Canvas of Love

The Boys

The common room buzzed with the lazy yet lively energy of a post-breakfast hangout. 

The laughter from breakfast still echoed in their minds—Abhishek biting Mayank's shoulder, Virat's calorie lectures, and everyone teasing each other like siblings on a sugar rush. T

he atmosphere was warm, playful, and chaotic, just as it always was when they were together.

The guys were sprawled around like starfish on every available surface—sofas, bean bags, and even the floor. 

In the center of the room, Abhishek lay dramatically flat on the carpet, arms and legs spread wide, clearly lost in thought.

He was probably scheming ways to convince Mayank to participate in the "APT Challenge" for their Instagram reels. 

His face was so comically intense that one could almost hear the gears turning in his head.

(Bro's got so much work to do.)

A peaceful silence had fallen over the group for a moment when it was shattered—absolutely obliterated—by Hardik screaming.

Yeah, screaming. Not a shout, but a full-throated, high-pitched screech that echoed in the room.

The room froze, heads snapping toward him. 

Hardik was sitting up rigidly, his eyes wide and fixed on the ceiling, before flopping back down onto the bean bag like a penguin collapsing after a long waddle.

All eyes were on him now.

"Is he possessed?" Abhishek whispered, leaning toward Ishan, who now sat upright, cautiously observing the scene.

"I was thinking the same thing." Ishan whispered back, his voice a mix of curiosity and concern.

"Hardik, benstocks hai kya bhai?!" Virat exclaimed, clutching his chest in exaggerated shock.
(Hardik, are you out of your mind, bro?!)

"Garden mein phek de isko." Rohit said, his tone completely deadpan. His face was so blank it seemed like his soul had briefly left his body.
(Throw him into the garden.)

"I think bro is calling aliens." Tilak whispered to Mayank, who instinctively glanced out the window, as if expecting a UFO to hover into view.

"Bhai, Jaddu bhai dikh toh nahi rahe?" Mayank whispered back, squinting as if genuinely expecting to see Jaddu descending from the space.
(Bro, I don't see Jaddu bhai anywhere, do you?)

Meanwhile, Shubman was staring at Hardik with a mix of amusement and disbelief, as though he'd just caught Ishan doing something scandalous. 

On the other hand, Rahul merely glanced at Hardik for a moment, sighed like he'd seen it all before, and promptly went back to hibernating on the couch, entirely unbothered by the madness.

Hardik suddenly broke the silence. 

"Ishu baby, idhar aa." His voice was oddly soft, almost affectionate.
(Ishu baby, come here.)

Ishan froze. Everyone else turned to him with wide eyes, the tension in the room palpable.

Abhishek gasped dramatically—so dramatically, it could've been the climax of a daily soap.

"Ishan bhai, tu toh gaya." Tilak muttered solemnly, shaking his head in mock pity.
(Ishan bro, you're done for.)

Hardik sat up, patting the bean bag beside him. "Come on, Ishu baby."

Ishan hesitated, glancing nervously at the others with a heavy sigh, Ishan got up. 

He shot a pleading look at the others, but no one moved to help him. Instead, they watched with bated breath, their expressions ranging from amused to horrified.