The corridor outside the practice hall buzzed with noise, the kind that came only after a long, exhausting session. Bags were dropped carelessly, water bottles rolled across the floor, and someone—probably Harsh—was laughing far too loudly for no reason at all.
Haniya was tying her hair again when she felt it.
That look.
She didn't have to turn around to know someone had noticed.
"OH—MY—GOD."
Harsh's voice echoed like a siren.
Everyone froze.
Vivaan turned first, then Kashvi, then Aarav, who already looked suspiciously calm—which, in itself, was suspicious.
Harsh walked closer, squinting dramatically. "No, no, no. Don't move. Let me see this properly."
Haniya blinked. "See what?"
"That," he said, pointing straight at her neck. "That very obvious, very intentional, very illegal-looking mark."
Vivaan's eyes widened. "WAIT. Is that—"
"It is," Harsh cut in proudly. "A mark of love. Or crime. Depends who you ask."
Haniya instinctively covered her neck. Too late.
Kashvi groaned. "You two didn't even try to hide it?"
Aarav cleared his throat. "Can we not make this a public trial?"
"Oh, it's already public," Vivaan said, circling them like a detective. "I just want to know—who attacked whom?"
Haniya shot Aarav a warning look. "Say one wrong word and I swear—"
Aarav smiled innocently. "She attacked first."
The room exploded.
Harsh clutched his chest. "I KNEW IT. I told you she looks innocent but she's dangerous."
Haniya grabbed a cushion and threw it at him. "You people are impossible."
Vivaan laughed. "Impossible? We are traumatized. How are we supposed to practice knowing this kind of violence is happening in the dorms?"
Kashvi shook her head, though she was smiling. "You both look… different today."
Haniya raised an eyebrow. "Different how?"
"Happy," Kashvi said simply.
That shut everyone up.
For half a second.
Then Harsh ruined it.
"Happy and marked," he added. "Very important detail."
They moved toward the common area, the teasing still following them like background noise. Aarav walked slightly behind Haniya, close enough that their hands brushed now and then—not holding, just there. Steady.
Vivaan leaned in toward Aarav. "So… should we congratulate you or warn you?"
Aarav smirked. "For what?"
"For surviving her," Vivaan replied seriously. "We've seen her fight."
Haniya turned around. "You're all talking like I'm not right here."
Harsh grinned. "We would never."
Later, when the noise settled and people sprawled out on sofas and chairs, the teasing softened into warmth. It wasn't cruel. It wasn't invasive. It was the kind of chaos that came from comfort.
Kashvi sat beside Haniya, lowering her voice. "Does it hurt?"
Haniya frowned. "What?"
"The mark," Kashvi clarified.
Haniya rolled her eyes. "Emotionally or physically?"
Kashvi laughed. "Emotionally, I already know the answer."
Aarav looked over. "She's fine."
"Oh?" Harsh raised a brow. "You seem very confident about that."
Aarav met his gaze. "I am."
Something about the way he said it—firm, unapologetic—made Haniya's chest tighten in a good way.
The evening stretched on. Dinner came and went. More jokes. More side-eyes. More moments where someone almost said something important and then didn't.
When Haniya finally stood to leave, Kashvi followed her halfway to the corridor.
"You okay?" Kashvi asked again, softer this time.
Haniya nodded. "Yeah. I think… I'm learning how to be."
Kashvi smiled. "Good. Just don't forget—being strong doesn't mean being alone."
"I know," Haniya said. "Not anymore."
Down the hall, Aarav waited, pretending to check his phone.
"You were waiting," she said.
"Maybe," he replied.
They walked in silence for a few steps.
"Sorry about them," he said finally.
She laughed. "Don't be. I kind of like it."
"Like what?"
"The noise. The teasing. The fact that no one is tiptoeing around me."
He nodded. "They care. In their own… very loud way."
They stopped outside her room.
For a moment, neither moved.
"Goodnight," she said.
"Goodnight," he replied.
Then, softer, "And… Haniya?"
"Yes?"
"I don't regret anything."
She met his eyes, heart steady. "Neither do I."
As the door closed behind her, the corridor quieted again—but not completely.
Somewhere between laughter, teasing, and marks that couldn't be hidden, something had changed.
And this time, it wasn't something she wanted to run from.