Akira got up the next morning early as she wanted to visit Raymond before going to her office. She woke up Mike and then rushed into the kitchen to prepare turmeric milk for Raymond. Her mum would always prepare turmeric milk for her whenever she used to get hurt while playing as a kid.

Akira boiled milk and carefully put the proper proportion of turmeric powder into it and then simmered it again for some time. Then she packed milk in a thermos and rushed to the washroom to take a quick bath.

After coming out of the washroom she quickly changed the dressing of her wound. She then picked up a cream shirt and a pair of denim and started to get ready. Mike was already ready by that time and was waiting outside near the car for Akira to come. A couple of minutes later Akira was done getting ready, so she picked up the car keys, the thermos, her bag and then went to the car to go to the hospital.

Initially, she thought of calling first before going to meet Raymond, but then she realized that she didn’t have his contact number.

—

The next morning Raymond got up as the pain started increasing. The effect of anesthesia was wearing down and he could feel a throbbing pain throughout his right arm. He woke up and had some water. His sister was sleeping like a pig on the bed next to him.

This was the best window of opportunity for Raymond as the prying eyes of his sister were resting peacefully. So he took out Akira’s notebook which he had hidden under his pillow and started reading it.

This was a new diary and had very few entries. Probably she wanted to have a clean slate after her breakup. So whatever entries were present, they were after the breakup incident. It read,

NOTE1

Dear Diary,

Welcome to a new beginning. This time I promise you that you will visit a positive side of me. I am sorry that I drank a lot yesterday and puked too. I promise that I will behave well from next time. This is the last time you will see me so vulnerable. You know I wore heels today because my self-confidence had taken a back seat. But Vikram took a promise from me that I would not change myself for somebody else and I am going to stick to it. I am going to find an internship, finish my Masters and then I am going to land in a good company so that I can take care of Mike’s education. I am going to stay strong for the sake of Mike. Don’t let my courage break. Now I need to go and eat breakfast.

Love Love – Akira

After reading this Raymond had no doubt left that the guy with whom he had seen Akira at the Karaoke station was Vikram. He flinched a bit but then moved to the next note.

—

NOTE2

Dear Diary,

I am sorry that I couldn’t talk to you for the last two days. I was busy scouting for an internship at multiple companies, but as you are aware that the hiring phase has been completed in most of the companies, so I am kind of running out of luck. Sometimes I do regret my decision of leaving the Singapore offer, but I guess at least you will understand why I did so. Please pray for me that I get into some internship program by the end of this week, else I will have to take money from Dad’s account to pay the credit card bill, which I don’t want to do. I know that traveling in business class was a stupid mistake, but that time I couldn’t think much and I just wanted to come back as soon as possible. Please forgive me and pray for me.

Love Love – Akira

The moment Raymond finished reading this note, he felt bad for judging Akira. She was hustling hard for herself, got a business class ticket for herself. He had gotten her so wrong. He understood that Vikram was a special person in her life, but she was not a money minter. He was about to turn to the next page but suddenly heard someone knock outside his room. He immediately put the notebook back under his pillow and said,

“Come in”.

“Hi, Good morning. How are you feeling?”, Akira entered the room and asked.

“Much better”, Raymond said and looked at Mike with a question mark.

“Umm… he is my younger brother. When he heard about what happened yesterday he insisted to meet you”, Akira said looking at Mike.

“Hi, I am Mike. How is the pain?”, Mike asked after waving at Raymond.

“A bit more than yesterday as the anesthesia is wearing down I guess. But everything is under control, don’t worry,” Raymond said and looked at Katherine in a dismissive way who was yawning after getting up with all the chitter-chatter happening in the room.

“Umm… I really wanted to thank you for what you did yesterday for my sister”, said Mike on a sincere note.

“Hey, no need for all these thanks. I was just lucky that I was there at the right time. I hope you would also do the same for anybody else right?” Raymond said and tried to make Mike feel better.

“I have got some turmeric milk for you. My mum used to say -if you have wounds then it will heal them faster”, Akira said and kept the thermos on the side table.

“Drink it up brother”, said Katherine and threw a sly smile in Raymond’s direction.

“Thanks but you don’t have to go through all this trouble for me. No need to feel the burden”, Raymond said.

Akira slightly smiled at him and then took a cup and put the milk into it and give it to Raymond to drink up. Raymond took the milk cup from her and asked,

“By the way did you keep this idol yesterday? ”

Akira just slightly nodded to say yes.

“I guess it’s a prized possession of yours so you can take it back as I am perfectly fine right now”, Raymond sad and picked up the idol from his side table to give it to Akira.

Akira came forward and stretched out her palm. Raymond put the idol in her palm and then slightly grazed his fingers causing Akira to fold her fingers around the idol.

Her breath hitched and she looked into his eyes. Even his eyes were waiting for her eyes to speak up. She could see that the ice had melted and all that was visible was the calmness of an ocean.