Raj didn't sleep well.
Not from the stress but from work.
The third product should be more than the rest two. It had to be clean,usable and real.
He sat by the window of the old storeroom, scissor in one hand, glue in the other hand. Around him there were scraps ofcloth, elastics, foam, and thrown away school bags that no one had claimed.
By morning, he had to do something.
A wristguard.
It wasn't stylish, but it had a grip-enhancer lining and a thread-sealed flap that could fit in a cooling pad.
[System Alert: Item Completed – RajCraft Wristguard v1.0]
Product Line: 3/3 Items Complete
Submitting brand for verification...
Reward: Brand Level 4 unlocked + New Skill: Crafting Focus (Lv.1)
He tied it around his wrist, feeling the weight free.
It wasn't the gear.
It was the journey.
Each item had been made with memory stitched into it.
That afternoon, Principal Sharvani announced something unexpected.
"As part of our annual development showcase," she said over the school intercom, "we will be announcing select student startups before the visiting state education panel tomorrow."
Raj's heart skipped.
She wasn't done.
"One of the showcases will be from a student brand - RajCraft."
He got shocked.
The teachers' room filled with talks. The corridors filled with whispers.
Raj just stood there, shocked.
Zayed patted him on the back. "You're on the stage now, bro."
After school, Coach Murali pulled Raj aside.
"You ready?"
Raj answered. "As ready as I'll ever be."
Coach handed him a file. "You'll need this official gear submission sheet. Fill it out and include photos."
Raj opened the file.
Three pages. Three empty forms.
One for each product.
He took a deep breath.
This was it.
That night, Raj sat on the rooftop spreading out the glove, pad, and wristguard in a straight line.
Moonlight fell over them like a blessing.
He held the note again which the unknown had left days ago.
"You once said you'd prove everyone wrong. You've started."
Whoever wrote this didn't just believe in him.
They knew him.
From before regression.
The next day, the entire school was gathered in the small auditorium. Plastic chairs. A low stage. A projector screen. Nothing grand but it felt huge for him.
When Raj's name was announced, he walked up with a small cloth bag.
He placed it on the table. Opened it. One by one, he placed out the items.
The glove.
The elbow pad.
The wristguard.
Each labeled, sealed, and worn-in not showroom-fresh, but real.
He looked up.
Everyone was watching.
Even her.
The girl in yellow — same braid, same calm eyes — sat at the back, near the exit door.
She clapped.
Only once.
But Raj saw it.
"I made these," he said. "Not because I wanted to sell something. But because I didn't want to give up."
A few teachers went into thoughts.
"I've played matches with torn gloves. Practiced with no pads. Struggled with grip. So I made my own solutions. And when they worked, I shared them."
He paused.
"RajCraft isn't about business. It's about making sure no kid ever quits because they can't afford the right tools."
The room was silent.
Then, a clap.
Then another.
Then the room filled with applause.
[System Update: Recognition Tier Achieved – Local Hero]
Brand Level: 5/10
New Features:
– Audience Insight Tracker
– Local Distribution Access
– System Title Unlocked: "Groundbreaker"
Scout Signal Active: 1 Official Enquiry Sent to School Admin
As Raj leaving the stage, Priya caught up with him.
"You said it wasn't about business," she said.
"It's not," Raj replied.
"Then why does it feel like you're building more than gear?"
He looked at her.
"I'm building what I never had."
She didn't reply. But the look in her eyes said everything.
She saw it now the depth, the goal, the fire.
But maybe… not the whole truth.
Not yet.