It was 5:00 AM.
New Delhi hadn't fully stirred to life yet. The roads were nearly empty, and the sky remained a pale, lingering grey.
The sharp shrill of the alarm shattered the silence of the room.
Beep. Beep.
Aarav's eyes snapped open. For a few seconds, he just stared blankly at the ceiling. Then, slowly, he pulled himself out of bed. The room was filled with the chill of the early morning air.
He walked straight to the bathroom and stood before the mirror. He looked at his reflection—his thin frame, his weak shoulders, and the lingering exhaustion in his eyes.
He stared at himself for a long time. Then, he whispered under his breath—
"I am... so weak."
Silence filled the room. A single thought kept echoing in his mind: If I truly want to change India... the current Aarav stands no chance.
No power. No strength. No influence.
He leaned closer to the mirror, his gaze narrowing.
"Before I change this nation..."
"...I must change myself."
A new kind of determination flickered in his eyes. This wasn't just raw anger anymore; it was a calculated decision. Aarav splashed cold water on his face and stood up straight.
"From now on..."
"...I will make myself better every single day."
Body. Mind. Discipline. Everything.
Because Aarav knew—if the day ever came to challenge the system, he first had to become a man strong enough to stand against it.
In that very moment, Aarav's transformation began.After washing his face, Aarav dried himself with a towel. He looked at the mirror once more—but this time, his eyes weren't clouded with confusion. They were burning with determination.
He quickly changed into his workout gear. Dark track pants. A simple T-shirt. Running shoes.
The morning was still eerily quiet when Aarav stepped out of the building. Delhi's streets were half-asleep. A cold breeze brushed against his face.
He checked his watch. 5:20 AM.
Without overthinking, he started to run. For the first few minutes, he kept a steady pace. Then, slowly, he pushed his speed.
The road belonged to only a few—morning walkers, lone cyclists, and the occasional passing car. Soon, a sharp burning sensation flared in Aarav's lungs.
But he didn't stop.
5 km… 7 km… then 10 km.
By the time he returned to the building, his breath was heavy and ragged. His clothes were drenched in sweat. Yet, a strange sense of satisfaction sparkled in his eyes.
This wasn't just a run. It was his first declaration of war.
Back home, Aarav went straight for a cold shower. The icy water numbed his exhaustion.
Afterward, he headed to the kitchen. Breakfast was simple but deliberate—eggs, milk, and high-protein basics. Usually, Aarav didn't have much of an appetite in the morning, but that was about to change. Everything was about to change.
He glanced at the clock. 6:40 AM. "School time."
7:00 AM. The school gates were swarming. Aarav took his seat in class, silent and focused. Even during lunch break, as he ate his meal, his mind remained locked on the new routine he had carved out for himself.
1:00 PM. The moment school ended, Aarav headed straight home. He ate a second lunch; his body was already demanding more fuel.
Instead of crashing on the sofa, he opened his laptop. Tab after tab flickered to life on the screen:
Government Structures. Indian Political System. Corruption Cases. Public Policy.
Aarav wasn't just surfing the web. He was dissecting the monster he intended to fight. Beside him lay books on History, Politics, and Strategy. His eyes remained glued to the screen, absorbing every detail.
As evening approached, he grabbed his bag after a light snack and headed for the gym.
The atmosphere there was a world apart—the hum of machines, the rhythmic clank of metal plates. Aarav started his warm-up.
Push-ups.
One. Two. Three. Soon, his arms were screaming. Then came the weights—Bench Press, Lat Pull-downs, Leg Press. With every rep, his muscles grew heavier, but the fire in his eyes only grew brighter.
He refused to quit. His body might be breaking, but his mind had already made its choice.
Night had fallen by the time he left the gym. He stopped by Satyam's place for a while, talking about normal school stuff. But Satyam could see it—the shift in Aarav's gaze. The newfound seriousness. The unwavering focus.
Aarav returned home and ate dinner in silence.
As he finally lay down in bed, his body was sore and aching. But a small, triumphant smile played on his lips.
He hadn't just started a routine today. He had started a transformation. And slowly, this grind was going to become his new reality.
The next day.
Aarav followed the exact same routine.
Waking up at 5:00 AM. Running. School.
But today, his mind was occupied with an additional plan.
Immediately after the lunch break, Aarav headed straight to the school library. The library was usually a sanctuary of silence, with only a few students hunched over tables, buried in their studies.
Aarav walked slowly through the rows of bookshelves, his eyes scanning the titles.
History. Politics. Economics.
He started pulling books off the shelves, one by one.
"The Indian Political System…"
"Modern Indian History…"
"Public Administration…"
Within minutes, he had a heavy stack in his arms. As he reached for one more book from the top shelf, it slipped from his grip.
Thud.
The book hit the floor. Aarav bent down to retrieve it, but someone else beat him to it.
Aarav looked up. It was Satyam.
"Man..." Satyam said, handing the book back to Aarav. "What are you doing here?"
Then, Satyam's gaze fell on the massive pile of books in Aarav's hands. His expression shifted to utter shock.
"All these books? What on earth are you going to do with all of this?"
Aarav replied calmly, "I need them."
"Because if I want to understand the system..."
"...I have to read about it first."
Satyam stared at Aarav for a long heartbeat. Then, Aarav added in a low voice—
"I have to make myself better... no matter what it takes."
Silence stretched between them in the quiet library. Satyam let out a soft sigh, then placed a hand on Aarav's shoulder.
"Are you crazy?"
Aarav looked at him, confused. Satyam was wearing a faint, knowing smile.
"I'm with you, man. You could have just asked for my help. I'm like a brother to you... why didn't you tell me?"
Aarav remained silent for a moment. Then, he said slowly—
"I didn't want you to get involved in all of this."
Satyam answered instantly, "Too late."
Aarav raised an eyebrow.
"Because I'm already involved," Satyam said, glancing at the bookshelves. Then he added, "Besides... I'm actually pretty good at research."
Aarav looked genuinely surprised. "Really?"
Satyam grinned. "You read the books. I'll handle the internet research. Deal?"
Aarav searched his friend's face for a second. Then, he gave a firm nod.
"Deal."
From that moment on, Aarav was no longer alone. He had a partner.
And perhaps... this partnership was destined to create a massive impact in the future.