Fragments Of Us

Karn was lost in his thoughts, the desert wind brushing against his face as he stood still beneath the setting sun. The silence around him was comforting, almost a shield against the noise that once filled his life—betrayals, politics, lies, and the sharp sting of abandonment.

Just then, a familiar voice broke the stillness.“Hey… do you want a pastry?” Priya’s voice was soft, hesitant.Karn blinked, coming back to the present. He looked at her and simply shook his head in a quiet no.

Before either of them could say more, two unfamiliar figures approached from a distance. A boy and a girl—walking slowly, their eyes visibly moist. They stopped a few feet away, almost frozen in place. The girl opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, the boy suddenly ran forward like a child spotting a long-lost guardian.“Brother! Brother!” he cried out.The voice hit Karn like a punch to the chest.

It was Rohit. And the girl standing behind him—her teary eyes trembling—was Kavya.

But before Rohit could embrace Karn, a hand rose in front of him, halting him mid-step. That hand... was Karn’s.His voice was cold. Empty.“Excuse me… do I know you?”The words didn’t just stop Rohit—they shattered Kavya. Her knees trembled as the floodgates broke. She couldn’t hold it in anymore. She stood there, crying uncontrollably, each sob louder than the last.

Rohit tried to compose himself. “Karn… we’re your childhood friends…”Karn looked away. His face expressionless. “I never had childhood friends.”

That silence was suddenly pierced by a commanding voice from behind—sharp, resonant, and laced with authority. The kind of voice that didn’t need a microphone to command a crowd.“Karn… how much you’ve changed.”

The voice continued as the figure stepped forward. “You were the boy who never let the smiles fade from people’s faces. The one who lit up every room he entered. And now, look at you. So cold… so distant… denying your own friends from the past.”

Karn trembled—not from fear, but from the storm of emotions brewing inside him.With a deep breath, he responded. “I’m sorry, but I think you’re all looking for someone else. That person… is gone.”

Rohit looked heartbroken. Before he could respond, Aaryan turned toward him and Kavya with an annoyed glare.“Did you two forget why you were sent here in the first place?” he snapped. “That’s why you’ve been circling this area for four days—because you couldn’t gather the courage to face him.”

It was true. Rohit and Kavya had arrived days earlier but were too scared to confront Karn after everything they had done. So, they kept their distance, watching him from afar—until now.

Kavya stepped forward hesitantly.Karn raised his hand again. “Don’t.”But she kept walking.And then, suddenly—without hesitation—she threw her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace.

Gasps filled the air. Even Karn’s current schoolmates watched in shock, trying to make sense of the emotional chaos unfolding before them. Among them, Priya stood frozen. Her eyes brimmed with anger and confusion. She had a crush on Karn too—how could she not? He was handsome, intelligent, effortlessly charming. And those muscles, hidden beneath his loose shirts, had once made her heart race the day she caught him shirtless before a swim.

But now… he was in someone else’s arms.Karn collapsed into Kavya’s hug like a child seeking shelter in a storm. And then, finally, he cried. Quietly. Bitterly.

“I love you, Karn,” Kavya whispered into his ear, her voice trembling. “I know I was wrong. I should’ve stood by you. I was weak. But please… try to understand. If I had left the team back then, I would’ve never gathered the proof I needed to expose Ruchika and Aaryan. That’s why I withdrew my vote. But I couldn’t bring myself to vote for Bhupesh, but I couldn’t help you openly either… not back then.”

She pulled back just enough to look him in the eyes.

“You can punish me if you want. I deserve it. So does Rohit. But know this—my love for you was never fake. Even if you kill me here, I won’t resist it. But please believe me when I say... we never intended to betray you.”

Karn stood still, letting her words sink in. His eyes were hollow, unreadable.Then he asked, “Why are you here?”

Before anyone could respond, a sarcastic chuckle echoed through the space.“Well, well,” Aaryan sneered. “Two lovers… reunited. How cute.”

Ruchika stepped forward with a mocking smirk. “Kavya, did you forget why you came here? Stop wasting time and do your job.”

Kavya’s expression turned sharp. She stepped away from Karn and glared at Ruchika.

“I’m not doing this for you or your filthy schemes. The only reason I’m here is because the situation is critical—and if the government wasn’t involved, I wouldn’t even take orders from someone like you.”

Aaryan growled, “Watch your mouth, Kavya. She’s the vice captain.”Kavya took a deep breath and turned to Karn. Her voice was calm but urgent.

“Karn… a serious incident has occurred. Bhupesh, that traitor, hacked into the military's encrypted systems. He stole a top-secret file and vanished. Now he’s in hiding, using the file as leverage. He’s demanding the release of a terrorist group that the military locked up. Their leader is among them.”

She paused, letting Karn process it.

“Four days later after you left the city, those terrorists kidnapped twenty civilians in an attempt to free their comrades. But someone unknown intervened and stopped them. They were eliminated. We believe Bhupesh is linked to them. We need your help, Karn. Only you can track him.”

Karn stared at her for a long moment, then shook his head slowly.“No. I won’t help you. You’ll have to figure this out without me. Go ask your so-called leader to track him.”

Aaryan laughed, dark and cruel.“See? Just like I said. We tried your little emotional route, Kavya. He turned us down. Now let’s stick to the plan.”

Ruchika stepped beside him. “Let’s just drag him to the base.”

Aaryan turned to his team and ordered, “Surround him. If he resists—break every bone in his body. Just leave his hands intact. He’ll still need to type.”Four men stepped out of the vehicles behind Aaryan. They rushed toward Karn without hesitation.

But just as they neared him—Rohit stepped in.“Don’t touch him!”

Aaryan’s eyes widened in disbelief.“You idiot, do you want to die? Move or I’ll throw you out of the team myself!”Rohit glared back, his voice firm. “Maybe you should. Because I just realized something. This team was built by Karn. He made it what it is. If you throw me out, I’ll gladly follow him and help him build another team. Your threats mean nothing to me anymore.”

Aaryan’s face twisted in fury.

The four soldiers moved forward, faster now.The truth was—Rohit couldn’t beat them. He wasn’t trained for it. But they were. They were Karn’s own handpicked warriors. He had trained them. Molded them.And now, they were being used against him.

To Be Continued...