The morning sun cast a warm glow across the quiet neighborhood, where the air was filled with the chatter of children. Down the lane, two familiar figures could always be found together—Ashwin and Mithra.
"Catch me if you can!" Ashwin shouted, his laughter echoing as he darted ahead, a cricket bat tucked under his arm.
Mithra, in her blue frock with pigtails flying, chased after him, determined not to be left behind. "Ashwin, stop running! You always run faster than me!"
Ashwin stopped abruptly near the banyan tree, grinning wide. "That's because you eat too slow. If you eat more like me, you'll be faster."
Mithra puffed her cheeks in annoyance. "Liar! You only eat ice creams, not food."
Their bickering didn't last long. Moments later, they were laughing together, their voices ringing through the lane like music everyone had grown used to.
Their families often joked that these two were like twins born to different mothers. Wherever Ashwin went, Mithra was sure to follow. If one was scolded, the other sulked too. Festivals, school projects, evening games—nothing ever felt complete unless they were side by side.
At weddings and family gatherings, the elders often teased them.
"Look at these two, always together," Mithra's aunt would laugh.
"Don't be surprised if one day they end up married," Ashwin's uncle added with a wink.
The children didn't understand the weight of those words. To them, it was just another round of teasing from the grown-ups. All they knew was that life was better when they were together.
On summer evenings, they sat on the terrace, sharing mango slices and silly stories. On rainy days, they splashed through puddles, getting drenched while their mothers shouted from the balconies. On exam days, Mithra neatly copied notes for Ashwin, while he distracted her with jokes until she gave up and laughed along.
Their friendship was the kind that made neighbors smile, parents proud, and teachers shake their heads in amusement.
It was the kind of bond people believed would last forever.
And so, as the years went by, Ashwin and Mithra grew up side by side. From the carefree mischief of childhood to the threshold of adulthood, their story was slowly unfolding—woven together by countless memories, bound by a friendship that seemed unbreakable.
For them, it was never about the future or the past. It was about today—about being there for each other.
And that was enough.