??? ?????'? ??????

Aaradhya pov:

 My phone buzzed with a confirmation message.

Congratulations! Your documents have been approved. You are now officially a CS Executive Level student.

I stared at the screen for a second, my heart skipping a beat. It's real now. I was really going to study again!

Before I could fully process it, Dhivya  let out a dramatic gasp and pulled me into a tight hug.

"Aaru! See, because of you only I joined this course! I'm suffering for you!" she whined, squeezing me.

I giggled, hugging her back. "dhivi, you're the one who said you wanted to study with me!"

"Still, I need someone to blame if it gets hard, right?" she teased, winking.

I rolled my eyes, but my heart felt so full. It felt good knowing I wasn't doing this alone.

Priya Akka sit on the couch, watching us with a small smile while munching on snacks, shaking her head like we were little kids.

And guess what? Me and Dhivya finally joined a really good institute for our weekday classes! Morning to afternoon, just perfect for us. All thanks to Sandeep Anna—he's Rudhran Mama's P.A. and seriously a lifesaver! He searched for so many good places, did all the work, and made sure we got into the best one. I swear, without him, we'd still be sitting and overthinking everything

Days passed

The morning sun streamed through the window, casting a warm glow on my pastel-colored churidar as I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my dupatta, and my long hair, neatly tied with a clutch, framed my face. I carefully placed a small bindi on my forehead, trying to calm my nerves.

Today was my first day at the CS coaching institute. I can do this... right?

Behind me, I suddenly noticed a familiar presence. My heart skipped a beat as I saw Rudhran Mama standing there, watching me through the mirror with a soft smile.

He walked closer, his gaze never leaving mine in the reflection. Then, before I could say anything, he took a pinch of vermilion between his fingers and gently applied it to my hair partition.

" Mama..." I mumbled, 

He tucked a stray strand of my hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering for a second. "Aaru ma, today is your first day. Be calm, don't be nervous," he said in his deep, reassuring voice. "Dhivi is with you, so you're not alone."

I nodded, my fingers playing with the edge of my dupatta. He always knows when I need reassurance.

His expression suddenly shifted, his jaw tightening slightly. "And listen," his tone dropping, "if anyone bothers you, tell me. I'll break their teeth."

My eyes widened. "Mama!" I gasped, looking at him with disbelief.

He just smirked, clearly not joking. Why is he like this?

Before I could protest, he reached for my nuptial chain, gently pulling it out so it rested outside my dress. "Let this be visible," he muttered, his fingers brushing against my skin for a brief moment.

I gulped, feeling shy.

Then, as if to reassure me once more, he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on my forehead.

"You'll do great," he whispered.

I closed my eyes for a second, feeling warmth spread through my chest. No matter how much he acted tough, his gestures were always so tender with me.