Randhir Singh Shekhawat stepped out of the tiny cafe with his usual hazelnut latte; bidding the nutty aroma that wafted through as soon as someone stepped out of the quaint little coffeehouse, a goodbye. It was a cold winter morning and the streets where blanketed by a white layer of seemingly soft snow. Tiny icicles hung from the brick layered roof. Randhir walked into the chill; the cold frost biting onto his cheeks. His nose and mouth were a faint pink. He pulled the collar of his black double breasted coat upwards and shoved one hand into his pocket. Walking down the icy lane, he passed a few pedestrians who seemed to be in a hurry to reach their destination before a snow storm would hit. Randhir sipped on his coffee. He would miss this toasty flavour when he'd be away. He wasn't sure when he'd be back to this town. He was leaving that day. He wished he could meet Sanyukta for the last time before he left. He sighed deeply. As crazy as it sound, the cafe reminded him of Sanyukta. The Persian rug that adorned the wooden flooring reminded him of Sanyukta. The deep hues of the walls which basked in the warm glow of the dim lights reminded him of Sanyukta. The mug coasters and crockery reminded him of Sanyukta. The old symphonies which played through the cafe reminded him of Sanyukta. Passion fruit flavoured tea reminded him of Sanyukta. Walnut brownies and dark chocolate waffles reminded him of Sanyukta. And every time he walked out of the outlet, he felt that he had walked away from Sanyukta. But the reality was that he had never walked away from her. He never have could and he never have would; atleast not in a million lifetimes. He had loved her dearly. Every cell in his body knew that they didn't belong to him. They only belonged to that one girl; the girl who held the key to the deepest chambers of his heart. He knew that he had loved only Sanyukta and that he couldn't love anyone but her. His passion for her was fierce and agressive and so strongly driven that it frightened him at times, when he had tried to imagine to what lenghts his love could push him to attain her happiness...or was his love never shackle bound. He knew that love always redeemed lovers. It set their souls free and never bound them to morals, obligations and society. He knew his love for her was strong enough for the both of them. He still cherished every memory; treasured each moment he had spent with her. Being with her had been the happiest phase of his life. Randhir took out a piece of paper from his pocket. He was now standing on the bridge; the bridge they had spent hours on together. It overlooked the river which was now brutally cold. Randhir idly wondered whether the river would freeze by midnight. He could probably let their memories freeze along with it. He didn't want to carry their memories. It'd hurt him. But he knew that he had no choice. He was in love. A kind of love that would only make him want to give so much more even if his resolve and soul had crumbled down. He knew he could never hate her. He had loved Sanyukta without conditions and that meant that he couldn't keep her close to him if she didn't want to. And he had done exactly the same. He had let her go. His mind drowned and his heart bled at the misery. But he smiled. Because all he wanted was Sanyukta's good will and happiness. For Randhir, his love for Sanyukta knew no bounds. Randhir remembered the time when he had first seen Sanyukta. Her perfect face...those pretty eyes... He couldn't point out a single feature that he actually loved more about her. He had loved all of her. Always. Sanyukta had frowned the first time she had seen him. He had accidentally bumped into her and spilled his latte over her jumper. "Urghhh! Watch where you walk!" Sanyukta snapped at him. Randhir fumbled and found himself at a loss of words. He frowned. He had never ever been at a loss of words. What was wrong with him? This woman wasn't anything close to an angel but she had this charm which clung onto her...an aura of sorts... It had captivated his senses.2. His heart had sped when he was close to her and he didn't know why. He just liked being in the same space as hers. He had apologised to her and assured her that he would make up to his goof up one day. She giggled and he loved how it sounded. The next day Randhir had waited for her at the same time. When Sanyukta had walked in, she grinned on seeing him hold out her favourite drink. "You're quite an observer." She remarked. "It's the least I could do for yesterday." "I guess. But that was one of my favourite jumper." Sanyukta mumbled, her head low like she actually felt sad that she couldn't wear it any longer. Randhir found himself going on a guilt trip. That was all so very strange. Sanyukta had looked up at him and had laughed maniacally. "You're terribly sweet." She said and Randhir had felt his insides warm up.
Randhir took out a pen from his pocket and tapped it on the paper. He had decided that he could atleast be decent enough to inform her about his departure at the eleventh hour if not meet her the last time. But as soon as her wrote 'Sanyukta' he could feel all the troughs and crests of their love gush back to him. Randhir and Sanyukta had started dating three months post the incident at the coffehouse. They had caught up almost every evening for a bite and over a few days they realised that they had so much in common. Randhir remembered how she used to kiss his cheek every time he had been successful at pleasing her. It was such a lovely and sweet feeling, the touch of her lips against his skin. She had a soft floral and exquisitely feminine smell. Even after all these years he could vividly remember her fragrance. Could some people be born to only love and not be loved back? If this was true, Randhir was definitely one of them. He didn't blame her. He could never do that. He had only every deeply wished for her well-being; nothing could reign supreme than that. His love was unrequited. But it was powerful. It gave him immense strength. Strength that on numerous occasions made him judge what was right and what wasn't. He was human. And like every other human he desired to be loved back. He had many a times wanted to run to her and claim her without her say. But his love stopped him. What sort of a love was it when it was forced? A selfish kind? But love was always selfless and so if he loved her it was only ever her. Randhir scribbled down a few words and realised that a single tear had dropped down. He was a bad man. He was going to leave her. What if she needed him? He HAD to be with her. As a lover, it was HIS responsibility to have her back. But he knew that however dearly his heart weeped for her to want him she never would. She had Aryan with her; the man SHE loved. When he had first kissed her, she had blushed a deep scarlet and that was the loveliest shade he had ever come across in his entire lifetime. He knew that all he had ever desired was to stay with her and hold her in his arms; to be there for her in times of distress and jubilation. Randhir looked back up at the dark sky. It was windy now and he could hardly see people on the streets. His phone beeped that very moment. It was his lawyer. He had texted him; informing that Randhir's property had now been transfered to Sanyukta. Randhir smiled. Everything that was his was hers and now that he was about to begin with afresh...he didn't want any aspect of his old life cling onto him. "You've been to almost everywhere, haven't you? Like you're so well travelled. I envy you. If I had all that money...I'd wanna go all over the globe and never come back..." Randhir remembered Sanyukta telling him as they snuggled in bed. Randhir had laughed then saying that it was just a lot of money his dad had passed onto him after his death and nothing that he had earned on his own. Randhir placed his phone back into his pocket and wrote, '...I never thought that I'd ask you a favour but could you travel the world...just this once...please use this money to go out there and live...breathe in each moment...'
