. He straightened his shirt.Looked up toward the training room.
Then grinned, "Good night!"
Then, He start's jogging across the garden below. Rapidly increasing the distance between himself and the training ground.
Nahi doubled over laughing, "He ran away!"
"He absolutely ran away," Farhan agreed.
Fahad shook his head,
"I've never seen someone retreat with such confidence."
"He really jumped out a window!"
"To avoid another fight!" Faha added.
Fahis stared out at the disappearing figure,
"I have never seen anyone flee so enthusiastically."
"That's because you haven't met Maya before," Rahi shouted from somewhere in the darkness.
The training ground erupted into laughter.
"Your guest escaped."Fahan informed her.
"I'm aware."
"Should we go get him?"
"No, leave him as he is . "
Even Mahim looked amused.
Maya watched the disappearing figure for a moment.
Then she let out a slow breath,
"He's ridiculous."
"No argument there, " Fahan replied.
Mahim glanced at the clock mounted on the wall.
Past midnight.
"Enough."
His voice carried easily through the room.
Everyone looked toward him, "Go to bed."
"Honestly," Nahi admitted, stretching his arms,
"I think my brain stopped working three hours ago."
"It was working before?"
"That's rude."
"It's also a valid question."
Nahi pointed accusingly at him.
Farhan laughed quietly.
Mahi rose from her chair,"Good night, Maya."
Maya nodded, "Good night."
Mahi's smile widened slightly.
One by one, the family began leaving.
Farhan stopped beside her,"Good night, sis."
A small pause.
"Good night."
Farhan left looking noticeably happier than before.
Soon the training ground emptied.
The great mansion slowly settled into silence.
Footsteps faded.
Eventually, even Mahim and Mahi retired to their rooms.
The corridors became still.
And one by one, the lights across the mansion went dark.
Leaving only the soft glow of moonlight beyond the windows and the deep, peaceful silence of a house at rest.