the fireworks

THE FIREWORKS CHAPTER.1 [

THE HIT OF ROMANCES ]

"Well, it's almost the end of the year, huh? Only two months left to go."

Shyam, a young man living on a remote island south of Nektoria, was the kind of person you'd call average—at least as far as main characters go. Yet, there was one thing that set him apart: his unspoken love for Rakhi, a girl he had admired since their school days. They still lived in the same village, but despite being so close, Shyam could never muster the courage to speak openly to her. Love has a way of tying tongues, doesn't it?

It was October 30, 2024—just one day before the Nojorgora Festival. For weeks, Shyam had counted down to this moment, hoping to finally ask Rakhi out. Hidden feelings, kept locked in a fragile heart like glass, were ready to spill out, hoping someone deserving would cherish them.

As night fell, Shyam stood outside Rakhi's house, his palms sweaty, his heart racing. Pressing the doorbell, he waited anxiously.

Moments later, the door opened. There she was—Rakhi. Her long, dark hair swayed gently in the breeze, her eyes gleamed like they held the stars, and her angelic face was unforgettable. She was around 20, and her beauty could leave anyone speechless.

"Hey, Shyam! What brings you here today?" she asked with a warm smile.

Shyam felt his heart pounding, as if it could power an entire city. His voice faltered, but he managed to say, "H-Hey, Ra... Rakhi, I w-was wondering... if you... if you'd like to, uh... go on a d-da-date with me tomorrow?"

Rakhi smiled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Why not?"

Those two simple words almost made Shyam faint. His face lit up with the kind of smile only lovers know, his mind blank as if all rational thought had vanished. Somehow, he found the strength to ask, "What time should we meet?"

That night, Shyam couldn't sleep. He kept replaying the moment she said why not, the magical sparkle in her eyes, her angelic voice. It felt like a dream—one too beautiful to be true. He spent the whole night imagining their date, but eventually, exhaustion claimed him.

(Honestly, this moment would sound better in Hindi:

"Hum puri raat sochte rahe jitna humse socha ja sakta tha,

lekin ek dimag se kitna hi socha ja sakta tha.")