His eyes are shut tightly, and he’s gripping her hair firmly, trying desperately to pleasure him with her mouth. She's been at it for a while now, yet it seems she’s unable to bring him any satisfaction. Despite her continuous efforts, her failure is evident, and it’s frustrating him immensely. However, even in this moment of growing irritation, he refuses to let her go. His hands clutch her hair more forcefully, and he begins to guide her head up and down, faster and with more control, trying to make something happen because of desperation for pleasure, but nothing changes. It's as though his body remains unresponsive.

Then, all of a sudden, a face flashes before his eyes, an image that invades his mind like lightning, and the moment that familiar face appears in his imagination, he is overwhelmed by an intense, almost foreign pleasure, something that he feels for the first time. The rush is so powerful that he releases instantly, caught off guard by the sheer force of it.

The woman coughs violently, struggling to catch her breath. As soon as he realizes, he lets go of her abruptly. Breathing heavily, he pulls out a cigarette, lights it instantly, and looks at her through the smoke curling in front of his face. She is still coughing, clearly distressed. After a few moments, she composes herself, wipes her lips, and straightens her hair, and then she looks at him, confused and a little shaken. In a hesitant yet curious voice, she speaks up.

“Sir, this has never happened to me before. Not even once in all these years have I failed to satisfy a client. But something strange just happened… Would you mind telling me what it was?”

His burning gaze lifts from the flickering flame of his lighter and settles on her face. The intensity of that single glance makes her tremble visibly. Without wasting a moment, he grabs her neck and pulls her face close to his. His voice is cold and merciless as he says.

“I need a mouth that knows how to give me pleasure,” (he growls, rubbing his thumb roughly against her lips) “and you're exceptionally good at it. You charge enough for it, too. So stick to what you're paid for. Do your job and keep that mouth shut beyond that.”

He throws money at her face. The money flutters down onto the floor and lands around her feet. She immediately gathers the money without making eye contact and begins to leave. As usual, a few other women are waiting outside the room, hoping to peek in. They look at her with curiosity and a hint of mockery. One of them smirks and teases her.

“What’s the matter? It seems like he was mad at you today. I’ve heard you’ve failed to satisfy him a couple of times lately. Why don’t you let me have a shot? Let’s see how long it takes to replace you.”

The woman lets out a faint, weary smile. She pauses at the doorway, turns to the other woman, and speaks in a low, knowing voice.

“Be my guest, I don’t care anymore. But let me tell you something that might help you. That man doesn’t come here just to fulfill his physical needs…. Not once has he ever touched my body… He only needs my mouth because that's the only way he manages to keep his storm of heat under control… That’s all he needs… He rarely comes here, but in 2 days he has been here 5 times. If you're smart enough, you’ll understand what I’m trying to say.”

Without another word, she walks away, leaving the women exchanging glances among themselves. They try to peek inside again, hoping to catch a glimpse of the mysterious man. But none of them can see his face. He sits alone, turned away from them, his back toward the door, as the smoke from his cigarette slowly fills the dimly lit room. His phone starts ringing. Without a moment’s delay, he picks up the call and speaks coldly into the receiver.

“If you have information, share that only. Anything beyond that, and you won’t live to see the light of day tomorrow.”

“Sir… I’m sorry. I know this is my failure,” the voice on the other end trembles. “But think about it: you saw a girl on the street, and she disappeared into the crowd. I have no photograph of her, no solid information to work with. How do I find someone I can’t even identify? Still, I’ve been scanning the CCTV footage from the nearby areas. I’ve already shown you dozens of pictures, but she’s not in any of them. I honestly don’t know how else to search for her. Please forgive me for this lapse, sir. I can’t offer anything else right now, but I promise I will do everything I can to find her as soon as possible.”

There’s a heavy silence. For a few moments, no words are exchanged; only an oppressive stillness fills the space. His eyes remain fixed ahead as he finally speaks to his assistant, who had been waiting nearby.

“Was the call regarding something important?”

“Yes, sir,” the assistant replies, adjusting his tone carefully. “There’s a small welcome event scheduled tomorrow for the new students at the college. Recently, you have been personally attending every function, so I wanted to confirm whether you will be attending this one as well. So I don't schedule any important meetings at that time.”

“Of course… I’ve told you before, and I’ll say it again: I want to be informed about every single activity happening at the college. I want to oversee everything myself. Five years ago, my mother used to handle all of this personally. But now that she can’t… I can’t allow the day she wakes up from her coma to be the day she realizes that no one cared for the institution she loved more than her own life.”

“Understood, sir…”

He exhales deeply, the breath heavy with unspoken emotions. Then, standing up without another word, he straightens his clothes sharply. With a sudden, deliberate movement, he crushes the cigarette beneath his foot. He doesn't look back.

He walks out with firm, unhurried steps and heads straight for his car. Reaching the vehicle, he pauses for a second, his eyes scanning the area around him with practiced precision. Then he slips into the driver’s seat, slams the door shut, and starts the engine with force.

It’s the middle of the night. The roads are mostly empty, silence dominating the city like a haunting echo. He drives with speed and precision, seemingly unnerved by the silence itself. A few minutes later, he halts the car abruptly at a quiet, desolate spot. His eyes fixate ahead. Something draws his attention, maybe a thought, or a memory. But his face remains unreadable. He sits in silence, letting the night close in around him like a whisper he cannot shake.

PAST EVENT

He’s driving fast, his car slicing through the night with precision. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a tiny kitten darts across the road right in front of his car. A long line of vehicles follows behind him, and he slams on the brakes instinctively, but for some reason, the brakes don’t seem to respond in time.

Just as the worst seems inevitable, like a bolt of lightning, someone leaps out of nowhere, grabs the kitten, and jumps safely to the other side of the road. The brakes screech, and all the cars behind him come to a halt in a chaotic rush. His body jerks violently, and his forehead slams against the steering wheel. Clutching his head in pain, he tries to look ahead through blurry eyes, desperate to see whether the kitten or the person who saved it is hurt. That’s when he sees her.

She's a young girl, cradling the kitten protectively against her chest as she takes deep, shaken breaths. His gaze locks onto her, eyes narrowing slightly as he takes in her appearance. There’s a visible trace of fear on her face, not just from the near-death experience but also from the growing crowd gathering around her. The kitten, tiny and trembling, remains nestled against her chest, seeking warmth and comfort. He watches her completely transfixed.

There’s something about the way she’s holding the fragile creature, something in the way her eyes flicker nervously across the crowd. He can't understand it, but it's like the world has faded around him, and all he can see... is her.

The people around her are asking questions and making remarks. She nods faintly, trying to respond politely, all while keeping her focus on the kitten. She checks the little one carefully, inspecting it for any injury. When she realizes it’s unharmed, she smiles, a small, relieved, beautiful smile. And the moment she smiles, a soft smile unconsciously forms on his lips too. His eyes refuse to look away. Why can't he shift his gaze, but it’s as if there’s no one else in existence. Just her.

Slowly, the crowd begins to disperse. The girl gently places the kitten down on the side of the road, making sure it's safe and out of harm’s way. The kitten quickly runs away. Then, without looking back, she turns and begins to walk away, quickly disappearing into the thinning night. He watches her walk, his eyes still fixed, unwilling to blink or miss even a moment. Then, suddenly, loud honks erupt behind him, snapping him out of the trance. Startled, he glances back, then pivots forward once more, only to find her gone. She’s nowhere to be seen.

Panic surges in him. Without wasting a second, he pushes the car forward and pulls over to the side of the road. He gets out quickly, his eyes scanning the surroundings frantically. He starts walking around, searching every direction, trying to find even the slightest glimpse of her. But she’s nowhere. Not a trace.

A strange frustration begins to boil inside him. Something inexplicable. He searches more carefully now, scanning every corner, every face, hoping, just hoping to see her again. But she has vanished into the night.

PAST EVENT ENDS

“I WILL DEFINITELY FIND YOU…”

~~~~

He quickly gets ready and rushes out of his room. Without wasting a moment, he pushes open the door of the adjacent room and enters. The moment he sees her, he walks straight to the bed, bends down, and embraces his mother gently and lovingly.

“Good morning… to the most beautiful lady in the world.”

He smiles warmly, gazing at her face. But there’s no response. She lies there, her eyes half-open, staring blankly ahead. Still, he places a soft kiss on her forehead with affection. Just then, he feels a familiar hand rest on his shoulder. Smiling, he rises and immediately embraces his father.

“Good morning, Dad…”

His father, Alok Randhawa, wraps his arms around his son and pats his back proudly.

“Good morning, my pride, my son TAKSH. You don’t need to worry too much. She’s always like this… quiet. But you know how much she loves us. That love hasn’t gone anywhere. We’ve waited for five years … we could wait our whole lives if needed. Because we believe, one day, she will wake up. And she’ll come back to us.”

Taksh smiles at his father’s words. A quick glance at his watch reminds him of his next commitment.

“Dad, I should get going now. I have to deliver the welcome speech for the new students today.”

“Go, go…” Alok nods, encouraging him.

Taksh rushes out. Alok turns to his wife, Swara, still lying motionless on the bed. He gently leans forward, kisses her cheek, and lovingly cups her face in his hands.

“How long will you keep watching us with these half-open eyes? It’s been five years. We’re all still waiting. You used to say I never spent time with you, right? Well, I haven’t left your side for five whole years. And now I just want to spend time with you, but you refuse to wake up.”

He takes a deep breath and softly continues.

“Today, new students are arriving at your college again… like every year. You always loved this time of year, didn’t you? The start of a new session, new dreams, new faces. There's a huge article in the newspaper about the college today. Let me read it to you.”

He picks up the newspaper, carefully unfolds it, and pulls out the article. Smiling, he looks at Swara again and begins reading aloud with a warm, enthusiastic tone.

“Just like every year, Randhawa College is filled to capacity once again. While some students couldn’t make it, many have seen their dreams come true. Today, the college will welcome its newest batch of students, and the event will be led by none other than Taksh Randhawa, the son of the college’s founder, Swara Randhawa.”

Alok lets out a soft chuckle and turns to look at her with glistening eyes.

“One thing is for certain: when you wake up, you won’t find anything out of place. The way you once nurtured the college with so much love, your son now nurtures it with even more care. Taksh gives attention to every single student, just like you used to.”

He smiles and keeps talking to her, telling her stories, updates, and everyday little things, because he knows no one else is going to talk to her. Only he can… And even though she never responds, he pours his heart out every day, hoping that maybe, just maybe she’s listening.

~~~~

Taksh quickly makes his way towards the college parking lot, and just as he steps outside, he notices the gardener dancing while watering the trees. This sight brings a faint smile to his face. He knows very well that these trees were like lifelines to his mother, and that is exactly why this particular gardener pays extra attention to them. The gardener is also extremely fond of listening to music, which is why he’s often seen indulging in such amusing behavior.

Without wasting any time, Taksh walks straight up to him and lightly taps his finger on the gardener’s shoulder. Startled by the sudden touch, the gardener turns around abruptly, causing the pipe in his hand to swing in Taksh’s direction, and Taksh ends up getting completely soaked.

“Kaka…”

In a flustered attempt to fix the situation, the gardener hurriedly diverts the pipe towards his own face, making himself equally drenched in the process. Taksh bursts into laughter at the sight, grabs the pipe from his hand, lowers it to the ground, and removes the earphones from the gardener’s ears. Leaning closer, he speaks sternly yet playfully:

“What are you doing, Kaka? Please stop this right now. I need to change clothes quickly; the function is about to start in a little while, and I have to give a speech there. Thanks to you, my clothes are now wet…. I'll wear my gym clothes for now, but please arrange to have these dried promptly. Seriously, make it quick.”

Taksh rushes off without waiting for a response, and Kaka hurries after him, leaving the water pipe running in the background. Taksh quickly hands over all his wet clothes to the gardener so they can be dried as soon as possible, because he knows he doesn't have the luxury of time to go fetch another set. He understands that if the gardener successfully dries and irons the clothes, they will regain their original quality.

While Kaka gets to work, Taksh steps outside again. To his surprise, the water pipe is still running, its soft hiss echoing in the quiet atmosphere. Walking toward it, he picks it up and smiles faintly, amused by the chaos of the last few minutes. Just as he’s about to shut it off, someone suddenly pushes him hard from behind. He loses his balance, tumbles to the ground, and someone else lands squarely on top of him.

“What the fuck…”

To his utter disbelief, it’s a girl who has fallen right on top of him. The immediate physical contact, her entire body pressing against his, infuriates Taksh. His anger flares up instantly. Without wasting another second, he pushes her off him with a sudden, forceful movement, causing her to fall onto the muddy ground nearby.

He sits up quickly, his breath heaving, and glares at her furiously. Meanwhile, the girl sits there, covered in the damp, sticky mud, staring down at herself in stunned silence. Her lower lip trembles as she looks back at him with teary eyes and a remorseful expression.

“I’m sorry…” she mumbles, her voice barely audible.

"You..."

He growls, his tone laced with disbelief and surprise, unable to believe his eyes.