The village boy

Previously

…Arun looked at the small collection of gifts and coins in his hands. It wasn’t the grand prize, not by a long shot. But as he walked home, the laughter of the village still echoing in his ears, he knew he had achieved something far more valuable. He had brought a smile to his family’s faces. He had brought joy to his village. And in the warm glow of that shared happiness, Arun realized that sometimes, the greatest rewards weren't the ones you planned for, but the ones that found you when you were simply being yourself.