In the early hours of the next day. The sky had not started getting bright yet and the world around was silent with occasional sounds of vehicles passing by. It was very cold outside as a young couple cuddled together on a bed in the penthouse. But, differing from the past, it was Aditya who was holding Hamsa on her bed rather than the other way round.
Hamsa was the one who woke up first. She discovered that after the past few weeks of disturbed sleep and nightmares, she finally welcomed her first dreamless and most refreshing sleep. Her mind never felt so clear-headed, nimble and keen. She felt that for the first time in all her life, she got back the handle to her destiny and that it was totally in her control.
Just as she was thinking how the past weeks had completely transformed her life, Hamsa felt a numb feeling in her right bosom. She slightly wrinkled her brows as she opened her eyes to discover a teen with an immature, innocent face, who was sleeping while hugging her tightly as his face leaned against her left chest.
Hamsa blushed as she became bashful and demure when she saw Aditya's face leaning against her chest. Her breath became rapid as blood rushed into her head as her fingers moved restlessly as she did not know what to do. When she saw that Aditya was still asleep, she did not want to move so as to not disturb him. She knew that Aditya barely slept these days. When she looked at the young face who had been the only support in the darkest part of her life, her eyes revealed a tenderness and her lips curved into a blissful smile.
Hamsa's blush deepened when she remembered how they had kissed for a long time, last night without paying attention to the place. a couple of men stood on the road as they whistled and laughed when they saw them kissing. It was lucky that it was night and they could not see them clearly. Afterwards, they went inside and continued.
Though, at the end, when Aditya wanted to take the last step, she panicked instinctively so Aditya had to cease all attacks and be satisfied with only hugging her. She almost giggled when she recalled the depressed face of Aditya when he pulled his shorts back up. The numbness in her right chest brought Hamsa back from her thoughts 'Wait, wasn't Aditya's face leaning on my left chest, why am I feeling numbness in my right one?'
Hamsa opened her mouth wide when she saw Aditya left arm inserted into her loose red nightshirt and firmly holding her right bosom. That was the reason she was feeling the numbness. She turned to look at the innocent, sleeping face of Aditya and back at her chest as thought, "No wonder, Kumari had said that Aditya was a natural born female predator, I had thought that she was exaggerating that time when she told me about their escapades in tenth grade as Aditya never made a move on me." Hamsa gritted her teeth as she held Aditya's left arm and pulled it out.
Aditya fidgeted a little but resumed his sleep while hugging Hamsa's waist with the same left arm as his face leaned more onto her bosom. Hamsa struggled a little but let go eventually. After some time, Aditya opened his eyes as he looked at the stunning woman in his arms, more like he was in her arms.
"Adi, I have something to speak with you," Hamsa said softly as she looked at him gently. She did not protest about Aditya holding her as she also wanted to spend as much time as possible with him.
"What is it?" Aditya's eyes became clear as he saw the seriousness and a bit of melancholy in Hamsa's eyes.
"I am going to leave today," Hamsa said as she watched Aditya's expression earnestly. If there was any person in this world for whom she was answerable to, it was this person.
"Oh," Aditya said as he continued to look at Hamsa as he got up from the bed and sat in a cross-legged posture. He knew that Hamsa would not take a hasty decision and she did not seem mentally disturbed at the moment so he wanted to know what was her plan.
Hamsa waited to see if Aditya had anything to say and when she saw him listening attentively, she smiled a little and continued, "Adi, I know that your parents are in danger, I also know that you are currently working every day to try to find a path for saving them. You left your friends, family, elder sisters and your education so that you can fully concentrate on this path."
Aditya nodded as he continued to look at Hamsa. He knew that she was getting to the main point.
"Everything went according to your plan until," Hamsa paused a bit and continued while looking in Aditya's eyes, "you met me."
Aditya's brows relaxed when he heard these words. He knew now what was going on in Hamsa's mind. He smiled as he tried to pacify Hamsa, "It's nothing really. Now everything is alright, why would you want to..."
"Adi, let me speak," Hamsa interrupted Aditya with a sincere expression so Aditya could only shrug and listen ardently.
"You saved me that night, got me treated, provided the most crucial help in the most opportune time. But along with that, you have actually delayed your plans as I started consuming a part of your time every day. Even for the past few days, you had been taking me to college for exams and picking me up just because you were concerned about my safety. I can't remain here with this thought in my mind that I am somehow distracting you from your real path. If something happens to your parents in the future and I find out that you could have saved them if you had enough time. Can you imagine, how I would feel? I would definitely prefer if Reyansh had taken me or rather I committed suicide." Hamsa said with a heavy voice.
Aditya's heart shuddered when he heard these words. He did not think that Hamsa would think so far into the future. Aditya never possessed that kind of foresight but when he heard Hamsa words, his pupils shrank as his heart cooled as he lowered his head in thought.
Let alone Hamsa, even he would have a shadow in his heart forever if he found out that he could have saved his parents if he was just a tad bit earlier. And, he was aware that he had truly delayed his plans, not for dropping and picking up Hamsa, but a whole two weeks. Cold sweat started forming on Aditya's forehead when he thought in retrospection.
His mother had given him a time of three years but was it an absolute? Somehow Adi's powers and the three-year timeline had created a false sense of security in him and he started thinking that a few weeks of the delay was not much. But when he heard Hamsa's words, his spirit jolted from its slumber. Even if the three years is an absolute, did he have a plan of action based on Tya and his powers that could guarantee that he could save his parents in time?
Hamsa observed Aditya's reactions closely as she smiled and said, "Now, do you understand why I took this decision?"
Aditya slowly raised his head as he looked at Hamsa and nodded, "Thank you, Hamsa."
Hamsa's lips trembled when she heard Aditya's words as she went forward, hugged Aditya tightly as she kissed him and wept, "Adi, don't think that I would ever forget about you, I just don't want to get in your way. I would be waiting for the day that you would save your parents or at least until the day when you spending time with me would not delay or restrain you anymore. Until then I have chosen to stay away. Adi, are you angry at me? Am I an ungrateful woman who leaves you after having gotten everything from you?"
Aditya shook his head as he also hugged Hamsa in his arms as he asked, "Have you decided where to go and is it safe?"
"I have decided but I don't want to tell you the place, we will keep in contact. As for what I am doing, I am following Saanvi elder sister to another city. I will continue my studies there and also help Saanvi elder sister in her research. As for security, you don't have to worry about it." Hamsa spoke in a low voice while making sobbing sounds intermittently.
Aditya knew that by not telling him where she was going was Hamsa's way of keeping distance between them so he did not bother much as he said in a false stern voice, "If you encounter any trouble and I mean any trouble, big or small, you have to contact me immediately, got it?" Hamsa nodded as she hugged him even more tightly and cried again. It was apparent that it was not an easy decision for her. Aditya remained in the same position for a long time as he slowly patted Hamsa's back until she stopped crying.
Aditya helped Hamsa stand up while she leaned her head on his shoulder and went outside. They both did not speak for a long time as they bathed in the Sun's rays which were golden and strong. The early morning sun, as well as the fog, was a beautiful sight to behold and both Aditya's and Hamsa's heart settled down as they remained close to each other.
"When are you leaving?"
"In a few hours..."
This morning, Hamsa acted like a real wife as she did all the things like taking care of Aditya's food, bath and clothes. When Aditya bathed and came out wearing only a towel with half dried hair, she took another dry towel as she scolded Aditya lightly for not wiping himself dry. She made Aditya sit down as she rubbed his hair while Aditya hugged her around her waist with his arms and pushed his face into her bosom causing her to laugh as well as get angry at the same time.
She made his favourite food and prepared for lunch as well. After she took a bath and donned new clothes which were favoured by Aditya, she talked for some time with Aditya as he gave her a bank card for her needs. She took it without any false pretences and both had breakfast.
When it was time to leave finally, Aditya asked, "Are you sure that the place you are going is safe and can guarantee you from any rash actions from Reyansh?" he was still a little afraid of Hamsa falling into danger.
"Don't worry, do you think I would make such an important decision without considering it. Otherwise, wouldn't everything you have done for me, go to waste?" Hamsa smiled as she hit Aditya on his arm mildly.
"Okay, then take care," Aditya said as he looked at Hamsa for one last time. Hamsa also tried to smile as she left walking in a brisk pace. Aditya saw Saanvi waiting in a car as she waved at him with a smile. Aditya also smiled as he waved back. This woman had the same serene atmosphere around her that settled Aditya's heart a little. He had interacted a lot with Saanvi these last few days and he knew that she was a kind person with a strong and stable heart.
As Aditya watched the car move out of sight, he sighed a little as he returned to his room. He had a huge load of work today, he had to interrogate a fellow, train his subordinates, meet Taarini about the previous day's fight in the resorts and also ask her to remove protection to Hamsa as it is not needed anymore.
Just as Aditya reentered his room, his heart suddenly felt a vacuum within him when he saw the empty room with Hamsa's body aroma still lingering around. He smiled bitterly as he spoke to Tya, "Tya, what happened last night? I could not access the Quantum realm." Aditya wanted to spend his night in the quantum realm just like every day but was somehow not able to access it. If he was not guaranteed by Tya that it was a good thing, he would have had a panic attack for sure.
Tya's baby like immature voice rang in Aditya's ear as he cried excitedly, "Aditya, the new ability is ready and good to go. Come here immediately"
'What!'