Happy reading....

Abhimanyu Mehrotra paced nervously, trying to piece together a plausible story for the imminent arrival of "Monkey Raina." The talking device still mystified him, but he knew he had to act normal to avoid raising suspicion. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart.

Moments later, the doorbell rang, and Abhimanyu instinctively jumped. He composed himself, smoothing down his borrowed clothes, and opened the door.

Standing before him was a sharply dressed young man, his expression a mix of concern and irritation. To Abhimanyu's astonishment, the man looked strikingly similar to his best friend Rana from his era.

For a moment, Abhimanyu stood frozen, overwhelmed by the uncanny resemblance. Without thinking, he stepped forward and hugged Raina tightly.

"Whoa, Abhi, what’s with you?" Raina said, patting his back awkwardly. "You sounded like you’d lost your mind on the phone, and now this?"

Abhimanyu quickly released him, smiling warmly.

"Raina, my friend, it’s nothing. I must have been... groggy. Just woke up in a strange mood, that's all."

Raina eyed him suspiciously. "Groggy? You sounded like you didn’t even know who I was!"

Abhimanyu laughed nervously, trying to sound convincing.

"I’m telling you, it was just a weird morning. Maybe I had too much to drink last night. You know how these things go."

Raina shook his head, still unconvinced. "Are you sure you’re okay? You look a bit... off."

Abhimanyu feigned nonchalance, shrugging.

"Honestly, I’m fine. Just a bit overwhelmed by everything that’s been happening lately. The photoshoot, the pressure... I think it’s all catching up to me."

Raina softened slightly, nodding in understanding.

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense. But you’ve got to pull it together, man. This shoot is important, and we can't afford any slip-ups."

Abhimanyu nodded earnestly.

"I know, I know. I promise, I’ll be ready. Just needed a bit of time to clear my head."

Raina studied him for a moment longer, then sighed.

"Alright, if you say so. But we need to get going. The shoot is in a couple of hours, and you need to be there early for makeup and prep."

Abhimanyu’s eyes widened in surprise. "Makeup?" he repeated, momentarily forgetting his cover.

What's that?

Raina chuckled, mistaking his reaction for a joke. "Yeah, makeup. You’re a superstar now, remember? Come on, let’s get you looking your best."

Abhimanyu forced a smile, nodding as he followed Raina out of the mansion. As they walked towards the sleek car parked outside, Abhimanyu couldn't help but marvel at Raina's appearance in the modern era. Despite the centuries that separated their times, Raina’s features ; his brown eyes, black hair, and the trademark cool glasses, remained strikingly familiar. His attire, a sleek black turtleneck with a white jacket and blue jeans, fit seamlessly into the contemporary world.

"Raina, you look... impressive," Abhimanyu remarked, unable to contain his amazement.

"I must admit, the attire and those glasses suit you well."

"What the fuck is wrong with you idiot? You never complimented me.", he looked at him more suspiciously.

Abhimanyu felt the urge to smack him on the face, he's the same as his friend Rana. Who didn't know how to take compliments, he had to tell him again and again until it satisfied his ego.

"Just take it leave it."

"Okay I will admit it just because you for the first time complimented me after our our college farewell.", he grinned, adjusting his glasses with a casual flick of his fingers.

"Can I tell you my reply now?", he asked while trying look cool.

Abhi just rolled his eyes and told him to just do whatever he wanted.

"Thank you, Abhi. Gotta keep up with the trends, right?"

Abhimanyu nodded, suppressing a smile, appreciating Raina's wit and easy manner of speaking, which hadn't changed despite the passage of time.

"Absolutely. You’ve adapted quite well to this era, haven’t you?"

Raina shrugged modestly. "Eh, I do what I can. So, let's get going. I'll fill you in on the details of today's shoot on the way."

As they settled into the plush seats of the car, Abhimanyu couldn't shake off the surreal feeling of being thrust into a world so different yet strangely connected to his own. His mind raced with questions about this new life as Abhi Mehrotra, the modern-day superstar, and the secrets that lay hidden beneath the veneer of his newfound identity.

*****

Raina is cute 😂

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Allah Hafiz ✨