"Kabhi kabhi kisi ke haath takrane se bhi dil hil jaata hai.""Sometimes, a simple touch can shake your whole heart."— Aryan Sen
It had been three days since the festival.
Neither Akari nor Aryan had talked about that night.The shared fireworks.The soft smile.The "Tum… ache ho."
They had returned to their library bench — notebooks, lessons, and awkward silences in between.
Today's topic was body language.
"I want to learn more than words," Akari said."Indian expressions… gestures… feelings."
Aryan hesitated."Body language… in India, means a lot."
"I know," she replied, softly."That's why I want to learn it… from you."
He took a deep breath.
Then slowly, he held up his hand.
"This means namaste," he said.
"I know this one," she smiled."Namaste."
She tried to mirror it.Palms together. Eyes gently down.
He nodded.
"Good posture. But… it's not about form. It's about intent."
He stepped slightly closer.
"In India, when you greet with 'namaste', you say —'I bow to the soul within you.'"
Akari blinked.
Her voice was almost a whisper."That's… beautiful."
Then Aryan slowly reached out to show her the hand gesture properly.
Fingertips met.
Just lightly.
Skin to skin.
Her hand was warm. His fingers were trembling.
And then—
Time froze.
Akari's breath caught in her throat.
Aryan's chest tightened.
Their hands… weren't moving away.
They both looked at each other.
Eyes locked.
Silence grew.
But it wasn't empty.
It was charged.
She whispered, "Your hands… are warm."
He didn't speak.
She added, "But… I feel something else."
He finally whispered back:"So do I."
Then, without warning —Her little brother Haru ran up to the table.
"Nee-chan! I'm done with the clinic!"
Akari jumped slightly, pulling her hand back.Aryan blinked and stepped away, pretending to fix his notebook.
Haru tilted his head."You both look… weird."
Akari laughed nervously."Too much studying. Come on."
She turned to Aryan.
"Same time tomorrow?"
He nodded.But his voice was low.
"Yeah."
As she walked away with Haru, Aryan looked at his hand.
Still warm. Still shaking slightly.
And in that single palm,he had felt more truth than a thousand words could ever say.
[End of Episode 11]📝 Next: "If Only Feelings Spoke" – Aryan and Akari both try to write down what they felt that day... but neither finds the courage to say it aloud.