Well first guys Chapter 01 is completed. Second, the Part 02 of this chapter will be updated on Monday. Third the song below might give a bouncy feel for the music but it's related to suicide and it's lyrics are dark.
RACING INTO THE NIGHT
Racing Into the night (Language: Japanese)
Part 01:
Malini was having a tough time. From the very morning this problem started, everyone is either whispering about her or looking at her with curiosity and pity. Professors, Assistant Professors from other departments, old students and even the new ones. The heaviness she was feeling from the surroundings was making her nauseous.
‘No Malini, be brave. You did nothing wrong,’ thought Malini.
Suddenly she heard some new students talking.
“You know I have seen that woman who was on the news here. Maybe she is a Professor.”
“My oh my, that one whom that famous journalist was connected”
“Yes, she was his fiancé. But have you heard his words? He said that she had tried to murder someone”
“My, is she a criminal? Murder attempt… that’s horrendous”
“Yeah…”
Malini was shaken from inside. She was ready for any kind of slanders, whispers and even looks but she had to face people doubting her as some murderer was too much for her.
Professor Anjali who was going for her class saw Malini hiding in the corridor with fear visible in her eyes. She acted like she didn’t see Malini and went straight to the group of boys and girls.
“You all, why are you here gossiping? Lunch break is over. Go back to your classes.” said Anjali and when the group dispersed she gave an assuring look at Malini and left for her class.
Malini entered the class and introduced herself, “Hello students, myself Malini Chaturvedi. I will take the subject, Indian Social System.”
“Malini Chaturvedi…Isn’t she that woman?”
“Aditya Kumar Tripathi’s fiancé”
“I saw the news he broke his marriage with the Chavi girl”
“Still that man is nasty, how did she keep a relationship with such a pedophile for that long?”
“Remember Aditya’s accusations on her? She did a murder attempt on someone”
“Damn that’s scary. What if we also become her target?”
“If they get back together since that girl is out of the picture they are perfect, a murderer and a pedophile”
Imlie noticed Malini was shaking, her whole body was vibrating in fear, embarrassment and disgust. She was on the verge of crying as she was holding the corner of the teacher’s table. But somewhere deep she was also trying to get a grip of the situation.
Imlie was observing her keenly. She thought, ‘So in this life you don’t have the confidence you had in your past life Malini didi? I never knew I would have the opportunity to see you shaking in this manner. Will I be a villain if I tell you that I am having immense pleasure to see you torn in this way? You might be thinking you need to speak up immediately, otherwise these students won’t respect you in future after all you won’t be associated with us only for this semester.’
“Poor her, not every news is a truth” muttered Samarth in a soft voice looking at Malini.
Imlie looked at Samarth surprised in his statement and then towards Malini again, she sighed and whispered something in Niti’s ears.
‘I need to speak up, otherwise I won’t be able to take this class in future. Why? I was holding on to everything for so long. But after lunch why everyone is trying to associate me with a murder attempt which I never did? I am also a Civilian like you guys…Why are you all…” Malini's chain of thoughts were broken with a loud voice
“Everyone keep quiet. You are disturbing and making the professor uncomfortable. Get a hold of yourself, she is our Guru(Teacher) she has the right to deduct your marks for your brazen mouths” shouted Niti at the top of her voice standing at her place.
The class quieted down a little in fear.
Malini looked at Niti. She was grateful to her for returning her authority back in her hands.
‘I want to punish you di for all the things you did to me in my past life. But I am giving you a chance this time. I guess last time I forgave you since you scored your redemption points with your child but we could never have a sisterhood between us. This time I am giving our relationship a chance but everything will depend on how you behave’ thought Imlie.
Malini skipped any kind of introductions and discussed the syllabus of the subject. She knew if she personally gets introduced with the students her anger towards them for the loud talks might be visible in their score sheet. She thought it was better for them to be anonymous so that her anger can never turn into revenge.
As the bell rang, she left the room hurriedly.
“Excuse me,” Imlie said to Samarth. He made space for her to move out of the bench, she took her water bottle and ran to the teacher’s desk. She took the pen Malini forgot on her table and ran out of the class.
“What’s wrong with her?” Samarth asked Niti.
“How would I know?” replied Niti.
“Aren’t you her best friend?”
“Imlie is unpredictable to be honest. No one knows what goes on inside her brains”
“She feels mysterious too”
“She feels…nope Sammy she is hundred percent mysterious”
“Did you call me Sammy?”
“Yes, you said to call you Sammy in the morning”
“Aren’t you against me being friends with you guys?”
“Who said I am against you? It was Imlie who is against you”
“Yes…” sighed Samarth.
“You need to prove yourself special to be in her circle, to be honest”
“Special?”
“Yeah… though you are average, you are rich. Hence I will help you to be accepted by Imlie”
“Really?” Samarth glowed up hearing Niti’s words.
“Yes, just never say no to my words. Deal?” said Niti.
“Okay…deal”
Niti and Samarth shook their hands.
‘Now through you I will get my hands over those costly foods which I could never convince myself to buy’ thought Niti with an evil smile.
Malini was breathing heavily in the corridor leaning on the wall. The truth was she hadn't recovered from their words yet. She was furious, angered and in a vulnerable state. Suddenly she saw someone forwarded her a small plastic bottle filled with water. She looked at the person who was holding the bottle, the person was looking at the other side. She was the girl who was sitting with the girl who calmed the whole class down for her.
“I haven’t seen anything. Please feel free to have the water” said Imlie, looking at the ceiling of the corridor.
‘Was she worried for me? Did she just behave like a male lead from some romance fiction?’ thought Malini and drank the water Imlie gave.
“I know I shouldn’t say anything but don’t let people’s whispers influence you. They can only use their mouths and you have full authority to stop them. Use that power ma’am, it’s nothing wrong if you are using your power for defense” said Imlie.
“What’s your name?” asked Malini.
“Imlie…”
“Oh! You are the topper”
“Ma’am the other professor might have arrived in the class. I should leave, this is your pen”
Imlie handed Malini her pen and was about to leave when Malini held her hand. Imlie turned around when Malini said, “Thank you”
Imlie smiled back at Malini as she saw her smile with the tears in the corner of her eyes. She immediately took out her handkerchief from her jeans pocket and put it in Malini’s hands.
“Please smile more Ma’am. You have a beautiful smile” said Imlie and left for her class.
Malini smiled looking at the handkerchief.
“Did I just find my knight in shining armor? And she is a small teenager…”
This was the last class and everyone was too tired. As the Professor left when the bell rang everyone hurried out. Six classes in one day is a tough thing.
When Imlie was moving in between the crowd of students, suddenly someone bumped into her from behind and put a chit of paper in her hand. She was surprised. She looked at her surroundings but couldn't spot anyone suspicious.
“What the?” exclaimed Imlie.
“What’s wrong?” asked Niti.
“Niti, you go back to the hostel. I forgot my pencil pouch in the class” replied Imlie.
“Okay, see you later in the room”
“Yes”
Imlie moved towards the class as she opened the chit.
‘If you have the book called, ‘Goddess Sita’s Blessing’ you might have understood it’s a special book. Chant the mantra written below before you sleep, you will be able to see a vision. You need to save the person of the vision. That’s the test for you’
“What the hell? What test now?” exclaimed Imlie.
Suddenly she realized unknowingly she ended up coming near her class. The pencil pouch was an excuse actually. As she was about to leave suddenly she heard some muffed up noises coming from the class. She went to the class door and looked inside.
“Samarth what have you thought while ignoring Rita? Today was your first day, you insolent lad and you are messing that way. Did you think you will become like us? You are a spoiled brat. Just know my brother wants Rita married to you at any cost and you have to do in future. Else you know what we used to do with you in childhood. You are just a fatherless kid and your mother drunk on money”
Imlie looked at the two boys sitting on the bench and then the third one who was threatening Samarth. He had made his hand round up to a fist in anger but didn’t have the courage to talk back to them.
‘Seniors?’ thought Imlie.
Suddenly Samarth’s eyes stopped at Imlie and found she was looking at him.
“You roach where are you looking? I feel embarrassed to even say that you are our cousin” said the guy.
The three guys looked at Imlie when they turned toward the direction Samarth was looking.
“Hey you quietly move out…This is a family matter” warned one of the guys.
Samarth had tears in his eyes as he was looking at Imlie.
“Okay” she replied with an expressionless face and turned to leave but she turned back again.
“What?” asked one of the guys.
Imlie took out her cell phone and clicked a picture.
“You!” screamed one of the guys.
“Though it’s a family matter, it will be spread as a ragging offense” said Imlie and made a face by sticking her tongue out and ran away. They tried to catch her but she was too fast. She almost vanished.
“I will see that girl later,” said Samarth’s cousin.
‘Imlie why did you do it? You just risked your life now’ thought Samarth in fear.
“Imlie did you come back running?” asked Niti.
“Ah…yeah.”
“Oh! I am going to take a bath”
“Okay see you later”
The reason Imlie didn’t want Samarth in her group was because he was the one who wanted to enter her group, not the other way around. She was choosing only talented people as her friends like Niti because she was fast in running and has good memories. Sohum and Rajendra were computer geniuses but Samarth just came out of nowhere and wanted to blend in. He had calluses in his hands which meant he did some rough work though he was a rich kid. She knew his identity immediately he stepped in the class. The other reason why she didn’t want him in the group was because he was the son of Indira Ahuja, the CEO of Delhi News. And she is almost swindling her with overpriced deals as 'Miss I'. But she just got involved with everything the moment she clicked that picture.
‘If they were really Samarth’s cousins, then why were they threatening him? And if I accept him in my circle… Will he be the weakest chess piece on the board?’ thought Imlie.
In the evening Imlie went to the sitting area in front of the main building. She saw Sohum and Rajendra waiting for her.
“Were you waiting for too long?” asked Imlie.
“Nah, the breeze is quite good in this place. Both of us were enjoying it actually” said Rajendra.
“Cool, then let’s discuss about the request I wanted to make” said imlie.
“Please go ahead,” replied Sohum.
The trio discussed the request of Imlie. Both of them were really eager and happy about her ideas and visions for the thing she requested. Both of them decided to work on it.
Later, after dinner Imlie decided to test out the ‘Mantra’ that was written on the chit sitting on her bed. As Niti came into the room after brushing her teeth Imlie called her.
“Niti”
“Yes”
“Weren’t you from Ahmedabad? Why did you say Kanpur?”
“Aah, that’s because my Mousi(Aunt) lives in Kanpur. I told you that now I live in my Mousi’s place and she is my guardian” replied Niti. She felt relieved because she had already thought about this answer if Imlie asked about it.
“Oh! By the way, bro texted”
“If that Kharoos Khuranna texted, why are you saying it to me?” said Niti as she laid on her bed
“Because, I told you before that we have to give a test in his headquarters.”
“Oh yes, I remember. Wasn’t it this week?”
“They are busy, hence it is postponed to next week”
“Oh…I see. Okay Imlu good night.”
“Good night”
“Wait Imlu…”
“Yes”
“Why did you ask me to threaten the students in Malini ma’am’s class with her authority?”
“Haha… you are curious about it. Because sometimes fear and intimidation gives quicker results and I needed a quick result because Malini ma’am was on the verge of breaking down in front of everyone”
“Oh! I see…Okay good night. First day of College was quite good, right? Especially Sammy felt like a cute puppy”
“Sammy… You seem quite close to him, the way you are mentioning his name”
“Haha…He only said to call him Sammy. But he is such a cute guy, you should let him join our friend circle”
“Niti…”
“Yes”
“Good night! And... not an extra word”
“You are scary Imlu, good night”
“Hmmm”
Niti slept but Imlie took out the chit. Once Niti completely falls asleep she had to chant these lines written on the chit. The book was already mysterious but the mystery near it was darkening more. Who was the person that gave her the chit? Why did he do it? How does he know she had such a mysterious book with her? All the questions were eating up her mind and with so many doubts she decided to chant the 'Mantra'.
Part 02:
“Mom” called Aryan as Arshi came from somewhere.
“Yes Beta” Arshi came and sat on the sofa.
Aryan kept the tablet on the sofa table and said, “Actually, I will be shifting to the apartment”
“Ah… The one I gifted you two years back in your birthday”
“Yes”
“Don’t you want to stay back at home?”
“Actually I want to learn about independent life. Here we have so many servants and also the main duties of the home is taken care by Kaka, I guess living alone in an apartment will give new sort of experiences”
“Hmm, you are right. From what will be cooked for dinner to which curtain suits our preferences, all are taken care of by our favorite man Abhishek. Even I seem like a novice in front of his home management” replied Arshi.
“Thanks but you guys are just over burdening me with your compliments” replied Abhishek who showed the servant to give coffee to the mother son duo.
“No, you definitely deserve all the praise. By the way son, when will you move out?”
“Tomorrow morning”
“So early, you just came today”
“Actually I have to meet someone tomorrow afternoon. Before that I want to move out”
“Oh… Then”
“Then?”
“May I request a dance with my son on my favorite song?” asked Arshi.
“Definitely mom”
Abhishek smiled and said, “Alexa, Majhe majhe tobo by Arindom please and set the volume at 10”
“Here’s Majhe Majhe by Arindom,” replied Alexa.
“Ma’am may I have the golden moment of having a dance with you my Beautiful Lady?” asked Aryan to Arshi.
“It’s my absolute pleasure” replied Arshi and they went to the empty space of the room where it has less decor items.
They chose the dance form in which both of them were extremely good at, that is: ‘Waltz’.
They started with simple movements then picked on with the pace of the rhythm while not letting go of their interaction between them. Abhishek looked at them from afar and smiled.
দিব শ্রীচরণে বিষয়
দিব অকাতরে বিষয়
দিব তোমার লাগি বিষয়
বাসনা বিসর্জন
[For the foot of the lord,
For the virtue of patience,
For you,
I will abandon my desires]
“So this is your favorite version of the Rabindra Sangeet right now?” asked Aryan.
“Yes, isn’t it a beautiful rendition?” asked Arshi.
“Definitely mom, I have been hearing this song from your mouth since childhood. Now even I love this song, I will love any version of this”
Arshi smiled hearing Aryan’s reply.
মাঝে মাঝে তব দেখা পাই
চিরদিন কেন পাই না
কেন মেঘ আসে হৃদয় আকাশে
তোমারে দেখিতে দেয় না
[Sometimes I get to see you.
Why not every day?
Why do these clouds cover my heart’s sky?
And they don’t let me see you]
As the song went on, suddenly Aryan started to see Imlie’s face in place of his mother’s. The lyrics had resonated, he wanted to see her in his every life but hardly had the opportunity to as every time Aryan Singh Rathore bulldozed in their life and torn his happy utopia apart. Will he have the opportunity to dance in this song with her in this life? From childhood everytime he saw how Arshi heard this song, he felt like she used to get in her memories. But it was the same for him too, he used to remember the one he loved and lost every time; Imlie.
মোহমেঘে তোমারে দেখিতে দেয় না
অন্ধ করে রাখে
তোমারে দেখিতে দেয় না
[ The endearing illusion does not let me see you,
Just keeps me blind,
And doesn’t let me see you]
“I hope someday you get an opportunity to dance to this song with the person you love,” said Arshi.
“That’s not possible mom”
“Why?”
“Mom, why does this love sentence sound so wrong from your mouth who has been single for whole life?” Aryan tried to change the subject meticulously.
“Haha, now don’t come after me son. But I hope you really have the opportunity tp enjoy this song with the person you love be it a girl or a boy”
“Open minded haa”
“I am”
মাঝে মাঝে তব দেখা পাই
চিরদিন কেন পাই না
কেন মেঘ আসে হৃদয় আকাশে
তোমারে দেখিতে দেয় না
[Sometimes I get to see you.
Why not every day?
Why do these clouds cover my heart’s sky?
And they don’t let me see you]
Suddenly looking at the scene Abhishek who was looking from the corner imagined himself and Arshi dancing. He had seen her smile with all her heart when she was with Aryan. Her family had never let her smile from the day she was born, she was a gloomy lady of the house. And when she was twenty, all her smiles disappeared only to be revived after a year after meeting Aryan who was a five year old selling flowers in the streets. Would he, a mere butler of this house, have the luck to see her smile for him this way? He had always seen that artificial smile of her but nothing more. This song had been her favorite from the last nineteen years, he doesn’t know why but he really wanted to dance with her in this song one day.
ক্ষণিক আলোকে, আঁখিরও পলকে
তোমায় যবে পাই দেখিতে
ওহে হারাই হারাই, সদা ভয় হয়
হারাইয়া ফেলি চকিতে
[In the momentary light, in the blink of an eye,
When I get to see you,
‘Oh my I will lose, lose you’, I am always afraid,
Will lose you in a flash]
As Abhishek looked at the mother son duo, he somehow felt like a sin to think himself with his master. She looks too far in reality but if he ends up saying about the feelings he kept hiding from his teenage years, he was afraid that he would lose her forever. She always looked like the diamond of the elite class. Couples with class disparity looks good in fiction but in reality the tardiness it brings in daily life to maintain with the same charm isn’t appreciable at all. Even if he had her, where would their relationship lead to? It scares him every time he thinks about it. But if he confesses now, wouldn’t he end up in the misery of not being able to look at her eyes anymore? The fear was indeed something that never let him give a hint to her.
আশ না মিটিতে
হারাইয়া
পলক না পড়িতে
হারাইয়া
হৃদয় না জুড়াতে
হারাইয়া ফেলি চকিতে
[Before the desires get fulfilled,
Lost,
Before blinking,
Lost,
Before the hearts intertwined,
I lost in a flash]
When Aryan said about what Arshi would know about love, she smiled but it broke her heart as she remembered some moments. She remembered lying on the fresh green grass of Gorer Math(field) in Kolkata. A guy in a brown shirt looked at her with smiles as he held the ‘jhaal muri (spicy puffed rice)’paper packet made by the seller, Arshi loves to eat 'jhaal muri'.
She also remembered when she used to visit his house where he had all his paintings stacked up. He would paint and she would look at him without blinking. He used to get uncomfortable to the extent that he had to leave the painting and spend time with her. And a hearty lunch made by his mother which used to be rice served with ‘Pancha Banjan( five different types of side dishes)’ like pulses, different types of vegetables and the main highlight was the different types of fish curries everyday. After lunch the ‘Bhaat Ghoom(the nap after lunch)’ was a must. She used to lie on his lap and used to get the best sleep which now she doesn’t have in her life anymore.
মাঝে মাঝে তব দেখা পাই
চিরদিন কেন পাই না
কেন মেঘ আসে হৃদয় আকাশে
তোমারে দেখিতে দেয় না
[Sometimes I get to see you.
Why not every day?
Why do these clouds cover my heart’s sky?
And they don’t let me see you]
Suddenly she didn’t see her son anymore, in place of him she saw the one who misses everyday for the last nineteen years. The one who is in her heart forever, she saw him dancing with her in his light brown shirt and dark brown pleated pants. He smiled at her and she couldn’t help but smile to be able to see him after ages, even if it is just an illusion. This song was his favorite song and the song he used to sing for her to take her to the world of dreams. Now she has neither dreams nor sleep in her eyes. She just wants to finish this course of life early to go and meet him.
“Mama Nidra Ishtha Devi Siya Charanam Samarpayami( My slumber is sacrificed in the feet of my cherished Goddess Sita)” Imlie chanted this mantra three times and surrendered in the hands of slumber.
The next moment she found herself in a room where she saw a girl crying looking at her tablet. But she couldn’t see her face clearly at all. The girl looked at her cell phone and broke into a pool of tears. She slowly moved out of her room and went to the roof. She was almost like a corpse walking.
The girl slowly stepped forward on the roof, the floor below was concrete. She stood there, holding her breath for a second. She was in her pajamas, she was calculating what to do next. The next moment she jumped, she fell down ending all her grief and shame. She was on the ground, in a pool of blood and the pool drenched her white satin nightdress into the shade of Crimson red…
Imlie stood on the roof holding her breath as she saw this scene taking place. She was shocked to her core as she looked at people being gathered below near the dead body.
The next morning Imlie sat in between Niti and Samarth in class. She was absolutely silent after the dream she saw after chanting the mantra. Why did Goddess Sita make her see such a dream which was heart wrenching? What was the test about? Samarth looked at Imlie, he was confused about what he should say about the incident that took place, his cousin who is a senior at this College bullied him. And that was seen by the person he wanted to be friends with. He thought he had lost all his ticket to friendship with this mysterious gang because the one who was against him saw such a weak moment of his.
Suddenly two new girls entered the class, they looked around as they saw all the benches were full. Suddenly one of the girls recognised Samarth and came near their bench to talk with him.
“Sam…” she called.
“Oh, Sonia. You got selected in this College. And Naina you too. Congratulations” said Samarth.
Imlie looked at them shocked, she had seen Naina before. Though she couldn’t exactly remember where.
“Yeah thanks, both of us got selected. Aren’t we lucky? But now I am confused. What should we do?” exclaimed Sonia.
“Why?” asked Samarth.
“I don’t want to sit on the last bench,” said Sonia, pouting her lips.
Naina was quietly looking at Sonia.
“Excuse me” said Imlie.
Sonia and Naina looked at her.
“If both of you are okay, you can sit here in this second last bench. We will shift to the last one” said Imlie.
“Oh my really? Thank you so so much” said Sonia with a happy face.
Niti and Samarth looked at Imlie surprised.
“Let’s go,” said Imlie to both of them with a smile.
‘Did she tell me to move too with her? Does that mean she accepted me in her group?’ Samarth’s eyes lit up.
The three of them moved to the last bench and let the two girls take the second last bench.
“Is Naina a model?” Imlie asked Samarth.
“Yes,” replied Samarth, surprised at Imlie’s question.
‘ I remember now, there’s no more doubt. She was a famous model who suicided at the peak of her career. She was all over the media when she left the world after recording a video’ thought Imlie.
Songs Used:-
~Racing into the Night( By Yoasobi) [Language: Japanese]
~ Majhe Majhe Tobo Dekha Pain( By Arindom) [Language: Bengali]
Well this completes chapter 02 guys. Hope All of you Enjoyed the songs to.
Yours Mimi(❁´◡`❁)
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