Canvas of Love

Light to My Moth

The room had descended into a rare calm after all the chaos of teasing, playful bickering, fun, eye-rolling and Shubman nearly choking from the antics. The guys lay sprawled across the floor—some like starfish, others like lazy sloths—each conserving energy in their own amusing way.

The tranquility shattered when Rahul, K.L. Rahul seated against the wall with his phone, spoke up.

"Guys, how about we hit a pub tonight? You know, for a party and all?" His tone was nonchalant, and he barely spared a glance at anyone as he scrolled.

Heads snapped toward him like a synchronized wave. A beat of silence passed as everyone stared, first at Rahul and then at each other, gauging reactions.

Hardik was the first to break the silence, springing to his feet with boundless excitement.

"Rahul bolne laga! Rahul bolne laga!" He exclaimed, clapping his hands dramatically like a kid announcing a miracle.

This is lame, right? Right? Who is going to be with hi---

"Mera Yashu Yashu... Mera Yashu Yashu... Mera Yashu Yashu..." Tilak, Abhishek, and Mayank said together loudly.

 They hollered with exaggerated enthusiasm, clearly fueling Hardik's over-the-top energy.

(This is just a meme, guys! Sorry, I don't know why, but if it made you upset, then sowiee, bubie <3)

Rohit and Virat, seated at the far end of the room, exchanged exasperated glances. Their expressions screamed Why did we agree to live with these guys?

Meanwhile, Ishan was on the floor, laughing so hard that he was banging his hand against the ground, completely lost in the hilarity of the moment. 

Shubman, seated a little away from him, couldn't help but glance at him from the corner of his eye.

For a fleeting second, their gazes met—Ishan's eyes, bright and carefree, completely oblivious to the world, while Shubman's almond eyes carried layers of unspoken emotions. 

The memory of shared childhood moments and the weight of growing up flitted across his face.

 Caught in the moment, Shubman quickly looked away as though caught committing a crime.

"Pata nahi kaise logo ke saath phas gaya hoon main." Rahul muttered, rolling his eyes.

Shubman cleared his throat, breaking the odd pause. 

"Okay, so where are we going?" His question hung in the air as his gaze swept the room, lingering a second longer on Ishan, who was still recovering from his fit of laughter.

"There's this private pub not too far from here. Good food, good music, and no nosy crowd." Rahul said, holding up his phone and scrolling through pictures. 

"That will be so much fun, man." Tilak chimed in, his voice brimming with excitement.

"Great. Tonight it is, then." Rohit announced, standing and walking out of the room, clearly needing a break from the banter. Virat followed him wordlessly, shaking his head.

Mayank and Abhishek soon excused themselves, their conversation morphing into Abhishek's animated deliberation over what to wear. 

"I need to look perfect tonight! Mayank, what do you think? Is a shirt too casual? Or should I go with the neon jackets?" he asked in rapid succession. 

Before Mayank could answer, Abhishek dismissed his own suggestions with dramatic sighs.

Rahul stood up and started leaving, followed by Hardik, who hovered around him like a bee circling the prettiest flower in the garden. Rahul groaned, rubbing his temples.