Chapter 5: A goal for future
Part 14:
"One, two, three, four, five... twenty-five! Alright, I'm done with today's sets."
Veer (the soul of the older man, now occupying the younger body) exhaled a long, steady breath, wiping sweat from his brow. His muscles ached pleasantly—a far cry from the pain of his past.
Kesari (the original soul, speaking internally): "Damn, I can't believe the progress we've made in just this one year. It's unreal."
Veer: "Yeah. Twenty-five reps and ten sets each of push-ups, crunches, sit-ups, squats... thirty minutes of bar hang, ten kilometers of running, and a ten-minute plank. Then the one-hour meditation. I hit a new personal record today."
Kesari: "I'm not just talking about the physical stuff, genius. I'm talking about the memories. Our school life. I think if we'd met earlier, it would've been so much more fun."
Veer: "Yeah, for sure."
Veer's mind drifted back over the past year. He remembered the thrill of Ashok Sir's Maths class, a subject he'd always found dull but which Kesari—the boy who seemed to possess a natural, almost obsessive logic—excelled at. He remembered the surprise on everyone's faces when Kesari switched in and flawlessly sketched the portrait for the art project, a talent Veer himself lacked. Then there was the day he had won the Best Author Award, stunning the teachers with his complex, dark-yet-hopeful stories—the true domain of the older, introspective Veer. And, of course, the sports games where Veer's superior physical prowess (combined with the rigorous training they now shared) had brought home several medals.
They had learned to switch their 'soul positions' almost seamlessly, doing what each liked best, forging a bizarre but genuine friendship.
Veer: "Ahh, it's been a year. I genuinely enjoyed this school life, after leaving that hell. Thanks to you, Kesari."
Kesari: "It's not a big deal. Now, what about your result today? You almost forgot."
Veer: "Shoot, I did forget! But whatever, I know I'll pass." He smirked, the confident expression still looking slightly foreign on the younger face.
He headed to the bathroom, took a quick shower, and came down to the dining table.
Vyom: "Hey, Veer. You're early for breakfast. What's the occasion?"
Veer: "Yeah, yeah. No special reason, just hungry." He sat down.
Shina: "Hey, don't tease my sweet little brother. By the way, Veer, today is your result. Are you excited? And confident that you will pass?"
Veer: "Yes, I'm confident. I will pass. And Mom and Dad are still out on their business trip?"
Shina: "Yeah, I think they'll be back by the end of the month."
Veer: "But why does Mom always go with Father on his every business trip?"
Kesari (in Veer's mind, echoing his thoughts): Well, that's what I also want to know. Why does Mom always go with Father?
Vyom: "Well, it's a little complicated."
Veer: "Complicated?"
Shina: "It's because she loves to travel, and also because she's keeping a very keen eye on Father. Our father always tends to flirt with other women behind Mom's back. In a few cases, he went too far, but thank God nothing ever got worse than that." Shina sighed, looking older than her years as she delivered the unpleasant truth.
Veer and Kesari (in unison, an internal agreement): Ah, I get it now.
The revelation hung heavy in the air, a shadow cast over the otherwise ordinary breakfast. The complexities of family life, it seemed, were just as inescapable in this new reality as they had been in the old one.
__________
Part 15
Mina Kesari: "Awwww, look at this picture of my little son! He looks so adorable in a girls' dress, it's like he is a girl."
Anand Kesari: "Yes, you're right. But he's changed a lot these days, hasn't he?"
Mina: "I know, but it doesn't matter. In the end, he'll always be my sweet little baby."
The two of them laughed softly in their hotel room, sipping their tea. Anand returned to his desk, organizing the files for his upcoming meeting.
Meanwhile, back at the house, a different kind of tension filled the air.
The three siblings—Vyom, Shina, and Veer—along with Kesari (the fourth, unseen participant), were silent, tense, and focused on the computer screen. It was 2:00 PM, the moment the 10th board exam results were about to be released. Despite the palpable stress from his siblings, Veer (the older soul) seemed unbothered, acting completely normal.
Kesari (in Veer's mind): "Alright, let's see what we got."
Veer: "Yeah, let's see." He gave a confident, smirky smile.
They quickly entered the necessary roll number and other information. The computer screen flashed, and the results appeared:
Result Sheet
Name: Veer Anand Kesari
Mother's Name: Mina Kesari
Age: 16
Maths - 96
English -80
Hindi -75
Marathi -70
General science -85
Social science -79
Total marks is 485/600
Veer: "I told you! I knew I'd pass with exactly an 80%!"
Vyom: "That's awesome, little brother! You got 485, which means you scored 80.83%."
Veer: "How can you calculate that number so quickly without a calculator?"
Vyom: "It's my own trick! Anyways, Shina, can you tell Mom and Dad the good news?"
Shina: "Okay, I will! I'll call them right now."
Vyom: "Fantastic! Let's feast tonight to celebrate!"
The tension immediately dissolved, replaced by smiles and the buzz of excitement. Veer's casual confidence had been proven right, marking a successful end to their first year in this new, shared life.
___________
Part 16:
Anand Kesari smiled, setting his tea mug down. "Honey, look! Veer passed with 80%! I'm really happy."
Mina smiled back, reaching for the phone. "Yes, dear. I saw the message from Shina, too. Our Veer is quite something."
Anand: "Yeah, wait a second, I've got a call." He glanced at the screen, a flicker of surprise on his face. "Oh, hello, Shiv Sir."
Principal Shiv (on the phone, his voice is a steady, low rumble): "Hello, good afternoon, Anand Sir. Did I disturb you at a bad moment?"
Anand: "No, no, nothing like that. But why the sudden call right now, Shiv Sir?"
Principal Shiv: "I called to ask about your son's results—how he fared—and, more importantly, about his future plans."
Anand: "Oh, about that..." Anand paused, his cheerful demeanor momentarily replaced by a deep, thoughtful expression as he considered the complex reality of his son's success and future.
_________
Part 17:
Veer sat at the dinner table, his eyes wide as he surveyed the celebratory spread. There was a mountain of his favorite chicken curry, along with rice, chapati, and even some Chinese dishes. For dessert, a bowl of glistening gulab jamun sat waiting.
It was in this moment of pre-dinner bliss that Vyom asked him a serious question.
Vyom: "Hey, Veer, my brother, have you decided what you're going to do next now? What is your goal for the future?"
Veer: "Goal for the future? Well, yeah, I do have a goal, and I'm already working on it."
Shina: "Really? I'd like to hear that."
Veer: "You both know how much I like anime, manga, and manhwa, right?"
Vyom and Shina (at the same time): "Yeah, we do.
"
Veer: "That's why, over the past year since I came home from the hospital, I started writing novels and stories. I’ve almost finished one, but my dream—my real goal—is much bigger than that. I want to be a successful Manga Artist like Akira Toriyama Sensei, Takeshi Shudo, Makoto Shinkai, Kubo Sensei, Kishimoto Sensei, and Oda Sensei. I want to create a world like they did."
He paused, scooping a spoonful of rice. "But I'm not going to stop my studies, because if I want to be successful, I need the knowledge to grow myself, both creatively and practically."
Shina: "Wow, that's a huge thing for a kid like you to aim for!"
Veer: "Hey! I'm not a kid anymore, I'm sixteen years old."
Vyom: "Okay, okay, your dream is huge, and the fact that you've already started working on it is seriously good. But you shouldn't ever forget one thing."
Veer: "Yeah, I know."
Vyom & Veer (both speaking simultaneously): "Make a strong body that every girl will be satisfied with it."
Shina: "Hey, big bro! What are you teaching my innocent little brother?" She leaned over and pulled Veer into a tight, affectionate hug.
Veer, however, pulled back slightly, his expression shifting from playful to intensely serious.
Veer: "No. Make a strong body not to satisfy anyone. Make it for yourself. Strong enough to protect yourself. Because in the world we live in, the weak can't survive anywhere by relying on others. If you want to survive, you have to become stronger, and you have to gain knowledge and grow physically and mentally."
The sudden depth and conviction in his voice—the echoes of his past life's painful lessons—silenced them both. It was a mature philosophy that went far beyond typical teenage aspirations.
To be continued...
