chapter 5

A week passed.

For Maya, college was slowly becoming less unfamiliar.

She had learned which corridor led to the library, which professor never accepted late assignments, and which vending machine always got stuck.

She had also learned one more thing.

People's opinions about Disha were often louder than the truth.

Every day she heard whispers.

"She's heartless."

"Don't make eye contact with her."

"She's impossible to approach."

Yet every day, Maya noticed something different.

Disha always held the classroom door open if someone was carrying heavy books.

She never cut in line.

She quietly paid for a janitor's broken cleaning cart after another student accidentally damaged it, then walked away before anyone could thank her.

She wasn't kind in obvious ways.

She was kind in silent ways.

It was lunchtime.

Maya was carrying her tray, looking around the crowded cafeteria.

Before she could decide where to sit...

A dramatic voice echoed across the room.

"LIL BUNNY!"

Half the cafeteria turned to look.

Maya blinked.

"...Me?"

KTJ waved both arms wildly.

"Yes, you! Come here!"

Maya couldn't help laughing.

"Why are you calling me that?"

KTJ puffed out her chest proudly.

"Because you're small."

"You look like a bunny."

"And you're my little cousin."

"So from today..."

She pointed dramatically.

"You are officially..."

"Lil Bunny!"

Star sighed.

"That's the best nickname you could think of?"

"It's perfect."

Maya smiled as she sat beside KTJ.

"Then..."

She tilted her head playfully.

"I'll call you..."

"...Big Bunny."

For two seconds...

The table went completely silent.

Then KTJ slapped the table dramatically.

"I LOVE IT!"

She pointed at Maya proudly.

"Did everyone hear that?"

"I'm Big Bunny now."

Star muttered,

"You've always been one."

Everyone laughed.

Even Disha's lips curved ever so slightly.

Over the next few days...

Maya naturally started spending more time with the group.

One afternoon, she walked into the library carrying a tower of books.

She accidentally bumped into a chair.

"Oh!"

The books scattered everywhere.

"Oh dear..."

Before she could panic...

Someone silently knelt beside her.

Star.

Without saying a word, Star picked up every single book, stacked them neatly, and handed them back.

"Thank you..."

Star noticed Maya struggling with the heavy pile.

"Give me half."

"It's okay. I can—"

"I wasn't asking."

Maya blinked.

"...Okay."

Star carried the heavier stack without another word.

As they walked through the library, Maya smiled softly.

"You know..."

"What?"

"You remind me of my mom."

Star actually stopped walking.

"...Your mom?"

"You quietly take care of everyone."

"You don't say much."

"But you always notice when someone needs help."

A faint expression crossed Star's usually cold face.

"...You're weird."

Maya giggled.

"So..."

"Can I call you Mom Star?"

Star immediately looked horrified.

"No."

"What about Mama?"

"No."

"Mumma?"

"...Absolutely not."

Maya laughed so hard that a librarian glared at them.

Star sighed.

"...Fine."

"But only when we're alone."

Maya's eyes sparkled.

"Really?"

Star looked away.

"...Don't make a big deal out of it."

From that day on...

Whenever no one else was around...

Maya would grin and whisper,

"Mom Star..."

Star always pretended to be annoyed.

But she never told Maya to stop again.

Meanwhile...

Somi was buried under a mountain of books in the library.

Maya quietly sat across from her.

"What are you studying?"

"Organic chemistry."

Maya made a face.

"That sounds terrifying."

"It is."

"I'll pray for you."

Somi laughed softly.

For the next two hours...

The two studied together.

Whenever Maya got confused, Somi patiently explained every concept.

She never became irritated.

Never rushed.

Never made Maya feel stupid for asking questions.

By the end of the session...

Maya stretched her arms.

"My brain is melting."

Somi smiled.

"You did well."

Maya looked at her with shining eyes.

"You know..."

"Hm?"

"You remind me of a little cat."

Somi blinked.

"A cat?"

"You always stay calm."

"You quietly sit in one place."

"And you're so comforting."

She smiled brightly.

"I'm going to call you..."

"...Meow Meow."

Somi laughed, the sound soft and genuine.

"Meow Meow?"

"Yes."

"It's cute."

"It is."

Star, who had just walked in, raised an eyebrow.

"I leave for five minutes..."

"And now she's naming everyone."

The following afternoon...

The five of them sat beneath the old banyan tree.

KTJ was lying dramatically across the bench.

"I'm starving."

"You just finished two burgers," Star said.

"That was breakfast."

"It was twenty minutes ago."

"Time is an illusion."

Maya laughed so hard that tears gathered in her eyes.

Disha quietly watched her.

That laugh...

It was loud.

Unrestrained.

Honest.

Very different from the carefully controlled world Disha lived in.

For a brief moment...

She found herself staring.

Until Maya suddenly looked at her.

Their eyes met.

This time...

Instead of looking away immediately...

Maya smiled.

A simple, warm smile.

Without hesitation.

Disha froze for half a second.

She didn't smile back.

But...

She also didn't turn away.

KTJ looked between them and grinned mischievously.

"Oi, Disha."

"Hm?"

"You've been awfully quiet."

"I usually am."

"No."

KTJ narrowed her eyes dramatically.

"You're thinking."

"I can hear the gears moving."

Star rolled her eyes.

"She has a brain. That's normal."

"I'm just saying!"

Disha ignored them, but as the conversation continued, she found herself listening more than speaking.

Maya fit into the group with surprising ease.

She teased KTJ.

She listened patiently to Somi.

She followed Star around despite Star pretending not to care.

And somehow...

Without anyone officially saying it...

The empty space beside them no longer felt empty.

It belonged to Maya now.

Disha noticed it.

She didn't comment.

But for the first time in years...

The circle of four had quietly become five.

And none of them wanted it any other way.

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