🌤️ A Quiet Start

That morning, Mukshi didn’t feel very talkative.
He ate slowly. He didn’t even chase the butterfly near the window.
Daksh blinked twice. That meant: “Let’s ride. It might help.”

🚲 The Forest Road Again

They rode quietly through the soft green road.
The forest was fresh. Birds chirped gently.
Nothing big. Nothing loud. Just… calm.

Up ahead, on a curved tree branch, sat an old monkey.
He didn’t say a word.
But when Mukshi looked up, the monkey gave him a soft smile.
Not silly. Not forced. Just kind.

Mukshi blinked. Then smiled back.

🦌 The Smile Moves On

Later, they saw a baby deer trying to cross a puddle.
Mukshi stepped off his cycle and held a branch out for balance.
The deer crossed slowly, then looked back—eyes wide—and wagged its tiny tail.

Mukshi smiled again. Daksh blinked. That meant: “See?”

👦 Back in the Village

On the way home, Mukshi helped an old man carry a small basket.
The man said, “Thank you,” and gave Mukshi a warm smile.

At dinner, Appa said, “Someone smiled at me near the shop today. I don’t know why, but it made my day.”

Mukshi looked at Daksh. Daksh looked back.
They didn’t say anything. But inside, they knew.

🌕 A Quiet Thought

Sometimes, the smile you send out… comes back to you.
Even if it travels through birds, puddles, people, and places.

Smiles don’t always need a reason.
And you never know who might carry it forward.
Sometimes, the smallest gestures go the longest way.