One month later…
Bright lay on his bed comfortably, chips in one hand and his phone in the other, scrolling through videos. The intense battles of the tournament felt like a distant memory now, like a dream that had already faded.
"Mmm... there's no tournament, nothing serious going on... might as well just enjoy my phone," he mumbled to himself while munching.
Just then, his big mom entered the room with a disapproving look. "Don't you have anything better to do? Your exams are about to start. At least try to study a little."
Bright looked up lazily. "Yeah, yeah... I'll study in a bit."
From the living room, his father's voice echoed with annoyance. "You keep watching your phone all day! Just because you won one tournament, doesn't mean you get to slack off now."
Bright sighed. "There's no tournament going on, no new technique to train with either. And I do work on my body. As for studying, it'll get done too, no need to panic."
A small argument began to brew, each side sticking to their opinion.
Just then, his mom stepped in like a peacemaker. "Alright, enough. Everyone come to the kitchen. It's time for dinner."
Bright's face lit up. "Finally, someone said something useful."
Bright's father leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling silently while everyone else moved toward the dinner table.
"Yes, I gave him permission to enter that tournament... but that doesn't mean he should forget about his studies. No matter what, education is important. So many people have built their futures through knowledge, through learning. If he doesn't take this seriously... what if he wastes his potential? What if he ends up with nothing but regret?"
He sighed, brushing the thoughts away as the family gathered around for dinner.
After eating, everyone went to their rooms to rest. The house slowly grew quiet as the night settled in.
— — —
The scene shifted to morning.
Bright jumped out of bed with a start. "Shit! I'm late again!"
He rushed to the bathroom, quickly washed up, threw on his clothes, and scarfed down breakfast in record time.
"Just two months since the tournament ended and here I am, running late again… October 14 already," he muttered to himself while tying his shoelaces. "Ugh, I still hate studying…"
With a slice of toast in his mouth and his bag slung over his shoulder, Bright darted out of the house.
By the time he reached college, the first bell had already rung. He slipped into class, slightly out of breath, but managed a grin when he saw his friends—Anu and Raj—already there.
Sliding into the bench beside them, he whispered, "You guys won't believe the morning I had…"
The three of them chuckled and began chatting quietly, catching up on small talks and teasing each other, like nothing had changed.
As the class went on, Bright turned to Raj and asked casually, "Hey, any idea where Rahul went?"
Raj shrugged. "He said he's gone out… somewhere. Didn't say much—just that he needed a break."
Bright tilted his head. "Hmm… I see. Weird guy."
Before they could say more, the teacher walked into the classroom and began the lecture. Just like that, the day rolled on, no different than any other ordinary day. Notes were scribbled, yawns were exchanged, and time slowly crept toward break.
When the bell rang, Bright and his two friends, Anu and Raj, walked out together into the corridor.
They laughed and joked, enjoying the short escape from class, when suddenly Anu nudged Bright and said, "Oye Bright… look ahead."
"Huh? What is it now?" Bright asked, lazily turning his head.
But the moment he looked up, something shifted in him. His footsteps slowed to a halt. His ears seemed to go silent, filtering out all noise except for the flutter in his chest. He didn't say a word—just stood there, eyes locked forward, a little smile playing on his lips. His gaze lifted slightly, his expression softening.
There she was.
Lavender.
Her name was as beautiful as her presence. She walked gracefully across the campus courtyard, chatting with a friend.
Raj noticed Bright's frozen expression and grinned. "Ohoho… Bright, who's that?"
Bright blinked and snapped out of it, rubbing the back of his neck with a shy chuckle. "Uh… that's Lavender…"
He paused for a second, then admitted, "She's… my crush."
Raj and Anu exchanged dramatic gasps, and Raj teased, "Finally! The storm hero has a weakness!"
Bright rolled his eyes but couldn't hide his smile. "Shut up, man."
They all laughed, and Bright couldn't help but glance at her one more time—his heart a little lighter, his world a little brighter.
Bright looked at her from a distance, his heart caught between awe and ache.
She walked gracefully, her short hair bouncing slightly with each step. That sharp wolf-cut style suited her so perfectly, it made her look like a scene straight out of a dream.
Bright let out a soft sigh, his heart fluttering.
"That's Lavender... class 10," he said quietly, unable to look away. "She's so beautiful... so cute. Her little hands, that soft smile—damn, it just kills me."
He chuckled awkwardly, a little shy to admit it, but the words kept pouring out.
"Every time I see her, it feels like the whole world just... stops. Like there's no one else, nothing else. Just her."
Raj nudged him playfully, whispering, "Someone's in love, haan?"
Bright didn't even respond to the tease. He just kept watching her.
"But she's way out of my league, man," he continued, a soft sadness creeping into his voice. " I'm not that good-looking... not that smart either. She's a topper—one of the best. And me? I'm just... me."
He looked down for a second, biting his lip before smiling faintly.
"Her eyes… God, her eyes. So pretty. Sometimes I feel like I could just die in her expression. If only… if only she could understand how I feel. Just once. If only she could like me even a little."
He looked away, trying to shake the thoughts, but it wasn't easy.
"I know this isn't just some stupid crush. It's not attraction, not infatuation. I don't have some perfect reason to love her. I just... do. And I think I always will. Even if I have to wait my whole life, I'll still love her."
A soft breeze passed by, brushing through his hair. The present scene slowly returned—no more daydreaming. The world continued moving, but somewhere deep inside, Bright's heart remained still... holding on to a quiet hope.
As Bright stood there, completely lost in his thoughts, the wind gently brushing against him, Raj and Anu exchanged glances.
Raj snapped his fingers in front of Bright's face. "Hey! Come back to your senses, man. You planning to stand here all day?"
Anu smirked. "Come on, Romeo. The next class is about to start. Save your love story for later."
Bright sighed, his eyes still searching the hallway where Lavender had disappeared. "Man… I just want to see her once more."
Raj groaned. "Again? Seriously? You've seen her like three times already today!"
Bright replied dramatically, "But what if I don't get to see her again? Tomorrow isn't promised!"
Anu laughed. "You're unbelievable."
Before Bright could try anything, both Raj and Anu grabbed him by the arms.
"Let's go, bro. Class," Raj said firmly, dragging him toward the classroom.
"True love can wait for one period," Anu added, chuckling as they pulled Bright away from his daydreams.
Classroom air hung heavy with drowsiness as Bright sat at his desk, lost in thoughts that had nothing to do with the lecture. While the teacher discussed something about elemental theory, Bright's mind wandered endlessly, circling one face—Lavender. Her short wolf-cut hair, her delicate smile, her small hands... everything about her seemed to wrap around his heart like a dream he didn't want to wake from.
Raj and Anu, sitting beside him, were whispering to each other about the lecture, trading notes and jokes. Bright, meanwhile, was mentally replaying Lavender's expressions, how her eyes lit up when she laughed, how time felt frozen when she walked by. He stared ahead blankly, only half aware of the classroom around him.
Suddenly, a loud voice interrupted the moment. A teacher stepped into the room. "All students, please head to the main hall. The principal has an announcement to make."
The entire class stirred. Chairs scraped against the floor, books closed, and chatter filled the air as everyone moved toward the hallway. Bright walked with his friends, still a little dazed, trying to shake off his daydream.
The hall was filled with students and teachers, murmurs buzzing like bees. Then the principal stepped onto the stage. The room quieted.
"Students," he began, "as many of you know, the District Tournament is approaching. From our academy, two students were selected to represent us: Rahul Yadav and Gourav Dutta."
A wave of applause began, but the principal raised his hand. "However, due to certain reasons, Rahul will not be participating."
Gasps spread across the crowd. Bright and his friends exchanged shocked looks.
Bright thought, Rahul? Why would he back out now?
The principal continued, "The District Tournament will take place in a single day. The winner will then move on to the Assam League, where top students from each district academy will compete. This is a chance to make your name known, not only for yourself but also for our academy."
He added, "Some students even skip these steps and fight directly for India's Top 20 rankings. To do so, however, one must defeat someone already in the Top 20—after acquiring special permissions and paying battle fees. It's difficult, yes, but not impossible. If you take the slow path, you won't need to worry about all that. But if you're ambitious and confident, aim higher."
He paused, letting the information sink in.
"So for those who dream of reaching the top, start now. Work hard. Make our academy proud. Thank you."
The announcement ended. Students slowly began leaving the hall as the final bell rang, signaling the end of the day.
As Bright and his friends headed out, they discussed the announcement.
"What happened with Rahul?" Anu asked.
Raj shrugged. "Maybe he's aiming to jump straight to the top."
Bright remained quiet, thoughtful. I don't know what Rahul's planning... but now it's my time. Becoming Assam's number one—that's my next dream.
As they walked toward the academy gates, Raj nudged Bright. "By the way, what happened with Lavender?"
Bright blinked. "Oh no... I forgot!"
Anu smirked. "She's probably gone by now."
Just then, a van passed by on the road beside them. Inside it—Lavender.
Bright's eyes widened. Time slowed. His breath caught.
Raj and Anu groaned together. "Oh no, not again."
They grabbed Bright by the shoulders, pulling him back to reality.
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To be continued...