[ Long Update ]

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"The past beats inside me like a second heart."

- John Banville
The Sea

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"I thought the party had standards. Perhaps not." RK gave her a cold look.

"Oh, I thought RK hired people with enough standards. Enough to save him, you know. Thrice, was it?" Prachi replied with an equally cold stare.

"And that's why despising the sight of you females is just not a choice but compulsion. Always giving yourself too much credit." RK's tone had mockery hidden in it.

"Too much credit, is it?" Prachi interrogated with a sickly sweet tone to her own voice. "Admitting to being overrated?"

"Admitting to not remembering having invited you here, Miss PA." RK took a step closer to her. "And RK, never forgets anything he does."

"Well, then I'm guessing RK, might have forgotten to talk to his manager today."

RK furrowed his brows at her words.

"You've been invited by Aryan?"

"Ahh-yes!" RK heard Aryan's voice come out of nowhere. Two seconds later, the guy himself appeared out of nowhere to stand right beside RK.

"I invited her. It's a big night, RK. Come on, don't be so sulky!" He complained. "I'm her employer too. And everyone from Fusion Beats is here."

"Hmm. Fair." RK agreed. "So Miss PA gets to be here too." Then, turning to her, he raised a brow at her, his voice dripping with contempt as he spoke next. "In those things?"

"For someone who talks of standards, your choice is a bit too low, Miss PA." He attempted to ridicule her, touching the bottle of champagne to his moist lips again.

She wasn't dressed elegantly. Her body wasn't draped from shoulder to toes in a sparkling, lavish piece of clothing. Her hair wasn't decorated stylishly into a fancy bun or hairdo. And her skin wasn't glittering with cosmetics.

Rather, she was dressed in her usual attire - a black tank top, a pair of black jeans accompanied by black boots and topped with a brown jacket. Her straight, dark hair, although, was left loose on her shoulders. Almost like the first time he had seen her, only it was curled back then. All this and a black watch on her wrist made for her entire look.

"RK-" Aryan began, only to be interrupted by Prachi soon after.

"For someone who talks of standards, you're right, RK Sir. Choosing your protection over getting dolled up really is a low choice, I'd say."

"My protection?" RK raised a brow at her. "Woman, be in your limits. Now I know it's a grand party. First time? I don't blame you. Go ahead, roam around, stuff yourself, have a drink or two, and leave."

"RK." Aryan was the one to respond to him this time. "That's enough. There's a boundary to everything. I had called Miss Prachi over here cuz she's the only one who can stay close to you without getting attention to herself. And she's here on my orders at this time, despite it not being her job schedule. So it would be better for you, if you just keep that in mind, and let her do her work here."

"Are you serious, Aryan?" RK turned to Aryan with a look of anger on his face. "Turn around. There are my guards all around. And it's a close party. I've had enough of your over-trust with this newly appointed woman."

"And I've had enough of you questioning my decisions, RK!" Aryan almost whisper-yelled at him.

"Look-" He placed a hand on RK's shoulder in an attempt to calm him. "-please. Listen. It's not about over or under trust. It's just about being careful. I don't care if it's close or not, there are a lot of people here. Amidst all your extra security, she's the only guard who people don't know about. And if we have even a slight advantage over HIM, I am gonna use it everywhere I can. So shut up, cuz I really don't care what you have to say to that."

"Fine." RK shrugged Aryan's hand away with a light jerk of his shoulders. "You wanna keep her here? Do whatever you want. She's to protect me? Alright. Now since nobody knows about her, as you said, just keep her mixed in the crowd."

He turned to Prachi.

"You. Stay close to me, stare from far away, stand behind me, I really don't care. Just keep your face away from me."

Then, taking another large gulp of his alcohol, left.

"I appreciate it, Miss Prachi." Aryan spoke in authoritative tone, not bothering to give another glance in RK's direction.

"It's my job, Sir." Prachi replied with a serious face.

"Just stay near him. I hope you understand why I'm doing this more than him. Be attentive, and...don't mind him much - it's a little personal request from me." Aryan gave an almost sheepish look at the last line.

"Please make yourself comfortable."

She nodded.

He offered her a glass of wine which she declined, being 'At work' at the moment, and he left after the formal exchange.

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"The party itself is a success." Abhishek approached RK with a glass of wine in his hand, seating himself on the chair beside him in the bar. "The collaboration will drive the fans even crazier."

"Really? Aren't you over it?" RK cocked his head to the side as he looked at the man. Seriously, what was he? 40? Still so excited over stuff like this?

A light chuckle formed the path to Abhishek's reply.

"First things first - I'm not that old, young guy! And next, no, I'm not tired. This is stuff I like. I'm here for music, but if I just wanted to sing, I could have done so while in shower, buddy. The fame's kinda part of the whole deal. Which I, being 'so old'-" He quoted with his fingers in the air. "-have gladly accepted by now."

Before RK could speak anything else, he began again.

"Before we debate on this, one more thing." He raised a finger in the air. "The evening is...kinda perfect. You know what would make it the best and the most sensational?"

"Lemme guess." RK gulped down the remaining liquor in his glass. "A song from RK." He said, keeping the glass on the bar table before him, his eyes holding a glimmer of pride in them.

"Perfect." Abhishek winked at him.

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Music

Prachi heard a delicate melody originating from a violin cover the entire Hall softly. The lights suddenly went dimmer, the area turning almost completely dark. The music slowly picked up volume and she turned to the source of the sound, right behind her.

Wooah-oo-ooo
Na-na na-na...

As she turned, the music gently faded into the background, only to be overlapped by a soothing voice accompanying it in the most flawless of ways. A dim light suddenly illuminated the spot of the Hall where the orchestra had been placed, her alert eyes relaxing a little unknowingly as she saw the view before her. RK was seated there on a silver stool, his face glowing gently by the soft white spotlight, almost giving it an angel-like serenity. There was a guitar in his hands, a microphone standing right before his lips, and an entire band of instruments behind him, each being played softly, his vocals and the instruments mingling with each other effortlessly. The entire Hall fell silent, each pair of eyes resting on his figure with excitement and admiration.

Jhuki teri palkon mein
Mil jaaye mujhe panah
Palkein gire aasoo bhari
Reh jaayein mere nishaan

RK began singing, and the first word itself felt like a gentle, salving breeze to each soul, brushing past them tenderly. Prachi's eyes fixated themselves on RK, her gaze remaining blank throughout, though her expressions softening on their own, unbeknownst to she herself.

Toote dil ki mat kar
Tu fikar mere humnava
Pyaar du tujhko iss qadar
Reh jaayein mere nishaan

RK had his eyes closed as he sung and it was somewhere ironic to Prachi, how a man could sing with so much passion, words that meant nothing to him.

Mere nishaan... Mere nishaan
Mere nishaan... Mere nishaan

He strummed his guitar with expertise, the crowd swiftly swaying to his music right as he wanted them to.

Khaak mein mil jau main
Jaise ki ek lamha
Aa lag jaa seene se
Bann jaa mera rehnuma

Abhishek waved with his music, the night being one of the best nights of his life. Many people in the crowd, including he himself, had seen RK performing live in front of them for the first time in their lives. Hearts had already halted at the look of him this evening, and with this performance, they were ready to burst open on him with different desires of fancy and seduction.

Dekhta hu sapne tere
Sunn le meri jaanejaan
Khwaab ye sach ho jaaye
Agar khuda ho meherbaan

Someone was standing at a distance from RK's seat. She had arrived just the moment he had began singing, and, in all her senses, her eyes had remained glued to him since then, a look of adoration on her face, and a soft, dreamy smile appearing on her lips as well as in her eyes.

Mere nishaan... Mere nishaan
Mere nishaan.... Mere nishaan
Mere nishaan nishaan nishaan
Mere nishaaaaaaan

He ended the performance with a final string of his guitar matched by a long, perfect vibrato. And everyone gathered before him bursted into rounds of applause and encores.

The lights were back on, and people were cheering for him with laughters, howls, and raised glasses. There was an ambience of celebration drowning the entire surrounding, and RK couldn't care less about the girls eyeing him with a mix of love and lust glittering in their eyes as they batted their eyelashes at him with fervence.

The performance drew to a close, and Abhishek initiated it being followed by a soft music. Couples held each other close and the floor covered with pairs of people swaying to the slow music being played by the orchestra now, the men taking the lead with their hands around the waist of their partners, while the women followed their dance steps, their hands gently resting on the men's shoulders.

RK, not concerned enough to spare the dancing crowd so much as a look, got up from his stool as soon as his performance was over. He outstretched his hand with the guitar to the band behind him and someone ran up to him, taking the instrument from his hand. As almost the entire Hall emerged in a romantic dance, RK made his way to the side, soon joined by two of his guards standing behind him.

A busboy passed right in front of him and he raised two of his fingers in the air to stop him. The waiter presented the tray filled with different drinks before RK. Scanning the tray quickly, he found a single glass of water placed at the centre of the tray. As he reached out to grab it, his fingers caught a sense of something warm brushing against them lightly for about two fractions of a second. RK's outstretched palm stopped in its position reflexively. His eyes caught the sign of another hand adjacent to his, a more feminine one, reaching out for the glass. His gaze followed the other hand, only to land on a woman standing close to him. She had reached for the same glass of water, their hands brushing against each other tenderly as she did so. Both of them paused for a moment, before RK hit the glass with the top of his fingers with force, the glass sliding on the large tray towards the woman's outstretched hand, the water spilling a little on the tray in the process.

"What were the rules?" RK asked her, as she picked up the glass of water from the tray, the busboy leaving the two alone.

"'Keep your face away from me'." RK quoted himself from their last conversation.

"The rules were also to keep doing my job, RK Sir." Replied Prachi without missing a beat. "So you might do anything as per your careless will when I'm not around. But when I am, my job will always come first to me, topping all your whims and comforts."

"And this-" She continued, raising the glass in her hand a little at the mention of it. "-random glass of water from a random waiter? Not really the best option when there are people envious of your lifespan."

"Are you kidding me?" RK narrowed his eyes at her in anger. "What might have happened for little Miss PA to think she can control RK to such an extent?"

"I don't know." Prachi replied nonchalantly. "But for starters, Little Miss PA might have saved the great RK's life a few times and just might have been called here for his additional safety."

RK gave a short, bitter laugh at that.

"The things your worthy-of-nothing caliber is doing to your head, Holy Hell! Here's a tip, Miss PA - leave before I throw you out with a great show in just a minute."

"Oh, too chicken already?" Prachi's voice had a challenging tone to it. "It was you who had appointed me, remember, RK Sir? As your very close, personal bodyguard. Well, I'm having no issues with it, as you can see. I'm right here. But sending me away, hmm - are you, by any means, admitting defeat already?"

"Oh, so it wasn't just another rumour." RK began, confusing Prachi for a moment at his tone of mock surprise. "Women are really delusional, after all. I mean, look at you. Too far-fetched a delusion."

"RK!" A different voice interrupted the two of them out of the blue, none of them recognising the source of it instantly.

RK turned to where the voice had come from, Prachi instinctively took a step closer to him, and by that time, the man in question had come closer to RK, joining the two of them as he stood beside him.

"RK! Finally! Finally got to see and hear you in person! And on the same day! Wonderful!" The man with a navy blue suit commented.

"Well, consider yourself lucky enough." RK replied with pride dripping from every fibre of his being.

The man gave a laugh out loud.

"Well, shouldn't you consider yourself lucky, too? I'm Rohit Mittal. The current sensation of the nation." He beamed with a sense of superiority, forwarding his hand to RK for a shake. "You know what they say, change is the only constant."

RK looked at him for a while, scanning him from head to toe as he stood there, his hand still outstretched to him.

"Mate," RK finally decided to reply. "-if you gotta introduce yourself like that every time you meet someone, trust me, you're the only lucky one in the conversation."

RK adjusted his hands in his pockets. The smile instantly disappeared from Rohit's face hearing his words. Too taken aback by RK's reply to his attempt at establishing his newly found fame over his, his hand remained in the air for a second, his lips finding a reply to the unexpected insult. Suddenly, he felt something cold being placed within his fingers. Rohit looked down at his outstretched hand, only to see Prachi handing him a glass of water she had been holding since he saw the two.

"Water, Mr. Mittal?" She asked rhetorically, before almost shoving the glass in his hands, smiling at him sarcastically once as she did so. "You know what they say - it dissolves things easily - sugar, salt, humiliation."

Rohit looked at RK sheepishly, before drinking the water a little. RK gave Prachi a quick glance before turning to Rohit again. Taking a step towards him, RK placed a hand on Rohit's shoulder, leaning a little closer to him as he almost whispered into his ear.

"The only constant here, is RK." RK said with a deep voice. "Do not come before me again if you wanna enjoy your fleeting time here."

And with that, he left. Rohit stood there, not sure how to respond. And Prachi attempted to follow RK, only to be stopped by Rohit as he took a step right, standing right before her to block her path as RK left.

"Who the hell do you think you are, Miss?" Rohit asked her, eyeing her with a sharp look.

"You don't wanna know. Trust me." Prachi replied with a bold voice.

"And am I supposed to be scared of that? The tone? RK's little bitch, who do you think you are to give me that attitude when your master's not around to defend you?" He spat with menace.

"The defending game-" Began she. "-is a little twisted here, Mister. I assure you you don't have to be concerned about me for that. And as for you, you serve me the look of too scared a brat to be calling me as the one being on RK Sir's mercy here." She taunted him proudly.

Rohit gave a bitter laugh.

"How many years? Huh? How much time has it been already? Fifteen years? Twenty? It's about time the world will grow tired of RK. And when that happens, I'd like to see the look on the two of you."

"So men are pretty delusional too." Prachi reflexively copied RK's words from their last encounter, not realising it as she did so. "Too far-fetched a delusion. As for me, I'd love to see you being dragged away with a great show, right here, right now."

RK, who had been listening to this conversation from a distance, decided to leave now.

"Do you know who I am? How much power do I have? You - a nobody with cheap style to such a party - you'll threaten me?"

"You know what?" Prachi replied in an instant. "Scratch that. I'd love to drag you away myself. Just in the next minute." She threatened him, her tone as cold as her eyes as she glared at him.

"Don't want that? Didn't you hear him?" Prachi added. "Do not come before us again."

Prachi tried to leave again, only to be interrupted by his menacing words again.

"You, just wait, wench. And tell RK to wait too. I'll show him what-"

"Oh, you wouldn't dare." Prachi interrupted him, stepping closer to him, a dark, fierce look in her eyes as she did so, her voice confident and vicious.

"Do not dare to come near him." She added, with an ice cold glare. "What was it? If you wish to enjoy your fleeting time here." She said, and he immediately knew the difference in her last word from that of RK's.

With that, Prachi moved around the guy standing there humiliated, making her way towards the direction in which RK disappeared.

About two and half minutes, and the words made more sense now. RK had really disappeared.

Prachi scanned the entire Hall for him - the bar, the orchestra, the poker table, even the dance floor - he was nowhere to be seen.

Could it be Rohit? She instinctively touched her gun that had been tucked securely underneath her jacket at that thought.

But he couldn't. He was with her all the while. Where could have RK gone then?

Just then, Prachi saw a bunch of people coming out from the elevator located at a secluded corner of the room, close to the side of the grand staircase. Without giving it another thought, she stepped into the lift, pressing the button to the second floor.

There were seven floors in the hotel. After a search of about fifteen minutes, Prachi landed on the sixth floor. The elevator doors opened, and she stepped into the large corridor ahead of her. The floor was covered in maroon-coloured carpets and the high walls and ceilings were elegantly decorated with lights, fresh flowers, chandeliers, and candles all around. The floors were all empty, for the entire Hotel had been booked for the party, and people rarely bothered to climb upstairs when the celebration was going on in the ground floor in full fledges.

"RK Sir." Prachi called out to him, checking the corridors and rooms all around in a swift motion. Her pace was quick, alarmed, as she walked through the lanes.

"RK Sir?" She called out again, only to receive no response from him once again.

The floor was empty except for her.

She decided to check the last floor above it. However, just as she was about to move towards the elevator she had come from, something at the end of the corridor to her left caught her attention. She paused for a minute, eyeing the second lift at the end of the passage. The elevator was working, however, something about it felt strange to her. Taking quick but cautious steps to it, she stood right before it, pressing for the elevator doors to open. Prachi waited for a while, but the lift failed to operate. Gingerly, she called out.

"Is anyone there?" Her clear voice reverberated in the walls of the empty corridor.

"RK Sir?" She called his name again.

Receiving no response, Prachi placed her ear close to the shut doors of the lift.

"RK Sir?" She asked again, then tried different buttons to open the doors, but in vain. "Sir?"

Something didn't quite feel right to her. Without wasting another second, Prachi ran to the floor right above her using the staircase. Reaching the seventh floor, she ran to the same elevator on the floor, hitting the buttons at the side of the lift with urgency. The lift seemed to work, the single digit number on the screen changing slowly from 6 to 7.

As the elevator stopped on the seventh floor, the doors opened a couple of seconds later with a ding.

Sajde mein tere sir jhukta bas

As soon as the doors slid open, someone almost fell from inside the elevator on Prachi's shoulder, who had been standing right at the gates. Instinctively, she reached out her hands, catching the person as he fell in her direction, one of her arms securely placing itself around his back, while the other secured itself around his chest as he lost his balance.

"RK Sir?" She called out to him, her expressions alarmed at his state. Her eyes darted quickly to the open elevator for the sign of another person or a potential source of harm, only to find nothing. The force of him on her shoulder caused her kneel on the floor, while his weight fell on her completely.

Chaahat ki hai ye daastaan

RK, almost completely unconscious, reached out for the support secured around him, his hands grabbing the person's jacket subconsciously, before he held her jacket in a tight grip, pulling it closer to himself. His forehead was beaded with sweat, his eyes tight shut, his lips struggling to say something, and his breathing uneven as he struggled to take a breath.

"N-n-no." RK finally managed to whisper through ragged breaths. "N-no. No."

"RK Sir?" Prachi uttered, her hold on him tightening as she did so. "What's wrong?"

"No-n-no." He continued, as if in a trance, not being able to pay any heeds to any of her words.

Rooth gaya mera rab jo mujhse

"RK Sir."

"No, no. Just leave." He yelled, though his voice still remained low, laboured, his eyes tightly shut.

"Lemme go." RK's voice was scared, barely above a whisper as he said so.

"RK Sir." Prachi's own voice softer this time. She hesitated for a moment, before her hand began to rub his back gently as she spoke.

"It's alright." Her lips were close to his ear. "It's me. You're fine."

"Shhh. Do you hear me? You're safe."

To mitaa le vo mere nishaan

RK's hold on her jacket tightened.

"You're fine. Everything's fine. I'm right here. You're safe."

Her soothing voice filled RK's ears, and slowly, she felt his tense body relaxing in her arms.

"It's alright, RK Sir. Nothing is wrong. You're not alone. I'm here."

Prachi continued to whisper the pacifying words into his ear. RK's heavy breaths slowly began to calm down, his hold on her jacket began to loosen a little.

"N-no." He uttered once more, his voice pained.

Mere nishaan, mere nishaan

"It's alright. I'm right here. Nothing's gonna happen to you. You're safe." Prachi tenderly caressed his head resting on her shoulder, gently wiping his forehead with her sleeve, her one hand still wrapped around his torso.

"It's fine." She began to rub his shoulder gently in an attempt to comfort him.

They stayed there like that for a long while until RK's breathing gradually became normal.

After what seemed like forever, RK finally let go of Prachi's jacket, slowly opening his eyes simultaneously. His lids finally opened, his breathing calm and slow, though his hands were still shaking a little.

"RK Sir?" Prachi called him as soon as she saw his condition being stable. And it was only then that RK looked at her, realising her presence beside him. "What's wrong?"

The words slowly began to register themselves in his brain, the previous memory fading out gradually as they did so.

"RK Sir?" Prachi spoke again, seeing him simply look at her while he continued to stay quiet.

"You're fine." Prachi assured him again.

"I-" RK finally spoke, his voice still slightly shaky. He cleared his throat once before continuing. "The- the door...door was jammed."

He remembered how the elevator had refused to open, and how the lights had all gone off suddenly. The memory made him shiver a little again. And the next thing he remembered was the lights suddenly turning on and the doors against which he had leaned opening to a person on whom he almost practically fell.

"It's alright. The doors have opened now." Prachi informed him as he slowly stood to his feet.

RK nodded his head, still not completely in his senses. His peripheral vision caught a glimpse of Prachi staring at him with alarmed eyes and he turned his gaze to her reflexively.

"Thank you." RK uttered in a soft voice, his bleak eyes staring into hers with a far away look in them. Their gazes remained locked for a moment, before RK suddenly realised their position and proximity - Prachi still had her hands wrapped around him and he was now holding her arm that lay on his chest.

With a sudden surge of realisation, he pushed her away from himself with force. Prachi stumbled back, and was about to fall on the ground, before RK grabbed her hand again and pulled her towards himself. She harshly landed on his hard chest, colliding with him as she held his arm for support.

"You shouldn't have come here." Was the first thing she heard RK say in his normal tone of voice.

Then, holding her arm roughly, he lifted her off himself, moving her to stand beside him at a distance, away from him.

Not uttering another word, RK left into one of the passages.

Prachi eyed his retreating figure with a blank expression on her face, but confused concealed well beneath it.

What was it with The Knight? Why was he so scared of a jammed door?

Prachi stood silent for a minute, before continuing to walk in the direction he left once again.

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Reh jaayein mere nishaan

RK approached the large Balcony situated on the seventh floor. Placing his hands on the glass railing, he held the rim of it tightly as he closed his eyes.

Some marks never leave you, do they?
Kuchh nishaan kabhi peechha nahi chhodte.

His forehead creased into a frown, he began to take deep breaths in order to calm himself down. The darkness of the night, at this point of the hotel, lit merely by the almost circular moon and the stars etched all over the sky, the cool breeze that swept delicately across his face, ruffling his hair as it did so - all served to calm him down instantly.

And as he did, he remembered the presence of a certain warmth around him only moments ago. His heart beat with an unknown feeling, the fact being unbeknownst to him.

Some marks latch on to you while you're perfectly unaware.
Kuchh nishaan pata nahi kab saath jud jaate hain.

He was almost completely immersed in the recent flashback when a voice interrupted his chain of thoughts out of the blue.

"RK." A raspy, feminine voice filled his ears, his eyes flowing open as they did. He turned to the source of the voice at his side, only to find a woman wrapped in a glittery golden bodycon approaching him with a wide smile on her red tinted lips.

"Oh my God!" She spoke again, there being a sultry tone to her husky voice.

"Rhea." She stretched out a palm before him, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she continued to stare at his moonlit face.

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Author's Note -

Hey, all! Another quick one? :) 

So........... Looks like another new character has entered the story. Shall we talk about it? 👀 Any thoughts?

Well, hopefully the update was worth making up for the new character's introduction 🌚

What do you think will happen next?

And, of course, what was your favourite line/ dialogue from today?

Favourite scene?

Any suggestions for the upcoming scenes?

Would love to know your thoughts about the same, if you want the chapters quicker! Also, do share it with your friends if you like the story!

Not proofread.

Really hope you liked it. Waiting for your feedback. Constructive criticism is welcomed as well.

Thank you for reading. Lots of love to all of you :)

-Your Author