Keifer's POV
Morning sunlight slipped through the curtains like it owned the room, warm and lazy.
Jay was still half-asleep beside me, hair a complete mess, face buried halfway into the pillow.
I moved a strand away from her face.
She blinked.
Slowly.
"…morning," she mumbled.
"Morning," I said, leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to her temple.
She smiled like she wasn't even fully awake yet.
And for a second—
Everything felt… normal.
---
That peace lasted exactly until we reached the dining room.
Because chaos was already seated.
Section E.
Keiren.
Keigan.
Percy (checking his reflection in a spoon again).
Everyone loud. Everyone alive.
"Good morning, lovebirds!" Denzel called out dramatically.
Jay immediately slowed down beside me.
I almost laughed.
---
We sat.
Food arrived.
Noise increased.
And then—
The whispering started.
"Oh look at them…"
"Close today also…"
"Interesting…"
Jay nudged me under the table.
"They're staring."
"Let them," I said, taking a sip casually.
Big mistake.
Because that encouraged them.
---
Keiren had been staring longer than usual.
I noticed it.
That look.
Curious.
Too curious.
Then he spoke.
"Ate… why are you wearing Kuya's hoodie again?"
Jay froze.
I almost choked.
Before either of us could recover—
He turned to me.
"Kuya… your neck is red."
Pause.
"And Ate's neck too."
Silence.
For exactly one second.
I leaned back, completely unfazed.
"Mosquitoes."
Jay turned her face away instantly.
I could feel her blushing.
Keiren squinted.
Hard.
"Strange," he said slowly. "Since your wedding, mosquitoes only like you two."
Denzel lost it.
Felix choked on water.
Someone literally hit the table.
"They even followed you to India!" Drew added dramatically.
---
Jay was gone at this point.
Face red.
Trying to hide her neck.
Trying not to laugh.
Trying to disappear.
I wrapped an arm around her under the table, pulling her slightly closer.
She leaned into me instantly.
"They're impossible," she whispered.
I smirked.
"Yeah," I murmured near her ear, "but you're enjoying it."
She glared at me.
Which made it worse.
---
Meanwhile—
Section E was thriving.
Percy: "Mosquitoes with taste."
Honey: "Selective biting."
Keiren: "Very suspicious mosquitoes."
Keigan just shook his head—but I caught it.
That small glance.
Not at us.
At Eces.
Again.
Yeah.
Still happening.
---
I leaned back in my chair, watching everything unfold.
The noise.
The teasing.
The laughter.
Jay still close to me, still trying to recover.
And for a moment—
Nothing else mattered.
Not Kaizer.
Not whatever was waiting for us.
Not the tension under everything.
Just this.
Just her.
I tightened my hold on her hand under the table.
Quiet.
Certain.
Whatever comes next—
I'm not letting anything touch her.
By the time the sun climbed high over Kolkata, the mansion had turned into a full-blown festival.
Section E had basically surrounded Eces in the living room.
"Ate, we want to go somewhere interesting!" Keiren declared, holding her sleeve like she couldn't escape even if she tried.
"I second that."
"I third that."
"We vote for adventure."
Eces looked at all of them—half amused, half resigned.
"Alright," she said finally. "But no wandering off. Stay close. And listen to Krish."
That was enough.
Within minutes—
Chaos turned into preparation.
---
The Ride Through Kolkata
We were split into cars, somehow fitting way more people than should've been possible.
I ended up beside Jay.
Of course.
The moment the car started moving, Kolkata unfolded around us like a movie that didn't pause.
Rickshaws squeezing through impossible gaps.
Street vendors shouting over each other.
Bright shops flashing colors.
People everywhere. Always moving.
Keiren had his face glued to the window.
"Why is everything so fast?"
"Because you're slow," Keigan replied.
Percy was using the car mirror again.
Honey took his phone away.
"Look outside for once."
Meanwhile, Jay leaned slightly toward me, watching everything quietly.
"It's so… alive," she whispered.
I nodded, watching her more than the city.
Eces sat in the front, guiding Krish calmly.
"Take the next left… not this one, the next."
She didn't even need to look.
She knew the city.
---
Victoria Memorial
The moment we stepped out—
Everyone went silent.
The white marble building stood like something out of a dream.
"Okay… this is unreal," Drew muttered.
Jay's hand brushed mine unconsciously.
I caught it.
Held it.
"You like it?" I asked.
She looked up at me, eyes bright.
"It's beautiful…"
Then, lower—just for me—
"…but not as beautiful as you."
I stared at her for a second.
Then laughed softly and kissed her temple.
"You're trying too hard."
She smiled like she knew it worked.
---
Eden Gardens
The energy shifted immediately.
The moment the stadium came into view—
Section E lost control.
"CRICKET!"
"BRO THIS IS LEGENDARY!"
"I'M NOT LEAVING!"
They were practically jumping.
Keiren started asking a hundred questions.
Percy, of course, found a reflective surface.
"Why do I look good everywhere?"
"You don't," Honey replied.
Jay laughed, nudging me.
"I like him. He's entertaining."
"I don't," I said. "He's competition."
She rolled her eyes.
---
Howrah Bridge
Traffic slowed.
The massive structure rose above us.
Steel. Strength. Endless movement.
We stepped out for a moment.
The wind hit instantly, carrying the smell of the river.
Jay's hair flew across her face.
I moved it aside without thinking.
She smiled.
The world around us was loud—
But that moment felt quiet.
I leaned in.
Just a soft, quick kiss.
Nothing dramatic.
But enough.
Her eyes softened immediately.
---
Prinsep Ghat
If the city was chaos—
This place was calm.
The river moved slowly.
People walked, talked, laughed.
But it felt… lighter.
We walked along the promenade.
Jay rested her head on my shoulder.
No words.
Just presence.
Behind us—
Section E was still being loud.
"Take my photo!"
"No, mine first!"
"Why do I look bad??"
Eces stood slightly apart, watching everything.
Peaceful.
But alert.
Always alert.
---
Marble Palace
The last stop.
And somehow—
The most silent one.
The architecture was intricate, almost overwhelming.
Statues. Marble floors. History everywhere.
"Okay this is rich-rich," Denzel whispered.
Eces explained things as we walked.
History. Details.
She knew everything.
Keiren followed her closely.
"Ate… what's this?"
"Ate… why that?"
"Ate…"
Keigan wasn't asking questions.
He was just watching her.
Still.
Constant.
---
A Quiet Moment
Near the garden area, I pulled Jay aside.
Away from the noise.
Just for a minute.
She looked at me, curious.
I didn't say anything.
Just kissed her.
Soft.
Slow.
She held onto me instantly.
Arms around my neck.
Like the world didn't exist.
Her heartbeat was fast.
Warm.
"I like you like this," I murmured.
She smiled, resting her forehead against mine.
"Me too… it feels perfect."
For that moment—
It was.
---
We walked back to the group.
Noise returned immediately.
Laughter. Teasing. Chaos.
But something stayed with me.
This wasn't just a trip.
It wasn't just sightseeing.
It was—
Moments.
Small ones.
Real ones.
The kind you don't forget.
---
And as I looked ahead—
I saw Keigan again.
Standing a little behind.
Watching Eces.
Not obvious.
But constant.
Protective.
Something quiet building there.
Yeah.
Some things really don't change.
And something tells me—
They're about to get a lot more complicated.
Eces' POV
Everyone was laughing.
Loud. Carefree. Lost in the city.
But I felt it.
Not heard. Not seen.
Felt.
A thin ripple in the air… like something brushing against my senses and disappearing before it could be named.
I stayed close to Krish, letting him guide the group while my eyes did something else entirely.
Scanning.
Measuring.
Counting.
Keiren tugged at my sleeve. "Ate—look at that!"
I glanced down at him, forcing a small smile. "Hmm?"
He was excited. Of course he was.
They all were.
Section E was busy arguing over food again. The girls were laughing. Percy was probably checking his reflection somewhere nearby.
And Jay…
Ate was happily eating, cheeks puffed, eyes shining like nothing in the world could touch her.
Kuya Keifer watching her smiling .
For a second—
I had to remind myself to breathe.
---
Then I saw it.
A movement.
Behind a pillar.
Too precise.
Too quick.
Gone.
My breath hitched.
Someone's there… someone is following us.
I didn't stop.
Didn't react.
Just slowed my pace slightly.
Krish noticed.
Of course he did.
Only a flicker in my eyes—nothing more.
That was enough.
---
My fingers closed around my pendant.
Cold.
Steady.
Real.
Goddess Kali… guide me. Protect all of them.
The prayer didn't leave my lips.
It didn't need to.
---
I stepped back into the group like nothing had changed.
Like everything was normal.
Keifer—Kuya—brushed his hand lightly against mine as we walked.
Unintentional.
But grounding.
For a second, I let myself feel it.
Warmth.
Safety.
Then I let it go.
---
Ate leaned into him, laughing at something someone said.
She didn't see it.
None of them did.
And they shouldn't.
---
My eyes kept moving.
Reflections in glass.
Shadows between people.
Footsteps that didn't match the rhythm of the crowd.
Every detail mattered.
Every second mattered.
---
"Come on, everyone," I said softly, keeping my voice light.
Normal.
Easy.
Like nothing was wrong.
They followed without question.
Still laughing.
Still unaware.
---
But I could feel it.
Beneath the noise.
Beneath the color.
Something darker.
Watching.
Waiting.
Planning.
---
My grip on the pendant tightened.
My pulse picked up.
But my face—
Calm.
Always calm.
Because if they knew—
If Kuya knew…
If Ate knew…
If Keiren even sensed it—
They would worry.
And worry makes people careless.
Careless gets people hurt.
---
Not on my watch.
Not here.
Not ever.
---
I would protect them.
Every single one.
Kuya.
Ate.
Keiren.
Keigan.
Percy.
Section E.
All of them.
No one touches them.
---
They laughed.
They joked.
They lived their moment.
And I walked beside them—
Silent.
Watchful.
Ready.
Because whoever was out there…
They had no idea.
I wasn't prey.
I was the shield.
And I was already prepared.
Third Person POV — Café Scene
The moment they stepped into the café, the air wrapped around them—rich with the smell of freshly brewed coffee, fried snacks, and sweet syrup.
"Okay, this smells illegal," Denzel said.
Section E didn't wait.
They rushed straight to a long table by the window, dragging chairs, arguing over seats, already debating food like it was a life decision.
Meanwhile—
Eces paused near the entrance.
Just for a second.
Her eyes moved across the street outside. People passing. Reflections in glass. A man standing too still. A shadow that lingered a second longer than it should.
Then she walked in.
Like nothing happened.
Keifer noticed.
He didn't say anything.
---
"Ate, what's famous here?" Keiren asked, already excited, pulling at her sleeve.
Eces gave a small smile and started pointing at the menu.
"Try the kathi rolls. And puchka—what you had earlier, but better here. Also mishti doi… and rasgulla."
"Rasgulla?" Percy perked up. "I like the name already."
"And chaat," she added. "You mix it properly before eating. Not like earlier."
Everyone leaned in like students.
She showed them quickly—mix, hold, eat.
Section E tried copying.
Failed.
Laughed anyway.
---
Plates started arriving.
Hot kathi rolls wrapped in paper.
Crispy puchkas filled and ready.
Bowls of tangy chaat.
Soft rasgullas floating in syrup.
Mishti doi set in small clay cups.
"Wait—this is dessert?" Honey asked, staring at mishti doi.
"Yes."
"I love this country."
---
Jay sat beside Keifer, already halfway into her food again.
Her hand brushed his under the table as she leaned into him casually.
He didn't move it away.
Didn't even pretend to.
"I love watching you eat," he whispered.
She paused mid-bite.
Glared at him.
Then stuffed another puchka into her mouth.
Cheeks puffed again.
Sauce almost spilling.
He laughed quietly. "Careful. You're making a mess."
She nudged him under the table.
"Stop it."
But her hand stayed in his.
---
Percy, meanwhile, had found his reflection in the café window.
"I swear I look amazing today."
"You say that every day," Honey replied.
"Because it's true every day."
Aries laughed. "At least he's consistent."
---
Chairs scraped.
Voices overlapped.
Section E teasing.
"Why are you two sitting so close?"
"Public display!"
"Very suspicious behavior!"
Jay tried to ignore it.
Keifer didn't.
He just leaned back, smirking.
---
Across the table—
Eces stayed calm.
Talking. Explaining. Smiling.
But her eyes—
Kept drifting.
Door.
Window.
Street.
Again and again.
Her fingers tightened around her pendant.
Koi hai…
( Someone's there... )
For a second, her gaze sharpened at something outside.
Then she blinked.
And turned back.
"Don't eat too fast," she said lightly. "You'll regret it later."
---
Keigan watched her.
Not the food.
Not the chaos.
Her.
Every time Krish leaned in to say something—
Keigan's posture stiffened slightly.
Subtle.
But there.
Keifer caught it.
And smirked.
---
More food arrived.
More laughter followed.
Denzel declared kathi rolls superior to everything.
Freya tried mishti doi and immediately asked for another.
Keiren kept asking questions between bites.
"Why is this sweet?"
"Why is this spicy?"
"Why is everything so good?"
---
After a while, Eces stood slightly.
"We should move," she said calmly. "We can explore the streets nearby."
Immediate excitement.
"Yes!"
"Shopping!"
"More food!"
She added, tone still light—but firm—
"Stay close. No one goes alone."
They nodded.
Half listening.
---
As they got up, still laughing, still teasing—
Keifer watched Jay again.
Happy.
Carefree.
Completely in the moment.
And for him—
That was enough.
---
But behind them—
Eces glanced once more at the street.
That same feeling.
That same presence.
Watching.
Waiting.
She didn't say anything.
Didn't show it.
Just walked ahead.
Calm.
Alert.
Because whatever was out there—
She was already ready for it.
+++++++++++
Guys, I am not getting enough response from you all, so if I don't get ATLEAST 10 COMMENTS on this chapter , I won't upload another chapter..
Suspense is necessary...
What do you guys think about the second man with Kaizer ?