The story begins with Hridaan Kashyap, a 24-year-old young man born and raised in Delhi. Since childhood, Hridaan has been highly intelligent, interested in academics, and a consistent topper in every class. He comes from an upper-middle-class family and holds a keen interest in civil services.

Alongside this, Hridaan also had a deep passion for teaching. Driven by this passion and a spirit of service, he appeared for the BPSC teacher recruitment examination conducted in Bihar. Following his selection, he was posted as a TGT teacher in a small Bihari village named Narayanpur....and this very place becomes the setting for our story.

"Narayanpur! Narayanpur!" the conductor shouted loudly.

Hridaan woke up with a jerk. He pulled his head away from the hot bus window.

"Bhaiya, Narayanpur aa gaya?" he asked the conductor, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

( Brother, has Narayanpur arrived? )

"Toh kya hum kab se Canada chilla rahe hain?" the conductor replied angrily.

( So have i been shouting Canada all this time? )

Hridaan gave him a sharp, angry look. He did not say anything, picked up his suitcase, and quietly got off the bus.

No one else got off with him. He was completely alone on a lonely piece of land. There was no real road, only dirt and mud. All he could see were green crops and trees everywhere.

"Where is the village?" he whispered to himself, looking around.

Then, his eyes fell on a green board.

"Narayanpur mein aapka swagat hai," he read out loud. He looked around again.

( Welcome to Narayanpur )

"But where the hell is Narayanpur?"

​There was no village in sight. Just a rusted welcome board, an unpaved road, and a relentless sea of crops.

The scorching afternoon sun beat down on him mercilessly. With two heavy suitcases dragging at his arms, a loaded backpack weighing down his shoulders, and a throat parched from thirst, Hridaan felt his strength rapidly slipping away.

Just then, an old man was passing by on a bicycle. Hridaan quickly ran up to him.

"Uncle suniye," he huffed slightly as he stood a few inches away from the old man. "Ye Narayanpur kaha hai?"

( Excuse me, Uncle. Where is this Narayanpur? )

The old man looked at him from head to toe. "Lagta hai kisi bade sehar se aaye ho."

( Looks like you have come from some big city )

"Ji," Hridaan nodded, catching his breath.

"Kiske ghar aaye ho?" the old man asked curiously.

( Whose house have you come to? )

"Kisi ke ghar nhi aaya hu chacha, yha naukri lagi hai meri, teacher ke taur par aaya hu," Hridaan said briefly.

( ​I haven't come to anyone's home, Uncle. I got a job here, I have come as a teacher )

"Matlab kafi padhe likhe ho," the old man said.

( That means you are quite educated )

"Ji," Hridaan fixed his collar, feeling proud.

"Fir utna bada board nhi dikh rha," the old man said, pointing towards the board.

( Then can't you see that big signboard? )

Hridaan let out a heavy, annoyed sigh. "Board dikh rha hai mujhe chacha, par gaaw nhi dikh rha."

( ​I can see the board, Uncle, but I can't see the village )

"Thoda aage jao, gaaw bhi dikhega," the old man replied nonchalantly.

( Go a little further ahead, you'll see the village too )

Hridaan glanced past the signpost. He could now see a narrow dirt path cutting straight through the tall crops.

"Kitni door chal kar jana hoga?" he asked, wiping the sweat from his neck.

( How far do I have to walk? )

"Yhi bas 4 km," the old man said calmly.

( just 4 km )

Hridaan’s eyes widened in sheer shock. "Aree jb gaaw chaar km andar hai, toh yha board kyu lagaya hai?" he asked, his frustration finally boiling over.

( when the village is four kilometers inside, then why did you put the board here? )

"Beta, ab tum aa gye ho na, toh board ukaad ke le jao aur jaha man kare laga dena," the old man said sarcastically, pedaling away and leaving Hridaan alone in the dust.

( Son, now that you have arrived, uproot the board and go place it wherever you feel like )

Hridaan stood frozen for a few moments, watching the old man slowly pedal away. Finally, gathering his courage, he picked up a heavy suitcase in each hand and started walking down the dirt path through the middle of the fields.

The loud, constant buzzing of crickets coming from the wheat fields was making him very irritated, but he tried to stay calm and kept moving forward.

Suddenly, the phone in his pocket began to ring. He quickly set the suitcases down and sat right on top of one to take the call.

"Yes, Mom."

"Did you reach Narayanpur?" Asha asked from the other side.

Hridaan looked around at his empty surroundings and said annoyingly, "No maa, they have hung the board four kilometers away from the village. I am still on the way."

"I told you to take your bike with you," Asha said in concern.

"I made a mistake," Hridaan said in a low, tired voice.

"Alright, don't lose heart. I will tell your father to send your bike over," Asha said, trying to comfort him.

"Thanks mom, love you."

"Love you too child. And make sure to call me first thing when you reach the village," she ordered.

"Okay, I will hang up now then," he said.

"Yes okay, take care," Asha replied, and Hridaan hung up the call.

Hridaan slipped his phone back into his pocket, picked up his suitcases once more, and resumed walking. It was only when a few scattered houses appeared in the distance that he finally felt a wave of relief.

By the time he reached the village, late afternoon had slipped away. Evening was setting in, and the sun hung low on the horizon. The villagers passing by stared at him from head to toe as if a foreigner had just walked into their town.

And in truth, he was starkly different from everyone around him. Standing six feet tall, with a fair complexion, light brown eyes, a clean-shaved face, and a well-toned, fit frame, he looked like a movie star. He wore a perfectly fitted polo t-shirt paired with trousers and matching shoes.

In sharp contrast stood the villagers...clad in simple dhotis and vests, bearing the visible weight of a hard,

impoverished life.

Both Hridaan and the villagers were utterly stunned by the sight of each other.

Hridaan wiped his forehead and dragged his suitcases toward a few men sitting on a wooden bench near a tea stall.

"Namaste," He said, trying to be polite. "Main naya school teacher ke taur par aaya hoon. Aap bata sakte hai ki sarpanch ji ka ghar kahan hai?"

( I have arrived as the new school teacher. Can you tell me where the Sarpanch's house is? )

The men stopped talking and looked him up and down, clearly caught off guard by his clothes and polished appearance. One of them, an older man holding a glass of tea, pointed down the road.

"Aage chaho. Woh jo badi pakki haveli dikh rahi hai, wahi hai," the man said.

( Go ahead. That big concrete mansion you see over there, that's the one )

"Shukriya," Hridaan replied.

( thanks )

He didn't miss the curious, awkward silence that followed him as he picked up his bags and walked toward the house.

Most of the houses in the village were made of mud, or had brick walls topped with tin or clay tile roofs. There were a few concrete houses scattered around, connected by narrow lanes barely wide enough for a single motorcycle to squeeze through. Almost every home seemed to have cattle, as the air was filled with the lowing of cows and buffaloes.

Hridaan tried to peek inside a few courtyards...he had never seen a real buffalo in his entire life but since evening was setting in, all the animals were likely brought inside for the night.

Reminding himself that this was his reality now, he kept walking.

Up ahead stood a bright two-story house painted in five or six different colors...the walls were one shade, the window frames another, the roof yet another, and the outer boundary wall was covered in vibrant Madhubani paintings. The loud mooing of a buffalo echoed from inside the compound.

"This has to be the Sarpanch's house," he muttered to himself, setting his heavy suitcases down to knock.

Through the patterned iron mesh door, he caught a glimpse of the courtyard inside.

"Sarpanch ji!" he shouted, knocking firmly on the mesh door. "Sarpanch ji, bahar aayiye!"

( Sarpanch ji, come outside! )

A middle-aged, heavily built man with a protruding belly came to the door.

"Master sahab?" he asked, looking at Hridaan with curiosity.

"Ji-- "

"Aayiye aayiye, aapka he intzaar tha," Sishupaal said, pulling Hridaan inside by the arm. Hridaan turned to grab his luggage, but Sishupaal stopped him.

( Come, come, we were waiting for you )

"Rehne dijiye, Sunil le aayega," he said.

( Let it be, Sunil will bring it )

"Sunil?" Hridaan asked.

"Sunil mera beta," Sishupaal replied. "Aap yahan baith jayiye," he guided Hridaan toward a woven wooden cot.

( Sunil is my son....Please sit here )

The moment Hridaan sat down, the center of the khatiya sank deep toward the floor. To a city guy used to firm mattresses, it felt like an unexpected amusement park ride.

Sarpanch pulled up a plastic chair and sat opposite him.

"Sunil... re Sunil!" he called out loud.

A man in his late 20s came running into the courtyard. "Ji, papa?" he said obediently.

"Master sahab ka suitcase bahar rakha hai, jaake andar le aao," Sishupaal ordered.

( Master sahab's suitcase is kept outside, go bring it inside )

"Ji," Sunil greeted Hridaan silently with folded hands and walked out. Hridaan smiled and bowed his head slightly in return.

"Aapko ghar dhoondhne mai koi dikkat toh nahi hui?" Sishupaal asked.

( Did you face any trouble finding the house? )

"Nahi," Hridaan replied. "Actually, mai BDO sir ke office gaya tha aur unhone mujhe aap se milne ke liye kaha."

( No, Actually, I went to the BDO sir's office and he told me to meet you )

Sishupaal let out a dry, booming laugh. "Haan, bataya tha BDO sir ne mujhe ki aap aane wale hain."

( Yes, BDO sir had told me that you were coming )

"Ji," Hridaan nodded. "Kal se mai school join kar lunga, lekin mai rahunga kahan? Kya school mai koi extra room hai? Kyunki raste mai toh mujhe koi guesthouse nahi dikha."

( Yes, I will join the school tomorrow, but where will I stay? Is there any extra room in the school? Because I didn't see any guesthouse on the way )

"Aree, yahan kahan guesthouse milega aapko!" Sishupaal chuckled. "Aur do hi kamre ka toh school hai. Kisi din zyada students aa jayein toh field par bithana padta hai."

( Oh, where would you find a guesthouse here!" ... "And the school has only two rooms. On days when more students come, we have to seat them in the field )

"Toh... mai rahunga kahan?" Hridaan asked, a wave of worry creeping into his voice.

( So... where will I stay? )

"Uski chinta aap mat kijiye, maine aapke rehne ki sari vyavastha kar di hai," Sishupaal said reassuringly.

( Don't worry about that, I have made all the arrangements for your stay )

"Kahan?" Hridaan questioned.

( Where )

"Aap yahan mere hi ghar par rahenge," Sishupaal said with a wide smile, gesturing around the sprawling courtyard.

( You will stay right here at my house )

Hridaan’s eyes widened in surprise. "Nahi nahi, Sarpanch ji... main aapke ghar par kaise reh sakta hoon? Yeh sahi nahi lagega. Koi rent par chota sa kamra mil jata toh..."

( No, no, Sarpanch ji... how can I stay at your house? It won't look right. If I could get a small room on rent.. )

"Arey Master sahab, rent ka kamra kahan dhoondhenge iss gaaw mai?" Sishupaal interrupted, waving his hand dismissively. "Aur anjaan jagah par akele kahan bhatkenge? Humara yeh ghar bada hai, upar ek kamra bilkul khaali pada hai. Khana-peena sab yahin ho jayega."

( Oh Master sahab, where will you look for a rented room in this village? And where will you wander alone in an unfamiliar place? This house of ours is big, there is a room upstairs lying completely vacant. Your meals and everything will be taken care of right here )

"Lekin Sarpanch ji, mujhe aise kisi ke ghar pe bojh nahi banna," Hridaan insisted politely, feeling awkward. "Agar koi aur option nahi hai, toh main filhaal reh jata hoon... jab tak gaaw mai koi alag kamra arrange nahi ho jata."

( But Sarpanch ji, I don't want to become a burden on anyone's house like this....If there is no other option, then I will stay for now... until a separate room is arranged in the village )

"Haan, toh bas baat khatam!" Sishupaal slapped his knee with a loud chuckle. "Tab tak ke liye yahi aapka ghar hai. Pehle thoda aaram kar lijiye, baaki baatein baad mai karenge."

( Yes, so that's the end of it!. Until then, this is your house. First get some rest, we'll talk about the rest later )

Hridaan let out a quiet sigh of relief, though deep down, he knew finding an independent room in Narayanpur was going to be a lot harder than he thought.

Sunil returned carrying both the heavy suitcases in his hands.

"Sunil, yeh dono suitcase upar wale kamre mai rakh aao, aur Master sahab ko unka kamra dikha do," Sishupaal ordered.

( Sunil, go keep both these suitcases in the upstairs room, and show Master sahab his room )

"Ji papa," Sunil nodded and started heading toward the staircase.

Sishupaal then turned toward the inner doorway of the house and called out softly, "bela bitiya...! Bahar aana zara."

( Bella dear...Come outside for a second )

After a few seconds, a young girl walked into the courtyard.

Hridaan looked at her . She was stunningly beautiful...standing around 5'4" with a warm, medium-fair complexion. Her thick, jet-black hair fell all the way down past her hips, framing her soft features. She was draped in a simple cotton saree, and the second her eyes landed on Hridaan, she instinctively pulled the pallu over her head to cover her face.

Hridaan blinked in utter confusion, wondering why she was hiding her face from him.

"Bela, Master sahab ke liye thoda thanda paani aur kuch naashta tayyar kar," Sishupaal said casually.

( Bella, prepare some cold water and some snacks for Master sahab )

She didn't utter a word, simply nodding her head under the veil. Turning around gracefully, she headed back toward the kitchen, the sweet, rhythmic chiming of her payal echoing through the courtyard with every step.

"Ye meri beti thi, Bela," Sishupaal said, introducing her proudly. "Iski maa aur bhabhi kirtan mai gaye hain, raat tak aayenge."

( This was my daughter, Bela. Her mother and sister-in-law have gone to a devotional gathering (kirtan), they will return by night )

"Ji," Hridaan nodded awkwardly.

"Aap jao, apne kamre mai chale jao. Aur agar fresh hona hai toh woh samne bathroom hai," he pointed toward the corner of the courtyard. "Andar bhi hai, lekin woh ladies log ka hai."

( ​You go, head up to your room. And if you want to freshen up, that bathroom is right across. There is one inside too, but that is for the ladies )

Hridaan nodded again. "Thank you... thanks a lot, Sarpanch ji."

"Aree, thank you mat boliye! Aap humare mehmaan hai," Sishupaal said happily. "Chaliye, mai khud aapko aapke kamre mai le chalta hoon, thoda aaram kar lijiye," he said, standing up.

( Oh, don't say thank you! You are our guest, Come, I will personally show you to your room, get some rest )

Hridaan got up and followed him.

From the inside, the house was remarkably clean and well-kept. Beautiful patterns were drawn on the plaster walls, and the subtle scent of burning incense filled the air. The house was wide, open, and airy, and through the back windows, nothing but endless green fields were visible under the fading evening light.

Hridaan’s room was on the upper floor.

"Aayiye, Master sahab," Sishupaal said, opening the wooden door for him.

( Come in, Master sahab )

Hridaan stepped inside with a soft smile.

The room wasn't too big, but it was bright and airy. It had a neat single bed, a basic wooden table and chair in the corner, and a warm yellow bulb casting a cozy light over the space. A cool evening breeze drifted in through the open window, carrying the fresh scent of the countryside.

Against the far wall stood a wooden wardrobe, right next to where Sunil had placed his heavy suitcases.

"Aapko agar kuch chahiye hoga toh bas hume ek aawaz de dena," Sishupaal said with a friendly smile.

( if u need anything, just call us )

"Ji bilkul," Hridaan smiled politely.

"Theek hai, aaram kijiye fir," Sishupaal turned to leave, but turned back immediately. "Waise khana mai kya banaye aapke liye? Murga bhaat bana de?"

( Okay, get some rest then. By the way, what should we make for dinner for you? Should we make chicken and rice? )

"Nahi nahi Sarpanch ji," Hridaan quickly refused. "Mai meat nahi khata."

( No, no, Sarpanch ji, I don't eat meat )

"Anda khate hai?" Sishupaal asked.

( Do you eat eggs? )

"Ji, anda kha leta hoon," Hridaan replied.

( Yes, I eat eggs )

"Fir anda ka jhor he bana dete hai!" Sishupaal said in excitement. "Garam bhaat rahega, aur salad banwa denge."

(Then we'll just make egg curry! There will be hot rice, and we'll have a salad prepared )

"Ji," Hridaan pressed a smile again, nodding along.

"Aaram kijiye, hum naasta bhijwate hai," Sishupaal said once again before finally stepping out.

( Get some rest, we'll send some snacks up )

Hridaan immediately shut the door behind him and let out a long, heavy sigh of relief.

He kicked off his shoes, unceremoniously peeled off his socks, and threw himself flat onto the bed. "Finally..." he groaned into the quiet room.

He had barely closed his eyes for a few seconds when his phone began to vibrate and ring loudly in his pocket. He pulled it out, tiredly glancing at the screen.

"Kirti..." he mumbled under his breath upon seeing the caller ID.

Still lying flat on his back, staring up at the bare ceiling, he swiped to answer the call.

"Did you forget me the moment you reached the village?" Kirti’s voice chimed through the speaker.

"Madam, I just got here. Your call came before I could even catch my breath," Hridaan replied playfully, staring up at the ceiling fan.

"I was worried! What if dacoits had kidnapped you?" Kirti pouted over the line.

"There are no dacoits here," Hridaan chuckled, a soft smile breaking across his face.

"Where are you staying?" she asked.

"At the Sarpanch's house," Hridaan replied. "It's surprisingly clean and well-organized. I just hope the school is in decent condition too."

"I still don't understand why you had to go all the way there. How are you even going to adjust?" Kirti’s tone turned genuinely anxious.

"Well, if I got posted here, I have to come, right? Besides, it's a new experience, and the place is actually pretty peaceful," Hridaan said, trying to reassure her.

"Let's see how many days you survive," Kirti taunted lightly. "There's no AC, no proper drinking water, no decent internet... it's practically a punishment!"

"You seem more worried about this than I am," Hridaan teased back.

"Of course I am," Kirti said softly. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since you left."

"Hmm..." Hridaan smirked slowly, resting one hand behind his head. "You're my best friend, no need to act like my wife."

"I'll become that one day too," Kirti declared with absolute confidence.

"Anyway, there's a girl here," Hridaan quickly shifted the topic, rolling onto his side. "She's unmarried, but she's wearing a saree...and the moment she saw me, she covered her face."

"Why? Did you want to see her face?" Kirti’s tone instantly sharpened into a serious, protective edge.

"No, process it! I was just surprised... I've only ever seen married women wear sarees on a daily basis-- " Hridaan paused as he caught the faint, rhythmic chime of anklets making their way up the stairs. "Listen, I'll call you later. Someone's coming."

"Don't forget," Kirti warned firmly. "I'll be waiting."

Hridaan hummed in response and hung up, sitting up on the edge of the bed just as a knock rattled the wooden door.

"Aa jayiye," he said, sitting up.

( come in )

Bela slowly opened the door and hesitantly stepped inside. Her pallu was still pulled down to her forehead, shading her features.

"Wo... aapka naashta," she muttered softly, carefully placing a plate and a glass of water on the small table.

( your...snacks )

She was definitely a wonder for Hridaan...everything about her felt so distant from the fast-paced city life he was used to.

"Thanks," he said, his eyes fixed on her instead of looking at the plate.

"Aapko kuch aur chahiye toh mujhe bol dijiyega," she said slowly, turning back to leave.

( If you need anything else, please tell me )

"Rukiye!" Hridaan got up immediately and hurried over to his suitcase.

( wait )

He unzipped the front pocket and pulled out his sleek laptop. "Actually, mujhe mera laptop charge karna hai, par yahan koi switchboard nahi hai."

( Actually, I need to charge my laptop, but there is no switchboard here )

Bela turned back and looked at the laptop with wide, curious eyes...staring at the modern gadget as if she were seeing one for the very first time.

"Neeche switchboard hai," she said.

( There is a switchboard downstairs )

"Toh aap please isko charge mai laga dijiyega?" He extended both his laptop and charger toward her.

( So could you please put this on charge? )

"Mai?" she asked in surprise, her voice pitching up slightly under her veil.

( me? )

"Ji?" He raised his brows, a playful smile touching his lips.

( Yes? )

"Theek hai," she whispered, taking the laptop and charger carefully into her hands, as if handling fragile glass, before walking out of the room.

( okay )

Hridaan stood in the doorway longer than necessary, watching the empty hallway even after her anklets stopped chiming. Bela felt very strange to him...mysterious, soft-spoken, and completely different from any girl he had ever met before.

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