As the train pulled out of Warangal, Rishi stood by the doorway, watching his fellow passengers disembark. Turning back, he offered a sincere smile and heartfelt thanks.
"Thank you all... for everything. You've made this journey easier and richer than I imagined."
The group waved goodbye, and soon the coach grew quieter, the crowd thinning.
Later, as the landscape blurred past the windows, Rishi noticed Revathi.
"Rishi, may I ask... what's troubling you? You seem... distant, like you're carrying a weight inside."
Rishi looked away for a moment, then slowly opened up.
"I don't know exactly. Maybe it's the distance—from home, from who I was. Or maybe the loneliness. Meeting all of you... it's making me realize how much I've been closed off."
Revathi nodded knowingly. "Sometimes, journeys don't just take us places; they change us. Maybe this trip is opening a door you didn't know was closed."
Rishi smiled softly. "Maybe you're right."
After crossing Vijayawada, Rishi noticed Revathi scribbling intently in a small notebook.
Curious, he asked, "What are you writing?"
She glanced up, a spark in her eyes. "I'm preparing a speech for my college reunion in Chennai."
Rishi raised an eyebrow. "A speech? What for? It's just a day, isn't it? Most of us spend just one day with old friends, then go back to family life."
Revathi smiled thoughtfully. "Exactly. We get one day to meet those who knew us before life changed us. It's a chance to remember the past — and to remind ourselves and others what those years meant. Everyone prepares something—songs, dances, stories. I want to share some words. Something that stays with them."
Rishi considered her words. "That's beautiful. It's like giving a little part of yourself back to the people who helped shape you."
Revathi nodded. "Yes. Because those moments, those memories, are what keep us grounded. No matter where life takes us."
Rishi looked out the window, the sun setting low, casting warm hues across the sky. Somewhere deep inside, a seed of change was stirring — the journey was not just about reaching a destination, but about rediscovering himself.