Akash beamed with pride as he slid his notebook toward Arahan. His handwriting was a little crooked, the lines bent, but the numbers were there—multiplication tables written with effort and hope.
Arahan leaned forward, scanning the page.
"Three ones are three… three twos are six…" He nodded. "Not bad, Akash. Only one mistake here."
"Where?" Akash leaned in eagerly.
Arahan pointed at the bottom of the page. "Three sevens are twenty-one, not twenty-four."
"Oh," Akash frowned, then scratched his head. "I knew it… I just wrote it too fast."
"It's alright," Arahan smiled. "You're getting better."
As they continued, the warm scent of chai lingered in the air, mingling with the sound of turning pages and Akash's occasional humming.
But in the corner of Arahan's vision, the system panel blinked again.
[Ding!]
System is pleased with your steady progress.
Stats slightly improved through consistent teaching effort.
+0.1 Intelligence
+0.1 Stamina
[New Task Available]
Task: Praise Geetanjali's parenting in a natural, honest way while she's nearby.
Reward: ₹100 | +0.1 Health | +1 Relationship Point
Arahan glanced toward the kitchen. Geetanjali was there, visible through the open curtain—drying the last steel cups, one hand on her hip, sari draped neatly over her shoulder.
He turned back to Akash, who was now solving sums in a new notebook.
After a moment, Arahan called out, casually but sincere, "Geetanjali, Akash is picking up fast. It's easy to see how much time you've put into him."
There was a pause.
Then a soft laugh from the kitchen. "I just scold him when he gets lazy. The real teaching you do."
Arahan smiled. "Even scolding with care shapes a child more than we think. You've done really well with him."
[Task Completed!]
+₹100 (System Wallet Balance: ₹200)
+0.1 Health (5.2 / 10)
Geetanjali Relationship +1 → 7/100
Geetanjali peeked in, a gentle smile on her face, cheeks lightly flushed. "Thank you, Arahan. No one ever says such things to me."
He gave a small nod and looked down at Akash's page again, heart strangely calm.
The system screen faded back, its glow dimming for now.
But one thought stayed in his mind:
This wasn't just about love.
This system… it was giving him power, piece by piece.
All he had to do was plant the right words…
…and wait for the flowers to bloom.
———
The last of the sums were finished. Akash let out a deep sigh, stretching his arms high above his head. "That's all for today, right?"
Arahan chuckled. "For now. Tomorrow, we start word problems."
Akash groaned playfully as Geetanjali returned to the room, wiping her hands on the end of her sari.
"Thank you again, Arahan," she said softly. "He's improved more in the last few months than I ever expected."
Arahan gave her a warm nod. "He's trying. That's what matters."
After packing his things, he stepped outside, slipping his sandals back on. The sun had nearly dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the narrow lanes of Varnapur. He said a quiet goodbye and turned down the road that led toward the outskirts of the village, where his small rented room stood behind an old tailor's house.
But his steps quickened.
Not because it was getting dark.
Not because he was late.
Because his heart beat with one persistent thought:
₹200.00 in the System Wallet.
He needed to know if he could actually use it.
Could that surreal screen, that floating number, become something he could hold in his hand?
Arahan reached his landlord's gate and pushed it open, walking briskly through the courtyard. A cow shifted lazily nearby. The evening breeze tugged at his shirt.
He was just a few steps from his room when—
Thud!
Something soft collided against his chest.
Arahan stumbled back, steadying himself.
A small gasp.
He looked up.
A girl stood before him, blinking in surprise. Her dupatta had slipped slightly from her shoulder, and her dark eyes widened as she realized who she had run into.
It was Sabiha, the daughter of his room owner.
She stood frozen in front of him, clutching a brass water pot tightly against her chest, visibly startled. Her eyes met his in a brief, breathless pause.
"I—I didn't see you—" she stammered.
Before Arahan could respond, he noticed the pot tilting slightly in her arms.
"Careful—"
Too late.
The water surged over the rim in a sudden spill, cascading down the front of her white salwar kameez.
A soft gasp escaped her lips as the cold water soaked through the thin fabric, clinging to her skin and dampening the pale dupatta draped over her shoulders.
She stepped back instinctively, one hand clutching the wet cloth, eyes wide with both shock and embarrassment.
Arahan froze, his breath catching in his throat—not from desire, but from the sheer awkwardness of the moment.
Neither of them moved.
The water pooled slowly at their feet.
The fabric clings to her curves, outlining the shape of her bra beneath.
A deep blush spreads across Sabiha's cheeks as she realizes the state of her dress. She quickly tries to adjust her dupatta, but it's too late—the damage is done.
"Arahan…" she stammered, her voice small, barely above a whisper. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to—"
She looked away, clutching the brass pot tighter, her fingers trembling. But Arahan didn't hear her apology.
His eyes, despite his better judgment, had frozen on the wet fabric clinging tightly to her form. The once-soft white salwar kameez now traced the outline of her figure.
Her soaked dupatta offered little modesty. Her hair stuck to her cheeks in damp strands, and her chest rose and fell in quick, anxious breaths.
Realizing his stare, Arahan blinked hard and looked away, guilt and heat rushing to his face.
Sabiha noticed.
She wrapped her arms across her chest, shrinking slightly under his gaze.
"Arahan bhaiya," she whispered again, this time with urgency, "please… can you help me? I can't go inside like this. Not through the front. My brothers... they're still in the courtyard."
Her eyes pleaded with him.
And then—
[Ding!]
[Flower-Breaking System Task Generated]
A panel flashed before Arahan's eyes.
🌸 Flower-Breaking System 🌸
[New Task: Help Sabiha get inside discreetly without being seen.]
Difficulty: Low
Reward: +0.1 Charm | +₹100 | Relationship +1
Bonus: Completing the task without any awkwardness will grant a +0.2 Charm boost.
Note: Be careful. This encounter can affect long-term relationship paths depending on your choices.
---
Arahan exhaled slowly, forcing himself to focus.
This wasn't a moment to be careless. Not with Sabiha. Not with the system quietly watching every word and gesture.
"Come," he said gently, keeping his voice low and steady, "there's a back path near the cowshed. No one will see. I'll cover for you."
Sabiha nodded, holding the pot close as she followed him—bare feet tapping against the wet stone.
And with each step, the system's glow followed silently in the corner of his vision, recording everything.
The courtyard was dim now, shadows stretching longer as the last orange hues of sunset faded into twilight.
Arahan led the way around the side of the house, past the cowshed, where the earth was soft and damp. Rusted tools leaned against a cracked wall, and a thin banana tree swayed slightly in the warm breeze.
He paused near a narrow wooden door—half-hidden behind stacked hay and an old, unused cot. "This opens into the kitchen," he whispered. "You can slip in through there. No one will see."
Sabiha nodded quickly. Her eyes were downcast, her arms still wrapped protectively across her chest. The soaked fabric clung to her skin, and she moved carefully, holding the brass pot as a makeshift shield.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Her voice was barely audible, but full of relief.
Arahan turned away, giving her the privacy to go.
The door creaked open… then shut again behind her with a soft click.
[Task Completed!]
+0.1 Charm (Total: 6.1)
+₹100 (System Wallet Balance: ₹300)
Sabiha Relationship +1 → 1/100 (First Impression: Flustered Gratitude)
Bonus Achieved: +0.2 Charm (Total: 6.3)
---
A few minutes later, Arahan entered his room—a small, square space with cracked walls, a rusted ceiling fan, and a woven mat spread across the floor.
He sat down heavily, the day's events catching up to him.
Still, his heart pounded—not from exertion, but from what he had just witnessed. The system… it reacted to everything. Every word. Every expression. Every step he took.
He exhaled and focused his mind.
[Status Panel Opening…]
The familiar translucent screen reappeared before his eyes, casting a soft, bluish glow across the dim room.
---
🌸 Flower-Breaking System 🌸
Name: Arahan
Age: 18
Profession: Village Teacher's Assistant
Level: 1
Exp: 10/100
Attributes:
Health: 5.2 / 10
Stamina: 4.1 / 10
Strength: 3
Agility: 3
Intelligence: 5.1
Charm: 6.3
Wealth:
On-hand Cash: ₹48.00
System Wallet: ₹300.00
Relationships:
Geetanjali: 7 / 100 (Warm Acquaintance)
Sabiha: 1 / 100 (Flustered Gratitude)
Others: —
---
Arahan stared at the screen.
It was real.
Every task, every choice was shaping him. His body is becoming stronger, his connection is forging.
He leaned back against the wall, folding his arms.
If this system kept going…
He would rise from the dust of Varnapur—step by step, heart by heart.
And the path was only beginning to bloom.