Forever Memories

It was a calm night on campus, the clock ticking just past 9 PM. The pathways was full of students, wandering around park after dinner and some  on phones walking around in circles towards parking Area some standing under trees, their laughter and footsteps echoing faintly in the cool evening air.

At the edge of the small park near the hostels, Ishan sat comfortably on a slightly worn red concrete chair, the glow of his phone illuminating his smiling face.

He was on a video call with his parents — a routine that had quickly become the highlight of his day.
His voice was full of excitement and laughter as he talked, his hands flying around in big, animated gestures, trying to show them everything he couldn't quite put into words.

Sometimes he leaned closer to the screen, listening intently, nodding quickly, then bursting into laughter at something his father said. Other times, he blushed visibly, ducking his head and grinning shyly whenever his mother teased him about something — maybe the way he still hadn’t properly arranged his hostel room, or how he forgot to eat on time.

The breeze tugged lightly at his hair, but Ishan didn’t seem to notice.
He was too caught up in that little bubble of happiness, as if these  kilometers between him and home had disappeared for a while.

Around him, the world continued  — distant murmurs from hostel balconies, the occasional bark of a dog, the rustle of leaves.

It was around 9:22PM, and as part of his usual routine, Shubman casually stepped out onto the small balcony attached to his hostel room.
The night air was cool against his skin, and the familiar, distant hum of campus life buzzed softly in the background — boys chatting, a stray dog barking somewhere near the canteen, the gentle rustle of trees.

Shubman leaned against the railing, his gaze sweeping lazily over the familiar scenes — groups of students strolling around, some sitting on benches scrolling through their phones, others deep in conversation.

Then, his eyes caught sight of Ishan.

There he was, sitting cross-legged on the old red concrete chair near the small park, completely absorbed in a video call.
From where Shubman stood, he could clearly see Ishan laughing heartily, his hands moving wildly to express whatever story he was telling.
Every now and then, he would blush and glance away shyly, grinning like someone sharing a private little world with whoever was on the other end of the call.

Watching the scene unfold, a mischievous thought flickered in Shubman's mind.
Must be a girlfriend, he mused with a smirk.
Why else would someone look this ridiculously happy? Blushing like that?

He shook his head slightly, amused, leaning more comfortably against the railing.
For a few seconds longer, Shubman just watched — half-curious, half-entertained — before eventually pulling out his own phone and slipping back into the easy rhythm of his evening.

Unknowingly, that quiet, distant observation planted a tiny seed of curiosity in his mind — one that he would find harder to ignore as days went by.

As Ishan sat comfortably , still caught up in his video call, the conversation with his parents took a new turn.

His mother, smiling warmly through the screen, suddenly said,
"By the way, beta, your papa met his old friend yesterday."

Ishan tilted his head, curious, wiping a small grin off his face. "Oh? Who?"

"Mr. Markande," his father chimed in, adjusting his glasses. "You remember him? Used to visit us sometimes when you were little."

Ishan thought for a second, then nodded vaguely. "Hmm... yeah, kind of. What about him?"

"His son, Mayank, is also studying in Delhi University," his mother added excitedly. "He’s even staying on the same campus!

Ishan’s eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise. “Really? I had no idea.”

"We thought it would be nice if you both meet sometime," his father said, a hint of suggestion in his voice. "Since you both are new there, maybe it will be good to have a familiar face around. Even if you're not in the same department or hostel."

Ishan smiled politely, though inside he felt a tiny knot of nervousness. He had just begun adjusting here, with new people, new routines... and now there was this idea of reconnecting with someone he barely remembered.

Still, the thought didn’t seem so bad.
Maybe it would be nice — a break from all the complicated, messy beginnings he'd been tangled in lately.

He nodded into the call, promising his parents he would try to find Mayank in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the stars blinked quietly above him, as if listening in, as Ishan unknowingly edged closer to another chapter waiting to unfold in his new life.