She pulls him up and looks at him, furious. She says, "You— to hell with you. Don't you understand anything? What were you doing?" And she thinks, God, what do I do with him? I knew about his suicidal thoughts. Even in the original story he wanted to kill himself a lot. It didn't happen because of plot.
And the system turned free will off too. She's actually mad at the system now. "Are you listening, System? Hello?"
The system says, "Okay, stop yelling in my ear." She says, "What do I tell this guy? You turned free will off, right?"
"Yeah, I turned free will off a long time ago. Still, I don't know what happened." Then, "Maybe— wait a second. Sorry, sorry. My mistake. I didn't turn it off."
After that she looks at Naveen. In his eyes there was something different for a moment, a little bit like a people-like glow, but suddenly it was gone. He gave her a cold look and said, "Why did you save me again?"
Then after that she says, "Don't talk to me using tum. Talk to me using aap. Give me some respect. I'm older than you."
Then after that Naveen says, "But why did you save me? What do you want from me? And you keep following me all the time, tum(you)."
---
After that Shanti says, "Because I wanted to help you. I wanted to save tum from falling. This is humanity and nothing else."
Then after that he says, "What's the point of saving me when I want to die myself?"
Then after that she says, go to hell with you," she curse at him.
Then after that she says, "What man, I'm even curse at a kid."
Then after that she says, "you, please, just do better. Do you know what the value of this life is?"
Then Naveen says, "I don't even want to know."
Then after that she says, "To hell with you," she swears at him again in Hindi.
Then after that she says, "What do I even say… listen, life is given to live. Who knows if we'll ever get it again or not. And life is meant to be lived, right?"
Then suddenly Naveen gets a flashback where his mother is saying these same words: "Life is given to live."
Then Naveen stumbles a little and says, "I will repay your debt, the debt of saving me, later."
Then after that Shanti sits down holding her head. "Oh God, someone tell me what do I do with this kid?"
---
Then after that, suddenly a lot of comments start popping up.
Then she thinks, Huh? Where did these comments suddenly come from?
The system says, "Yeah, these are all comments. This chapter is over, right? I mean, what is the present for you is the future for them — I mean sorry, not future. It's the past for them. For all of them, this is a flashback."
Then Shanti says, "Oh okay, I want to read them. I'll read a little bit."
Then they say, "Yeah, go ahead and read. There's nothing in it."
Then she makes the comments visible and looks.
Then after that she sees, "Harsh again. A cruel villianous mc fell for a woman. Damn." Another comment write, "That's not a woman, that's a man."
And she says, "What… what is this? Did I come to the right place? I'm at the right place, right? I mean"?
Reader207 writes, "Am I not reading BL, right?"
Then after another the comments say, "Hey, that's Shanti. It's just her male disguise. She made herself look like a male. She drank potion and stuff."
Some comments below say that too. And she checks the comment names — Dolly206, Reader9FBI, ReaderPolice, ReaderADeptOfFiftyOnePercent.
"Oh God, so many readers are reading this. According to this, so many comments have already come. More than a thousand comments have come, and this is just in one hour. That's a really big deal."
Then, "When I read this in my time, there were a lot of readers even then. Now it's still a lot but less."
Then after that the system says, "Yeah, because at that time the demand was higher. But not now. It's been ten years since that thing. For you."
Then after that Shanti says, "Yeah, how do you know this by the way?" He says, "Don't know." And says, "Then—"
Shanti says, "Okay, don't tell me. Anyway, that thing isn't important."
---
After that, a lot of time has passed. Then one day Master Shistanand saying, "Okay, your lectures are over. It's been a long time."
She thinks, Yeah, what's up? Man, I'm getting bored. I like maths and all, but solving his stuff separately is so boring.
Anyway, after that she's about to leave with Arya and says, "Aarya, are you coming with me too? To the garden or somewhere? Okay?"
Arya says, "Yeah, why not."
Then after that Shistanand says, "wait a second, listen to me."
Then after that Shistanand's was a little serious, and his mood was a little cold.
Then after that Shanti says, "Yes, what happened sir?"
He says, "Sanjeev, you have to listen to me. Now you have to teach Naveen some work and stuff."
"What work, sir?"
He says, "I mean, you have to take Naveen to a saint. He's a good and kind saint. Because Naveen's condition is not good. If I look carefully".
Then Shanti thinks, Yeah, in the original work too it was like this. His condition was really not good at all, and they kept taking him to a saint again and again. And suddenly I don't know what happened that he became so cruel. And he did become a little self conscious, and the suicide stuff also reduced. But still, I don't want him to become cruel like in the original story.
Then the system says, "If this is your task, then you have to do the task."
"Now who are you to give me tasks?" she says to the system. "Why did I transmigrate you?" the system says angrily.
Then after that she says, "Wait a second, are you really a system? Because you always make some mistake or the other."
Then after that the system says, "Yes, I make mistakes, but I have my own free will. And anyway, leave all that. Focus on what your work is right now. Otherwise I'll erase you from existence forever."
Then she says, "Don't say such stupid things to me."
Suddenly Naveen says, "Master Shistanand, did you call me?" His voice was cold as always.
She thinks, His eyes never change, man. It feels so bad being with him. And they're telling me to take him? I have so much useless work.
Then she says, "Anyway, I don't have any choice about taking him. Because if I don't listen to the master, there could be problems."
Then after that Shistanand says, "Beyond the jungle there's a village. There's an ashram there, an old age home. Right next to it, you have to go and sit with cows and all. To Sharon — Sharon Rishi. Now go there and show him, show Naveen."
Then she thinks, Wait a second, this is too big.She says, "Master, isn't this a bit too much?"
He says, "It's not that big. And you should go. You'll also learn something from there."
Then she thinks, Anyway, what can I do?
Then Aarya says, "Can I go too?"
Then he says, "No, absolutely not. You can't go. Because you have a lot of work. And I gave you so much homework. When will you do it? You never do it. Learn something from Sanjeev."
After some time we are shown that Shanti was standing in front of house cart.
Shanti thinks, _Man, I tried so many times to change Master's mind. But nope. The future was locked in. And now I'm stuck babysitting this guy. A 14 years kid who's got, like, a hundred tons of trauma packed in his brain. He barely talks. He barely blinks. His eyes are drier than the desert. What even is this? I'm so frustrated right now. She's yelling all this inside her head.
Then he goes, "Uh, where are we supposed to go? Sorry, I wasn't listening to Master."
She snaps, "Do you remember ANYTHING? Can you not zone out for two whole minutes? WHAT IS THIS?" She's basically screaming at his face now.
Then she takes a breath and says, "Anyway. My name is Sanjeev. So please call me Sanjeev bhaiya. And talk to me using aap."
He says, "Yeah, okay." Then, "Uh, bhaiya, are you listening to me?"
She says, "Yeah, speak."
He says, "Please keep your mouth shut. I don't like it when you talk."
Shanti's brain short-circuits. Yep, he's always been this blunt. But buddy, this level of blunt is not healthy for you.
She fires back, "Before you tell me to shut my mouth, YOU shut up. You've got too much attitude. This is all your fault anyway. Where do kids like you even come from? You know, in my time, I couldn't even make a sound with my mouth. People—"
Naveen cuts her off. "Yeah yeah, talk less. You didn't have the guts. Just say it straight."
Shanti instant rage mode activated.
---
Right as Shanti's about to explode and Naveen's about to say something even dumber, a horse cart rolls up.
_Creak. Clop. Creak._
The driver is an man with zero patience. "Ashram? Two people? Hop in. Five copper."
Shanti blinks. "We didn't even—"
"Too late," Naveen mutters, already climbing in. "You talk too much. Cart moves faster."
"EXCUSE ME?" Shanti yanks herself up and sits on the opposite side. Maximum distance. "I'll sit here. You sit there. Don't breathe my air."
Naveen breathes louder on purpose.
The cart lurches forward. They both almost fall.
Driver: "You two brothers? Fighting like my sons."
Shanti and Naveen in perfect timing: "NO."
Driver: "Hmm. Friends then?"
Shanti: "He's not my—"
Naveen: "He's not my—"
Driver: "Ah, guru-bhai quarrel. I get it."
Shanti dies inside. Naveen just stares at a tree like it personally offended him.
The cart hits a bump. Shanti slides. Her knee knocks into Naveen's.
"Watch it," he says, deadpan.
"YOU watch it," she hisses. "Also, why are you so bony? Are you eating? Do I need to feed you too?"
Naveen looks at her. "Please don't. Your cooking will be the next thing I die from."
Driver cackles. "He's got you there, boy!"
"See?" Shanti points at Naveen. "Even uncle agrees you're rude."
Driver squints at Shanti. "You're also loud for a young guru. My nephew is quieter."
System in her head: Don't blow your cover. Remember: you're Sanjeev. A boy. A very angry boy.
Shanti: I KNOW, SYSTEM. I'm not stupid.
Naveen, totally clueless: "Bhaiya, why are you muttering? Are you talking to ghosts again?"
Shanti freezes. "NO. I'm… praying. For patience. Because of YOU."
Driver nods wisely. "This one needs prayers. Look at that face. Same face my son makes before he jumps in the well."
Naveen cold glare at driver.
Shanti grabs Naveen's sleeve before he jumps off the moving cart.
System: Oh no. He's learning comebacks AND he still thinks you're a dude. This is gonna be a long ride.
Send help. And snacks.
The horse cart ride is only supposed to be 4 hours. It feels like 4 years. But between this time Shanti was roasted by naveen again and again.
Scene 1:-
Cart hits a rock.
Naveen: "Your fault."
Shanti: "MY fault? I'm not driving!"
Naveen: "You're heavy. You tipped it."
Shanti: "I'M HEAVY? You're a twig with abandonment issues!"
Driver: "Five more copper if you two break my cart."
Scene 2:-
Shanti's elbow hits Naveen's ribs.
Naveen: "Ow. Stop assaulting me, bhaiya."
Shanti: "Don't call me bhaiya like that. Say it with RESPECT."
Naveen: "…bhaaaaiyaaaaa."
Shanti: "I will throw you off this cart."
System: _You can't. That's plot relevant cargo.
Shanti: I hate you.
Scene 3:-
Naveen: "Bhaiya, why do you walk like you're mad at the ground?"
Shanti: "I DO NOT—"
Naveen: "Stomp. Stomp. Like this." _imitates her walk_
Shanti: "I will end you."
Driver: "If you end him, who pays me?"
Naveen: "See? Even uncle wants me alive. One person on my side."
Shanti: "He wants money, not you."
Naveen: "Still counts."
The Final Boss scene:-
Cart hits a massive pothole. Both of them fly up and land in a pile.
Naveen: "Get off."
Shanti: "YOU get off. I was here first."
Naveen: "It's a cart. Not ancestral property."
Shanti: "Says the guy who contributes NOTHING to this trip."
Naveen: "I contributed. I'm the REASON for this trip."
Shanti opens mouth, but realizes he's right, closes mouth, gets angrier.
Driver stops the cart. Points ahead. "Ashram. We're here. Thank the gods."
They both tumble out, still glaring.
Shanti straightens her kurta. "From now on, we only talk about important things."
Naveen: "Okay. Important thing you snore."
Shanti: "I DO NOT—"
System said And they're back. Sharon Rishi is gonna love you two.
Shanti thinks If I survive this, I'm filing a complaint
Shanti and Naveen get off the cart. The ashram is big. There are trees, cows, and old people sitting around.
Shanti looks left and right. "Okay, we have to find Sharon Rishi. Come on."
Naveen says nothing. He just stands there. His face is blank. Like he's not even here.
Shanti sighs. "Are you listening? We need to find the saint. Master sent us here for you."
Naveen just blankly stare.
Shanti walks to an old man. "chacha, where is Sharon Rishi?"
Old man points. "Near the cows. Back side."
Shanti turns. "Naveen, come. This way."
Naveen still blankly. He walks, but slowly. Like a robot with low battery.
Shanti checks behind the first hut. No saint. Just goats. "Not here."
Shanti turns to Naveen. "Say something. Help me look. You're the reason we're here."
Naveen said Then, "Okay."
He still doesn't move. Doesn't look around. Just stands.
Shanti throws her hands up. "You said okay, but you're not doing anything! Your brain went on vacation or what?"
System in her head said He's in 'empty mode'. Happens when he doesn't want to feel things.
Great. I'm arguing with a statue.
Finally, a calm voice speaks behind them. "You two look lost."
Shanti turns. An old man with white hair and kind eyes is standing there. Cows are around him.
Are you Sharon Rishi?"
The old man smiles. "Yes, child. And you must be Sanjeev. Master Shistanand sent you?"
"Yes. And this is Naveen." She points.
Sharon Rishi looks at Naveen. His smile gets softer. "Ah. I see. Come, both of you. Sit near the cows. We will talk."
"Finally."
Naveen still blank. But he walks when Shanti pulls his sleeve.
Sharon Rishi looks at Naveen, then at Shanti. He says, "Give me some time with him. Let me talk to him. Let me do something. I will come later and tell you how he is."
Shanti nods. "Okay."
Sharon Rishi takes Naveen and walks toward the back of the ashram. There are more cows there, and a small hut. Naveen follows, still blank. He doesn't look back.
Shanti sits on a stone near the well. She waits.
One hour passes.
Then two hours.
The sun moves. The cows move. Old people come and go. Shanti just sits.
She thinks, I know this. In the original story, this happened too. The saint always talks to him alone. Takes a long time. Says his condition is bad. Says he needs care.
She kicks a small rock. But what can I do now? I'm stuck as Sanjeev. I can't change the story too much. If I do, maybe it gets worse.
System whispers, You're learning. Good.
Shut up. I'm bored, not wise.
Finally, after a long time, Sharon Rishi comes back. His face is calm, but tired.
Saint came back.
He sits next to Shanti. "Sanjeev," he says, "Naveen's condition… it is not good. His heart is heavy. He carries a lot of pain. More than a boy his age should."
Shanti looks down at her hands. "I… know."
Sharon Rishi nods. "He does not speak much. But his eyes speak. He thinks life has no meaning. He thinks leaving is easier than staying."
Shanti feels her chest get tight. I know.
So what Can you help him?"
Sharon Rishi looks at the sky. "I can try. But the mind is a hard thing to heal. He needs time. He needs people like you who don't give up on him."
Shanti thinks People like me? But I'm supposed to be the villain. How do I not give up and still be the villain? This story makes no sense.
Sharon Rishi stands up. "He is resting now. He fell asleep while talking. That is a good sign. Come back tomorrow. We will try again."
Shanti stands too. "Okay."
As they walk back to the cart, Shanti looks over her shoulder at the hut.
She thinks I know all this already. But knowing doesn't help. I still have to watch him fall apart. And I still can't tell anyone why it hurts me so much.
Naveen is not with them. He's still in the hut.
The driver sees her alone. "Where's the other boy?"
"Sleeping. Let's go."
The cart ride back is quiet. No arguing. No jokes.
Just the sound of the wheels.
And What do I even do now?
A week has passed.
Shanti stands outside the ashram gate. She thinks, It's been a whole week since I left him here. Master Shishta told me yesterday, "Go bring him back."
She sighs. I have to bring back the main character. The one I can't stand. But I don't have a choice.
She walks to the road. The same horse cart is there. The same driver with one tooth is there.
He sees her and smiles. "Oh, it's you. You probably miss your little brother, right?"
"Absolutely not."
The driver clicks his tongue. "You look very sad today. Anyway, when you two were arguing last time, it reminded me of my sons."
Shanti blinks. "Your sons? You look so young. How old are you?"
"Fifty."
Shanti's jaw drops. "Wait a second. Fifty? You look twenty to me."
Driver laughs. "Ah, that's because of my good diet. But we don't focus on that. Anyway, I still remember. My sons used to argue just like you two."
Shanti goes quiet for a moment. Then she asks, "By the way… where are your sons?"
The driver's smile fades a little. "They… they are at their home."
Then he says, "Actually, forget it."
"What happened? Why did you stop talking?"
"Nothing."
"Did I say something wrong?"
Driver shakes his head. "No, no. You didn't say anything wrong. Nothing like that."
Shanti looks at him. "No, I think I did say something wrong." She pauses. "You know, uncle… sadness gets lighter when you share it."
"It's nothing."
Shanti thinks for a second. Then it slips out before she can stop it: "Wait… are they not in this world anymore?"
Silence.
Shanti's eyes go wide. I said that too loud. I didn't mean to say it. It just came out.
The driver looks down at the reins. His hands are still. Then he nods, slow. "You're right. Both of them are not in this world. An accident. Many years ago."
Shanti's chest hurts. "I'm… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have—"
Driver looks up. His eyes are wet, but he's still smiling a little. "It's okay. Whenever I see you two… I remember them. Your pair is actually very good, you know."
"It's absolutely not." But her voice is soft this time. Not angry.
The driver doesn't argue. He just clicks his tongue and the horse starts walking.
Shanti sits in the cart, quiet. No bickering. No shouting.
She thinks So that's why he kept calling us 'sons' and 'brothers'. He misses them. And we're just two stupid kids fighting in his cart, bringing them back to him for 2 hous.
System whispers People carry pain you can't see, Shanti.
Shanti doesn't snap back. She just whispers I know.
When they reach the ashram, Naveen is already waiting. Blank face, same as always.
Driver looks at both of them. "Try not to kill each other today, eh? For my sons."
Shanti doesn't have a comeback. She just nods. "We'll try."
Naveen just blank stare at driver_
Then he looks at Shanti. "You're late."
"Yeah. I was talking."
Naveen doesn't ask about what. He just climbs into the cart.
And for the first time, Shanti doesn't argue. She just sits next to him. Quiet.
The cart starts moving. No one talks.
Naveen stares at the road. Shanti stares at her hands. The driver hums something soft.
One minute passes. Two.
Shanti's knee starts bouncing. She thinks, This silence is worse. Sharon Rishi said, "Talk to him. Don't let him sit in his head too long. That's when the dark thoughts come."
She grits her teeth. Fine. I'll talk. Even if I hate it.
"So."
Naveen doesn't look at her. "So."
"You slept a whole week there. Good for you. Vacation, right?"
Naveen just stare blank_. "Mm."
"Mm? That's all you have to say? I came all the way here. In this cart. With Uncle. Again."
"I didn't ask you to."
And there it is. The spark.
"OH, so now it's my fault? Master told me to come get you. You think I want to babysit you?"
Naveen finally looks at her. Cold. "Then don't."
"I CAN'T! That's the whole problem!"
Driver sighs "Here we go again."
Shanti turns back to Naveen. "You know what? You're like the chicken and egg question. Which came first — your attitude or your trauma? Because I swear, one made the other worse."
"You talk like arguing is your job, stupid."
"DON'T call me stupid like I'm your friend. I'm not. I'm your… your keeper. Assigned by fate and stupid masters."
"Then do your job. Keep. Stop talking."
"I CAN'T stop talking! That's the POINT!"
"Sharon Rishi told me to talk to you. Every day. So you don't go quiet and do something stupid. So guess what? You're stuck with my voice now."
Naveen goes still. His blank face cracks for half a second. "He told you that?"
"YES.
He said 'he thinks leaving is easier than staying'. So I have to annoy you into staying. Happy?"
Naveen looks away. "You're bad at it."
Shanti furiously said "EXCUSE ME?"
Naveen: "If your goal is to make me want to live, you're doing it wrong. You make me want to jump faster."
Shanti feels that like a slap. Her mouth opens, but nothing comes out.
System whispers He's hurting. He hurts others when he hurts.
I KNOW THAT. But damn, it still works.
She breathes. Counts to three. Tries again. Softer. "Fine. What DO you want to talk about then? Since my voice is so painful."
Naveen after a long pause. "Nothing."
"See? That's the problem! 'Nothing'. Always 'nothing'. You can't live in 'nothing', you idiot."
"I can try."
Shanti grabs her head. "You're impossible. Do you know that? Completely, totally impossible."
"You're the one who came back for me."
"BECAUSE I HAD TO—" She stops.
Because Sharon Rishi asked.
Because the story needs it. Because if I don't, you die before the story even started and this whole world ends.
So she says, "Because… someone has to."
Naveen looks at her for a long time. His eyes are still empty, but something moves in them. Fast. Gone.
"Don't."
"Don't what?"
"Don't feel bad for me. I hate that more than your talking."
Shanti opens her mouth to argue. Then closes it.
Then Driver said "You two done? My horse is getting a headache."
Shanti leans back. "For now."
Naveen said "Good."
They don't talk the rest of the ride. But it's different. Not quiet-blank. Quiet-loud. Like both of them are screaming in their heads.
Sharon Rishi, your plan sucks. Talking makes it worse.
System whisper Or it's working. He answered more you three times.
shut up!!!
When they get back, Master Shishta is waiting.
He sees their faces. "You argued."
"yes."
"Yes."
Master Shishta nods. "Good. Keep arguing. At least you're both alive to do it."
Shanti and Naveen gave identical glare at Master.
System said Okay, that was kinda united. Progress?
I'm going to bed.
A few days have passed. Two, maybe three.
Shanti is lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She thinks Okay, my progress with him is… fine. I guess. I can deal with him now. Because I argue with him so much. At least.
She rolls over. At least his condition isn't worse. That's good. He talks to me now. Even if it's just fighting. I don't have a problem with that.
She groans into her pillow. But it's so annoying when he says nothing. I was always a huge extrovert. I HATE when these introvert people don't talk. Don't they feel lonely? No matter how depressed you are, talking makes it go away. I don't get it. What's so fun about not talking?
System whisper Everyone has their own choices. And nobody tells you extroverts to shut up, right?
Shanti sits up and flips off the air. "You—"
She sighs. _Anyway, I have nowhere else to go.
Suddenly Naveen appears in her doorway. Blank face as usual. "Master Shistanand called you. To babysit me again."
Shanti's eye twitches. "YES. Babysitting. You. I've become a full-time babysitter because of you. You're not a kid."
"I am a kid. Technically."
"Man, just don't talk."
"You're the one talking. You're the one telling me not to talk. You're training me well."
"Yeah, okay, talk less."
Before she can say more, Master Shistanand walks in. He looks mad.
"Sanjeev. I told you to take care of him. I did not tell you to argue with him."
Shanti panics and drops to touch his feet. "I'm sorry, Master. Forgive me. Forgive me."
Shistanand: "Fine. You're forgiven this time. But now, take care of him. And take him back to that saint again. Leave him there."
He walks out.
Shanti stays on the floor for a second. In her head she screams, Oh God. Why? Why me?
System :-
Because the plot said so.
I'm going to delete you.
She stands up and looks at Naveen. "You heard him. Get ready. We're going back."
Naveen blankly said"Okay."
"And if you say 'okay' like that one more time, I'm leaving you with the cows permanently."
"Okay."
"I SWEAR—"
Naveen tiny smirk. Gone in 0.1 seconds.
Shanti freezes. Did he just…? No. Impossible.
System:-
Told you. Progress.
Shut up and fix my glitch.