HAANI

Episode 4

HAANI

Episode 4 — The Question He Avoided

The next morning, Hania Malik arrived at the university with a clear plan.

She had spent most of the previous evening reviewing the research material for their project. Several ideas had come to mind, and she wanted to discuss them with Eric before finalising their presentation.

As she entered the classroom, she noticed Sophie and Emma sitting together.

"Good morning, Hania!" Emma greeted her.

"Good morning."

Sophie smiled. "You look busy already."

Hania gave a small smile. "Just trying to organise our project."

"How is it going with Eric?"

Hania placed her notebook on the desk.

"It's going well enough. We're making progress."

Emma exchanged an amused glance with Sophie.

"That's surprising. Eric doesn't usually cooperate so easily."

"Perhaps he just needs a reason to," Hania replied.

Before either girl could respond, the classroom door opened.

Eric walked in with Jack, Leo, and Chris.

He noticed Hania sitting beside Sophie and Emma but said nothing. He simply took his usual seat.

A few minutes later, Professor Williams entered and began the lecture.

After class, Hania approached Eric near the corridor.

"I've added some new references to our document."

Eric looked up from his phone.

"Did you finish the section on cultural misunderstandings?"

"Yes. I also found a case study that might help us explain how assumptions develop between different communities."

He took the printed pages she offered.

"Let me see."

For a few moments, he read silently.

"This example is interesting," he admitted. "But I think you're overlooking something."

"What?"

"People don't always form opinions because they lack information. Sometimes their experiences give them reasons to think the way they do."

Hania listened carefully.

"That's a fair point. But experiences can also be misunderstood or interpreted differently."

Eric looked at her.

"You're saying people should question their own experiences?"

"I'm saying that one experience shouldn't automatically become the truth about an entire community."

His expression changed.

For a moment, the conversation seemed to touch something personal.

"You make it sound very simple," he said.

"I don't think it's simple at all."

Eric looked away.

"Let's just finish the project."

Hania nodded.

"Alright."

She didn't ask anything further.

That afternoon, the group gathered in the library to review their presentation.

Jack was struggling with his laptop, while Chris was trying to convince Leo that his suggested opening slide was much better.

"Nobody wants to look at ten paragraphs on the first slide," Chris complained.

Leo shook his head.

"It's called providing information."

"It's called making people fall asleep."

Emma laughed.

"Can we please focus?"

Sophie turned towards Hania.

"What do you think about starting with a question?"

Hania considered it.

"That could work. Something that encourages people to think before forming an opinion."

Eric, who had been reading through the notes, finally spoke.

"How about this: 'Can we truly understand something we have never experienced?'"

Everyone became quiet for a moment.

Hania looked at him.

"That's a good question."

Eric shrugged.

"It's relevant to the topic."

Jack grinned.

"Look at that. You two actually agree."

"Jack," Eric warned.

"Alright, alright. I'm quiet."

The group laughed, and even Hania smiled briefly.

For the first time, the meeting felt less uncomfortable.

As the afternoon progressed, Sophie noticed that Eric had become unusually distracted.

He kept looking at one particular page in the research material.

"Eric, are you alright?" she asked quietly.

He folded the page.

"I'm fine."

"You've been staring at that same paragraph for ages."

"Maybe because I'm trying to understand it."

Sophie lowered her voice.

"Is this about the topic, or something else?"

Eric looked directly at her.

"Can we not do this here?"

Sophie immediately understood that he didn't want to continue.

"Okay. I was just asking."

He returned his attention to the laptop.

But the words on the screen seemed distant.

The article had mentioned how a person's understanding of others could be influenced by events from their childhood.

He remembered a conversation from years ago.

His father's voice.

A photograph lying on a table.

And a sentence he had never forgotten.

"Some people are not what they pretend to be."

Eric closed the document.

He had trusted those words for years.

Questioning them felt almost like betraying someone.

Meanwhile, Hania was arranging the printed pages when she noticed a small handwritten note beside Eric's notebook.

It contained a few words:

Never trust what you don't understand.

She didn't intend to read his personal notes, but the sentence caught her attention.

Eric noticed her gaze and quickly moved the notebook.

"Something wrong?"

Hania shook her head.

"No. I was just looking for the reference list."

He handed her a printed sheet.

"Here."

"Thank you."

She returned to her work without asking about the note.

A few minutes later, the group decided to take a short break.

Jack and Chris went to get coffee, while Emma and Sophie stepped outside.

Leo remained at the table, checking the presentation slides.

Hania was reviewing a paragraph when Eric spoke.

"Can I ask you something?"

She looked up.

"Of course."

"Do you always believe people deserve a second chance?"

The question surprised her.

She closed her notebook.

"Not always. It depends on what happened and whether the person is willing to change."

Eric looked down at the table.

"And if someone has been hurt badly?"

"Then their feelings deserve to be understood too. But pain shouldn't become a reason to judge everyone who reminds them of the past."

Eric remained silent.

Hania continued gently.

"Sometimes we protect ourselves by building walls. But those walls can also stop us from seeing people as they really are."

He raised his eyes towards her.

"You're speaking from experience?"

Hania paused.

"Everyone has experiences that teach them something."

"That doesn't answer my question."

She gave a small, thoughtful smile.

"Perhaps some things are better understood when the time is right."

For a moment, Eric seemed unable to respond.

He looked away and picked up his phone.

"Let's get back to work."

Hania nodded.

She didn't push him.

Later that evening, Eric returned home.

The house was quiet.

He placed his bag on the sofa and walked towards the study. His father was sitting behind his desk, reading some documents.

"You're home late," his father remarked.

"We had a university project meeting."

His father nodded.

"What project?"

"Cultural understanding and different belief systems."

The older man looked up.

"Religion again?"

Eric stopped near the doorway.

"It's part of the assignment."

His father's expression became serious.

"Be careful about the company you keep, Eric. You know how complicated these things can become."

Eric said nothing.

After a moment, his father returned to his documents.

"You can go."

Eric walked away, but his mind was no longer focused on the project.

His father's words had brought back memories he had spent years avoiding.

He entered his room and placed his phone on the desk.

A message appeared.

It was from Hania.

Hania: I've updated the presentation outline. Please review the final section when you have time.

Eric opened the document.

At the bottom, she had added one final question:

Are our opinions based on what we truly know, or on what we have been taught to believe?

He stared at it for a long moment.

Then he closed the document.

For the first time, he wondered whether the answers he had accepted all his life were really his own.

And somewhere deep inside, he feared what might happen if he discovered the truth.

To Be Continued...