It is the middle of spring. The cherry trees have covered themselves with blossoms.
Ahnaf is sitting on a bench, unmindful. It’s been long, he couldn’t do it. Why? He feels strong anger inside, anger on himself. This park in California is the place where he comes regularly, almost all the days. This gives him pleasure, pleasure of sadness.
Stephan is sitting beside Ahnaf. He’s waiting for his friend who is supposed to come and meet him here.
Ahnaf and Stephan never met before and even don’t know each other. But parks are places that create a short time relationship between people. Most of the time, they are finished in parks. But sometimes, these relationships continue, resulting in a permanent bonding.
Ahnaf didn’t notice the person sitting beside him. But Stephan did. They are just in opposite moods, one sad and unmindful, and the other is happy and cheerful.
“Hello! Are you waiting for someone?” asked Stephan.
Ahnaf didn’t hear. Stephan repeated his words again.
“Oh! No, no. I’m just sitting. Maybe you’re waiting for someone?” replied Ahnaf, trying to be easy.
“Yes. I’m waiting for my friend. She said she’ll come at 4 o’clock. It’s 3:22 now. You know, she is very punctual. She is never late nor is early. So I have to wait for some more time,” said Stephan, keeping eyes on his watch. 
“Hmm… That’s pretty. This reminds me of someone, you know. Anyways, are you just friends?”
“Oh yes, just friends. You said this reminds you of someone. What does that mean?” asked Stephan.
“No, nothing. Hey! We haven’t introduced ourselves to each other yet. I’m Ahnaf, from Bangladesh. I presently live here in CA.” said Ahnaf.
“Oh! You’re right. That’s nice to meet you Ahnaf. I’m Stephan, American by birth. I live in CA too, not presently, from my birth and I think I will, even after my death.”
Both of them laughed loudly.
Stephan looked at the sky and said, “Ahnaf, I know we’re new to each other. But I think you have something that hurts you a lot, something you want to say, but can’t. Please tell me what it is, I’m quite friendly you know, always busy making new friends and solving everyone’s problems.” Then he looked at Ahnaf.
“You’re right Stephan. I have a painful wound inside, it hurts, hurts a lot. Leave it. Nobody can remove the scar of the wound, nobody can…” Ahnaf couldn’t finish his words.
“Oh Ahnaf! You’re hurting yourself. Hey! Let me see your wound and the scar created by it. I’m a good doctor you know,” said Stephan, “a good doctor to treat the wounds of your mind.” 
“Stephan, I will have to tell you a long introduction before telling about the wound. That will take a lot of time.”
“That’s not a problem. Tell me.”
“I left my country four years ago. I was a college student. Besides my family, I had some very good friends. And in our college, we had a ghost,” said Ahnaf.
“A ghost!” Stephan shouted out.
“Yes, a ghost. All our needs were fulfilled by the ghost. Suppose I need a book. Nobody has it. After I told about it in the class, someone put the book in my bag the next day. We didn’t know who it was. We also had a very special classmate in our class. She is the main character in my story.”
-Who is she?  Stephan asked.
“An ordinary girl, but was special in some ways. She wasn’t friendly. She never spoke to anyone, nor helped anyone. Actually, she was shy and quiet. So we didn’t go to her for anything. She was a good student. She had excellent skill in practicing literature and singing. She wrote in journals regularly, but never sang for any function. But still, we didn’t pay attention to her. She was lonely, and always had a sad face.
Stephan, come on. There’s an ice-cream van, I just love ice-creams. Let’s have ice-creams,” said Ahnaf.
“Oh, okay,” replied Stephan.
Ahnaf started his story again after buying ice-creams for both of them.
“One day, we were sitting in our campus ground. That girl was sitting little far away, reading a book. Suddenly, a person arrived, with a pistol in his hand. We didn’t know who he was and what he wanted. I was the one closest to him. He pointed his pistol on me and shot me. But you know, that was beyond imagination that someone pulled me off and took my place. ”
“Who was it?”
“That girl. She was shot instead of me. The shooter ran away. We didn’t know what to do. I pulled myself up and looked at her. The bullet made her dress red, bloody. She was shot in the chest.
We all became busy with her. But she didn’t want our help. “I can take care of myself,” said she, in a cold voice. She didn’t let any of us help her. She pulled up herself and in that horrible condition, went to the college medical care center. Doctors completed the operation successfully. But she needed a lot of rest.”
“Oh my God! She was a very caring and lovely girl! She hurt herself to save you!” said Stephan.
“Yes, she was. I didn’t get a chance to talk to her after that incidence. She was released from the hospital and she went home.
Some days later, we heard she went away from home without informing anyone. After looking for her for a long time, she was found on the road, dead. She had an accident. Her family recognized her with her clothes. Her body and face were… ” Ahnaf put off his glasses and rubbed them with his shirt and then he wiped tear drops from his eyes.
“So she died? That’s the end? And that’s what your wound is? It makes you feel guilty that all these happened for you, right?” asked Stephan.
“This is not the end Stephan. I was there on her funeral. I was one of the persons who put her body in the grave. But I don’t believe she’s dead,” said Ahnaf.
-Why?
-I don’t know. But I know she’s alive and that’s why I must find her. I must tell her something.
-What is it?
-It’s “Sorry.”
“Sorry for what?” asked Stephan again.
“Sorry for not realizing her in time. You know, I realized her after a long time, after all these incidences. I understood everything. The ghost in our college was her, who was always there to help everyone.” 
“Oh my God! Ahnaf! That’s a wonderful thing, but it is heart breaking that she isn’t anymore. I’m sorry. You see, I never failed to solve anyone’s problems, but about this, I really don’t know what to do,” said Stephan in a low voice.
“I told you Stephan, nobody can solve this. All these years, I have travelled to 14 countries. I have given notice in newspapers. I didn’t find her anywhere. Now I’m here in CA only to find her. I don’t know if I can, but I believe one day I will find her to say I’m sorry,” Ahnaf’s eyes became tearful. He said again, “You shouldn’t underestimate anyone, whoever it is. And yes, one thing must be remembered. Whatever we see with our eyes, may not be everything. There are lots of stories behind the scene. You must find them out to find the reality inside reality, inside your everyday life, your everyday story.”
Stephan didn’t know what to say. He looked at his watch and said, “It’s 3:58. She must be here within two minutes.”
Two minutes passed without any words. And then Stephan looked at a girl and shouted out, “Hey! Simi! I’m right here.” Then he said, “Ahnaf, that’s my friend, Simi.”
Ahnaf looked at the girl. The girl, named Simi, is an ordinary girl with black hair. She is wearing a white top, blue jeans and an overcoat.
Strong wind is blowing. The cherry trees in the park are nodding their heads crazily. The cherry petals are making a beautiful storm all around, covering the girl with pink and white petals. Things are like heaven, Ahnaf never saw the heaven, but he can feel it inside, right now.
His eyes were staring at the girl. He said to Stephan, “You didn’t fail to solve it.” Then he whispered to himself, “I will not have to bear this scar anymore.”
Stephan stared at him, didn’t know what to do.