Aryan contemplates what people say after death, a person turns into stars. If this is true, then maybe his grandfather is watching him from the sky. If they are watching, would they be happy to see him or angry at him, or perhaps feeling pity? Aryan wanted to uncover the truth about his grandfather's murder, but every time he tried, he inexplicably restrained himself. These thoughts continue to occupy Aryan's mind until he eventually falls asleep.
________
The next morning, children were playing in the park, and the chirping of birds filled the air. Elderly people had gathered there for their morning exercises. That same old man who had met Aryan the morning before approached him. The old man nudges Aryan and says, "Wake up, son. It's morning. How long will you sleep? It seems you stayed up late last night, which is why it's taking you so long to open your eyes."
Aryan's eyes open upon being nudged, and as he opens them, he sees the same grandfather he had met the day before. Looking at his grandfather, Aryan remembers what his grandfather had told him. Aryan gets up and sits on the bench, and his grandfather sits beside him. His grandfather asks, "What happened? Were you sleeping so late? Did they make you work too much on your first day that you're so exhausted you were still sleeping?"
Aryan was amused to see that his grandfather was asking questions and answering them himself. With a smile on his face, Aryan replied, "You're absolutely right, Grandpa. Something like that did happen. My work finished a bit late yesterday, so that's why I slept in this morning."
Grandpa patted Aryan's back and said, "These days, young folks get tired with just a little work. In our time, we used to work 18-18 hours out of 24, and we never got tired. We still keep working hard today. So, keep working diligently, and you'll get used to it. Besides, it was your first day, so feeling tired is quite natural."
Aryan didn't say much but continued to smile in response to his grandfather's advice.
Grandpa smiled at Aryan's excitement and said, "Yes, I'm telling the truth, Aryan. I spoke to the landlord, and initially, he was a bit hesitant about renting to you. But after I explained that you're a good young man, he agreed. So, he's ready to rent a room to you."
Aryan, now thrilled, responded, "Are you serious, Grandpa? The landlord is ready to rent me a room?"
Grandpa nodded and added, "Indeed, he's ready. But you'll have to follow all the rules, and you can come with me now to see the place."
Aryan agreed enthusiastically, saying, "Alright, Grandpa, I'm ready to go with you. You don't have to worry; I won't let you down."
They set off together to see the new place.
Aryan goes to the room with his grandfather. After a while, they both arrive at a building that appears quite old. By looking at it, one can estimate that this building has been around for a long time, perhaps without any renovation work done. Aryan, however, doesn't have any issues with it. After spending three years in jail, he is content to have a place to stay. He feels happiness in seeing this place, which is a stable home after a long period of wandering. Aryan examines the room shown to him by his grandfather and the landlord. The room has a small kitchenette on one side, and there's a bathroom attached to the room. Although the room's condition is a bit worn, Aryan has no objections. He quickly decides to rent the room and makes a deal with the landlord. Aryan had to provide three months' rent in advance as he was yet to receive his salary. Upon his grandfather's recommendation, the landlord agrees to Aryan's request.
Now, Aryan has a place to call home where he can spend his nights. He no longer has to sleep on a public park bench. This thought brings a smile to Aryan's face.
Aryan had rented the room, but he still had to provide three months' rent as an advance payment. So, Aryan talks to Julie about an advance salary. Initially, Julie hesitates to give Aryan an advance salary, but after understanding Aryan's situation, she agrees to provide him with an advance payment equivalent to two months' salary. With this advance salary, Aryan pays the three months' rent in advance to the landlord.
Aryan decides to buy some essential items for his new place to make it comfortable. However, he doesn't buy too many things, just the necessities for cooking and a bed for sleeping.
Aryan was now standing in his room, gazing around. He was assessing whether anything essential was missing. Aryan had thoroughly cleaned his room, and it looked much better than before. One could now say that a person could comfortably live here. With a sense of accomplishment, Aryan knew he finally had a place to call home. He hadn't bought a bed due to budget constraints, so he had purchased a mattress and laid it on the floor. After a long day of work, lying on that mattress felt incredibly comfortable to Aryan. It was as if he was sleeping on a king-size bed made of velvet. This level of comfort was a luxury for him, considering he had spent over three years sleeping on a jail cell floor and, after his release, on park benches. Therefore, this mattress felt no less luxurious to him.
Aryan's life had found its track, but he still felt an emptiness within him. Nevertheless, he chose to suppress the voice in his heart. Time continued to pass, and two years had gone by.
to be continued.....