The Maibadh Youth Expo was never meant to be special.
Most years, it meant recycled bottle art, cardboard volcanoes, and a crowd only made up of bored students and overeager parents. But this year, something was different.
This year… RajCraft was on display.
And Raj, standing beside his humble white stall, didn't realize that his story was about to reach people far beyond his village.
His booth was simple.
A folded table. One hand-stitched glove. A roll-up cloth banner that read:
"RajCraft Sports – Gear with Purpose"
No flashy lights. No loud music. Just a single product, made with patience and heart.
Beside him, Uday wiped sweat from his head. "Bro… it's too quiet."
Zayed adjusted the banner's left corner. "We should've offered free snacks or something."
Raj said nothing. He just looked at the glove. It wasn't perfect. The threads weren't straight. But it was real. His.
At 11:14 AM, something changed.
People had started walking past. Then slowing down. Then stopping.
Not because of the glove.
But because of her.
She was standing a few feet away — arms crossed, face calm, dressed in a soft maroon kurta. Her eyes locked onto Raj. Not the product. Not the banner. Just him.
She wasn't smiling. But she wasn't cold either.
Just... watching. Like she was memorizing every part of the moment.
Raj noticed her immediately. He felt it in his chest that strange calmness when everything else fades, and one presence becomes louder than a crowd.
He tried not to stare.
But their eyes met.
And she smiled.
Just once.
Then walked away into the crowd without saying a word.
[System Notification: Emotional Thread Detected]
Unidentified Observer Logged
Curiosity Signal: HIGH
Impact on System Route: Pending
Future Unlock: ???
Raj's heart skipped.
Who was she?
Why did it feel like she wasn't a stranger?
He tried to shake the thought off.
A small group of students approached the table next, asking about the glove.
"What's this made of?"
"Did you stitch it yourself?"
"Is RajCraft a real company?"
Raj answered patiently. "We're not a company yet. But we will be. This glove is our first step."
They nodded impressed by his honesty.
One boy took a photo and whispered, "My cousin plays zonals. He'd love this."
A few stalls down, Suraj stood beside his setup — "RAJ-KRAFT™ Custom Gear."
He watched Raj's crowd grow with every passing minute.
His own booth? Crickets.
His logo? Flat.
His mood? Boiling.
By mid-afternoon, a small local blog reporter arrived.
He walked up to Raj and asked, "Can I interview you for CricketZone Local?"
Raj blinked. "Me?"
"Yes. You're trending on our youth page."
Uday nearly screamed. "Bro, you're trending!"
Zayed grabbed the glove, polished it with his sleeve, and placed it front and center.
The reporter smiled. "Just a few questions. What inspired this?"
Raj replied softly, "I couldn't afford proper gloves. So I made my own. Then I realized maybe other kids like me need the same chance."
The reporter nodded. "That'll write itself."
[System Update: Regional Recognition Reached]
RajCraft Brand Level: 3/10
New Feature: Local Search Buzz + Scout Tracker (Lv.1)
You now have visibility across 3 districts.
At the end of the expo, Raj walked out of the stall zone to get fresh air.
He leaned against the side wall and let his eyes close.
So much had happened.
But all he could think about… was her.
That girl.
That smile.
That calm expression like she already knew him.
Have we met before?
Back inside the venue, the girl stood behind a pillar near the stage, hidden by shadow, watching as Raj rejoined his friends.
She didn't say anything.
But she wrote something in a small notebook.
"He hasn't changed… Not really. But this time, I'll walk closer. Just not yet."