13 – Distance — Scene 1 – An Unusual Morning The clock showed 7:40 AM.
Deep leaned against the society gate with his bag hanging from one shoulder.
“…Where’s Dhruv?” Alya checked the time.
“He usually comes out by now.” Just then, Urvi stepped outside with a watering can.
“He left ten minutes ago.” Deep blinked.
“What?” “He said he wanted to reach school early.” Alya frowned slightly.
“That’s…
unlike him.” A few moments later, Mitsuri walked out of House No.
11.
Today, she had tied her long pink hair into a loose side braid.
A few strands framed her face as she smiled at the three of them.
“Good morning!” “Morning,” Alya replied.
Deep looked down the empty road.
“…He really left.” Mitsuri tilted her head.
“Dhruv?” Urvi nodded.
“He said he had something to finish.” Mitsuri looked surprised.
“He didn’t even message…” — Scene 2 – Empty Seat When Mitsuri entered XI-A…
Dhruv was already there.
He sat by the window, slightly slouched, his blazer hanging on the back of his chair instead of being worn.
His tie was crooked as always.
His notebook was already open.
He didn’t notice Mitsuri at first.
“…Morning, Dhruv.” He looked up briefly.
“Oh.” “Morning, Mitsuu.” Then…
He looked back at his notebook.
Mitsuri slowly sat down.
Usually…
He would’ve asked something.
Made a small joke.
Today…
Nothing.
She glanced at him once.
“Is he upset?” — Scene 3 – Mission Pink Hair Meeting Lunch break.
Deep, Alya and Mitsuri sat together under a tree.
Deep frowned.
“I’ve confirmed it.” “Confirmed what?” “Dhruv has become weird.” Alya nodded.
“He left early.” “Didn’t wait for us.” “He barely talked.” Mitsuri quietly stirred her juice with the straw.
“…Did I do something?” Deep immediately shook his head.
“No.” “If you had, he’d tell you.” Alya looked toward the cricket ground in the distance.
“…Maybe something else is bothering him.” — Scene 4 – Cricket Practice The afternoon sun was harsh.
Aditya threw the ball to Dhruv.
“Bat.” The first delivery arrived.
CRACK!
The ball flew straight over the boundary.
The second.
CRACK!
Another six.
Yash raised an eyebrow.
“Someone’s angry today.” Dhruv adjusted his gloves.
“Again.” The next ten balls…
Every one of them was struck with unusual aggression.
Aditya folded his arms.
“You’ve got power today.” Dhruv simply nodded.
“…Again.” — Scene 5 – Literature Club Meanwhile…
The Literature Club discussed famous coming-of-age novels.
Kabir looked at Mitsuri.
“I didn’t see Dhruv at lunch.” “He was probably practicing.” Kabir smiled.
“He works really hard.” “He does.” Mitsuri looked toward the window.
“…But today…” “He seemed different.” Kabir noticed the concern on her face.
“You should ask him.” She smiled weakly.
“…Maybe.” — Scene 6 – The Walk Home School ended.
Deep and Alya waited near the gate.
Dhruv walked out with his cricket kit.
Mitsuri hurried over.
“Dhruv.” He stopped.
“Yeah?” “Will you wait?” He looked toward the road.
“…You guys go ahead.” “I’ll stay for extra practice.” Deep looked confused.
“You already practiced.” “I want another hour.” Without another word…
He turned around and walked back toward the ground.
The three quietly watched him leave.
Mitsuri lowered her eyes.
“…” — Scene 7 – Extra Mile The cricket ground was almost empty.
Practice had officially ended.
Dhruv placed his bat aside.
Instead of leaving…
He started running laps around the field.
One.
Two.
Three.
Yash, who was packing his bag, looked over.
“You’re still running?” “Yeah.” “We’ve already trained for two hours.” Dhruv kept running.
“I know.” “…Preparing for a marathon?” “No.” “Then why?” Dhruv smiled faintly.
“…Just feel like running.” — Scene 8 – Push Beyond Back home…
Dhruv changed into a black T-shirt and track pants.
He spread a mat on the floor.
“One hundred.” Push-ups.
Twenty.
Forty.
Sixty.
Eighty.
At one hundred…
He didn’t stop.
“One hundred one…” “One hundred two…” By the time he reached one hundred forty…
His arms trembled.
He lay flat on the floor, breathing heavily.
“…Better.” Not because he wanted stronger muscles.
Because every push-up pushed one thought further away.
Or at least…
He hoped it did.
— Scene 9 – Two Different Thoughts That evening…
Mitsuri stood on her balcony.
She noticed the lights were on in Dhruv’s room.
“…” She wondered if she should message him.
“Are you okay?” Her thumb hovered over her phone.
Then she put it back down.
“Maybe tomorrow.” — Across the society…
Dhruv sat at his desk.
The mathematics question in front of him was easy.
But his mind wasn’t.
He finally admitted it to himself.
“…I didn’t like seeing Kabir with her.” The room fell silent.
He rested his forehead against his hand.
“…That’s exactly why I need some distance.” He picked up his pen again.
“My goals come first.” “So…” “I’ll stop getting distracted.” Outside, the night settled quietly over Sunrise Residency.
For the first time…
The distance between Dhruv and Mitsuri wasn’t created by circumstance.
It was created by Dhruv himself.