It was a fresh, almost deceptively calm morning at school-the kind that comes after a storm of celebrations. The chaos of the annual function had barely settled, only to be replaced by the looming pressure of exams just after the diwali festival.

Yet, in the middle of that seriousness sat Ansh, usually composed, focused, and unreadable-now smiling to himself like a complete loverboy. He sat at his desk with an absent-minded grin, eyes soft, cheeks slightly pink, clearly still living in the afterglow of Aditi's confession. He wasn't even pretending to pay attention anymore.