Chapter One – Part 2 – The Luxe Popcorn War

The Galaxy Heritage Cinema had been given a facelift since Krishna’s last visit. The same historic single-screen building stood in the heart of Guna, but now its façade shimmered under strings of warm fairy lights, and the old ticket booth had been replaced by sleek touchscreen kiosks. Inside, plush recliners replaced the creaky folding seats, and the air smelled like fresh truffle popcorn instead of stale butter.

“This is… not the dump I remember,” Krishna said, scanning the chandelier-lit lobby.

“Yeah,” Ravi replied, sipping from a tall cup of cold brew. “It’s gentrified nostalgia. Twice the price, half the samosa portion.”

Adi was already at the concessions counter, grinning like he owned the place. “Alright, people — caramel popcorn, salted popcorn, and the fancy mushroom truffle one for our Brofessor.”

“You’re spoiling me,” Krishna said.

“Nope,” Adi replied. “I’m making sure you’re too busy chewing to overthink.”

They slid into their VIP recliners — two neat rows, all leather and cupholders with glowing blue edges.

Mimi, in her oversized pastel hoodie and pleated mini skirt, made her move instantly. She dropped into the seat beside Krishna and pulled the armrest up between them.

“I’m upgrading this to a loveseat,” she announced.

“You know these recliners cost per seat, right?” Ishi said, taking the other side of Krishna. She didn’t bother lifting her armrest.

“Which means Krishna’s getting his money’s worth,” Mimi replied, leaning sideways into him.

The movie hadn’t even started when Mimi reached for the truffle popcorn. She pinched a piece, held it up dramatically, and said, “Open up.”

Krishna gave her a look. “You can just pass me the bucket.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” she asked, and popped it into his mouth before he could protest.

Ishi, without looking away from the screen, took a piece of caramel popcorn from her own tub. Then, in one smooth flick of her fingers, she launched it across Krishna and hit Mimi right on the cheek.

Mimi’s eyes went wide. “You did not just—”

“I missed,” Ishi said calmly, taking another slow sip of her Coke.

From there, the war escalated.

Adi, who had zero stake in the love triangle but lived for chaos, took advantage of the plush recliner gap and started lobbing popcorn at Ravi in the row behind. Ravi, ever the strategist, used the bucket lid as a shield and returned fire with deadly accuracy.

Mimi tried to use Krishna as a human barricade, pressing herself closer against him. “Protect me, Krish! She’s aiming for my face!”

“Then stop feeding me like I’m five,” he muttered, laughing.

“That’s not an answer,” she said, and quickly shoved another truffle-coated kernel between his lips.

Ishi smirked — just a small curl of her mouth — and this time flicked a piece directly into Mimi’s lap. “Oops.”

A middle-aged man in the row ahead finally turned around, clearly fed up. “Will you all please behave? This is not a playground.”

“Technically,” Ravi said, voice low and smooth, “it’s a cinematic playground.”

The man blinked, baffled, and turned back without another word.

By the time the credits rolled, the recliner aisle looked like a battlefield — popcorn on the floor, salt on the cupholders, caramel smears on Adi’s hoodie.

“That was the best part of the movie,” Adi declared.

“We didn’t even watch half of it,” Krishna said.

“Exactly,” Adi replied.

Mimi hooked her arm through Krishna’s again as they filed out. “You’re sitting next to me again next time, right?”

Before Krishna could answer, Ishi stepped in front of them, her smirk faint but sharp. “We’ll see.”

Mimi stuck her tongue out at Ishi behind Krishna’s back. Ishi didn’t even need to turn to know.

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