While everyone noticed Tripti's smile fading, one person quietly noticed the pain behind it.

Aalankrit.

He had always been a part of the group, yet somehow remained the most underestimated. Quiet, introverted, and rarely noticed, he carried a mind far wiser than people gave him credit for. Unlike everyone else, he never asked what had happened.

He simply stayed.

Whenever Tripti broke down, Aalankrit would remain in the classroom long after everyone had left. He talked about random things, studies, dreams, silly jokes—anything that could keep her mind occupied. He knew silence was dangerous when someone was hurting, so he quietly became the reason she had less time to overthink and a little more reason to breathe.

Tripti never realized what he was doing.

To her, he was just a classmate who happened to stay a little longer. But behind his quiet nature was someone who couldn't bear to watch her fall apart. He never promised to fix her pain, never claimed to have the right words.

Yet, without knowing it, he had already taken the first step toward helping her heal.