Outside the lift, Anaya and Kavya were waiting.

Both girls became quiet when they saw Aarav. Their surprise was clear, but neither of them laughed or made a large reaction.

Anaya looked first at his arranged hair.

"The clips match the kurta."

Kavya noticed the painted nails and the two bangles.

"You came fully prepared."

Aarav looked down at himself.

"Only for today," he said quickly.

"Okay," Kavya replied.

Once the first surprise had passed, she asked, "What should we call you today?"

Aarav glanced at Riya. She did not answer for him.

"Aaradhya," he said.

Kavya smiled. "Okay, Aaradhya. Then today we are an all-girls gang."

The girls laughed, and after a moment, Aaradhya laughed with them. Some of the tightness left his shoulders.

The carnival was only a short walk from Green Park Society. Even so, Aaradhya became hesitant when they passed through the society gate.

Riya held his hand.

"Stay close," he whispered.

"I am not going anywhere."

Kavya walked beside him on the other side.

"Relax," she said. "You look more prepared for the carnival than any of us."

Aaradhya smiled.

A cyclist passed without looking at them. Two women continued discussing vegetables near the gate. Nobody stopped to inspect him.

With each step, walking became easier.

They reached the carnival a little after three-thirty.

They spun the prize wheel, tried the ring toss and laughed when none of them could hit the centre during target shooting. They shared bhel and sweet corn instead of buying separate plates.

The games themselves were not important.

What mattered was hearing Kavya call, "Aaradhya, your turn," and answering without needing to think first.

At the ring toss, his bangles moved softly against each other when he lifted his arm. While eating, he carefully held his fingers away from the chutney so the rose-pink nail-paint remained neat.

After some time, he stopped checking whether people were looking at him.

He was simply part of the group.

Anaya and Kavya kept their promise. They took no photographs and sent no messages about him. They treated the afternoon as Aaradhya's private choice, not a story to share with others.

By half past five, they began walking home.

As the carnival noise faded behind them, Aaradhya's steps became slower. His smile began disappearing when Green Park Society came into view.

Saturday and the haircut were waiting again.

At their building, Anaya and Kavya said goodbye.

"Bye, Aaradhya," Kavya said.

Aaradhya paused before answering.

"Bye."

He and Riya entered the flat together. Near his bedroom door, he stopped.

"Thank you," he said. "I will remember today for my entire life."

Riya hugged him.

"That is the least I could do for my little sister," she whispered.

Aaradhya did not answer, but his arms tightened around her.

When they separated, he looked down at the kurta and bangles.

"I am tired. I am going to rest for a while."

"Okay," she said softly.

Aaradhya entered his room and closed the door.

For the first time that afternoon, he was alone.