Author's POV:

The morning sun sneaked through the thin curtains of the small room, casting uneven strips of light across the floor littered with empty bottles and half-opened snack packets from the previous night. Keshav stirred first, his throat dry and his head pounding as though drums were being beaten from the inside. With a groan, he rubbed his temples, forcing himself upright. His eyes adjusted slowly to the mess around him, and then landed on Malav, sprawled face down on the floor like a fallen soldier after a war.