I remained beneath the banyan tree for a long time, silent.
The old man's words echoed in my mind like a quiet wind—soft, yet impossible to ignore.
Had he really walked away…
or had he simply disappeared into the folds of time?
I stood up slowly.
The road ahead was empty, though only moments ago he had been right there.
My heart felt strangely full—like something inside me had awakened.
It felt as though a river was flowing within me—
soundless, but powerful.
Memories drifted through my thoughts: childhood, dreams, ambition, love, loss…
different scenes, yet somehow all the same.
His voice returned to me…
"If you wish to be different,
do not try to escape the river.
Learn how to flow within it."
Those words settled deep inside me.
I began walking through the town.
Everything looked the same as before—
the shops, the people, the quiet streets—
and yet…it all felt new.
People passed by:
some smiling, some worried,
some rushing, some wandering.
But now, none of them felt different from me.
We were all passengers of the same river.
I stopped at a small tea stall by the roadside.
The aroma of warm tea filled the air.
I sat, trying to calm the storm inside my thoughts.
Could anyone truly escape their fate?
Or were we all destined
to reach the same end
no matter how far we wandered?I sipped the tea slowly
and looked up at the sky.
A quiet wish formed inside me—
to meet the old man again,
even just once more.
But he did not return.
When I finished my tea and stood at the street corner,
I heard something—
a faint sound,
like flowing water.
But there was no river in this town.
Startled, I looked around.
The sound came from a narrow alley
at the edge of the road.
My heartbeat quickened.
Something was calling me.
Curiosity pulled my steps forward.
I walked into the alley.
It was silent, dim, strangely cold…
yet the river-like sound continued.
But there was no water— only an old mural painted on the wall.
The painting showed countless human figures
floating along a single river.
Different faces.
Different clothes.
But all carried by the same current.
Beside the painting were words:"The true journey
begins here."A shiver ran through me.
The old man's voice echoed again—
> "If you wish to understand…
follow the river."
I took a deep breath
and reached out toward the mural
To be continued.
Chapter 7 — The Hidden Passage
The moment my fingertips touched the mural,
the wall rippled like water.Before I could pull back,
the mural opened
revealing a narrow passage behind it.
A cold breeze brushed across my face,
carrying with it.the same sound of flowing water.
My heart raced.
Part of me wanted to run—
but another part whispered:"Go forward."
I stepped inside.
The doorway closed behind me instantly,
plunging the place into darkness.
I could hear only the water-like sound,
somewhere deeper ahead—
steady, calming, yet mysterious.
A faint blue light appeared on the walls,
glowing like lines of flowing ink.As I walked,
the glowing patterns moved beside me—
like veins carrying life.
Soon, the narrow passage opened
into a great underground hall.
At its center stood a circular pool of shimmering water.
The air felt ancient,
heavy with secrets.
I approached the pool.
Reflections swirled across the surface—
but they weren't mine.
I saw countless faces—
young, old, joyful, grieving.
Some looked like kings,
others like beggars.
All different.
All the same.
Suddenly,
a soft voice filled the chamber: "All who walk the river
seek the same truth."
I spun around.
No one was there.
The voice continued—"A life is not measured
by how different you are…
but by how deeply you understand."
The pool began glowing brighter.
Images formed again—
showing people from different eras
walking the same repeating cycle:
Birth → Growth → Dream → Struggle → Love → Loss → Silence
A question rose in my heart—
Was this the truth the old man spoke of…?
I leaned closer.
The moment my reflection touched the surface—
the pool pulled me in.
Light swallowed everything.
Then—
Darkness.