The next morning, long before the sun had even risen, Hridaan was already awake. He laced up his running shoes and headed downstairs for a jog, he hadn't slept a wink.

The moment 4:00 AM struck, he decided to leave his room.

To his surprise, the entire household was already up and bustling. The Sarpanch was feeding the buffaloes, Sakuntala was watering the basil plant while chanting mantras, Sunil was wiping down his motorbike, and Bela was sweeping the area around the cattle with a broom made of coconut leaves.

"Badi jaldi uth gaye Master sahab! Raat ko acchi neend toh aayi na?" Sishupaal asked warmly.

( You woke up very early, Master sahab! Did you sleep well last night? )

"Ji," Hridaan replied politely. "School 7 baje se hai toh socha thoda walk kar loon."

( Yes, school starts at 7:00 AM, so I thought I'd take a short walk )

"Haan haan, bilkul jayiye! Issi bahane gaaw bhi dekh lijiye," Sishupaal encouraged with a smile.

( Yes, yes, absolutely go ahead! Use this as an opportunity to see the village too )

Hridaan offered a polite smile back before stepping out past the front gate. Plugging his earbuds into his ears, he set off down the road with long, steady strides.

The weather was incredibly pleasant. A gentle, cool breeze swept through the air, and the sky hadn't fully brightened yet...a few faint stars were still visible overhead.

Despite the early hour, the entire village seemed wide awake. The distant lowing of cows and buffaloes echoed from almost every house, and the sweet fragrance of jasmine blooming along the roadside filled the cool air.

Temple bells chimed softly in the distance. Near the riverbank, a few local women were bathing, and Hridaan kept his eyes straight ahead, walking briskly past without looking in their direction.

Before long, he reached a vast, open field. A sea of lush green stretched out in every direction, with snowy white egrets hovering gracefully over a small pond nearby.

He stopped there, steadying his breath.

The cool breeze coming from the east blew his hair back from his forehead. The view was so breathtakingly peaceful that it felt as though, if paradise truly existed, this had to be it. Every bit of his tiredness melted away, and he closed his eyes for a quiet moment, simply taking it all in.

And when he opened his eyes, the scenic view ahead was suddenly ruined...his face twisted in absolute disgust.

"Disgusting..." he muttered, instantly looking away from a few men who were squatting in the far corner at the end of the field.

The music blaring in his earbuds suddenly felt irritating, so he ripped them out and turned straight back toward the house.

​By now, the sun had fully risen, casting a bright golden light over the village. His peaceful morning mood was completely ruined as he walked back briskly, shaking his head.

🌱

Sishupaal bolted upright instantly. "Pagal ho gayi ho kya tum? Bela aur Master sahab ki shaadi?"

( Have you gone mad? A marriage between Bela and Master sahab? )

"Haan toh?" Sakuntala shifted closer, her voice dropping to a persuasive whisper. "Apne he jaat ke hai, sarkaari naukri hai, khandani ghar hai, aur ladka kitna sundar hai!"

( So what? He is from our own caste, holds a government job, has an ancestral home, and the boy is so handsome! )

"Aree, lekin wo kyun karenge Bela se shaadi?" Sishupaal reasoned, shaking his head in disbelief. "Unhe bhi toh koi padhi-likhi ladki chahiye hogi. Poora pariwaar padha-likha hai unka. Wo nahi manenge."

( Oh, but why would he marry Bela? He would want an educated girl too. His entire family is educated. He won't agree )

Sakuntala remained quiet for a few moments, staring intently toward the courtyard gate. Then, she murmured slowly, "Toh unse puchna kyun hai...?"

( Then why do we even need to ask him...? )

Sishupaal looked at her, wide-eyed with shock.

"Jo yahan hote aaya hai, wahi karte hain na," Sakuntala whispered, her tone chillingly calm. "Dahej bhi bach jayega aur beti ki zimmedaari se mukt bhi ho jayenge."

( Let's just do what has always been done here. We'll save on dowry and also be freed from the responsibility of a daughter )

"Nahi, nahi!" Sishupaal refused outright, looking around nervously. "Iss kaam mai bahot jhanjhat hai! Agar koi galti hui toh case-mukadma ho jayega."

( No, no! There is too much trouble in this work! If anything goes wrong, there will be court cases and legal trouble )

"Nahi hoga, kaun sa aisa pehli baar ho raha hai?" Sakuntala pushed on, leaning in closer. "Iss gaaw ki aadhi ladkiyon ka byah toh aise he hua hai! Fir hum kyun piche hat rahe hain?"

( ​It won't happen, is this occurring for the first time? Half the girls in this village got married like this! Then why are we backing down? )

Sishupaal fell completely silent. Sakuntala's suggestion began to sink deep into his mind, though he was still torn and conflicted.

"Par... yeh sambhav kaise hoga?" he asked hesitantly.

( But... how will this even be possible? )

"Uski chinta aap mat kijiye," Sakuntala whispered with a sharp, calculating smile. "Mai kal he apne bhai ko bulati hoon. Iss kaam mai mahir hai wo."

( Don't you worry about that. I will call my brother tomorrow itself. He is an expert in this matter )

A wicked smile played on her lips, but Sishupaal was still stuck in a deep dilemma.

"Bela manegi?" he asked, his tone dropping into a serious, heavy register.

( Will Bela agree? )

"Kyun nahi manegi? Aur usse puchna he kyun hai? Hum uske maa-baap hain, jis se bolenge ussi se byah hoga uska," Sakuntala declared with absolute certainty.

( Why wouldn't she agree? And why ask her at all? We are her parents; she will marry whoever we tell her to )

"Yeh bhi sahi hai," Sishupaal finally agreed, nodding as the dark plan settled firmly in his mind.

( That makes sense too )

" lekin ek aur baat hai " he added, seriously.

( But there is one more thing )

" ab kya? " Sakuntala asked, her excitement fading slightly.

( what now? )

Sishupaal hesitated before explaining, " Gaon ka niyam hai... agar koi layak ladka gaon mein aayega, toh uska byah gaon ki uss ladki se hoga jo sabse badi ho aur kuwari ho. Uss hisaab se toh Brijesh ki beti ka byah hona chahiye "

( It's the rule of the village... if an eligible guy comes to the village, he must be married to the girl in the village who is the oldest and unmarried. According to that, Brijesh's daughter should get married )

Sakuntala stared at him for a moment, clearly displeased.

" toh Sarpanch kis liye hain aap? " she snapped irritably. "Apni kursi ka istemaal kijiye. Bela humari iklauti beti hai. Ye rishta toh humare ghar hi hona chahiye "

( Then what are you the village head for? Use your position. Bela is our only daughter. This match should definitely happen in our home )

Sishupaal remained silent for a few seconds. He knew the village had its own customs, and breaking one could easily turn into a matter of panchayat and public humiliation.

" Lekin agar Brijesh ne panchayat mein sawaal khada kar diya toh? " he asked cautiously.

( But what if Brijesh raises a question in the village council )

Sakuntala scoffed, " Khada karne dijiye. Aap Sarpanch hain ya sirf naam ke? Ek faisla apni beti ke bhale ke liye nhi le sakte? "

( Let him raise it. Are you the village head or just one in name? Can't you take one decision for your daughter's well-being? )

Sishupaal looked at her, realizing there was little point in arguing with her now.

Finally, he nodded slowly.

" Theek hai. Tum kal Mahendra ko bulao. Dekhte hain "

( Alright. You call Mahendra tomorrow. Let's see )

Sakuntala's expression immediately softened with satisfaction.

" Mahendra ko main aaj he bula lungi "

( I will call Mahendra today itself )

Sishupaal simply nodded.

_____________________________

Bela sat on the ground, excitedly sharing the latest piece of gossip with Miski and Chandni.

" Tujhe pata hai kal Naagin mein ichchhadhari nevla aane wala hai," Bela said excitedly. " aur woh Jodha Akbar mein Jalal bhi tha "

( Do you know that a shapeshifting mongoose is going to appear in Naagin tomorrow?And he was also Jalal in Jodha Akbar )

Miski's eyes widened in genuine shock.

" Jalal hi ichchhadhari nevla hai? " she asked.

( Jalal himself is the shapeshifting mongoose )

" Pagal hai kya? " Bela immediately smacked her lightly on the head. " Dono alag-alag hain "

( Are you crazy? They are two different things )

Chandni sighed dramatically, looking genuinely disappointed.

" Yaar, mere ghar mein toh kal bijli hi nahi thi "

( there was no electricity at my house yesterday )

Bela immediately came up with a solution.

" Toh tu mere ghar chalna din mein. Ek baje dekh lenge phir se Naagin "

( Then come to my house during the day. We'll watch Naagin again at one o'clock )

" theek hai," Chandni agreed happily, her disappointment disappearing instantly.

( okay )

Miski looked between the two of them, " waise raat ko shadi mai lehenga pehnegi ya saree?" She asked to Bela.

( By the way, will you wear a lehenga or a saree to the wedding tonight? )

Miski had gotten married just last month. Her husband lived in the city and rarely visited the village, but since her in-laws' house was also right here in Narayanpur, she lived nearby.

"Mai toh lehenga pehnungi," Bela said dreamily. "Meri Bhabhi ne sila hai, bhala roz-roz kaun saree pehnega"

( I'm going to wear a lehenga. My sister-in-law stitched it; after all, who wears a saree every single day! )

"Par mai toh saree he pehnungi," Miski's face fell slightly with a groan. "Mere sasural wale bhi honge baarat mai."

( But I will wear a saree. My in-laws will also be in Baarat )

"Tu kya pehnegi?" Bela asked Chandni, but Chandni's

attention was focused somewhere else entirely..

on Hridaan, who was currently walking down the dusty road.

( what will you wear? )

"Wahi hain kya...?" Chandni pointed at him with wide eyes. "Naye Master sahab?"

( Is that him...? The new Master sahab? )

"Haan," Bela said immediately. "Shayad school jaa rahe hain."

( Yes, maybe he is heading to school )

"Kitne gazab dikhte hain yaar!" Miski gushed, admiring him openly.

( he looks so amazing! )

Bela instantly slapped the back of her head. "Sharam nahi aati? Jija ji ke hote huye tu kisi aur mard ke bare mai aisa bol rahi hai!"

( Have you no shame? Talking about another man like this when you already have a husband! )

"Sar par mat maar Bela!" Miski whined, rubbing her head. "Usse dimaag kamzor ho jata hai!"

( Don't hit me on the head, Bela! It weakens the brain! )

"Tere paas dimaag bhi hai?" Bela joked, and burst into cheerful laughter.

( do you even have a brain? )

.

.

.

.

The three of them stopped their chatter and practically glued their eyes to Hridaan as he walked closer.

He looked completely out of place. He was wearing a perfectly ironed white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, dark trousers, and a pair of sleek sunglasses.

He was holding a sleek metal water bottle and looking around, trying to navigate the uneven mud path.

Chandni rested her chin on her palms, letting out a dreamy sigh. "Aaye haaye... chalte toh aise hain jaise zameen par pair rakhne ka ehsaan kar rahe ho "

( Oh my... he walks as if he's doing the ground a favor just by stepping on it )

Miski nodded aggressively, not blinking. "Kasam se! Inke baal toh dekh, udh rahe hain hawa mai! Aur ek humare gaaw ke ladke hain, sarso ka tel thop kar aise chipka lete hain jaise gaai ne chaat liya ho!"

( I swear! Look at his hair, blowing in the wind! And then look at the boys in our village...they slather on mustard oil and stick it down so flat it looks like a cow licked it! )

"Miski!" Bela gasped, her eyes going wide with embarrassment. "Teri shadi ho chuki hai, tu apna muh band rakh!"

( Miski! You are already married, keep your mouth shut! )

"Toh kya hua?" Miski argued playfully, leaning forward. "Shadi huyi hai, aankhein thodi futi hain! Aur itni safed shirt pehni hai unhone... itni chamakti hui cheez toh meri saas ne Diwali ki safai mai bhi nahi dhoyi hogi!"

( So what? I'm married, not blind! And he's wearing such a bright white shirt... my mother-in-law hasn't washed anything that shiny even during Diwali cleaning )

Chandni started fanning her face with the end of her dupatta. "Mujhe toh lag raha hai garmi badh gayi hai. Bela, tu toh badi kismat wali hai yaar. Ye roz tere ghar ke aangan mai ghumenge... subah sham inke darshan honge tujhe."

( I feel like it's gotten hotter. Bela, you are so lucky. He will be walking around your courtyard every day... you'll get to see him morning and evening )

"Tum dono pagal ho gayi ho!" Bela scolded in a hushed, panicked whisper, grabbing both of their arms and pulling them back. "Dheere bolo! Agar unhone sun liya toh kya sochenge? Ki Narayanpur ki ladkiyan besharam hoti hain? Waise bhi, maa ne mujhe unse door rehne ko kaha hai."

( You two have gone mad! Speak quietly! If he hears you, what will he think? That the girls of Narayanpur are shameless? Besides, mother told me to stay away from him)

"Aree dekh, dekh!" Miski squealed quietly, pointing at the road.

( Hey, look, look! )

Hridaan had suddenly stopped walking. A large, stubborn goat with curved horns was standing right in the middle of the narrow path, chewing on a leaf and staring him down.

Hridaan looked at the goat. The goat looked at him.

Clearly having no idea how to shoo away livestock, Hridaan awkwardly stepped off the path into the tall grass, giving the goat a wide, respectful berth before getting back on the road. He dusted off his trousers and kept walking.

Miski burst into a fit of silent, shaking laughter, clutching her stomach.

Even Bela couldn't hold back a smile at that, pressing her hand over her mouth to muffle her giggle.

"Bhagwan, inhe kisi gaaw waale ki nazar na lage," Chandni sighed dramatically, watching his broad shoulders disappear around the corner.

"Bela, agar ye tere ghar ka khana khakar ub jayein, toh batana. Main unke liye apne haath se kheer bana kar laungi."

( God, I hope no villager casts an evil eye on him. Bela, if he gets bored of eating your house's food, let me know. I'll make rice pudding with my own hands for him )

"Tu rehne de," Bela laughed, shoving Chandni's shoulder. "Chawal banana aata nahi theek se, aur kheer khilayegi Master sahab ko! Chal uth, bohot kaam bacha hai shadi ka."

( you leave it be. You don't even know how to cook rice properly, and you're going to feed rice pudding to Master sahab! Come on, get up, there's a lot of wedding work left to do )

Just as the three of them stood up to leave, the loud, annoying ringing of a bicycle bell cut through the quiet air.

​Two boys, riding an old cycle together, skidded to a sharp halt right in front of them, blocking their path.

​The boy pedaling, Vikas, lowered his sunglasses down his nose with a smirk, while his friend on the carrier, Pintoo, chuckled under his breath.

​"Accha hua tum hume yahan mil gayi," Vikas said, staring down at Bela with a greasy grin. "Suna hai Sarpanch ji kal tumhara rishta lekar Ballia gaye the?"

( It's good we ran into you here. Heard that the Sarpanch ji went to Ballia yesterday with your marriage proposal? )

​"Tumse matlab?" Bela said sharply, crossing her arms.

( What's it to you? )

​"Gussa kyun ho rahi ho?" Vikas's voice dropped low, his eyes flashing with a dirty glint. "Hum toh keh rahe hain ki kyun itni mehnat karna... hum hain na! Kaho apne papa se ki kara dein tumhara byah humse. Kyun Pintoo?" He glanced back over his shoulder.

( Why are you getting angry? We're just saying, why go through so much trouble... we are right here! Tell your father to marry you off to me. Right, Pintoo? )

​"Ekdum sahi bole bhaiya!" Pintoo replied with a smirk. "Waise bhi aam jab pakk jata hai toh usko zyada der ped par latka kar nahi rakhna chahiye... koi bhi aakar ras nichodh lega!"

(Spot on, brother! Anyway, when a mango ripens, it shouldn't be left hanging on the tree for too long... anyone can come and squeeze the juice out! )

​Bela's cheeks flushed with instant rage, but before she could even react, Miski stepped right in front of her, hands on her hips.

​"Oye! Apni ye gandi zabaan aur tooti hui cycle dono sambhal kar rakh!" Miski spat, looking Vikas up and down with absolute disdain. "Aam ka ras nichodhne wala dhang toh tab aayega na jab tere haath mai dum hoga! Yahan hawa bharne ke paise toh hain nahi tere paas, aur chale hain badi badi baatein karne!"

( Mind your dirty tongue and hold onto your broken bicycle! You'd only know how to squeeze a mango if there were any strength in your hands! You don't even have money to pump air into your tires, and here you are talking big! )

​Chandni sneered, fanning herself dismissively. "Tujhse toh apni cycle ki chain tak nahi sambhalti, har do metre par utar jaati hai! Shakal dekhi hai apni? Tere aukaat se mehengi toh humari Bela chappal pehenti hai!"

( You can't even handle your bike chain; it falls off every two meters! Have you seen your face? Bela wears slippers more expensive than your status! )

​Vikas's smirk wavered, but he tried to save face, puffing out his chest. "Arre saali sahiba, aap beech mai kyun garam ho rahi hain? Hum toh bas Bela ko chakhne... humara matlab, milne aaye the."

( sister-in-law, why are you getting worked up in the middle? We just came to taste Bela... I mean, meet her )

​Bela took a sharp step forward, her eyes narrowing into cold, deadly slits.

​"Suno Vikas," she said, her voice dropping into a dangerous, icy tone. "Humara muh mat khulwao, warna ye jo tum baatein kar rahe ho na, poore gaaw ke saamne tumhare papa ko bataungi. Aur agli baar agar humare saamne aaye na, toh issi cycle ki chain nikal kar tumhare gale mai aisi baandhungi ki na kuch bol payega, na kisi ko dikha payega!"

( Listen, Vikas, don't make me open my mouth, or I'll tell your father everything you're saying, right in front of the whole village. And if you ever come in front of me again, I'll take off this bicycle chain and tie it around your neck so tightly that you won't be able to speak or face anyone ever again! )

​Pintoo's jaw dropped, and Vikas's face turned bright red as his arrogance completely evaporated.

​Without giving them another second to recover, Bela flipped her long braid over her shoulder and walked away with her head held high.

Miski and Chandni strutted right beside her, tossing their hair and laughing loudly, leaving Vikas and Pintoo sitting awkwardly on their cycle, looking like absolute fools.

__________________________

"Aayiye sir," Raghav came jogging, holding his pants up slightly. "Aaj Sunday tha toh socha aapko bula kar school dikha du."

( Welcome, sir. It was Sunday today, so I thought I'd invite you over to show you the school )

Hridaan looked at him for a second, then shifted his gaze ahead. "Dikhane layak hai kya yahan?"

( Is there anything worth showing here? )

He wasn't wrong, though. In the name of a school, there was only a small two-room brick house. Its boundary wall was half-broken, and the entire field was covered in tall weeds that cows and goats were lazily grazing on.

Raghav let out a nervous laugh, awkwardly fixing his belt. "Sir, pichle paanch saal se hum yahan roz aate hain... humare liye toh yahi jagah mandir hui."

( Sir, i have been coming here every day for the last five years... for me, this very place is my temple )

"School ko milne wale fund se yahan ghaas ugane ke liye spray khareedte hain kya?" Hridaan said sarcastically, eyeing the overgrown weeds. "Ek dhang ki building tak nahi hai yahan "

( Do you buy weed-growing spray with the funds the school receives? There isn't even a decent building here )

"Fund ka paisa aata kahan hai sir," Raghav said in a low, defeated voice, looking down at his shoes. "Kabhi-kabhi toh Mid-Day Meal bhi hum khud ke paiso se chalate hain, warna bacche school nahi aayenge."

( Where does the fund money even come from, sir? Sometimes i even run the Mid-Day Meal out of my own pocket, otherwise the children won't come to school )

"Nahi aayenge matlab?" Hridaan raised his brows, adjusting his sunglasses.

( What do you mean they won't come? )

"Aadhe se zyada bacche toh bas khane ke lalach mai aate hain sir," Raghav sighed. "Jinke ghar khane ke laale pade hon, wo padhai jaisi mehengi cheez kaise afford kar sakta hai?"

( More than half the children come merely out of temptation for food, sir. How can someone who struggles to get even basic meals afford something as expensive as education? )

"Raghav ji, issi karan se sarkar muft mai education de rahi hai," Hridaan said in a strict, unyielding voice. "Aur yeh aapki zimmedaari thi ki aap apne gaaw ke bacchon ke liye uplabdh saari facilities provide karein."

( Raghav ji, this is precisely why the government is providing free education. And it was your responsibility to provide all the available facilities for the children of your village )

"Hum akele kitna kuch dekhein?" Raghav exclaimed, his patience wearing thin. "Pichle paanch saal se hum hi kisi tarah yeh school chala rahe hain! Chahte toh ghar baith kar attendance banate aur har mahine salary le lete, par har din yahan aate hain taaki jitna possible ho utna kar payein yahan ke bacchon ke liye!"

( How much can I handle alone? For the past five years, I have been somehow running this school myself! If I wanted to, I could have sat at home, marked my attendance, and taken my salary every month, but I come here every day so I can do as much as possible for the children here! )

"Aap zyada emotional mat hoiye," Hridaan said calmly, leaning against the rusty pole of the veranda. "Hum aaj hi BDO office jaakar fund ki baat karenge."

( Don't get too emotional. We will go to the BDO office today itself and talk about the funds )

"Fund toh aati hai," Raghav said suddenly, stopping Hridaan in his tracks. "Par hum tak nahi aati... saara paisa Sarpanch ji rakhte hain."

( The funds do arrive. But they don't reach us... the Sarpanch keeps all the money )

Hridaan turned his head slowly, his brow furrowing as the reality of the situation began to set in.

"Gaaw mai kevel ek school hai aur yahan ki aisi haalat hai..." Hridaan questioned sharply. "Fund ke paise Sarpanch le raha hai, toh bacche padhne kahan jaate hain? Ya koi padhta hi nahi?"

( There is only one school in the village, and this is its condition... If the Sarpanch is taking the fund money, then where do the children go to study? Or does no one study at all? )

Raghav looked around the empty, overgrown courtyard nervously before stepping closer, lowering his voice to a whisper.

"Padhte hain sir... par wahi jinke paas thode paise hain. Gaaw se do kilometre door kasbe mai ek private school hai. Jin gharon ki aarthik sthiti thodi si bhi theek hai, wo apne bachon ko wahan bhej dete hain. Baki jo sabse gareeb hain...jinhe do waqt ki roti naseeb nahi hoti, unke bacche yahan aate hain. Total 58 bacche enrolled hain, aur unme se bhi ladkiyan sirf 13 hain! Baki sabko ghar ke kaam mai laga diya jata hai."

( They do study, sir... but only those who have some money. There is a private school in the town two kilometers away from the village. Those families whose financial condition is even slightly better send their kids there. As for the poorest... those who can't even get two square meals a day, their children come here. A total of 58 children are enrolled, and out of those, only 13 are girls! The rest are put to work doing household chores )

Hridaan's knuckles turned white as he clenched his fist inside his pocket.

"Aur Sarpanch ji akele yeh sab kar rahe hain?" Hridaan asked, his jaw tight. "Aapne complaint kyun nahi ki? Headmaster kahan hain yahan ke?"

( and the Sarpanch is doing all this alone? Why didn't you lodge a complaint? Where is the Headmaster of this place?)

"Headmaster sahab, Mahendra Pratap Singh... wo Sarpanch Sishupaal ji ke saale hain sir! Shakuntala bhabhi ke sage bhai," Raghav sneered bitterly. "Saal mai bas do baar aate hain....ek 15 August ko jhanda fahrane aur doosra jab fund ka kaagaz sign karna ho. Unka apna beta 7 saal se Kota mai padh raha hai, par yahan school ke khane se lekar maintenance tak ka saara paisa dono jijja-saale milkar hazam kar jaate hain."

( The Headmaster, Mahendra Pratap Singh... he is Sarpanch Sishupaal's brother-in-law, sir! Shakuntala bhabhi's real brother. He comes only twice a year... once on August 15th to hoist the flag, and second when the fund paperwork needs to be signed. His own son has been studying in Kota for 7 years, but here, from the school food to maintenance, both the brother-in-law and the Sarpanch embezzle all the money together )

Hridaan stared at him in utter disbelief. "Toh Education Department? Block office? Aise hi chhod diya hai sab?"

( Then what about the Education Department? The Block office? Have they just left everything like this? )

"Afsar yahan aane ki zehmat nahi uthate sir," Raghav sighed, shoulders slumping. "Aur agar koi galti se aa bhi gaya, toh Headmaster sahab aur Sarpanch ji unhe daawat aur maal pakda kar wapas bhej dete hain. Yahan inke khilaaf muh kholne ka matlab hai gaaw se gayab ho jana."

( Officers don't bother to come here, sir. And even if someone accidentally shows up, the Headmaster and Sarpanch entertain them with feasts, bribe them with money, and send them back. Here, opening your mouth against them means disappearing from the village )

Hridaan stood in absolute silence for a moment.

Without another word, He unzipped his leather bag, pulled out a stack of clean white sheets and a pen, and rested them on the bonnet of a wooden desk inside the room.

"Aap kya kar rahe hain sir?" Raghav asked, startled by the intense focus in Hridaan's eyes.

( What are you doing, sir? )

"BDO ko official application likh raha hoon," Hridaan said, his pen gliding across the paper with aggressive precision. "School building ki repair, pakka boundary wall, toilet facilities, aur funds ki detailed inquiry ke liye. Aur kal subah pehla kaam yahi hoga."

( ​I am writing an official application to the BDO. For repairing the school building, a solid boundary wall, toilet facilities, and a detailed inquiry into the funds. And tomorrow morning, this will be the very first task )

"Sir! Aap samajh nahi rahe hain," Raghav panicked, reaching out to stop him. "Sarpanch ji aur Mahendra Pratap goonde hain! Aap unhi ke ghar mai thahre hue hain... agar unhe pata chala toh-- "

( Sir! You don't understand. The Sarpanch and Mahendra Pratap are thugs! You are staying at their house... if they find out then-- )

Hridaan stopped writing for a second, looking up at Raghav with an icy, fearless gaze that made the senior teacher freeze in his tracks.

"Toh pata chalne dijiye," Hridaan said quietly, his voice dangerously steady. "Mujhe gundagardi se darr nahi lagta, Raghav ji. Aur na hi mai kisi goonde ko inn bacchon ka haq khaane dunga. Aapko mera saath dena hai toh dijiye, nahi toh mai akele hi kaafi hoon."

( Then let them find out. I am not afraid of hooliganism, Raghav ji. Nor will I let any thug rob these children of their rights. If you want to support me, then do so; otherwise, I am enough on my own )

Raghav offered no response and simply stood there, frozen. Yet, as he watched Hridaan's unyielding nerve, a long-buried spark of rebellion seemed to ignite within him.

"Waise aapke bacche kahan padhte hain?" Hridaan questioned randomly, not looking up from his paper.

( By the way, where do your children study? )

"Khikhikhikhi... sir," Raghav let out a nervous chuckle, scratching behind his ear awkwardly and looking away.

Hridaan stopped writing. He slowly set his pen down on the and looked at him in sheer disbelief.

Raghav hung his head, nervously scraping the dirt floor with the toe of his slipper. "Wo... sir... mere bete ne pichle saal hi dusre gaaw wale private school mai admission liya hai," he mumbled, his voice laden with hesitation. "Main toh yahan har din aata hoon sir, par... baap hoon na. Apne bachhe ka bhavishya toh iss toote hue school mai kharab nahi hone de sakta tha."

( Well... sir... my son got admission into a private school in another village just last year. I come here every day, sir, but... I am a father, after all. I couldn't let my child's future be ruined in this broken-down school )

The utter disappointment in Hridaan's gaze made Raghav's cheeks flush with embarrassment.

"Dekhiye sir, mujhe galat mat samajhiye," Raghav fumbled, trying to defend himself. "Main system se lada tha, par jab koi sudhaar nahi hua toh majboori mai-- "

( Look sir, don't misunderstand me. I fought against the system, but when no improvement happened, out of helplessness-- )

"Majboori?" Hridaan cut him off, "Aap iss school ke teacher hain, Raghav ji. Agar ek shikshak ko hi apne school par bharosa nahi hai, agar aap khud apne bachhe ko yahan nahi padha sakte... toh unn laachaar maa baap se kya umeed rakhte hain jinhe aap har din yahan bachhe bhejne ke liye kehte hain?"

( Helplessness? You are a teacher at this school, Raghav ji. If a teacher himself doesn't have faith in his school, if you yourself cannot educate your child here... then what expectations do you have from those helpless parents whom you ask every day to send their children here? )

Raghav had no answer. He stood utterly motionless, his gaze glued to the ground.

"Aap system se lade nahi the," Hridaan said, neatly folding the application letter and placing it inside his leather bag.

"Aapne bas aatm-samarpan kar diya tha. Lekin main aisa nahi hone dunga. Kal jab iss school ka darwaza khulega, toh main yahan sirf bachhon ko padhane nahi... iss jagah ko iss kabil banane aaya hoon ki aapko apne beto ko private school bhejne par sharm aaye."

( you didn't fight the system. You simply surrendered. But I won't let that happen. Tomorrow, when the doors of this school open, I am coming here not just to teach children... I am here to make this place worthy enough that you feel ashamed of sending your sons to a private school )

Slinging his bag over his shoulder, Hridaan stepped off the narrow veranda and walked into the overgrown field without looking back.

" Jaane se pehle ek baat sun lijiye, Master sahab "

( Listen to one thing before you leave )

Raghav jogged up to Hridaan, who had already started walking away from the school.

" Kya? Aur bhi koi shamil hai fund ke paison ke ghotale mein? " Hridaan asked, turning around.

( What? Is someone else also involved in the school fund scam? )

"Woh baat nahi hai " Raghav shook his head. "Aap naye hain, isliye aware nahi hain, par iss gaon mein ek gang ghoomta hai "

( That's not the matter. You are new, so you aren't aware, but a gang roams around in this village )

Hridaan raised an eyebrow.

" Kaisa gang? "

( What kind of gang? )

Raghav glanced around before lowering his voice to a whisper.

" Bada khatarnaak gang hai. Naukri karne wale ladkon ko kidnap karke unki zabardasti shaadi karane wala gang "

(It's a very dangerous gang. A gang that kidnaps working young men and forcibly gets them married )

Hridaan stared at him for a moment.

Then he let out a tired sigh.

" Toh? "

( so? )

Raghav blinked.

" toh kya? Saavdhan rahiye ga, kahin aapko bhi-- "

( What do you mean so? Be careful, lest they do it to you as well-- )

" Aisa kuch nahi hoga, " Hridaan interrupted confidently.

" Main Sarpanch ji ke ghar par reh raha hoon, aur itna kamzor bhi nahi hoon ki koi bhi zabardasti karke meri shaadi kara de "

( Nothing like that will happen. I am staying at the Sarpanch's house, and I am not so weak that anyone can force me into marriage )

He gave Raghav a completely unimpressed look.

" That's ridiculous "

Raghav continued staring at him, clearly unconvinced.

Hridaan simply adjusted the strap of his bag on his shoulder.

" Aap bas school par focus kijiye. Kal waqt par aa jaiyega "

( You just focus on the school. Come on time tomorrow )

With that, he walked away, leaving Raghav standing there, dumbfounded.

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