Junak Baruah wants to win the prestigious short film competition in his university. But with hundreds of participants and a stellar jury on board, winning means making a film that's never been made before.
And that means breaking the rules and taki...
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Junak woke up feeling like the happiest man on earth. He had never, in all his twenty-two years of life, felt such excitement at the prospect of getting out of bed, but here he was.
The sun was out, bright and cheery. The flowers were blooming and birds were chirping and everything was right in the world.
He wrote the song that would win him the Diamond Jury Award. And he and Dikhou kissed. And it was amazing. And he was happy. He could probably burst into song or something.
"Why is he grinning like that?" Banhi said at breakfast. "It's scaring me."
Niribili frowned at Junak. "Maybe he's coming down with some sickness."
"Aiyo, who's sick?" Grandma cried from the kitchen. Her husband, sitting at the head of the table, as usual, laughed and shook his head.
"No one is sick, Aita," Junak yelled back.
His phone lit up with a message. His heart lurched, then dropped when he found the text was just from Banhi –
are you LOVE sick????!!!!! ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Junak was unable to hide his blush as he looked at her across the table.
Her eyes widened. Oh my god, she mouthed.
The minute breakfast was over, Banhi grabbed his arm and dragged him to her room. "Oh my god. Spill! Everything. All the deets."
Junak's grin was so wide it was hurting his cheeks. "So... last night, I finished the song–"
"You finished the song?" Niribili echoed as she walked into the room. "Well, let me see."
"Wait, babe, in a sec." Banhi threw an arm around her girlfriend's shoulders. "He's pouring me some really hot tea."
"What tea?"
"Um..." Junak's fingers were twisting the strings of his hoodie. "Dikhou and I kissed."
Banhi squealed. "Oh my god! When, where, how?"
"Um... uh, last night. I went to show him the song. He kissed me. I kissed him back." Junak bit his lip. His face was on fire. "We... kissed for a while and then we went home. To our respective homes."
"Aaaah, I knew it!" Banhi cried. "And I'd called it. Called it, called it, called it." She was almost jumping.
Next to her, Niribili was deadly still, wearing absolutely no trace of excitement. Instead, she was frowning.
Junak's heart fell. "You disapprove?" he asked, already hating her for ruining his mood.
"No." Niribili sighed. "It's not that I disapprove but – what are you doing, Jun?"
It felt like a punch to his gut. He stepped back, defences up and ready for a fight. "W-What do you mean?"
"I mean," Niribili sounded exhausted as she pulled out of Banhi's hold and took a step closer to Junak, "look around you."
