Those few days following the ragging episode were melancholy. Although the gloom of the system still lingered over him, breeding a seething tension within him, Aaryan drew solace from his increasing rapport with Ishika. Theirs was conversation stolen but began to be rich in meaning. They were discussing lightly—the teachers, homework, and their first campus days—but in it all there was something unsaid that give an air of exclusiveness over their relationship.
Ishika, as ever, was unperturbed, radiating an aura of equally assured self-confidence. Aaryan envied her capacity to navigate the politics of inheriting a huge medical-tech fortune without ever so much as showing her fortune and status, but there was something firm and unobtrusive about her that drew on both her brains and from the security which she had built for herself.
One day, after class, leaving together, Aaryan couldn't help but tease, "So, how does it feel, being the brightest bulb in the room?"
Ishika smiled, her eyes glinting. "I wouldn't say I'm the brightest, just. better prepared, I suppose. I always had so much pressure to be the best. It's just the way my life has been.".
"Alright, I understand," Aaryan said, even though his own situation was anything but the same. "Thanks for visiting, though. College life. it's still weird, but it's becoming real."
"Yeah, it's a complete change," she said thoughtfully. "But, I'm glad to have someone to share this experience with. Sometimes, even when you're surrounded by lots of people, it feels lonely."
Aaryan was taken aback by what she had just told him. He had no idea what to do, but he smiled reassuringly at her. "Same to you," he told her. "It's nice to have someone to chat with."
They kept walking, enjoying the silence. Aaryan's thoughts did drift back to the system—the strange reality that had entered his life. But for the time being, he would rather forget. There was something soothing about sitting with Ishika, discussing the everyday, routine things that made college life so real.
The next evening, in the shared room, Aaryan got another message from the system. It had been his faithful friend, a shadow that had assisted him and gotten him into trouble.
**SYSTEM UPDATE**
**TASK: Assist another student with his studies.**
**REWARD: +10,000 XP**
**BONUS: Unlock Intermediate Learning Modules**
Aaryan cocked an eyebrow. The assignment was simple enough—help out another student—but the reward intrigued him. Unlocking more learning modules could be useful. It was worth considering.
Aaryan looked around the room, noticing a student across the room—a lanky guy in glasses—slumped over a pile of notes, looking completely exasperated. Aaryan, noticing a chance to get involved, went over to him. "Hey, need a hand?".
The man looked up, obviously taken aback. "Uh, yeah. You know this?"
Aaryan smiled, confident. "I can try. What is going on?"
They sat side by side as Aaryan quickly evaluated the situation. The man, Raj, was having trouble with a tough physics problem. Aaryan, with the help of the system's advancements, had no difficulty whatsoever with solving the problem. He worked through the process and explained the solution in plain English.
"Thanks, man," Raj replied, clearly relieved. "I swear, this stuff is like a foreign language."
"No problem," Aaryan replied with a grin. "I've got your back."
Raj thanked him again and proceeded to the next question, but Aaryan couldn't help but feel satisfied. It had been easy work, but the XP bonus alone made it worthwhile to make him feel that he belonged where he was on campus. Assisting others had always been one of the reasons that he had wanted to be there, and now he was beginning to realize the material rewards of the system.
The next day, after class, Aaryan sat alone in the campus courtyard, a serene location under trees and benches. Other students' chatter buzzed through the air, but he liked it that way. He was going to check his phone when he saw Ishika approaching him.
"May I sit with you?" she asked warmly and softly.
Aaryan nodded and gestured to the empty space beside him. "Of course. You're always welcome."
She smiled and sat down next to him. For a few moments, they just sat in comfortable silence, watching the campus life unfold around them.
Finally, Ishika broke the silence. "I've been thinking," she began. "You've been different lately. More. focused. It's like something's changed. What's going on?"
Aaryan tensed, taken aback by her statement. He had not known that he had been doing something so apparent. He had been attempting to keep it concealed for a bit longer, but her statement caught him off guard.
"I don't know how to explain it," he said hesitantly. "But I feel. different. I'm learning quicker, learning things in ways that I never did."
Ishika's eyebrow shot up, intrigued but not surprised. "That sounds. interesting. Good, I hope?"
Aaryan smiled cynically. "Yeah, good. But it's. hard to explain."
She nodded thoughtfully. "Well, whatever it is, just remember that you're not alone. We're all here, trying to make sense of things as a whole."
Her words of relief. Perhaps he didn't have to tell her everything just yet. For now, it was sufficient that she knew, at least partially.
The sun dipped below the horizon as they sat there, bathing the campus in its warm golden light. The gravity of the moment—the start of something grand—pressed down on Aaryan. His life at the **Bangalore Institute of Technology** had begun at last.