Chapter Text
"Kartik?"
Aman called Kartik as the police waited for him. Someone would have to sign the bail bond and until that time, Aman had to be under police custody.
But none of that bothered Aman. The only thing going on in his mind was that Kartik would never accept him like before: after knowing that he had killed a human being, and also that he never really loved Kartik in the beginning and only acted to do so. He knew that whatever Kartik said was only to provide justice, and he would do that for anyone and not just him.
Kartik was talking to Ajay and Malati Devi. Gaurav and Surbhi were also present there.
"Mujhe samajh nahin aa raha ki main kaise aapka shukriya ada karun Kartik. Mohit...itne dinon se…. aur mera bhai, mere papa…. sabhi…."
Ajay seemed to feel guilty for the acts of his father and younger brother.
"Aapko guilty feel karne ki koi zaroorat nahin hain. Rather you deserve an applause that you or Gaurav didn't turn out to be like Vishwanath ji or Ashwin."
Ajay had a pale smile over his face as he heard Kartik speak.
"Thanks a lot Kartik!"
Ajay expressed his gratitude towards him.
"Mujhe shukriya kehne ki zaroorat nahin hain. Maine toh bass apna kaam kiya. This is my job!"
"Then your job must have a remuneration as well. How much should I pay you for your great deed? Bass batao mujhe!"
Kartik chuckled.
"Mujhe kuch nahin chahiye. I've already received a lot over the past few months of solving this case. Aap log se jaan pehchaan hona kaam baat hain kya?"
"Nahin aise toh nahin chalega. You said this is your job. Ab kaam ke paise bhi toh hote hain na? Please tell us how we should pay you back."
Gaurav said. Kartik thought for a while and then looked up at Ajay again.
"Theek hain. Mujhe pata hain mujhe kya chahiye."
"Kya?"
Everyone looked at Kartik as to what he would ask for.
"Main jaanta hoon, I shouldn't comment on this thing since it's an entirely personal matter of the Tripathi family, par agar mujhe kuch chahiye aap logon se toh woh hain consent."
Everyone was surprised.
"Consent?"
Gaurav asked, surprised.
"Haan. Surbhi aur Murtuza ke shaadi ka consent!"
Surbhi looked up at Kartik in shock.
"Yeh... kya?.... Mazak hain kya? Hindu ghar ke beti ko musalman ghar mein shaadi karwa de? Kya keh kya rahe ho tum?"
Malati Devi protested.
Kartik smiled.
"Malati ji, pyaar toh pyaar hota hain…."
"Dekho beta, tumne bada bhala kaam kiya hain, iska yeh matlab nahin ki kuch bhi maang loge. Aur yeh filmy baatein mat sunao mujhe ki pyaar pyaar hota hain…"
"Main aapko filmy baatein nahin suna raha. Theek hain, agar aapko shastron ki hi baat sunni hain, toh woh bhi keh deta hoon. Hindu shastr kehte hain ki shaadi ka importance yahin hain ki woh do bichhre aatmaon ko saath baandhta hain. Ab aatma janm ke samay, religion, caste, race, gender, ameer ya gareeb, yeh sab dekh kar kisi deh (body) ko nahin chunta; yeh dekhkar chunta hain ki apne jeevan ke saare kaam karne ke liye kaunsa deh sahi rahega. Har kisi ke zindagi mein apna apna karm hain, jiske liye woh janm leta hain. Pyaar un sabhi karmon se bhi upar hain. Isi liye kehte hain ki pyaar pyaar hota hain. Kyunki insaano ki tarah pyaar criteria nahin dhoondhta, bass ek sachche dil ko dhoondhta hain…."
Ajay nodded in agreement while Surbhi's eyes were filled with tears. A lady officer approached Malati Devi.
"Chaliye madam!"
The officer held Malati Devi's hand and asked her.
"Main kahan jaungi?"
"Aapko bhi toh police ke saath jaana padega. Aapne Shankar ji ke baare mein sab kuch jaante huye bhi kisi se kuch nahin kaha. That is equally offensive and a crime under the eye of law."
Kartik said.
"Mujhe jab pata chala, uske theek ek hafte baad, woh (Vishwanath Tripathi) chal base. Maine unse jitna kam ho sake utna baat kiya. Mera vishwas karo, maine kabhi bhi unke is decision ko support nahin kiya."
Kartik was about to say that it had to be proved in court that she was not guilty, but Malati Devi continued.
"Mera apna koi bhai nahin tha maike mein. Shankar yahan mere bhai jaisa hi tha. Humesha bhabhi yeh bhabhi woh karta rehta tha. Jab woh gayab ho gaya, sabse zyada dukh mujhe hua is parivar mein. Mujhe aisa laga jaise...jaise maine apne bhai ko kho diya. Phir jab mujhe pata chala ki mere hi pati ne, apne hi bhai ka murder kiya hain…. mujhse unka chehra tak dekha nahin gaya. Har waqt ghrin aati thi unpe. Par….main kya karti? Is ghar ko chhod ke agar jaaun bhi toh kahan jaaun? Kidhar rahun? Aajkal ke bachchon ki tarah, main toh naukri nahin karti na. Isi liye dekhna pada. Par mera vishwas karo, maine unko kabhi support nahin kiya."
Malati Devi wiped the corner of her eyes with the loose end of her saree as she recalled memories of Shankar Tripathi. Kartik sighed.
"Yeh court mein pramanit hone tak ka procedure police ko pata hain. Main unse baat kar sakta hoon taki aapko ghar mein rehne de. Lekin abhi aapko inke saath hi jana hoga."
Malati Devi didn't speak anything else. She quietly walked away with the lady officer.
"Surbhi, Murtuza aur uske gharwaalon se hum milna chahenge. Aur, kal se tum college ja sako, I'll look into that!"
Ajay told Surbhi, who had been controlling her tears for so long. Finally, she let them out and hugged her brother. Ajay laughed and caressed his sister's head gently.
"Kartik…"
Aman called from behind as Kartik watched the two siblings in each other's arms. Hearing Aman's call, Kartik walked up to him.
"Haan bolo?"
Kartik's usual soft tone surprised Aman a bit. Why was he still being nice to him?
"I…. I'm….I….."
Aman stuttered.
"Kya baat hain? Bolo?"
Kartik gently touched Aman's shoulder and asked.
"I'm... I'm sorry Kartik!"
"Sorry? Sorry kis liye?"
This surprised Aman fully. He had every reason and circumstance to be more than just a simple 'sorry' to Kartik.
"Mohit bhaiya ne kaha tha… mujhe kabhi kisika pyaar nahin milega. Bohot chhoti umar se wahi sunta aa raha hoon main aur….aur ek time ke baad, mujhe isi baat pe vishwas ho gaya tha….jab, tujhe bataya tha na us ek ladke ke baare mein? Woh...tabhi…. Phir jab…. Tauji ke maut ke baad….bhaiya ne kaha ki….kaha ki…."
"Kaha ki?"
Devika, who was standing behind Aman, asked him in a raised voice. She was furious that Aman dared to pretend that he loved Kartik for so long. Aman fearfully looked at her once and then continued.
"Kaha ki….mujhe Kartik se…. pyaar ka natak karna hoga….taki main bach sakun….par sach keh raha hoon Kartik, kab mujhe sach mein tumse pyaar ho gaya…. yeh mujhe pata hi nahin chala…. Maine shayad sirf ek natak ke liye shuru kiya tha….par…. I really love you! You made me realise that…. I'm worthy of love. Mujhe maaf kar do… Maine….mujhse bohot badi galti ho gayi hain... I didn't want you to get hurt….."
Aman didn't dare to look at Kartik's eyes all the while when he spoke. All he felt was deep guilt in him, now that Kartik and everyone knew everything. But what hurt him the most was Kartik's silence.
"Kitna royega pagal?"
Aman had started to cry when Kartik held him by both his shoulders and shook him.
"Jaanta hoon main. Kya soch raha hain tu? Mujhe nahin pata? Jisdin maine tujhe apne bachpan ki kahani sunayi, usdin pehli baar I saw concern in your eyes for me. I knew that was the day from when you no longer felt like cheating on me ...."
Aman was surprised. He looked up with his red eyes.
"Jaanta hoon tu kya soch raha hain. Main tujhse bohot pyaar karta hoon Aman. Aur yeh pyaar kabhi badlega nahin. Jaanta hain kyun? Kyunki tu insaan bura nahin hain, tere situations bure hain. You're a good person at heart and I know that for sure, cause I've loved this heart for so long. And a soul which resides in such a heart is definitely a pure one. I still love you and I always will. Main jaanta hoon tere situations sahi nahin the aur tune jo bhi kiya, situations ka shikar bankar kiya. But that doesn't change the kind human you are. And what more than a kind human do I need for loving, in this mortal life?"
Aman broke down to tears hearing him as Kartik hugged him close to his chest. He smiled and gently brushed his hand through Aman's hair.
"Chup chup! Dekh, ab toh sab theek ho gaya hain na? Main yahin hoon tere saath. Kabhi tujhe akela nahin chhodunga main. Vaada raha!"
Kartik said in a comforting tone to console Aman, but he just wouldn't stop crying. He kept on shedding tears even more with every touch of Kartik that he felt on his head.
"Sir, we need to leave!"
A police official interrupted as he had to take Aman with him until the bail procedure was complete.
Aman stopped crying and pulled back from Kartik's chest. Kartik looked at him, gently held his cheeks, and made him look into his eyes.
"Main kuch hi der mein aata hoon, hmmm? Tere bail papers ready hain, maine pehle hi Srikant Chaddha ji se baat kar li thi. Woh unhe banake aate hi honge. Don't worry. I'll be with you always, okay?"
Kartik smiled which gave Aman some strength. He gently nodded and then went with the police to their van.
"Ab kahan? Srikant ji ke paas?"
Devika asked.
"Ji haan. Aapki aagya hogi, toh aapka gaari leke jaaun main?"
Kartik sighed and then asked.
"Ji lekar kyun? Aap chaliye! Hum leke jaate hain aapko. Aaiye sahab!"
Ravi bent forward a little to show respect to Kartik, who laughed and playfully slapped Ravi's back as the three walked out of the house.
The court granted bail to Aman under IPC (Indian Penal Code) Section 300, which does not give or gives lenient punishment to murder committed under coercion, in order to save one's own life. Mohit and Navya were sentenced to lifetime imprisonment under the charges of planning three murders, executing two, threatening to kill Aman if he did not murder Vishwanath Tripathi, and removal of evidence.
Aman had to pay an amount of 50,000 rupees as a lenient punishment. Kartik paid that amount for him and brought Aman to his apartment.
"Ab se tu yahin rahega. Teri ek na sun raha hoon main. Samjha?"
Kartik firmly told Aman the day he brought him to his apartment. Aman widened his eyes, twisted his lips, and nodded as Kartik carried his luggage to his room.
"Kartik! Ab tere kamre se single bed hatwake double bed lagwane ka time aa gaya hain! Aj hi order kar doon?"
Devika, who watched them from behind, couldn't help but tease the two lovebirds.
"Mere kamre mein double bed hi hain...."
Kartik responded and almost immediately realised that he had walked straight into Devika's trap, that too right in front of Aman! Devika and Ravi broke out into laughter as Kartik popped his head out from the door of his bedroom with his eyes widened and Aman turned red in embarrassment.
But one problem showed up as things slowly started to get back to normal. Aman would have frequent nightmares and sleep paralysis deep in the night and often slept for just two or three hours a day. Sometimes he clearly saw Navya threatening to kill him with a knife in her hand, while sometimes he felt his body become heavy and a dark man would try to climb over him. Aman wanted to move away or scream for help but he couldn't do any as his body would become immensely heavy and his speech would be somewhat impaired. It was only when he woke up breathless and sweating profusely that he realised it was a kind of dream.
Most of the nights he would stay awake: sometimes Kartik would wake up too and Aman would place his head on Kartik's lap and lie down wide eyed for the rest of the night, whereas sometimes Kartik would be too tired to wake up to anything, so Aman didn't bother him either.
One day, Kartik called Aman at around four in the evening, when Aman was busy filing some important documents at the office.
"Hello? Aman?"
Kartik sounded like he was in a hurry.
"Haan bol. Kya baat hain? Why are you sounding like that?"
"Yeh sab baaton ke liye time nahin hain. I'll reach your office in about fifteen minutes. Tu jaldi se neeche aa ja."
"Arrey par kaam hain mujhe. Kyun? Kya karega tu?"
"Jaana hain kahi. Kaam baad mein karna. Jaldi neeche aajana. Okay bye!"
"Hello? Hello Kartik? Hello!?"
Kartik had hung up the phone before any further conversations. Aman sat at his table wondering where Kartik would take him. Kartik definitely was those sudden date planner types, but he didn't sound like it was a date. Because if it was, Kartik would wait for him outside his office after the office hours were over and wouldn't ask him to rush down to his office at such a short notice.
Fifteen minutes later, Aman waited below his office for Kartik.
"Aa gaya tu? Bohot der se wait kar raha hain kya?"
Kartik, who was panting for breath, asked him.
"Nahin theek hain. Par pehle yeh bata ki hum itni jaldi mein kahan ja rahe hain?"
"Batana kya hain? Seedha leke chalta hoon na? Chal chal!"
Kartik kind of dragged Aman to the road, booked a cab, and thirty minutes later they reached a white coloured building where Kartik asked the cab to stop.
"Yeh kahan…."
"...aa gaye hum…"
Before Aman could finish his question, Kartik started to sing the song which starts with the same lines.
Aman sighed and followed Kartik up the stairs to the second floor.
"Ab batayega?"
Aman asked as Kartik enquired about something at the reception. Kartik pointed towards a board in response to Aman's question.
"Mental Wealth Centre!?"
Aman's words came out both as a statement and as a question as he read the board.
"Come here. Paanch baje ki appointment hain."
Kartik pulled Aman by his hand and they sat on two nearby chairs.
"Yeh sab kya ho raha hain Kartik? Why are we here?"
Aman asked in a low voice respecting the decorum of the area.
"Two hours of sleep, day after day isn't something very healthy for any human being, leave aside someone who's been through the severe trauma as you."
"Haan par that is because of my nightmares na? Why do I need to see a therapist for that? I'm trying several home made techniques like lighting incense sticks and they're working…"
"Definitely they are, isi liye kal bhi poori raat tu jaag raha tha."
Aman silenced. He thought Kartik was fast asleep last night.
"Nightmares are also a state of the brain Aman. Jab humare zindagi mein koi aisi ghatna ghat ti hain jo ki bhulana kind of impossible ho, tab our brain remains in a state of shock, whether we realise it or not. That is called trauma. Ab brain ko is bojh se outlet toh chahiye na? Isi liye bure sapne bankar yeh vent out karta hain. Therapist isi bojh ko halka karne mein teri help karega; taki tere brain ko vent out karne ke liye sapno ki zaroorat na pade. Samjha?"
Aman nodded. Indeed it has been almost four months now that he has been sleeping for two to three hours each day.
"Aman Tripathi?"
The receptionist called out for Aman as the doctor had asked him to go into her chamber.
"Tu nahin aayega saath mein? Mujhe akele darr lag raha hain."
Kartik was about to say no, but then thought for a while before agreeing to accompany him inside.
Aman's therapy went on well for ten sittings. The frequency of his nightmares reduced and his sleep hours increased gradually. Aman no longer saw that black man in his dreams at night who would impair his speech and try getting over his body.
One night, Kartik and Aman were talking casually about meeting each other for the first time and how they genuinely fell in love and literally made out at a public spot, though with no public around at night, on the top of the hill. Kartik only picked up this topic when he was sure that it wouldn't trigger Aman.
"Jasoos hone ke liye logon ki mann ki baat jaan na bohot zaroori hota hain. That's something a detective needs to be born with or needs to acquire with a lot of practice."
Kartik said while speaking about something.
“Achha detective ji, aap sabki mann ki baat samajhte ho?"
Aman asked, and Kartik missed the playful smirk over his lips.
"Ji ji bilkul. Agar nahin hota toh jasoos kaise ban pata?"
"Achha? Toh phir yeh batao, mere mann mein abhi kya chal raha hain?”
"Tere mann mein kya…."
Kartik realised the tone of the question as he looked up at Aman's face. Aman lifted his eyebrows to ask again. Swiftly, Kartik lifted his head and placed a small peck over Aman's lips.
“When I say all, it means ki sab se pehle tu hain us 'all' mein! Phir baki ka duniya!"
“Haan aur hum log toh hain hi nahin na plot mein?! Kyun Kartik?”
Devika interjected and Ravi looked from behind her.
Aman tried to laugh it away but his cheeks turned red.
“Devi! Breach of privacy!”
Kartik sat up, narrowed his eyes and said.
“Chal nikal! Breach of privacy! Bada aaya lawyer! Kya profession shift kar liya kya? Jasoos se vakil ban gaya?"
All of them laughed together as Devika said so.
Life in general is like a balance sheet. For those who don't know what a balance sheet is, it is like a table which measures the assets and liabilities of a business. Only when both the liabilities and the assets are equal, the balance sheet matches in its records.
Same is the case with life. Never will it give anyone endless sadness or endless happiness. If you feel like you're going through an indefinite period of sadness and gruesome events, know that you were or will be blessed with an equal amount of happiness in life too. Nothing ever is constant in life; everything is momentary, be it money, be it relationships, be it situations, like in the case of Aman. Everything eventually gets better with time and thus time is called the best healer. What remains with us even after death is pure and true love. Because love is connected with the soul, and the soul is immortal. It never dies.
Thus, make sure that even if you cannot love someone for who they are in this life, try not to hate them or spread hatred. Because if hate does not exist, love will eventually find a path to seep in. And the ones who are lucky enough to find their loved one, cherish this immortal feeling as it is the only thing that we carry with us to our afterlife and next birth! You never know what situations you face again in that life, but having someone to love and someone who could love you back, gives you the strength to face all odds and circumstances just to unite with your loved one again!