Chapter 27: A Distant Calculation

The cold at Sonamarg Glacier had settled deep into the air… but neither Akash nor Depabali moved.

❄️ Too much had already been said… too much had surfaced. For a while—only silence remained.

Then Akash spoke.

“I didn’t stop looking for you.”

Depabali didn’t react immediately… but she listened.

“After I couldn’t find you in college… I thought maybe you went back home.”

🌬️ The wind brushed past.

“I tried to focus on what was in front of me—exams… career… responsibilities.”

His voice carried no pride… only memory.

“I prepared for SSC.”

Depabali glanced at him.

“It wasn’t easy… no direction, no guidance… just a need to move forward.”

The glacier stretched endlessly ahead.

“But somewhere… I kept thinking—if I stayed in Kolkata… maybe I’d find you again.”

The words settled slowly.

“I cleared it… got posted as a school teacher… back in Kolkata.”

A faint, almost invisible smile.
“But the city is too big for unfinished stories.”

Depabali looked down.

“I searched sometimes—old contacts… college friends… anyone who might know.”

A pause.

“No one did.”

Silence returned.

“And then?” she asked quietly.

Akash exhaled.

“Then life… became practical.”

The words felt heavier now.

“My family started asking… about marriage.”

Depabali didn’t look up.

“I delayed it… but not forever.”

The truth stood clear.

“They found Ananya.”

For the first time—there was a slight warmth in his voice.

“She was different… strong, calm… clear about life.”

A faint pause.

“She didn’t ask too many questions… and I didn’t give too many answers.”

🌬️ The wind picked up again.

“It wasn’t a dramatic decision… no big moment… just acceptance.”

“Marriage happened.”

The simplicity made it heavier.

Depabali nodded faintly.

“Do you regret it?”

Akash looked at her.

“No.”

The answer came without hesitation.

“I respect her… and I care for her.”

Depabali held his gaze.

“But?”

Akash didn’t answer immediately—because some words cannot be placed without breaking something.

“There was always something unfinished.”

The wind moved sharply across the snow.

“That unfinished part… I never knew what to do with it.”

The glacier stood silent—witness to everything.

“And now?” she asked.

Akash followed her gaze—toward the distance… where Asha stood.

“Now it has a face.”

The meaning was clear.

Depabali didn’t respond—because now this was no longer just memory… it was reality.

Standing between them… unavoidable… unresolved… and yet too late to change.

👩‍👧 From afar, Ananya’s voice echoed again—calling them back.

This time—neither moved immediately.

✨ Because some calculations in life… never balance.

❄️ To Be Continued…