In Your Shoes - By Md Tauheed

The streets outside the café were bustling with life as people hurried past, eager to get home or meet up with friends. It was an ordinary evening in the city, with the air smelling faintly of petrol and wet concrete from a recent drizzle. Aradhya sat alone at a small corner table, her fingers fidgeting with the napkin in front of her. The café was softly lit, its warm yellow glow contrasting with the darkening sky outside. People around her were lost in conversation, but she felt distant from it all.She had arrived on time. Of course, she had. Punctuality had always been her thing. Growing up in a strict household, where schedules were adhered to religiously, she had learned that being on time was not just a courtesy, but a reflection of respect. And right now, it felt like that respect was being tested. Again.Her phone buzzed softly against the table, pulling her out of her thoughts. She glanced at it, already knowing who it was before even checking the screen. "Aman" flashed across it, and she sighed, steeling herself before answering."Hey, Aru," Aman's familiar voice came through, soft and almost apologetic."Where are you?" she asked, keeping her voice neutral, though the irritation was simmering just beneath the surface. She already knew what he was going to say, and it annoyed her that she was right."I’m so sorry, but I’m running a little late," he began, his voice carrying that same apologetic tone she had heard too many times. "I had to stop by my brother’s office to drop off some files, and—""You’ve got to be kidding me." Aradhya’s patience snapped, her fingers gripping the edge of the table. She could feel the tension building in her chest, frustration bubbling over. "Aman, we talked about this. You promised you’d be here on time today. We planned this.""I know, I know," Aman said quickly, trying to placate her. "I swear, I didn’t plan on this happening. I just had to help him out for a bit. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes, tops. Please, just wait for me."Aradhya closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to keep herself from exploding. This was exactly the problem—Aman was always helping someone out, always caught up in something that wasn’t related to them. It had been months since they had last spent a proper evening together, and now, even when they had planned to meet, his brother’s work had somehow taken precedence."Fine," she said curtly, before hanging up the phone.She dropped the phone onto the table and let out a long breath, pressing the heels of her hands against her eyes. The soft jazz music playing in the background only irritated her further. It was supposed to be calming, but right now, it felt mocking. How many times had she sat in this exact café, waiting for Aman? Too many to count. And each time, she had hoped it would be different. Each time, she had hoped that maybe, just maybe, he’d prioritize their relationship over everything else.Her thoughts were interrupted when she caught sight of someone sitting a few tables away. It was an elderly man, sitting alone, with a small potted rose placed carefully on the table in front of him. He was staring directly at her, his gaze unwavering, his expression calm and sympathetic, as if he already knew what was about to unfold.Aradhya looked away quickly, her irritation now mixed with discomfort. Who was this man, and why was he staring at her like that? She glanced back at him a few seconds later, hoping he had shifted his gaze, but no—he was still staring, that same quiet smile on his face.She shifted in her seat, feeling unsettled. Normally, she wouldn’t have cared about an old man staring, but something about this one felt different. There was a weight to his gaze, as if he understood something about her situation that even she hadn’t figured out yet."Whatever," she muttered to herself, focusing instead on the menu in front of her, though she wasn’t hungry. The whole evening had already started to feel like a waste. She just wanted Aman to arrive so they could have the conversation they had been putting off for so long.Flashback: How It All BeganIt hadn’t always been this way. There was a time, not too long ago, when their relationship had felt easy. They had met during a mutual friend’s birthday party, both of them dragged there reluctantly by people who insisted they needed a break from their busy work schedules. Aman had been working as a freelance consultant, handling tech projects for his brother’s company, while Aradhya had just started her job at an MNC.Back then, it had felt like they understood each other perfectly. They both worked long hours, but they made time for each other. Whether it was a late-night phone call or a spontaneous weekend getaway, they had found a rhythm that worked.Aradhya could still remember the first time Aman had taken her to this very café. It had been one of those rainy afternoons when the city felt quieter, and they had spent hours talking over cups of coffee, sharing stories about their childhoods, their dreams, their fears. He had made her laugh, a real laugh, the kind that felt like a release of all the tension she didn’t even know she was holding.But slowly, things had started to change. The more successful they both became in their careers, the less time they seemed to have for each other. Aman was always working late, always caught up in some last-minute project or family obligation. Aradhya, too, found herself buried under a pile of work, her phone constantly buzzing with emails and meeting requests.It wasn’t like they had stopped caring about each other. They still loved each other—Aradhya was sure of that. But love didn’t seem to be enough anymore. Back to the Present The minutes ticked by painfully slowly. Aradhya checked her phone repeatedly, watching the time crawl by. Thirteen minutes had passed since Aman’s call, and still no sign of him. She looked around the café, trying to distract herself, but her gaze kept returning to the old man.He was still there, still staring, though now he seemed more relaxed. His hand rested on the small potted rose, his fingers tracing the edge of one of its petals. There was something almost reverent in the way he touched it, as though the rose held some kind of significance to him.Aradhya felt a chill run down her spine. She told herself to ignore him, that he was just some eccentric old man who had nothing better to do. But the unease wouldn’t go away.Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the door to the café swung open, and Aman walked in. He spotted her immediately and gave a small, apologetic smile. He looked tired, his hair slightly disheveled from what must have been a hurried trip to get here."Hey," he said, slipping into the seat across from her. He reached out to take her hand, but she pulled it away, her face set in a neutral expression."You’re late," she said simply."I know, and I’m really sorry," Aman replied, running a hand through his hair. "I didn’t mean for this to happen. My brother needed those files urgently, and—""Your brother always needs something," Aradhya interrupted, her voice sharp. "It’s always something, Aman. There’s always an excuse."He flinched at her words, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I’m not trying to make excuses. I really am sorry. I thought I could make it on time."Aradhya shook her head, leaning back in her chair. "That’s the problem, though, isn’t it? You always think you’ll make it on time, but you never do. We barely see each other anymore. I feel like I’m always waiting for you."The silence between them was thick, heavy with all the unspoken frustrations that had been building for months."I know things have been hard lately," Aman began, his voice quiet. "But I don’t want to lose you, Aru. We can figure this out, right?"Aradhya stared at him for a moment, her chest tight with conflicting emotions. She wanted to believe him, wanted to hold on to the hope that they could fix things. But deep down, she knew that things had already shifted too far."I don’t know if we can," she said softly. "Maybe we just need some space. Maybe… maybe we need a break." The words hung in the air, heavy and final. Aman looked like he had been punched in the gut, but he didn’t argue. He just nodded slowly, as though he had been expecting this all along.They sat in silence for a few moments, neither of them knowing what to say next. The weight of their conversation seemed to press down on them both, making it hard to breathe.Just as they were about to stand up and leave, a strange movement caught Aradhya’s eye. Just as Aradhya and Aman were about to stand, she noticed the old man’s hand moving toward the rose. Something about the motion drew her attention. It wasn’t just the way his fingers delicately lifted the stem from the small pot, or the reverence in his touch—it was the odd sense of purpose in his actions. He raised the rose to his lips and whispered something, though she couldn’t make out the words. His gaze remained focused on the two of them, his eyes soft but filled with a mysterious weight, as if he knew something neither of them could grasp.Aradhya blinked, feeling a sudden, strange sensation wash over her. A breeze? It couldn’t have been—the café was entirely sealed from the outside, no windows open, no fans running. But it felt like a cool gust of wind had brushed past her skin, carrying with it an eerie stillness that sent shivers down her spine.Aman seemed to notice it too. He straightened up, glancing around as if trying to locate the source of the draft, but his attention quickly returned to the old man. Both of them watched as the elderly man brought the rose to his lips again, murmured something even softer this time, then, with a deliberate exhale, blew lightly across the flower’s petals.It was an unexplainable moment. The air around them grew thick, almost electric. The soft hum of the café seemed to quiet, as though the world outside had momentarily paused. Aradhya’s heart raced in her chest. There was something deeply unsettling about the way the old man performed the action, like he was casting a spell that only he understood."What the hell was that?" Aman whispered, his voice low, eyes fixed on the man.Aradhya shook her head, unable to answer. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. The old man’s gaze finally broke away from them, and he gently placed the rose back into the pot, his lips curling into a serene smile.It was the smile that unnerved Aradhya the most. It wasn’t mocking or sinister. It was warm, almost compassionate, as if he knew what they had been through. As if he understood more than anyone else ever could."We should go," Aradhya said suddenly, her voice tight. She grabbed her bag, her fingers trembling slightly as she stood up.Aman didn’t hesitate. He stood up too, clearly shaken by what had just happened. He glanced once more at the old man, who was now calmly sipping his tea, seemingly unfazed by the bizarre moment that had just passed between them.As they hurried out of the café, the sensation of the strange breeze still lingered on their skin. Aradhya’s heart was pounding, her mind racing with confusion. What had that man done? Was it just some weird old-man quirk, or was there something more to it?Once outside, the evening air was cool against her flushed skin. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside her. Aman walked beside her, his face still etched with confusion and unease."What do you think that was?" he asked quietly."I don’t know," she replied, her voice shaky. "But I don’t like it."They walked in silence for a while, the noise of the city streets filling the space between them. Aradhya couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted—something far deeper than the tension between her and Aman. It felt as if the old man’s strange ritual had left an invisible mark on them, something that would linger long after they left the café.Flashback: A Relationship StrainedAs they walked, memories of the last few months came rushing back to Aradhya. Their relationship had once been filled with joy, spontaneity, and connection. But over time, as their careers grew more demanding, their time together had shrunk to almost nothing. It wasn’t like they had fallen out of love—they still cared about each other deeply—but the energy that had once fueled their relationship had faded.It had started small. Aman would cancel a date because his brother needed help with the company, or Aradhya would have to work late because of a big project. At first, they had been understanding, forgiving even. But as it happened more and more frequently, the excuses began to wear thin.Aradhya had tried to talk to Aman about it. She had suggested that they make more time for each other, that they plan weekends away or even just have dinner together once a week. But somehow, life always got in the way.Aman wasn’t to blame entirely. She knew that. Her own job was just as demanding, and she had cancelled on him more times than she cared to admit. But it was the pattern that bothered her—the sense that their relationship had become an afterthought, something to fit into the gaps between work and obligations. The walk back to her apartment was quiet, both of them lost in their own thoughts. When they finally reached her building, Aradhya stopped and turned to face Aman."I don’t know what happened back there," she said softly, her voice breaking the silence. "But I think it’s a sign."Aman frowned. "A sign?"She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. "A sign that we need to stop pretending this is working. We’ve been trying to force something that just… isn’t there anymore."Aman’s face fell, but he didn’t argue. Deep down, he knew she was right. They had both known it for a while now."I don’t want to lose you," he said quietly. "But I also don’t want us to keep hurting each other like this."Aradhya felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them away. She had spent too many nights crying over this already. She wasn’t going to do it again."I think we need to take that break," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her. "Maybe some time apart will help us figure out if this is what we really want."Aman nodded slowly, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. "Yeah… maybe you’re right."For a moment, they stood there in the cool evening air, both of them unsure of what to say next. The weight of their decision hung heavily between them, but there was also a sense of relief—relief that they had finally acknowledged what had been weighing on their hearts for so long."I’ll call you," Aman said, his voice soft. "When… when we’re ready."Aradhya nodded, forcing a small smile. "Take care, Aman.""You too, Aru."And with that, they parted ways. Aman walked down the street, his figure slowly disappearing into the night, while Aradhya stood there for a moment longer, watching him go. Epilogue: The Aftermath Later that night, as Aradhya lay in bed, her thoughts continued to swirl around the strange events at the café. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed. The old man’s actions, the breeze, the way her heart had felt lighter yet burdened at the same time—it was all too surreal.Aman, too, couldn’t sleep. He replayed the evening in his mind, trying to make sense of the old man and the odd feeling that had lingered in the air as they left the café. Something about it didn’t sit right with him, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was.Neither of them knew it yet, but the old man’s chant, his rose, and that strange breeze were not just coincidences. They had been touched by something ancient, something beyond their understanding. And though they had parted ways that night, their story was far from over.In time, they would come to realize that the break they had taken wasn’t just a pause in their relationship—it was the beginning of a journey neither of them could have predicted.The old man’s smile echoed in the night, lingering like a whisper carried on the wind, waiting for the moment when their paths would cross again.