Ahsaas’s POV :

Today's my birthday. Somehow, that made the world feel… different. Even though I had no reason to go anywhere, my mind insisted I should celebrate myself in my own quiet way. So, for the first time in what felt like forever, I wore the frock Advait had picked out for me that day. Soft white cotton layered with gentle splashes of yellow, delicate enough to catch the light and cheerful enough to feel like sunlight. The hem swayed lightly as I moved, brushing just above my knees. A single, pale yellow bow was tucked neatly into my hair, holding one side back. I wore almost no accessories — just the faintest glint of tiny studs in my ears. Simple. Elegant. Mine.

Normally, I would have settled for my usual T-shirt and shorts, the uniform of my private little world. But today… today felt different. I wanted to feel proper. I wanted to feel seen — even if only by myself.

The study was quiet, almost reverent. Advait’s bookshelves stretched from floor to ceiling, each shelf meticulously labeled: Psychology, Autobiographies, Criminal Studies, Inpsychopedia, Philosophy, Political Theory, Human Behavior. Each book looked as though it had a purpose, each spine gleaming with a subtle sheen of polish. I loved how everything had its place. Even the soft hum of the desk lamp felt ordered, almost soothing, bathing the room in a golden light that made the dark corners fade into gentle shadows.

I wandered slowly along the shelves, my fingers brushing the spines as though they were treasures. And then my eyes caught something.

The Anatomy of the Mind: Psychopathy, Dissociative Identity, and Behavioral Patterns.