Ria turned towards Aria. Aria was sitting there like a princess, her long black hair flowing like a waterfall, her blue eyes shining like blue diamonds, her flawless glass-like skin glowing softly. She looked like a delicate doll placed on that sofa.
Ria said calmly, "Aria… just a middle-class girl."
One boy frowned. "Middle class? I thought she was some rich mama of KHSS."
Another boy laughed and replied, "Bro, in KHSS, even an average middle-class girl equals rich."
They were mocking Aria and the entire KHSS.
Ria only smiled, unbothered. "Yes… just an average middle-class girl," she said again, letting her eyes scan Aria from head to toe. "But you… you seem very mysterious, Aria."
She walked closer and gently lifted Aria's chin. "You can open a café within a few days. Just for your friend? Or did you open it to catch someone else's attention?"
Aria looked up at Ria—confused, slightly frightened by the sudden shift in her tone. The girl who had entered gracefully was now standing there like a calculating, scheming queen.
Ria leaned in, close enough for only Aria to hear.
" what is your business... with Sinas?"
That one name flashed inside Aria's mind.
And in that moment, she finally understood why they were being targeted… why the bullying started.
Aria was about to say something to Ria, but suddenly she heard a loud stab sound from her opposite.
Everyone turned.
It was Sona—
she had slammed her hand on the table and stood up sharply.
She had reached her limit.
Her patience snapped.
"Oh?" Sona said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Looks like the great beauty Ria is scared of our Aria."
The café fell silent.
Sona continued, louder this time,
"Ria… are you scared that Sinas will fall for Aria's beauty instead?"
A few people gasped.
Ria's jaw tightened.
Her blood boiled, but she didn't speak—she only stared at Sona, teeth clenched.
Sona took a step forward.
"Remember this, Ria," she hissed.
"Once, you people did the dirtiest things on earth just to make KHSS fall. And yes, you won that time."
Her voice hardened.
"But that doesn't mean we can't rise again. KHSS will return to its prime. And when we do—don't run and hide in your holes."
Without waiting for a reaction, Sona grabbed her bag, then caught Aria's wrist and pulled her out of the café.
Aria, however, was frozen in shock.
Prime time?
KHSS had a prime time?
Questions exploded in her mind.
But she knew this wasn't the moment to ask.
So she simply let Sona drag her away, quietly, without turning back even once.
Once Aria and Sona walked out of the parlour, they headed straight toward the coast. The night was heavy, the air cool, and the sky almost swallowing the sea in darkness. They reached the beach, and Sona quietly sat on a rough stone big enough for both of them. Aria sat beside her.
A wave reached their feet, cold and gentle, pulling back slowly as if it wanted to take their thoughts with it.
Sona's eyes glistened. She was holding back tears.
Aria inhaled deeply.
"It's time for me to know," she said softly.
Sona didn't answer. She kept staring at the black sea — they couldn't see much, but the sound of the waves, the wind in their hair, and the endless night gave everything a different kind of weight.
Aria's voice broke the silence again.
"Or… do you still see me as a stranger? Don't I deserve to know what's happening in KHSS?"
Sona finally turned to aria , Her deep blue eyes shone faintly in the darkness.
Sona took a long breath.
"It's time for you to know," Sona said.
And she began to tell the story.
*********************************
"KHSS and GHSS weren't just rival schools — they were the legacy of two brothers. Rahan Das founded KHSS, and his elder brother Mohan Das founded GHSS. One family, two schools… and a history of
rivalry that shaped everything."
DKFamilies was built by Chairman Shivdas, who lost his first wife in an accident and raised their son, Rahan Das, alone. After a year, he remarried, and his new wife brought a son of her own — Mohan Das. When both boys turned twenty, Shivdas followed the DK tradition: he gifted each of them a piece of land and instructed them to build their own legacy.
Rahan Das chose to open a school and named it KHSS. Mohan Das, who always copied his elder brother, followed the same idea and started his own school, GHSS, copying even the name pattern. But Mohan lacked vision and discipline. His school collapsed within a year and pushed him into heavy debt, while KHSS grew into Mumbai's No.1 school and India's third best. The fees were low, scholarships were high, and the environment was clean — no drugs, no abuse, no violence. Instead, KHSS encouraged every form of talent: boxing, painting, dancing, literature, science—everything.
From the very beginning, Room Zero existed as the heart of KHSS. It was not dark in those days. It was a place of talent, unity, and leadership. Each year, Room Zero had its own King and Queen, chosen for skill and strength. One of the greatest kings was Kiran, the son of Rahan Das. Handsome, fair, and just, he created a system where poor students could earn money by teaching their talents, while rich students learned from them. Room Zero became a family that lifted everyone up.
But Mohan Das's jealousy only grew. While Rahan elevated KHSS to greatness, Mohan struggled with failure and resentment. He began spreading false rumors — that KHSS students used drugs, that girls were mistreated, that the school was corrupt. None of it was true, but social media destroyed the school's image. Even KHSS's hackers couldn't stop the rapid spread. This deepened the hatred between KHSS and GHSS, and soon their wars were fought legally through competitions — especially boxing, the proud tradition of Room Zero.
Then, five years ago, tragedy struck.
During an unexpected fight, Kiran accidentally killed a boy. The news shattered KHSS. Mohan Das used this moment to completely destroy the school's reputation. That single incident ended the golden era of KHSS and changed the destiny of both schools forever.
After the tragedy, the students of KHSS scattered into different schools, carrying the weight of their school's ruined reputation. On the outside, they pretended to move on… but deep inside, every one of them still loved KHSS. Still, hope was gone. Some even wondered if GHSS had been right all along. Many transferred to GHSS, and that school quickly rose to the glory once owned by KHSS — shining brightly, but with a shine built on broken pieces.
But Rahan Das and a small group of loyal students refused to give up. They fought for two long years, trying every way possible to bring back KHSS. Finally, they managed to reopen it.
Yet, when the gates opened again… nothing was the same.
Most students had already chosen new schools. New admissions barely came.
Who would willingly join a school whispered to be connected with crime, violence, and shame?
Only the poorest students returned — the ones who had once survived because of KHSS scholarships, the ones who had nowhere else to go. Their financial struggles tied them to KHSS, not choice but necessity.
And in the end… they were the only ones left.
We were the ones left — the last 94… now 95 students of KHSS.