Chapter 2

There were many similar incidents were Huang startled Feng and Feng retaliated in kind. Many of them were witnessed by Anshuman but even more of them went unnoticed.

Of course, to the young boy, they were just kites who flew near his home and he did not recognise them as the chicks whose antics had once enunciated a “Wow” from him.

In the blink of an eye, two years passed away.

And one day, as Anshuman stood waiting, anxiously yet hopefully, he saw Feng and Huang in the sky.

Anshuman had been waiting for ten minutes but...it felt like ten hours to him. She had said that she would be there at dot 5:00 pm and since she had never been late before, he felt crestfallen.

They had been close friends for ages but he had had a crush on Arni for as long as he could remember. When he had confessed to her yesterday over the phone, she had not replied but rather suggested they meet near his house as they had countless times before.

And when she did not turn up, he felt heartbroken. Because this might mean that even their friendship had been ruined for good.

(Narrator: Woah, not confessing face-to-face but over the phone? I wrote this, but man, the guy has no gu-

Friend 1: Shut up.)

As Anshuman was wallowing in self-pity, he heard a shriek. Glancing up, he saw two kites pulling aerial acrobatics.

Uncle Anmol told me about this. Kites mate for the first time when they are around 2 years old. And they perform an aerial courtship...a dangerous display called grappling. Well, guess at least someone’s found their partner.

And that’s exactly what it was!! Feng and Huang were shrieking and whistling to each other as they flew treacherously close to each other.

It seemed that their fights as fledglings had only formed a bond between them.

The two circled each other slowly and then suddenly, in a split-second, beat their wings and their talons were grasping each other tightly. They spiralled towards the ground at a tremendous pace.

Anshuman’s eyes followed their trajectory and his eyes caught sight of black hair flowing freely in the wind. The lady whose hair it was; had also been following the kites’ advance. And then...the two youngsters’ eyes locked.

By the time Feng and Huang had broken their entanglement and soared high up again, Anshuman had long lost interest. He was transfixed by the person coming his way and in his excitement moved forward of his own accord.

Her smile said it all. And at that moment, the boy’s feelings of sadness and fear seemed to have been blown away.

As he was crossing the road towards Arni, Anshuman cast a quick glance towards the sky and smiled absent-mindedly.

It truly is a marvel. No matter who, bird or human, we all fall in love. So similar, all organisms are, oh, so similar.

*****

Friend 1: So corny, birds symbolizing their love.

Narrator: (Stares) Oh, you didn’t get what this part of the story was all about. It wasn’t about their love nor was it wasn’t about the birds’ love. What it was about; was plain and simple love.

Friend 1: Huh?

Narrator: I get, Friend 1. Don’t worry, as you read on, your IQ might develop. Though EQ is also a focus...

Friend 1: Yeah, first of all, what this “Friend 1” thing? Can’t you at least give me name?

Narrator: No, not happening. As you were kind enough to mention before, I am the author and I’ll do as I see fit.

Friend 1: Why are you doing this to me?!

Narrator: Hmm? Oh, that’s cuz you are plain annoying. Anyway, fun fact guys: Black kites live for around 22-24 years.

Friend 1: (suspicious) Why are you sharing this all of a sudden?

Narrator: Oh, no reason. Knowledge is power so I was just sharing it. Plus, I was also being a show-off.

Friend 1: I give up.

Narrator: Best news I’ve heard all day.