**■ Hospital – Morning**
Soft light drifted across the small vase of flowers on the table by the hospital window. The roses inside trembled faintly in the breeze.
Arundhati Debbarman lay propped against the pillow, eyes shadowed with faint circles beneath them, but today her voice carried a little more strength.
Anirban Sir sat quietly by the window.
School hadn't started yet, so he had stayed behind to look after Arundhati Devi. Besides, Anurag Sir had been reluctant to leave his mother alone, so Anirban had promised to stay with her.
After a small, gentle silence, Arundhati suddenly smiled and said—
"You're taking very good care of my son."
Anirban Sir lowered his head slightly, a touch embarrassed.
"Actually… Anurag is my closest friend… more like a brother. I would do anything for him."
Arundhati gave a faint, wistful smile.
"My boy is like that… even when he's hurting, he never opens his heart to anyone. He just endures everything in silence…
If you weren't by his side, I don't know what he would have done."
Anirban Sir felt quietly pleased at the praise.
After a brief pause, Arundhati suddenly lifted her eyes directly to his and asked—
"Tell me, Anirban… is there any girl in my son's life?"
Anirban thought to himself: *You don't know that your son has gone completely mad for one particular girl.*
He cleared his throat, pressing his lips together for a moment.
"Um… actually…"
Arundhati looked at him with quiet, expectant eyes.
"Tell me."
Anirban could no longer hide it.
With a small smile and a scratch of his head, he said—
"Actually… there is a girl he loves very… very deeply. It's not some passing affection. It's profound."
A spark of curiosity lit Arundhati's eyes.
"Really? Who is she? What does she do?"
Anirban hesitated slightly before replying—
"Actually… she's one of his students at school. Her name is Sneha.
Anurag teaches her Chemistry class. She's very intelligent, but more than that—she's extremely sensitive, very gentle and quiet by nature.
Somehow, Anurag's heart has been drawn to her naturally. He has a deep love for Sneha.
But he has never crossed any boundaries… he has kept that love locked inside himself."
Arundhati's eyes widened in surprise.
"A student? From school? That must be why he never said anything…"
"Yes, Ma'am. He's afraid. There's a constant conflict inside him… love on one side, duty and responsibility on the other. All he wants is Sneha's well-being.
He only wants to stay by her side… to protect her…"
Arundhati slowly closed her eyes. *I knew my son was a good man. He knows how to respect women.*
In her heart, she thought: *But he should also think of his own happiness. No matter what, I want to see my son happy again.
I want to bring every joy in the world into his life.*
Then she opened her eyes again and said—
"I want to meet Sneha once.
I want to see who this girl is—the one who has left such a deep mark on my broken-hearted son.
If my Anurag has fallen in love with someone, then that girl must be extraordinary. I want to meet her."
Anirban Sir was slightly startled.
"You really want to meet her?"
Arundhati Devi:
"Yes. I am Anurag's mother—no one in this world has more right over my son than I do. I also have the right to know that part of his life he hides from everyone. And this is clearly a very big thing in his life."
A faint, quiet smile appeared on Anirban's face.
Looking at Anurag's mother, he suddenly felt:
*If Arundhati Devi stands beside this relationship, then surely it will have a beautiful future.*
Just then, Arundhati Devi asked him another question—
"By the way, son… is there no one in your life?"
Anirban Sir sank into deep thought.
---
**About six months earlier**
Anirban Sir was sitting in his room at school, busy with his work.
Suddenly…
A few of Basundhara's classmates appeared.
> "Sir, we want to tell you something… please don't get angry with us… you're making a mistake…"
> "Sir, we're saying this for your own good…"
> "Basundhara has done this before… she's had relationships with multiple boys, staged suicide attempts…"
> "Basundhara has done this before. She pretends to be in deep pain to beg for boys' love, makes new boyfriends all the time just for fun…"
> "She just plays with men for her own amusement… Please, Sir, you're such a good person—you should know this… you should do something."
At first, Anirban Sir was shocked. But strangely… he wasn't surprised.
In truth, he had already realized long ago that Basundhara was a girl of loose character.
She had forced her way into his personal life…
When, in a very short time, she had normalized physical intimacy—Anirban had become fully aware of her true nature.
On top of that, he had seen her flirting openly with other men right in front of him.
Yet despite everything, Anirban had wanted to believe that this love was real.
He had wanted to find someone of his own…
A companion for his loneliness.
But after today, there was no room left for doubt.
He said to himself inwardly, "I knew. I knew… I just couldn't admit it."
Images of Basundhara's behavior flashed before his eyes like pictures—
her excessive dramatics, her constant attempts to prove the depth of their relationship through her body,
her relentless game of trying to break through his loneliness…
Anirban Sir took a deep breath.
Closing his eyes, he lowered the hand resting on his forehead and said to himself—
"This relationship must end. I will not be able to bear seeing my woman in another man's arms."
He knew there was no wound greater than broken trust.
But in reality, he had never truly trusted Basundhara. So while it hurt, the pain was not overwhelming.
Now there was only one task ahead—removing himself from this relationship.
---
A short while later…
Basundhara arrived, still in her school uniform, smiling brightly.
"Hey Sir, were you missing me?" she said with a laugh.
Anirban looked at her silently. Today there was no warmth left in his eyes—only gravity.
"Basundhara, we need to talk. Seriously. Sit down."
The girl looked surprised at first. Then she sat.
"Did you ever truly want a relationship of love with me, or was this just another game for you?"
Basundhara laughed lightly. "Oh Sir, why so serious? You know I love you—in my own way."
"'In your own way'—what does that mean, Basundhara?" His voice grew sharper. "Even while being with me, you kept contact with other boys. Was I just a test for you? To see how well this teacher performs in bed?"
The girl fell silent. Then, with a twist of her lips, she said, "Did those witches say something?"
Anirban Sir:
"It doesn't matter what they said. I'm old enough to understand things myself—your character, your nature."
Basundhara said nothing. She looked away.
Anirban spoke calmly:
"This relationship cannot go any further. I am a teacher, you are a student. We have already crossed the boundaries of what is acceptable—now it's time to correct ourselves. I don't wish you any harm, but I can no longer keep a girl like you as my girlfriend."
Basundhara looked at him in disbelief. "You're leaving me…"
"You were never truly mine, Basundhara. You were only playing a game—you loved only yourself, never anyone else."
After a pause, Anirban Sir stood up.
"I pray you'll be well. Take your life seriously. Not everything in life is a toy. Now go."
---
Anirban Sir remembered that Basundhara had not accepted it easily at first, but eventually she stopped pursuing him.
She knew that if her parents found out, she too would be in serious trouble.
After Basundhara left his life, Anirban Sir felt some sadness—but he also felt it was the right thing.
Perhaps he would return to loneliness, but he was used to it.
Loneliness was far better than a characterless lover.
To be continued...