Ezhil's pov:

"Kayal, you got the answer wrong again. Look at the options,what are they trying to test you on?"

She looked up from the practice paper with furrowed brows, lips pressed into a pout, her pencil tapping against her lower lip.

"Concept application," she muttered, almost like she was speaking to herself. Then, eyes brightening, she circled the correct one.

"There you go," I smiled. "Not just memory, Kayal. They want to see how you think."

It had become a routine,me sitting across her at the dining table every evening after work, her notebooks open, highlighters scattered around like she was painting a new version of herself.

She was.

Today, she cleared the PG entrance exam. Her first win - her own win.

We returned home and she kicked off her slippers before I even opened the door fully. Her face was lit up—not with bridal glow, not forced happiness but real joy.

"I got in!" she beamed. "And not just got in,they said my score was in the top ten!"

I grinned like a fool. "What else would you expect from my student?"

She laughed, breathless with relief, joy, pride everything.

Later, when we sat down, I gave her water and asked gently, "So... do you like the college?"

Her eyes sparkled again. "I love it. Everyone's focused, but not rigid. And somehow, I don't feel like an outsider. I thought I would, but... knowing you're around helped," she added, looking away shyly.

She was blooming. Boldly. Quietly.

"Ezhil," she said suddenly, serious again, "Once I complete PG... can I go to work?"

I blinked.

She asked it like a girl who had been told all her life not to ask.

I leaned forward. "Kayal, you don't need to ask. I'm proud that you've found your voice and your value."

She smiled. Not the usual big one but a soft, quiet smile of someone learning to be whole.

But then her curiosity switched on. "Okay... So, what kind of jobs can I do after PG? What are the exams and options I should know about? Can you explain it to me like I'm totally new to all this?"

I chuckled. "Sure, listen up."

"First, if you want to aim high, the toughest but most respected path is becoming a Chartered Accountant - CA."

She tilted her head, listening.

"Three levels: Foundation, Intermediate, and Final. Between them, you'll need to do an articleship kind of like internship under a certified CA. That takes 2.5 years."

She blinked. "That's... a lot."

"It is. But if you like numbers, audits, taxation and a good salary.It's worth it."

She nodded slowly

"Then there's CMA,Cost and Management Accountant."
"Similar to CA?" she asked.

"Yeah, but more focused on costing and internal financial planning for companies. Useful if you want to work in industries, manufacturing setups."

"You also have CS - Company Secretary."
"Ah that sounds fancy," she smiled.

"Very legal. You'll deal with corporate law, secretarial audits. Again - three levels: CSEET, Executive, and Professional."

"If you want stable jobs with good benefits, there are Banking exams - IBPS, SBI, even RBI Grade B."
"Those sound familiar!"

"Yeah, the whole country writes them," I laughed. "You'll need to crack subjects like Quant, English, Reasoning, Current Affairs. Very competitive but achievable."

"UPSC is another big one."
She looked unsure. "But I'm a commerce student..."

"Doesn't matter, Kayal. UPSC looks for thinkers. You can take Commerce as your optional subject. And there are also State PSC exams like TNPSC for administrative roles in Tamil Nadu."

She raised an eyebrow. "IAS Kayal sounds a bit heavy, no?"

"Not heavier than your brain," I grinned.

"If you love teaching, you can go for UGC NET."
"College lecturer?" she asked with curiosity.

"Exactly. If you pass with JRF, you can even do a PhD with a stipend."

"What if I want to learn management things?" she asked.
"Then MBA—Finance, Marketing, HR. You'll need to clear CAT, XAT, or similar exams. Top colleges like IIMs need top scores."

She made a face. "Hmm, maybe not MBA..."

"And of course," I said, "if nothing else clicks you can always try SSC, Railways, even Defence services. Safe, central government jobs."

She paused.

"Ezhil..."

"Hmm?"

"I think... I want to try CA."

I raised an eyebrow.

"I want to understand how money works. I was scared of all this earlier, but I think I want to do it now."

I reached out and held her hand. "If that's what you want, we'll get you there."

Whatever my kayal wishes, I'll make sure she gets that.

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