Morning sunlight slowly spread across the villa, slipping through the tall glass windows and painting warm golden lines across the polished floor. The quiet darkness of night had disappeared, replaced by the gentle sounds of a new day beginning outside the gates. Birds chirped somewhere in the trees surrounding the property, and the distant hum of the city slowly grew louder as people began their routines.
Inside one of the bedrooms, Akshat stirred slightly.
He opened his eyes lazily, adjusting to the soft light filling the room. For a moment he simply stared at the ceiling, enjoying the rare calm that existed before the chaos of the day began.
Then he noticed something.
Aavya was still asleep beside him.
She had fallen asleep leaning against his shoulder sometime during the night. Her hair was slightly messy from sleep, and one of her hands was loosely holding the fabric of his shirt as if she had been afraid he might disappear.
Akshat watched her quietly for a moment.
Despite the many battles he had fought and the countless plans running through his mind every day, this kind of peaceful moment felt strangely unfamiliar to him.
Aavya slowly opened her eyes.
For a brief second she looked confused, then she realized where she was and her cheeks immediately turned pink.
"Good morning," Akshat said with a faint smile.
Aavya rubbed her eyes slightly before looking up at him. "You're already awake?"
"I woke up a minute ago."
She tried to sit up, but Akshat gently pulled her back into his arms.
"Relax," he murmured.
Aavya hesitated before letting herself settle against him again. Her heartbeat was slightly faster than usual, and she could feel the warmth of his chest beneath her cheek.
"You're acting different today," she said softly.
Akshat raised an eyebrow. "Different how?"
"You're… softer."
Akshat gave a quiet chuckle.
"That sounds like a dangerous accusation."
Aavya smiled shyly and lightly tapped his shoulder.
"You know what I mean."
For a moment they simply lay there together. The warm sunlight filled the room, making the quiet morning feel almost peaceful.
Akshat brushed a few strands of hair away from Aavya's face. She looked up at him, her expression gentle but slightly nervous.
"You didn't regret last night… right?" she asked quietly.
Akshat looked at her with mild surprise.
"Why would I?"
Aavya hesitated.
"I just thought… maybe you were only comforting me."
Akshat shook his head slowly.
"I don't do things I don't mean."
His voice carried a calm certainty that made Aavya's heart flutter slightly.
Before she could respond, Akshat leaned closer and kissed her lightly. The kiss was slow and warm, carrying the quiet affection that had been building between them for a long time.
Aavya's fingers instinctively curled around his shirt again.
For a few seconds the outside world seemed to disappear.
When they finally pulled apart, Aavya buried her face against his chest, trying to hide the blush spreading across her cheeks.
"You're impossible," she muttered.
Akshat smirked slightly.
"I've been told that before."
After another quiet moment, they finally decided to get up. The peaceful morning atmosphere slowly faded as reality returned.
Classes awaited them.
And the outside world was rarely as calm as this room.
When they walked downstairs a few minutes later, the smell of breakfast filled the villa.
Akshat stopped mid-step.
"That's unexpected," he said.
In the kitchen, Ryuki stood near the stove flipping something in a pan. She was wearing simple casual clothes, and her hair was loosely tied back. Compared to the fierce fighter everyone knew from campus rumors, she looked almost ordinary in that moment.
She glanced at them briefly.
"You're slow," she said calmly. "Food is getting cold."
Aavya blinked in surprise.
"You cooked?"
Ryuki shrugged slightly.
"I woke up early."
Akshat walked toward the table, studying the dishes laid out in front of him. Eggs, toast, and soup were arranged neatly despite Ryuki clearly not being used to cooking.
"You didn't poison it, right?" he asked casually.
Ryuki gave him an irritated look.
"If I wanted to kill you, I'd do it directly."
Akshat nodded thoughtfully.
"Fair point."
Aavya laughed quietly and sat down at the table. The three of them began eating together, the morning atmosphere surprisingly normal despite how unusual their situation actually was.
After breakfast, they prepared to leave.
Aavya grabbed her bag while Ryuki stretched slightly as if preparing herself mentally for the day ahead.
Akshat looked between them.
"Ready for another peaceful day at college?"
Ryuki smirked faintly.
"Peaceful doesn't sound like your style."
Akshat simply smiled.
__________
[At morning, AUMC]
The medical campus was already buzzing with activity when they arrived.
Second-year students filled the corridors, carrying textbooks and discussing upcoming exams. The atmosphere felt mostly normal, yet something unusual happened the moment Ryuki entered the hallway.
People started whispering.
Students turned their heads as she walked past.
"That's Ryuki, right?"
"Yeah… but she looks different."
"I thought she never attended classes."
"And why is she walking with Aavya?"
Whispers spread quickly across the hallway.
Ryuki had always been known as a violent and distant student. She rarely attended lectures and usually kept to herself. Seeing her calmly walking beside Aavya shocked many of the students who knew her reputation.
Meanwhile, Aavya noticed the stares.
She had always been used to being judged. Her darker skin and chubby body had made her an easy target for mockery since childhood.
But something felt slightly different today.
Her posture was straighter.
Her steps carried more confidence.
Even though her body hadn't changed, the way she carried herself had.
Still, the whispers continued.
"Why is Ryuki hanging out with that girl?"
"She's the ugly one from the medical hostel."
"Did Ryuki adopt a pet or something?"
Aavya pretended not to hear them.
But the words still stung.
They attended their lectures normally throughout the morning. Most of the classes were routine medical lessons about anatomy and diagnostics. Akshat listened quietly while occasionally scribbling notes, while Ryuki mostly remained silent beside Aavya.
Yet the curious stares never stopped.
During the lunch break, Aavya walked toward the courtyard alone to buy a drink.
She had barely taken a few steps before a group of girls approached her.
The leader crossed her arms with a mocking smile.
"Well, well. Look who suddenly has powerful friends."
Aavya stopped walking.
Another girl laughed softly.
"Your body didn't change, but your confidence suddenly did."
"Did Ryuki adopt you or something?"
The girls giggled among themselves.
Aavya lowered her gaze slightly, trying to ignore them.
But the leader stepped closer.
"Tell me something," she said mockingly. "What did you do to get someone like Ryuki on your side?"
Before Aavya could respond—
A shadow moved between them.
Ryuki stepped forward.
Her expression was calm, but her eyes carried the cold sharpness that had terrified half the campus.
The girls froze instantly.
Everyone at AUMC knew the story.
Ryuki had once defeated several senior students during a fight near the gym. Some of them had been bodybuilders who trained daily, yet none of them had lasted long against her.
Now she stood silently in front of Aavya.
The leader of the group swallowed nervously.
"We were just talking," she said quickly.
Ryuki looked at her without emotion.
"Then talk somewhere else."
The courtyard had gone quiet.
No one dared to challenge her.
After a few seconds of tense silence, the girls slowly stepped back and left without another word.
Aavya stared at Ryuki in surprise.
"You didn't have to do that," she said softly.
Ryuki shrugged.
"They were annoying."
Aavya smiled slightly.
"Still… thank you."
Ryuki looked away casually, but the corner of her lips lifted faintly.
Meanwhile, from the balcony above the courtyard, Akshat had been watching the entire scene.
His calm eyes studied the two girls below.
Then he smiled slightly.
End of ch 44
To be continue...
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