There was a fairy in the sky standing before me. Everything appeared to be like a dream, but I wasn't dreaming. I had heard that fairies kill people, and therefore her presence made me afraid. I began sweating when I saw her. The fairy began to speak when she saw me afraid of her.
Fairy: "You're not afraid of me. I won't hurt you."
Hriday: "Then why are you coming near me?"
Fairy: "Don't be afraid. I'm approaching you as a friend."
Hriday: "Be friends with me?"
Fairy: "Yes, be friends with you. You are the most different boy among the inhabitants of this earth. So I'm approaching you to be friends."
Hriday: "Different in what way?"
Fairy: "First let me know whether you'll be friends with me or not."
Hriday: "I'll agree if you won't kill me."
Fairy: "Why would I ever kill you? Tell me. What would I ever gain by killing you?"
Hriday: "What do you mean?"
Fairy: "Never mind. My name is Mohona Jing. I'm the fairy princess of the fairies' land."
Hriday: "Me?"
Fairy: "You don't have to ask. You're Hriday."
Hriday: "How did you know my name?"
Fairy: "I can read everyone's eyes. When I look at someone's eyes I know their name, their address, what they're thinking—everything."
Hriday: "Will you teach me to read eyes?"
Fairy: "Hmm. No one can be taught. Fairies can only be taught."
Hriday: "Oh. Why are your wings so big?"
Fairy: "What wings?"
Hriday: "I just saw your wings, but I don't see them now."
Fairy: "Heh heh heh. You are seeing only the wings—such a good girl is standing in front of you, and you don't see."
Hriday: "I am afraid of you."
Fairy: "Afraid?? Heh heh heh. Wait—I will chase that fear away from you now."
The fairy swooped down and scooped me up, flying off into the air.
Hriday: "What are you doing? Put me down! I'll fall! Are you crazy?!"
Fairy: "You're experiencing fear. See, this is what fear feels like."
Hriday: "If your eye-reading actually could see everything about me, it would've known I'd get dizzy up here."
Fairy: "Mmm. But that is not going to be occurring anymore."
The fairy closed her eyes and held me in a snug hug. Something of a chant came out of her mouth; I could sense it finding its way into my eyes.
I could feel warmth on my lips. I could feel another set of lips too. But for some reason it didn't feel the same inside my heart as it once did. But I was pulled anyway. There was a spell of some kind pulling me. I could not let go of it. I held the fairy close. The fairy held me close too. She took me up high in the air. But who saw that? I fell in love with such a beautiful fairy. She gently set me down on my room balcony afterward.
Fairy: "See? Nothing was done to you. Nothing shall be done to you while I am with you."
Hriday: "Why did you kiss me, though?"
Fairy: "Honestly, I could have used magic and possessed you, but I do not want to do that. I love you, and I want to possess you with love."
Hriday: "You love me?"
The fairy vanished. I could see her no longer. Everything seemed like a dream.
Hridi: "Hridhu? Hridhu!"
Hriday: "Hmm? Yes, Hridi, what's it?"
Hridi: "What are you doing alone outside, brother? Didn't I ask you to call me if you went out?"
Hriday: "Nothing. I couldn't sleep and so I strolled out for some air."
Hridi: "Look, don't you ever go anywhere alone, got it?"
Hriday: "I won't go anywhere alone."
I slept. I never spoke a word to Hridi about the fairy. I could not understand what they were afraid of anyway, so I held the fairy to myself. Something is wrong with me. A fairy has fallen in love with me — a sky-fairy has fallen for me — and my heart belongs elsewhere. I find myself becoming more and more attracted to the sky-fairy. I simply cannot help but think about her loveliness. I didn't sleep the entire night; the fairy stole all my sleep. I just want to see her. I've heard numerous stories about fairies: if a fairy loves a human being, she stays and marries him. They say I won't marry — I'll show them. I'll marry a fairy. Hehehe.
Morning:
Hridi: "You're earlier than me today, huh?"
Hriday: "You think I'm lazy like you?"
Hridi: "Me lazy? I'm just kidding!"
Hridi caught me as she was trying to catch hold of me and I ran away from her.
Uncle: "You two have grown up. When are you going to leave this foolishness?"
Hridi: "Never!"
Hriday: "Hey, Hridi, let us bathe in the pond."
Hridi: "No, no, today we're going to bathe in the river."
Father: "This time you won't bathe in the river. Bathe at home today, or go bathe next door in the pond. Go take a snack and go. We'll leave soon."
Hridi: "Okay, Baba."
Hridi and I visited the pond. This is just next to our maternal grandfather's residence. It is a place where people bathe. When we visit our grandfather's residence we also bathe there because the water is not deep at all. There are stairs going down into it, so there is no possibility of diving. Hridi can keep her breath for long underwater. I was never able to keep pace with her.
Hridi: "We'll see who holds their breath longer under water."
Hriday: "No, no, I am not getting in."
The old fear had returned.
Hridi: "You can't, that is why you are saying so."
Hriday: "I'll show you — I will hold my breath longer under water than you."
Hridi: "Then go on, let's see."
Hriday: "Okay, go on."
I dove in. Hridi dove in too. Submersion was far more comfortable than before. All my fatigue was vanished. More incredibly, I could breathe underwater. I was breathing, but no water ever crossed my mouth. Everything surprised me. Maybe it was the magic of the sky-fairy. Anyway, I was enjoying a lot.