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Words are easy to say, but actions show who a person truly is. At the end of the day, the people who matter most aren't the ones who make loud promises, but the ones whose actions stand by you through every little storm.

​The morning sun hadn't even fully risen when the classic kitchen battlefield commenced at Yash's house.

​Yash walked into the kitchen, yawning heavily, only to find his mother, Sunandha, firmly sliding a steaming, tall steel glass of a milk toward his side of the counter.

​Yash groaned dramatically, pushing it back.

"Mamma! Main bada ho gaya hoon ab, nahi pina mujhe yeh sab!"

("Mamma! I am grown up now, I don't want to drink all this anymore!")

​Sunandha placed her hands on her waist, shooting him a classic, sharp maternal glare.

"Har roz itni door ka college jata hai, aur shaam ko thaka-haara aata hai. Energy kaise milegi phir?!"

("Every day you travel to a college that is so far away, and you come back completely exhausted in the evening. How else are you going to get energy?!")

​Yash rolled his eyes, resting his chin on his palm.

"Kahin se toh milegi... par yahan se nahi!

(I'll get it from somewhere... but definitely not from here!)"

​Sunandha let out a dramatic gasp, mocking him with full flair.

"Haan, haan! Abhi toh bade aadmi ban gaye ho na, toh sab bhool gaye! Woh din bhool gaye jab har cheez par 'Boost is the secret of my energy' likhta tha?"

("Oh, sure! Now that you've become a big man, you've forgotten everything! Have you forgotten those childhood days when you used to write 'Boost is the secret of my energy' on literally everything?")

​Yash's face flushed red with pure secondary embarrassment as he facepalmed.

"Mamma! Aapko yeh sab bachpan ki baatein kyun yaad rehti hain?!

(Mamma! Why do you always remember all these childhood things?!)

Ab toh main engineering mein hoon, mujhe pata hai na ki Boost mein koi secret energy nahi hoti. Energy strictly kinetic aur potential energy hoti hai. Main nahi pee raha!"

("Mamma! Why do you always remember all these childhood things?! Now I am in engineering, I literally know that Boost doesn't contain any secret energy. Energy is strictly kinetic and potential energy. I am not drinking it!")

​"Achha? Kinetic energy ke papa?" Sunandha countered smoothly, snatching the glass and holding it right in front of his nose.

"Chup-chaap bina lectures diye poora glass khatam karo, warna saari potential energy yahi nikal doongi!"

("Oh really, Mr. Father of Kinetic Energy? Shut up and finish the entire glass without giving me lectures, otherwise I will beat all the potential energy out of you right here!")

​Realizing that a mother's threat comfortably overrides all the laws of physics, Yash surrendered immediately.

Pulling a miserable, funny face, he chugged the entire drink in one go while Sunandha watched with a deeply satisfied, victorious smile.

​The next day was a beautiful, breezy weekend. The weather was absolutely perfect, carrying a crisp, cool air that practically begged people to step outdoors.

Purvi, looking to clear her head and enjoy some fresh air, decided to head to a nearby public park.​She walked down to the local bus stop, admiring the overcast sky.

But the moment she stepped under the shelter, her eyes widened in complete surprise. Standing there, neatly dressed and holding a folder of documents, was Akshat.

​Akshat turned around, his eyes instantly brightening the moment he processed her presence. A warm, genuine smile spread across his face as he stepped closer.

"Hey, Purvi! What a pleasant surprise. What are you doing here?"

​Purvi flushed slightly, offering a shy smile.

"Aise hi thoda tehlne ja rahi hoon park mein.

(Just heading out to the park for a casual stroll.) What about you?"

​"Oh, I just had to head down to the administrative block nearby to collect some semester certificates," Akshat explained smoothly.

​Within minutes, the local bus pulled up at the stop. Coincidentally heading in the exact same direction, both of them boarded the vehicle together.

However, because it was a weekend afternoon, the bus was brutally packed. It was a suffocating, chaotic rush of passengers, and within seconds, Purvi found herself getting completely crowded and pushed around in the center aisle.

​The bus lurched forward violently. Because of her relatively short height, Purvi desperately reached upward but was completely unable to firmly grip the high overhead grab handle. She stumbled slightly, her balance slipping away as the heavy crowd shifted against her.

​Noticing her extreme discomfort and vulnerability, Akshat's protective instincts immediately took over.

​Without a single second of hesitation, Akshat stepped closer, closing the distance between them.

He reached his long arm upward, effortlessly locking his hand around the high overhead grab handle right above her head. He looked down into her eyes, his voice turning incredibly soft and grounding

"Hold my arm Purvi. Use it for support."

​Purvi blinked up at him, her heart skipping a heavy beat. She hesitated for a split second, her cheeks turning a deep shade of pink.

"No, it's okay, Akshat, I can manage-"

​"It's completely fine," Akshat interrupted gently, his eyes holding hers with unshakeable sincerity.

"Balance lose karke girne se toh behtar hai, please hold it.

(It's much better than losing your balance and falling down, please hold it.)"

​Placing her complete trust in him, Purvi slowly reached up, her small, delicate hand wrapping tightly around his hand for support. The warmth of his skin sent a sudden, electric jolt straight through her veins.

As they were standing right on the crowded middle divider between the men's and women's sections, a few male passengers behind Purvi began to push forward thoughtlessly.

Realizing the risk, Akshat subtly shifted his entire posture. He widened his stance, placing his other hand firmly on the backrest of the adjacent seat, effectively expanding his frame.

​He positioned his body like a solid, unshakeable protective shield right behind her, completely blocking out the chaotic crowd and absorbing every violent jolt of the moving bus so that absolutely no one could trip over or bump into her.

​Held inside the safe shield of his protective embrace, Purvi looked up at him. Her heart hammered wildly against her ribs, a beautiful, dizzying wave of blush washing over her.

For the rest of the journey, the noise of the crowded bus completely faded into silence.

​When her destination finally arrived, she slowly let go of his hand, her eyes lingering on his for a long moment.

"My stop is here. Bye, Akshat. Thank you."

​Akshat smiled warmly, his eyes filled with a soft tenderness. "Take care, Purvi. Bye."

​When Purvi finally returned to her room later that evening, she couldn't focus on a single thing.

She sat on her bed, clutching a pillow against her chest, a dreamy, uncontrollable blush spreading entirely across her face as her mind looped the memory of Akshat standing over her like a shield on that crowded bus.

​"Oho! Dekhne mein toh lagta hai kisi ke khayalon mein poori tarah gum ho!"

("Oh wow! Looking at you, it clearly seems like you are completely lost in someone's thoughts!")

​Purvi jolted out of her reverie as Ritu di, her fourth-year senior and hostel roommate, walked into the room with a knowing, highly amused smirk.

​Purvi immediately buried her face in her pillow, trying to hide her burning cheeks.

"Oho, Di! Please... aisa kuch nahi hai.

(Oh, Di! Please... it's nothing like that.)"

​Ritu chuckled softly, sitting down on the edge of the mattress. Sensing the heavy romantic tension in the air, Purvi slowly lowered her pillow, her expression turning uncharacteristically serious and thoughtful.

​"Di..." Purvi began softly, her voice carrying a rare vulnerability.

"You recently got engaged, right? How did you actually realize that he was 'the one'? Like... aapko kaise pata chala that he is the right person for you?"

​Ritu's expression softened into a mature, deeply thoughtful smile. She leaned back against the wall.

"Hmm... aisa koi particular rules ya tareeqa nahi hota, Purvi.

(Hmm... there is no specific rule or particular way to know, Purvi.)

But let me tell you one golden rule of life. If you truly want to judge a person's character, never look at their words. Look at their actions. See what they are actually doing."

​Ritu paused, letting the wisdom sink in.

"People can speak beautiful words, say comforting things, and make grand promises. Anyone can do that. But if a person's words do not actively match their actions, it simply means they are not honest, and they are not sincere. The one who truly cares will always show it through their silent actions, without needing to yell it to the world."

​The words hit Purvi with immense depth. Her mind instantly flashed back to Akshat-how he hadn't made any loud declarations, but had silently, effortlessly transformed his own body into a cover just to ensure her safety on a crowded bus.

​Purvi drifted into a deep, silent state of contemplation. Ritu watched her carefully, a gentle smirk playing on her lips.

"Kyun bhyii? Koi khass insaan hai kya life mein?

(Why, brother? Is there someone special in your life?)"

​Purvi snapped out of her thoughts, her eyes widening as she waved her hands frantically.

"Haan? Matlab... nahi! Main toh bas aise hi general pooch rahi thi!"

("Huh? I mean... no! I was just asking generally like that!")

​Ritu instantly realized that a something was brewing, but wanting to respect Purvi's boundaries and give her proper space, she just let out a soft laugh and didn't press any further.

​The following Monday, the CSE department was gathered inside the heavy, clinical atmosphere of the Chemistry Laboratory.

​Priya mam, the strict, no-nonsense chemistry professor, was pacing up and down the aisles, her eyes fixed sharply on the delicate glassware.

"Listen to me very carefully, class," she announced sternly. "

A lot of pipettes are getting broken every single week due to extreme carelessness. This time, I do not want a single accident in my lab! The burettes are already neatly clamped onto the stands, so you can directly proceed with your titration experiments."

​Standing at the adjacent counter, Purvi leaned over and nudged Riya, whispering playfully, "Dekh bhai, fine lagega. Dhyaan se karna saara kaam.

(Look brother, we'll get fined. Do all the work very carefully.)"

​Riya tossed her hair back with peak, bindaas confidence.

"Aree, I know yaar! Maine chemistry experiments bohot kiye hain Class 11th aur 12th mein. Don't worry at all, I am an expert!"

("Oh come on, I know man! I have done so many chemistry experiments in Class 11th and 12th. Don't worry at all, I am an expert!")

​But fate had other plans for our glorious Class Representative.

​As Riya attempted to pour the acid solution, she realized that the glass beaker in her hand wasn't matching the high elevation of the burette nozzle.

In a rush of uncoordinated engineering confidence, Riya grabbed the metal knob of the burette stand to adjust the height.
​However, the screw was completely loose.

​The moment her fingers turned the knob, the entire heavy metal clamp slipped violently. The delicate, elongated glass burette crashed straight onto the marble counter before shattering into a hundred glittering pieces across the laboratory floor.

​CRASH!

​The entire laboratory fell into a dead, horrifying silence. Riya froze in absolute, wide-eyed shock, her mouth half-open as she stared down at the destruction.

​Priya mam's head snapped toward their aisle instantly, her expression thunderous. "Another pipette broken?!" she yelled from across the room.

​Before Riya could even form a sentence, Yash, who was standing just two counters away, chimed in with an incredibly loud, unhelpful announcement.

"No, mam! This time, our brilliant CR has broken the entire burette!"

​Priya mam marched over, letting out a heavy, exhausted sigh. Without uttering another word, she opened her official laboratory logbook, aggressively scribbled a red mark next to Riya's name, and snapped the book shut.

"Please do go straight to the admin office cash counter and pay the property damage fine!"

​Riya laughed awkwardly, pulling a funny, apologetic face. "Yes, mam. Extremely sorry, mam."

​The moment the practical hour concluded, the entire group of six-Riya, Yash, Isha, Shivansh, Purvi, and Akshat-gathered out in the open corridor right outside the chemistry lab, bursting into immediate chatter.

​Yash immediately began marching around Riya, clapping his hands mockingly.

"Aree, wah! Salami karo hamari expert CR ki! Class 12 ki chemistry expert wali madam ne pehle hi din poora burette hi tod diya!"

("Oh, wow! Everyone salute our expert CR! The madam who is chemistry expert in Class 12 destroyed the entire stand on the very first day!")

​Riya shrugged her shoulders completely unapologetically, crossing her arms with full bindaas attitude.

"Oh, hello! Handle loose tha, okay? Aur waise bhi, bade-bade shehron mein aisi chhoti-chhoti baatein hoti rehti hain, Yash! Ek burette hi toh tha, pure department ki lab toh nahi jalayi na maine?"

("Oh, hello! The handle was loose, okay? And anyway, in big cities, such small things keep happening, Yash! It was just a single burette, it's not like I burned down the entire department's lab, right?")

​Yash gasped dramatically. "Achha? Abhi toh ek burette hai, next week lab jaloaogi phir!

(Oh really? Today it's a burette, by next week youu will burn lab!)"

Riya said, "aaj kal bohot ud rahe ho. Dekhlungi tumhe mein"

(nowadays you are flying, I will see you)"

​Seeing the two of them launching into their classic, endless petty banter, the rest of the group struggled to hold back their laughter.

​Isha stepped between them, gently pushing Riya back while shaking with laughter.

"Tum dono ka na kuch nahi ho sakta! Please, lab ke samne toh mat lado!

(You two are completely hopeless! Please, at least don't fight right outside the lab!)"

​Shivansh, who was standing beside Isha, let out a soft chuckle, looking at Yash.

"Yash, chod na yaar. Uski help karne ki jagah tu use aur tease kar raha hai.

(Drop it, brother. Instead of helping her out, you're just teasing her further.)"

​Meanwhile, Akshat subtly stepped closer to Purvi's side, his voice dropping into a quiet, private whisper.

"Is your ankle feeling better today? Did you face any trouble standing during the experiment? Actually I forgot to ask yesterday"

The moment akshat said yesterday riya and yash stopped their fight and turned towards akshat and purvi. Both said at a time, "when did this happen?" and looked at each other and then purvi said we met unexpectedly at bus stop yesterday and akshat added it's a coincidence.

Then shivansh said, It's fine akshat and purvi you guys don't need to explain and isha also acknowledged and said yes shivansh is right don't bother about riya and yash.

​Purvi said yeah and then looked up at akshat for replying back for his concern,her heart doing a tiny flip as she caught the genuine warmth in his eyes

"It's much better, Akshat. Thanks to your cream, the swelling went down completely."

​Akshat smiled softly, nodding in deep relief, a beautiful unspoken understanding flashing between them while Riya and Yash continued to argue loudly in the background.

​Later that evening, while the campus was asleep, Isha was sitting at her study desk at home, going through her chemistry files. She suddenly realized that during the morning lab chaos, she had completely missed copying down the foundational chemistry tutorial questions.

​Knowing that none of the other girls had noted them down properly, she hesitantly opened WhatsApp and pinged Shivansh.

​Isha: Hey Shivansh! Sorry to bother you so late, but did you manage to note down the chemistry tutorial questions today? The ones Priya mam scribbled on the side board? None of us have it.
​On the other side of town, Shivansh's phone lit up. The moment he saw her name, a wide smile instantly spread across his face. He quickly unlocked his screen.

​Shivansh: Hey! Yes, I did. Give me a second.

​Within half a minute, Shivansh sent over a series of neat, high-definition images. But as Isha clicked open the photos, her jaw dropped. It wasn't just the questions-Shivansh had meticulously written down the step-by-step solutions, complete with chemical equations and final balanced readings.

​Isha: Wait, I only asked for the questions! You sent the entire solved assignment along with the readings 😮

​Shivansh: Usually the entire batch shamelessly copies from your assignments and tutorials, topper girl. Think of this as me slowly clearing my academic debts today. 😉

​Isha chuckled out loud into the quiet room, her fingers flying over the keyboard as a beautiful, candid conversation began to effortlessly flow between them

​Isha: Oho, so the batch topper kid is showing off his generosity now? Fair enough, debt accepted! Grateful for the help, though.

​Shivansh: Anytime, Isha. Just make sure you don't let Riya handle your chemistry files, otherwise they might catch fire. 😂

​Right at that exact moment, while Shivansh was typing back with a wide, unmistakable grin on his face, his bedroom door slowly creaked open.

​Nidhi, his mischievous younger sister, sneaked into the room holding a glass of water. She stopped, her sharp eyes instantly locking onto her brother, who was literally blushing and smiling like a total fool at his phone screen.

​Nidhi immediately walked up behind his bed, leaning over his shoulder aggressively.

"Oho! Kaun hai chat par jo yeh khushi aur hassi ruk hi nahi rahi hai, bhaiyya?!"

("Oh wow! Who on earth is on that chat that this massive smile and laughter just isn't stopping, brother?!")

​Shivansh jolted in absolute panic, violently locking his phone screen and shoving it under his pillow as he glared at her.

"Tujhe kya?! Aur tu mere kamre mein bina knock kiye kyun aayi? Nikal yahan se!"

("What is it to you?! And why did you enter my room without knocking? Get out of here right now!")

​Nidhi crossed her arms, letting out a loud, mocking gasp.

"Aree, waise toh bade phone par lock laga ke rakhte hain! Pakka koi ladki hai na? girl? Main abhi jaakar Mummy ko batati hoon!"

("Oh please, look at how quickly he locked his phone! It's definitely a girl, isn't it? The girl? I am going to go tell Mummy right now!")

​Shivansh quickly grabbed a pillow, throwing it straight at her face.

"Chup baith, khabri! Aisa kuch nahi hai. Go study!

(Shut up, you spy! There's nothing like that. Go study!)"

​Nidhi ducked, cackling loudly as she ran out of the room, leaving Shivansh to pull his phone out from under his pillow, his heart beating fast as he looked at Isha's sun-kissed profile picture one more time before text messaging a soft 'Good night'.
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