When Aryan was watching Myra walk away, Rahul nudged him and said—
"Come on, bro… physics class is about to start."
Without looking at him, Aryan muttered softly—
"You go, I'll be there in a while."
Rahul frowned a little.
"What's left now that you can't be on time for class?"
Aryan instantly made an excuse—
"Nothing big, man… just need to check something. You go, I'll come."
Rahul sighed deeply but didn't question further. While leaving, he said—
"Alright… I'll wait for you in class. Don't be late."
Aryan nodded slightly. But the moment Rahul left, Aryan slipped away from the college crowd and walked towards the back of the canteen.
At a nearby table, Vivek and one of his friends had already noticed his move.
"Looks like he's going somewhere alone… let's see what he's up to."
They quietly stood up and began following him.
Behind the canteen, under the old olive tree, Aryan pulled out a cigarette from his pocket.
The lighter sparked, and the next moment smoke filled his lungs.
He closed his eyes, taking a long drag. His face carried a strange silence—calm on the outside, but hiding a storm inside.
The smoke drifted up into the sky, and with it came a low whisper from his lips—
"No matter how much life changes… some habits never do."
Just as he was about to take another puff, a sharp click echoed.
Aryan turned his head and saw Vivek, holding his phone tightly, smiling mockingly.
With fake surprise, Vivek burst out laughing—
"Well, well! We thought you were Mr. Innocent… but turns out you smoke just like us. And look at that pose, man—straight out of a movie! Ha ha ha…"
He immediately shared Aryan's smoking photo in his group chat and announced—
"From today, no more #GyaniBaba… meet #SigretiyaBaba 😆🔥"
His laughter echoed in the empty alley. His buddies joined in—
"Ha ha ha ha ha…"
---
But Aryan… calm.
No anger, no embarrassment.
He simply looked at them with deep eyes, took the last drag, blew the smoke into the air, and crushed the cigarette under his worn-out shoes.
Without saying a word, he picked up his bag and started walking away.
His steps radiated such coolness and confidence, as if their jokes meant nothing to him.
One of Vivek's friends suddenly stepped forward, blocking Aryan's way.
"Leaving so soon, Aryan?" he said with a sly grin.
Aryan froze. His eyes locked onto the boy.
For a moment, it felt like icy needles pierced straight through.
The boy's breath grew heavy… his courage broke.
He panicked and stepped aside, clearing Aryan's path.
Aryan moved forward, wearing that same cold smile.
The sound of his footsteps echoed in the air.
Seeing this, Vivek scowled and snapped at his friend—
"Why the hell did you back off? That was the perfect chance… we could've taught him a lesson right here. He was alone—what could he do against the two of us? But you melted with just one look! Because of you, everything got ruined. Otherwise today, Aryan would've remembered our beating for life. Next time if you back off like that—I'll smash your face first!"
As the two argued, a heavy, stern voice thundered—
"What are you boys doing here?"
All three of them turned their heads at once.
Their faces turned pale when they saw an older man approaching.
It was none other than Professor Qureshi—the one who managed the college discipline.
His strictness was so legendary that students secretly called him "Executioner Qureshi."
Professor Qureshi strode closer, his deep voice booming—
"Why are you three wasting time here? It's class time, and you're loitering around?"
The arrogance instantly vanished from their faces.
Heads down, they muttered nervously—
"Sorry, sir… won't happen again."
He glared at them from head to toe, his eyes still stern. Then, after a pause, he waved his hand dismissively—
"Fine… I'll let you go this time. But if I catch you again, your names will go straight to the principal."
The three boys nodded rapidly in fear and hurried away, relieved they had escaped the grip of "Executioner Qureshi."
---
Meanwhile, Aryan walked towards his classroom.
But as soon as he reached the door, he froze.
The entire class was buzzing.
Everyone was glued to their phones.
Girls giggled softly, some sighing as they looked at the picture.
That picture was Aryan's—
Leaning against the wall, smoking a cigarette…
Cold eyes, careless attitude—
like a professional model shoot.
Vivek had shared the photo to mock him. But little did he know—that same picture would change Aryan's reputation.
The girls were smitten by his fair skin, sharp features, and that "bad boy" look.
In their eyes, Aryan now looked no less than a movie hero.
Meanwhile, the boys whispered among themselves—
"Bro, that's our Gyani Baba!"
"I thought he was a saint, man… turns out he's just like us."
"Whatever it is… he's looking damn cool."
And then…
The classroom door opened. Aryan stepped inside.
The chatter died instantly.
All eyes left the phone screens and landed on him.
Aryan noticed the stares and wondered—
"Why the hell is everyone looking at me like this?"
But the next moment, he put his cold mask back on and walked to his seat, ignoring the attention.
From behind, a girl called out playfully—
"Hey handsome… where are you going?
You could attend class with me today if you want."
The class roared with laughter.
Before Aryan could respond, another girl teased—
"Forget her, Aryan! Better sit with me instead."
Laughter echoed even louder.
Then a third girl, gathering courage, asked directly—
"So Aryan… do you have a girlfriend?
If not… then tell me, what do you think about me?"
Silence.
Every single eye was now locked on Aryan, waiting for his reply.
---
"Girlfriend? …No.
But I don't mind making friends."
He extended his hand.
The girl immediately stood up, smiling brightly.
"I'm Shreya… your new friend."
She shook his hand.
Several rich spoiled girls in the class clenched their jaws in envy.
Some pouted, others glared—
as if thinking, "Why her, not me?"
The boys burned with jealousy.
Some rolled their eyes, others muttered angrily—
"Damn it… he just walked in and stole the spotlight."
And in the corner, Myra was watching silently.
Her gaze lingered on Aryan and Shreya's handshake.
A pang hit her heart, but she hid it behind a calm face.
But there was another girl in the class—
Her eyes locked onto Aryan with fiery hatred.
It was none other than Tanishka.
Her mind seethed—
"You embarrassed me in front of everyone, Aryan. And for that, I'll make sure you pay."
Yet a question haunted her—
"Is this really the same loser who used to run after me?
How the hell did he change overnight?
What's so special about him, except for that stupid good-looking face?"
Grinding her teeth, Tanishka muttered under her breath, loud enough for Rahul to notice.
Aryan gave her just one cold glance before looking away.
But Rahul narrowed his eyes and thought—
"This witch is about to start another drama."
---
Suddenly, the classroom door burst open.
Vivek and his two friends stormed in.
Their faces burned with rage.
They stared straight at Aryan and Rahul—like predators ready to strike.
The class fell silent.
Everyone sensed something big was about to happen.
Tanishka smirked.
She thought—
"Now it's going to be fun. Let's see how big of a hero you really are, Aryan."
Vivek took a step forward, ready to confront him—
But—
TRRINNNG!!!
The bell rang loudly.
And at the same time, the class teacher walked in.
The room instantly snapped back into order.
Students sat upright, books flew open, and whispers died.
The teacher glanced around, clearly sensing the tension, but said nothing.
Instead, he picked up the chalk and began writing on the board—
"Alright students, let's begin today's lecture."
Vivek and his buddies had no choice but to sit down.
The fury in their eyes still burned, but for now—they were forced to wait.
Aryan, calm as ever, focused on the board.
That same cold smile lingered on his lips.
As if saying—
"This game isn't over yet… it's only been delayed."
---
The lecture went on.
Students scribbled notes.
Suddenly, Myra's pen slipped and fell to the floor.
She bent down to pick it up.
At the same moment, Aryan's eyes caught it too, and he reached for it.
Their hands touched.
For a few seconds, time froze.
The noise of the class, the teacher's voice—everything faded away.
Only Aryan and Myra's eyes locked onto each other.
Her heartbeat raced.
She quickly grabbed the pen and whispered softly—
"Th… thanks."
Aryan bent closer with a faint smile and murmured—
"So… you blush just like me, huh?"
Her cheeks turned red. She quickly lowered her eyes and buried herself in her book.
Aryan leaned back in his chair, hiding a smile.
But for the first time, his face wasn't cold… it was gentle.
As if this was the moment he had been waiting for all along.
---
Because ever since Aryan was reborn into his past life,
this was only the second time he'd spoken to Myra.
For days, he had wondered how to start a conversation with her.
But deep down, he feared…
one wrong move, and she might get upset with him.
He still remembered clearly from his past life—
Myra hated show-off guys.
And yet, in these past few days, he had attracted more attention than he ever wanted.
So… will Aryan be able to confess his feelings to Myra?
Or is a new twist about to unfold in this story?
What schemes is Tanishka brewing in her mind?
Will she bring chaos into Aryan's life?
To find out, stay tuned to… "The King of Shadows.
" With me: Nitish Chandel.