Part 2 — The Function Day

Megh quickly got ready.

Mehul stood watching her, eyes soft with affection — her little sister looked so serene, so radiant.

Megh turned to her.

“What are you staring at like that, Apu? Doesn’t my makeup look good?”

Mehul walked over, took a tiny bit of kohl from her own eye, and touched it to Megh’s neck.

Megh laughed. “What are you doing, Apu?”

Mehul kissed her on the forehead and said, “Just giving you a little black mark so no evil eye can touch my fairy.”

Megh grinned. “Such superstition, Apu! And besides, no one’s going to dare look twice at a ghost like me.”

Mehul laughed. “This little ghost of mine happens to be loved madly by a prince named Barshan.”

At the sound of his name, Megh’s cheeks flushed red.

Mehul burst out laughing. “Oh my! My Megh even blushes now!”

Megh, embarrassed, dashed out of the room — only to bump straight into her aunt in the courtyard.

Her head bowed instantly. “I didn’t see you there, Aunty.”

Dilara’s sharp voice echoed, “Of course you didn’t! How could you, flying around like a restless bird? If I had fallen and broken my back, who would’ve treated me, hmm? Your father? Oh wait—he can’t, can he? You girls already ate him alive! And now you’re planning to eat me next, aren’t you?”

Tears filled Megh’s eyes. She’d heard these words all her life.

Hearing the commotion, Mehul rushed out and quickly stood in front of her sister.

“Aunty, please don’t blame Megh. She was just in a hurry for her college function and didn’t see you. Tell me where it hurts; I’ll massage it for you.”

Dilara raised her voice even louder.

“She’s getting too spoiled lately. If she keeps flying, I’ll have no problem clipping her wings myself!”

With that, she stormed inside.

Mehul turned to Megh, wiping her tears.

“Why are you crying? You know how she is. I’ve told you before — don’t keep bad words, bad memories, or bad people in your heart. Forget them as if they never existed.”

She smiled gently. “Now wipe your eyes. Your kajal’s all smudged — you really do look like a ghost now. Barshan will faint if he sees you like this!”

Megh sniffled but smiled.

“Alright, Apu. I’m fine now. I won’t cry anymore. I’ll go, okay?”

Before she left, Mehul slipped a 1000-taka note into her hand.

“Uncle said to give you this. And on your way, buy a garland of white jasmine and tuck it into your hair. You’ll look even more beautiful.”

Megh puffed her cheeks playfully. “So, I don’t look good enough already?”

Mehul laughed. “My baby always looks beautiful. Now go — you’ll be late.”

---

As soon as Megh stepped out of the auto-rickshaw, her best friend Ohona came running, out of breath.

“Finally! You decided to show up? Dipal sir’s been calling you for ages — your phone’s off! He’s going to kill you!”

Megh slapped her forehead. “Oh no! I completely forgot. My phone died. Don’t worry — I know how to handle Sir. Just tell me where he is.”

Ohona giggled. “In his office. Come on.”

They reached Dr. Dipal Chandra Barman’s cabin. Megh knocked softly. “May I come in, Sir?”

Dr. Dipal was furious — but the moment he saw Megh’s face, his anger melted away.

Still pretending to be stern, he said, “So, you finally decided to show up? Do you know how angry the Dean is? The guests will arrive any minute, and you — the host — are nowhere to be found!”

Smiling, Megh opened her bag, took out a red rose and a chocolate, and slipped them into his coat pocket.

“Happy Birthday, Sir.”

Dr. Dipal froze. “You… you remembered?”

Megh smiled softly. “How could a mother ever forget her son’s birthday?”

Years ago, Dr. Dipal had lost his only daughter, Nandita, to cancer. From the first day he met Megh, something about her reminded him of his lost child. In her, he found a reflection of the daughter he had lost.

Wiping his eyes, he whispered, “I must have done both good and bad deeds in my past life. God took Nandita away from me, but sent you to fill her place.”

Megh gently wiped his tears. “Sons shouldn’t cry in front of their mothers, you know. If you cry, I’ll start crying too — and then my kajal will be ruined, and I’ll need another hour to fix it! I won’t be able to host at all.”

Her playful tone made Dr. Dipal laugh through his tears.

When Megh stepped out of his office, someone suddenly caught her hand from behind.

She turned — it was Barshan.

He stood frozen, staring at her — completely awestruck.

Ohona laughed. “Close your mouth, Romeo, before bacteria get in!”

Barshan pulled up Megh’s saree pallu and gently draped it over her head like a veil.

“Cover your face,” he whispered, “or my own eyes will cast a spell on you.”

Megh giggled. “So you’re saying I look darker today — that’s why you want me covered, right?”

Barshan frowned. “Why do you always read too much into everything?”

Before Megh could reply, he walked off, pretending to be annoyed.

Ohona sighed dramatically. “Girl, he’s actually mad at you!”

Megh smiled knowingly. “He won’t stay mad for more than ten minutes. You’ll see, he’ll come right back. He loves me too much.”

Ohona squeezed her hand. “And you? You love him just as much.”

Megh looked down at the ring on her finger — the one Barshan had given her.

“I don’t think I could ever explain how much I love him,” she said softly. “But yes — I love him more than I love myself.”

Ohona smiled. “May Allah keep this love alive forever. May nothing ever come between you two.”

---

Just then, a black car stopped at the campus gate. The students assigned to welcome the guests straightened up, holding baskets of flower petals.

The driver stepped out and opened the door. The Dean stepped forward to greet the guest.

When the man emerged, everyone froze. The girls holding petals forgot to throw them. The air itself seemed to pause.

The Dean cleared his throat loudly, jolting them back to reality.

The man walked beside him, tall, elegant, his presence commanding. It was as if a prince from a fairy tale had stepped into the real world — too perfect to be human.

Ohona’s mouth fell open. Megh nudged her chin playfully. “Close your mouth, idiot, or all the dust and bacteria will fly right in.”

Ohona whispered breathlessly, “Megh… what is this creature? He looks like he walked straight out of a dream! Those eyes, those lips—oh my God! I feel like eating him alive! Like a ripe cherry!”

Megh rolled her eyes. “You’re such a man-eater. Didn’t know that before!”

“Oh please,” Ohona muttered. “That man is pure dessert. I bet he even smells like strawberries.”

Megh tugged her hair. “Get a grip! He’s human, not fruit! Now move before the Dean turns us into dust.”

But Ohona wasn’t done. “Have you ever seen someone this beautiful in real life? Someone should run a study — he might not even be human. Maybe an alien!”

Megh folded her arms. “He’s handsome, yes. But not more than my Barshan. My Barshan is the most beautiful soul on earth — not just in face, but in heart.”

---

The hall was decorated magnificently for their medical college’s Golden Jubilee Celebration.

Famous doctors and surgeons from home and abroad were in attendance.

The Dean began the program with a floral welcome. Megh, Ohona, Tisha, Arfa, Fahad, and Khalid were each assigned to greet the guests.

As Megh stepped forward, she paused — she was supposed to pin the badge on that man.

She heard the Dean’s introduction:

“Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Mr. Kim Tae Ha, Korea’s most successful heart surgeon and our Chief Guest for today’s ceremony. We are truly honored by his presence.”

Megh hadn’t even looked at him properly yet. Sitting there, he looked almost robotic — expressionless, motionless, as if he were carved from marble.

Maybe he’s actually a robot, she thought. With technology these days, it’s possible. Just like Sophia — the world’s first AI robot who even made jokes about Dhaka traffic!

Lost in thought, Megh accidentally pricked Mr. Kim’s chest with the pin while attaching his badge. But he didn’t flinch — not even a twitch.

Startled, she fumbled and pricked her own finger instead. A drop of blood appeared.

She instinctively put her finger to her lips — and caught a faint whiff of his cologne.

It was… strange. Not sweet, not woody — something otherworldly.

What kind of perfume is this? she wondered, wrinkling her nose.

Ohona leaned in, whispering dreamily, “I swear I’m going to die — what perfume is that?! I could breathe it all day!”

Megh glared. “You like this smell? My God, Ohona, your sense of smell must be broken!”

[ i don't know who is like or read part 1, but I really really thank you. because of your 1 like i post part-2 . once again thank you]

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