Time is strange.
When you're waiting for something, time moves very slowly.
But when you're trying to forget someone… time moves very fast.
After Harsh and Indu ended their relationship, they didn't talk again.
Days turned into months.
Months turned into years.
And life… kept moving.
Harsh's Life
Harsh finished his college near his hometown. He was never the topper, never the most talented student, but he was hardworking and patient.
While other students were busy showing off their college life on social media, Harsh was busy building his life slowly.
He started helping his grandfather more.
He started preparing for jobs.
He learned new skills.
He failed some interviews.
He got rejected many times.
But he didn't give up.
Because now, he had only two goals in life:
Take care of his family.
Become someone Indu would be proud of… even if she was no longer in his life.
He never told anyone this second reason.
But it was always there in his heart.
Sometimes, late at night, he would open his old email account and read Indu's old emails.
He never messaged her.
But he never forgot her.
He didn't hate her.
He didn't blame her.
He just missed her.
Quietly.
Indu's Life
Indu finished her college with excellent marks. She got a very good job in a big company in Bangalore.
New city.
New job.
New life.
She became independent.
Confident.
Successful.
Everyone around her thought she had a perfect life.
Good job.
Good salary.
Good friends.
A bright future.
Many boys liked her.
Some even proposed her.
But she always said no.
Her friends used to ask, "Why don't you date anyone?"
She would just smile and say, "I'm not interested."
But the truth was different.
She wasn't not interested in love.
She was just still in love with the same person.
One evening, after work, she was cleaning her room when she found an old box.
Inside the box were:
Old photos
Movie tickets
A small paper where Harsh had written: Small house. Two horses. Some cows.
And a photo of them under one umbrella in Darjeeling.
She sat on the floor and looked at the photo for a long time.
Then she whispered,
"I hope you're doing okay, Harsh."
Parallel Lives
In different cities, in different lives, two people were living.
They were not talking.
They were not meeting.
They were not part of each other's daily life anymore.
But still…
When something good happened, they wanted to tell each other.
When something bad happened, they wanted to talk to each other.
When they felt lonely, they thought about each other.
They had become strangers in life…
But not in heart.
The Reunion
Five years later.
Harsh was now working in a company in Siliguri. It was not a very big job, but it was stable. He was helping his family financially, and his grandfather was very proud of him.
One day, his company sent him to Kolkata for a three-day work trip.
Kolkata.
The same city where Indu once called him at 2 AM and said she couldn't live without talking to him.
He hadn't been to Kolkata since those days.
Everything felt familiar… and painful.
On the second day of his trip, after finishing his work, Harsh went for a walk in the evening.
He didn't know where he was going.
He was just walking.
Lost in his thoughts.
Lost in old memories.
And then…
He saw someone standing at a roadside tea stall.
A girl in formal clothes.
Hair tied.
Talking on the phone.
Looking serious.
He looked once… then looked again.
His heart started beating very fast.
It was Indu.
Five years later.
Standing just a few steps away from him.
He didn't know what to do.
Should he go talk to her?
Should he just leave?
What if she has moved on?
What if she doesn't want to see him?
He was still thinking when she turned her head slightly…
And their eyes met.
For a moment, the world became silent.
No traffic sound.
No people.
No city noise.
Just two people looking at each other after five years.
So many memories.
So many fights.
So much love.
So much pain.
All in one look.
Indu slowly ended her call.
Harsh walked toward her slowly.
She walked toward him too.
They stopped in front of each other.
For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.
Then Harsh said softly,
"Hi, Indu."
She looked at him and replied,
"Hi, Harsh."
So many years.
So many things to say.
But all they could say was Hi.
"You look… different," Harsh said.
"So do you," she replied.
"How are you?" he asked.
"I'm good," she said. "How are you?"
"I'm good too," he replied.
But both of them knew…
They were not just "good."
They were standing in front of the person they once thought they would spend their whole life with.
After a few seconds of awkward silence, Indu said,
"Do you have some time?"
Harsh nodded. "Yes."
"Let's have tea," she said.
Just like that…
After five years of silence…
They sat together at a small tea stall in Kolkata.
Like two strangers.
Like two old friends.
Like two people who were once in love…
And maybe still were.