АБМ Танвир

Глава 1

Глава 1 — Небо за рисовыми полями

Утреннее солнце мягко поднялось над маленькой деревней в Бангладеш.

Тонкие лучи света проникали сквозь бамбуковые стены скромного дома, где восемнадцатилетний Ариф Рахман аккуратно складывал свою единственную белую рубашку. Её стирали столько раз, что воротник уже начал выцветать, но это была самая опрятная рубашка, которая у него была.

Мать с улыбкой протянула ему чашку чая.

— Однажды ты заставишь нас гордиться тобой.

Ариф улыбнулся в ответ, и на его щеках появились ямочки, украшавшие его лицо с самого детства.

— Я постараюсь, мама.

Стараться — это было всё, что он когда-либо умел.

Его отец долгие часы работал разнорабочим, и каждую таку семья тратила с большой осторожностью. Покупка новой одежды была роскошью. Мясо появлялось на столе лишь по особым случаям. И всё же никто в семье никогда не жаловался.

То, чего им не хватало в деньгах, они восполняли надеждой.

Ариф всегда учился быстрее всех вокруг. Пока другим требовались недели, чтобы понять новую тему, он нередко осваивал её всего за один день. Им двигало любопытство гораздо сильнее, чем желание получать хорошие оценки. Если он чего-то не знал, то просто не успокаивался, пока не находил ответ.

Спустя несколько месяцев одно электронное письмо изменило всё.

«Поздравляем! Вам присуждена полная стипендия для обучения в Токийском университете.»

Несколько секунд Ариф просто смотрел на экран.

Его руки дрожали.

Мать тихо спросила:

— Всё в порядке?

Не в силах произнести ни слова, он молча повернул ноутбук к родителям.

Отец дважды перечитал письмо, прежде чем снять очки.

— Токио...

В комнате воцарилась тишина.

А затем мать расплакалась.

Это были не слёзы печали.

Это были слёзы оттого, что невозможные мечты стали реальностью.

Токио встретил Арифа ослепительными огнями, величественными небоскрёбами, безупречно чистыми поездами и людьми, которые, казалось, двигались в идеальном ритме.

Всё было другим.

И всё вызывало у него восхищение.

Хотя он приехал изучать экономику, его любознательность не позволяла ограничиться одной специальностью. Вскоре он начал посещать семинары по информатике, читать книги по инженерному делу, изучать искусственный интеллект, ежедневно практиковать японский язык и даже вступил в клубы культурного обмена.

Профессора быстро заметили в нём нечто необычное.

Ариф учился поразительно быстро.

Стоило объяснить ему новую идею всего один раз — и повторять уже не требовалось.

Но, несмотря на растущую репутацию, он оставался скромным.

Высокий, с тёплым смуглым оттенком кожи, выразительными глазами и узнаваемыми ямочками на щеках, появлявшимися всякий раз, когда он улыбался, Ариф держался с тихой уверенностью, никогда не переходившей в высокомерие. Он больше слушал, чем говорил, а когда всё же говорил, окружающие невольно прислушивались.

Его однокурсники приехали со всех уголков мира.

Однажды днём, во время занятия по международной коммуникации, профессор Накамура с улыбкой обратилась к студентам:

— Сегодняшнее задание очень простое. Напишите имя однокурсника, с которым вам больше всего хотелось бы работать над совместным проектом в течение семестра. Не задумывайтесь слишком долго.

В аудитории стало тихо.

Ручки заскользили по бумаге.

Когда профессор собрала карточки и бегло просмотрела их, её брови удивлённо приподнялись.

Она посмотрела в сторону Арифа.

Любопытно...

После занятия она спокойно ещё раз просмотрела результаты.

Два студента, которые прежде никогда даже не разговаривали друг с другом, написали одно и то же имя.

Ариф Рахман.

Одна карточка принадлежала Лайле Аль Тани — элегантной студентке из Катара, чья уверенность в себе была под стать её уму.

Другая — Эльзе Линдстрём, жизнерадостной студентке по обмену из Швеции, известной своей яркой улыбкой и любовью к приключениям.

Профессор Накамура улыбнулась про себя.

— Какое удивительное совпадение...

Тем временем Ариф написал лишь одно имя.

Кофи Менса.

Его жизнерадостный друг из Ганы помог ему найти нужную платформу в первую неделю после приезда в Токио. Для Арифа преданность всегда значила больше, чем популярность.

Он ещё не знал...

Что это простое упражнение на занятии незаметно положило начало истории, которая навсегда изменит жизни всех троих.

Глава 2

Professor Nakamura glanced again at the neat stack of cards lying on her desk.

The auditorium had emptied just a few minutes earlier, leaving behind the familiar silence that invariably followed the first seminar of the new semester. Through the tall windows, soft afternoon sunlight fell on the polished wooden floor, and somewhere in the hallway, muffled footsteps echoed, gradually fading into the silence.

She adjusted her glasses and reached for a small stack of cards.

The task was quite simple.

"Write the name of one classmate you would like to get to know better and explain why."

She had been using this exercise for many years.

Most students chose someone from their own country.

Others wrote down the names of those they had already met during orientation week.

Sometimes someone would name the most outgoing student, simply because he seemed friendly.

Professor Nakamura usually did not attach much importance to the results of this assignment.

But today...

Something was different.

Her gaze fell on one of the cards.

Laila Al Thani

Cause:

"He seems genuine. There's an inner calm about him that makes me want to know what he's really like."

A faint smile appeared on the professor's lips, and she put the card aside.

Then she took the next one.

Elsa Lindström

Cause:

"He listens more than he talks. People like that usually have the most interesting stories."

Professor Nakamura's eyebrows rose in surprise.

She slowly turned over another card.

And I saw the same name.

Arif Rahman.

A quiet laugh escaped her lips.

- What a curious beginning...

Over her thirty years of teaching, Professor Nakamura has witnessed countless friendships and romances blossoming within the walls of these classrooms.

Sometimes the noisiest students gradually faded into the shadows.

And sometimes it was the quietest ones who suddenly became the ones who attracted everyone's attention.

She carefully folded the cards into a blue folder, gathered her notes, and stood up.

After turning off the lights in the classroom, the professor walked out into the corridor and paused for a moment, glancing down at the university courtyard below.

The semester was just beginning.

And yet she already felt that this group of students could become truly unforgettable.

Outside, the university campus lived its usual, noisy life.

Students hurried along the wide stone paths in all directions—some laughing, some engaged in animated conversation, and still others hurrying to their afternoon lectures.

The university's historic buildings sat harmoniously alongside modern glass and metal structures, reflecting the unique blend of tradition and innovation for which the university was renowned.

Cherry trees grew along the paths.

Spring had already ended, but some branches still stubbornly held belated flowers, and the dense green foliage quietly shimmered in the gentle afternoon breeze.

A fountain sparkled in the center of the courtyard.

Nearby, students sat right on the grass: some were having lunch, some were discussing homework, and some were simply enjoying the warm weather.

Arif walked out of the engineering faculty building and stopped for a moment.

He caught himself doing this almost every day.

I looked around.

Absorbed everything that was happening.

Sometimes it seemed to him that all this was just a beautiful dream.

That one morning he would wake up in his small village in Bangladesh and instead of the noise of trains he would hear the familiar crowing of roosters.

At that moment, a familiar voice brought him out of his thoughts.

- There you are!

Kofi waved energetically at him from across the yard.

He held a backpack in one hand.

In another...

Two cans of cold coffee.

With amazing accuracy he threw one Arif.

He caught it automatically.

- You always know when I need coffee.

Kofi put his hand to his chest theatrically.

- My friend, I know everything.

Arif laughed.

— We've only known each other for three weeks.

- Exactly.

Kofi nodded confidently.

- This is quite enough to recognize a fellow survivor at the university.

Arif shook his head.

— I still don’t understand how your logic works.

- No way.

Kofi smiled widely.

- That's why it's effective.

They walked slowly side by side across the university courtyard.

Students passing by greeted Kofi.

It seemed like he could easily talk to absolutely anyone.

Arif sincerely admired this.

He himself was always completely different.

He preferred to listen.

Observe.

Think before you speak.

They soon came to a quiet wooden bench overlooking a small pond surrounded by neatly trimmed pine trees.

Multicolored koi carp swam lazily under the clear water.

Here the noise of the huge city seemed to disappear.

For a moment, Tokyo seemed surprisingly calm.

Kofi opened a can of coffee.

- Well...

He leaned back comfortably on the bench.

— How do you really like Tokyo?

Arif looked at the water.

In the rays of the soft sun, the reflections of the trees slowly swayed on the surface of the pond.

- Sometimes it still seems to me that this is all a dream.

- Is it true?

— I keep waiting for someone to tell me one day that there was a mistake.

- Error?

— That this scholarship was not intended for me at all.

Kofi looked at him seriously.

- Do you really think so?

Arif was silent for a moment.

- Don't know...

He smiled faintly.

— When I was a child, I read about such places in books that I borrowed.

— On loan?

— There was almost no money.

- So, a library?

Arif nodded.

- And my teachers.

— They allowed me to take my books home.

He looked towards the engineering department.

“I never thought that one day I would actually study here.

Kofi listened silently.

Only after some time did he calmly say:

- You've earned your place.

Arif looked at him.

- Is it true.

Kofi's voice sounded unusually serious.

- Nobody gave you this opportunity.

- You deserved it yourself.

— You have overcome boundaries, different cultures and the expectations of others.

Then the usual smile appeared on his face again.

- And now you'll have to put up with me.

Arif laughed again.

- Looks like that's the price.

— The highest price.

- Undoubtedly.

The conversation imperceptibly moved to another topic.

- Well...

— asked Kofi.

— And what do you think about Japanese trains?

Arif groaned theatrically.

— I finally stopped getting lost in them.

— Just now?

— In the first week...

He covered his face with his palm.

— I got on the wrong line three times in a row.

Kofi laughed out loud.

- And I kept wondering where you disappeared to.

— I ended up at a station whose name I still can’t pronounce.

— You should have called me.

— I was too embarrassed.

- Never be shy.

- Why?

— Because then I miss out on great stories.

They laughed again.

Taking another sip of coffee, Kofi asked:

— How do you like the local food?

Arif frowned thoughtfully.

- There is one thing that I still don’t understand.

- Which?

— Why is food from 24-hour stores so tasty?

Kofi stared at him in surprise.

- Congratulations.

- You just discovered Japan's greatest secret.

— I thought that such stores sold the most ordinary food.

- This is true.

— Then why does everything seem so fresh?

Kofi shrugged.

- Nobody knows.

— Is this science?

- Magic.

— Ancient Japanese magic?

- More likely.

They laughed so loudly that a student passing by couldn't help but smile.

When the laughter died down, Kofi leaned forward slightly.

— Can I say something?

- Certainly.

- I noticed something.

- What exactly?

— People often look at you.

Arif blinked in surprise.

- Probably at someone behind me.

- No.

- Then maybe behind your back.

Kofi laughed again.

- You really don’t notice anything?

— I don’t notice what?

- Doesn't matter.

Arif frowned.

— What are you even talking about?

Kofi just smiled mysteriously.

- You'll understand it yourself in time.

Arif looked around the university courtyard.

Students walked past, busy with their own affairs.

It seemed like no one was paying any attention to him.

At least that's what he thought.

But from across the lawn, several students glanced furtively in his direction before continuing their conversation.

Arif never noticed this.

But Kofi noticed.

He smiled faintly to himself.

"This guy has absolutely no idea what impression he makes on others."

Across campus, beneath the sweeping branches of a majestic Japanese maple, Laila Al Thani sat alone.

There was an open book on her lap.

The cover read:

"Introduction to Applied Statistics".

She had been looking at the same page for almost fifteen minutes.

But I didn't remember a single line.

My eyes automatically slid over the text, while my thoughts were far away.

Again.

And again.

They were returning to the quiet student from Bangladesh.

To Arif Rahman.

Something about him struck her as unusual even during the students’ first meeting.

He never sought to be the center of attention.

Didn't interrupt others.

Didn't try to impress.

And yet...

For some reason, everyone remembered him.

Laila couldn't explain why.

She had met confident people throughout her life.

Outstanding students.

Charming conversationalists.

Ambitious young people.

But Arif...

Seemed different.

There was a quiet confidence about him that didn't require anyone's attention.

And a kindness so natural that it seemed part of his character.

A light breeze stirred the scarlet maple leaves.

Layla slowly closed the book and sighed quietly.

- What's happening to me?..

She smiled involuntarily.

May be...

She was just curious.

Or maybe...

It was the beginning of something she couldn't yet understand.

The afternoon sun slowly sank toward the horizon, casting a warm golden glow across the University of Tokyo campus. The final lectures had already concluded, and students were streaming out of their classrooms in animated groups. Laughter echoed beneath the tall rows of ginkgo and blossoming cherry trees, and bicycles glided almost silently along the stone paths.

The university itself seemed to breathe youth and life.

And yet, amidst this noise of voices and footsteps, one student walked alone.

Elsa Lindström adjusted the strap of her canvas bag and headed toward the university cafeterias. Like almost every day, she planned to have lunch at a European café. Everything there reminded her a little of home. Freshly baked bread, creamy soups, roasted vegetables, and familiar aromas made the move from Sweden to Japan a little less difficult.

She had been following this little daily ritual ever since she arrived in Tokyo.

And today, it seemed, was not going to be an exception.

But, having walked about halfway across the university courtyard, she suddenly stopped.

There was a bright, colorful poster near the path.

Asian Culture Week

Today's special menu:

Japanese curry with riceKorean bibimbapThai green curryBangladeshi Chicken BiryaniMalaysian laksaIndian chicken in creamy sauceElsa smiled involuntarily.

— Bangladeshi Biryani...

She had never tried Bangladeshi cuisine before.

And without understanding why, she quietly turned off her usual route.

- Why not... Today.

With a slight smile, she headed towards the Asian dining room.

The Asian dining room turned out to be much more spacious than she expected.

Unlike the quiet European cafe, there was a lively atmosphere here.

Dozens of languages were spoken everywhere.

Japanese.

Chinese.

Korean.

Thai.

Arab.

English.

The air was filled with the aromas of spices, roasted meat, fresh herbs, hot rice and freshly baked bread.

The students laughed, tried unfamiliar dishes, advised each other on what to order, and occasionally grimaced comically, unexpectedly discovering how spicy their latest culinary experiment turned out to be.

Taking the tray, Elsa slowly took her place in line.

She looked at each dish with genuine curiosity.

Everything looked incredibly appetizing.

The cafeteria worker smiled amiably.

— Would you like to try Bangladeshi biryani?

Elsa thought for only a moment.

- Yes, please.

The elderly cook smiled warmly.

- Excellent choice.

Thanking him, Elsa took the tray and headed towards the tables.

The dining room was almost completely full.

There were very few free seats left.

She slowly looked around the room, looking for a free table.

And that's when I saw him.

Arifa.

He sat alone by a large window overlooking a small Japanese garden.

His lunch was quite simple.

Rice.

Miso soup.

Fried fish.

Small vegetable salad.

There was an open notebook next to the tray.

Even during lunch he continued reading.

Elsa smiled involuntarily.

"He... studies even during lunch?"

She watched him for a few more seconds.

There was nothing unusual about what he did.

He did not speak loudly.

Didn't try to attract attention to himself.

I didn't sit in a noisy company of friends.

And yet...

For some reason...

He was the first person she noticed in the entire crowded dining room.

Elsa looked around again.

There were enough free seats.

She could sit at any table.

But...

Without thinking much...

She suddenly realized that her legs were carrying her to Arif’s table.

Arif ate slowly while reading a chapter on Japanese grammar.

He had long ago promised himself that he would use every free minute to good use.

You can lose your scholarship.

Opportunities may disappear.

And time...

Time was the one thing he could never afford to waste.

Having underlined one of the lines with a pencil, he reached for a cup of tea.

At that moment, his concentration was broken by a soft female voice.

- Is this seat taken?

He looked up.

For a moment, surprise flashed across his face.

- ABOUT...

- Hello.

It was Elsa.

Arif immediately closed the notebook.

- Yes, sure.

He smiled politely.

- Have a seat.

Elsa responded with the same warm smile and sat down opposite him.

- Thank you.

They were silent for a few seconds.

The university cafeteria continued to live its life around us.

The plates and cutlery clanked softly.

The laughter of students could be heard.

Nearby, a young man was bravely trying to cope with incredibly spicy ramen, and his friends were cheering him on with loud cries.

The usual rhythm of university life continued to flow as usual.

Elsa glanced at the notebook lying next to Arif.

— Have you been studying?

- A little.

- A little?

She laughed quietly.

— You read Japanese grammar right during lunch.

Arif shrugged slightly.

— I had fifteen free minutes.

— And you decided to devote them to studying Japanese?

— I thought it was a good investment of time.

Elsa shook her head with a smile.

- You are really unusual.

Arif smiled shyly.

— Friends at home would probably say that I’m just boring.

- I don't think so.

He looked at her with curiosity.

- Is it true?

Elsa smiled softly.

- I think...

She thought for a moment.

- You are very goal-oriented.

Arif laughed quietly.

- That sounds much nicer.

Elsa tasted the biryani cautiously.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

- This is incredibly delicious.

Arif smiled.

- I'm glad you liked it.

—Have you eaten this kind of food often before?

He nodded.

- It reminds me of home.

Elsa looked down at her plate.

— Does it really taste like real Bangladeshi biryani?

Arif thought for a moment.

- Not really.

She laughed quietly.

- I thought so.

- But...

He took another small piece.

— The main thing has been preserved in it.

- What exactly?

- Memories.

Elsa looked at him questioningly.

- Memories?

He nodded.

- This scent.

- These spices.

- This rice.

A calm, almost imperceptible smile appeared on his face.

- Sometimes this is quite enough.

Elsa listened attentively.

There was something special in the way Arif spoke.

He never tried to appear smarter than he was.

Didn't try to impress.

He was just saying what he really felt.

And for some reason...

That is why every word he said seemed sincere and truly important.

Outside the large windows, a light breeze leisurely strolled through the garden.

Fallen leaves swirled softly along the stone path.

The sun's rays shimmered on the surface of a small pond.

For a while they simply dined in silence.

And this silence did not seem awkward at all.

Against...

It was surprisingly cozy.

Elsa suddenly noticed something unexpected.

She usually didn't like pauses in conversation.

The silence made her nervous.

She always wanted to fill it with words.

But now, sitting opposite Arif...

She felt something completely different.

Peace.

Naturalness.

And almost...

Cosiness.

From time to time she involuntarily watched him.

For how he sincerely thanked the cafeteria employee when receiving his lunch.

For how carefully he put the tray down after eating.

Then, instead of checking his phone, he stopped for a moment to admire the small Japanese garden outside the window.

These were very minor details.

Things that most people would never notice.

But Elsa noticed them.

And for some inexplicable reason...

Each one of them made her smile even more.

"What's happening to me?.."

The thought came completely unexpectedly.

She looked down at the cup of hot green tea.

They only spoke to Arif a few times.

She knew almost nothing about him.

And yet...

Sitting next to him now...

She felt her heart gradually filling with a wonderful peace.

It wasn't excitement.

It wasn't falling in love.

It was a completely different feeling.

It was as if the constant noise inside her thoughts had suddenly disappeared.

It was as if she was finally able to breathe calmly, without even realizing that she had been holding her breath all this time.

This feeling surprised her.

She couldn't find an explanation for him.

"Why do I feel so calm around him?.."

She glanced furtively at Arif again.

He was now looking out the window.

A pair of little sparrows hopped merrily across the stone slabs of the garden.

There was a barely noticeable smile on his face.

Not because someone was watching him.

Not because he wanted to appear thoughtful.

And simply because he knew how to notice the beauty of those little moments that most people passed by without even looking.

Elsa quickly looked away before he could notice.

She suddenly realized that her heart was beating unusually evenly.

Not faster.

Just...

Calmly.

Confidently.

Serene.

She cupped her hands around the warm cup of green tea.

And without even noticing it...

She smiled.

For real.

That sincere smile that is born by itself.

Without effort.

For no reason.

Arif turned to her again.

- Everything is fine?

Elsa shuddered slightly.

- Yes.

She smiled again.

— I was just thinking.

- About what?

She was silent for a moment.

And then she laughed quietly.

- Honestly...

I don't know myself.

Arif smiled.

— This happens to me sometimes too.

They laughed quietly again.

None of them knew yet that this simple university lunch, chosen almost by chance... or perhaps by fate itself... would remain in their memory for many years.

They couldn't even imagine that Elsa's unexpected decision to go to an Asian cafeteria would become the first invisible thread that would begin to connect two completely different lives.

And somewhere at the other end of the campus, the man destined to notice this scene was already approaching.

A man who still did not understand why the heart suddenly begins to ask questions before the mind has time to find answers.

The story was just beginning.

A few minutes later the dining room doors quietly opened again.

Laila Al Thani entered.

She didn't come here for the biryani.

After a long day of reading, all she wanted was a cup of hot tea and something light before her evening classes.

Holding the tray in her hands, she slowly looked around the crowded room, looking for a free seat.

And almost immediately her gaze stopped.

By the big window.

Elsa.

AND...

Arif.

They didn't laugh loudly.

Didn't flirt.

Didn't do anything unusual.

They were just talking.

Sometimes they were silent.

Sometimes they smiled.

And for some reason this is what seemed most unusual to Laila.

There was a surprising calm between them.

It was as if the noise of the crowded dining room didn't exist.

It was as if a small island of silence had appeared around them.

Laila herself didn’t understand why she continued to watch.

She hardly knew Arif.

And I met Elsa just recently.

And yet...

Something inside her trembled slightly.

Not jealousy.

No.

It was still a long way from jealousy.

Quicker...

Inexplicable curiosity.

Why did she suddenly want to know what they were talking about?

Why did she feel a little disappointed that she wasn't the first one at that table?

She quietly looked away.

“Strange...” she thought.

"Why do I even care?"

Still unable to find an answer, Layla headed to a free table nearby.

But even after opening the book, she furtively raised her eyes towards the window several more times.

Without even noticing it, she increasingly found herself thinking that the quiet student from Bangladesh was beginning to occupy much more space in her thoughts than he should have.

Глава 3

The following Monday greeted Tokyo with clear blue skies.

Students hurried across campus, cups of coffee in hand, backpacks bouncing over their shoulders. Some were reviewing notes as they walked, others were rushing to get to class on time.

Arif entered Professor Nakamura's classroom five minutes before the lecture began, as he always did.

He calmly took a seat by the window.

Outside, a light breeze carried the first cherry blossom petals across the university courtyard.

Gradually the auditorium filled with students.

Kofi plopped down in the seat next to him.

- Good morning, Professor Bangladesh.

Arif laughed.

— I didn’t know I had such a title.

- Now there is.

Before Arif could answer, Professor Nakamura entered the room.

- Good morning, everyone.

There was immediate silence in the room.

— I have an announcement.

She put several folders on the table.

This semester, each team will work on an international research project. Your final grade will be based on your teamwork skills, creativity, and final presentation.

The students looked at each other nervously.

Professor Nakamura smiled.

— I have already determined the team composition.

A collective groan went through the audience.

“Don’t tell me you can’t choose your friends,” someone muttered.

“I’m afraid so,” the professor answered with a smile.

She began to read out the lists.

Team by team.

Then...

- Team number seven.

She looked towards the middle row.

- Arif Rahman.

Arif raised his head.

— Laila Al Thani.

Laila also looked forward.

- Elsa Lindström.

Elsa blinked in surprise.

- And Kofi Mensah.

Kofi slapped his hand theatrically on the desk.

- Yes! I know at least one person.

The whole audience burst into laughter.

Professor Nakamura continued calmly:

— The topic of your research...

She paused briefly.

— "How Artificial Intelligence Can Improve Global Education."

For a moment, Arif's eyes lit up.

Artificial intelligence.

It wasn't even his specialty.

Yet these two words awakened a deep curiosity in him.

Professor Nakamura noticed the expression on his face.

And she smiled barely noticeably.

After class, the four team members gathered under a large blooming cherry tree.

There was an awkward silence.

Elsa was the first to break it.

- Well...

— Looks like we're a team now.

Kofi smiled widely.

— Since no one else is starting, I’ll introduce everyone myself.

He pointed at himself.

- Kofi. Ghana. I sing just terribly.

Then he pointed at Arif.

— Arif. Bangladesh. Reads more books in a week than the average person does in a whole year.

Arif sighed.

- Don't exaggerate.

- I'm not exaggerating at all.

Everyone laughed.

Laila smiled politely.

- I'm Laila.

— I love mathematics, economics... and coffee.

Elsa raised her hand theatrically.

- I'm Elsa.

— I love photography, hiking, terrible jokes, and eating dessert before dinner.

"You really do that?" Laila asked in surprise.

— Life is too short.

Arif smiled.

- Sounds fun.

Elsa noticed the dimples on his cheeks.

For a moment she forgot what she was going to say.

Then she quickly looked away.

Their first working meeting took place in the university library.

Soon the table was covered with books, laptops and notepads.

Kofi leaned back in his chair.

- So... how are we going to divide the work?

Laila suggested making a schedule.

Elsa volunteered to prepare visual materials.

Kofi suggested collecting international statistics on education.

Arif remained silent.

At that moment, Professor Nakamura passed by.

- Haven't you chosen your part of the job yet, Arif?

He looked up.

- If everyone agrees...

— I would like to study how artificial intelligence actually learns.

The professor smiled.

- But this is master's level material.

- I know.

- But I still want to try.

There was complete silence in the library.

Then the professor nodded.

- Fine.

- Surprise me.

The next three days were a whirlwind.

Arif attended lectures from other faculties.

He borrowed books from three different libraries at once.

I watched online lectures until late at night.

I filled notebook after notebook with diagrams and my own notes.

His dorm room gradually disappeared under piles of books and papers.

On Thursday morning, Kofi knocked on the door.

There was no answer.

He knocked again.

Still silence.

Using the spare key given to him by the dormitory superintendent, he quietly entered inside.

What he saw made him freeze.

There were books everywhere.

One wall was completely covered with flowcharts.

The other one is mathematical formulas.

Arif was sleeping, sitting at the table, and his glasses were lying on an open notebook.

Nearby was a sheet of paper with the title:

"Can Artificial Intelligence Become the World's Greatest Teacher?"

Kofi smiled.

- You are truly an amazing person, my friend.

He carefully covered Arif with a blanket and quietly left without making a sound.

Later that day, the team reconvened.

Arif came with a thick folder in his hands.

- Think...

- I've already finished my part.

Elsa laughed.

— We started just four days ago.

- I know.

She opened the folder.

After reading only the first two pages, she stopped smiling.

Her eyes widened.

- This...

Lila leaned closer.

- This is incredible.

Even Kofi, who usually joked about everything, fell silent.

This text did not at all resemble an ordinary university paper.

It looked like the research of someone who had devoted many years to this subject.

Professor Nakamura would later call it one of the most original student papers she had ever read.

For Arif himself, however, this was only the beginning.

He had no idea that his curiosity about artificial intelligence would one day change not only his own destiny, but perhaps the future of all humanity.

Глава 4

Saturday morning greeted Tokyo with clear blue skies.

For the first time in several weeks, none of the four had classes.

At exactly nine o'clock, Kofi showed up at the dorm with a backpack that seemed almost as big as he was.

Arif looked at him and smiled.

— Are we going to conquer Fuji?

- No.

- Then why do you have such a huge backpack?

Kofi smiled widely.

— I took a snack with me.

— A snack for four?

— A snack for the whole army.

Arif laughed.

- Then we are definitely not in any danger.

A few minutes later, Laila and Elsa arrived.

Laila was wearing a light blue dress and a white cardigan, while Elsa was wearing jeans and a cream sweater, with a camera hanging around her neck.

"Is everyone ready?" Elsa asked.

"Where are we going?" Arif asked.

Kofi unfolded the map proudly.

— To the best place in Tokyo at this time of year.

An hour later they entered Ueno Park .

The park looked like a dream come true.

Thousands of blossoming cherry trees covered the avenues with soft pink clouds. Families, musicians, artists, and students strolled everywhere. Children chased pigeons, couples picnicked, and delicate petals swirled in the air like pink snow.

Arif stopped.

— I've never seen anything like it in my life.

In his homeland, Bangladesh, he admired the wide rivers, endless green fields and rains of the monsoon season.

But this...

It was something completely different.

“It’s called hanami ,” Laila explained.

— The Japanese tradition of admiring cherry blossoms.

Arif looked around slowly.

— So many people come here just to look at the flowers.

Elsa smiled.

— Sometimes people need beauty more than speed.

Arif nodded thoughtfully.

- I like this idea.

They spread a blanket under one of the largest cherry trees.

Kofi immediately opened his huge backpack.

Sandwiches.

Rice balls.

Fruits.

Cookie.

Juice.

And even homemade fried chicken.

Layla laughed.

- You really did collect food for an entire army.

- I told you so.

All day they told each other stories from their childhood.

Kofi recalled the colorful festivals of Ghana.

Laila spoke of the endless sunsets in the deserts of Qatar.

Elsa shared memories of Sweden's snowy winters and the midnight sun.

Finally, everyone looked at Arif.

"What about Bangladesh?" Elsa asked.

Arif smiled softly.

— There are no skyscrapers in my village.

— There are no high-speed trains.

— But every morning the fields turn golden when the sun rises.

— Rivers flow everywhere.

- And when it starts to rain, it seems as if the whole world turns green.

- My mom makes the most delicious lentils you can ever taste.

— And during the Eid holiday, no matter how poor a person is, he still tries to make sure that not a single neighbor is left alone at the table.

The rest listened in silence.

When he finished, none of them could imagine a poor country anymore.

They represented the house.

After lunch, Elsa went off to the side to take some photos.

Suddenly she turned around.

- Arif.

- Yes?

- Stand over there.

- For what?

— The light is perfect now.

— I don’t like taking pictures.

- That's exactly why.

She laughed.

— The best photographs are taken when a person behaves naturally.

Reluctantly, Arif approached the flowering tree.

A light wind ran through the branches.

Pink petals swirled around him.

Click.

Click.

Click.

Elsa lowered the camera.

- Perfect.

Arif came closer.

— Can I see it?

She showed him the photo.

He looked at the photograph for a long time.

— Is it really me?

— You don’t like it?

- No...

He smiled.

— I've just never seen myself like this before.

A little further away, Layla was watching them.

She didn't feel jealous.

Instead, she suddenly realized one thing.

Elsa had a real talent for capturing moments.

And Arif...

He knew how to transform the most ordinary moments into those you want to preserve forever.

As the day wore on, the friends rented a small boat on Shinobazu Pond.

Kofi assured everyone that he was an excellent rower.

Two minutes later the boat was already spinning in place.

“I think we’re lost,” Elsa said, laughing.

“We’re at the pond,” Laila answered.

— How can you even get lost on a pond?

Kofi pointed forward confidently.

— I'm plotting a route.

Arif took up the oars.

- Can?

Five minutes later the boat was already gliding smoothly across the water.

Kofi crossed his arms theatrically over his chest.

- I was just checking you out.

“Of course, that’s exactly it,” Laila answered with a smile.

Everyone burst into laughter.

As the sun began to sink toward the horizon, the sky turned shades of orange and pink.

Four friends sat silently by the pond.

Sometimes silence between friends says much more than words.

Arif looked at the cherry blossom petals floating on the water.

“In Bangladesh,” he said quietly, “people often say that life can change in just one day.

He watched another petal float away.

— I didn’t believe in it before.

He smiled.

- Now I believe.

Neither Laila nor Elsa answered.

But each of them secretly wished that this day would never end.

High above them, the last rays of the sun disappeared behind the silhouette of evening Tokyo.

None of them knew yet that years later, when their lives would change beyond recognition, it was this spring day under the blooming sakura trees that would remain in everyone’s memory as the moment when four strangers truly became friends.