31st December....2010...
The city of Kalimpong was bustling with lights and laughter as everyone prepared to welcome the new year. Families walked hand in hand through the decorated streets. Children laughed joyfully, tugging at their parent's hands to buy toys from the market stalls. Some people gathered in the park, waiting eagerly for fireworks to light up the night sky.
The air was cold, yet the warmth of people's affection for one another made it feel almost comforting. But not everyone shared in that warmth. At least not Yunah.
Her father had returned home drunk again, as he often did, and picked a fight with her mother for no reason at all, Like he never wants his family to be at peace for a single day, not even in a New year. Yunah had wished for a peaceful start, but that was too much to hope for. To her, peace was more expensive than money.
As her parents started throwing things at eachother, breaking objects in their rage, Yunah sat silently in her room as tears were streaming down her face. After crying until her chest hurt, she could no longer bear it. Wrapping a red scarf tightly around her neck, she ran out of the house. And the funny was, her both parents didn't even noticed that she ran out in the middle of the night alone. In the cold weather.
Yunah didn't know where she was going. The only thing she knew was to run far away from her parents if she wants to welcome new year peacefully. Her eyes were swollen and red from crying, yet under the moonlight she still looked beautiful. Compared to her, even the moon's glow seemed dim. The cold painted her cheeks cherry-red, and her brown eyes sparkled faintly beneath the streetlights.
Walking farther and farther from home, Yunah finally began to feel a little lighter. She stood at a crossroad and her eyes stopped on a family passing by. They looked warm even in the cold weather and happy, nothing like her family at all. Their child was about the same age as her younger brother yogesh and yet he was being carried by his dad affectionately being pampered. A soft smile touched Yunah's lips but faded as quickly as it appeared.
"How warm..." she whispered to herself and watched the family until it disappeared from her sight.
She then stepped forward to cross the road when a car speed towards her like it's break got failed. She froze in fear and closed her eyes tightly as the light of the car directly got in her eyes. But at the last moment, the car swerved and crashed into the railing, flipping over. Yunah fell to the ground in shock, trembling as her heart pounded in her chest.
The overturned car lay in front of her. Her mind went blank and stopped working for a while. There were people stuck inside and she could see it clearly. She wanted to scream for help, but the streets around her were empty as everyone else was too busy celebrating and the place she was in was quite remote. Panic rose in her throat, making it ache as fresh tears spilled down her face.
Blaming herself for the accident, Yunah staggered to her feet, ready to run away. But then a weak, desperate voice reached her ears.
"Help! My son... please!"
It was a woman's voice.
Yunah froze, torn between fear and guilt. She wiped her tears quickly, whispering to herself- "It's okay, Yunah. You can do it."
She stepped closer and peered inside the overturned car. The man in the driver's seat was already unconscious, blood streaming from his head, his chest pierced by shards of glass. The woman beside him was barely holding on, blood dripping from her head. The horrifying sight made Yunah stumble backward.
With pleading eyes full of tears, the injured woman looked at her.
"Please... save my son. He's in the back seat..."
Yunah turned and saw a boy, about ten years old, unconscious and bleeding from his head. Compared to his parents, his condition seemed less severe. Without hesitation, she crawled through the broken window, dragged the boy out, and carried him to a safe spot.
As she laid him down, the boy slowly opened his eyes. Just then, a few people, who happened to be passing by that area, rushed over and called for an ambulance. His mother caught sight of her son being rescued. A faint smile touched her lips as she exhaled her final breath.
The boy clutched the edge of Yunah's scarf, his teary eyes filled with fear.
"Please... save my mom and dad too..."- he begged weakly.
Yunah turned to look at the burning car. She wrapped her red scarf gently around the boy's neck.
"I'll try to save them... okay?" -She whispered, staring into his terrified eyes.
She started walking towards the wreck, but strangers grabbed her arms.
"Hey, kid! Are you out of your mind? The car could explode any second. We've already called the emergency team!"
But Yunah thrashed against their grip, screaming through her tears.
"Let go of me! I have to save them! It's all because of me..."
Her cries pierced the night. And then, before her eyes, the car exploded.
The force knocked her to the ground. Tears streamed endlessly down her face as guilt crushed her.
"It was all because of me... I killed them..." she sobbed, repeating the words over and over.
By the time the ambulance and emergency team arrived, everything was already lost. The boy was placed gently on a stretcher, but his eyes never left Yunah. She was still on her knees in the middle of the road, broken, blaming herself for something she could never have controlled.
The new year, which should have been a night of joy and celebration, became a night of tragedy, both for Yunah, and for the boy who had lost everything infront of his eyes in such a young age. The tragedy of the night stamped on Yunah's mind like a trauma, haunting her in her dreams, never letting her to forget about it throughout her life.
--------
8 Years Later
"Woah!! I'm late!"- Yunah rushed out of her bedroom, and went straight towards the kitchen, grabbed a piece of bread then stuffed it in her mouth. She looked nothing like the beautiful girl admired under the moonlight years ago. Once more beautiful than the moon, had now turned into a total mess. Her living room was scattered with clothes, empty chip packets, and half-crushed beer cans.
Without a care, she slipped on her heels with one hand while munching bread with the other. Locking the door behind her, she left her apartment in the same chaotic state, combining her long wavy black hair with her hand and tying it up with a rubber band.
At the bus stop, she shifted restlessly, her leg bouncing as impatience took over. She hated being late for work and yet she always end up being late and getting scolded by her manager.
When she was younger, Yunah dreamed of living freely, buying what she wanted, doing things on her own terms. But now, after graduating and landing a job, she realized the cruel truth. No matter how hard she tried, her life remained trapped. She had became like a zombie, living each day without purpose, no spark in her eyes, no destination in her heart. Work consumed her, and life felt like nothing more than an endless loop.
The bus finally arrived after waiting for a while. She climbed inside and took a window seat. She scrolled through her Facebook feed, and glanced at her colleagues' smiling photos. A whisper of envy escaped her lips-
"Everyone looks happy... but I..."
Her reflection in the glass window was a mirror of sadness. No matter how much time passed, she still carried the weight of that night eight years ago, the accident she could never forgive herself for.
-------
That evening, Yunah left her office exhausted. Her phone buzze and it was her mother. Yunah ignored the call, assuming it was about money again or complaints about her drunken father. But when her phone rang a third time, irritation won and she answered sharply.
"What now, Mom? I don't have money right now. Or is it about Dad again?"
For a moment, it was all silent. And after a long pause, then came her mother's trembling, tearful voice, finally breaking that silence-
"It's not about money, Yunah... it's about Yogesh..."
Yunah's heart sank.
"Yogesh? What about him? Did something happen?"- she asked getting little worried when her mother mentioned her younger brother as he was everything to her. Despite her struggles, she worked tirelessly to support him, making sure he had everything he needed. His brilliance had earned him a place in one of the most prestigious schools, and Yunah had sworn to give him the life she never had.
"The hostel warden called me... He said Yogesh ran away. I thought maybe he tried calling you..." - her mother's sobs cracked through the line.
Yunah froze. Her innocent, quiet brother, running away? Panic struck, but she steadied herself.
"Mom, don't worry. I'll find him. I think I know where he might be."
Hanging up, she rushed outside, flagged down a taxi, and told the driver, "Take me to Yours Children Park."
The park had always been a safe space for Yogesh. Whenever he used to runaway from home when he was a kid, he always used to hide himself in the park. So, Yunah hoped to find yogesh in the park this time too like in her childhood days.
After ten minutes traveling in the taxi, the driver pulled the car on the side of Yours Children park, and, Yunah started to search anxiously without wasting her time. The park was nearly empty. She called his name while her voice was echoing through the quiet night.
"Yogesh! Yogesh!"
But there was no answer other than her own echoing voice. She almost lost her hope when a slide caught her attention. She walked towards it and saw him curled inside of the slide. Relief washed over her, but frustration quickly followed.
"Yah! Why didn't you answer me? Do you know how scared I was when I heard you ran away from the hostel?" - She scolded raising her voice, but Yogesh stayed silent, staring at the ground.
"Yah!" -she raised her voice again in frustration, but then sighed cooling down and softening her tone. She sat across from him.- "Did something happened at school or at the hostel? You know you can tell me anything, right? I'll always have your back."
He stayed quiet, but a faint sob finally escaped from him. Yunah's heart broke when she saw him breaking down infront of her. She realized she had been so focused on her own pain that she hadn't noticed his pain at all. Tho she has been protecting him, but, was her protection enough??
"Are they... bullying you?" -she asked hesitantly, hoping her instinct to be wrong but her brother's tears confirmed everything.
Her jaw tightened in anger- "Who are they? I'll go to your school tomorrow and talk to them. I swear I'll' make them regret it."
"No need" - Yogesh muttered, finally looking up towards his sister. His eyes were swollen. "I want to change schools. I don't want to study there anymore."
Yunah knelt infront of him and held his hand tightly. -"If that's what you want, we'll do it. But those kids need to be disciplined. I'll go to your school myself."
"But" -Yogesh tried to protest, but Yunah cut him off.
"No buts. That's final. We'll discuss your transfer tomorrow. For now, let's eat. You must be hungry."- She smiled, forcing cheer into her voice. "What do you want? Spicy? Chinese? Or maybe Korean?"
He didn't reply, but followed her quietly, listening as she filled the silence with her endless chatter, something that had always comforted him.
--------
After having dinner together, they returned to Yunah's apartment. Yogesh's eyes got widened after seeing the mess in the living room.
"Di... you've been living like this? Even pigs are cleaner than you."- he roasted Yunah, just like a normal siblings do in there day to day life giving her a disgusted look.
"Yah! Don't give me that disgusted look."- Yunah muttered, quickly cleaning up empty cans and chip packets. After done with cleaning, she dusted her hands proudly. - "There. You can sit now, your highness."
Yogesh finally sat on the sofa, smiling warmly while Yunah retired to her room, calling out, "Good night!"
--------
The next day, Yunah and Yogesh went to his school. Yogesh's nervousness was clear, but Yunah reassured him -"Don't worry. I'm here."
--------
At St. Augustine School, the corridors buzzed with energy during lunch break. The students were running, chasing on eachother while some were just walking by in the hallway while others were busy with their puppy love issues as it is normal for teenagers at their youthful days. They are just creating memories like all the youths do. Some boys are playing basketball on the court outside and the girls were cheering like they are their fans. The scene in the school is very fresh and energetic like how it should be.
On the fourth floor of Class XII Science 'A', a boy is sitting at the back bench alone, with earphones on, gazing out of the window. His fair skin almost glowed by the ray of sunlight, passing inside of the classroom through windows. His sharp jawline framed by silky hair that swayed with the cold wind. His hazel eyes gleamed in the sunlight, captivating every girl in the room. They watched him like a piece of art, but he seemed lost in his own world.
Until he saw her.
His eyes widened. His heart raced. A smile spread across his face as the hushed toned left from his mouth which only he can hear -"Found you, my saviour..."
He tore off his earphones and bolted out of the classroom, bumping into other students without a second thought.
"Yo, Noah! Where are you running to?" -a friend of his shouted after him, baffled. But Noah didn't stop. His only focus was to reach her.
His friend asked in confusion to the guy beside him-"Did some celebrity came to school?? Why is he running like that...." He wrapped his arms around the guy and stared at Noah's back until it disappeared from his sight.
--------
"Di, are you sure about this? Maybe we should just get my transfer certificate and leave" - yogesh whispered nervously, clutching her sleeve.
Before Yunah could respond, a group of boys in basketball uniforms approached, smirking. Yogesh's body tensed as his eyes dropped to the floor. Yunah sensed something was wrong and her instinct clicked on.
"Are they the one who bullied you?" -Yunah asked her brother, folding her arms, in her cold voice.
"Sis, please..." -Yogesh pleaded softly, getting scared.
The leader spun a basketball on his finger, smirking. -"Look, crybaby brought his sister."
They all started to laugh, giving a mocking look at both Yunah and Yogesh.
Yunah's eyes narrowed, as a chuckle left from her mouth in anger-"Do you think this is funny? If you don't apologize, I'll report you to the principal. Or maybe... I'll dig into your rich family background and hand it to the media. Imagine your family's name ruined because of you."
The boy's smirk vanished suddenly -"You...!" He hurled the basketball at her in fury.
Yunah braced herself, covering her face,
But the impact never came. The ball never hit her. Slowly, she opened her eyes and saw someone standing in front of her, blocking the ball with one hand. The boy's glare was cold enough to freeze the air.
Yunah stepped closer. "Student..." - she whispered, trying to thank him.
He turned, his expression softening instantly at her voice.
"Noah,"- he corrected calmly. "My name is Noah Shrestha, Not student..."
A faint smile touched his lips as their eyes locked with eachother's.