Though they weren't childhood friends, Arjun and Karan had grown close over the years, their bond forged in the high-stakes world of their profession. Karan, sharp and confident in the courtroom, had found in Arjun someone he could trust—a rare ally who valued loyalty and discretion. Despite Karan's larger-than-life persona, he had his vulnerabilities, and Arjun had become the keeper of those secrets. In return, Karan respected Arjun's quiet strength and his ability to be a true friend—one who would never betray his trust.
Now, inside the sprawling villa, Yuvika had arranged spacious rooms for all the guests. Each room was enormous, with high ceilings, ornate furnishings, and wide windows that offered stunning views of the lush gardens outside. The opulence of the villa was undeniable, but for Karan, the vastness of the room only served to amplify his unease. The silence at night, broken only by the occasional creak of the old house, felt too oppressive for his liking.
He stood in his room, glancing around at the antique furniture and the king-sized bed draped in luxurious linens. The faint moonlight streaming in through the sheer curtains made the shadows seem to shift and dance across the walls. His imagination began to run wild, conjuring visions of ghostly figures lurking in the corners.
Karan sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Nope. Not happening," he muttered to himself.
He grabbed his pillow and ventured down the hall, stopping in front of Arjun's room. He knocked softly, then peeked inside. Arjun was sitting on the bed, flipping through a book, the glow of the bedside lamp casting a warm light across the room.
Arjun looked up, arching a brow when he saw Karan standing there with his pillow. "Let me guess," he said dryly, closing the book. "The big, scary room is too much for you?"
Karan grinned sheepishly but didn't deny it. "Well, it's not like I'm used to staying in mansions," he replied, his tone light but his unease evident. "And, you know, I figured we could watch a movie or something. It's not as fun alone."
Arjun smirked, shaking his head. He knew Karan too well to buy the excuse about the movie. "Right. A movie."
"Hey, don't judge me," Karan said, stepping into the room and tossing his pillow onto the armchair. "It's not every day I'm staying in a house this big. Besides, you wouldn't leave your best friend to fend off imaginary ghosts, would you?"
Arjun rolled his eyes but didn't argue. "Fine," he said, stretching out on the bed. "But you're picking the movie. And no complaints if it's bad."
"Deal," Karan said quickly, grabbing the remote and plopping onto the floor near the bed.
As the movie played, Arjun occasionally glanced at Karan, who was engrossed in the screen, his earlier unease slowly fading. Arjun didn't mind the company—he knew this was just Karan's way of coping with his fears. Though he teased Karan mercilessly about his fear of ghosts, he respected the trust Karan had in him to share that vulnerability.
After all, friends were the ones who kept each other's secrets, even the ones that seemed silly to the rest of the world. And as the night stretched on, Arjun found himself smirking at Karan's dramatic reactions to the movie, glad he could offer some comfort in the cavernous, ghostly halls of the villa.
In Arjun's cozy room, the faint glow of a horror movie flickered on the large screen, casting eerie shadows across the walls. The room was dimly lit, with only the screen's light illuminating the two young men sprawled on the bed and floor. Arjun watched the film with a calm, almost bored expression, occasionally tossing popcorn into his mouth as the ominous soundtrack swelled in the background.
Karan, on the other hand, was anything but calm. He sat rigidly on the edge of the bed, his eyes wide with terror and his jaw clenched. Every creak of the floorboards, every distant gust of wind outside the villa seemed to amplify his unease. His hands gripped the blanket tightly, his knuckles pale as if it were the only barrier between him and the imaginary horrors on the screen.
When a sudden jump scare burst onto the screen—a ghostly figure lunging toward the protagonist with a bloodcurdling scream—Karan nearly leapt out of his skin. His yelp was so loud that Arjun had to pause the movie, turning to look at him with raised eyebrows.
"Seriously?" Arjun asked, unable to suppress a grin. "You're jumping at that?"
Karan glared at him, but the effect was ruined by his still-shaking hands. "That wasn't just a jump scare," he said defensively, his voice a little too high-pitched to sound convincing. "It was perfectly timed. Anyone would've been startled."
"Anyone?" Arjun leaned back against the pillows, folding his arms across his chest. "Look at me, Karan. Did I flinch? No. You, on the other hand—" He burst into laughter, barely able to finish his sentence. "You're acting like a terrified kitten! The great Karan, Kapoor's best student, the fearless lawyer in court, is afraid of ghosts? This is gold!"
Karan scowled, though a faint blush crept up his cheeks. "Laugh all you want, but ghosts are the only thing I'm afraid of," he admitted begrudgingly, his tone dripping with irritation. "Everyone's got something, and mine just happens to be… well, ghosts."
"Ghosts?" Arjun echoed, his grin widening. "You mean the things that don't even exist? Imagination, Karan. That's all they are! You're seriously afraid of things you can't even see?"
Karan didn't respond immediately, his gaze flickering back to the paused screen, where the ghostly figure was frozen mid-scream. "Laugh all you want, Arjun," he muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. "But I've always been like this. Daytime? I'm fearless. Nighttime? Different story."
Arjun leaned forward, his amusement bubbling over. "Oh, this is priceless. The Karan, a terror in the courtroom by day, turns into a trembling little cat by night. If only the world knew your secret!"
Karan rolled his eyes, but the corners of his mouth twitched as if he were fighting a smile. "Mock me all you want," he said, shaking his head. "But when the lights go out and something starts creaking in the hall, don't come crying to me."
Arjun burst into laughter again, slapping his knee. "I'll keep that in mind, scaredy-cat."
Despite the teasing, the atmosphere in the room lightened considerably. Arjun resumed the movie, still grinning, while Karan settled back into his spot, muttering under his breath about obnoxious friends. Though the fear lingered in his wide eyes, Karan couldn't help but chuckle softly at himself.