The seminar broke up like a school of startled fish—chairs screeching back, notebooks slapping shut, bags clattering to the floor. Usually, everyone would start yapping, half the class whining about how boring it'd been. Not today, though. The air was thick with this jittery energy. People couldn't stop peering at Arjun, like he'd suddenly grown a third arm or announced he was dating a Bollywood actress. Whispers buzzed through the room, sneaky and excited, like little kids half-scared, half-thrilled.
"That took guts, man."
"Can you believe he brought up that cooperative case? Mehra's lowkey wild."
"Never thought Arjun had that in him. Dude just leveled up."
Arjun tried to nope right out of there, practically speed-walking for the door. He wasn't exactly the attention-magnet type—he was the guy whose presence didn't even ping on people's radars. Today, though, it was like someone had switched on a spotlight above his head. All these eyes—curious, grudging, a couple downright glary—were glued to him, and he felt the pressure pushing at the back of his neck.
Someone called his name, soft but definitely clear. "Arjun!"
He turned around. There was Riya, navigating the chaos like an expert—her dupatta trailing behind her, catching on desk legs as she wove her way through. Even in the crowd, she had this calm about her, but her eyes? They just snapped with energy. Like, she was proud but also a little bit worried at the same time.
"You did great," she said quietly, keeping her tone just between the two of them. She looked almost impressed, and honestly, that did something weird to his stomach. "No one's ever challenged him like that. Not in front of everyone."
Arjun felt his ears go warm. He tugged at his bag, shrugging like it was no big deal. "Honestly, I just said what everyone was thinking. Had to get it out there."
Riya's lips curved into this little smile, barely there. "That's exactly why it mattered."
Then, boom—vibe shift. The sound of pointed, polished shoes echoed through the room, and even the whispers seemed to duck for cover. Enter Vikram Singhania, looking like he'd just stepped out of an ad for expensive cologne. His usual crew strutted on his heels, snickering and pushing each other around. The whole crowd parted for them—nobody wanting to get in the way of the so-called prince of the seminar circuit.
Vikram put himself dead center in front of Arjun, flashing a smile that was all teeth and no warmth. "Mehra," he drawled loud enough for basically half the room to catch, "That was… quite a show. Almost had me believing you'd done your homework for once."
Arjun met his gaze, as steady as he could, though his pulse was definitely picking up speed. "I wasn't performing. Just laying out the facts."
Vikram's smirk flickered wider, and there was this oily confidence rolling off the guy. "Oh, sure. Facts. But facts without clout? Without money, without power? Just background noise, my friend. And noise doesn't win battles."
His sycophants burst out laughing, right on cue, like they'd rehearsed it in front of a mirror.
Arjun squeezed his notebook so tight his knuckles stood out, but he didn't give Vikram the satisfaction of losing his cool. Meanwhile, in the corner of his eye, the System's gentle glow danced—a little more insistent, now.
Warning: Potential Threat Escalation Detected.
Like Arjun needed a reminder.
Vikram leaned in, almost chest-to-chest, his breath carrying this sharp hint of overpriced cologne. He muttered low, sharp and personal: "You embarrassed me today, Mehra. Don't think I'll forget it. The whole class saw—I guarantee they won't, either. I don't forgive. I don't forget."
And just like that, slick as anything, Vikram spun back into his usual charm. He nodded at Riya, voice buttery smooth, "Kapoor. Always a pleasure." Riya just glared, arms folded, but didn't bite.
Vikram gave Arjun a little clap on the shoulder—one of those 'friendly' taps that's actually a claim. Like, 'Hey, I'm still the king here, watch it.' He and his little gang swept out, leaving a chill hanging in the air.
Finally, people started to breathe again, but Arjun's chest still felt like someone had stuffed it full of gravel. The weight of what just happened wouldn't budge.
Riya sidled up, voice quiet but loaded with concern. "Arjun… be careful. Vikram really doesn't like being taken down in public like that. He's not going to just let you walk away."
Arjun nodded, but his mind was already spinning off elsewhere. He could taste the threat in Vikram's words, hanging heavy. This felt like just the start of something bigger. Like he'd accidentally poked a sleeping lion, and now—no way he could hide again.
The walk home was all a messy blur: neon signs flickering, rickshaw horns blaring, city noise pinging off his thoughts. His head just wouldn't shut up—replaying the applause, the buzzing whispers, Vikram's warning echoing, over and over.
Finally, his little apartment came into view—little yellow light in the window, tiny slices of warmth squeezing out into the hallway. He slipped through the front door, and the familiar, comforting scent of turmeric and dal wrapped around him. His mom was exactly where he left her, half-sitting, cradling a bowl of soup.
"Beta," she said—soft smile, so gentle it almost broke him. "You're late again."
He put his notebook on the table and gave her a tiny grin. "Seminar got heated. Ran over."
She reached over, squeezed his hand with surprising strength. "You've always been my clever one. Don't let anyone—no matter how loud—make you small."
Out of nowhere, his throat kind of closed up. He hadn't told her a word, but somehow, she knew exactly what he needed to hear. Moms are scary that way.
Dinner passed in a quiet hush, her head soon lulling back as she drifted to sleep. Arjun tiptoed to his little desk, cracked his knuckles, and flicked the System interface back on. Light shimmered over his old textbooks, painting the walls blue.
Achievement Reward: [Beginner Negotiation Aura].
Description: Enhances persuasive presence. Increases credibility during debates and discussions. Minor emotional sway over listeners.
He just stared, dumbfounded. "Wait, what? The System's giving me—points? For *that*?"
The ever-patient, almost smug System voice replied, "Affirmative. Quest progress achieved: Public rebuttal of hostile entity. Outcome: Successful. Reward: Granted."
He shook his head, half laughing at the madness of it all. He *had* felt something in that classroom, a subtle shift, like the words flowed easier, hit harder. Was it all him? Or had the System had his back the whole time, nudging him toward destiny?
"So what now?" he wondered aloud.
The screen shifted, pulsing brighter. New text appeared.
Hidden Module Activated: Business Influence Tracking.
"Opportunities will emerge from recent action. Monitor carefully."
His heart thudded a little faster—because "opportunities" were nice, but nobody said they wouldn't bite back. Somewhere out there, Vikram was almost definitely plotting his next move. Arjun wasn't just a face in the crowd anymore.
He stretched back, feeling the city's weight press down—all noise, color, and possibilities. Maybe he wasn't ready for a war. He didn't even fully understand all the rules. But the option to stay invisible? That was gone. He'd lit the match, and there was no going back now.
And in Mumbai, a single spark could set a thousand stories ablaze.
Yeah. He was in for it. But honestly, maybe that was exactly where he belonged now.