FADED MEMORIES CHAPTER.1 [ THE HIT OF ROMANCES ]
"Where is she in my imagination? Wherever I look, she's not there. I wander, searching, but it feels like she's vanished. Has it really been so long since we drifted apart? So long that I can't even recall the moments we shared? I suppose it has. Such a shame—I can't even remember where it all began."
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"Hey, Shyam!"
The voice of a girl, soft and lively, called out from across the wheat fields. The sun blazed overhead, but the shade of the mango trees offered respite. Two figures met beneath those branches, their smiles brighter than the summer heat.
The girl's name was Shastri. She was gentle and mature, the kind of person who carried a calm wisdom far beyond her years. But even the most poised hearts falter when love is involved. That's the beauty of it, isn't it? Love breaks down every barrier, every mask, until you're left with only your truest self.
That evening, Shyam and Shastri ventured to the nearby viewpoint. Whether they went to explore the meaning of love or to part ways forever, only time would tell. For now, the warm breeze and the golden hues of the setting sun seemed to carry them into another world—a world where only they existed.
Walking side by side, their hands brushed briefly before Shyam found the courage to hold hers. The light of the fading sun painted Shastri's face, and in that ethereal moment, Shyam couldn't keep his feelings bottled up any longer.
"Shastri, I… I've always wanted to tell you something," he began, his voice trembling but resolute. "I love you. I've loved you for as long as I can remember. I can't imagine my life without you. So… will you be my swan?"
Shastri froze, her cheeks turning a deep shade of red as the words sunk in. The boy she had secretly loved since childhood had just confessed. The boy she'd shared countless memories with. But the suddenness of it all left her stunned, unable to form the words she desperately wanted to say.
Finally, after gathering her thoughts, she managed a response:
"Shyam, I… I know you love me. And I don't want to hurt your feelings by giving you the wrong answer. Please, give me a day to think about it. Let's meet here tomorrow—same time."
Before Shyam could say another word, Shastri turned and ran, her heart racing faster than her feet could carry her. Shyam stayed there for what felt like hours, replaying her words over and over in his head before finally heading home.