Since he was a kid, he had never felt warmth like this in his heart. Until that day, he had only been exposed to the cruelty of the country he was living in. For the first time, he felt kindness and care, and it was a novel experience for him. Even though he tried his best not to think about the things that had happened, somewhere in his heart, he was unknowingly craving more of the kindness and care he felt from Nomil.

  She was of average height, neither too short nor too tall, with a presence that commanded attention effortlessly. Her dark, thick hair cascaded like a waterfall, framing a face adorned with rosy cheeks that glowed with a natural blush. Her skin, delicate and smooth, seemed to catch the light like porcelain. Dressed in stylish, modern attire, she carried herself with a confidence that blended elegance and charm, making her a vision of both grace and allure.

  It didn't matter if he closed or opened his eyes; her image kept appearing again and again. This disturbance from her cost him his sleep, yet he didn't care and kept thinking about her day and night.

  On the day of his discharge, he sighed deeply, with dark circles under his eyes. He felt very tired as he stepped out of the hospital and immediately went to sleep below the nearby flyover, the place where he used to sleep as a kid.

  Suddenly, he woke up and saw pitch darkness around him. Then, he heard muffled sounds, as though someone was crying, and that cry was filled with unwillingness and endless resentment.

  He slowly walked in the direction the sound was coming from and saw a light shining on a single spot, surrounded by pitch-black darkness. In the light, there was a teenage boy crying, his forehead resting on his knees as he tightly held his legs with both arms. He looked so pitiful.

  After hesitating for a moment, he reached out his hand to touch the teenage boy sitting on the ground. Before his hand could touch the boy, the boy grabbed it tightly. Panicking, he used all his strength to pull his hand back, but he couldn’t. It felt like his hand was held in a metal grip.

  He opened his mouth and tried to shout in panic, but not a single sound came out. He panicked even more, struggling harder, but it was no use. The eerily silent surroundings made him feel like he was in a void without air—it was suffocating. While he was struggling, the teenage boy suddenly raised his head, and the white light turned into a red light. Blood sprayed out of his slitted throat as the boy glared at him with an indescribable gaze, sending a chill down his spine.

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  “Ahh….” With a loud shriek, he sat up, his whole body drenched in sweat. He looked around with a panicked expression. It was still evening, and the cold wind touching his body made him shiver, but he released a sigh of relief seeing that everything was normal around him. It was just a nightmare—not real.

  But no matter how much he told himself it was just a nightmare, he couldn't stop remembering that indescribable gaze of the teenage boy who looked exactly like him. He felt incredulous, and at the same time, dread filled his heart.

  He shook his head and took a deep breath to calm his tense nerves. Slowly, he walked towards the public tap and washed his face.

  Grrrr…..

  His stomach grumbled, complaining for being neglected since morning. Overwhelmed by hunger, he clutched his stomach, craving food.

  After thinking for a moment, he moved towards a nearby hotel. Soon, he reached the hotel, slowly entered, and walked straight to the hotel owner.

  “Sir, do you have any pending work here? I don't need money. I will work for you; just give me some food,” said the teenage boy earnestly.

  The hotel owner frowned and asked in a stern tone, “What's your name? Where do you live?”

  The teenage boy was stumped after hearing the questions. He looked around nervously and found a newspaper on the table. His eyes lit up when he saw a name. Even though he didn’t know how to write, he could understand the words and read them, thanks to his experience doing various labor jobs to earn money. He had met many kinds of people and learned many things from them, though he always kept his kind nature and heart.

  “Brother, my name is Chaithanya, and I used to live in the nearby slums,” said the teenage boy unhurriedly.

  “Ok,” the hotel owner nodded and turned towards the kitchen, shouting, “Hey Rahman, you got a new helper. Make sure to monitor his work and let him have all the food he wants after he finishes his work.”

  “Ok, boss,” said the chef loudly, emerging from the kitchen after hearing the owner's shout. He gestured for the teenage boy to follow him.

  The boy nodded and hurriedly followed him into the kitchen.

  The moment the teenage boy entered the kitchen, the chef started assigning tasks in an orderly manner. “First, cut these vegetables. Next, clean these utensils. Then, make this dosa batter and mix this roti dough into a fine, smooth round ball.”

  “Yes, brother,” said the teenage boy, beginning the work he was told to do in a steady, orderly manner.

  Seeing him follow orders exactly as instructed, the chef nodded with a satisfied look and returned to his own tasks.

  After two hours, the teenage boy finished all the work and sat on the ground, his body drenched in sweat, a tired look on his face.

  The chef, moved by the dedication and hard work the boy showed, took a glass of ice water and gave it to him.

  “What's your name, boy?” asked the chef with an appreciative look.

  “Chaithanya,” he instinctively answered, the same name he had given the hotel owner, and thanked the chef for the glass of ice water.

  “Chaithanya, nice name. You can call me Brother Rahman,” said the guy with a kind smile on his face.

  “Brother Rahman,” the teenage boy nodded at the chef.