Historic Note:

"This work is recognized as the world’s first online Persian novel, originally serialized in 2003. It represents a pioneering moment in digital literature, now preserved for eternity on the blockchain."

The story began on a cold night in March 1976. Finally, after two days of working around the clock, the house decoration and preparations for the birthday were finished. Just a few hours before the party, I, who was very tired and dirty, said to Amir, my cousin, whose birthday it was, “I’m going home. I’ll take a shower, change my clothes, and come back.” Amir kept insisting, “You’re tired… well, take a shower right here; as for clothes, you know there’s enough, if you want.” I made excuses and finally convinced him that I had to go and come back.

To be honest, the main thing was the gift I had to get for him. Anyway, I got home and after a hot shower - which was the best cure for my fatigue at that moment - I got dressed and got ready to go. Since I had already decided on the gift, I picked up a Brut set of cologne, perfume and aftershave that I had already bought for myself. I set off towards my uncle's house.

It was so cold and the streets were completely frozen, that I - known among the kids for being a "reckless" driver - didn't dare to "drive too much". To be honest, even though I was only seventeen, I had my own car and had been driving for two years - since I was fifteen - without a license.

When I arrived, the guests had already arrived. I, as the music director, was late. I don’t know what was wrong with me; I felt a strong heat while it was freezing outside. As soon as I entered the door, everyone let out a loud, continuous scream, welcoming me. To be honest, since I was so mischievous and active at the same time, everyone somehow paid special attention to me.

I was a first-rate music center, and you could find any top-notch music that was going to be released in my collection at least a week in advance. Of course, add to all these features my silver tongue. In any case, with the encouragement of the children, I went behind the stereo system. At the same time, I said to Amir, who was accompanying me to the back of the system, “My tongue is coming out of my throat. I want a cold drink.” Amir gave me a long “yes” and after a few moments, he put a glass of lemonade with ice cubes moving up and down in it in my hand. I took a deep breath, unaware that they had also poured vodka into the glass.

Everyone knew that I was not into two things in my life: smoking and drinking. But to annoy me, with this "policy" and taking advantage of my intense thirst, they gave us some vodka to drink that night. In any case, as my head warmed up, the party got really hot. A few cassettes from the "Non-Stop" compilations that I had just received really cheered up the kids.

I was thinking of playing some quiet music so the kids could rest a bit when Manouchehr, Amir's friend, came up to me and said, "I've brought two new songs that you've probably heard; one is by Sattar and the other by Ebi, if you can play them both." To be honest, I was shocked. New songs by Sattar and Ebi?! So why hadn't they reached me?! Without losing my cool, I said, "Yeah, yeah... I have them... let's see..." He said, "It doesn't matter, this is yours too..." I glanced at him, thanked him, picked up the tape, and put it in the machine.

Before I could move, I saw that everyone had chosen a partner and started dancing to the overture of the song. No matter how much I looked, I couldn't find anyone to dance with. Frustrated, I was about to turn around behind the machine when I saw my beautiful cousin Nazanin sitting in a corner with her head down, looking at the flowers on the carpet. I went up to her and said, "I'm honored...?" She raised her head and smiled bitterly; right at that moment, our eyes locked...

Sattar sang: "Oh my friend... Oh my friend... I shared the warm bread of my table with you, oh my friend... You took everything from me except my cold sighs, oh my friend..." Nazi and I hugged each other tightly and danced; we were completely oblivious to our surroundings. Of course, we later realized that no one noticed us either.

Confused and bewildered by my state, I told Nazi, "I've become like this." With tears welling up in her eyes, she looked straight into my eyes and said, "I've loved you for a long time, but..." I gently placed my hand on her lips and hugged her again. At the same time, the second song on the tape, sung by Abi, began: "Nazi, flirt, your flirting is as graceful as a cedar... Nazi, flirt, my heart is full of longing... I won't forget the fireworks of your eyes tonight... Every hidden sadness in you is a world of secrets..." Don't leave me alone with my loneliness, my heart is heavy... Yes, we were captured and gone... captured by two black eyes with two bright stars twinkling in the middle of them. We were completely unaware of what was happening around us. The children were playing music and dancing on their own. They were screaming and shouting, but... neither I nor Nazanin were there at all. Where were we? Only those who have fallen in love understand this. In the clouds, in the skies, in the galaxy, I don't know, it's very difficult to describe...

The children, who thought the vodka had finished me off, had nothing to do with me. It was so busy that they didn't even notice that Nazanin and I had our hands tied together in a way that even the greatest forces couldn't separate them. Her hands were in mine, hot, hot... But this heat was only a small part of the burning heat of the love that had taken up residence in the roots and veins of our being. Truly, what a strange thing this love is... One look and so much heat. So much passion, so much love... I was burning... when Nazanin came to my aid and said: "Do you want to go to the yard?"

I felt that this was the best way to escape from the hustle and bustle - which had been killing me from the heat an hour ago - and also because of the warmth that was radiating from within me. I got up and we went outside together. Snow covered the entire surface of the gardens and the paving stones of the yard. Although it seemed very cold, neither I nor Nazi felt the cold. We sat on the metal swing by the yard, under the beautiful gazebo that my uncle had built himself, and hugged each other.

While Nazanin's head was on my shoulder, a drop of her tear fell on my cheek. I held her head in my hands and while I wiped her tears with my fingers, I said, "Are you crying?" She broke down in sobs and said, "Do you know how long I've loved you? Do you know how much I wanted you to hold me like this? Do you know how much I tried to make you realize that there was someone in this world who loved you? And wanted to live and die by your side? I told myself many times that I would put aside my pride and tell you that I love you, but every time..."

For the second time that night, I put my finger on her lips and she closed her eyes and fell silent. Again, I wiped her tears and kissed her eyes and for hours outside, in the yard, without feeling the cold... we talked and... talked and... talked. Until finally, from the noise of the guests, we realized that the party was over. So, we went back inside.

No one noticed our long absence. No one understood what happened in Nazanin and my heart that night. No one felt the warmth of the love that had burned and continues to burn us for years. That night, only I, Nazanin, and God knew what happened between us. And only God knew what would happen to us in the future.

End of Season 1