The holiday month was a blur of simple joys and familial duties. For Kian, time was measured in the steady growth of his two-month-old sisters. He provided without hesitation, buying vitamins, formula, and all the necessities for Jessica, Kiara, and Kaira. He often marveled at the twins; while their faces were nearly identical, their eyes held their own unique stories;Kiara's were a familiar, piercing gray, a mirror of his own, while Kaira's were a startling, serene light blue.
Ariana's break was filled with the comforting rhythm of her aunt's household, a stability that fortified her for the challenges ahead.
Too soon, the respite ended. They returned to a campus buzzing with a different, more focused energy. The final year had arrived, promising a whirlwind of academic rigor, culminating events, and crucial career-building steps like internships and field visits. đź“‘
The environment itself signaled a shift. The gentle warmth of spring was hardening into the steady heat of early summer, the sun lingering longer in the sky as if demanding more from the day.
On their very first day back, there was no time to settle in. Kian and Ariana were swept into a series of mandatory workshops, their schedules instantly packed with information about thesis projects and internship requirements. The final lap of their university journey had begun, and it was clear it would be the most demanding yet. đź§