Anand shook his head, trying not to laugh. "You're impossible, man."
Vyom only smiled, pretending not to hear, eyes already fixed on the small wooden door that led to Keya's courtyard.
---
The lane was quiet that evening.
The sun hung low in the sky, painting everything in shades of gold and orange. The soft fragrance of jasmine drifted through the air, blending with the earthy scent of wet soil. A few birds were still singing, their voices echoing through the calm neighborhood.
At the end of the lane stood Keya's house — white walls slightly faded by time, bright bougainvillea climbing over the fence, and a small wind chime swaying lazily above the wooden door.
Vyom stopped for a moment.
The sight of that house — so ordinary, yet so full of memories — made his chest tighten a little. He could almost see his younger self running through that same gate, laughing with Keya.
Then came her familiar voice from inside.
"Wait a second! I'm coming!" Keya called out.
The door creaked open.
She stood there — wearing a simple sky-blue dress, her hair loosely tied, sunlight catching the edges of her face. Her soft smile made the whole place feel brighter.
Anand, who was standing beside Vyom, smirked and began lecturing him like an elder brother.
"Vyom, do you know," he said, half-serious, half-playful, "our world has an item named bell, bro! If there's any problem, call! But please don't shout like that again — it's too annoying, do you know?"
Keya heard him and giggled.
"You're right," she said, "but it's okay. No problem."
Anand crossed his arms dramatically.
"But I have a problem!"
Keya raised an eyebrow. "If Vyom is calling me, why do you have a problem?"
Anand sighed. "Listen, I don't have a problem with him calling you — the problem is he calls me the same way!"
Keya turned to Vyom, trying not to laugh. "Is he telling the truth?"
Vyom lowered his head, embarrassed.
Keya smiled gently. "It's okay. I think now he knows everybody is not the same — and he'll never do that again."
Anand blinked, a little surprised by her calm tone. Vyom quickly tried to change the subject.
"Let's go for study," he said, "either Anand goes, or the study season starts!"
Keya frowned. "What!?"
Vyom grinned. "He has his classes."
Anand shrugged. "I have my classes at 4:30. And it's just 4 o'clock now."
Keya tried not to show it, but a faint spark of happiness flickered in her eyes. "What…?" she asked, pretending to be casual.
Then she looked at Vyom. "What about you?"
Vyom smiled lightly. "I think I'll stay a little longer."
Keya hesitated, then nodded. "Okay."
Vyom added quickly, "But if you don't want me to stay longer, it's okay. I'll go with Anand."
Keya's eyes widened slightly. "No, no! If you want to stay here, I don't have any objection. But… I think you don't come without Anand, so…"
Her voice softened. "Who said I don't want you to stay?"
Vyom froze for a moment, his heart skipping a beat.
Keya smiled faintly, brushing it off. "Anyway, even if you don't want to study, you will. And Anand will too."
Vyom grinned. "I was just joking."
Anand yawned, pretending to be bored. "Haaauu… mmm…"
Keya laughed softly. "Please, come in."
---
As they stepped inside, the soft golden light followed them through the doorway.
The house was peaceful — curtains fluttering gently, the faint ticking of a clock echoing from the hall. The walls were lined with family photos, faded but warm.
Vyom glanced around. Every corner seemed to whisper stories of their childhood. He smiled quietly, lost in memory.
"Where will we study?" he asked.
"In my room," Keya said, walking ahead.
Vyom's eyes brightened. "The same room where we used to play when we were kids?"
Keya nodded with a small smile. "Yes."
Anand looked around curiously. "By the way, where are uncle and aunty? I don't see them."
Keya replied gently, "They are sleeping, so I didn't wake them up. If you want, I can wake them."
Anand shook his head quickly. "Oh, okay okay — no need. I don't want to trouble them."
Vyom, standing near the doorway, seemed a little downcast.
Keya noticed immediately. "What happened, Vyom? Why are you sad?"
Vyom smiled faintly. "Nothing. I just thought… if I had called a bit louder, they would've been awake by now."
Keya chuckled softly. "Don't worry. They'll wake up after some time."
Anand stretched his arms. "If you're done talking, shall we begin our study? It's already 4 p.m."
Vyom laughed. "Yeah bro, begin — otherwise I'll fail for sure!"
Keya smiled again — a quiet, genuine one this time.
---
They walked into Keya's room.
It was bright and full of life — sunlight poured through the wide window, falling on playful-colored walls. Her study table was neatly arranged, with small decorations and a tiny statue placed beside her books. Outside the window, they could see the view of trees swaying in the wind… and at a distance, the sound of construction from a new building echoed faintly.
The room felt both nostalgic and new — a perfect mix of past and present.
Vyom stood near the window for a moment, feeling the cool breeze brush his face.
Keya arranged the books on the table, while Anand sat down with his usual lazy grin.
Somewhere deep inside, Vyom felt something quiet — a strange warmth mixed with an unexplainable pull in his chest. Maybe it was just nostalgia… or maybe something was about to change.
And as the light faded gently into the evening glow —
their story, once paused by time, began to move again.
Soon, the three of them settled down in Keya's room.
Books opened.
Pens clicked.
The calm afternoon slowly shifted toward a quiet study atmosphere.
Anand sat a little apart, studying by himself. He flipped through Keya's notes—sometimes nodding seriously, sometimes pretending to understand everything at once.
Vyom, meanwhile, sat beside Keya.
She leaned slightly toward him, pointing at lines in his notebook, explaining every step with patience.
Sometimes they argued softly over a math formula.
Sometimes they laughed at small mistakes.
And sometimes… they simply fell silent, lost in their shared concentration.
The warm sunlight coming through the window made the room feel almost peaceful—like time was moving slower here than anywhere else.
After some time, Anand checked his phone and stood up suddenly.
"It's time to go," he said.
Vyom looked up. "Bro, it's okay if you don't go to class today."
Anand shook his head firmly. "No, my classes are important."
Keya nodded slightly. "Vyom… let him go. He has to study."
Vyom sighed. "Okay… bye."
Anand cracked a small smile. "Bye."
Keya raised her hand a little. "Bye, Anand."
Anand walked toward the door slowly, looking back once as if making sure the two wouldn't start world war after he left.
The door clicked softly behind him.
And in the quiet that followed…
only Keya and Vyom remained in the warm, sunlit room.
After Anand left, the room grew quiet. Keya and Vyom sat at her desk, books open, pens moving. She patiently explained a few points, and Vyom nodded, trying to follow. Sometimes he got it wrong, and they laughed together. The sunlight fell softly through the window, lighting up her notes and the small items on her desk. Outside, a gentle breeze rustled the curtains, carrying a faint scent of flowers from the garden. Vyom felt a small thrill as he concentrated, the world outside fading away. For the first time today, it felt like just the two of them existed.
---
(To be continued…)