Bhoomi, didn't you sleep last night?" Akash suddenly said.
Bhoomi felt as if she would faint. She immediately lifted her gaze and looked at Akash as if he was an eighth wonder.
She kept staring at him without blinking.
"Are you listening to me? Didn't you sleep last night?" Akash repeated.
Bhoomi came back to her senses.
"Yes...I mean...did I sleep? No...yes..." Bhoomi stuttered, unsure of what to say.
She was bewildered, also noticing that Akash addressed her as Bhoomi, without any prefix.
She was perplexed and flustered.
"See, your mom and dad worry about you a lot. It would be better if you took care of yourself too. They've entrusted me with your responsibility, but that doesn't mean I'll check on you at night to see if you're sleeping or not. Your eyes give away that you didn't sleep well last night," Akash said, leaving Bhoomi stunned.
Why was Akash suddenly so concerned about her? Or was he just trying to impress his favorite student's parents? Bhoomi's mind raced with a thousand questions, but alas, she had no hope of finding answers.
"If you're not feeling okay, you can take a few days off. Besides, the college is closing for a few days anyway," Akash said and sat down on his chair.
But Bhoomi was shocked again. She couldn't understand what had suddenly come over Akash. This was the first time she had seen him behave so strangely. Akash had never spoken to her like this before.
Bhoomi's gaze remained fixed on Akash. She stared at him unblinkingly, as if mesmerized, her eyes glued to him like a ghost.
When Akash looked up and caught her stare, Bhoomi snapped back to reality, quickly looking away, her neck jerking from side to side.
Akash's face remained stern and emotionless. However, he nodded slightly and returned to his work.
It wasn't that Akash never smiled or laughed. His demeanor was stern, but he was also very helpful by nature. He would help anyone in need. However, with those he didn't get along with, hardly anyone had seen him smile.
Bhoomi started working, but her eyes wandered back to ten years ago, lost in memories.
****************
It was evening, and Bhoomi was in her house, alone in her balcony, surrounded by her plants, as usual. Her parents were sitting in the garden below, accompanied by Akash. Despite being there for less than a week, Akash seemed quite comfortable with Bhoomi's parents.
Although Akash wasn't very talkative, he was now engaging in lively conversations with them, probably about studies. Bhoomi gazed down, her eyes fixed on Akash, whose face was turned towards her, while her parents' backs were towards her.
Bhoomi's eyes were empty, as always, and since Akash's arrival, her parents had completely ignored her. Her eyes welled up, but somehow, Akash's presence felt comforting.
Akash occasionally spoke to her, asking study-related questions, as her parents had requested him to guide her too. It felt good to have someone in her life who would talk to her.
Otherwise, her parents seemed only concerned with providing for her basic needs. Suddenly, Akash's gaze met Bhoomi's, and he smiled faintly. His smile was genuinely endearing.
For the first time, someone's smile touched Bhoomi's heart. It felt like a direct hit. She smiled back in response.
Soon, Akash joined Bhoomi in her balcony, where she was conversing with her plants. Akash observed her intently. When their eyes met, Bhoomi shyly looked away.
Akash approached her and asked, "How were your tests, Bhoomi?"
Bhoomi replied hesitantly, "Th-th-they were fine."
Akash pressed on, "All of them?"
Bhoomi confessed nervously, "H-h-history... I struggle to remember dates and genealogy."
Akash clarified, "That's not difficult to remember. These are easy. You know dates and genealogy don't repeat. It's simple to memorize since each event and date occurs only once."
Bhoomi stared at Akash, amazed by his simplicity.
Just then, Akash called out, "Bhoomi!" snapping her back to reality.
Yes, sir," Bhoomi walked over to Akash. He picked up an ancient coin, possibly over a thousand years old, yet its beauty remained captivating.
"Look at this, do you recognize it?" Akash asked.
Bhoomi examined the coin carefully and nodded.
"This is a coin from the Shakaya dynasty, one of the earliest tribal dynasties," Bhoomi said, and Akash nodded in approval.
"Only about ten of these coins have been found, stored in Display Rack One. Write a note on it and complete a paper by evening," Akash instructed.Bhoomi nodded.
"And..." Akash added, prompting Bhoomi to turn around.
"If you don't want to do it today, you can submit the paper work by morning instead of evening. Get some rest tonight too," Akash said, and Bhoomi looked at him with wide eyes, surprised. But Akash left without meeting her gaze.
"What's gotten into Mr. Akadanath today? He's acting strangely! Has he gotten a blow to the head or something?" Bhoomi wondered to herself and immersed herself in her work.
It was evening, and Bhoomi had come to the market to buy some essentials. As she shopped, her gaze fell upon a beautiful girl with stunning hair. Bhoomi couldn't look away.
The girl's long, straight hair cascaded down to her knees, silky and captivating. Bhoomi's face lit up with a smile. She had always been fond of long hair since childhood, but her parents never allowed her to grow hers out, citing lack of time to maintain them.
Bhoomi glanced at a nearby mirror and examined her own hair, which barely reached her ears. Though she liked her current style, she longed for longer locks. Her hair had a golden hue and was silky, but neglect had made it slightly rough.
Whenever she grew her hair longer, her parents assumed she was neglecting her studies. So, she had given up on her hair dreams. However, seeing someone else's long hair brought her fleeting joy.
Suddenly, Bhoomi felt a strange sensation. She turned around, but there was no one there. She moved to the next row, but just then, a figure emerged from behind a pillar.
It was five in the evening, and Bhoomi was shopping for essentials at the same store. But for some reason, she felt like someone was secretly watching her.
Despite glancing around, everyone seemed engrossed in their own activities. She shrugged and continued browsing for sanitary napkins, a monthly routine for her.
Since Akhil stayed with her every Saturday and she visited her home on Sundays, she never ventured out on those days. With her thesis pressing down on her, she chose one day a month to buy necessities.
Bhoomi added a few napkins to her cart and proceeded, but her foot tangled, and she stumbled. Just then, someone grasped her shoulders from behind, steadying her.
As Bhoomi turned, she met Akash's intense gaze. His hands were clasped behind his back.
"Do you have a habit of falling, Miss Bhoomi? Every time I see you, you're stumbling somewhere. Be more careful, or you might end up falling into a deep hole before you even take a step forward." Akash said, and Bhoomi lowered her head. Akash shook his head and walked away.
"Yesterday, he was acting like a saint, and today he's back to his usual self. How ironic! He thinks I'll fall into a hole? I'll take him with me, Mr. Akadnath. Don't forget, I've known you since childhood."
Bhoomi muttered to herself and continued shopping. Unbeknownst to her, Akash stood behind her, hands clasped, his eyes burning with anger and a hint of something else.
An hour later, Bhoomi exited the store, greeted by a chilly gust of wind. The once-bustling road now lay deserted. The market wasn't large, and the slight chill had driven people indoors. Bhoomi searched for a taxi, but none were in sight.
"why does this always happen to me? Damn it, Bhoomi. Your plans always get messed up. Now I'll have to wait all night for a taxi." Bhoomi muttered to herself when suddenly a car stopped in front of her. She recognized it well - it was her father's car, which he had given to Akash instead of her. Akash opened the door, and Bhoomi got in without a word. As the car sped away, a figure emerged from behind a pillar. His eyes gleamed with a soft blue light. "How long will we keep following her, Guru?" a girl standing beside him asked.
"Until Vyom takes his revenge and breaks the curse, our years-long wait will continue. When the time comes, we'll exact our revenge and shatter the curse. For now, we need her. Until she remembers the mantra, we can't do anything." The man with piercing blue eyes spoke, his gaze still radiating an ethereal glow. Clad in black, he appeared sturdy and slightly aged, while the girl, around Bhoomi's age, stood beside him. Both wore identical black attire, but what linked them was the same tattoo on their hands - a bird symbol with intersecting sword and trident.