STRUGGLE FOR IDENTITY

Rajan and Savitha had always dreamed of having children, but it was a difficult journey for them. After several years of waiting, prayers, and treatments, they were finally blessed with twins. They named the baby girl Kalayani after Rajan's mother, and the boy was given a similar name, Kalayan.

From the moment the babies were born, they were dressed in matching outfits. Kalyani didn't seem to mind, but Kalayan hated it. He wanted to be his own person, with his own identity, and not just a clone of his sister. As the twins grew up, Rajan and Savitha continued to dress them in matching outfits, even though Kalayan protested. He wanted to wear clothes that would help him stand out from his sister.

One day, as they were getting ready for school, Kalayan refused to wear the matching outfit that his mother had picked out for them. "I don't want to wear the matching colour dress anymore," he said. "I want to wear something different."

"You have given me a matching face and matching name. Aren't they enough?" Leave me to live differently now." He reacted one day.

Despite his mother's acceptance of his desire to live as a woman, Kalyan still struggled with his identity. He found himself displaying more feminine behaviours, such as the way he walked and talked. It was a constant reminder to him that he was not comfortable in his own body and longed to express himself as a woman. He felt frustrated that the only thing that seemed to distinguish him from his sister was her long hair, and he yearned for more visible ways to outwardly express his true self.

As the twins grew up, it became evident that Kalayan was quite different from his sister. While Kalyani was quiet and well-behaved, Kalayan was hot-tempered and easily agitated. His outbursts were often violent and would leave everyone around him feeling uneasy.

As a child, everyone thought that Kalayan's anger was just a result of an adrenaline rush. They assumed that he would outgrow it as he grew older. However, as he entered adolescence, his femininity became more apparent, and he continued to struggle with his temper.

One day, when Kalayan was angry, he lashed out at his sister, Kalyani, and said some hurtful things to her. From that day on, Kalyani began to hate her brother. She felt that he was a burden on their family and that his behaviour was unacceptable.

Rajan and Savitha tried to intervene and help their son, but they didn't know what to do. They took him to see a psychologist, but it didn't seem to make any difference. They were at their wits' end and didn't know how to help their son.

One day, Kalyani confronted her parents and demanded to know why they were allowing Kalayan to behave the way he did. She accused them of neglecting her needs and focusing all their attention on their troubled son. Rajan and Savitha were shocked and hurt by their daughter's accusations, but they realised that they needed to do something to help both their children. They sat down with Kalayan and Kalyani and had a heart-to-heart conversation. They also talked about the challenges that Kalayan was facing and how they could work together to support him.

"We love you no matter what, Kalayan," his mother consoled him. "But you need to be yourself, not someone else. You can dress however you want, but you should never be ashamed of who you are."

He was visibly emotional as he listened to all the discussions and words of comfort, tears streaming down his face in response. Kalyani also knew that he had always struggled with his identity, but she didn't know how to help him. 

Kalayan's frustration only grew as he got older. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't stop himself from walking and talking like a girl. His parents tried to be understanding, but Kalyani couldn't help but feel ashamed of her brother.

One day, Kalyani confronted Kalayan about his behavior. "Kalayan, why do you walk like a girl?" she asked. "See, you are a boy."

Kalayan sighed. "But what can I do?" he said. "I don't walk like that intentionally. It's not my wish. Maybe it's because I was born along with you. I curse the day I was born."

Kalyani didn't know how to respond. She had never thought about how her brother must be feeling, and she didn't know how to help him. "Oh god!" she thought to herself. "My friends tell me you too are a girl born in a boy's body. How shameful it is for me to hear that. You know?"

Kalayan's eyes filled with tears. "I'm helpless," he said. "I'm utterly helpless. You kill me at once."

With that, he ran off, weeping, to the undergrowth of a neem tree, where he used to play as a child. Kalyani stood there, looking at her brother's sensitive attitude and the way he was running. She never felt sympathy for him but instead hatred.

Later that day, Kalayan's parents found him under the neem tree, crying. They sat with him and tried to console him, telling him that they loved him for who he was and that he didn't have to pretend to be someone he wasn't. But Kalyani still struggled to understand her brother's struggles.

Despite his mother's acceptance of his desire to live as a woman, Kalyan still struggled with his identity. He found himself displaying more feminine behaviours, such as the way he walked and talked. It was a constant reminder to him that he was not comfortable in his own body and longed to express himself as a woman. He felt frustrated that the only thing that seemed to distinguish him from his sister was her long hair, and he yearned for more visible ways to outwardly express his true self.

On a Sunday, Kalyani was engrossed in her book when she heard a soft click from her room's door. She looked up in surprise, as she had not locked the door. As she approached the door, she saw that it was locked from the inside. She grew curious and tried to push the door, but it was firmly locked.

Kalyani's thoughts raced. Who could be in her room, and why would they lock it from the inside? She was scared but also curious. She went to the keyhole and looked through it. What she saw took her aback. It was someone standing in front of her mirror, wearing her blue skirt and blouse, with their head covered in a shawl.

Kalyani was frozen for a few seconds, trying to comprehend what she was seeing. Suddenly, the person turned around, and she gasped. It was Kalyan, her younger brother. Kalyani was shocked and couldn't understand why he was dressed up in girls' clothes. She couldn't help herself and knocked loudly on the door.

Why did you lock the door?" Kalyani shouted, hoping someone would hear her. Her mother, who was in the living room, heard her and rushed to her room. Kalyani was relieved to see her mother but couldn't wait to confront Kalyan.

Kalyan hurriedly changed his clothes and kept the dresses on the shelf, then opened the door as if nothing had happened. However, Kalyani was furious and demanded an explanation from him.

"Why did you get into my room? Why did you lock the door from inside?" Kalyani demanded.

"Why can't I get into your room? What secret is there in your room? Is it a prohibited area?" Kalyan asked sarcastically.

Kalyani's mother, who was now in the room, joined the conversation. "Tell me, why did you enter the room and lock it from inside?" She asked Kalyan.

"I... I just wanted to... I heard you got a love letter from a stupid boy, and I wanted to find it in your room," Kalyan said, trying to justify his actions.

Kalyani was taken aback by Kalyan's response. She knew that he was lying and decided to reveal what she had seen. "Mother, he is lying. I knew what he was doing in my room. I saw him dressed like a girl, and he was so gratified to be in that costume, weren't you?" she said angrily and contemptuously.

Kalyan was quick to defend himself. "Dressed...like what? Why should I wear your dress?" he asked, confused and defensive.

Kalyani spoke her truth. "Because you don't deserve to be a boy. You are a girl in a boy's flesh, born by God's mischief. Mommy, why don't you allow him to live like a girl?" She shouted furiously.

Kalyan suddenly broke into tears and ran into his room, locking the door behind him. Kalyani and her mother ran after him, banging on the door and trying to console him, but he refused to open the door. They heard him screaming angrily, and the pain he was undergoing could be felt in his voice.

After a few moments of silence, Kalyan looked up at his mother with tears in his eyes. "Mom, I'm sorry for what you saw earlier. I just... I don't know why, but sometimes I feel like I'm not meant to be a boy. I feel like I should have been born a girl."

His mother listened intently and then wrapped her arms around him. "Kalyan, you are my child no matter what. And if you feel like you would be happier living as a woman, then I support you. I just want you to be happy."

Kalyan was surprised and relieved to hear his mother's words. He had been so scared to tell anyone about his true feelings, but now he felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He knew that his journey would be difficult, but having his mother's support gave him the strength to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

As the days passed, Kalyan and Kalyani continued to attend college as usual, but their relationship had become distant and strained. Their classmates had started to notice the changes in their behaviour towards each other and couldn't help but ask questions.

One day, during lunch break, Kalyani's friend, Riya, approached her and asked, "Hey, Kalyani, is everything okay between you and your brother? You guys seem to be avoiding each other lately."

Kalyani didn't know how to respond, so she simply shrugged and replied, "Yeah, everything's fine. We're just busy with our own stuff, I guess."

Riya wasn't convinced, and she probed further, "Is there something you're not telling me? I can sense that something's bothering you."

Kalyani hesitated for a moment before opening up to her friend. "It's just that my brother has been going through some personal stuff, and we're not really talking about it. I wish I could help him, but I don't know how."

Riya listened attentively and offered her support. "I'm here for you, Kalyani. If you need someone to talk to or just a shoulder to cry on, I'm here for you."

Meanwhile, Kalyan was also struggling with his own emotions. He felt isolated and alone, unsure of how to deal with his gender identity issues. His classmates had started to notice his changing demeanour as well, and one day, one of them approached him during break time.

"Hey, Kalyan, what's been going on with you lately? You seem different," said Rohan, one of his classmates.

Kalyan shrugged and tried to brush it off, "Nothing; I'm just tired." He was not interested in going to college or talking to his classmates. When others looked at him, he was scared to move or talk to them, as he didn't want them to comment on his femininity.

He lost all interest in college and avoided any interaction with his classmates. Whenever someone looked at him, he became anxious, fearing that they would notice his feminine nature and make comments about it.

As Kalayani stood at the bus stand waiting for the local bus, she looked at her watch and sighed. "I hope the bus comes soon," she muttered to herself.

A man standing nearby heard her and replied, "The bus won't come for another hour or so. There's some repair work going on, and they've cancelled a lot of trips today."

Kalayani frowned, feeling frustrated. "What am I going to do now? I can't wait here for so long."

The man thought for a moment before suggesting, "Why don't you take a shortcut? It's a bit longer, but you'll reach your home faster."

Kalayani considered his suggestion and nodded. "Alright, thank you. I'll take the shortcut."

Kalyani walked down the deserted path, her heart pounding with every step. She had chosen this shortcut to avoid the main road, but now she regretted it. Suddenly, she saw a group of senior boys standing near an abandoned house, smoking something that didn't smell like cigarettes. 

"Hey, what are you doing here all alone?" one of them asked.

"I had extra classes, and my brother left earlier. I'm walking home," Kalayani replied, feeling a little nervous.

The boys looked at each other and smirked. "Why don't you come with us? We're just hanging out," one of them suggested.

She tried to walk past them without paying much attention to them, but one of them caught her hand.

"Why are you walking alone, beautiful?" he said with a sly smile.

Kalyani tried to pull her hand away, but he tightened his grip. "Let me go!" She yelled, her voice shaking with fear.

The other boys laughed, and one of them said, "Why don't you stay and have some fun? We can make you feel good."

Kalyani's heart was racing, and she knew she had to get away. She tried to run, but they grabbed her, dragging her towards the abandoned house.

Kalayani struggled to break free but was overpowered by the group. She tried to scream for help, but no one heard her cries. She was dragged into an abandoned house nearby, and her worst nightmare had begun.

"Stop! Let me go!" Kalyani screamed, but her cries fell on deaf ears.

Kalyani's mind raced with fear. She tried to fight back, but the boys were too strong. She was overpowered, and the boys took turns doing unspeakable things to her.

Kalyani cried out for help, but no one heard her. She was trapped, alone, and terrified. The pain was unbearable, and she knew her life would never be the same again.

Kalyan was sitting in his room studying for his exams when he heard his mother asking about Kalayani's whereabouts. He tried to ignore her at first, but when he heard her say, "I think the 5 o'clock bus was cancelled, so she might have taken the shortcut path," Kalyan's mother said, looking worried.

When he heard this,he felt a sudden sense of panic. He knew that path was not safe, especially at that hour. Without wasting any time, he rushed out of the house and began to run towards the shortcut path. He ran as fast as he could, hoping to find his sister safe and sound.

As he reached the abandoned house, he saw two boys standing outside. He asked them if they had seen his sister, but they denied seeing anyone. However, Kalyan wasn't convinced and tried to enter the house. The boys stopped him, saying, "This is our place. No entry for outsiders."

Kalyan's heart sank as he found a piece of his sister's broken bangle lying on the ground. He knew something was terribly wrong. Without wasting any time, he pushed the boys aside and tried to run into the house, but they hit him down.

With no moment to spare, he swiftly pushed the boys aside and made a dash towards the house. However, before he could make it in, they brutally attacked him and brought him down to the ground. Despite being hit down by the boys, he didn't surrender; instead, he rose up like a ferocious lion and fought them with all his might.

In the face of danger, Kalyan's hot-tempered nature was on full display as he fought the boys with a ferocity that was unmatched. However, the other boys joined in the fight, making it a deadly and violent scene. He even found a brick and hit all of them with it. As this was happening, Kalayani heard her brother's voice and screamed for help, but her voice was faint and unclear.

His fury was evident as he hit all of them brutally, causing injuries to both himself and his attackers. In the end, the boys ran off helplessly, unable to withstand his wrath. Kalyan's hot-tempered nature proved to be a formidable weapon in his fight to protect his sister from harm.

With his heart pounding in fear and anger, he sprinted towards the room where he heard his sister's voice. He saw the horrifying sight of his sister tied to the window, half-naked and crying in agony.

As he covered her with his shirt, he could feel his blood boil with anger. He knew he had to protect his sister, no matter what. He untied her and helped her stand up, but she was too weak to walk. He had to carry her on his shoulder and run towards their home.

As they walked towards their house, Kalayani kept sobbing uncontrollably. Kalyan tried to console her, but he couldn't find the words to say. He felt a deep sense of guilt for not being there to protect her.

Finally, they reached home, and their mother came running towards them. She hugged them both and asked, "What happened to Kalayani? Why is she crying like this?" Kalyan took a deep breath and told his mother everything.

Hours passed, and Kalyani sat in her room weeping for a long time. She couldn't get the horrifying incident out of her mind. Finally, after getting fresh, she went to Kalyan. He was sitting outside, cleaning his wounds and applying medicine to them. She hugged him from behind and wept, repeating just one word, "sorry."

Kalyan spoke nothing but stood there, shedding a few drops of tears. He was still in shock over what had happened.

The following day, Kalyani was taken to the hospital for a medical check-up, and the doctor reassured her family that she was safe and hadn't suffered any severe sexual harassment.

For a few days, Kalyani didn't go to college. On the fifth day, unlike the other days, she was waiting for him to come. As he arrived, she immediately walked up to him.

"Kalyan, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything that happened. You risked your life for me, and I'll never forget that," she said, her eyes filled.

"You don't have to apologise, Kalyani. You're my sister, and it's my responsibility to protect you." I did what I had to do, Kalyani. I couldn't just stand there and watch them hurt you. I'm just glad that you're safe." He replied, looking into her eyes.

For the rest of the walk, they didn't say anything. Kalyani realised that manliness is not just in appearance but in attitude. Kalyan proved to be a true man when the situation demanded it, and that's what's needed in this world.

On their way back home after classes, he insisted that she take the same short cut once again to confront her fear.

With a renewed sense of confidence, she eagerly accepted his proposal and walked ahead, knowing that her hot-tempered brother was by her side, ready to protect her from any harm that may come their way.

After walking through the short-cut path once again, Kalyan turned to his sister and said, "See, you faced your fear today. You are a brave girl."

She smiled and replied, "Yes, I faced it, but only because you were with me."

He smiled back and replied, "I am always with you, sister. And I want you to know that it's okay to have feminine tendencies. It doesn't make me any less of a man. I fought those boys not because I wanted to prove my manliness but because I wanted to protect you. And I promise to always protect you."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she hugged him tightly and said, "I am sorry, Kalyan. I should have never judged you. You are my brave brother, and I love you just the way you are."

As Kalyani's friends continued to adorn her with jewels, Aishwarya burst into the room, seemingly in a hurry.

"When will you finish this Kalyani? Enough, you are beautiful now," Aishwarya said as she walked towards Kalyani.

Kalyani turned to face her and smiled. "I'm almost done, Aish. You know how it is on a wedding day," she replied.

Aishwarya chuckled. "Yes, I do. But we don't have all day. You need to get to the stage soon."

As Kalyani got up to leave, Aishwarya grabbed her hand. "I can't believe my little sister is getting married today," she said, her eyes misty with emotion.

Aishwarya smiled.  "I'll always be here for you, no matter what. And don't worry, I'll make sure your husband treats you well," she joked.

"I don't doubt that for a second, and I have told my would-be husband that I have a hot-tempered sister," Kalyani said, laughing.

As they made their way to the wedding stage, Kalyani looked at her sister and felt a deep sense of gratitude. She knew that Aishwarya had faced her own struggles.

As Kalyani stood on the stage, ready for her wedding ceremony, she couldn't help but think of her twin soul mate, Aishwarya, who she knew would one day also experience this joy and have a wonderful family.Her heart swelled with pride and happiness as her twin soul mate, Aishwarya, stood beside her as a stunning, confident woman, radiating joy and love. It was hard to believe that years ago, Aishwarya was born in the form of a boy. After undergoing surgery and living life as her true self, she was now a cherished and accepted member of the family and society.

As Kalyani looked back on that fateful day in the abandoned house, her heart was filled with gratitude. She was grateful for the courage and strength that her brother had shown and for the lessons he had taught her about facing her fears.

As Kalyani and Aishwarya stood together on the wedding stage, Kalyani leaned in and whispered in Aishwarya's ears, "You know what? You look even more beautiful in this attire than in the boyish pants and shirts." They both chuckled at their inside joke while the other guests looked on, baffled by their shared laughter.