PrAja (OS)- Just can't see your pain... [flashback video link-Pg3]

PrAja (OS): Just can't see your Pain...

Ok...so I came up with this story after NOT watching the full Thursday episode(in other word...'Hum jaa rahe hain Ajabdeh' episode). I was very tired after my class and I sat in front of the screen to watch MP and I slept even before it started. When I woke up, I just saw a teensy bit and the precap. So here are the facts which I got to know and on their basis I've created my story:

-Ajabdeh told Pratap to leave Bijolia

-Pratap looks one last time at the balcony to see if Ajabdeh is there

-Ajabdeh is hurriedly running to see Pratap one last time before he leaves

-Phool wants to give some letter to Pratap

-Gauharjaan is thinking of ways to stop Pratap

-Rao Mamrakh gets to know that Ajabdeh told Pratap to go and confronts her in front of Hansabai and Phoolkanwar

This is the first time I'm sharing my work with everyone, so please comment and criticize and like if u like it...first time I've finished a story that I have started...do let me know your views through the comments... :)

Now...story time!!...

Pratap looks back at the castle one last time. So much had happened during his stay at this place! And he had met so many new people and learnt so much. Pratap looks one last time at the munder(balcony) with a faint hope,  to see if Ajabdeh is there or not. Possibly she wouldn't be there, she didn't even want to see his face.  But, maybe, just 1% chance that he is wrong, that Ajabdeh was just pretending, that she really didn't want him to go,  that she really was going to miss him. Sadly, he was wrong. She wasn't there. With a heavy and hurt heart, Pratap beckoned his horse to move. The time had come when he had to say good-bye to Bijolia, and possibly farewell to Ajabdeh, that was the sad truth which was hard to digest for him.

Had he just waited a minute more...things would have turned out differently...

 Ajabdeh was running as fast as she could to see Pratap one last time. All that he had said to her just some moments ago, everything was ringing in her ears. She had hurt Pratap, but there was one last chance to make-up for her deed. But unfortunately, Pratap departs before she reaches there, unknowingly leaving her in a flood of tears. She turns back, and starts walking, completely lost in her thoughts and tears. She gets flashbacks of all the time they spent together. Their first meeting, the rain of flowers, all his compliments, when he asks her help, his questions(aapki har baat, shama mangne se kyu aarambh hoti hai?), the Chambal nadi abhyan, their simple talks, his soothing smile, the Shivji wali mala, when he calls her from behind, when he offers to help her,  when he chooses her finger, declaring that Hansabai was right, so much had happened...sadly, everything had to end to this, that she wounded Pratap, she gave his heart pain, it was all her fault. She had so much on her mind. Besides that, she could only think of Laxmi  who could understand her and make her feel better. She wiped her tears, and headed towards the cowshed, but her heart was still crying...

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Pratap had exited the bounds of the Bijolia castle.  He had left behind a very beautiful time of his life, although he had no intentions of doing that. But for Ajabdeh, for her family, he would have to make this sacrifice. Soon he heard someone call him from behind, "Kunwar Pratap!" His mind so engrossed in Ajabdeh said, "Ajabdeh!" at hearing the voice,  but his heart disagreed. 'No, this is not Ajabdeh. This is not her tone. This is not her voice. This is not the way she calls you...' Quite right his heart was cause it was Gauhar Jaan who called him. She had decided to talk him out of leaving Bijolia.

"Kunwar Pratap, aap itni tayari ke saath kahan jaa rahe hain?"

"Bas, Laal bai ji, ham Chittor vapas jaa rahe hain."

"Are, aise kaise jaa sakte hain aap?" Pratap shot her a look of confusion and suspicion. Gauhar realized her mistake she quickly said anything. "Aap jaante hain, aapke jaane ke karan rajkumariyon ne to ro-ro kar aasuon ki nadiyan baha di hain." Pratap immediately replied, "Kya? Ajabdeh ro rahi hai? Parantu kyu? Unhone hi to kaha tha hame..." but he realized at the last moment. He could not disclose Ajabdeh's secret. All his friends were eyeing him with suspicion. He covered up, "Laal bai ji, aap dono rajkumariyon se keh dijiyega ki Jeevan me toh log aate-jate rehte hai. Kisi ko rehna hota hai...to ve aapke samne na sahi, kintu hriday me hamesha ke liye reh jata hai." With that he turned his horse and listened to no one anymore. What he had said just now, he was himself experiencing. Ajabdeh was in his heart and his mind, he could think of nothing and no one else. He wanted to cherish that moment with his heartfelt-Ajabdeh and wanted no one to disturb them. The horse trotted on and so did Pratap, away from Bijolia, away from Ajabdeh...

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Back in the castle, Ajabdeh was with Laxmi. Telling her everything, every tiny detail of the time with Pratap, but tears weren't leaving her eyes...

"...Kunwar Pratap ne hamse kaha ki ham kabhi bhi is nirnaye(decision) ka dosh swayam ko na de. Parantu aap hi bataiye Laxmi, ham doshi nahi hai to aur kaun hai. Itna dukh pahuncha unhe, par hame unhe kehna pada Bijolia ko chod kar jaane ke liye. Kehna pada unhe...magar ham vivash the. Unhe hamari baat ki inti gehri chot pahunchi, unka saara kasht unki aankhon se jhalak raha tha. Hame shama kijiye Laxmi, hame shama kar dijiye, par hamare pas aur koi rasta nahi bacha tha. Kitna dukh diya humne Kunwar Pratap ko...hame shama kar dijiye..."

But all these sobs and words were being witnessed by a pair of eyes. Soon these eyes took full form in front of Ajabdeh, replacing her tears with fear.

"d...d...d...dada...aap...yahan...v...v...v...vo..."

In the mean time, Pratap and his friends were nearing the end of Bijolia(the boundary). But Pratap's  mind couldn't end its thought process about Ajabdeh. He was getting flashbacks of every single moment he spent with her. Their first meeting, her concerned face, her beautiful smile, her mystic eyes, the way she took care of him, all her guidance, all her ways, her looks, her resemblance to his Rani ma, her everything. *He was recalling that Chambal Nadi Abhyan where Ajabdeh had called him for help, KUNWAR PATAP!!!!!'* He immediately calls loudly,"Ajabdeh!", when he realizes that his hand was reaching out to nowhere and he was near not to the castle but to the boundary of Bijolia with his friends. A look of confusion prevails over his friend's faces.

"Baujiraj yahan koi nahi hai, aap theek to hain?"said Vyenidas in a concerned tone.

"Haan Baujiraj. Jabse ham Bijolia se chale hain, tabse aap khoye huye hain. Aakhir baat kya hai?" Bheem being inquisitive.

"Arre nahi mitron, kuch nahi. Vo to bas yun hi...  " Pratap had no answer to their questions. How and why should he tell them that he was thinking about Ajabdeh?

"Nahi baujiraj, kuch to baat hai jo aap hamse chupa rahe hain." Vyenidas very confident.

"Vyenidas bilkul theek keh rahe hain. Bhala AAPKO AJABDEH bai sa ki itni yaad kabse aane lag gayi jabki aap kanyaon se koson door rehte hain?"said Bheem with a hint of laughter and teasing.

Pratap realized that his friends were in no mood to let him get away with it. He would have to answer their questions, in one way or the other. "Arre, aisa kuch nahi hai. Vo to Laal bai ji keh rahi thi ki Ajabdeh ro rahi hai, to bas isiliye hame unki chinta ho rahi thi."

"Achchaaa!!!!" exclaimed Bheem and Vyenidas together.

Pratap was looking at them with a stop it' look. "Aisa kuch nahi hai. Aap dono bhi na,kisi baat ka kuch aur matlab nikalkar beth jate hain." And he started moving forward.

"Arre arre Baujiraj!" called Vyenidas from behind and caught up with him. "Agar aapko Ajabdeh bai sa ki itni hi chinta ho rahi hai...to khud jaakar unke haal-chaal puch lijiye na...?"

Pratap replied, " Haan,yeh achchi yukti...nahi Vyenidas, ham vapas nahi jaa sakte. Ham Ajabdeh ko vachan de kar aaye hain ki ham Bijolia se chale jayenge."

"Ajabdeh bai sa ko vachan dekar aaye hain ki aap Bijolia se chale jayenge????" said Bheem and Vyenidas together, with a tone and look of utter confusion and shock.

Pratap thinks, Arre yeh kya bol diya hamne???' and says with a scared and guilty look, "Aap log bahut sawal karte hain" and again starts moving forward.

"Phir chal pade...arre Baujiraj!...vachan diya hai, vo to Ajabdeh bai sa se milne ke bad bhi pura ho sakta hai na." shouted Vyenidas from Pratap's back. Pratap immediately stopped, turned and returned to his friends. "Sahi kaha aapne Vyenidas, hamne to is bare me socha hi nahi tha. Dhanyawad Vyenidas, bahut bahut dhanyawad." And Pratap departs riding on his horse as fast as he could, without listening to Vyenidas's reply.

Behind Pratap, Vyenidas asks Bheem, "Vaise Bheem, aapne ek baat dekhi?"

"Kya baat?"

"Laal bai ji ne kaha tha ki rajkumariYAN ro rahi hain, aur baujiraj ko, sirf Ajabdeh bai sa ki hi yaad aayi...ab chaliye inke piche..."  :P

...

Rao Mamrakh dragged Ajabdeh in Hansabai's room and threw her on the bed. Hansabai kept Kunwar Balwant in his cot and came running, "Kya hua Raoji...aap itne krodhit kyu hain?" At that precise moment, Phoolkanwar came running inside the room with teary eyes. Rao Mamrakh replied to Hansabai's question, "Yeh aapki ladli beti, Ajabdeh, bahut pyar jatati hain na aap inpe?!" Ajabdeh slowly got to her feet. She was crying. "Parantu Raoji, hua kya hai?"

"Yeh hai na aapki ladli putri Ajabdeh, inhi se puch lijiye! Kyu Ajabdeh, bataiye, apni maa ko bhi bataiye  ki kya kiya hai aapne, bataiye!" he shook her hard by her shoulder.

"vo...vo...vo...maa...h...h...h..."

"Kyu, ab aavaaz nikalni band ho gayi gale se? Jab Kunwar Pratap ko Bijolia chodne ke liye bola tha, tab to ek kshan ki bhi hichkichahat nahi huyi hogi naa?"

"Kya?!?!?!?!?" Hansabai and Phoolkanwar, both were in shock.

"Ajabdeh, yeh kya keh rahe he Raoji? Aapne Kunwar Pratap ko yahan se jaane ke liye kaha? Sach Ajabdeh? Ajabdeh hamara jawaaab dijiye, Ajabdeh! Yeh kya keh rahe hain Raoji?" questioned a concerned Hansabai.

"vo...vo...vo...maa..."

"Dekh lijiye, inki khamoshi hi uttar de rahi hai. Aur kuch jaanne ki zaroorat hai?"

Then the crying Phoolkanwar  came forward. Now Ajabdeh was enclosed in a triangle made be Hansabai, Rao Mamrakh and Phoolkanwar. Phoolkanwar held Ajabdeh's shoulder and said in a shocked voice "Ajabdeh, aapne Kunwar Pratap ko jaane ke liye kaha? Apne aisa karya karne ka soch bhi kaise liya? Ab hum samjhe, ki  jab Kunwar Pratap ke jaane ka samachar aaya, tab aap itni shant kyu thi. Kyunki aaphi ne toh unhe yahan se jaane ke liye kaha! Hame to vishvas hi nahi hota ki aap yeh bhi kar sakti hai. Kya soch ke Ajabdeh, Kya soch ke aapne unhe yahan se bheja? Ve Mewar ke rajkumar hai, aur aap, aap  Mewar ki riyasat ki ek sadharan si rajkumari. Aapki himmat kaise hui unhe yahan se jane ke liye kehne ki. Hamara to man kar raha hai ki yahi aapko ek chanta..."

"PHOOLKANWAR!!!"

Phool turned. Ajabdeh looked up. Everyone turned their eyes towards the door. Kunwar Pratap was standing in front of the door, pointing his finger towards Phool, looking highly ferocious. Phool's eyes widened. Pratap swiftly came forward towards her. But before he could speak another word, Ajabdeh came and fell on his feet, "Kunwar Pratap. Hame shama kijiye Kunwar Pratap. Hamne aapko yaha se jaane ke liye kaha, iskeliye hame shama kar dijiye Kunwar Pratap."

"Ajabdeh, yeh aap kya kar rahi hain?" said Pratap in a soft and caring voice. He bent down, put his hands on Ajabdeh's shoulders and helped her stand up. They looked at each other. As Pratap looked into Ajabdeh's crying eyes, his care changed into anger and he broke off to face Phoolkanwar, "Aapki himmat kaise hui Ajabdeh se yeh sab kehne ki? Hum puchte hai aapse. Jawaab dijiye!!!"

"K...K...K...Kunwar Pratap, aap yahan?"

"Haan hum. Aapne yeh sochne ka dus-sahas bhi kaise kar liya ki aap Ajabdeh ko thappad laga sakti hain? Aapne yeh soch bhi kaise liya? Thappad to door ki baat, aap Ajabdeh ko dant bhi kaise sakti hain? Agar aap Marwar ki rajkumari hai, to ve bhi Bijolia ki rajkumari hai. Agar aap yeh samajhti hain ki aap Ajabdeh ke shant rehne ka fayda utha sakti hain, to aap bahut galat samajhti hain. Agar Ajabdeh kuch nahi bolti, to inki taraf se hum aawaz uthayenge. Aapko hame uttar dena padega. Hame to yakeen hi nahi hota, ki aap vahi Phoolkanwar hai jise Ajabdeh apni sakhi kehti hain. Aapke har kadam par inhone aapki sahayata ki, aapke har aansu ka karan pata kiya inhone, aapka har sukh-dukh me saath diya,  aapki har galti ka dosh inhone le liya,yahan tak ki aapke har bure kaam ke dushparinam bhi inhone sahe aapki jagah, aur aap, aap inka saath dene ki jagah, inhi ko dant rahi hain! Hame to vishvas hi nahi hota."

Pratap took a deep breath. Then he turned to Rao Mamrakh and Hansabai. Not wanting to reflect his anger, while looking towards the floor he said, "Raoji, Hansa massiji, ham Ajabdeh se vyaktigat roop se baat karna chahte hain. Kya aap hame kuch kshan ekant me denge?"  Hansabai looked at Rao Mamrakh, then walked out without a word. Rao Mamrakh followed her. When they were at the door, still not looking towards them, he said, "Aur Phoolkanwar ko bhi apne saath lete hue jayiega." Phoolkanwar was staring Pratap in disbelief. A tear trickled down her eye and she ran out of the room. Hansabai and Rao Mamrakh exited the room and closed the door behind them leaving Ajabdeh and Pratap alone. As soon as the door closed, Pratap slowly looked towards Ajabdeh with a beautiful, soft, twinkling smile. Ajabdeh returned it with a smaller one. Then Pratap said, "Aap jaldi se apne aansu ponch lijiye. Aur aaiye, pehle baith jaiye. Phir hame sab kuch vistar se bataiyega.."

Ajabdeh wiped her tears and sat down. Pratap sat beside her. "Ab aap hame sab kuch batiye. Hum yeh  jaanna chahte hai ki sab log aapko milkar itna dukh kyu de rahe the."

"Par aap aise vapas kaise aa gaye itni jaldi, aur aap itni chinta kyu kar rahe hai?"

"Vo raaste me hame Laal bai ji mili. Unhone hame bataya ki aap ro rahi hain. Ham thodi der to aage tak chal liye, par phir hamse aapke rote-hue chehre ki chavi dekhi nahi ja rahi thi. Isliye ham vapas aa gaye."

Ajabdeh thought, Kunwar Pratap se hamari aankho me aansu nahi dekhe jaa rahe the?' and said, "Aapko itna kasht uthane ki kya aavshyakta thi Kunwar Pratap, ham swayam apna dhyan rakh lete."

"Aap hamse to ye sab baate mat hi kijiye Ajabdeh. Agar ham naa aate to vo Phoolkanwar to aapko pata nahi kya kya suna deti. Ab aap hame yeh batane ka kasht karengi ki kya hua tha?"

"Vo jab aap gaye, to...to...to..." Ajabdeh thought that it wouldn't be good  to tell Kunwar Pratap that she was crying...that too for him. He had already come all thw way back to Bijolia just for her tears. But then...

"Dekhiye Ajabdeh,  humse kuch bhi chupane ki zaroorat nahi hai. Aap seedhe-seedhe sach-sach bataiye ki kya hua tha."

Ajabdeh screwed up her face, and finally said, "theek hai. Sab batate hain hum aapko...

"Jab aap hamare kaksh me aaye the, tab ham aapko rokna nahi chahte the. Isliye hume pura samay aapko peeth dikhakar hi baat karni padi. Hum apne bhav dikhakar aapko rokna nahi chahte the. Saral hamare liye bhi nahi tha, parantu hame aapne mata-pita ke hit me yeh kadam uthana pada. Lekin, phir aapki bate sunkar hame phirse mehsoos hua ki hamne aapko kitni, kitni gehri chot di hai. Isilye ham aapse shama mangna chahte the, kintu jab ham ghume, tab tak aap vahan se jaa chuke the. Isliye hamne mahal ke mukhya dwar tak dorna aarambh kiya kyuki hume yakin tha, ki agar ham aapko apne chehra dikhakar ek bar hath jod len, to shayad apka man ka bhoj kam ho jaye. Kintu jab ham pahunche, tab tak aap mahal se baahar jaa chuke the..."

"Kya...aap mahal ke dwar tak aayi thi? Humne bhi peeche mudkar dekha tha, parantu tab aap vahan nahi thi, to hame laga ki aap nahi aayengi isliye ham chale gaye. Achcha, aap aage bataiye."

" Hame bahut dukh hua ki humne aapko itna dard diya, isi karan hame rona aa gaya aur ham apna dukh baantne laxmi ke paas chale gaye. Ham Laxmi ko sab bata rahe the, tabhi vahan dada aa gaye aur bahut krodhit ho kar hame apne saath yahan le aaye. Koi nahi chahta tha ki aapk Bijolia se jaaye, isliye sab hamse naaraz ho gaye. Phool ko to vishvas hi nahi ho raha tha, isiliye ve hame daantne lagi."

Pratap wanted to say something against Phool, but Ajabdeh stopped him.

" Parantu isme unki koi galati nahi thi. Ye sab sun-na unke liye kisi sadme se kam nahi tha, isliye ve ye sab keh baithi. Aur tabhi aap aa gaye. Kunwar Pratap, hame shama kar dijiye. Hame laga ki aapke jaane ke baad hamare dada ka kasht chala jayega, parantu ve to aur bhi zyada chintit ho gaye ki aap yahan se achanak hi kyu jaa rahe hain aur kahin  raste me aapko kuch ho na jaye. Hame shama kijiye Kunwar Pratap, hame aapko yaha se jaane ke liye nahi kehna chahiye tha..."

"Ajabdeh...ham aapse keh kar gaye the na ki aapne nirnaye ke liye swayam ko dosh mat dijiyega? Phir aisa kyu kar rahi hain aap? Aap ne jo kiya, apne mata-pita ke liye kiya. Is baat ka parinam kaisa hoga, ye to aap bhi nahi jaanti thi, phir kyu dosh de rahi hain swayam ko? Ab rona band kijiye, ham raoji aur Hansa massiji ko andar bula rahe hain. Hum unse baat karenge. Aap kuch mat kahiyega. Theek hai..." and Pratap proceeds to open the door...when he hears Ajabdeh calling him from behind.

"Kunwar Pratap?"

"Kahiye.."

"Ab to aap Bijolia me rahenge na?"

"Aap kya chahti hain hum kya kare?"

"Ruk jaiye na."

"Jaisi aapki marzi!"

And both of them flash their million dollar smiles at each other and get lost. They just can't stop staring each other. Ajabdeh realizes first and breaks of for a second, then looks back at him. Pratap goes and opens the door, letting Rao Mamrakh and Hansabai inside.

"Raoji, Hansa massiji, ham sab jaante hain ki Ajabdeh ne hame yahan se jaane ke liye bola.Ham yeh bhi jaante hain ki aap nahi chahte the ki ham yahan se jaaye. Isiliye aapko jaise hi pata chala ki Ajabdeh ne hume yahan se jaane ke iye kaha, aapko un par krodh aa gaya.  Kintu Raoji, ek baar, sirf ek baar kya aapne yeh jaanne ka prayas kiya, ki  Ajabdeh ne aise kyu kiya? Aap khud soch kar dekhiye Raoji, Ajabdeh ne kitna shram kiya hamare swasth ke liye. Kya unke liye hume yeh kehna saral hoga? Aur Raoji, Ajabdeh ne din-raat jagkar hamara dhyan rakha, har prayas kiya lekin hume, aapke atithi ko mrityu ke muh me jaane nahi diya. Vahi Ajabdeh kya aapke maan- samaan par anch bhi aane de sakti hai? Ajabdeh ne hume yahan se jaane ke liye kaha, sirf isliye kyuki unhe AAPKI chinta thi Raoji, aapki. Aapka bhojan na karna, chintit rehna, nahi dekha jata unse. Keval isi karan se unhone hame yahan se jaane ke liye kaha. Isme unki koi bhul nahi hai Raoji.Unhone kuch galat nahi kiya."

Hansabai was in tears of happiness. Rao Mamrakh couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"Dhanyawad  Kunwar Pratap. Aapne hamari aankhe khol di."
"Raoji, dhanyawad to aap apni putrid Ajabdeh ko dijiye, jo aapki itni chinta karti hain."

"Vaise Kunwar sa, ab aap Bijolia me ruk rahe hain ya nahi?"

"Ek shart par Raoji. Ki aap apna pura dhyan rakhenge aur hamari chinta bilkul nahi karenge."

"Jo hokum Kunwar Pratap!" and Rao Mamrakh walked away with satisfaction.

"Hum aapko dil se dhanyawad dete hain Kunwar Pratap ki aapne Ajabdeh ka asli chehra unke dada ke samne la diya." Said Hansabai with praise.

"Are Hansa massiji, isme dhanyawad kaisa!" said Pratap.

"Hum abhi jaakar Pakhshala me swadishth mishthaan banwate hain." And Hansabai walks away looking super-happy.

Pratap looks back at Ajabdeh. "Ab aapk kyu khadi hain? Chaliye hamare saath!" And both of them leave the room together, walking and talking merrily.

"Aapne hamare liye job hi kiya Kunwar Pratap, uske liye dhanyawad."

"Ajabdeh..." Pratap stops and looks at Ajabdeh. "Agar aapko yaad ho, to aaphi ne humse kaha tha ki mitron ke beech na koi dhanyawad, na koi aabhar. Ab aaphi apna niyum todh rahi hain."

"Vo hame shama kijiyega, ham bhool gaye the."

And they start walking again.

"Vaise Kunwar Pratap, aap inte samay door rahe hain Chhittor se. Aapko apne mahal ki, apne pariwar ki yaad nahi aati?" Ajabdeh asked generally.

"Aati hain na. Bahut yaad aati hai. Aur sabse zyada yaad to hame hamari Rani maa ki aati hai. Parantu..." Pratap stops walking. Ajabdeh stops beside him. "Parantu kya, Kunwar Pratap?"

Pratap looks at the floor, smiles, and looks at Ajabddeh and very slowly says, "Parantu jab bhi ham aapko dekhte hain, to hamare man me hamari  Rani maa ki kami, ek jhatke me door ho jaati hai."

Ajabdeh smiles. And the both keep looking at each other. Suddenly,

"Ajabdeh, zara aakar hamari sahayata kijiye kheer banana me." Hansabai appears out of nowhere. Pratap & Ajabdeh, both come to their senses. Sensing the awkwardness of the situation, Pratap quickly says, "Ajabdeh, ham chalte hain. Pranam Hansa massiji." And slips out of the place. Both the ladies look towards him smiling while he departs. Then Hansabai turns to Ajabdeh and finds her still looking towards Pratap.

"Ajabdeh...!"

"Vo...vo...vo...haan maa...ham chalte hain na aapke saath" and without another look at her mother, starts walking towards the kitchens. Hansabai looks at both of them, smiles, and she too leaves."

The End. I hope you liked it. But I know its not that good. Please comment and let me know.  I just thought about PrAja while thinking this up. As a result, I've almost ignored everything else. Sorry for that. Do tell me what do u think. 

Btw...Pratap's thought process while leaving Bijolia, I've compiled a video for it..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtLGvNpGsSY

And by the way, did anybody notice...

Pratap wasn't wearing the Shivji wali mala while leaving Bijolia... :D

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