Love is just like the Sun

//Chapter 9//

**DON'T MISS THE AUTHOR'S NOTE**

Another paper ball was thrown on the floor, joining the rest facing the same fate. Another groan echoed in the study. And then again scratching noise of pen on a paper. This was probably the sixteenth time Aniruddha was scribbling something with very evident frown, scrunched up brows and that cute little tongue peeking from the corner of his mouth. 

*HOW TO IMPRESS BONDITA*, the title of the sheet read. Terrace session with baba and henceforth the brain storming his mind went through, the very obvious conclusion he came upto was that he can't stay without Bondita, ever. Was it love, his habit, obsession or his stubbornness, he didn't know. He just knew that he wanted Bondita and it was crystal clear. 

A blooming smile and a happy look on Aniruddha's face after a lot struggle very well conveyed that this list was finally the one he was looking for. Maybe he could just follow this list to woo his Bondita and might date her for a while and then confess that... But confess what? Shouldn't he first find out whether he lover her or not? But what is love? "Ughhhh" Aniruddha groaned. He was back to the starting point. All this was such a waste. Why would he even want to woo Bondita when he doesn't love her? Maybe he loved her! Yeah, that makes sence, but WHAT IS LOVE? 

Aniruddha banged his fists on his study table. He was frustrated out of his guts and he needed an answer. He crumpled the paper he was delighted see few seconds ago and threw it. Who might help him? Baba? But he did tell everything about jeevan sathi. That's commitment. It's like a flower and to reach that stage first he needs to sow seeds and that can only be done when he knows which flower he wants his relation to grow like. And how can he decide this? 

"Kya soch rahe hai aap?"

"Yahi ki mai apne aur Bondita ke rishte ko kis phool ki tarah badhte dekhna chahta hu? Umm shayad gulab. Gulab to prem ka prateek bhi hota hai, nahi?" Aniruddha answered in daze and kept his chin on his palm, thinking seriously. 

"Kya? Kya bol rahe hai aap dada?" Somnath asked with a louder voice. His dada hasn't acknowledged his presence and was muttering something about phool. And what is even wrong with him? Raat ke 2 baje koi phool aur rishte ke baare me baat karta hai kya?

"Huh Som! Tum yaha kya kar rahe ho itni raat gaye? Baba bhi aaj raat tak jaag rahe the. Mai Calcutta kya chala gya sabko azaadi mil gyi hai kuch bhi karne ki." Aniruddha said realizing he would have looked like a complete joker  to his little brother talking to himself. 

"Haa dada, raat tak jaagne ka hak to sirk aapka hai na? Aur sabko to samay pe so jaana chahiye nahi?" Somnath said sarcastically. "Mai abhi lauta kaam se. Aaj thoda der ho gaya. Aur rahi baat baba ke der tak jagne me to shayad aap bhool rahe hai aaj ghar me kya hua hai. Itna sab hone ke baad shayad hi kisi ko neend ayegi, nahi?" He spoke accusingly. He got to know about the whole fiasco by Batuk and he definitely wasn't at his dada's side. His boudi was way too innocent and lovable to go through this. She deserves a whole world of happiness which his dada was depriving her of. 

The awkward silence that surfaced between them gave Som enough time to look around the room and realize that the whole room was full of paper balls. He slyly went towards one of the crumpled sheet, opened and read it. His eyes almost popped out of his sockets and when he looked towards Aniruddha, he was like deer caught in the headlights. 

Aniruddha coughed a little to get out of this mess and was about to say something, when Somnath beat him at it. 

"Ye kya hai dada? Kya karna chah rahe hai aap?" Som asked totally confused.