Time was eight in the morning. Only Vedant knew how difficult it had been to endure each passing hour over the past few days. Being confined to a closed room… it was suffocating. Trekking with Rishi, secretly gathering information about different people, stealing their secrets, his life used to be full of adventure. But now! Now it felt like he was a bird trapped in a golden cage. Standing by the glass wall, looking down, that's all he could think about.
Downstairs, Kabir was in a meeting with a few select candidates. Vedant let out a deep breath and collapsed onto the bed. Staring blankly at the ceiling, he was lost in thoughts about himself. The only family he had was a younger sister, whom he adored more than life itself. If it weren't for her, he would've killed Kabir by now.
Just then, the door opened. He didn't react. He knew exactly who it could be. In such a massive penthouse, Kabir was the only one who wandered into his room. Seeing Vedant lying like that, Kabir sat down on the same bed. Vedant remained silent, saying nothing. Truthfully, he was on the verge of tears. His mood was off. And why wouldn't it be? It was his birthday today. On this day, he always went to the temple with Rishi and his sister. From there, they'd hike through the mountains and do bird photography in the forest—their most cherished tradition. In the evening, both Rishi and Vedant would visit the orphanage on their shared birthday, searching for reflections of their own struggles in those children. But today was the first birthday he was spending alone.
"What's wrong? No mischief brewing in your mind today?" Kabir asked in a calm voice. That familiar sweet smile played on his lips.
Vedant didn't respond. He wasn't in the mood to talk.
Kabir tried to brush the hair off Vedant's forehead. Vedant immediately turned his head away. Kabir's hand froze mid-air. He stood up.
"Let's go."
Vedant looked at him, a question in his eyes.
"Why lie around like this? It's been days since I've gone anywhere. I don't have much work today. Why don't you keep me company?"
"Huh! Company! I might just poison you instead. Maybe the girls have stopped giving you attention."
"Do I look like someone who eats grass? I'm a hunter and hunters don't eat grass, they hunt prey," Vedant rolled his eyes.
"Whatever you eat, I'm not interested in your words. Please leave."
"I said I need company. You have to come with me."
"Why this force? And why me? Do you want me dead?"
"For that, I don't need to take you outside. I could do it right here."
"Wouldn't that be inconvenient for you… disposing of the body?"
"Nope. I wouldn't even need to touch you. At my signal, you'd be torn to pieces. And if I took one piece at a time from the deep freezer, I could dispose of your puny body over fifteen days."
"Then go ahead. Staying in this room is no different than being dead." Kabir sighed deeply.
"You two friends never listen unless dragged out like schoolchildren." Kabir suddenly moved toward Vedant. Before Vedant could react, Kabir lifted him into his arms.
"Hey hey! What are you doing? Put me down! You want to take me out and kill me so there's no evidence?" Vedant struggled to break free from his grip. But Kabir held him tightly.
"I hope you won't try to run, for your sister's safety," Kabir said, placing him inside the elevator.
Vedant glared at him and stepped two paces away.
"No matter how dangerous your intentions are, I'll never let them succeed," he said angrily, but Kabir just smiled.
"I'll wait for that day."
Vedant and Kabir were now seated in the car.
As soon as they exited the building, Vedant inhaled the fresh air deeply. It had been days since he'd felt this free, his life had resembled that of a prisoner. Within half an hour, Kabir's car was speeding down a deserted road. The windows were rolled down, and Vedant rested his arms on the edge, gazing outside. The cold breeze tousled his hair.
Kabir glanced at him. That same smile lingered on his lips, gentle, innocent. Vedant kept watching the forest pass by. As they drove through it, he felt a strange longing. Living in that penthouse felt suffocating; maybe the forest was better, where no one could bind him.
Eventually, they left the forest and turned onto a dirt road. After driving a fair distance, Vedant spotted a temple perched on a high ledge beside the road. He looked at Kabir, who smiled again.
"So, planning to sacrifice me at this temple to win the election?" Vedant said sarcastically.
"You don't think I'm a butcher?" Kabir asked calmly.
"What's there to think? You already are one."
"I'm not that bad."
"I've seen how bad you are, over all these days."
"Not everything that appears is true."
"What's heard can be denied. What's seen with your own eyes cannot. And everything I've seen in your penthouse lays your story bare."
"Ah! No comments. Shall we?" Kabir stepped out of the car.
As Vedant reached for the door, Kabir opened it for him. Vedant looked at him, surprised.
"What's with the princess treatment?"
"Because you're my little Aeromani! Princess," Kabir said with a playful smile.
Vedant rolled his eyes. "I wonder how your party members tolerate you."
Kabir offered his hand. Vedant looked at it, then shoved it aside and stepped out. He walked ahead, taking four brisk steps. Kabir locked the car and followed behind.
After climbing a few steps, they reached the temple courtyard. It was almost empty, perhaps only the priest was present. The temple wasn't very large, but it was situated in a breathtaking location. Deep gorges surrounded it on all three sides, encircled by hills. Railings lined the edges, and marble benches nearby made the place feel even more serene.
Vedant had never seen this temple before. As they stood outside, they walked toward the main pavilion.
"Kabir sir! You've arrived?" the priest's voice caught Vedant's attention.
The middle-aged priest addressed Kabir as 'sir.' Vedant was surprised. So, money could buy respect too. He shook his head.
The priest looked at Vedant.
"Vedant. An independent journalist working for one of my magazines," Kabir said, gesturing toward him.
Vedant stared at Kabir in disbelief. The priest nodded in acknowledgment.
"The preparations for the ritual are complete. Please come inside quickly," the priest said as he walked in.
"This is how you fool the public, isn't it?" Vedant said, folding his arms.
"A fool is one who doesn't think for himself. Human consciousness isn't that easy to deceive," Kabir replied, walking ahead.
Vedant followed, shaking his head.
The ritual had begun. Kabir and Vedant sat together, participating in the ceremony. Vedant didn't know why he was going along with Kabir.
"Do you really believe in God?" Vedant asked, leaning closer.
"Believing in yourself is believing in God. Truth is God, not some being living in the skies. It's the undeniable reality. That's what I trust."
"Then what is all this? A ritual or your performance?"
"It's a medium, to connect with that truth. This idol," Kabir pointed toward the deity, "is a tool to reach that truth."
Kabir smiled and closed his eyes. Vedant kept watching him. There was no deceit on his face at that moment.
"It's really hard to understand this man. What is his true face? Sometimes I just can't tell," Vedant murmured to himself.
"The planetary ritual is complete. Please tie this sacred thread on the young man's wrist," the priest said, handing the thread to Kabir.
Vedant was confused. Kabir nodded respectfully, took the thread, and turned toward Vedant, who was still trying to grasp the situation.
"Happy birthday, dear journalist," Kabir said, lifting Vedant's wrist.
Vedant looked at him, stunned. His eyes welled up. Kabir tied the thread with care and reverence. Vedant's tear-filled eyes were fixed on Kabir's face, at least for now, there was no trace of deception.
Kabir glanced up at him. That same smile.
"Told you, I'm not all that bad. At the very least, you deserved to breathe fresh air on your birthday," Kabir said.
A tear rolled down from each of Vedant's eyes. But he quickly composed himself and turned forward. Kabir did the same, and both closed their eyes and folded their hands in prayer.
Vedant stole a glance at Kabir. He was always so calm. In every situation, Vedant had only seen him smile. Never once had he seen selfishness on Kabir's face.
Then what was all that happening in the penthouse? The million-dollar deals. The buying of candidates. Was it all a lie?
No. He had witnessed it with his own eyes.
Vedant couldn't decide.
The temple ritual had ended. Vedant was still sitting on a bench, looking out toward the deep valley. His eyes were steady, but inside, his mind was storming with thoughts. Kabir and the priest were standing a little distance away, talking about something serious. Vedant couldn't hear what they were saying, but from the seriousness on their faces, it was clear that something important was going on.
After a while, Kabir walked over to him. His face carried that same smile, not too wide, not too faint. Just enough to leave Vedant confused.
"So, how do you like this place?" Kabir asked.
Without looking at him, Vedant replied, "Just like you."
"You mean sexy?" Kabir raised an eyebrow playfully.
"Mysterious and dangerous," Vedant said in a cold tone.
Kabir laughed and nodded. "So you admit I'm mysterious and dangerous."
Vedant didn't respond. Kabir opened his bag and took out a sandwich. The smell reached Vedant's nose, and without meaning to, he glanced at it. Kabir noticed and offered the sandwich to him.
Vedant turned his face away. "Eat it, or you'll start nagging me. Who knows, I might not even make it home alive," Kabir joked.
"Then I won't eat it. That way I'll be free from you," Vedant replied, but then moved toward the sandwich himself.
The sandwich was still in Kabir's hand, and without thinking, Vedant took a bite straight from it. Kabir froze. It was the first time Vedant had come so close to him. Unaware of the moment, Vedant kept eating from Kabir's hand. Some cheese fell on Kabir's finger, and Vedant instinctively put Kabir's finger in his mouth to clean it.
Then suddenly, he realized what he was doing. He looked up at Kabir. Kabir was holding his breath, staring at him. Vedant quickly pulled back. He pressed his lips together, and their eyes met. For a few seconds, both of them were silent.
Vedant stepped back and said quickly, "Uh... it just smelled really good."
Kabir looked at the sandwich and smiled. "Would you eat from my hand again?" he asked in a soft, tempting voice.
Vedant's face turned red. He snatched the sandwich and turned away. He closed his eyes for a moment, cursed himself quietly, and then started eating.
Kabir kept looking at the finger Vedant had touched with his mouth. He didn't even realize when he brought that same finger to his own lips. His face glowed in the sunlight, and his eyes held a strange sparkle.