Barrister Babu

Chapter 27: Chilly Weather?

It was almost evening.

Batuk was making a murti, his mind constantly shifting to Anirudh and Bondita's conversation. He was guilty that due to him, his dada and boudi had an argument. Only if he had studied more properly, things wouldn't have gone that way. His dada wasn't home yet as he went somewhere after the argument while Bondita kept herself engrossed in arrangements.

All of a sudden, he heard a knock on his door. Thinking it was Bihari, he said, "I am busy!"

"Okay..." Anirudh softly said, which made Batuk freeze.

"Dada?" he muttered and rushed to open the door, only to find Anirudh was about to walk away. "Dada!" he called out and Anirudh turned to face him.

"I am sorry for disturbing you. I didn't know you were busy," Anirudh said with a sad smile.

"It's okay, Dada. I am not busy for you. I thought it was Bihari." Batuk opened his door wider. "Step inside. It doesn't feel good seeing you standing at my doorstep."

Anirudh nodded and stepped inside. He saw that Batuk's room was filled with different sculptures. What caught his eyes were the small sculpture of a God he was making. Really, Batuk had a unique creativity.

"I wish I had stepped inside this room before," Anirudh mumbled under his breath, which Batuk failed to hear.

"So what brings you here, Dada?" he asked nervously. "Are you here to tell me my punishment?"

Anirudh put his hands in his pocket as he questioned, arching an eyebrow, "What if I decide a tough punishment for you?"

"I am ready to accept any punishment, Dada, even if you want to withdraw my seat from the college, I am okay with it. I am really sorry for the hassle I caused." Batuk held his ears as his eyes started becoming watery, clenching Anirudh's heart at the sight. "For me, you and Boudi argued. I will make sure you two never face a problem due to me. Shotti. I will study harder. Forgive me, Dada. I can even do sit-ups."

Batuk was about to do sit-ups, but Anirudh instantly stopped him. "Areh, Batuk, what are you doing?" Anirudh removed Batuk's hands from his ears. "You don't have to apologize, Batuk."

"Why not? I am the one who failed in the examination."

"It's just an exam, Batuk." Anirudh sighed and pulled him into a hug. "In fact, I am sorry, my dear brother. I have always compared you with Som but here I kept telling people that everyone is different. I really became a double-faced vile human being."

"No, no, Dada." Batuk pulled himself apart from the hug. "You can never be a vile person. You are Anirudh Roy Chawdhary—the idol of many men including mine, while the crush of almost every woman in Tulsipur. And I cannot accept my idol dissing himself."

Realizing how highly Batuk thought of Anirudh, a tear slid through Anirudh's eyes. "I never appreciated you, Batuk, have I? I always thought you were that naughty childhood Batuk. I forgot to notice that my brother has indeed grown up a lot." He caressed Batuk's head with a proud smile. "I am proud of you, Batuk and I mean it. It doesn't matter whether you pass or fail an exam. All I want you is to be happy and give your best in everything."

Batuk, who was crying already, wiped his tears with the back of his hand and smiled as his chest filled with pride at his Dada's compliment. How much he longed for this, only he knew. "I will never let you down, Dada."

Anirudh nodded with a wide smile as his eyes glistened. "I know. Which is why I brought something for you." He took a paper from his pocket and handed it to a confused Batuk.

"What is it, Dada? Are you sending me away like you did with Boudi?" Batuk's eyes grew as wide as saucers at the thought. "I cannot stay away from all of you. Please don't punish me like this by sending me away!"

Anirudh lightly slapped Batuk's head from the back. "Why do you keep imagining the worst from me? Just open the paper first!"

"Okay, okay." Batuk opened the paper and gasped seeing it. It was an admission form from the Arts College. "Dada..." He looked at Anirudh, who smiled lovingly.

"Your boudi told me your actual wish. I gave your boudi a choice to choose her career and you should get a choice too. Everyone deserves to choose their career because in the end, they would be the one pursuing the degree."

Batuk was flabbergasted. He expected his dada would scold him, punish him, isolate him; here his dada was helping him to follow his dreams just because he failed the exams.

"Now, it's your choice. Whether you want to continue studying in the college you are in or get admitted into the Arts College—you have my full support."

So Dada went out to actually bring an admission form for me? Batuk couldn't believe it at all. He felt it was all a dream, until another realization hit him. His Kaka would never agree!

"But Kaka..."

"I will talk to Kaka. Your word is what matters the most, Batuk. Tell me, please," he requested sincerely.

"I want to be a sculptor, Dada," Batuk said with firm determination. "This is my wish."

Anirudh nodded. "I will support your dream. Please forgive your dada for my earlier behavior."

Batuk smiled. "Dada, I forgave you way long back. In fact, you should be seeking forgiveness from boudi."

Anirudh's smile fell from his face at that. He chuckled nervously. "Speaking of your boudi, how's the weather?"

"It's chilly—the type of chill which will send a shiver down your spine," Batuk answered, sensing Anirudh's question. "I won't be surprised if you find salt in your coffee today instead of sugar."

Anirudh let out a deep breath. "I have to fix this before I get thrown out of my room."

A/N: Next update when there's at least 10 comments.