Keifer's POV
The next morning smelled like toast and coffee… and chaos waiting to happen.
All five of us were at the breakfast table. Jay was buttering toast. Keigan was half-awake. Eces looked calm — too calm. And Keiren?
Keiren looked like he had discovered a new subject to interrogate.
He turned to Eces with sparkling eyes.
"Do you have many gods in India?"
Eces blinked once. "Yes."
"How many?"
She shrugged lightly. "Many."
"That's not a number."
Jay laughed softly. "Eat your breakfast."
But Keiren was locked in.
"Do they all live in temples?"
"No," Eces replied patiently. "Temples are places people go to pray."
"Are the temples big?"
"Some are huge. Some are small. Some are thousands of years old."
Keiren gasped. "Older than Kuya?"
I choked on my coffee.
Jay smacked Keiren lightly. "Respect."
Keiren turned back to Eces. "Do they have golden statues? And bells? And fire?"
Eces smiled faintly. "Yes. There are bells. Lamps. Flowers. Chanting. It's… peaceful."
For a second, her eyes softened. Like she was somewhere else.
Jay noticed it too.
"Your home," Jay asked gently. "Where will we stay?"
Eces looked at her plate before answering.
"I have my own house."
All of us paused.
"You what?" Keigan asked.
"Dad gave it to me," she said calmly. "It's big. Big enough for all of us to stay together."
Keiren's mouth dropped open. "You have your own house?"
"Yes."
"Like… your own-own?"
"Yes."
Jay smiled warmly. "You never told me that."
Eces gave her a small look. "You never asked."
There was no attitude in it. Just truth.
Keiren leaned forward again. "Is it haunted?"
"No."
"Are there cows outside?"
Keigan groaned. "He thinks India is a documentary."
Eces ignored him. "Sometimes, yes."
Keiren gasped like he'd just won a lottery.
Then Keigan leaned back in his chair, studying her.
"Which god do you worship?"
The table went quieter.
Eces didn't hesitate.
"Goddess Kali."
Keiren blinked. "Who's that?"
Eces folded her hands calmly on the table.
"She is a goddess of power."
Keigan tilted his head. "Power?"
"Yes."
"What kind?"
"She represents strength. Protection. Destruction of evil. And control."
"Control?" I repeated.
Her jaw shifted slightly.
"She reminds me that anger can destroy," she said quietly. "But it can also protect. It depends on how you hold it."
Silence settled around the table.
Jay reached under the table and squeezed her hand.
"You pray to her?" Keiren asked softly now.
"Yes."
"Because you're strong?"
Eces gave him the faintest smile.
"Because I want to be."
Keigan watched her carefully. I saw it — that protective instinct in him. The way he listens when she speaks like this.
Jay's voice was gentle. "Will you take us to a temple?"
Eces nodded. "If you want."
"I do," Jay replied immediately.
Keiren grinned. "Will Goddess Kali be angry if I talk too much?"
Eces looked at him seriously for a second.
"Yes."
Keiren froze.
Then she smirked.
Keigan burst out laughing. Jay shook her head.
I leaned back in my chair, watching them.
This… this is what I wanted.
Family.
Breakfast questions about gods.
Plans about homes in another country.
And Eces — opening up just a little more than she used to.
I caught her eye.
She held my gaze for a moment.
Not defensive.
Not distant.
Just… steady.
India wasn't just a vacation.
It was something bigger.
And whatever waited there — we were walking into it together.
Jay's POV
Taking this many people shopping should be illegal.
The moment we entered the mall, it wasn't a group anymore — it was a parade. And somehow, within ten minutes, it turned into a couple coordination competition.
I don't even know who started it.
Actually… yes I do.
Percy.
Percy & Honey
Percy held up a cream kurta with subtle gold embroidery and said, "Honey, find something that matches my aura."
Honey rolled her eyes. "Your aura is narcissism."
Still, she picked a soft golden lehenga with delicate mirror work. When they stood side by side in front of the mirror, the colors blended perfectly — warm, glowing, almost royal.
Percy tilted his chin. "We look expensive."
Honey smirked. "We are expensive."
Rakki & Ci-n
Rakki chose a deep wine-colored lehenga.
Ci-n stared at it like it was a math problem.
"So… I wear wine too?"
"Yes."
He came out in a matching wine kurta with black detailing, and for once, he was quiet.
Rakki's eyes softened. "You look nice."
Ci-n blinked. "You look… wow."
Everyone collectively teased them.
Calix & Mica
Mica gravitated toward pastel blue.
Calix followed without argument.
He picked a powder-blue kurta, simple but elegant. Mica chose a flowy lehenga in the same shade with silver work.
They looked soft. Calm. Balanced.
Blaster whispered, "They look like a Pinterest board."
Mica heard him. "As we should."
Ella & Aries
This one was chaos.
Aries tried on navy.
Ella tried emerald.
They argued for five minutes.
Finally, Ella picked a deep emerald lehenga with gold borders. Aries came out in a dark green kurta with subtle gold buttons.
When they stood together—
Freya gasped. "You two look like royalty."
Aries smirked. "I told you."
Ella pretended to ignore him, but she was glowing.
Freya & Edrix
Freya chose soft lavender.
Edrix didn't hesitate — he picked a lavender kurta to match her exactly.
They looked effortlessly coordinated, gentle and almost cinematic.
"Couple goals," Grace declared.
Freya blushed.
Denzel & Grace
Grace had Grazel in one arm while browsing with the other.
She chose a soft peach saree.
Denzel picked a beige kurta with peach accents to match her.
When he stood beside her and adjusted Grazel's tiny matching dress—
Everyone went silent for a second.
"They look like a family photoshoot," Keigan muttered.
Grace smiled shyly.
Keifer & Me
I was still looking around when Keifer walked up behind me and handed me a soft ivory anarkali with delicate gold embroidery.
"For temple," he said.
I touched the fabric. "It's beautiful."
He disappeared into the trial room.
When he came out wearing a matching ivory kurta with gold detailing—
My breath caught.
It wasn't loud. It wasn't flashy.
It was calm. Elegant.
Perfect.
He walked toward me slowly. "Too much?"
I shook my head. "No."
Percy clutched his chest dramatically. "They look married-married."
Honey smacked him.
Keifer leaned closer to me. "You'll look beautiful beside me in India."
I felt my cheeks warm.
Meanwhile…
Keiren was running between us all like an excited commentator.
"Why are all of you matching? Is this a rule?"
Keigan replied dryly, "Apparently."
Eces stood slightly aside, watching everyone with that small unreadable expression.
I walked toward her.
"What about you?"
She held up a black saree with red borders.
Powerful. Bold.
Her.
Keigan didn't say anything.
He just took it from her hands and added it to the pile of purchases.
She didn't protest.
That says everything.
By the time we reached billing, we had:
Matching outfits.
Too many shopping bags.
And way too many inside jokes already about "India Couple Fashion Week."
As we sat at the food court afterward, surrounded by bags and laughter, I looked around at everyone.
Couples matching.
Friends teasing.
Family growing.
India isn't just going to be a vacation.
It feels like the beginning of something bigger.
And somehow…
I can't wait to see what it brings.
Keifer's POV
If shopping was chaos…
The café was worse.
We somehow managed to push three tables together. Shopping bags everywhere. Couples sitting side by side in their newly purchased coordinated confidence.
Percy adjusted his hair using the reflection of a spoon.
Honey took the spoon away.
"Eat."
Ci-n and Rakki were sharing fries like they were in a commercial.
Calix and Mica were already planning color-coordinated airport fits.
Aries had his arm casually behind Ella's chair.
Freya and Edrix were whispering about "aesthetic café spots in India."
Denzel was feeding Grace first before touching his own plate.
Keigan leaned back quietly.
Keiren was mid-sip of his milkshake.
And Eces sat near the center.
Calm.
Watching.
Blaster slapped the table lightly. "Okay. Official India Q&A session starts now."
Ci-n pointed dramatically at Eces. "You are our guide."
Eces sighed. "I didn't sign up for this."
"You were born for this," Rory declared.
I leaned back, folding my arms. "Go on."
Drew started first. "Cities. Where are we going?"
Eces thought for a moment. "Depends. If you want history — Delhi. Jaipur. Agra. If you want beaches — Goa. If you want mountains — Himachal or Kashmir. If you want culture and temples — Tamil Nadu or Varanasi."
Half of them were already typing notes.
"Varanasi," Freya repeated softly. "Isn't that one of the oldest cities?"
"Yes," Eces nodded. "It's spiritual. Very intense."
Keiren blinked. "Intense how?"
"Life and death exist side by side there," she answered calmly.
The table went quiet for half a second.
Percy broke it. "Okay maybe not first stop."
Honey elbowed him.
Ella leaned forward. "Food. Tell us about food."
Eces' expression changed slightly. Softer.
"North Indian food is rich. Butter chicken. Naan. Paneer. Biryani. South Indian is different — dosa, idli, sambar. Street food like pani puri, chaat…"
Ci-n looked emotional. "I'm going to gain weight."
"You will," Keigan confirmed.
Blaster raised his hand. "Spice level from 1 to 10?"
"Yes," Eces replied.
The table burst into laughter.
Grace smiled gently. "Are there vegetarian options? For real?"
Eces nodded. "India has one of the largest vegetarian populations in the world. You'll survive."
Denzel looked relieved.
Aries asked, "Traffic really that bad?"
Eces gave him a look.
"Yes."
Keiren's eyes widened. "Are there cows on the road?"
"Yes."
"Monkeys?"
"Yes."
"Elephants?"
"Not casually."
He nodded like he was gathering survival data.
Calix leaned forward. "Festivals?"
Her eyes lit up a little.
"Holi. Diwali. Navratri. Each state celebrates differently. Colors. Lights. Music. Dancing."
Mica smiled. "That sounds beautiful."
"It is," Eces said quietly.
I watched her carefully.
Every time she spoke about India, something shifted in her. Not excitement exactly.
Something deeper.
Keigan noticed it too.
"Where exactly is your house?" he asked.
She glanced at him briefly. "You'll see."
Percy groaned dramatically. "Why is everything mysterious with you?"
She met his gaze calmly. "Because not everything needs to be announced before it happens."
That shut him up.
Keiren leaned closer again. "Will you take us to your temple?"
"Yes."
"Will Goddess Kali be scary?"
Eces looked at him thoughtfully. "She looks fierce. But she protects."
Keiren nodded slowly. "I like her."
I smiled faintly.
The waiter brought more drinks.
The café buzzed around us, but our table felt like its own world.
Plans overlapping.
Laughter rising.
Questions flying from every direction.
At some point, Jay leaned into me slightly.
"You're quiet," she whispered.
"I'm listening."
"To?"
I looked around the table.
To the way Eces answered carefully.
To the way Keigan watched her.
To the way Keiren absorbed every word.
To our friends — loud, messy, excited.
"To something important," I said.
Jay followed my gaze toward Eces.
And she understood.
India wasn't just beaches and temples and outfits.
It was something waiting.
And whatever it was—
We were all walking toward it together.
+++++++++++++++
Guys, so sorry for late update as I am at my Aunt's house so we planned to go to holy places like Shri Anandpur Sahib, Mata Naina Devi ji , and more so I wasn't able to post. 😓😩
And next chapters are written but I need some time to edit those chapters...
And also that I am going to NCC Camp on 6 April so I will post regularly but not at exact time...
So please try to cooperate.....
And no target for this one