Miko sat beside Barfi in the library 📖🤍, watching him eat quietly.She didn't rush him.Didn't interrupt.
She waited until the last bite disappeared 🍱✨.
Then, softly—almost carefully—she spoke.
"Barfi…""If you want…""I can pay your college fee."
The words landed like thunder ⚡.
Barfi froze mid-breath 😶.His fingers tightened slightly around the lunchbox.
Slowly, he turned to her.
"Miko…" he said, stunned."What can be more embarrassing than this?" 😔
Miko didn't look away 👀.Her voice stayed calm. Firm. Grounded.
"I'm not giving it for free," she said clearly."I'm lending you the money.""You will pay me back. Understand?" 🤝💴
Barfi looked at her.
There was no pity in her eyes.No sadness.No superiority.
Only quiet sincerity ❤️.
Something tightened in his throat.
If she said one more word…he knew he would break.
So he stood up abruptly 🪑.
"Miko… please," he said gently, raising his hand ✋."Don't say another word."
She opened her mouth to respond—but stopped.
Barfi forced a small smile 🙂."I'll be fine."
Then he turned away.
And walked out 🚶♂️.
🌆 A LIFE HE WALKS PAST 🌆
Outside the college gates 🏫—
Couples laughed, hands intertwined 💑😂Friends argued over movie plans 🎬🍿Classmates posed for selfies 📸✨
People his age.
Living a lifehe couldn't afford.
Barfi walked past them all 🚶♂️➡️with a small, tired smile.
A smile that hid everything.
A smile trained by years of pain.
He didn't envy them.Not even a little.
But somewhere deep inside…he wondered what it felt like to livewithout worrywithout fearwithout debt 💭💔.
Still—he kept walking.
Because some people don't stop.
They just move forward.No matter how heavy it gets.
☕ THE CAFÉ MASK ☕
The moment Barfi pushed open the café door 🚪🔔—
"BARFI! YOU'RE BACK!" 😄"Come tell me a new joke!""Hey boy, make my usual chai!" ☕🔥
His smile snapped back instantly 😁.Warm. Bright. Practiced.
No one saw the cracks beneath it.
He served tea 🍵Helped Sasha behind the counter 👩🍳Cleaned tables 🧽
Laughing. Talking. Moving.
Everyone loved him.
He made people smile.He made the café feel alive.
But inside—
He was breaking.
🛕 TEARS BEFORE GOD 🛕
When the café finally quieted 🌙,Barfi slipped upstairs.
His tiny room was silent.
He sat before his small temple 🛕✨where Lord Ganesha smiled gently—the remover of obstacles.
Barfi folded his hands 🙏.Closed his eyes.
"Ganesh ji…" he whispered.
His voice cracked 💔.
Tears fell.
Slow at first.Then all at once 😭.
Silent tears.Heavy tears.
Not for help.
But from exhaustion.
Tired of being strong.Tired of pretending.Tired of smiling while life kept striking him again and again.
"Please…" he whispered."Just give me strength.""I don't want anything else." 🙏
For ten minutes ⏳he let the pain burn through him.
Then—
He washed his face 🚿Wiped his eyesFixed his hair
And wore his familiar smile again 🙂.
He walked downstairs.
"Barfi! Come here!" someone called.
"Coming! One chai right up!" ☕😁
Like nothing had happened.
Because some people cry only before God—and smile before the world.
🚪 A SHADOW AT THE DOOR 🚪
The café was nearly empty now.
Fridge humming ❄️Ceiling fan creaking 🌬️
Barfi pulled the shutter down—
✋ A hand stopped it.
Strong. Steady.
Barfi looked up.
Hawk.Officer Hawk 🦅The man who had hunted Walter Blue for nearly twenty years.
Leather jacket.Stone-carved face.
"As always," Hawk exhaled,"I get information that he's here.""And as always… I can't find him."
Barfi smiled politely 🙂."Come inside, sir. The night is cold."
Hawk entered.
Coffee ☕Fresh sandwich 🥪
The only place he ever ate peacefully was this café.
They sat opposite each other.
A strange bond—Respect 🤝FrustrationSilence.
Hawk spoke quietly.
"In my career… I've have 105 cases."
Barfi nodded."That's impressive, sir."
Hawk stared into his cup.
"Out of those… I solved 104."
Barfi stayed silent.
"You know which one I couldn't solve?" Hawk asked.
Barfi's fingers tightened around his cup ☕.
Forty minutes passed ⏱️.
Life.Duty.Criminals.
Some cruel.Some just stupid enough to survive.
When Hawk stood, he placed a firm hand on Barfi's shoulder.
"One day… I will catch him."
Barfi nodded calmly."Have a safe night, sir."
Hawk left 🚔.
Only when the car disappeareddid Barfi finally lock the gate 🔒.
🕳️ THE BASEMENT SECRET 🕳️
Barfi lifted the hidden trapdoor.
Dim light. Dust.
Walter Blue sat cross-legged 🧓📜, wearing reading glasses, surrounded by lantern glow and papers filled with symbols.
"The map isn't just old," Walter muttered."It's coded. Someone dangerous hid this treasure."
Barfi placed a warm plate in front of him 🍽️."Eat first."
Walter blinked."Oh! Food! Thinking makes me hungry."
Crumbs everywhere 😑.
Barfi watched him quietly—This foolish, dangerous, strangely kind old man.
Trouble.And kindness.
All in one.
🌌 A MESSAGE, A ROOFTOP 🌌
Later, Barfi checked his phone 📱.
New message:
"Bro! I'm coming to your town for one month 😎And I have a surprise ;)"
Laddu.An old friend.As ridiculous as Walter.
Barfi smiled softly 🙂.
On the rooftop 🌃, stars scattered across the sky ✨.
He sat there alone.
"I can do this…""Everything will get better…""One step at a time…"
His voice trembled.
But he kept going.
Up here, he wasn't debt.Wasn't shame.Wasn't fear.
He was just Barfi.
Trying to live with dignity.
📖 THE QUIET FIRE 📖
Back in his room,he turned on his study lamp 💡.
Warm yellow light filled the space.
He opened his books 📚.
And studied.
Focused.Disciplined.Unbroken.
Because no matter how hard life hit him during the day—
At night,he always rose again.
This was Barfi's strength.His quiet fire.His silent courage 🔥.
And tomorrow—
Everything would begin again.