Our Love is Not Over

Chapter 4

He removed his name from the thesis the following day, and lived his life like he had before Kaveh had come into it. He resumed isolation, choosing solitude from the other scholars, and carried on with his usual schedule.

Work, read, sleep, repeat.

Work, read, sleep, repeat.

...Work, read, sleep...repeat.

...It was an exhausting cycle of repetition, one he hadn't fully recognized until Kaveh's sudden withdrawal from his life. They say that you only realize the worth of something once it's gone. Perhaps Kaveh was one of those things he didn't fully appreciate until now.

What he does is wonder what Kaveh is doing right now. What he doesn't do is think about the implications of what he just thought.

He couldn't remember how he lived his life before Kaveh came into it. He didn't know how he avoided falling into a deep pit of despair before Kaveh saved him. Or maybe he did fall in, but Kaveh pulled him out. Either way, he was lost now, and he felt like he was drowning underwater. His chest was heavy, and he longed for him. He missed Kaveh.

Loneliness had become his relentless companion, like it had been before Kaveh became a presence in his life. It changed his world into a depressing area of emptiness. With Kaveh's departure, the vibrant tapestry of colors that once enveloped his world seemed to have vanished, leaving behind a gloomy canvas, devoid of purpose or joy. Every day was a monotonous haze to him.

Alhaitham deeply felt Kaveh's absence in his life. The library that used to be a place of respite now felt empty and devoid of meaning. The once-lively discussions they had were now replaced by silence and solitude.

The days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months. Alhaitham tried to convince himself that he was better off without Kaveh, that he didn't need anyone else in his life. But deep down, he knew he was lying to himself. But what could he do? It was a hopeless situation.

—

One day, when Alhaitham found himself thinking about Kaveh more than he intended, he chose to have a drink at Lambad's Tavern after finishing his work.

He walked toward the corner of the tavern, planning on nursing a glass of wine, but something caught him off guard. A drunk Kaveh surrounded by an empty wine bottle was sprawled across the table. He moved slightly and mumbled, "Alhaitham..."

Caught off guard by Kaveh's unexpected presence and slurred words, Alhaitham hesitated for a moment. The weight of their broken friendship hung heavy in the air, but Alhaitham saw the tears trailing down Kaveh's cheek and chose to draw a chair across from him.

"You were right, you know..." Kaveh admitted. "I'm penniless. Impoverished."

Alhaitham stayed silent and waited for him to continue.

"I owe a debt to Lord Sangemah Bay. I didn't actually have to pay for the Palace of Alchazarzaray, but...I had to, you know? My stupid conscience..." Kaveh trailed off and sighed. "Alhaitham, Alhaitham...I know that we're no longer friends, but you're the only one I can tell...everyone else thinks I'm this rich, successful architect, so I can't, I just can't, but with you..." he laughed bitterly. "My freaking life, this is what it's come to? I have to resort to unloading all my problems on my enemy?"

Alhaitham stole Kaveh's glass and poured himself some wine from the second bottle. He took a sip of his drink, contemplating his words carefully. "Life has a way of throwing unexpected challenges our way, and sometimes we find ourselves burdened by the choices we've made. It's not easy to maintain a front of success while carrying the weight of secrets and debts. You can go ahead and say what's on your mind."

Kaveh was so preoccupied in his thoughts that he didn't seem to realize what Alhaitham had done with his wine glass. "My mother flipping left for Fontaine. For Fontaine! She remarried, and I had to stand there at her wedding, acting all smiles and happiness when I was feeling anything but. She left me! So out of the blue! Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that she is finally smiling. She hasn't smiled since my father's death. But...seriously, I just...it's so lonely without her. My only family, gone with the drop of a hat..."

Alhaitham took another sip of his wine, listening attentively to Kaveh's words. He could sense the mixture of emotions brewing inside his former friend. He nodded at him to go on.

Kaveh kept pouring out his troubles, his voice filled with frustration. "She left me the house, but I had to sell it to pay off that debt to Lord Sangemah Bay. Now I'm left with no home, nowhere to belong. And you know what? I'm just fed up!"

"Fed up?"

"Yeah, fed up! I can't stand this anymore. Why does life keep handing me the short end of the stick? Actually, never mind, don't bother answering that. It's probably because I'm responsible for my father's death. Celestia must know..."

"You...what?" Alhaitham was taken aback. He knew Kaveh had his fair share of guilt, but he didn't expect it to be something so...big.

"I was the one who told him about the Interdarshan Championship," Kaveh slurred, his words slightly slurred from the effects of alcohol. "I didn't know he would go missing after he lost...and then he died in the desert, all alone..."

After Kaveh's revelation, his body began to succumb to the effects of alcohol. His eyelids grew heavy, and his words became increasingly slurred. He swayed slightly in his seat, struggling to maintain his balance.

Alhaitham caught him before he fell out of his chair and picked him up, bridal style. With a determined resolve in his mind, Alhaitham made a decision. He was taking Kaveh home.