Agape & Eros

A Rainy Afternoon

Priya reached Ram's office in the afternoon. After hesitating for a bit she decided to go to Ram's cabin as he had instructed. Straight into his cabin. As Priya passed by the employees, everybody greeted her addressing her as madam. She was feeling awkward but reciprocated with a smile anyway. 

Priya knocked and then opened the door to Ram's cabin with a tinge of hesitation. Ram smiled watching her. 

Ram- You are here already.

Priya- Yeah, I finished my work early. So... I hope I am not disturbing you. 

Ram- Of course not, Priya. I'm done too. I was thinking of going to your campus. But then I didn't cause, what if you scold me again?

Priya- Why do say things like that? Do I always scold you? 

Ram- I mean, you do scold me. And I feel you are going to scold me again. 

Priya- Mr. Kapoor...

Priya was getting hyped up but she calmed down deciding not to be teased by Ram so easily. 

Priya- Ghar chale aab?

Ram smirked seeing her completely irked. 

Ram- Ha, chalo na. 

By the time, they reached home, the rain had started pouring. Priya ran inside holding Ram's hand. 

Ram- Areh, Priya, what are you doing? Let me get drenched. 

Priya- Mr. Kapoor, you were sick. You can't afford to be ill once again. 

Ram- I was ill. "Was" and... 

Ram was about to say something but he didn't. Priya's concerned eyes reminded him of the day he had collapsed. Of Priya's uncontrolled sob. 

Ram- Ok. 

Ram obliged and walked to their room with Priya. Ram called Tarun and told him to make fritters and tea. He stood on the balcony. Priya joined him after freshening up. 

Priya- By the way, I don't understand why you love rain so much. I hate rain. 

Ram- Aisa kya kar diya bechara baarish ne? 

Priya- Have you seen the traffic? And the muddy roads? 

Ram- Have you seen little children jumping in the puddle? 

Priya- And then those little children fall ill. 

Ram- For which they get 3 days of leave from school and so many good memories. 

Priya- Ever got stuck because of traffic? 

Ram- Haa... While watching rain dripping from the window. Occasionally drenching by myself. 

Priya- And this brings us to aapki gile mojon ki badbu.

Ram- My socks! ... Mmmm... garam garam pakode ki khushbu.

Ram was distracted by the fresh fritters Tarun brought with warm cups of tea. Ram took the plate from him. He took a bite and forwarded the plate to Priya.

Priya- Mm...  Nice. 

Priya complemented after taking a bite. 

Ram- Tea, Priya? 

Priya- Hmm.

They enjoyed their tea, fritters, and rain. 

Ram- Do you know why I love the rain so much? Isme kisi ka dard, kisi ka pyaar, mann aur mann ka gana sab kuch basa hota hain. Aur is ka ehsaas baarish ki pehli bund chhune se ho jata hain. 

Priya looked at this man. Priya hated romanticizing the rain. But for the first time, she was seeing someone romanticizing it with a tinge of melancholy. Priya tried to understand the melancholic tune that always played in Ram's heart. 

Soon she found herself lost in him. And he brought her back by splashing raindrops on her. 

Priya- Ye kya hain, Mr. Kapoor. 

Ram- Baarish hain, Priya. Aur tumhare liye baarish ki pehle boondein. 

Priya couldn't complain. This man was filling her days with little joy. Slowly he was taking away her sorrows. He made her so occupied with his childish antics that she hardly got any time to recall her sufferings. How could she complain? 

They spent the entire afternoon there on the balcony. 

With Ram's jokes, Priya's taunts, fritters, tea, and raindrops- They hardly noticed how time passed by. In the evening, Ram went to change his clothes. 

Priya tried to recall the last time when she was this happy and carefree on a rainy day. Rain always brought tons of suffering to her but today everything changed by Ram's presence. She smiled a bit and forwarded her hand to feel a few raindrops...