It started early. Too early.
Emma knew something was wrong the second she woke up. The house was too loud. The moment she stepped into the dining room, she froze.
Karan was already there. In her house. At 6:30 a.m.
With Sophia.
And Sayaka.
And they were eating breakfast.
Like they freaking lived here.
Emma's eye twitched.
"What. The. Hell."
Amy, calm as ever, was flipping parathas.
Anna was serving tea.
Arun was reading the newspaper, ignoring the circus.
Aarav, bless him, was sitting in his seat with the most exhausted expression of his life.
Emma's head snapped to Karan.
"Why are you in my house?!"
Karan wiped his mouth with a napkin.
"Oh, good morning, my love! I have come for your hand in marriage!"
BAM.
Emma slammed the table.
"TRY AGAIN, DEAD BODY."
Sayaka, confused but happy, sipped her tea.
"Ara~ is this a normal morning?"
Sophia, eating toast, nodded.
"Yeah, this is Tuesday."
Emma was about to throw them all out when Anna, ever peaceful, smiled.
"They were already waiting outside, so I invited them in."
Emma took a deep breath.
'I love Anna. I love Anna. I love Anna.'
Aarav, finally looking up, pointed his fork at Karan.
"Leave."
Karan grinned.
"Never."
Aarav stared.
Karan stared back.
The tension was palpable.
Sayaka whispered to Sophia.
"Are they going to fight?"
Sophia took a bite of toast.
"Nah, Aarav will just kill him with his mind."
Karan raised his hands in surrender.
"Alright, alright. We'll leave."
Emma exhaled in relief.
Karan grinned wider.
"AFTER BREAKFAST."
CHAOS.
Sayaka's Japanese Introduction – More Shocking Than Expected
As the chaos of breakfast slowly settled, Sayaka suddenly stood up, turning to Arun with a polite bow.
"はじめまして!私はサヤカ・カツヒロです.お世話になります!(Hajimemashite! Watashi wa Sayaka Katsuhiro desu. Osewa ni narimasu!)"
Everyone froze.
Emma almost choked on air.
Karan's popcorn fell from his hand.
Sophia, mid-toast, stared blankly.
Even Sayaka felt the weight of the silence and looked around, confused.
Then, the real shocker.
Arun lowered his newspaper and casually replied in fluent Japanese.
"初めまして,サヤカさん.ようこそ!(Hajimemashite, Sayaka-san. Youkoso!)"
BOOM.
MINDS. BLOWN.
Emma: "WHAT."
Karan: "WHAT."
Sophia: "...What?"
Meanwhile, Aarav, Amy, and Anna?
Completely unfazed.
Aarav didn't even blink.
Amy sipped her tea.
Anna smiled as if this was the most normal thing in the world.
Karan clutched his chest.
"No way. Another secret genius in the family?!"
Emma was still processing.
"Dad, since when do you speak Japanese?!"
Arun flipped the page of his newspaper.
"Since I had to deal with Japanese clients for years."
Sayaka, absolutely delighted, clapped her hands.
"Arun-san, sugoi! You are amazing!"
Arun just smirked.
"That's what they say."
Sophia slowly turned to Emma.
"Your whole family is scary."
Emma rubbed her temples.
"Tell me about it."
Aarav, who had been completely silent until now, finally spoke up in his usual deadpan tone.
"He is a rank 1 scholar and a tech CEO, morons."
Silence.
The weight of that simple fact crushed everyone's souls.
Emma groaned, rubbing her forehead.
Karan dramatically clutched his chest.
Sophia blinked in confusion.
Sayaka, on the other hand, looked even more impressed.
"Sugoi… your family is full of prodigies!"
Karan, recovering from his existential crisis, muttered,
"So unfair… even the dad is OP."
Arun, unfazed, flipped another page of his newspaper.
"Get used to it."
Amy chuckled.
Anna smiled knowingly.
Emma?
She was just done.
Sayaka, smiling innocently, looked at Arun.
"Aarav-kun is just like you, Arun-san!"
Emma, who had been holding back her frustration all morning, finally snapped.
"Cause he is his son, dammit!"
Silence.
Arun sipped his tea.
Aarav blinked once.
Amy suppressed a chuckle.
Anna covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
Karan?
Karan had fallen off his chair laughing.
Sophia, still confused, whispered to Emma,
"Wait… does that mean he's really his dad?"
Emma turned to her, ready to lose her mind.
Emma turned to Sophia, her eye twitching. "Of course, he's his dad! What do you think? They just happened to look identical by coincidence?!"
Sophia, still clueless, scratched her head. "I mean... yeah? I thought maybe they were, like, long-lost twins born 20 years apart or something."
Karan, still on the floor wheezing with laughter, pointed at Sophia. "I swear, you are the reason I believe in the multiverse. Somewhere out there, there's a Sophia with a functioning brain."
Meanwhile, Sayaka looked at Aarav, her eyes sparkling with admiration. "Aarav-kun, you are amazing! You speak perfect Japanese, you are incredibly smart, and now I find out your father is a genius businessman too! It all makes sense!"
Aarav, expressionless, picked up his cup of tea and took a sip. "What makes sense?"
Sayaka clasped her hands together, eyes twinkling. "That you're like a prince!"
Silence.
Emma choked on her drink.
Karan immediately summoned a golden crown from thin air and tried to place it on Aarav's head. "All hail Prince Kumar, future ruler of—"
Aarav swatted the crown away with the force of an annoyed god.
Karan clutched his chest. "My king has rejected his crown..."
Meanwhile, Arun smirked, sipping his tea. "Prince, huh? I like the sound of that."
Aarav, deadpan as always, looked at Anna. "Mother, why did you not stop me from coming downstairs today?"
Anna, smiling warmly, simply said, "Because this is fun."
Amy, hiding her smile behind her teacup, nodded in agreement. "Quite entertaining, indeed."
Aarav sighed, placing his cup down. He stood up.
"I'm leaving."
Emma, already on her feet, grabbed her bag. "Me too."
Sophia, finally catching up, jumped up. "Wait for me!"
Karan, still on the floor, waved dramatically. "Farewell, my prince! May you find your kingdom of peace!"
Sayaka, blinking in confusion, stood up and bowed politely. "It was nice meeting you, Arun-san! I hope to talk more soon!"
Arun, still amused, nodded. "Of course, Sayaka-san. My house is always open."
Aarav stopped in his tracks. Slowly, he turned his head to his father, his blue eyes cold. "No, it is not."
Arun chuckled. "It is for me."
Aarav, unamused, turned back and walked out the door.
Emma and Sophia hurried after him.
Karan, getting up, dusted himself off. "Welp, time to cause more chaos at college!"
And with that, they were off.
As the five of them walked toward college, Karan suddenly clapped his hands together, and with a dramatic poof, a book appeared in his grasp.
"Behold!" he declared, holding it up like it was some sacred artifact. "JAPANESE IN 30 DAYS!"
Everyone turned to look at him.
Aarav, expressionless as always, simply kept walking.
Emma, eye twitching, sighed. "Karan, what is wrong with you?"
Karan flipped open the book like a sage deciphering ancient scrolls. "I have decided! I, Karan the Great, shall become fluent in Japanese and sweep Sayaka off her feet with my linguistic mastery!"
Sayaka, tilting her head, confused, blinked. "Sweep me... off my feet?"
Karan pointed at her with confidence. "Yes! By the end of this month, I shall be able to have a deep, intellectual conversation with you in your native tongue!"
Sophia, eager to contribute, leaned over to read the book. "Ooooh, let me try! What's the first lesson?"
Karan cleared his throat, dramatically reading from the page. "Konnichiwa! Watashi wa Karan desu! Boku wa hentai desu!"
Sayaka froze.
Emma's face paled.
Aarav stopped mid-step. His head turned toward Karan, blue eyes narrowing. "Do you even know what you just said?"
Karan grinned. "Of course! I said, 'Hello! My name is Karan! I am—'"
Emma slapped the book out of his hands before he could finish. "YOU ABSOLUTE MORON!"
Karan, stunned, looked down at the book on the ground. "Huh? What? What did I say?"
Sayaka, now bright red, took a step back. "I—I think you should learn from someone else..."
Sophia, still clueless, picked up the book and started flipping pages. "Huh, I don't see the problem. Looks fine to me!"
Aarav sighed, rubbing his temples. "It's going to be a long day."
Sayaka, still half creeped out but also half curious, hesitantly asked, "Karan... what else can you summon?"
Karan grinned like a villain revealing his master plan. "Oh, dear Sayaka, you've just opened Pandora's Box!"
Emma groaned. "Oh no, here we go..."
Karan clapped his hands together again, dramatically closing his eyes. "Watch and learn, peasants!"
Poof!
A bucket of popcorn appeared in his arms.
Everyone: "..."
Sayaka, blinking, pointed. "You already did that yesterday."
Karan, unbothered, casually tossed some popcorn in his mouth. "A true masterpiece never gets old."
Aarav, deadpan, muttered, "More like a walking glitch in the universe."
Karan ignored him, took a deep breath, and clapped again.
Poof!
This time, a red rose appeared between his fingers. With a flourish, he spun and offered it to Sayaka. "For you, my lady."
Sayaka, hesitating, took it with an awkward laugh. "Uh… thanks?"
Emma rolled her eyes. "Could you summon some brain cells instead?"
Karan, pretending to be deeply offended, clutched his chest. "Emma, my love, that hurts!"
Sophia, finally catching up, excitedly clapped. "Ohhh! Ohhh! Do money next! Summon money!"
Karan looked deeply into her eyes. "If I could summon money, do you really think I'd still be attending college?"
Sophia: "...Fair point."
Aarav, completely done with this nonsense, walked ahead without another word.
Karan watched him go, then dramatically clapped again.
Poof!
A second bucket of popcorn.
Emma facepalmed. "Why am I even surprised anymore?"
Sayaka, still holding the rose awkwardly, glanced at Karan. "So... popcorn and roses? That's your power?"
Karan grinned. "Oh, Sayaka, you underestimate me. I can summon—"
Poof!
A third bucket of popcorn.
Everyone: "..."
Aarav, who was still walking ahead, finally turned around and gave Karan the coldest stare known to mankind. "Are you broken?"
Karan gasps. "How dare you? This is a gift! A divine talent!"
Emma, sarcastically, "Right. A divine talent for junk food and flirting."
Karan tossed popcorn into his mouth. "You say that now, but when the apocalypse comes, and food is scarce, who will you turn to?"
Sophia, dead serious. "Not you."
Sayaka, genuinely curious. "Okay, okay, but seriously. You can summon random objects, but why only popcorn?"
Karan sighed dramatically, putting a hand on his heart. "Because the universe knows my aesthetic. The people need me. And I, Sayaka, am here to entertain!"
Emma rolled her eyes. "So basically, you're a walking circus?"
Karan beamed. "Exactly!"
Aarav, completely done, muttered, "We should've left him in the tree."
Scene Shift – College Gates
Just as they reached the entrance, a commotion broke out.
A group of boys from another class stood near the gates, chatting, but one of them suddenly straightened up as soon as he saw Sayaka.
Guy #1: "Oiii, isn't that the new Japanese chick?!"
Guy #2: "Damn, she's even prettier in person—"
Before they could finish their sentence, they froze.
Why?
Because Aarav turned his head slightly.
Aarav didn't even say anything. Didn't glare, didn't react. Just looked.
And that was enough.
The guys immediately shut their mouths, coughed awkwardly, and pretended to be interested in the sky.
Sophia, clueless, whispered, "Why did they stop talking?"
Emma, eating a chip, "They just saw their lives flash before their eyes."
Sayaka, confused. "Eh?"
Karan, proudly. "That, my dear Sayaka, is the effect of the Walking Glacier."
Sayaka blushed slightly, stealing a glance at Aarav. 'Glacier? More like… a prince…'
Meanwhile, Aarav, not even noticing anything, just kept walking toward the college building.
Scene Shift – College Hallway
The moment they stepped inside, a wave of despair hit them.
The entire college atmosphere had changed.
Students slumped against walls, some dramatically lying on the floor as if life had lost meaning. Others clutched their textbooks like lifelines.
Some were even chanting prayers.
The reason?
A giant notice board at the center of the hallway with bold red letters:
MID-SEMESTER EXAMS – NEXT WEEK
---
Emma's mood plummeted.
Emma, deadpan. "I should've stayed home."
Sophia, horrified. "Wha—But—Didn't they say it was next month?!"
Random student sobbing in the background. "They lied! They LIED!"
Karan, Sayaka, and Aarav, completely unaffected.
Sayaka, calmly. "Oh, exams? Okay."
Karan, grinning. "Pfft. Easy."
Aarav, expression unchanged. "..."
Emma grabbed Sophia by the shoulders. "We have one week. One. Week. We need a plan."
Sophia, tearing up. "Plan? What plan? My brain is already waving a white flag!"
Emma, determined. "No. We are not failing. We are NOT failing."
Meanwhile, Karan casually pulled out his phone and started making bets with classmates on who would fail the hardest.
Sayaka turned to Aarav, tilting her head. "Aarav-kun, do you think the exams will be difficult?"
Aarav, completely uninterested. "No."
Sayaka, eyes sparkling. "Sugoi! Then, can you teach me?!"
Emma, stiffening. 'Oh no. OH NO.'
Karan muttered dramatically, munching on his summoned popcorn. "Ladies and gentlemen… the war begins."
Sophia's gaze turned into pure laser beams, directed straight at Karan.
Her airheaded personality momentarily vanished as she clenched her fists.
Sophia, growling. "You… YOU!"
Karan, still munching on popcorn. "Me?"
Sophia, fuming. "You're the most annoying person I know, you flirt with anything that breathes, you have the attention span of a goldfish—BUT SOMEHOW, YOU SCORE SECOND TO AARAV?!"
Emma, nodding aggressively. "SHE HAS A POINT!"
Other struggling students turned to look at Karan like he was some mythical creature.****"How the hell does HE score that high?!"
Karan, grinning smugly. "Ah, you see, my dear failing peasants, there are two kinds of people in this world—"
Sophia, deadpan. "Shut up."
Karan, continuing anyway. "—Those who study, and those who make studying work for them."
Sophia, veins popping. "YOU JUST MADE THAT UP!"
Sayaka, curious. "Karan-kun, do you have a secret technique?"
Karan, smugly. "Yes. It's called 'I was born a genius.'"
Sophia nearly lunged at him.
Emma, holding her back. "No homicide before exams."
Sophia, gritting her teeth. "Fine. But AFTER exams, he's done for."
Aarav, watching all of this unfold with complete disinterest, simply started walking away.
Sayaka, noticing. "Aarav-kun! Wait!"
Emma and Sophia, snapping their heads towards her. 'Why is she following him?!'
Karan, grinning as he saw their reactions. "Oh-ho? This just got interesting."
Aarav didn't stop walking.
His hands were in his pockets, his expression unreadable, and his pace steady—completely ignoring the chaos behind him.
Sayaka hurried after him.
"Why does he always walk away so fast?!"
Karan, snickering. "Because he's a walking glacier, Sayaka-chan. He moves at his own damn pace."
Emma, trying to remain calm, but failing. "Why are you following him?"
Sayaka, innocently. "Huh? Because I have questions!"
Sophia, eyes narrowing. "Questions about?"
Sayaka, cheerfully. "Aarav-kun, of course!"
Emma, internally screaming.
Meanwhile, Aarav—who absolutely knew he was being talked about—did not acknowledge it in the slightest.
Sayaka, catching up. "Aarav-kun! About the exams—"
Aarav, without looking at her. "No, I won't tutor you."
Sayaka, blinking in surprise. "Ehh? But I didn't even ask yet!"
Aarav, flatly. "You were going to."
Sayaka, pouting. "Well… yes."
Karan, laughing. "She got read like a book. A thin book."
Emma, crossing her arms. "Sayaka, Aarav doesn't tutor anyone."
Sayaka, determined. "But I'm different!"
Emma, thinking. 'Oh no, she's persistent.'
Sophia, grinning. "You should try! Maybe you'll be the first person he says yes to."
Karan, gasps dramatically. "Aarav's first tutoring student?! That's more prestigious than rank one!"
Aarav, deadpan. "You're all idiots."
As they walked through campus, the weight of the upcoming exams pressed down on most students. But for this group?
It was just another chaotic day.
Six days before exams.
The cafeteria was drowning in the collective misery of students. Everywhere, there were groans, stressed-out faces, and people frantically flipping through notes. Some were crying into their chai, others whispering formulas like prayers.
But at the round table in the middle of all this?
Karan and Sayaka were completely unbothered.
Karan, leaning back, arms crossed, grinning. "Ah, I love this time of the year. The smell of desperation, the sight of people realizing they should've paid attention in class… It's beautiful."
Sayaka, nodding cheerfully. "It's like watching a horror movie, but in real life!"
Emma, buried in her notes, barely looking up. "You two are so annoying."
Sophia, slumped over the table, clutching her head. "I swear, Karan, if you get a higher score than me again, I will—"
Karan, smugly. "You will what, dear Sophia? Cry? Scream? Beg me to teach you my genius ways?"
Sophia, gritting her teeth. "I will bury you."
Emma, ignoring them. "Sayaka, shouldn't you be studying? You're still catching up with English, right?"
Sayaka, tilting her head. "Oh, that's fine! Aarav-kun will help me~"
Emma, dropping her pen. "Excuse me?"
Sophia, suddenly interested. "Wait, what?"
Karan, choking on his chai. "Ohhh, this is good."
Sayaka, clueless. "What? He didn't say yes, but he didn't say no either!"
Emma, glaring. "That means no."
Sayaka, smiling. "But! I have six whole days to convince him~"
Sophia, whispering to Emma. "She's… ambitious."
Karan, grinning. "I like her confidence. It won't work, but I respect the effort."
Emma, exhaling. "Sayaka. Aarav. Does. Not. Tutor. Anyone."
Sayaka, cheerfully. "Then I'll be the first!"
Emma, thinking. 'I need to stop this girl before she actually gets close to him.'
Meanwhile, across campus, Aarav was peacefully eating under his banyan tree, completely unaware of the storm heading his way.
Karan leaned forward, smirking, and dramatically placed a hand over his chest.
"Ladies, you can trust me," he said, switching to a perfect British accent. "I, Karan the Magnificent, shall tutor you. I will welcome you to my humble abode, where wisdom flows like the finest English tea."
Emma and Sophia stared at him, unimpressed.
Sophia, flatly. "Your 'humble house' is a one-room apartment above a Chinese restaurant."
Karan, ignoring her. "Details, details, my dear. The point is, I shall bestow upon you the knowledge you desperately lack."
Emma, raising an eyebrow. "You're acting like you're some kind of scholar."
Karan, grinning. "I am a scholar. Second only to the walking glacier himself."
Sophia, narrowing her eyes. "Then why do you act like an idiot?"
Karan, placing a hand on his heart again. "Because intelligence without entertainment is boring, my dear Sophia. I am a man of culture. A man of balance. A man who—"
Emma, cutting him off. "A man who is full of nonsense."
Sayaka, cheerfully. "I think it's funny!"
Karan, smirking. "See? Someone appreciates my genius."
Sophia, grumbling. "I swear, if I fail this exam, I will burn your 'humble house' down."
Karan, laughing. "Oh, Sophia, your threats are my motivation."
Meanwhile, Emma was already considering her options.
Option 1: Study alone, suffer in silence.
Option 2: Try to convince Aarav to help (nearly impossible).
Option 3: Accept Karan's help and risk her sanity.
It was going to be a long six days.
5 Days Before Exams
Emma, Sophia, and Sayaka stood frozen at the grand entrance of Karan's so-called "humble house."
A three-story modern mansion. Marble floors. A massive chandelier. A fountain in the middle of the hall.
Emma, narrowing her eyes. "This… is your house?"
Sophia, bewildered. "What happened to the one-room apartment above a Chinese restaurant?"
Sayaka, whispering in awe. "Sugoi…"
Karan, smirking. "Did I not say? My house is a sanctuary of wisdom and knowledge."
Emma, deadpan. "You literally said 'humble house' like some British aristocrat."
Before Karan could answer, a tall man in a crisp black suit appeared. His demeanor was refined, his silver hair slicked back perfectly.
"Welcome home, young master," the man said in a deep, dignified voice.
Karan, grinning. "Ladies, meet Sebastian, my ever-loyal butler."
Sebastian, bowing slightly. "It is a pleasure to serve the young master's guests. Please, make yourselves comfortable."
Sophia, whispering to Emma. "Why does this feel like we walked into some high-budget anime?"
Emma, whispering back. "Because we did."
Sayaka, brightly. "Karan-kun, if you are rich, why do you act like a fool?"
Karan, placing a hand over his chest dramatically. "Because intelligence is best hidden behind a mask of foolishness, dear Sayaka. That way, no one sees you coming."
Sebastian, without missing a beat. "More accurately, the young master was dropped on his head as a child."
Karan, gasping. "Sebastian! You wound me!"
Sebastian, monotone. "I only speak the truth, sir."
Emma sighed. This was already becoming a headache.
"Let's just get this over with. Where are we studying?"
Sebastian gestured toward a massive library with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, vintage wooden desks, and a fireplace.
Sophia and Sayaka's jaws dropped.
Karan, smirking. "Still doubt my qualifications, ladies?"
Emma, grumbling. "I don't doubt your grades. I doubt you."
Sebastian, to Emma. "You are wise to do so, miss."
As they settled into the massive library, Sebastian, ever the refined butler, stepped forward with perfect posture, hands behind his back.
In his deep, composed British accent, he casually asked,
"Young master, among these fine ladies, who shall I address as young lady? In other words, which one is your mistress?"
The entire room fell into dead silence.
Sophia, choking on air. "EXCUSE ME!?"
Emma, flabbergasted. "WHAT THE—"
Sayaka, face red. "M-Mistress!?"
Karan, nearly falling out of his chair. "Sebastian, my dear old friend, do you want me to die today!?"
Sebastian, expression unchanging. "Apologies, young master. I was under the impression that you, a man of considerable wealth and charm, must have secured yourself a lady companion by now."
Karan, dramatically clutching his heart. "Sebastian! I'm an honorable bachelor! I'm merely providing free, noble education to these ladies in their time of need!"
Sebastian, nodding. "Ah, I see. A philanthropist, then. How commendable."
Emma, massaging her temples. "This is a mistake. I shouldn't have come here."
Sophia, to Emma. "If we kill him, do you think Sebastian will help us cover it up?"
Sayaka, still red, whispering. "What if Karan-kun actually had a mistress…?"
Karan, grinning. "Sayaka-chan, if I did, it would obviously be you!"
Sayaka, in instant disgust. "NO THANK YOU."
Sebastian, to Karan. "Rejection. As expected."
Karan, groaning. "Sebastian, you were supposed to be on my side."
Sebastian, bowing slightly. "As your butler, my duty is to tell the truth, young master."
Emma, smirking. "I like this guy."
Sophia, grinning. "Me too."
Karan, muttering. "Et tu, ladies?"
Sebastian, calmly. "Shall we begin the study session, or should I prepare the funeral arrangements for your dignity first, sir?"
Karan, facepalming. "Just… start the lesson."
Sebastian, nodding. "As you wish, young master."
Karan Drops the Truth Bomb
Karan, who had been messing around this whole time, suddenly leaned forward, resting his elbows on the grand oak table.
His usual playful expression disappeared.
Then, in a rare, blunt, and serious tone, he said:
"Alright, let's get down to business. Last year, Emma ranked 385. And Sophia…" He sighed, pausing for dramatic effect. "You were 612. You barely passed."
Sophia, offended. "Ouch. Do you have to say it like that!?"
Karan, raising an eyebrow. "Do you want me to sugarcoat it?"
Sophia, muttering. "…A little."
Sayaka, curious. "And what about this year? What are their targets?"
Emma, crossing her arms. "I want to at least break into the top 200."
Sophia, nodding. "I just wanna… survive."
Karan, rubbing his temples. "Sophia, your goal is literally 'don't fail.' Set your standards higher."
Sophia, pouting. "Fine, top 500?"
Karan, deadpan. "…Pathetic."
Sophia, kicking his shin. "Shut up!"
Sayaka, smiling. "And what about Karan-kun? You're ranked second, right?"
Karan, grinning. "That's right, Sayaka-chan. Second only to a certain walking glacier who refuses to let me have my moment."
Emma, smirking. "You mean Aarav?"
Karan, dramatic sigh. "Yes, him. The one man I can never surpass. The eternal rank one."
Sophia, genuinely confused. "But… if you're second, why do you act like such an idiot all the time?"
Karan, offended. "Excuse me, my dear Sophia. It takes a genius to be this much of an idiot and still remain rank two."
Sebastian, calmly pouring tea. "A disturbing amount of truth in that statement, sir."
Emma, facepalming. "Let's just start studying before I regret this."
Karan, grinning. "That's the spirit! Now, let's begin your suffering!"
4 Days Before Exams – The Squad in Karan's Room
Karan's bedroom was massive, almost like a luxury suite. A grand canopy bed, bookshelves that looked untouched, a huge LED screen, and more gaming consoles than textbooks.
But none of that mattered now.
Because three out of five people in the room were sulking.
Emma was slumped over the desk, her face buried in an open notebook. "I hate this. I hate this. Why am I doing this?"
Sophia was lying upside-down on the sofa, a half-eaten bag of chips on her stomach, mumbling, "My brain stopped working an hour ago…"
Even Sebastian, Karan's butler, had subtly retreated, sensing the growing aura of suffering.
Meanwhile…
Karan and Sayaka? Completely unbothered.
Sayaka was sitting cross-legged on the bed, reading through her textbook like it was a light novel. "I don't see what's so bad. Exams are just tests, right?"
Karan, lounging in his gaming chair, sipping a cold drink. "Exactly, Sayaka-chan. Exams are just tests. And tests are just games with different rules."
Emma, raising her head weakly. "You literally don't even study, Karan. Why are you so calm?"
Karan, grinning. "Because I already know everything. Unlike you three, who ignored every lecture until now."
Sophia, groaning. "I regret everything. I should've listened in class instead of sleeping with my eyes open…"
Karan, chuckling. "Yes, yes, very tragic. But despair not, my dear Sophia. For I, the Academic God, shall guide you to the light."
Emma, suspicious. "I feel like you enjoy this way too much."
Karan, smirking. "Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows?"
Sayaka, flipping a page. "Aarav-kun doesn't study with us?"
Emma, deadpan. "No. He studies alone."
Sophia, nodding. "Under his holy banyan tree."
Sayaka, murmuring. "As expected of him…"
Karan, laughing. "Don't worry, Sayaka-chan. If you need tutoring, I—"
Emma and Sophia, simultaneously. "Don't say it."
Karan, mock-offended. "You guys never let me have fun."
Emma, gritting her teeth. "You are having fun. We're the ones suffering."
Sebastian suddenly entered with a silver tray of coffee and snacks. "Perhaps a break would be in order, young master?"
Sophia, sitting up immediately. "Sebastian, you're my favorite person in this house."
Sebastian, bowing slightly. "I do my best, young lady."
Karan, grinning. "Alright, break time. But after this, we're going hardcore on math!"
Emma and Sophia, horrified. "Math!?"
Karan, evil smirk. "Oh, yes. Buckle up, ladies. The real nightmare starts now."