**One Year Later – Yamuna Riverside Villa, Dawn of Priya's 3rd Birthday**
The lotus pond had become a **butterfly grove**.
Overnight, the single seed from the movie's climax had sprouted into a **20-foot tree**—bark silver, leaves shaped like morpho wings, blossoms that opened only at twilight and sang in children's voices.
Rajesh stood barefoot in the dew, grey streak now a full silver temple, watching **500 butterflies** swirl around a sleepy Priya in her **butterfly-wing pajamas**.
Anjali, six months pregnant, leaned against the banyan, hand on her belly.
Little Sheru (still Pug-sized for school runs) wore a party hat that read **"Big Bro Sheru"**.
---
### 6:00 a.m. – The Birthday Council
**Priya's Village** had grown:
- **Neha Patel** – now official **Family Documentarian**, drone hovering.
- **Brijesh Joshi** – retired from Garuda Force, now **Villa Security Uncle**, teaching kids peacock-feather swordplay.
- **Dr. Saraswati Iyer** – **Grandma Saras**, composing birthday ragas on her veena.
- **Vikram Malhotra** – producer of *Pink Lotus 2: The Lotus Legacy*, arriving in a helicopter with a **giant butterfly cake**.
- **Big Bazaar Aunty (now "Nani ji")** – carrying a steel dabba of **besan laddoos**.
Priya clapped. "Presents?"
Rajesh knelt. "One from each of us. But first—"
He led her to the butterfly tree.
A single **golden cocoon** hung from the lowest branch.
It pulsed.
---
### 6:30 a.m. – The Cocoon Opens
The cocoon split.
Out fluttered a **tiny butterfly**—wings shaped like **Priya's handprint**, colors shifting from rose-gold to silver.
It landed on Priya's nose.
A child's voice (Priya's own, recorded at 2.5) whispered from the wings:
**"Thank you for teaching Papa how to come home."**
Priya's eyes filled.
The butterfly dissolved into **golden dust**, raining over the family.
Where it touched:
- Rajesh's grey streak **turned fully silver**—a crown.
- Anjali's ring **glowed** with a tiny lotus.
- Sheru's bandana now read **"Big Bro Sheru – Age 10,003 (in tiger years)"**.
---
### 7:00 a.m. – The Gifts
**From Rajesh:**
A **storybook** hand-bound by him: *"The Adventures of Priya and the Grey-Haired Dragon"*.
Last page: "To be continued… with your baby brother."
**From Anjali:**
A **mini film camera**. "For the director of *Pink Lotus 3*."
**From Neha:**
A **drone** that projects holographic butterflies.
**From Brijesh:**
A **peacock-feather pen**. "For signing autographs."
**From Dr. Iyer:**
A **tiny veena** tuned to Priya's laughter.
**From Nani ji:**
A **recipe book**: "100 Ways to Burn Rotis Like Papa."
---
### 8:00 a.m. – The Birthday Breakfast
**Menu (cooked by the whole village):**
- **Butterfly-shaped idlis** (Neha).
- **Kesari halwa** with edible gold (Dr. Iyer).
- **Filter coffee** (Brijesh, now a barista).
- **Burnt roti sandwiches** (Rajesh, proudly charred).
Priya fed the first bite to Anjali's belly.
"Baby brother, taste!"
---
### 12:00 p.m. – The Premiere Party (Villa Lawn)
**Pink Lotus 2** had released last night.
Box office: ₹150 crore in 12 hours.
The lawn became a **mini theatre**:
- **Projector screen** on the banyan.
- **Butterfly-shaped popcorn**.
- **Kulfi carts** from Giani's.
Priya sat on Rajesh's lap, wings glowing.
On screen: **future Priya (age 7)** directing her baby brother in a school play.
Real Priya whispered, "That's me!"
Anjali squeezed Rajesh's hand. "We made this."
---
### 3:00 p.m. – The Butterfly Release
500 children (Lotus Academy + Garuda Force orphans) released **500 butterflies**.
They formed a giant **heart** in the sky, then spelled:
**"HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRIYA"**
---
### 7:00 p.m. – The Twilight Song
As the sun dipped, the butterfly tree **sang**.
Every blossom opened.
A chorus of children's voices (recorded over the year) harmonized:
**"Chanda hai tu, mera suraj hai tu…"**
Priya danced under the tree, wings glowing.
Rajesh and Anjali slow-danced, her belly between them.
Sheru chased his tail in circles.
---
### 9:00 p.m. – The Final Gift
Rajesh carried a sleepy Priya to the tree.
He pressed her hand to the trunk.
A **new bud** bloomed instantly—shaped like a **tiny cradle**.
Inside: a **silver lotus seed**.
"For your brother," Rajesh whispered. "Plant it when he's born.
It'll grow into his own butterfly tree."
Priya yawned. "Will it sing too?"
"Only if you teach it your laugh."
---
### 10:00 p.m. – The Mortal Lullaby
The family lay on a blanket under the banyan.
Anjali's head on Rajesh's chest.
Priya between them, wings dimming.
Sheru curled at their feet.
Rajesh sang softly:
*"Soja rajkumari, soja…"*
The butterfly tree hummed in harmony.
Fireflies spelled **"Family"** in the air.
Anjali murmured, "Day 385.
No wars.
Just… this."
Rajesh kissed her forehead, then Priya's.
**"The Supreme Daddy became a mortal.
The Family Man became eternal."**
The butterfly tree glowed.
The Yamuna reflected a thousand lotuses.
And somewhere, a **new seed** waited for a new birthday.
**THE END… of the first chapter of forever.**