CHASING THE MONSOON

A beautiful living room of a high-class, luxurious building opened up to an attached balcony. A set of plush, expensive sofas sat right in the middle of the room, and a faint scent of lavender room freshener lingered in the air. From an adjoining room, muffled, joyful voices drifted out. ​Suddenly, a cute guy with deep dimples, wearing simple shorts and a t-shirt, burst into the living room. He was laughing fully, radiating life, his hair messy with tiny pieces of pillow cotton still stuck in it. ​Chasing right behind him was a broad-shouldered man in a sharp three-piece suit, trying desperately to catch him. Despite the hints of tiredness on his face from a long day, he too was covered in white pillow cotton. ​"Satya, stop right there! Aaj tum nahi bachne wale (You aren't escaping today). Satya, stop or else!" ​The scene abruptly shattered, shifting to a wide, isolated road cutting through a thick forest. The same two men were there, but everything was different. Satya was running down the asphalt, but today, his smile was entirely gone. Following him was the same broad-shouldered man, but his confident posture had vanished. ​"Satya, please meri baat to sun yaar (just listen to me). Satya, listen!" ​Satya kept running. Out of nowhere, a speeding car tore down the road, crashing straight into him. ​"Satyaaaaaaa!" ​Inside a beautiful, dark mahogany office, a man suddenly jolted upright in his leather chair, a desperate cry tearing from his throat: "Satya!" ​For the past five years, this was the exact horror he experienced every single time he closed his eyes. ​His face was drenched in cold sweat, his breathing restless. Shivering, he quickly grabbed a glass of water from the desk, gulping down half of it to steady his racing heart. A sudden, polite knock on the door pulled him out of the shock. ​"Come in," a strained, faint voice called out. ​His manager, Dutta, stepped inside. "Shiv sir, your car is ready. You can head down." ​Yes, this was Shiv. ​"Yeah, I am coming," Shiv muttered, quickly grabbing his phone and wallet as he moved out into the night. He quickly grab his phone and wallet and moved out