3

3

Bhumi feels uncomfortable because he is glaring at her with a disgusting smirk.bhumi turned her face not to look at him.A few minutes later the papers came and were given to everybody.

4 of them feel elated after seeing the paper,bhumi started writing,invigilator being strict.he is roaming everywhere.Bhumi started writing but after sometime she feels that Karthik took a small chit and started without knowing to anybody.bhumi felt tensed but ignored him and continued her test.karthik started brushing his shoe with the bhumi foot.bhumi moved her foot far from him.

Later he started disturbing her moving bench calling her by the name heroine.she didn't even cared him.she is seeing him from the corner of eye.

Bhumi was unable to focus on her exam. She felt like getting up and slapping Karthik for his annoying antics, but she decided to deal with him after the exam to avoid wasting time. While Aishu and Mithali were writing, Bhumi didn’t seem interested, even though she wanted to write, she couldn't remember anything, and time was running out.

Karthik slowly moved closer to disturb her. He kept pestering her, intentionally asking for a pen or a water bottle. Bhumi made a firm decision,as soon as the invigilator arrived, she would catch Karthik with his cheating slips.

When the invigilator approached, Bhumi called out, "Sir!" She stood up immediately and said, "Sir, he has chits with him." Karthik was shocked. Fuming with anger at Bhumi, he desperately tried to escape the situation.

The invigilator angrily ordered Karthik to stand up. Thinking fast, Karthik stealthily dropped the chits near Bhumi’s feet. He stood up boldly and said, "What is this, sir? Why did you make me stand? I’m not using any chits. She is the one who brought them! She even told me, 'I'm a girl, so everyone will believe me even if I lie about you.'"

He pinned the entire blame on Bhumi. Everyone in the hall was watching. Bhumi was livid,how could he commit a mistake and frame her? Just as she was about to lose her temper and hit him, a voice shouted, "STOP!"

It was Jathin. He walked toward them and said, "This is an exam hall, speak quietly. What happened?" The invigilator explained that they were accusing each other of carrying chits. At the mention of "chits," Jathin looked at them silently. Bhumi looked extremely tense, while Karthik stood there with misplaced confidence.

Karthik pointed down "Sir, she has the chits. Look near her feet if you want."

Bhumi cried out, "Sir, those aren't mine! He’s lying!"

"Both of you, take your papers and come outside," Jathin commanded. Bhumi was on the verge of tears. Jathin led them both to the Chairman’s office and explained the situation.

The Chairman was furious. "Is this a final exam? Who brings chits even for these exams?"

Bhumi realized she couldn't stay silent. She spoke up boldly, "Sir, I am not at fault. I am telling the truth. If you want, I am ready to rewrite the entire exam from the start!"

Jathin started to wonder if she was telling the truth, but Karthik quickly interrupted: "Sir, if she knows so much, why hasn't she written anything on her paper? An hour has passed and she hasn't even finished half. That proves she’s lying. On the other hand, I’ve written everything I remember."

Bhumi didn't back down. She snapped back, "People who use chits write fast and in a panic, but those who actually study take time to think and write!"

The office was thick with tension. The Chairman ordered everyone to leave except for the two of them. Jathin and the others stepped out. The Chairman looked at them and said, "Look, we won't punish you harshly if you just admit the truth."

Karthik refused to budge. Just then, the Founder walked into the room. To everyone's shock, Karthik ran and hugged him tightly.

The Chairman and Bhumi were stunned. Pointing at Karthik, the Founder said...

"He is my brother's son..”

Bhumi was in total shock. She realized that no matter what she said, they weren’t going to listen to her. Still, she stood her ground firmly. Seeing them, the Founder asked, "What happened? Why are you both here?" Karthik gave some explanation. The Founder then went and spoke to the Chairman. After hearing it, the Chairman looked at Karthik and said, "Karthik, you can go."

Bhumi was furious. "Why are you letting him go? He is the one who did this! Why won't you believe me?" she demanded. The Founder walked up to Bhumi and said, "Calm down. This college is mine, and these people are mine. And... I believe you will soon become a part of my family," he added with a smile before walking away. Bhumi couldn't grasp the hidden meaning behind his words. The Chairman then looked at Bhumi and sternly told her, "You, wait outside."

"Sir! Sir, what is this? What are you doing? Please bring out the truth. I didn’t do anything wrong!" she pleaded. But the Chairman yelled at her to get out. He immediately called Jathin and summoned him to the office. When Jathin arrived, the Chairman asked him several questions.

"Jathin, the matter is closed. Bhumi is the main girl behind this,she had the chits," the Chairman lied. Jathin couldn't believe it. "Sir, how can you decide it was her?"

"We checked the handwriting."

"So, you decided based on that?

I've observed her in every way... tell me about her record in class. How is she?" the Chairman asked.

Jathin replied, "She always sits on the last bench. In the beginning, she seemed like a disturbance... she never answers any questions. Sometimes I feel like she doesn't concentrate at all."

"So, don't you understand that? She is the culprit! Fail her in this week's exam," the Chairman ordered.

Outside, Bhumi overheard everything. she felt an uncontrollable rage toward Jathin. Jathin took a moment to think. Unable to do labeled a failure in her very first exam, Bhumi walked away in tears and stood silently in the corridor.

Back in the office, Jathin said, "Sir, failing her isn't that easy. Even if she made a mistake, a 'Fail' remark will ruin her entire academic record. This is her first time, and they are just freshers,they don't know the college rules yet. I will make sure this never happens again." He managed to convince him.

The Chairman looked at him and asked, "Okay, then what's next?"

"I will give her a new question paper and make her write the exam sitting outside," Jathin suggested, and the Chairman agreed. Jathin walked out of the office and saw Bhumi. She was standing there, crying uncontrollably. As soon as Bhumi saw him..

She walked up to Jathin Sir with steps fueled by intense anger and pride, standing firmly right in front of him.

"How did you even become a faculty member?" she demanded. "Are you really a teacher? Are you blindfolded? Can’t you see the difference between truth and lies? Being a faculty member isn't just about teaching well; you should be honest and fair in every way. Is failing a student your only goal? What are these cheap tricks and politics in this college?"

Everything in her mind came pouring out in a loud outburst. She spoke without pause, words rushing out one after another. Tears were streaming down her face, and she only stopped momentarily to catch her breath.

"You will be the main reason my career gets spoiled," she said firmly. "I promise you, you will definitely regret what you’ve done."

Jathin stared at her, stunned. No student had ever stood before him and shouted like this. He watched her as she spoke without a shred of respect. His eyes turned red with anger. Her words had struck a nerve,it was the first time someone had insulted his profession.

"Shut up! How dare you!" he yelled back. "Not only did you commit a mistake, but you’re also passing judgments on my profession? I thought you were such a good student, so why did you use cheat sheets? After doing all that, you have the audacity to talk back to me? You don't feel a hint of guilt for what you did,instead, you’re speaking with such arrogance. Anyone in my position would have done the same thing. What’s the use of crying now? You should have thought about this before you did it!..

After hearing his words…she was unable to process his words…she started crying uncontrollably…

Jathin stood there and observed her..

It wasn't a quiet sorrow. Her breathing came in jagged, broken hitches,those sharp, involuntary hiccups making his body shiver…The trembling of her lower lip and the way her chest heaves when she tries to control her tears.

Jathin observed her far...suddenly he moved near her…jathin felt something in his heart by seeing her in that condition..his face became soft and worried…her hairs sticking on face because of tears…The wind adds volume and movement, often framing the bhumi face in a way that feels natural..Without knowing jathin was seeing her like he can't take her tears anymore. She managed her hair in the breeze making her appear vulnerable…she slightly raised her head..jathin eyes became gentle..Her eyes met his..bhumi eyes are shining with the last wave of tears..jathin looking at her without blinking…bhumi with rage moved little back to him by avoiding his face she moved to the exam hall.

Jathin stood there, overwhelmed by a strange, different feeling. He couldn't quite understand why he had suddenly softened.He gently ran his hands through his hair, looking at her. Bhumi, however, walked away in anger. Seeing this, Jathin left silently.

By the time Bhumi arrived, the exam was over and everyone was coming out. She was struggling to bear the weight of what had happened. Her friends surrounded her, firing question after question, but Bhumi stood there in stony silence. Soon, the hall became empty.

Suddenly, the invigilator called out to Bhumi loudly. She looked up, her face still clouded with sadness. "Come inside and write the exam. I will give you a fresh paper," he said.

A spark of joy lit up Bhumi’s face instantly. Filled with indescribable happiness, she ran inside and looked at the invigilator in surprise. "Go and write," he prompted. She immediately took the paper, sat down, offered a quick prayer to God, and began writing at a frantic pace.

At that moment, Jathin watched her through the window. He saw Bhumi writing non-stop with intense concentration. Watching her like that, he walked away, lost in a state of confusion.

NIGHT 8:00

Jathin was sitting in the study room, diligently correcting papers. He was examining every detail with great seriousness. At the bottom of each paper, he wrote his feedback for some he wrote "Improve more," for those who didn't perform well, he wrote "Do better next time," and for others, "Keep it up."

Finally, only one paper remained. As he corrected it, he noticed that every single answer was correct. Each point was explained briefly yet beautifully, and the overall presentation was excellent. After reading the entire paper, he couldn't find a single mistake,except for one answer where an example was missing. That was it.

He was shocked and felt a deep sense of pride, wondering who in the class could have written so well. Deepthi’s name flashed in his mind, but since the papers only had series numbers and no names, he couldn't be sure. After finishing all the corrections, he took the papers with him the next morning.

MORNING

In the morning, Bhumi was combing her hair while chatting with her parents. She hadn't told them anything about what had been happening at college lately. Cracking jokes and laughing with them, she got ready quickly. Aishu also got ready, and the two of them set off together.

Once they reached college, Charan and Mithali were already waiting for them. The four of them started walking together. Mithali looked at Bhumi and said, "Bhumi, you look beautiful today! That black dress suits you perfectly."

Bhumi looked at her and replied sarcastically, "Yeah, I'm just reflecting the fact that there’s mostly darkness in my life."

Everyone laughed at her remark.

Charan: "Still, I get so angry whenever I think about Jathin Sir. What he did in your case was a huge mistake."

Mithali: "Yeah, exactly. Everyone calls him an inspiration and a great man, but I don't see any of that in him."

Aishu: "I agree... but the reason Sir reacted like that was because of that idiot Karthik and the Chairman."

Mithali: "Wait, are you trying to defend him?"

Aishu: "It’s not that. I’m just stating the facts," she replied.

Bhumi walked along silently without saying a word. Finally, she spoke up: "Please, don't bring those things up over and over again."

They reached the classroom and took their seats. Moments later, Jathin walked inside.he came with a bunch of papers..everyone looking tense by seeing him and papers. His posture was stiff..

Previously, Bhumi used to feel excited whenever she saw Jathin, but that feeling was gone now. She sat there with a blank expression, looking indifferent.

Jathin glanced at everyone once and said, "I have your results in my hand. I'll keep it short." He folded his arms and leaned against the desk as he spoke. Slowly, Bhumi lifted her eyes to look at him. She noticed he was wearing a white formal shirt today. “Uff, opposite poles”, she thought…to herself.

After a brief pause, Jathin continued, "Everyone performed well. Out of 50, 35 members attempted the paper very well. If you work a bit harder, you’ll do even better. Another 10 members wrote just for the sake of it; there are many mistakes, so they will have a special class. The remaining 5 performed extremely well... but the first position for this week goes to..." He stopped there and began distributing the papers according to the serial numbers.

Aishu, Mithali, and Charan received good marks. They felt happy as they read through their feedback to keep it up..

Bhumi is feeling very tense... because her paper is still with him. She's thinking to herself, "What is this? Why hasn't my paper come back yet? I thought I wrote the exam really well..."

​Aishu: "Bhumi, what’s going on? Your paper hasn't come back yet... are you going to get scolded by Sir again?"

​Bhumi: "That’s exactly what I don’t understand either.”

They waited for a long time for the papers. Everyone received theirs, and Deepti’s paper was handed out as well. Jathin thought to himself,if that wasn't Deepti's, then whose was that last paper? He waited with curiosity. Finally, only one paper remained. He picked it up, read the serial number, and realized it belonged to Bhumi. Bhumi stood up, filled with tension.

Jathin scanned the entire class. Finally, his eyes fell upon Bhumi, and he was completely shocked. "Is it her?" he wondered. Jathin stared at Bhumi, but she didn't look at him at all,she remained standing with her head bowed down. Seeing this, Jathin said, "Come here." Hearing his voice, she lifted her head and walked toward him slowly.

As Bhumi walked, Jathin looked at her from top to bottom. She looked incredibly elegant in her black dress. She came and stood before him slowly. Jathin continued to stare and asked, "Is this yours?" She nodded her head. "Tell me in your words," he said. "Yes, sir," she replied.

The moment he heard those words, Jathin felt an inexplicable sense of regret. Even then, he hadn't imagined she would be so dedicated to her studies. He realized he had severely underestimated her. Jathin immediately looked at everyone and said, "Everyone, clap for her" Hearing this, Bhumi looked up in shock. As everyone clapped, Jathin looked at Bhumi and said.."She has written everything correctly without a single mistake, and in great detail," he announced loudly. Inside, Bhumi felt a surge of joy."She is the topper this time," he declared firmly. He turned to look at Bhumi, but she didn’t look back at Jathin, she kept her gaze fixed to the side, still harboring deep-seated hatred for him in her heart.

"Take it," he said to her. As she reached out her hand, he didn't hand it over immediately. Instead, he picked up a pen from nearby and wrote his feedback, never breaking eye contact with her. Bhumi, ignoring his gaze, kept her face turned down. After he finally handed over the paper, she took it instantly and went back to her seat.

Jathin watched Bhumi for a moment before turning his eyes away. He then asked the ten students who had scored the lowest to stand up and gave them a harsh scolding. Following that, he announced, "You will have an extra class every day."

Hearing this, Aishu whispered, "ohhhh... if I had scored less, I could have attended the extra class. They are so lucky!"

Bhumi gave her a sharp nudge on the shoulder.

"So, you must attend without fail," Jathin continued. "This class will be taken by the Junior Lecturer (JL)." Immediately, the faces that had lit up in hope withered away because they realized Jathin Sir wouldn't be teaching the extra session. Bhumi looked at Aishu and laughed.

Aishu looked back disappointedly and said, "Don't laugh."

Afterward, the lecture began. Bhumi listened to the class without any distraction, but she refused to look at the him even once, keeping her eyes glued to the screen. Every time Jathin looked toward her, she shifted her gaze away. Once the explanation was over, he said, "I'm giving you five minutes,copy this down."

As everyone was writing, Jathin’s eyes wandered through the room and settled on Bhumi. She was writing calmly. Because the fan was directly above her, her hair kept falling onto her face, irritating her. She kept tucking it back while she wrote. Jathin found himself unable to look away,despite her ignoring him, his eyes were drawn to her automatically. He thought about going over to turn down the fan speed but decided against it and stayed silent.

He eventually finished the class. As he was leaving the room, he took one last look at Bhumi. She was laughing and chatting with her friends. He simply glanced at her and walked out.

Bhumi opened her paper and read the feedback. "Excellent... keep it up," he had written. Reading those words filled her with immense joy. She felt a deep sense of pride, thinking that she had earned an "Excellent" from the very person who had once scolded her.

Her three friends chimed in, saying, "Come on, Bhumi! What a comeback. You’ve silenced everyone with your marks,especially Deepthi. She was overacting too much and now she is burning with jealousy."

The Faculty Room

Later, Jathin was sitting in his office. He finished entering all the marks and handed them over. As he looked at the serial numbers, he read the last name in sheet Bhumika. In his mind, he softly thought of her by her nickname, Bhumi.

The faculty members were sitting together and talking. Shalini Mam said, "So, it looks like the topper from my class is Bhumika this time... It happened exactly as I expected."

Another faculty member added, "Yes, I thought so too. She is a very talented girl. No matter what question you ask, she answers beautifully. Even when she asks a doubt, it’s always very valid."

A third one joined in, "It’s not just Bhumika,even her friends on the last bench have improved significantly." The entire conversation revolved around Bhumi’s potential.

Hearing all of this, Jathin was truly surprised.

"I hardly know anything about her, yet these people have so much faith in her. But in my class, she never responds..." he thought to himself.

All the harsh words he had said to her previously flashed through his mind. He felt a pang of regret, thinking, "I judged her and spoke so many words without knowing anything about her."

It was evening, and everyone was leaving the campus for home. Jathin came out, got into his car, and started driving. Just outside the college road, he spotted the four friends. At that same moment, he received a phone call, so he pulled over to the side to talk.

Bhumi was standing there, laughing and playfully scolding Aishu. Suddenly, a small kid who was running nearby tripped and fell. Seeing this, Bhumi rushed to him. His knee was scraped and bleeding, seeing the blood, she grew concerned and gently moved the boy to the side. The other three tried to comfort him so he wouldn't cry.

Bhumi immediately asked Mithali for a handkerchief. She took it, dampened it with water, and carefully cleaned the wound while blowing on it gently to soothe the pain.

Mithali: "It's okay, don't cry. We are here, right? It will heal soon," she said, trying to console him.

Aishu, seeing that the boy wouldn't stop crying, went to a nearby shop and bought a packet of biscuits.

After cleaning the wound, Bhumi took a scarf from her bag and tied it around his knee like a bandage. She looked at his small face and said softly, "It’s okay, it will get better. But you shouldn't run like that on the road."

When she asked where his house was, he pointed to the nearby lane. Hearing this, Charan offered, "Come, I’ll drop you on my bike," and lifted him onto the seat. Aishu walked over and handed him the biscuits, saying, "little kid, take these."

The boy looked at them and said, "My mummy told me not to eat anything given by strangers outside." Hearing those tiny, serious words, everyone was shocked for a moment and then burst into laughter.

Aishu, looking at him in amusement, said, "If you're that doubtful, take them home. If your mom says it's okay, then eat them."

As the three of them continued walking, Mithali teased, "Anyone who sees Aishu gets scared."

Bhumi replied sarcastically, "That’s because she’s a ghost!"

Laughing together, they headed back to their flat.

*JATHIN*

Jathin witnessed this entire scene from his car. who was still parked there, watched the entire scene unfold. He felt a strange, new sensation. Bhumi appeared so pure and possessed such a deeply helpful nature. He stayed there, observing every single thing she did, and without even realizing it, his opinion of her began to change completely. "Do girls like this still exist?" he wondered to himself.

He eventually drove home. Just as he parked his car and was about to head inside, he saw Nalini, Yukthi, and Nikhil sitting on the veranda.

As soon as they saw Jathin approaching, they scrambled to sit up straight, looking instantly alert.

Jathin noticed the visible tension on their faces. "What happened?" he asked. Yukthi lowered her head, trying to hide her face behind her hair. Nikhil quickly shifted in his seat, trying to create distance. Jathin’s eyes fell on the cotton and bandages in Nalini’s hands.

"What happened?" he asked again, his voice turning strict.

Yukthi stood up, attempting to leave the spot, but by then Jathin had already observed Nikhil. His face was swollen and his hand was bleeding. Shocked by the sight, Jathin barked, "Yukthi, stay right there!"

Yukthi stood still and silent. "Are you going to tell me what happened or not?" he shouted.

Nalini finally spoke up in a low voice. "Jathin... I'll tell you, but please don't get serious."

"Tell me first bhabi..," Jathin countered firmly. "I will decide whether it's a serious matter or not."

As Nalini was about to speak, Nikhil stood up and said.."Bhai.. Bhai, I thought this was a small matter and tried to deal with it myself, but I couldn't. For the past three months, some scoundrel has been torturing Yukthi. He would show up wherever she went and call her from unknown numbers.

Initially, Yukthi took it lightly, thinking it was normal. But the situation turned serious when he started forcing her to love him. Because she said no, he tortured her by asking repeatedly. He even threatened her, saying he would throw acid on her or make sure she lost her job if she didn't agree.

When Yukthi angrily mentioned filing a police complaint, he became even more toxic. This morning, he told her that he wanted a one-night stand, and if she agreed to that, he would leave her alone.

When she came home and told me, I went there with my friends in a fit of rage. But he is a real rowdy and has a big gang. They turned around and beat me up badly.

We wanted to tell you, but we were scared of where this topic would spread ,knowing how angry you get."

Immediately, Jathin’s body enters into a burning state. His heart rate spikes, his muscles tense, and he feels a heat in his chest. This isn't just because he is furious at the idiot,it’s because he feels a fear to shield yukthi.He took a moment to breathe… so he can think clearly.

In a fit of rage, Jathin marched up to Yukthi, grabbed her hand, and began dragging her away. Two people tried to step in to stop him, but consumed by anger, he smashed the laptop on the glass tea table. It shattered with a deafening crash. Everyone stood there in stunned silence.

He forced Yukthi into the car. "Bhai, please... let's just file a complaint," Yukthi pleaded, but Jathin didn't listen to a word. Driven by pure fury, he accelerated the car, driving at a dangerously high speed. Yukthi sat there crying, terrified by his reckless driving.

"Give me his address!" he demanded. Yukthi gave it to him. As soon as they reached the location, he jumped out of the car, grabbed Yukthi, and headed inside. When the watchman tried to block his path, Jathin landed a powerful punch squarely on his face.

He barged inside with intense rage. His parents were sitting in the hall... He went straight to them and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Where is your son?!" Seeing his anger, they asked fearfully, "What do you want with our son?" Just then, seeing that idiot coming down the stairs, he rushed toward him and landed a hard punch.

Jathin grabbed him by the hair and slammed his face into the granite kitchen island.He is roaring with pain.His parents came to stop but jathin didn't stop. His fury doesn't even look at anybody.constantly Nikhil words repeating in his mind..

He punched him hard, twisted his arm and smashed him on the stomach. Blood started coming out of his mouth. He pulled him close to his face and shouted, “Now ask her brute, about a one-night stand,” and then forcefully slammed his head against the nearby glass window. The glass shattered, and blood started flowing from his head. Seeing that scene, Yukthi’s hands and eyes trembled with fear.

His parents, furious, shouted, “How dare you come into our house and beat our son?” his father yelled. Jathin, staring at him with an intense, burning look, asked loudly, “Do you have a daughter?” He nodded yes. Jathin continued, “If someone asked your daughter to sleep with him for just one night, what would you do then?” Hearing that, the father looked at his son’s face in shock and tension.

Jathin’s anger flared up even more “your son did the same thing?” He lifted him again and threw him down very hard. He picked up the knife lying on the dining table and slashed his hand. Blood started flowing. Seeing that, Yukthi covered her hands in fear.

Then he shouted, “shall I pour acid on you,” and cut his other hand as well. The man screamed in pain.

He didn’t let him go even though he kept begging. Without caring about anything, Jathin kept beating him. The entire hall was filled with blood marks. Yukthi immediately went to him and pleaded,

“Enough… please leave him… he will die,” she begged.

But Jathin’s anger did not cool down.

“There is only one person like me who knows how to deal with men who misbehave with girls. I will beat him in a way that you can't even survive on your own legs..you will remember it. How dare you mess with my sister?”

Saying that, he gave one last hard blow and threw him down at Yukthi’s feet.

The man had no strength left in his body, he was shaking with fear. Looking at Yukthi, he said “sorry.”

Yukthi looked at Jathin. Jathin came closer to her and said,

“Hit him. Only if we teach such people a lesson, they won’t go near another girl again.”

Yukthi looked at him angrily and hit the man hard. He fell down again.

Jathin pulled Yukthi close, placed his hand on her shoulder and said,

“I know how to teach lessons to such people. And if they overdo it, I also know how to teach in my style to kill them.”

He looked at Yukthi, held her hand and took her away.

Yukthi was very scared of Jathin. His white shirt had turned red with blood. Seeing all that, scenes from the past started playing in front of her eyes , fire, screams in between, blood, everything appeared before her.

She sat in the car and tightly closed her eyes.

Still in the same anger, Jathin dropped Yukthi at home and said, “I’m going to my flat,” and left.

Yukthi’s steps were unsteady. Everyone inside the house looked at her. There were blood stains on her dress and her face looked completely terrified. Everyone started asking questions, but without saying anything she went into her room.

Saritha immediately followed her into the room and saw Yukthi sitting motionless on the bed. She slowly went and sat beside her and asked,

“What happened?”

Yukthi slowly said,

“I… I saw that old bhai again…”

Hearing that, Saritha felt completely shaken and remained in shock.

*JATHIN*

He stands bare-chested beneath an open, endless sky, his skin marked with streaks of drying blood that trace uneven paths across his ribs and collarbone. One of his hand hangs low at his side, knuckles split and smeared red, the blood dark and sticky as if it carries the weight of a recent struggle. The fingers twitch slightly, not in fear, but in exhaustion , the quiet aftermath of violence.

In his other hand, he loosely grips a bottle of alcohol.

His head is tilted back, eyes lifted toward the sky. There is no anger in his gaze now. Only distance. Only thought. The sky above him feels impossibly wide, as if it might swallow his pain, his guilt, his memories. Wind brushes over him, cool against the heat of blood and skin, and for a moment he seems caught between two worlds ,one of chaos behind him, and one of quiet, unreachable peace above.

He fastly drinking alcohol.with overall bottle..His eyes were still burning…

Within a moment,the door opened with a creaking sound..dev entered into the flat..his face also had a lot of tension.dev moved near the balcony.after seeing jathin he felt something strange.he took slowly steps near him and stood beside..

“Jathin..are you ok..just now yukthi called me.she said what happened before..I also learned that you beat him brutally..I know after filing a complaint also nothing changes will happen… I know this is a sensitive matter.But you… how can you hit someone like that…if he will die..…

Looking at dev helplessly…

Jathin : It feels like God is still testing me in new ways.The thing I stayed away from…The thing I decided I should never see again…That same thing is being brought back right in front of my eyes.

Dev : “What happened again..jathinYour life is finally getting better, right?What is hurting you so much again?”

Jathin slowly took a sip and said,

“Today… I saw Yukthi in pain… and…Today, I saw Surabi.”

The moment he heard those words, Dev’s face changed color.He gripped the railings tightly.The veins on his hands became visible.His anger was clearly written all over his face.

Jathin, in his rage, smashed the bottle against the railing.

An unknown fear…A past that refuses to come out…A destination he wants to move towards,But cannot reach…

TO BE CONTINUED

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