A few weeks later, Tripti and Aalankrit happened to join the same coaching institute. What started as a coincidence slowly became the brightest part of their day. After every class, they walked home together, never following a plan, never running out of things to talk about. Sometimes it was studies, sometimes childhood memories, and sometimes meaningless conversations that somehow made the heaviest days feel lighter.

Those walks slowly became a habit neither of them spoke about. They laughed at silly jokes, argued over the smallest topics, guessed the stories of strangers passing by, and shared dreams they had never told anyone else. For those few minutes between coaching and home, Tripti forgot the pressure waiting for her. The road never changed, but somehow, walking it with Aalankrit made every evening feel a little less lonely.

Aalankrit noticed the little things without being told. If Tripti looked tired, he'd slow his pace. If she seemed lost in thought, he'd start talking about something completely random just to bring back her smile. He never treated her like someone who needed to be fixed. He simply made sure she never had to carry every burden by herself, even if all he could offer was his company.

Soon, those ordinary walks became Tripti's favorite part of the day. She found herself waiting for the coaching bell, not because classes were over, but because it meant another walk filled with laughter. Without realizing it, she was smiling more often. The emptiness inside her hadn't disappeared, but it no longer felt endless. Sometimes, healing begins in the most ordinary moments with the most unexpected people.

Neither of them ever called it special. To everyone else, they were just two classmates walking home after coaching. But for Tripti, those conversations became a quiet escape from the chaos waiting at home. And for Aalankrit, every genuine smile on her face felt like a small victory. Without making promises, they had unknowingly become each other's safest part of the day.