Prologue
Kaalaa Baunaa: Sirius, Betelgeuse ... They look so close to each other in the eyes of mankind ...
Kaalaa Baunaa: ... But they are actually over 600 light years apart.
Whether immersed in the boundless universe, an expansive plain, or a quiet bathroom...one cannot escape the contemplation of life.
Under the cover of the starry night, the hungry "beasts" crawl to your side, entangling your legs ...
Proposal: Hungry ... Hungry! Forbid ... project, delay &%&...!
Kaalaa Baunaa: What...?!
Countless ravenous hands grab hold of you, trying to drag you back to that terrifying lair known as the research institute...
Such is the fate of the procrastinator ...
Kaalaa Baunaa: Relaxing is important for—
Proposal: Deadline &%& ...
You struggle to run away, but they just won't let you go ...
Darkness envelops your eyes and you feel yourself being dragged back to work.
You can neither stop nor turn around ... The only thing you can do now is to prevent yourself from being crushed further in this mental car crash.
Pile of Documents
Looking at the piles of data, you are feeling at a loss.
But you have to take the first step anyway. Now start the engine of your brain and try to keep up with your hands ...
You remember that day. A bunch of children swarmed into the observatory, surrounded the telescopes and equipment, and poked around curiously.
They were children of wealthy families; some were children of professors, others were invited because of their parents' generous donations to Banner University.
Ordinary children had to pay a higher price to observe the universe. But she knew that, distracted by shiny new discoveries, the kids would soon pay no attention to the dreariness of this place.
Teacher: Unfortunately, because of the bad weather, we have to come here another day.
The children sighed in unison, and hurried to the observatory exit.
One girl stayed, clutching her dirty clothes, staring at the telescope twice her size.
Kaalaa Baunaa: You should go with them.
Girl: Um ... Are you the admin here? I love this big girl. She's beautiful.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Nice taste ... but I'm not the admin.
Girl: That's a relief. The things I had to go through to get here to see this, following those noisy brats and sneaking in behind them and all.
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...You know this place is over 20 km from the foot of the mountain, don't you? Is no one picking you up?
Girl: I can walk ... May I take a look at the sky, just for a second?
Frowning at the request, you looked at the dark clouds covering the sky, and glanced at the specks of mud on the girl's ankles.
Girl: Pleeeeeeease...
She looked up at you, eyes wide open as if sparkling with tears, and tugged at your clothes.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Promise me you'll take my ride back home.
Girl: Deal!
The memory of her eager gaze and spirited figure brings warmth to the cold institution.
Organizing observational data, analyzing celestial orbits...you seem to have found some of the drive you once had.
Calculator
An unfinished orbit model is shown on the screen. You have to fill in the data one by one and complete the calculation—a tedious task indeed.
It's Kumar's requirement that you must enter the observation data yourself, even though the job is supposed to be done by interns ... Her stubbornness has led many colleagues to resign.
Kumar: Hmph, researchers should treat the observation data like their own child. Will you leave your child to the homeless on the street? Sorry, no offense, Gaurav.
Intern Gaurav: ...
Researcher Himani: Kumar, I've already been away from home for two whole days, just to fill in the observation data.
Researcher Himani: Now all I know is, I have a real child at home. I need to take care of him instead of your damn metaphor. I should be with him now, before the nanny puts more funny ideas into his head.
Kumar: So, the solution to your problem is to simply find yourself a nanny or a husband with an education degree, right?
Himani's cheeks flushed red.
Researcher Himani: You know what? I quit. F**k you Kumar!
She stormed out the door. Kumar ordered Gaurav to pack up her things and throw them out like garbage.
Himani is crouched on the ground, sobbing. You walked up to her.
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
Researcher Himani: ... I won't come back.
With a hand on her forehead, she seemed to be suffering a severe headache.
Researcher Himani: Kumar should know, not everyone is like her... and you, willing to dedicate your whole life to the mysteries of the universe...
Researcher Himani: I have my own life...yet she trampled on my dignity. I will never forgive her.
You never saw her again after that.
Your mind has returned to reality. You look back at the screen, your fingers typing mechanically.
Good. All the data has been filled in to the rhythm of your keystrokes. Now you just need to wait for the big guy to generate the complete model.
Epilogue
Proposal: So full &%&... snores.
The monster finally quiets down, like a giant beast fallen into a deep slumber. You pack up the documents and turn off the computer.
You know that this is far from over, a nightmare still looms ahead, and you've only cleared one of many hurdles to come...
Kaalaa Baunaa: sighs
Your colleagues are about to wake up, yet what you need is a dream in quietude.
You get into the car and isolate yourself. Soon you pass out and sink into the depths of your consciousness.