Hungry and tired he already was, now with the guilt of leaving his little sister in an orphanage was eating him up.
He roamed on the city streets, trying to find food and work but no help.
He begged around but all he faced was hurt and ridicule from people.
Arjun sat in a corner with his head bowed down, crying.
"Kya hua? Yahan aise kyun baitha hai?"
Arjun raised his head to see a boy of similar age grinning at him.
The boy sat beside him "Akela hai? Koi saath me nai hai?"
Getting no response the boy asked again" Tere ko koi yahan akela chhod gaya kya?"
As if something jolted Arjun from inside...nobody left him, rather he did!! His little sister, his doll...and he started weeping bitterly.
The boy kept on sitting beside him as if providing him relief and letting him cry out his guilt.
As Arjun's sobs subsided, the boy fetched him some water and some stale roti to eat.
"Yehi hai abhi, le khale" handing it over to Arjun.
As Arjun took the roti in his hand, flashes of Pihu crossed his mind.She was Hungry! Did she eat? She might be searching for him? Should he return back to her?? All these thoughts made him more emotional.
"Kuch bolega bhi?? Naam kya hai tera?"
"Arjun "
"Hmm, mera naam Raghav hai...yahan sab Raghu bulate hai"
"Kahan rehta hai?"
Getting no answer, Raghav understood everything he needed to know.
Arjun too was a homeless orphan like him...
He patted on his back and forcefully fed him and took him at the restaurant he worked.
"Saab, ye mera dost hai Arjun, isko bhi kaam dedo na"
The man looked at the new boy and gave him the job of doing dishes.
Raghav took him along all around and forged the foundation of lifelong friendship.
Raghav was a very jovial kid. He was born and left in the hospital.
As he grew older, he too realized early on that the world wasn't kind.
He however was different, always smiling. Worked at a restaurant from evening and attended a free charitable school in the mornings.
He was often at the bickering end of the old waiters
"Kya karega school jaake? Kaam kar zyada paise milenge"
But Raghav refused, the school teacher too supported him.
Arjun too followed the suit of his best friend.
They worked through the night but ensured they studied well.
Raghav's teacher had ingrained in his mind that education was the means for a better life.
For Arjun he too wanted the same..not for him but his little one whom he had to leave behind with a heavy heart.
Every night, teary eyed Arjun would look at the couple of photos he had and silently made a promise of returning back and finding his way to his little girl. He promised himself a good life only so that it could enable his dream of making his little girl's life easier.
He prayed daily for her well being and also for forgiveness.
Few months later
Raghav had high fever and couldn't work that evening. Arjun took up the responsibility of tending to customers in the restraunts that night. It was first time he was running around for orders, only to realize how stressful Raghu's job was!
While serving the food, a plate fell from his hands causing hot dal to fall on a man who was drinking away with his group.
The man got up angry and in a fit of rage,slapped Arjun hard and pushed him.
Arjun was deeply scared as the man started yelling and abusing and threatening him.
As the man approached to hit him further, another man came to up Arjun's rescue.
He pacified the angry guy and took away the young lad.
Arjun was extremely terrified and was crying, the Man hugged and consoled him.
As Arjun composed himself, he looked at the man clearly, an old man in his 50s. White hair, pleasing personality, calm and serene face and a beautiful smile.
"Baba" Arjun didn't know himself why called the man so.
He just felt peaceful around him.
"Kuch khaya tumne Beta?" The man asked him
Arjun nodded in a No. He gave him some food but Arjun refused,
"Khalo Beta" the man insisted but Arjun mentioned about his ailing friend and only family he had now Raghav.
They both went upto the place where the kids stayed.
Raghav had high temperature, the old man took no chances and rushed him to the hospital.
He tended until Raghav was fine. The boys couldn't thank him enough.
The old man was Sudarshan Sharma a school teacher in Manali, Himachal.
Realizing the lives of boys, he asked if they wanted to accompany and stay with him.
He too had nobody to call his own, no family.
And so the three of them ventured to start a new life with each other.
Mr. Sharma had a small cozy home in the hills. He spent his time teaching in the school and helping the villagers. He was a kind hearted man respected by all.
The boys were extremely hard working and did very well in their studies. Also they had high regard for their Baba and turned out to be true Gentlemen!
Mr. Sharma couldn't be more proud of them. They were his family,his boys now!
Their lives in the hills though modest were comfortable.
Arjun and Raghav both were well educated and had a start up which really went up well.
They had really made the life they once thought of!
But life can never be predictable. The day they really cracked a big deal in the startup, was the day their Baba had a massive heartattack!
As he was taking his last breaths, Baba gave the boys blessings to achieve all the success and made them promise to go ahead with their project rather than grieving for him.
He wanted to live in their dreams forever!
He also made Arjun promise to leave no stone unturned and look out for his Pihu.
He soon died in their arms peacefully.
Arjun again lost a major part of his entity, his family!
It had been almost 12 years and still there hadn't been a day Arjun hadn't thought of his Pihu.
Will he be able to find her?
Will he recognize her?
Would she ever be able to forgive him?
Would he be able to live with her again?
Pondering over these questions, the boys set out to return to the same city they had lost everything but found each other and their Baba!
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