Sense & Sensibilities

In distant future

Months later, Riya notices his arm- something is different about it. He senses her stare, expecting her to be the first person to notice, and patiently waits for her to ask.

She doesn't . He explains anyway.

"Yes, I removed the tattoo."

"Why? Is it because of the scar."

"She will always be a part of me. I don't need a daily reminder of things that have gone wrong- it's time to move past it." He traced the place where the tattoo was previously. "I asked you once if you believed in soulmate, remember?"

"Do you?" she asked back.

"Since childhood, I wanted to be a police officer. It will be silly to hear, but it was because the words were written over my skin. Here. " he tapped the place, making her eyes wide. "Hello ACP. It was written."

Riya stopped breathing for a second

"I realised later, when I grew up, what those words meant. Then I had met Roshni. . . It felt wrong. So I used her name to cover it up. It backfired, your god must have laughed from up there seeing the mess."

"But I remember the words. I will always remember. And I will wait."