Banaras never sleeps.
The streets are full of noise, fear, and shadows.
He had a past full of blood and secrets.
She had a heart full of life.
Jeevika-
"Pehli nazar mein... itna kareeb aata hua mehsoos hua. Dusri nazar mein... kahin yeh Yuvan S...
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Jeevika lay on her stomach, staring intently at Yuvaan's photo, her fingers lightly tracing his features.
"You must be having a lot of fun troubling me," she whispered.
"Why did I ever meet you?" Her voice was filled with a blend of frustration and affection, for the boat of her heart was drowning in Yuvaan's love.
"Even though I don't see you often, I believe something wonderful will happen when we finally meet. My heart finds peace just thinking about you,"She glared playfully at his photo, where Yuvaan's face was half-turned, his hair cascading over his forehead in an irresistibly charming way.
"Your physique is quite impressive," she added, her cheeks flushing with a soft pink hue.
Every day, whenever she had a moment to herself, Jeevika would talk to Yuvaan's photo. It was a secret comfort, a private solace that her heart clung to. She wasn't even sure if he knew she existed, but her heart was completely smitten. She always tried to reach Ganga Ghat on time, hoping for a glimpse of him, but she always failed miserably.
"Earlier, even when you used to come, there was a sense of calm in my heart," she pouted, tilting her head as if hoping for a response.
A sudden knock on the door jolted her out of her reverie.
"Jeevika, open the door! I need to clean," her mother's voice called from outside. Panic surged through Jeevika as she desperately searched for a hiding spot for Yuvaan's photo. She walked towards the handmade shelves she had crafted herself, her mind racing.
"What are you doing in there?" her mother's irritated voice trembled her.
"I'm opening, Amma," Jeevika called back, running towards the bed to hide the photo under the pillow but then reconsidering. "Idea!" In the next few moments, Yuvaan's Polaroid was safely tucked inside her blouse.
"Best and secret place," she mumbled before opening the door, wiping the sweat from her forehead making sleepy face.
"What took you so long?" Vasundhara asked suspiciously, noting her daughter's nervous expression.
"Sorry, Amma. I was sleeping, so it took me a while to open the door," Vasundhara shook her head in disbelief.
"Go wash the dishes and give Rajjo a bath," Jeevika's eyes widened when Vasundhara spoke hastily grabbing a pillow, relieved she hadn't placed the precious photo there.
"Move now, or are you just going to stand there?" her mother scolded.
Jeevika awkwardly laughed and walked away to finish her household chores. Afterward, she went outside to clean her goat, Rajjo, who was happily munching on grass in the small pen Jeevika had built. She smiled and lovingly picked up Rajjo, swaying her like a baby.
"It's your time to take a bath, Rajjo. Don't you want to impress your Ranjhna?" she playfully asked while giving Rajjo a bath.
After completing her chores and freshening up, evening arrived, and Jeevika began preparing ingredients for dinner. She was placing water-filled utensils on the handmade brick stove when a voice caught her attention.
