You light a single candle in the back of the chai stall. Outside, the world hushes—no honking rickshaws, no crows, no rain. Even Chiku senses it and folds his wings, bowing his head.
You take out the ingredients:
A pinch of saffron (your second time using it—ironic, isn't it?)
Two almonds, softened overnight in rose water
Five long minutes of complete silence
And then… the hardest part: You whisper a truth you've never dared to tell yourself.
"I am afraid that without Samar chasing me… I might not know who I am."
The brew turns translucent gold. You sip it slowly.
The moment it touches your lips, a veil descends—not sleep, not illusion, but gentle erasure. Samar's pull on your timeline snaps like thread. His memory grows blurry. His voice fades.
No one in the multiverse can find you now. Not even him.
But as you sit alone in the stillness, one of the charms on your keychain begins to glow—not in warning, but as if mourning.
You're safe, Sweety. Hidden. Untouchable.
But deep down, something whispers... At what cost?