On a fine Christmas morning, Suraj was visibly happy—so much so that it showed clearly on his face. When he saw Archana, he asked her,
“Hey, do you realise which day it is today?”
“I barely remember things, and you know that, right?” Archana replied.
“Yes, but I thought you might remember the day of our first meeting, five years ago.”
“Oh, is it? I’m sorry I forgot.”
“It’s okay. You have me to remind you of the things you’ve forgotten.”
“That’s actually a great relief. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. It’s nothing compared to having you beside me.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“Well, I was thinking about our good old chatting days—the ones that led to our first meet-up.”
“How can you remember so many things after all these years?”
“I don’t forget the dates, times, and moments I cherished the most in my life. That’s why I remember everything about you.”
“Then tell me—what was your first chat with me?”
“So, you’re testing me now? Alright, hold on. ‘Hi, you must have taken hours to prepare the hanging cup designs. They’re really good—I loved them.’ That’s how it went.”
“And what was my response?”
“You didn’t reply immediately. Two days later, you said thank you and mentioned that it took you four hours to make the artwork. I was stunned by your passion for art and was literally at a loss for words.”
“Oh God… why can’t I remember this? Tell me what happened next—briefly.”
“After that, we chatted about art every alternate day. Then music and cinema caught our attention, and we talked about them at the end of each day. Slowly, we moved on to our families, society, likes, dislikes—and discovered that we had ninety per cent of things in common. I reached a point where I couldn’t wait to talk to you. I made excuses just to start conversations. We chatted constantly until midnight, every day. We never shared photos or spoke on video calls, but I desperately wanted to see you in person.”
“That must have led to our first meeting.”
“Not exactly. I cooked up a dramatic story—wrote about the end of the world being near and how we might die without ever meeting. After reading it, for the first time in six months, you video-called me. I was completely awestruck and didn’t know what to do. Somehow, I gathered the courage to answer.
“The first thing I saw was a beautiful terrace garden—and those hanging cups again, right at the entrance. I wanted to see you, but you saw me first. I could hear the excitement in your voice, and mine matched it. It took another day before I finally saw your face on video. It felt like I had known you forever. But the happiness in your eyes and the smile on your lips—there are no words to describe it.
“That night, we talked endlessly until dawn. By the end of it, your smile inspired me to write a poem instantly. You cherished every line and suggested that we meet the very next day. You chose the place and time—right here, five years ago.”
“So this is where we met for the first time? What was it like?”
“I remember every single moment. It still feels like yesterday. I waited here, beside this tree, for over half an hour. Then you arrived in an auto and got down on the opposite side. When you saw me, your excitement was unmistakable. You ran towards me, forgetting the entire world. I blushed for the first time in my life.
“And then the unthinkable happened. A truck came out of nowhere and struck you. You were thrown against the large rock near the tree. I froze—but then rushed towards you. You were already gone. I tried to get you to the hospital, but it was futile. You didn’t see it coming. Neither did I. The day I finally met you was the day I lost you.”
“So you’re saying I died the moment I saw you?”
“Yes. Ever since you left this world, I’ve come here whenever I want to see you. You appear, you don’t remember anything, I tell you the story, and then you leave again. Today marks five years since we met—and since I lost you.”
“Now I remember the day through your words. They’ve made me relive the sorrow of our final moments.”
“As time passes, my bond with you only grows stronger. It will never break. I promised I’d help you remember what you forgot.”
“Thank you, brother. You made me feel alive again. You helped me face fears I never thought I could. You made me mentally stronger in just six months, and our bond of mutual care never faded. I feel both happy and sad about what happened.”
“I’ll never forget the days we shared. Even if we’re miles apart, you’re always close to my heart. The bond between us—this sibling bond—will never break until my last breath. Now go, you idiot, before I start crying.”
DoubleSpeak 