If someone had told me a few months ago that I would be standing in a shopping mall with Maharaja Rudraksha Veeraditya, ancient ruler of Vyantara, while trying to dress him in modern clothes, I would have laughed in their face.

And yet, here we were.

It was early morning, so the mall was mostly empty, save for a few employees setting up the stores. It was the perfect time to sneak in with a six-foot-something warrior king who currently looked like he stepped out of an ancient history book.

Rudraksha was looking around in pure fascination, his golden eyes scanning every store, every light, every sign.

"This... is a market?" he finally asked, his tone both intrigued and suspicious.

Sandhya giggled beside me. "You could say that. But it’s more than a market. It’s a mall."

He frowned. "And what exactly is a mall?"

I smirked. "A place where people spend too much money on things they don’t really need."

Sandhya nudged me. "Excuse me, we definitely need clothes for your royal boyfriend."

I ignored the boyfriend comment and grabbed Rudraksha’s arm, dragging him toward the men’s section of the clothing store.

"Come on, your highness," I teased. "Let’s make you look less like an ancient warrior and more like a modern man."

He sighed heavily but followed. "I feel insulted again."

The moment we entered the men’s section, I could already feel Rudraksha’s discomfort.

He glanced at the mannequins, his brows furrowed. "These men... why do they not have faces?"

I bit back a laugh. "They’re not real. They’re just here to display the clothes."

He stared at one mannequin wearing a sharp suit, his jaw tightening. "It looks like a lifeless warrior."

Sandhya burst out laughing.

I shook my head. "Okay, ignore them. Let’s find you something to wear."

I browsed through the racks, pulling out a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans. "Here. Try these on."

He took the clothes, inspecting them critically. "They seem... plain."

I rolled my eyes. "That’s the point. You’re not supposed to walk around looking like you’re about to go to battle."

Sandhya pushed him toward the changing room before he could argue. "Just put it on, Maharaja. Trust us."

A few minutes later, he stepped out.

And holy hell.

Rudraksha Veeraditya, ancient king of Vyantara, was now standing in front of me wearing a fitted black t-shirt and dark jeans—and he looked like he belonged on the cover of a magazine.

The shirt clung to his broad chest and arms, showing off his perfect physique, and the jeans fit him so well, it was almost unfair.

Sandhya let out a low whistle. "Damn. Now that is a glow-up."

I just stared, my brain momentarily short-circuiting.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Aranya?"

I blinked. "Huh?"

He smirked. "You look... distracted."

I snapped out of it, quickly crossing my arms. "It’s just weird seeing you in something normal."

Sandhya elbowed me. "You mean hot. You meant to say hot."

I glared at her, but she wasn’t wrong.

Rudraksha, meanwhile, rolled his shoulders, adjusting to the feel of modern clothing. "It is... comfortable," he admitted.

Sandhya grinned. "Oh, we’re not done yet. You need shoes."

Rudraksha frowned, glancing at his ancient leather boots. "What is wrong with my footwear?"

I chuckled. "It screams 'I just walked out of the 5th century.'"

Finding shoes for Rudraksha turned out to be a challenge.

He was huge, and most of the sizes were too small.

At one point, he picked up a pair of bright neon sneakers, his expression dead serious. "These are the most hideous things I have ever seen."

Sandhya snorted. "Agreed."

After thirty minutes, we finally found him a pair of black boots that suited his style but didn’t make him look like he belonged on a battlefield.

Then, we moved on to watches.

I picked up a sleek black wristwatch and showed it to him. "Here, wear this."

He took it, examining it carefully. "What is its purpose?"

Sandhya chuckled. "It tells time."

He looked baffled. "You already have a giant clock on the wall. Why do you need one on your wrist?"

I groaned. "Just put it on."

He did, still looking unconvinced. "This feels unnecessary."

Sandhya leaned closer. "It also makes you look hotter."

Rudraksha smirked. "Then I shall wear it."

I rolled my eyes. "Of course, you will."

After we finished shopping, we sat down at a café inside the mall. Rudraksha was still taking everything in, his eyes scanning the glass walls, the electric signs, and the buzzing atmosphere.

"This world is... overwhelming," he finally said.

I smiled. "You’ll get used to it."

He turned to me, his gaze softening. "You have lived here your entire life?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

He was quiet for a moment, then smirked. "I prefer my world."

Sandhya gasped dramatically. "Excuse you? Our world is amazing."

He chuckled. "Your world is chaotic."

Sandhya nudged me. "I like him."

I smiled. "Yeah, me too."

He tilted his head. "Is this what you call... a relationship?"

I blinked. "What?"

He leaned forward slightly. "You said before that in your world, people do not arrange marriages. They choose their own partners. What was the word you used?"

I hesitated, then said, "Boyfriend."

His lips curved into a smirk. "So if I understand correctly..." He reached for my hand across the table, his thumb brushing over my knuckles.

"...you are my girlfriend."

I froze.

Sandhya squealed. "OH MY GOD. YES. YOU GOT IT, BHAI!"

I choked. "Wait—what—"

Sandhya beamed at him. "Since you’re officially part of Aranya’s life now, that makes you my Bhai or jiju ! That means brother."

Rudraksha looked amused. "So now, I have another sister?"

She grinned. "Damn right you do."

He laughed, and the sound was so genuine, I felt my heart skip a beat.

I sat there, staring at him, completely flustered.

This ancient warrior king, who once ruled with an iron fist, had just declared himself my boyfriend like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Sandhya leaned toward me. "So, girlfriend, how do you feel?"

I exhaled, covering my face. "I don’t know whether to scream or kiss him."

Sandhya smirked. "Do both."

And for once, I genuinely considered it.