In life, there is no greater remedy than trust. And if one finds a truly trustworthy soul, that person is priceless.
He had always placed the needs of others above his own. When misfortune struck his family, instead of stretching his hand before anyone, he chose to take up a job at a tender age. Between his father's treatment and his sister's wedding, he offered his dreams as sacrifice on the altar of duty.
Everyone said, "Arjun is such a courageous boy."But no one ever tried to discover what lay beneath that courage. Much had already shattered inside him. Courage does not come easily. It is only when nothing is left to lose that one finds the strength to take risks. Destiny has always favoured the brave. His brokenness, his emptiness—he kept it confined within himself. He never allowed anyone to become a companion to his loneliness.
Those who become pillars of support for others often weep in secret, hidden in the darkness of night, never sharing their pain.
For them, the nights grow long and pitch-black. Silence begins to echo, and all they can hear is the beating of their own heart. Once, he feared losing himself in a crowd; now, he fears meeting himself in the emptiness. He broke a thousand times, endured countless blows, yet never once revealed his suffering to another soul.
Arjun often remembered the words of Madhav Kaka:
"Accept life as it is. Do not fight time—dance to its rhythm. Then time itself will become yours."
Whenever he went to mark his attendance, his eyes would inevitably fall upon 'Aarogyam Physiotherapy Centre', where Shreya used to work. The centre had remained closed for several months now, yet its board and hoarding still stirred memories of her.
The word 'Aarogyam' written on the door would sometimes quicken his heartbeat. He would stand and gaze intently at that two-storeyed building where she once worked.
At times, Kavya's smiling face would flash before his eyes, and he would pray to God to spare him from ever facing her again.
During Ranjana's wedding, a photograph had been taken of the two of them together. In that frame, Kavya and Arjun looked so perfect that everyone had exclaimed in one voice, "What a beautiful pair! They look so wonderful standing together, smiling in the same frame." Perhaps it was from that moment that the evil eye fell upon their relationship.
Arjun was completely broken, but he never let it show. A thought would often cross his mind: he was no longer worthy of Kavya's love. He had even begun to doubt himself. Perhaps she too had changed. They had once sworn to live and die together. Now the only difference was that they were no longer together. Their destinations had diverged; only beautiful memories remained.
He prayed to God: Wherever you are, may you be happy. But know this— all the happiness of my life came from you, and it left with you.Your memories, Kavya, do not even let me sleep at night. In every crowd, I search for your face. In every girl, I look for your reflection. But there can never be anyone else like you. No one else understands me the way you did.
Sometimes I think: if only none of this had happened. How happy we once were. Who knows whose evil eye fell upon our joy?
Since then, life has passed like a terrifying nightmare. If only I could wake up and find you sitting beside me once again—with that same gentle smile, exactly as before. All your attention on me, all your love meant only for me. I still remember your innocent smile. Nothing feels beautiful without you—not moonlight, not rain, not even the songs we used to listen to and hum together.Try as I might, I cannot hold myself together, yet I still wish to avoid facing you. The Arjun you loved had never been to jail. In these new circumstances, I hesitate. I am afraid to meet you. I am no longer worthy of you. My entire life hangs in uncertainty, and my name has been stained with disgrace. I have no right to ruin your life. If I could not give you happiness, I will not burden you with sorrow either. Deep inside, I still sob silently, but the tears now dry within my eyes. Perhaps I have grown accustomed to suppressing pain. It seeps slowly, yet no longer shows on the surface.
Love does not end; it simply dons the veil of silence. And then one realises that the heaviest burden of all is memory—those moments engraved forever on the tablet of the heart.
When I was on duty and could not speak to you for days, you would say, "Talk to me sometimes. Don't forget me completely." At those words, pride would swell in my chest, and a touch of arrogance would creep in. But now I know you probably never think of me anymore. Still, my heart waits for your message, even while knowing that you must have endured great embarrassment because of me.
In the quiet unraveling of time, the promises made in love often turn lifeless and hollow. Kavya was not Arjun's "everything," yet she had undoubtedly become his "one"—the one who was irreplaceable, absolute. He had never aspired to become her entire world, but he had desperately longed to be her "one." That longing, however, was now slowly gasping for its last breath.
If he was not worthy of her, then why should he cast a shadow over her happiness?
He had written a message for Kavya and left it lingering in his drafts, hesitant to press send. Every day he would open it, read it again and again, yet the courage to click that final button eluded him. A bond as deep and intimate as theirs, he felt, should not depend on something as trivial as a send button.
In the draft, he had written:-
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