The very next day Omkaar hid Jeevan in his wardrobe. Jeevan thought it was a little dumb place but due to some reason Omkaar was sure it was the best place for him to hide. Perhaps because he knew their visitor well.
Jeevan herd a carriage coming and then the door opened and then he herd their conversation.
"Hello, you came on such a short notice." Was Omkaar.
"Atleast I notified you." Said a female's sweet voice
A female! I was so sure that it must be a scary sorta looking guy. I think I have started thinking everythiny like a movie ever since I became Alexander Nicator. Thought Jeevan. He started peeping out of curiosity. He saw a young beautiful girl with nice long hair and pretty eyes standing beside Omkaar. She smiled at him and then stroke his head with affection. While Omkaar just stood their looking at her with a smile on his face.
"So how have you been, Om?"
"Fine."
Om! She is calling him by a nickname so that means they must be close. Thought Jeevan trying to find every single clue and put them into the jig saw puzzle. He was certainly acting as a nice detective.
"So how do you feel here?"
"Fine."
A woman, who is close to him. Ahhhh... now that I think of it, he did mention a sister of his, didn't he? Maybe she is the one. Why would he hide me from his sister? Could it be that their relation isn't good. Maybe his sister is the evil one here. But when he mentioned her it did not seem that way. So perhaps he is just taking some precautions. Yeah, that has to be it. Thought Jeevan really playing the detective. He thought like an amateur which was a little similar to Nancy Drew, if he was a little more experienced then he might become as clever as Sherlock Homes, or maybe not, he was just being clever this time. He was a big fool rest of the time.
The two assumed to be relatives talked about a lot of things like Omkaar joining the nobility, things they had to do, about their funny experiences in the past and what not. Their conversation lasted quite long. It was about six in the evening.
"I think you should leave now." Said Omkaar
"Well, Om it must be a little lonely here."
"Well, it's not."
"You know I have a surprise."
"Surprise! What kind of surprise?"
"I am staying here for a month."
"A month!"
"So where should I put my luggage."
"But you might be needed back at home."
"Well, then they'll call me."
"But still."
"I should spend time with you too."
"You don't need to, I am fine by myself."
"Now their don't put 'I don't need anyone' act."
"Well I don't need anyone."
"Don't say that."
"Ah.....!" He sighed
"I'll keep my stuff in the wardrobe."
"Aaaahhhhh, I am using that one."
"Then, I'll keep in the second one."
"I am using both."
"Both? Come on what are you hiding."
"I am hiding nothing."
"I'll see for myself"
As she walked towards the wardrobe, both of the boys turned pale. She opened the other one which contained Omkaar's things. Then, she moved towards the second which was currently serving as a hiding place for our dear Jeevan. She opened it.
"Oh my! Who is this little brat?" She exclaimed
"I am...." Said terrified Jeevan
"Please don't be mad I'll tell you everything." was Omkaar.
"I am not mad and I know you must have a good reason."
Omkaar gutsly told her everything, it was quite hard to. She believed every word he said without arguing at all, also she said she understood his reason but he should trust her a little more. And that's all she complained. The two of them were introduced to each other. Jeevan came to know that her name was Swastika. As Jeevan guessed she was his sister and it was just a precaution. She was really talkative, open and really liked looking around. Which was actually completely opposite of Omkaar. They didn't seem repeated by either looks or habits but then again siblings needn't be same!
Days came and days went. The three were really getting along. Jeevan felt quite free to tell Swastika and Omkaar anything he wanted. They were also trying very hard to send Jeevan back, searching through the books and all. Jeevan didn't had frequent fevers. But he still missed his family.
One day the three of them were talking.
"Yeah, I remember when that happened." said Swastika.
"Oh, do you remember, back at home, when you all most attacked at the pigeon because it didn't let the weaker pigeon eat?" asked Omkaar.
"You really did that!" exclaimed Jeevan laughingly.
"I was a kid back then I don't do things like that now. Besides I was just being fair wasn't I?"
"Yeah sort off." replied Jeevan still laughing
"Oh, what's the matter you look sad all of a sudden, Om?"
"Don't call me that! I am no longer Om!" he said and went away.
"Om, wait!" she called but he didn't stop and went away.
"I know it's not my place to ask but what did he mean?"
"He had an awful past. He was really a sickly child. You know, he had a high Alona level just like you, so he had frequent and high fevers. His mother had died a long time ago and only his elder brother and his father lived along with him. His father really hated the fact that he was often ill. He saw him as a burden and really hated him. Whereas his brother was kept busy by his father. Om was forced to work hard even if he had terrible headaches, his brother tried to help him but he too feared his father. One day when he was ten, his brother was out for few days due to some trading trip or something of that sort. He was kicked out simply because he seemed useless. It wasn't his fault he was frill, it was something the God gave him, it wasn't his fault and who are we to judge the God's decision but his father failed to understand a simple thing as that. How could someone do such a thing to his own child? But he just kicked him out! A whole day in rain he sat out of the door hoping that it would open. The next day when his father came out and found him out of the house he beated him and Om had no choice but to go, go away from his own house! But he just believed that one day his father will let him in. So in the day he hunted for food and as soon as it was dusk we went to his house, spent the night at the door and left when it was dawn. He spent a week and two days like that but when he went their on the third night his father saw him and beated him by a stick so hard that he fainted! He was found unconscious on the road and a young fellow assumed he was an orphan and sent him to the orphanage. The orphanage was horrible! Forty kids sleeping in the same room! The meal was only served twice a day! Even that was alternate if you had lunch you won't be provided by the dinner and if you eat the dinner you won't get tomorrow's lunch! It was messy and unhygienic! It wasn't the owner's fault, they were not provided with enough funds by either the commoners or the nobility. He stayed there for five whole years as he believed he would be accepted in his family. He wasn't allowed to leave the orphanage.
He just believed someone would come and that's exactly why when someone came to adopt a child he would sit in a corner and he always got almost hidden in the lively orphanage where every child acted active in the hope of getting adopted. Imagine he spent five whole years with this hope! When he was fifteen my father came to check on the orphanage, he thought he would also adopt a kid. That was when he saw my dear Omkaar sitting in a corner. He asked him if he wanted to be adopted but he just pointed towards some other boy and said "Mohit wants to get adopted". My father just found it adorable. He arranged a family who agreed to adopt that kid and then he asked Omkaar again this time he no longer had an excuse as many of the kids were getting adopted. Only few kids were there and there were families getting arranged for them too as it was hard to maintain the orphanage any longer. It was decided that as soon as any person entered the orphanage a family would be arranged for him or her. So the family decided for him was mine. Or more like my father really looked forward to adopt him. So he came to our family. But that wasn't the end of his tragedy. As he got adopted he was renamed from Om to Omkaar. He came to our family and we spent five or six years together happily, those were the golden days of our life. No one can change what's written by the God. My father passed away due to a heartattack! My mother and the other people in our relation blamed him for it. I was unsure about either he was related or not. Even I questioned him! Even I though for once that he was the cause of my father's death! Even I felt deep down that he brought us bad luck or maybe he was cursed! Even today my mother and the others hate him. Although I realised that how could it be his fault! Were we all mad or what! I mean how could we! Why did we see him as different! He is one of us! I am so sorry for what I did!
He avoids us now! That's why he goes away from home so frequently! Even today he is looked as different by all the people! I hate to admit but he hates me now and I can't blame him for that!"
"I don't think he hates you!"
"What do you mean! Don't you see he has love and compassion in his eyes when you talk to him but he has detest and fear in his eyes when he talks to me!"
"You are wrong, he loves you deeply and truly."
"Don't you see there's a rift between the two of us."
"It maybe so but despite that rift you two love each other and care for each other, that's what makes your bonds so strong and eternal. Just now you noticed his sorrow, his grief just by being with him, you don't need words to convey your feelings, your thoughts, they just reach out to each other without any contact and that's what proves you have a good relationship. Even if it doesn't look that way you have forged ever lasting bonds of affection. I think he understands you the same way you understand him."
"That's so sweet of you. I don't know about eternal bonds but I am sure one day I'll tell him how sorry I am and we'll deepen our bonds day by day. I don't know if this rift will disappear or not but I believe we'll understand each other more day by day."
"I am sure you will. By the way, if he doesn't like it why don't you stop calling him Om?"
"It's not like I like calling him that but through this I want to convey this to him that he should shine as Om the same boy who was thrown out and treated
miserably not as a noble's son and show the world that it's time to change and stop thinking that anyone's useless. Also to prove that one should never
lose hope as something or someone will always shine as hope in your life."
"I never thought any small day to day things can hold such a nice and deep significance!"
She was truly a carrying and understanding sister. She was clearly devoted to his brother. She neglected the difference between them to deepen their bonds. Her pride never stood in her way to take the first step to improve their relationship. She loved Om genuinely for what he was, just like the way Janhavi loved Jeevan. She never thought of Jeevan to be a burden and never expected anything from him for what she did. Both of these sisters loved their brothers unconditionally. Maybe, I will thank my sister properly for what she does for me. Well, my brother really works hard for me too. I will thank them both properly once we get back. Thought Jeevan and tears started rolling down his cheeks. Oh please I want to go home! I just want to! My brother! My sister! They must be waiting for me!
If only we would find a clue! Just then, his diary shone beautifully as if a star was shining in the night sky. Seeing this bright glow spread throughout the place. Omkaar and Swastika came running, afraid that something awful might have happened. They entered the room and saw a magnificently sparking diary in the hands of Jeevan whose cheeks were full with tears. Jeevan opened it. He started reading.
"Dear Jeevan
I think you have stayed here long enough, you should
be on your way back home. So I'll just tell you about the place where the permanent door is. It's on the back of hatari hills hidden in an ancient temple."
"Hatari hills where are they?"
"Well they are half and a hour away from here."
"Oh, really!" Exclaimed Jeevan almost in tears
"You must be happy going home after such a long time."
"You bet I am!"
"Oh, we'll go there tomorrow."
"Alright! Finally I'll be home!"
"Well you better get a good night sleep."
"Yeah, sure!"
Saying this Jeevan hurried towards his room. Went in bed and thought I am so happy! He held his diary as if he was talking to it. It's like you can hear me cry, laugh and yell! That means I will have you by my side! Then again you don't like me, it's just I am the chosen one! Well, I guess, I am not that loved after all, huh? I don't care about it right now! I am going home! It's been so long when I joked with brother or heard my sister's tongue lashing. I miss her admonishing me. And I also miss how brother always stroked my head with his hands full of warmth. I miss how they called me 'Jeev' with such adorable tone. Wait if I'll leave I won't be able to see Omkaar or Swastika anymore. It's heart breaking but it's not like I was meant to be here on the first place. But surely I'll miss them! They are always so sweet to me! And always caring for me! Before I'll leave I'll properly thank them. While Jeevan was busy with his
thoughts he heard a soft knock on the door. He opened it and found Omkaar standing at the door.
"I hope you weren't asleep, right?" he asked Jeevan politely.
"No I wasn't." he replied quite astonished to see him.
"Do you mind if I come in?"
"Of course not!"
"Well, it seems you're leaving!"
"Hhhhmmm.."
"It seems like just yesterday when you were explaining yourself to me!"
"Yeah!"
"There's just so much I wanted to tell you."
"Well then go ahead!"
"I will miss you. It's not like I don't want you to go. I wanted to tell you, how much I like you. We might not ever meet again. If we do, who knows how long would it be."
"You have a point so let's share all we have to at this very night, so that we don't regret it later."
"You're like a younger brother to me. And you help me understand so much, so much I don't know where to begin from."
"Start from where ever you want I will try my best to understand."
"Back when you were here I just thought you were just a boy from another world and a source to help me know about the world. But now, I know you are the friend whose memories I will always treasure and I swear they are not just empty words without any meaning or feelings. I realised before knowing about others I need to know about myself. You were like my ray of light the same way he was back at the orphanage and sister was after his death. After his death she helped me to stand up but I just thought it was an act I thought those words were empty, meaningless but you help me know that they weren't. Back when you were talking to her, I was hearing the way she talked about me, she was purely full of sisterly love. I want her to know that when I look at her, my eyes are not full of detest they were just full of doubt but now I believe they are going to be full of love. I know there's a rift between us but I want to built a bridge across. Thank you for being my light."
"You don't need to thank me. I want you to know you are also one of the friends whom I won't forget."
There was a knock on the door and Jeevan opened it, Swastika was standing there. She peeped in and found Omkaar sitting there. She smiled.
"Mind if I join you?" She asked
"Nope!" Replied Jeevan
She sat beside Omkaar.
"Jeevan you're leaving tomorrow."
"Yeah, I am."
"You may leave but we'll never forget you!"
"Yeah we won't!"
"This is the last night we're together."
"Tomorrow, you'll be home."
"I was longing for this moment but now I feel a little crestfallen, if I'll leave I might not be able to see you again."
"Well, so I won't hold back the words I have been longing to tell you. And neither should both of you."
"Yup! This might be our last chance."
Swastika said "Jeevan you are one of the friend I won't forget. You came in our life like an agent of God sent to help us. It's amazing that we were lucky enough to meet you. You helped me convey the feelings to Om which I wasn't able to convey directly. You shared his feelings I wasn't able to get. You helped me to know and to be understood. You helped me to know what's best for Om and for me. I am not sure how to repay you. You made me believe that we can built that bridge we have longed to. Thank you for all you have done for us."
"You both need not thank me, I want to share so much too. You two reminded me of my relation with my brother and sister. We also have a rift not because of some specific reason but we are not able to understand each other. We think and grow on different pace. We aren't able to help each other or be honest to each other simply because of our responsibilities. You helped me realise that no matter what's the case sometimes it's okay to close your eyes, gather every ounce of courage in your nerves and convey your feelings, even if it's rude if you'll tell it, it might be a misunderstanding or even if it's true the other one will try to improve. Feelings can be conveyed through actions but thoughts can't be. Sometimes it's okay to be rude. Where ever I may go I won't forget the bonds I forged here. So thank you for being my light."
"This night is gonna be one of the most memorable one of my life. Let's promise where ever we may go or do from this day on we will be friends forever and we will never forget each other."
"Yeah we will be friends forever and we will never forget each other." Promised Omkaar and Jeevan together
"Well, we should sleep now." Said Omkaar
"Wait, it's morning already!" Said Swastika who was drawing the curtains
"We were up the whole night!"
"Seems unbelievable! But we should get going."
As said by Omkaar, they got ready and then sat in a carriage, spent an hour and half talking about the memories they had made. They went forward leaving the place where they forged true memories behind, they may now be separated, leave the place they met and lived in, they might not see each other again, might never talk to each other again, might not ever be able to convey their feelings, whatever might happen they won't forget, won't forget all they had done for each other, won't forget how they helped each other realise so much, won't forget the memories they made, won't forget their promise, won't forget each other, won't forget to carry those memories in their heart and won't forget the eternal bonds of friendship they had forged together. They moved on and on, talked more and more as they knew they might never meet again they talked as if it was the end of the world tomorrow. It was probably their last afternoon together.
Soon they reached the Hatari hills. Looked here and there, found the old temple as told. Searched and discovered the permanent door.
"I know how to operate it so guess I'll be leaving and going home."
Jeevan looked at the tool that would take him home. He turned. Omkaar hurriedly hugged him and so did Swastika and he just hugged them bye. It was like a family member was leaving. They just hugged spending their last minutes together.
"I won't forget you! Farewell friend!" They all said together and then they smiled knowing that 'goodbyes should be exchanged with smiles not with tears.'
Jeevan operated the door and a bright light came, as the light became dimmer and dimmer Jeevan faded along with it. Like a firefly's shining light fades in the morning he faded with the light and the three glanced each other directly in the eye as if saying 'I don't have anymore to say.' And soon Jeevan disappeared. This was it, their Farewell.