Rudra did not notice his father at first.
The evening light stretched long shadows across the school ground, the air cooling just enough to make movement comfortable again. Rudra was in the middle of shuttle runs—short bursts, clean turns, controlled stops.
No rush.
No show.
Just repetition.
He finished a set, hands resting on his knees, breathing steady.
That was when he saw him.
His father stood near the gate, briefcase in hand, jacket folded over one arm. He wasn't calling out. Wasn't waving.
Just watching.
Rudra straightened instinctively.
He ran one more drill—not harder, just cleaner. Feet placed carefully. Turn sharp but balanced. Stop controlled.
Running
Lv 01 (12 / 100 EXP) → (15 / 100 EXP)
Balance
Lv 01 (14 / 100 EXP) → (18 / 100 EXP)
When he finally jogged over, his father handed him a towel.
"You don't waste movement," his father said.
It wasn't praise.
It was observation.
Rudra wiped his face. "I'm learning."
His father nodded. "I can see that."
They walked together toward the exit.
For a few moments, neither spoke. The sounds of the ground faded behind them.
Then his father said, "You don't look tired."
"I stop before I break," Rudra replied.
A pause.
"That's good," his father said. "Ambition without control ends early."
The words carried weight—not advice, but experience.
Decision Speed
Lv 04 (37 / 100 EXP) → (40 / 100 EXP)
Rudra glanced at him. "Did you… mind waiting?"
His father adjusted his glasses. "No. Some things are worth watching."
No smile.
But approval didn't need one.
They reached the apartment building. Before heading inside, his father placed a hand briefly on Rudra's shoulder.
"Keep this pace," he said. "Not faster."
Rudra nodded.
Emotional Control
Lv 05 (78 / 100 EXP) → (80 / 100 EXP)
That night, as Rudra lay in bed, the memory stayed.
Not the drills.
Not the numbers.
But the quiet certainty that someone who mattered had seen the effort.
And that was enough.