"This cold breeze feels nostalgic, being in the middle of ocean and traveling via ship is sure a vibe."

"Sir, please don't stand to close to railing, last time a passenger fell off from their and lost his life" says a female worker. 

Suraj got afraid not from the news but from hearing a girl's voice, he tried to maintain is outer self and immediately left that spot. 

He still hasn't come over from his Gynophobia completely, just barely maintaining himself. Even though that lady's voice has stopped since he know it was his mother but there is still another voice, a voice of girl asking for help and to not forget the promise that gives shivers to him. 

"we have finally reached the Manorath Island, kindly please remember that the ship will leave tomorrow morning to return."

As suraj steps on Island, he looks towards the forest, the forest which leads to mountain. 

"Help me"

That voice gave shivers,he started trembling then a scene flashes in his eyes. A blonde hair girl in white frock running bare foot towards forest. 

Suraj feels an immense pain in his head,recalling a memory always brings a headache to him. 

He somehow managed to remain on his feet and took a shelter near a food stall. 

That voice continuously repeating in his mind, he is almost at his limit. 

"Are you okay? Would you like me to take you to hospital?" Another girl's voice piercing in his mind but this voice too felt familiar. He looked towards her and his eyes widened. Long brown hair, skin as white as milk, lips were like berry and charming eyes that has sharp look in them that can pierce anyone's heart. Suraj started trembling even more. 

"Hey, you need to come with me to hospital. You don't look well at all."

Suraj instantly thought of running away from there but then his Dad's face flashed in his mind, he must have felt more broken in hospital, I can't run away anymore otherwise I wouldn't be able to fulfill the promise to my sister. 

Suraj, still trembling, replied "it's fine, I just recalled a really bad memory nothing else. Sorry for making you worry."

That girl: "ahuh, bad memories are really painful whenever they flashes you feel immense pain in your heart but for the ones you once loved or for the person who you will meet, you have to live through it so that one day you can create happy memories too."

She said with a huge smile on her face. 

She continues "Well enough chit chat, I will make hot coffee for you so just sit there."

As suraj takes a sip of it, she says "I am glad that you are fine, that day you were really in a bad shape". 

Suraj: "which day? And do you know me?"

That girl: "huh, do you not remember that day, well it was definitely a bad memory for you. That day I was taking a walk on beach that's when I found you collapsed and soaked in water and blood near the ocean,later I found out that a ship sank on that day which was coming to this island so, you must be one of the passengers who got into that accident. But I am sorry that I wasn't able to meet the next day in hospital since I had urgent errand so I went to kolkata and when I came back, someone from your family already took you back to your home."

Suraj was stunned that he found her. 

Suraj: "I don't know how to thank you, you didn't saved only my life but even my sister's. I don’t want her to be left alone in this world, we already lost our parents."

Suraj: "what's your name miss?"

That girl: "Ahh I am sorry, I didn't introduced myself. I am Khushi." Hearing her name flashes a small girl's face in his mind. 

Khushi: "what about you?"

Suraj snaps back and says "huh, ah My name is Suraj oberoi, I am an artist who do paintings."

Khushi: "woah, I have definitely heard your name several times when I visited Kolkata recently, didn't knew it was you. I also remember that we once went to an exhibition in my childhood, I saw your painting of that Mama panda feeding and caressing her baby. Really loved that one. Btw what brings you here to this island? You even came last time and again after that accident."

For a moment, suraj thought who was she referring while saying "we" in her sentence then he thought it must be her friend or family.

Suraj: "Well there are many reasons to come here, first is to meet you, who Saved me and other one is that why did I came last time to this island? Actually i have lost all of my memories before of that accident. When I woke up I kept hearing a voice of a girl, who is asking for help and to not forget the promise I made with her. I think I met her on this island, made a promise to her. I also came back here to fulfill that promise but I got into that accident and now I don't know who is she and what was the promise?"

Khushi: "I see. How long are you gonna look for her?"

Suraj: "I will find her as long as it takes until then I will stay here on this island."

Khushi: "Then let's do it together, after all working together will make things easier. I am completely free whole day, since I ran this stall in evening only."

Suraj: "I will feel bad for giving trouble to you by helping me out while you are already busy with your stalls"

Khushi : "Hmm then do it this way, in day I will help you searching her and in evening you help me run this stall".

Suraj laughed and agreed on it.

Khushi: "so where are going to stay until then? There aren't many lodge or hotels here and pretty much every one of them is full so you can't stay have a continous stay, it's peak season for tourism after all."

Suraj went blank since he didn't gave thought to it yet... 

Khushi laughed seeing that reaction and said "Okay okay I got this face, then stay with me that would be more helpful since you can help me prepare ingredients which I use in my food stall."

Suraj accepted the offer. 

Days passed, they kept searching and planning but didn't got any lead but they didn't lost motivation even after failures. Few month has passed since then, it's already February still there is no clue but one thing was sure that in this time period, a feeling has been borned in Suraj. The feelings for khushi. 

 

The night air was cool, the ocean whispering softly against the shore. The moon floated above, scattering its silver light across the quiet waves. 

“Why do you always take a walk on the beach at night?” Suraj asked, his hands buried in his pockets. “Come to think of it, that’s how you found me too—on one of your walks.”

Khushi smiled faintly, her gaze lost in the rhythm of the sea. 

“Hmm… the nights here are always cold, even in summer,” she said. “You know, I live alone. But my days are never empty. I spend them in the market or at my little food stall. There are always people around—tourists, locals, strangers passing by. We may not be family, but in a way, we all share this island. During those hours, I never feel lonely.”

She paused, her voice softening as her eyes drifted upward to the moon. “But when night falls and everyone returns home—to their families, to their loved ones—that’s when the silence begins. I walk along this beach and look at the sky. There are countless stars, but only one moon. He isn’t alone—he has the stars around him—but he’s lonely, because there’s no other moon beside him. 

And unlike the sun, he doesn’t have a light of his own. Yet, the light he borrows from the sun, he doesn’t keep it selfishly—he shares it. And somehow, that borrowed light makes him even more beautiful than the sun itself. People look at him and find hope… sometimes, even find their own moon.” Her eyes glistened as the wind brushed her hair.

"That’s what inspires me. I don’t want to find a moon anymore. I want to be someone’s moon.” Suraj stood frozen, words caught in his throat. She was standing with the ocean behind her, moonlight tracing her outline in a soft glow. For a moment, even the sea seemed to hold its breath. 

“Khushi…” he whispered, his heart pounding. “I love you.” 

Khushi took a quiet breath, her eyes searching his. “Aren’t you already looking for someone?”

“Yes,” he said without hesitation, “and I’ll keep looking for her.” Her expression trembled. “What if you loved her before you lost your memories?”

Suraj’s voice grew steady, his eyes unwavering. “Memories are the shape of a person’s mind and soul—but they aren’t the mind or soul itself. Even if I get my memories back, my heart will still long for you. Wherever you are, I’ll find you.”

Khushi’s eyes widened. His words struck deep, unraveling everything she’d kept hidden behind her calm smile. 

“I love you,” Suraj said again, his voice low but certain. “And nothing can ever change that—memories or not.” Overwhelmed, Khushi ran toward him and threw her arms around his chest. Tears glimmered in her eyes as she whispered, “Even if you forget me, I’ll make you remember.”

And then the dream ends, he can't recall the appearance of that girl but only her voice. 

Next day, khushi got a call from her friend who lives otherside of island, she is leaving the island and wanted to meet khushi before that.

Khushi: "Suraj, I will be back in few hours okay?". 

Suraj: "I also have something to give you as a present when you return."

Khushi: "Hmm, thats sounds exciting, well then see ya soon." Suraj went to his room and continued painting, he was painting yesterday scene of khushi. 

After an hour, when he finished. He was surprised. That girl was definitely khushi but had blonde hairs, the girl was dancing on lake which was reflecting moonlight and that lake was in between of bamboo forest, she had golden wings. Then a shed of tear fell on canvas, suraj found himself crying then he asks why? A voice popped in his mind "You have started to remember it finally".

Suraj stepped outside, the sun already melting into the horizon, and called for Khushi—but the air swallowed his words. The island seemed to have erased her from its memory. He ran through narrow lanes, asking the few scattered villagers, “Have you seen Khushi? She runs a food stall here?” Their faces were blank, voices uniform: “We don’t know any Khushi who stays here.” The denial hit him like a physical blow. His chest tightened, heart hammering, as he turned back toward home. But the home he knew—his anchor, his refuge—was gone. Nothing remained; the walls, the windows, even the smell of old wood had vanished into the wind.