Subin stood in the rain with fire in his chest.
He couldn't look away.
He couldn't move.
"Rohan?"
His voice came out like something breaking.
Both of them went still.
Raha turned — eyes wide — looking at Subin like she hadn't expected him to be there.
"Subin?" Rohan said quietly.
Subin dropped the medicine.
He crossed the street in three steps and grabbed Rohan by the collar.
"How dare you kiss her."
Not a question.
Not loud.
Just absolute.
Rohan said nothing.
Subin's eyes filled. He looked past Rohan.
"Raha?"
Raha looked down.
Subin stared at the top of her head for a long moment.
Then he let go of Rohan's collar.
Said nothing.
Turned.
And walked away.
Into the rain.
Without looking back.
Raha watched him go — eyes wet, hands still — and he never once turned around.
The night passed.
Raha lay in Rohan's bed, staring at the ceiling.
Sleep wouldn't come.
Last night kept replaying. Her mother's face. The white cloth. The rain. Subin walking away.
"Raha?"
Rohan's voice came from the chair across the room. Quiet. Careful.
"How are you feeling?"
She turned her face away.
He was silent for a moment.
"I'm really sorry. What I did last night—"
Raha sat up.
The door opened.
Bella.
"Was this girl in your room all night?"
Both Raha and Rohan turned.
Something ignited in Raha's chest the moment she saw Bella's face.
She stared at her — cold and direct and completely still.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Bella stepped forward.
"Bella." Rohan moved between them immediately. "Get out."
Bella looked at Raha one more time.
Then she left.
Why is Raha in Rohan's room? Did she spend the whole night there?
Bella muttered under her breath all the way down the stairs.
She reached the bottom—
"Bella? Baby, how are you?"
Mrs. Watson.
Bella's face changed immediately. She ran to her. "Aunty! When did you get here?"
"What were you doing upstairs? Did you need something from Rohan?"
Bella thought for exactly one second.
"Aunty—" she said carefully. "Has Raha moved into Rohan's room now?"
Mrs. Watson blinked. "What? That mute girl?"
"I saw them. Rohan was sharing his bed with her."
Mrs. Watson's expression shifted.
"What?"
She moved toward the stairs immediately.
Bella followed with a small smile.
Mrs. Watson pulled out her phone as she walked.
"Come home today," she said the moment her husband picked up. "Come see what your son has been doing behind your back."
She hung up.
"Rohan."
Mrs. Watson's voice filled the room.
Rohan turned. "Mom?"
"What is this girl doing here?"
Rohan said nothing.
Mrs. Watson crossed toward Raha. "You—"
"I asked her to stay," Rohan said.
His mother turned to look at him. "Why?"
"She has no one." His voice was quiet. "Where else is she supposed to go?"
Mrs. Watson looked at Raha for a long moment.
Raha looked back at her.
Then she moved — quietly, without waiting for permission — toward the door.
Bella stepped in front of her.
Grabbed her hand.
"Where are you going, Raha?"
Raha turned.
Looked at her.
Bella's smile was soft. Her eyes weren't.
"I feel so bad for you, you know. First you lost your father. Then your voice. And now—" a small pause "—your mother too."
"BELLA."
Rohan's voice cracked across the room.
Bella flinched. Released Raha's hand.
Rohan crossed the room and stopped directly in front of his cousin. His voice dropped to barely above a whisper.
"This is your fault. Yours and your friends."
"Rohan, what kind of behavior—" Mrs. Watson started.
He didn't hear her.
"Don't look at Raha again," he said to Bella, very quietly. "Or I promise you — you won't like what happens next."
The maids along the walls went completely still.
Mrs. Watson stared.
Raha stared.
"Watson family."
One voice. From the entrance.
Everyone turned.
Amon Dela Cruz stood in the doorway.
Shawn beside him.
Shawn saw Raha immediately. He crossed the room before anyone else could speak.
"Raha — I've been looking everywhere for you. I went back to the hospital and you weren't there—"
Raha said nothing.
"Amon," Mrs. Watson said, composing herself quickly. "This is unexpected."
"I missed you all," Amon said pleasantly. His eyes moved around the room — taking everything in. "By the way — what's happening with the Meena Lee case?"
"Everyone needs to go to school tomorrow," Mrs. Watson said.
"I heard the school might be closing," Shawn said.
Mrs. Watson looked at Raha. "When the time comes, we'll see. But tomorrow — everyone goes."
"Raha." Shawn reached for her hand. "Come with me."
Rohan looked at him sharply.
Started to say something—
"Of course," Mrs. Watson said smoothly. "This girl has no one now. It's better she goes."
Raha looked at Rohan.
Rohan looked back at her.
Said nothing.
"So there's school tomorrow?" Bella asked, her voice bright.
"Yes. Everyone. Mandatory."
Bella looked at Raha.
And smiled.
Amon stepped forward and placed a hand lightly on Raha's shoulder. "Go with Shawn."
Shawn took her hand.
Led her out of the Watson mansion.
Rohan stood at the window and watched them leave.
Bella stood alone in the corridor, smiling to herself.
Tomorrow, she thought. The real game starts tomorrow.
How dare you kiss Rohan.
How dare you.