Once in a blue moon

REALISATION

Ishaan's APARTMENT

The atmosphere was a stark contrast to the lively banter that had filled the room earlier. Ishaan was engrossed in his studies, his brow furrowed in concentration as he pored over a thick textbook. The only sound was the soft rustling of pages and the occasional scratch of his pen.

Rakshat, on the other hand, was the embodiment of restlessness. He paced the room, drummed his fingers on the table, and let out exaggerated sighs. His eyes kept darting towards Ishaan, a mischievous glint in them.

"Hey, Ishaan," Rakshat began, his voice breaking the silence. "Did you know that the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell?"

Ishaan didn't look up from his book. "Yes, Rakshat. Everyone who has ever attended a biology class knows that."

Undeterred, Rakshat continued, "And did you know that a group of crows is called a murder?"

"Yes, Rakshat."

"And that an octopus has three hearts?"

"Yes, Rakshat."

"And that—"

"Rakshat!" Ishaan finally looked up, an exasperated smile on his face. "I'm trying to study here."

Rakshat grinned, clearly pleased at having successfully distracted Ishaan. "And I'm trying to educate you with fun facts. You should be thanking me."

Ishaan shook his head, chuckling. "Alright, thank you, Rakshat. Now, can I please get back to my studies?"

Rakshat held up his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll let you study... for now."

With that, he flopped onto the couch, pulling out his phone. But even as Ishaan returned to his studies, he couldn't shake off the feeling that Rakshat was plotting his next move. The evening was far from over, and Rakshat was nothing if not persistent.
..................

Swara's APARTMENT

As Swara closed the door, she turned back to her apartment, her eyes landing on the vase. "You see that, Vase?" she said, gesturing to the flowers.
"That's how you make a surprise. Not by attacking people."

She walked over to the kitchen, placing the bouquet on the counter. She admired the vibrant colors, her fingers gently brushing over the petals. The mystery of the sender still lingered in her mind, but for now, she decided to enjoy the unexpected gift.

Just as she was about to resume her cleaning, her phone buzzed.

It was a message from an unknown number: "Did you like the flowers?"

Swara's heart skipped a beat.She quickly typed a reply, "Who is this?"

The response was almost immediate: "Guess you'll have to wait and find out. ;) "

Swara couldn't help but smile. It seemed like the day was full of surprises. She sighed.

Suddenly her fingers flying over the screen as she searched for the unknown number. The search result popped up, and her heart skipped a beat.

The contact was saved as 'ISK'. She mumbled to herself, "No, it can't be...How's that possible."
..................

India

Rehaan sat alone in his apartment, the silence echoing around him. The memories of the past were like a movie playing in his mind. He could still hear Swara's voice, see the hurt in her eyes. He could still feel the sting of Ishaan's slap, the finality in his voice as he declared his departure to the USA.

He ran his fingers through his hair, frustration seeping into his veins. He had never meant for things to turn out this way. He had only wanted to protect his brother, to prevent him from getting hurt. But in the process, he had ended up hurting everyone around him.

His gaze fell on a picture of him and Ishaan, taken during happier times. They were laughing, arms slung around each other, the picture of brotherly love. A pang of regret hit him. He missed his brother. He missed their banter, their shared laughter, their late-night conversations.

He picked up his phone, his fingers hovering over Ishaan's contact. He wanted to call him, to apologize, to make things right. But he knew it wasn't that simple. Too much had been said, too many feelings hurt.

Just then, his phone buzzed, breaking his train of thought. It was a message from Naina. "Rehaan, we need to talk."

He sighed, running a hand over his face. He knew this conversation was inevitable. He had hurt Naina too, and it was time to face the consequences.

As he prepared to reply to Naina, his mind wandered back to Swara. He wondered how she was doing, if she was okay. He remembered her tears, her pleas, and his heart ached. He had never wanted to see her hurt.

He made a decision then. He would apologize to Naina, to Ishaan, and most importantly, to Swara. He didn't know if they would forgive him, but he had to try. He owed them that much.

With a newfound determination, he began to type a message to Naina. It was time to set things right. It was time to mend the broken bonds. It was time to heal. And with that thought, he pressed send, setting in motion a chain of events that would change their lives forever.
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