BLOOD OATHS:THE BOND FAR FROM BLOOD AND SOUL

Location: College Campus, Flashback - Late Afternoon

The golden hues of the setting sun bathed the college campus in a warm, dreamy glow, casting long shadows on the grassy fields. Neel stood by the large oak tree at the edge of the campus courtyard, nervously peeking around it. His heart pounded, not from fear or adrenaline like in the fights he was used to, but from something entirely different—something terrifying in its own way.

There she was, the girl he had admired from afar for nearly a year now, walking gracefully down the stone path, her soft laughter filling the air as she chatted with her friends. She was perfect—too perfect. Her long hair fluttered in the gentle breeze, and her smile was radiant, lighting up the whole area. But despite all that time, Neel had never spoken a word to her. He couldn't. He didn't have the courage.

His hand trembled slightly as he reached up to rub the back of his neck, frustration bubbling inside him. Why is this so hard? he thought. He had faced enemies, knives, and fists without flinching, yet here he was, paralyzed by his own feelings.

"You're overthinking this, Neel," he muttered to himself. "Just go talk to her... how hard can it be?"

But every time he took a deep breath and readied himself to take a step, his legs refused to move. The moment seemed unreachable, just like it had for months.

Little did Neel know, a certain someone had been watching him.

DNS and Lily were nearby, taking a leisurely stroll through campus, enjoying the evening air. DNS had his signature cigarette in hand, smoke lazily curling from his lips as he cracked jokes, making Lily giggle.

As they rounded the corner, DNS's sharp eyes caught sight of Neel's awkward stance behind the oak tree, peeking out every few seconds, looking utterly lost. A mischievous grin spread across his face. He couldn't resist.

"Looks like Neel's got a mission of his own," DNS whispered to Lily, nudging her playfully.

Lily followed his gaze, her eyes landing on Neel's awkward position. She immediately understood, stifling a giggle. "Oh my god, is he… spying on her?"

"He's not spying," DNS replied with a smirk, "he's just... planning his next move."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh, and how's that going for him?"

DNS didn't respond. Instead, he extinguished his cigarette on the nearby railing, handed it to Lily with a wink, and slowly crept toward Neel, who was still completely oblivious to their presence. Lily watched, trying hard not to laugh.

With the stealth of a cat, DNS moved in closer, his grin widening with each step. And just as Neel took a deep breath, psyching himself up for yet another failed attempt, DNS leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper, but loud enough to make Neel's heart skip a beat.

"Who's the lucky lady, Neel?"

"AH!" Neel jumped so hard he nearly fell over, whipping around to see DNS laughing, clearly pleased with his perfectly timed scare. "What the—DNS? What the hell are you doing!?"

DNS held up his hands innocently, his grin unwavering. "Just checking on my boy! Didn't mean to scare ya… much."

Neel's face flushed with embarrassment, and he quickly glanced over to make sure the girl didn't hear him yelp like a frightened puppy. To his relief, she hadn't noticed. He let out a shaky breath, glaring at DNS. "Could you not do that when—"

"When you're busy being a creep?" DNS interrupted, snickering.

Neel groaned, rubbing his face. "I'm not being a creep... I'm just... I'm just..."

"Admiring from afar?" Lily finished, stepping up beside DNS, offering him his cigarette back. "Hey, it's fine. She's cute. But if you keep watching her like that, it'll start to get a little... well, creepy."

Neel's cheeks were burning now, turning an undeniable shade of red. "I'm not... I'm just trying to figure out how to talk to her, okay?"

DNS took a long drag from his cigarette, shaking his head with mock disapproval. "Man, you've been 'trying' for almost a year now. Maybe it's time to upgrade to 'doing.'"

Lily giggled, leaning closer to Neel, her voice soft but encouraging. "He's right, you know. You've just gotta take the plunge. What's the worst that could happen?"

Neel sighed heavily, his nerves refusing to calm down. "You make it sound so easy…"

"Well," DNS said, clapping Neel on the back, "that's because it is. Besides, you've got Lily and me here to help. Let's make this happen."

"Wait, what?" Neel blinked in confusion, looking between them. "What do you mean, 'make this happen'?"

Lily's eyes sparkled mischievously. "We're going to help you. Right now."

Before Neel could protest, DNS and Lily were already pushing him out from behind the tree, moving him toward the path where the girl had stopped to talk with her friends. Neel's heart raced, and he tried to resist, but DNS's firm grip on his shoulder kept him moving.

"I-I can't just walk up to her!" Neel stammered. "This is crazy!"

DNS took another puff from his cigarette, completely unfazed. "Crazy? You've fought entire gangs without flinching. I think you can handle saying hi."

Lily smiled warmly. "You've got this, Neel. Just be yourself."

As they got closer, Neel's stomach twisted into knots, his legs feeling like lead. But there was no backing out now. DNS gave him one final shove, and suddenly, Neel found himself standing right in front of her.

She looked up, her eyes locking onto his, and Neel's breath caught in his throat. Her gaze was even more beautiful up close, her smile disarming. Time seemed to slow down, the chatter of her friends fading into the background. For a brief, perfect moment, it was just the two of them.

"Uh... hi," Neel managed to choke out, his voice cracking slightly.

The girl tilted her head, clearly surprised, but she smiled. "Hi," she replied, her voice soft and sweet. "Neel, right?"

His heart skipped a beat. She knows my name?!

"Y-yeah," Neel stuttered, his palms suddenly sweaty. "I, uh... I've seen you around..."

DNS and Lily watched from a distance, trying hard not to laugh but beaming with pride as Neel finally broke the ice. DNS took another drag from his cigarette, exhaling slowly as he muttered, "Attaboy."

Lily leaned her head on DNS's shoulder, grinning. "He's going to be okay."

"Oh, he'll be more than okay," DNS replied with a smirk. "Especially with us around to give him a push."

As Neel nervously stumbled through his first real conversation with the girl he'd admired for so long, DNS and Lily quietly retreated, leaving him to his moment.

But not before DNS flicked his cigarette to the ground and whispered, "One step at a time, Neel. You've got this."