Ria suddenly realized she was late for class. "Shit! I'm gonna miss the lecture," she muttered, gathering her books and rushing out of the lounge. As she sprinted across the corridor, someone tapped her on the shoulder.
She turned around and came face to face with a guy she'd never seen before — tall, lean, with tousled hair and a smile that could melt glaciers. He held out her bracelet.
"This fell," he said simply.
Ria blinked, stunned. "Oh! Thank you so much. I didn't even realize—"
Before she could finish or ask his name, he had already walked ahead, disappearing into the corridor like a passing dream. Ria stood for a moment, confused and oddly flustered, before turning and running toward her classroom.
From the glass panel of the Vipers' lounge, Bunny saw her rushing into the science block and raised an eyebrow. "She's going to the lab," he muttered.
Ishaan, lounging on the leather couch, raised his head. "And why is that our concern?"
Bunny stood, grabbing his coat. "No reason. Just remembered I had something to do."
Ishaan chuckled. "Ah, 'something'. Right. Don't take too long, Romeo."
Bunny waved him off and left.
—
The science lab wing was eerily quiet. Bunny entered the hallway, walking with relaxed confidence, until he heard muffled voices and the sound of someone crying.
He turned a corner — and froze.
Inside the lab, Raha was backed into a corner, her lab coat half torn, tears streaming down her face. Three senior boys stood around her, laughing, mocking her, saying vile things.
"Come on, Raha, don't be shy. Everyone knows you're just a scholarship case. Don't act all pure now," one sneered while taking her pictures.
"Yeah," another added, grabbing at her arm. "You think anyone's gonna care about a nobody like you?"
"Stop it! Please, let me go!" Raha cried, trying to push them away.
Bunny saw red.
The door slammed open as he stormed in.
"GET. AWAY. FROM. HER."
The three boys turned, startled.
His fist flew, connecting with the guy's jaw. He crumpled to the ground.
Raha gasped in shock. She knew who he was — everyone in college did. Bunny, the infamous Viper. But she had never spoken to him before. Never even crossed paths directly.
He was already on the second guy, punching him in the stomach with brutal precision.
"YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY? YOU THINK YOU CAN TOUCH HER AND WALK AWAY?!"
The third tried to escape, but Bunny caught him by the collar and slammed him against the wall.
Raha sobbed, frozen, unsure what to do. She stepped forward, hesitantly. "Please, stop! It's enough! Please! You'll kill him!"
But Bunny didn't stop. His rage was boiling over. He raised his fist again, ready to strike.
Then—
Without thinking, Raha grabbed his arm. She didn't know him. He didn't know her. But right now, he was the only thing standing between her and the nightmare.
"Please… don't," she whispered, her hand trembling as she held onto him.
Bunny froze.
Her voice — soft, scared, pleading — cut through his anger. He lowered his hand and let go of the guy, who slid to the floor coughing.
Bunny turned to look at her, surprised.
She met his eyes briefly, and for a moment, nothing else existed.
Professors and security rushed in. The crowd grew. The attackers were dragged out. Statements were taken.
—
Back at the lounge, the rest of the Vipers heard the news.
"Where the hell is Bunny?" Naina asked.
Ishaan's phone buzzed. He read the message and his face turned grim.
"He's with a scholarship student — Raha. Some assholes tried to harass her in the lab. He intervened. It got violent."
"What?!" Naina stood up.
"She's okay now. He handled it. But… it was bad."
—
That evening, Raha sat quietly in a corner near the entrance of the Vipers' lounge. She wasn't one of them — not even close. She barely knew them. She didn't know Bunny at all.
Wrapped in a blanket offered by the staff nurse, she looked like she wanted to disappear.
Naina approached gently, crouching beside her. "Are you alright?"
Raha nodded slightly.
Naina then excuses herself as she gets a call.