The room was dim, lit only by the yellowish desk lamp on the study table. A soft breeze filtered in through the half-open window, ruffling the pages of Yashika’s open textbook. Her hand moved slowly, tracing a line under the heading, but her focus had faded long ago. Her hair was tied up in a loose bun, strands falling near her temples. She looked tired—physically and mentally.

The silence was broken by the faint sound of the door creaking open.