A Beautiful Dream:
So many nights, so many days passed as Ramish continued to speak to the moon…
His eyes had begun to yearn for even a fleeting glimpse of Richer.
And now, not just days and nights — entire months had started to slip away.
But Richer face remained nothing more than a fading memory… a shadow in Ramish mind.
Ramish had begun to pray —
begging his Lord: either grant him peace,
or let Richer somehow come searching for him,
or at the very least… let him appear in a dream.
He had grown tired of praying…
But one night — as Ramish cried himself to sleep —
it was as if the heavens took pity on his restless heart…
and gifted him a "beautiful dream."
Ramish says:
"It was a dream —
but so beautiful, it felt more real than reality itself.
I found myself in a lush green valley…
endless greenery, towering mountains,
waterfalls cascading down rocky cliffs,
and a clear blue stream flowing through it all.
The sun's soft golden rays filtered through the sky,
and a gentle, cool breeze kissed my skin.
Birds chirped melodiously,
flowers bloomed in every color imaginable —
as if a piece of paradise had been carved onto the earth."
"That valley wasn't just beautiful…
It was a reflection of the peace my soul had always longed for."
Ramish kept walking until he reached the edge of a serene lake.
There, a young man was bathing in the clear water,
but his face was turned away.
Ramish says:
"I sat down at the edge of the lake,
dipping my feet into the cool water.
A gentle breeze brushed against my face,
and the sunlight danced across the surface,
casting silver patterns like molten moonlight on the ripples.
Butterflies fluttered all around me,
and I lost myself in the magic of that moment…
when suddenly, someone called out:
'Ramish! Come, let's bathe together!'"
He was startled —
Who was it that called his name?
Who in this enchanted valley could possibly know him?
Ramish looked toward the lake —
and it was no one else… it was Richer!
Ramish ran into the water like a man possessed,
and threw his arms around Richer.
Held tightly in his embrace, Ramish broke down in tears.
"Richer, where did you go?
I've been aching for you…
burning in your absence."
Richer gently wiped Ramish tears and said,
"I've always been with you —
close to your heart, within your dreams."
Then the two bathed together in the shimmering lake,
splashing water at each other, laughing —
as if all the burdens of life had melted away
for that one fleeting, magical moment.
After bathing, they came and sat on a small hilltop.
Ramish gently said,
"Richer… come sit in front of me,
lean back against me,
and rest your head on my shoulder."
Richer silently smiled
and moved forward,
settling beside Ramish with quiet ease.
As soon as he rested his head on Ramish shoulder,
Ramish wrapped him in his arms with love —
as if that moment had paused in time,
and all the noise and pain of the world had faded far away.
Ramish kept looking at Richer…
as if nothing else in the world existed anymore.
Richer teasingly said,
"Don't stare so much, Ramish!"
Ramish smiled and replied,
"How can I not?
My eyes simply refuse to look away from your face."
Richer softly whispered,
"The weather here is so pleasant…
and this valley — so enchanting, so serene.
This silence… these lush green mountains,
the blue sky with wisps of drifting clouds,
the soft breeze brushing our faces,
the sound of waterfalls cascading into the lake,
and the birds chirping in harmony…
It's all soothing my heart and soul
in a way that words can never truly describe."
Ramish looked at Richer with deep affection and said,
"Having the one I love in my arms —
could anything be more beautiful than this moment?"
Saying this, Ramish gently kissed Richer cheek.
Richer looked at him and smiled,
and said,
"Ramish… there is so much peace in your arms…
it feels like time itself has come to a standstill."
Then Ramish gazed into Richer eyes and whispered,
"Richer, you're so beautiful…
Your lashes fall like silk,
your soft and gentle hair,
your lake-like eyes,
Your lips are more delicate than rose petals,
and that tiny mole on your neck —
all of it… all of it is divine."
Richer blushed and smiled shyly,
then softly said,
"But the beauty you see in me
lives in your eyes, Ramish…
In your love, everything looks beautiful."
Then the two lay down on a bed of soft grass —
Above them stretched the open sky,
to the right, the melody of the lake,
to the left, the serene silence of the mountains,
and between them — only love.
Richer gently placed his finger on Ramish palm,
and slowly traced the shape of a heart.
Ramish smiled and said:
"This heart is no longer just on my palm —
it's etched upon my very being… forever."
And just as Ramish leaned in to bring Richer face closer,
a light drizzle began to fall,
and the whisper of evening spread through the air.
The setting sun painted a breathtaking scene —
as if some artist had completed
his final and most beautiful painting.
Shades of orange, gold, and soft pink
drifted across the sky.
Ramish stood up —
his eyes lit with longing,
his face glowing with joy.
He extended his hand to Richer and said with love:
"Come, Richer…
let's dance to the rhythm of these falling raindrops."
Richer smiled, took his hand,
and they both rose —
hand in hand, bodies close,
swaying together in the rain.
The air carried gentle moisture,
cool drops of rain kissed their skin,
and behind them, the light of dusk gently dissolved.
That moment…
was worth capturing in the folds of time.
The soft drizzle
made Richer lips tremble from the cold.
Ramish whispered:
"Richer…
I want to kiss your lips."
Richer nodded silently —
his eyes granting quiet permission.
Ramish leaned in
and just as his lips brushed Richer…
Ramish woke up.
He blinked —
the same room, the same silence,
the same loneliness.
And in that instant, Ramish understood —
it had all been… a dream.
But what a dream it was!
So beautiful, so vivid, so full of life,
that Ramish remained lost in it for a long time.
He said:
"That dream…
was a balm upon all the wounds of my heart.
I wish I could see such a dream every night.
Whenever I remember it,
I lose myself again…
And meeting Richer in my dream —
was nothing less than a miracle for me."
Poison of Memories:
But Time kept passing, seasons continued to change, but Ramish remained the same. His love didn't lessen — in fact, with every passing day, it grew more intense. This restlessness born of love had begun to cast a shadow over his married life.
The home that once echoed with laughter and peace was now filled with arguments and silence. Bitter exchanges between husband and wife had become routine. In the innocent eyes of their children, signs of worry had begun to appear. Eventually, Ramish wife asked the question she had held in her heart for so long:
"Are you in love with someone else, Ramish?"
Ramish would always smile and brush it off, "It's nothing like that, you're just misunderstanding."
But how long could she stay quiet?
"Then why are you always so sad? You don't talk to me, you've distanced yourself from the children. You were never like this before, Ramish."
His answer remained the same:
"I'm just stressed because of work."
But the burden of the heart can't be hidden for long. One day, Ramish confided in his friend Amir and poured his heart out.
"Amir, it's been nearly four years… but Richer memories are still etched in my heart as clearly as if it were yesterday. Every smile of his, every moment we shared — it's engraved deep within me and refuses to fade."
Amir shook his head in frustration, "Ramish, you're bringing up all of this again? I told you to let it go, didn't I? Just look at what this love has done to you. You've become a different person. Your home is falling apart, your children are suffering… and you, you're still trapped in Richer memory. What do you even want anymore?"
Ramish sighed deeply, "Amir, you know what I want… but it just doesn't seem possible. I try so hard to control myself, to move on… but each day breaks me a little more."
After a few moments of silence, Ramish spoke again, almost as if talking to himself:
"Maybe Richer is lost somewhere in his own happiness… how could he possibly know what kind of madness I'm living through? I don't even see a sliver of hope for his return now. Maybe only a bird could bring news of him back to me…"
Ramish eyes filled with tears. "Amir, all hopes have faded… there's only one left — to see Richer again. My nights pass counting stars. His memory won't let me sleep. It keeps me awake, haunted. The moment I close my eyes, his face appears in front of me."
With a trembling voice, Ramish added,
"If I ever meet Richer again… I'll show him the wounds on my heart. I'll show him how much I've burned in the fire of his memory… how I've turned to ash."
"Richer has taken root in my soul, Amir. He beats within every heartbeat of mine. Escaping his memories seems impossible,"
Ramish voice carried the same old ache.
Amir said anxiously, "Ramish, for God's sake, pull yourself together. What kind of love is this, where only you're the one burning? Richer doesn't even know what you're going through."
Ramish sighed deeply, "Amir, it's not important how much Richer loves me, or whether he remembers me or not. What matters is how much I love him, how long I can wait for him, how carefully I can preserve his memories, how alive I can keep him within me."
Amir replied with a hint of bitterness, "Then this is one-sided love, Ramish?"
Ramish smiled faintly and said, "Amir, one-sided love is also something beautiful. There is no longing to be with the beloved, no grief of separation. No one can take the place of the one you truly love. And even your beloved cannot strip you of your right to love them."
Then Ramish softly recited a verse:
"I ignore deliberately the one I should forget…
But unknowingly, I end up remembering only them…"
Amir said in a tired tone, "Enough, Ramish. Now focus on your home. Before everything completely falls apart."
Ramish lowered his head and replied, "Yes, you're right, Amir."
Ramish accepted Amir's advice. He began trying to improve the environment at home. He started making an effort to appear happy in front of his wife and children. He gave them more time, but nothing felt the same. Everything was a struggle for Ramish. Somehow, he managed to get through a whole year, but now his endurance had reached its limit. Hiding the sadness in his heart behind a smile was becoming harder and harder.
Then one day, Ramish saw a TV show. Richer was appearing on it as a host. The moment Ramish saw him on the screen, his breath caught. His eyes locked on the screen. Without blinking, he just stared.
During the show, the host asked Richer, "Has anyone ever confessed their love to you?"
Richer laughed and replied, "I'm a star, many girls have confessed their love to me."
Hearing that, Ramish heart broke. He, too, had confessed his love to Richer… but it seemed Richer had forgotten everything.
The host asked, "Did you like any of them? Or are you thinking about marrying someone?"
Richer smiled and said, "There's nothing like that right now."
Then came another question, "Is there a special moment or something that you always remember?"
Richer paused for a moment and said, "Yes, someone once gave me a rose. Whenever I see a rose, I remember that person and the way they gave it to me."
Hearing this, hope lit a small flame in Ramish heart — Richer still remembered him. That night, Ramish couldn't sleep out of joy. His family was surprised to see him so cheerful all of a sudden.
A few days later, Ramish company decided to send some employees to their Dubai branch. Ramish name was among them.
He asked Amir for advice, "What should I do? The company wants to send me to Dubai for two years."
Amir said, "Go to Dubai, Ramish. It will be better for you. You'll get a chance to move on from Richer memories, and things at home might improve too. A new environment might help you put your life back in order."
Ramish fell into deep thought. Going to Dubai was a turning point.
Maybe it could give his life a new direction —
Or maybe, it would take him once again into the path of that love… that never found completion.