19 March 2026
The orange evening sun shines over everybody, no matter whether they're binary or not.
The weeping of Aditya, standing near the iron gate, made even the security guard feel bad for him.
The trend in 20's is that the so-called "orthodox" parents kick their children out of their houses, if they weren't straight, with very few exceptions. But that's not the case of Aditya.
There was no drama here. Just gritty, raw ignorance. Nobody calls him by his name. Nobody enquires him whether he's eaten. Nobody wants to sit near him in a family function.
Everyone made sure that Aditya would kick himself out of the system. And that soon happened.
No shouting. No fights. Just a Good-bye.
But still, he had a go-to place.
A scooter stops before the crying Aditya. "Are you sure, Raghav?", asked Aditya as he wiped off his tears. "Just get on. Trust me, I've got a license since last week", said Raghav with a laugh. "I don't think this is funny pal", screamed Aditya as he wore the pillion rider's helmet. Raghav never lets anyone live without a helmet.
Raghav's parents greeted them warmly as he non-chalantly threw the keys on the reception table. "I don't think this will work" said Aditya to Mr. & Mrs. Vasudev. "What? You don't think we are good at welcoming family", said Mrs. Vasudev as she laughed heartily. "Genes, it is, the humour", Aditya thought to himself as he frowned to their joke. "But I don't think you make laughable jokes, dear", said Mr. Vasudev, looking Aditya in his eyes. Aditya continued, "I don't think I can live here. I don't think I can live either. It's just...." Mr. Vasudev interrupted as Aditya was in a trance state.
"If the cotton, that is stuck in the cloth-making system, refuses to continue being a victim of the system in the thread stage itself", began Mr. Vasudev, " and withstands all the knots in its life, it will surely become the garland that people wearing the cloth made of its fellow peers bow to."
Mr. Vasudev continued," Raghav and Sankarshana will surely become the finest of cloth one day. But I always fancied having a son who could become a garland." Saying this, he hugged Aditya tightly. "Genes, it is, the hug", Aditya thought as he embraced Mr. Vasudev physically and his future mentally.
"You take my room. I'll share with Raghav ", said Sankarshana, Raghav's little brother. Raghav was completely blown off. He was searching for words to talk with his mouth open. Sankarshana seldom permitted Raghav into his room, let alone his friends.
Mrs. Vasudev said, "But here's the catch. To be one of us, you need to follow our religion, lad. And the god we worship is LOVE".
Aditya, Raghav and Draupadi took three different life paths. Aditya became a quantum physicist as Raghav became a psycho-neuro analyst. Draupadi became one of the best game engineers of this century. She's been the long term inspiration of Sankarshana who follows her trail.