CHAPTER 4: THE JOURNEY OF LOVE

As the time reaches 10:30 PM, Coimbatore junction, with a full of crowds, rushes to board the Shatabdi Express coming from Jammu and Kashmir, which is told to arrive at that time.

    After the train lands at Coimbatore Junction, a woman wearing a red sari, runs and rushes to board the train as it starts off after the time period finishes. However, a man wearing an army uniform with army-haircuts and with a black cooling glasses having a white thin face, takes the girl into the train.

    "Thank you, sir. Thank you so much!" said the girl.

    "That's fine" said the army man.

    "What's your name, bro? You look so nice in the army uniform!" asked the girl.

    "Myself, I am General Sakthi, from Jammu and Kashmir. And you?" the guy introduced himself and asked the girl's name.

    "Myself is Nisha from Udumalaipet, bro. Post-graduate student in PSG College of Arts and Science." Said the girl.

    "Oh! Nice. I am also the student of PSG arts and science" said Major. Sakthi.

    "Where are you going in this train, bro?" asked Nisha.

    "I am going to meet my close friend, ACP Sai Adhithya near Kollam, who has been longing to see me and you?" asked Major. Sakthi.

    "Myself, also to Kollam for a research project, bro" said Nisha.

    "Ok fine." Said Major. Sakthi.

    As Nisha was talking continuously, she remembers that she has forgot to take her seat and surprisingly, her seat is near to Major. Sakthi.

    Both of them goes to their respective seat and Nisha notices Sakthi being upset.

    "Bro. Shall I call you with your name? Because it seems quite boring calling you as bro or sir" asked Nisha.

    Sakthi laughed and said to her, "That's Okay. You can call me with name" said Sakthi.

    "Why you seems to be upset, Sakthi?" asked Nisha.

    "No. As you told about PSG arts and science, I suddenly remembered some of my memorable days." said Sakthi.

    "Oh! Is it? Do you have sweet memories in PSG arts? Nice!" exclaimed Nisha.

    "In-exact, its not memories. But, a journey of love, that started in this same Shathabdi Express" said Sakthi.

    "Oh! Nice. It's interesting" Said Nisha.

    Sakthi cuts back to his life before three years during his college days. From Kollengode, while Sakthi has been travelling to Coimbatore in the Shathabdi Express, the train stops at Palakkad Junction, where a girl in a white sari wearing a pink colored spectacles with a thin white face, runs faster to board the train, and seeing this , Sakthi holds her.

    She is surprised to see Sakthi and as recognizes him as his school classmate while Sakthi was calling out her name as Janani. Sakthi has been longing to tell his love for Janani during her birthdays and other festivals. But, stops due to fear and her failure of first love.

    Sakthi learns that she is also in same PSG branch and considered it as a golden opportunity to express his love for her after she has completed her NEET exams and joins her college.

    It's told that, Sakthi intended to join IPS initially, but later changed his mind for Air Force, with his close friend Sai Adhithya's, who told him to decide between either love or his career as career seems to be more important than love for Sai Adhithya .

    Sakthi chooses to win for his love as well as his career while Adhithya chooses to focus more on his career for becoming an IPS officer. At this time when Sakthi and Nisha were speaking, the train stops at Palakkad, where Nisha laughs uncontrollably after hearing the last conversation between Adhithya and Sakthi.

    "Sakthi. It's a nice start from Palakkad junction. So, you waited to tell your love to Janani. Now, the train has also stopped in Palakkad. What are you going to say, now?" asked Nisha laughing, uncontrollably.

    Sakthi too smiles, and continues his love story replying her, "Yes. I will tell what happened further after we joined the college!"

    After Sakthi, Sai Adhithya and Janani came for college, the bond of friendship between Sakthi and Sai Adhithya became stronger day-by-day. Later, Sakthi enrolls himself in an outside hostel with Sai Adhithya after managing to get his parent's approval.

    Janani became Sakthi's close friend and one day, when her birthday comes, he proposes his love for her. Janani disagrees initially, telling Sakthi that, her path and his path are different. But, seeing the true love of Sakthi, she puts him a condition to prove his true love for her.

    As a first condition, Sakthi has to show Janani with full care of love and affection. The next condition is, he has to prove his love by putting an end to his friendship with Sai Adhithya, which leaves Sakthi to shock.

    Sakthi proves to Janani that he is her best lover by all means, saving her from all troubles and also helping in her ambitions, in-spite of having his own works finished up in college like, NCC works under Air wing and his other academic works .

    Sai Adhithya is unable to tolerate the attitude of Janani and goes to meet her and fires upon her.

    "Why are you angry, Sai Adhithya?" asked Janani.

    "You put Sakthi a first condition that, he has to prove his love. He tried his best to prove his love. In-spite of doing this, you know an other one that Sakthi has sacrificed for your sake?" asked Sai Adhithya.

    "For my sake?" asked Janani.

    "Yes. For the sake of loving you so madly, he even sacrificed his ambition to become an IPS officer under Crime Branch and instead, choose to join the Air force, which was his second choice under my advice." said Sai Adhithya which leaves Janani in shock.

    An emotional and tearful Janani meets Sakthi and hugs him declaring her love for Sakthi. They both has a hug and on seeing this, Sai Adhithya said to Sakthi, "Hey Sakthi. As you concentrate for Janani and Air force, don't forget me."

    "You are always my best friend, Adhi. Okay. See. Someone is calling you. Go, go" said Sakthi.

    "Hmm. Now itself, he is avoiding me. When their love becomes stronger, he will avoid us completely" said Adhithya to himself in his mind and he leaves the place.

    Sakthi stops till her to Nisha, who again laughs uncontrollably after hearing about the comic end of Sai Adhithya and the train now reaches the Ernakulum Junction where, Sakthi comes for peace outside.

    On seeing this, Nisha comes to see Sakthi.

    "Sakthi. What happened? Have I hurt you by laughing?" asked Nisha.

    "No. Not like such. I have to tell you what happened further in our love story, right. Hence, I was consoling myself with peace" said Sakthi.

    "Sakthi. What happened further? Is you love a success or failure?" asked Nisha.

    "My love did not succeed as I wished. It was a temporary." Said Sakthi.

    "What happened after you and Janani loved stronger?" asked Nisha.

    Day by day, Sakthi and Janani grew stronger in their love. Both of them has managed to balance their academics as well as love while also succeeding in NCC. However, as Sakthi gave more focus on his Air force, Janani becomes quite possessive and egoistic, due to Sakthi's concentration on Air force. She feels a complexity that Sakthi is avoiding her and often has a small conflict with Sakthi, which worries him and Sai Adhithya.

    Janani feels Air force as a bad option, chosen by Sakthi and has asked him so many times to opt for other choice of jobs instead of choosing Air force and IPS since, the other jobs that Sakthi chooses will all be secure. However, Sakthi refuses since, he is stocked with the Air force option after joining the NCC and hence, this worries Janani, a lot...

    However, Janani loves Sakthi so dearly. But, the only problem is with Sakthi's option for Air force. Even his parents are against his ambition but, he decides to pursue the career of his choice.

    Sakthi manages to console Janani about his ambition for Air force and they both stops their conflict. However, one day, when Sakthi is in training for Air Wing in the NCC, he gets injured in the training. But, he manages to cover up the injury and also hides it from Janani fearing for the conflict.

    However, one of Sai Adhithya's nemesis, Sanjeev, who disliked the strong friendship between Sakthi and Sai Adhithya, uses the situation to his favor and informs the accident of Sakthi to Janani. Janani comes to meet Sai Adhithya angrily.

    "Sai Adhithya. Where is Sakthi?" asked Janani with a full of angry face.

    "Janani. He has gone for an important training. Please listen to me." Said Sai Adhithya.

    Angered with Adhithya's lie, she slaps him in-front of everyone and insults him as a career-oriented guy, who doesn't care for other's emotions or feelings. Though initially feeling hurt, Adhithya tolerates this and stands silent.

    Sanjeev, seeing to the insult of Sai Adhithya and his tolerance for the insult and humiliation, feels bad and eventually, reforms. Sakthi, on hearing about the insult made for Sai Adhithya by Janani, becomes very angry and goes to meet Janani, where he shouts at her.

    Some days later, Janani herself, realizes her mistakes meets Sai Adhithya.

    "Adhithya. I am sorry. I should not have insulted you among all other students, who were all watching this" said Janani out of guilt.

    "It's Okay, Janani. I saw your immense love and affection that you had for Sakthi, when you had slapped me citing to my lying words" said Adhithya in a cool and diligent way.

    Sakthi stops here and Nisha hears these and becomes sad quite. She asks to Sakthi, "After that what happened? How you both break-up?"

    "I will tell" said Sakthi.

    Janani smiles and goes to meet Sakthi, to whom also she apologizes and she decides to speak her views to Sakthi, regarding about the change of his ambition from Air force.

    "Sakthi. Will you hear my words just for five minutes?" asked Janani.

    "Yes. Tell me, what you want to say me, Janani." Said Sakthi.

    "Sakthi. I am getting my admission for post-graduation of Cardiology in a medical university of Ernakulum." Said Janani.

    "Oh great! Congrats, Janani. I am also coming for Ernakulum with Adhithya, after being selected as the best student in NCC Cadre" Said Sakthi which upsets Janani.

    "Sakthi. I want to talk with you" Said Janani.

    "Yeah. Tell me Janani" said Sakthi.

    "Let's end our career conflicts here, itself. Do you know why I am opposing your choice of career? Because, in 1999 Kargil wars, I lost my uncle. Like him, I am not ready to lose you. Henceforth, I told you to change your career" said Janani to which Sakthi replies, "I would be safe Janani. Nothing would happen to me."

    "You would be safe in Indian Army. But, will you be alive or will you lead a peaceful life?" asked Janani, to which Sakthi asks her, "Janani. Your career is medical right. Here, can you guarantee that, all the patients  could be saved with a successful surgery and treatment?" asked Sakthi.

    "How can I guarantee that, all will be saved? Atleast 20% will be unsuccessful only" said Janani.

    "Same way here also. I cannot guarantee that I would be alive or not. I need you as well as Air force" said Sakthi.

    "Stop it, Sakthi. Just stop it. God never gives us two choices. He gives only one chance for us. Either choose me or Air force. Just one straight answer. Give me tomorrow, in the same Shatabdi Express" said Janani.

    Sakthi arrived with Sai Adhithya and mee Janani, in the train.

    "Janani. I won't do the things, which makes you sad. Yesterday you asked me to decide you or Air force. It's hard for me, without you. But, it's impossible for me to live without Air force. Let's break up . Please Janani. You will get the best" said Sakthi.

    "I'll leave my best here. I am mad about your ambition and everything. At last this one too. But it'll give some pain too. But, this is more painful. Much more painful" said a tearful Janani, holding Sakthi's hands and she tells him, "All the best, da."

    They see for one last time and Sai Adhithya asks Sakthi, "Hey. Are you mad? What will do there by loosing your love? What's there in that border da?"

    "Janani. It's time for us to move on" said Sakthi.

    Janani goes towards Sakthi and asks him, "Fine. Let's bid a farewell." Said a tearful Janani and they both shared their final hug.

    "The journey of love began from the Shatabdi Express, but it ended abruptly in the same Shatabdi Express!" said Sakthi finishing his story to Nisha.

    A tearful Nisha asks Sakthi, "How did you manage your life without Janani after you joined the Army?"

    "It was quite difficult. I was haunted with Janani's memories while in the Army and I expressed this to Sai Adhithya, who was been in his IPS training getting trained for Crime and Anti-terrorism squads" said Sakthi.

    "What did he told you?" asked Nisha.

    "He told me, after the completion of his training, he will give for a solution to his problem." Said Sakthi.

    "What solution did he give for your problem?" asked Nisha.

    "To my luck, Adhithya was posted as the ACP of Kollam and he said to me that, Janani is working as a cardiologist in a hospital near Kollam." Said Sakthi.

    "Oh! Great. Hence, you are going to meet Janani to Kollam. Is it?" asked Nisha.

    "Yes. I am going to meet her to reunite with her" said Sakthi.

    The Shatabdi reaches Kollam Junction and Sakthi meets Sai Adhithya, having a nice look of army-cut with a thick moustache. He receives Sakthi warmly and they both reaches to their house with Nisha, who also wishes to come with them for a temporary period until the finishing of her research.

    Adhithya and Sakthi agrees and they both spends some happy and memorable moments for two weeks.

    "How is your life going with IPS, Adhithya?" asked Sakthi.

    "Boring, Sakthi. After joining Crime Branch, same routine cases. Gangsters, mafia war, Drugs trafficking, Human trafficking, robbery, rape and Murders…" said Sai Adhithya.

    "That was known, right! It's the routine job in IPS." Said Sakthi.

    "Totally, I got fed up in these five years Sakthi. Now, I am transferred as the ACP for Bomb-squad." Said Sai Adhithya.

    "Hence, are you feeling peaceful in Bomb-squad?" asked Sakthi.

    "Quite fine under Bomb-squad. No tensions and no stress…" said Sai Adhithya.

    "Ok. Let me come to my topic. Did you find Janani?" asked Sakthi.

    "Yes, Sakthi. I found Janani in a hospital working as a cardiologist" said Sai Adhithya.

    "How did you meet her?" asked Sakthi.

    "In accident" said Sai Adhithya.

    "I don't understand, Adhi!" exclaimed Sakthi.

    "That's an accidental incident. One day, few criminals, on a grudge against me, shot in my right chest. I was taken to hospital by some of people around me. It was Janani who performed surgery for me though, she recognized me. Being her duty to save a patient, she performed me the surgery to save me" said Sai Adhithya.

    Sai Adhithya continues after watching a silent Sakthi.

    After waking up in the hospital, he sees Janani sitting besides him.

    "How are you, Janani? After a long gap, I see you" asked Sai Adhithya.

    "I am fine, Adhithya. How is Sakthi? Is he fine?" asked Janani.

    "He is fine, Janani. Now, he is working as the General in Air force. Didn't you get married still now?" asked Sai Adhithya.

    "How will I marry, by thinking about Sakthi, still now! He was the one who proposed me and showered me the, happiest moments in my life and he was the one who hurt me" said Janani.

    Sai Adhithya concludes to Sakthi that, "Sakthi. Though she is angry and upset with your choose for Air Force, she still has an immense pleasure and love for you. Don't make her to wait. Settle with her as soon as possible"

    Sakthi plans to reunite with Janani while Nisha falls in love with Sakthi, seeing his good and caring nature and she proposes to Sakthi, which he denies since, his heart is only for Janani.

    Sakthi tries his best to reunite with Janani by so many means, but all goes in vain. He meets her family members also to speak about their love, but this too fails due to Sakthi's profession as Air Force officer.

    One day, Sakthi meets Janani and he informs her that he is again going to Kashmir as his leave is going to end, which Janani hears in tears.

    Sakthi asks Janani to come for Ernakulum Junction in the same Shatabdi express in which they both has met at the beginning and express her decision.

    As Sakthi is preparing for an exit from Ernakulum, Nisha comes to see Sakthi to convey a truth to him.

    Sakthi hears this in surprise and remains silent. Nisha is Janani's close friend from childhood like, Sai Adhithya for Sakthi. Indeed, Janani has sent Nisha to research on Sakthi's love for her and has asked her to observe him. When she herself, has proposed her love to Sakthi, she saw his immense love for Janani and informed to her about it.

    Janani comes to the Ernakulum Junction to meet Sakthi, where they both patches up and has an emotional hug.

    Sakthi now asks, "Are you ready to marry me, now?"

    "No Sakthi. I am not ready to marry you. I am ready to come with you for Kashmir and there, we both can get married" said Janani smilingly and they both embrace each other.

    Sai Adhithya tearfully sends both of them in train and continues to go for his office, where he meets Nisha and he stops his bike.

    "What happened, Nisha?" asked Sai Adhithya.

    "Nothing Adhithya. I wish for a journey to your house like Sakthi and Janani. Can you give me your support?" asked Nisha, implying that she loves Sai Adhithya.

    A silent Adhithya, accepts Nisha and they both begins their journey of love. For every human beings, whether be an ordinary man or a rich guy, there is a journey of love for all of them. Hence, this world is filled with love, joy and affection.

    "THE END OF SHATABDI'S JOURNEY OF LOVE."