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The cafeteria buzzed with chatter, laughter, and the clinking of utensils against plates. Amid the lively crowd, Anirudh and Bondita approached the table where Batuk and Mini were already seated, their expressions cheerful. Both Anirudh and Bondita settled into their chairs, ready to join the conversation.
Bondita's curiosity got the better of her as she asked, "Waisi kya baatein ho rahi hain? Tum dono itne mast lage ho!"
Mini, with a slight hesitation, began to reply, "Arrey woh—"
But before she could finish, Batuk's eyes darted toward Anirudh, who had an air of quiet authority about him. Panic flared in Batuk’s mind. Oh no! Agar Mini ne kuch bhi dada ke saamne bol diya, toh main toh gaya aaj. Acting swiftly, Batuk broke into a loud, exaggerated cough, effectively cutting Mini off mid-sentence.
Mini looked at him with a mix of confusion and annoyance, but Batuk subtly shook his head, signaling her to stop. The unspoken exchange between them was clear, and Mini rolled her eyes but complied, choosing to stay silent.
Anirudh, observant as ever, noticed the silent communication between his brother and Mini. He narrowed his eyes slightly, his suspicion piqued, but chose not to press the matter. Before he could say anything, a staff member arrived at their table, placing their orders with a polite smile before walking away.
Mini, eager to shift the focus, clapped her hands together and announced, "Waise baatein toh baad mein bhi kar sakte hain. Pehle khana kha lete hain! Mujhe toh bohot bhookh lagi hai!"
Batuk, still nervous, tried to join the conversation but fumbled. "Yeshh, mine is..." He caught himself too late, realizing he’d made an error. Anirudh and Bondita both turned to him with raised eyebrows, their expressions silently asking, What are you talking about?
Quickly correcting himself, Batuk stammered, "I mean, Mini is right... mujhe bhi bohot bhookh lagi hai. Chalo pehle khana kha lete hain!"
Bondita chuckled softly, her voice cheerful as she added, "Haan! Waise mujhe bhi bhookh lagi hai!"
With that, the four of them dug into their meals.
As they ate, Anirudh’s gaze drifted toward Bondita. There was something captivating about her, the way her eyes lit up when she smiled, or how she pouted slightly when she took a particularly big bite of her food. She looked so carefree and adorable at that moment, completely immersed in her meal.
Unbeknownst to her, he spent several minutes just watching her, his mind wandering to thoughts he couldn’t quite articulate. The clamor of the cafeteria faded into the background, replaced by the quiet rhythm of his heartbeat.
But reality came rushing back when the college bell rang loudly, jolting him from his reverie. He blinked rapidly, shook his head, and quickly stood up, brushing imaginary crumbs off his hands. "Ohh... okay. Main done hoon!" he declared, his tone abrupt.
