*Set in 1998 - 99 era*

It was night time and Abhijeet was walking on the empty road angrily... He was returning from beauro to his house... It was already late but as always he didn't care. His car was also parked in the parking of beauro but today he was not in a mood to drive back and so decided to walk home. Or better say decided to remove his anger on his own legs. From outside he seemed to be silent but this silence was of a volcano which was about to burst! He was walking with increased speed which was enough to tell about the increasing anger in him. He turned into the lane to get into his house but someone called him from behind as...

Man - Aree Abhijeet...

Turning to look behind him he found he neighbor smiling at him...

Man - Hi! Kya haal chal? Bohot dino bad dikh rahe ho! Busy ho kya?

Abhijeet - Ha Mayank busy hu thoda (he replied uninterested)

When his phone rang gaining his attention but he was so angry on the caller that even this irritating neighbor seemed a better option to him... So he cut the call and looked back at Mayank. While he continued saying...

Mayank - Kabhi toh milo karo yaar! Woh kon hai... Woh tumhara junior? Jo tumhare ghar aata rehta hai! Uske alawa toh bhi bohot log hai baat karne ko! (He joked)

Abhijeet - Hmm Daya (he said with a forced smile)... Ajj ke baad usse baat karna hi nahi hai mujhe! (After a pause) Acha chalo bye... Mai baad mai baat karta hu! Abhi kaam hai thoda!

Mayank - Abhi raat ke 11 baje konsa kaam hai yaar! Chalo na aao coffee pite hai!

Abhijeet - Kaam time dekh kar nahi aata na! Jana padega... Chalta hu.

And grabbing the opportunity Abhijeet got inside his house away from this chipku neighbor of his he always hated. As he turned the keys in the lock he grumbled... Coming inside the house he turned on the lights and settled on the couch as he removed his shoes. Once again the adamant caller called him and once again he angrily cut the call! And as he relaxed his back onto the couch once again his phone vibrated indicating a message tone. He decided he won't see the message as he knew it was sent by whom but he didn't know when and why he looked at it from the corner of his eye without picking it up. As expected it was a message from Daya... And it said 'Sir plz mera gussa khane pe mat utariyega! Khana kha lijiyega and phir dawai bhi le lena na plz'... At the end of the message a '😒' emoji was there. Looking at he growled...

Abhijeet - (to himself) Pata hai isko i hate emojis! Stupid kahi ka! Kitna childish lagta hai! (Looking other side) Yeh konsa matured hai lekin! Bachcha hi toh hai... 6 feet ka!

Getting up he left for his room to freshen up... Changing into casuals he came downstairs into the drawing room again and then went upto the kitchen and opened the fridge to take out dinner. He was very hungry today. Today they were solving a case of a kidnaped kid and hence the severity of the case didn't allow him have his lunch as well. But as he looked inside and forwarded his hand to remove the bowl he remembered Daya's message and then he closed the fridge in anger...

Abhijeet - Khana hi nahi hai mujhe! Huh!

He came out of the kitchen and then grabbed a glass... Filled it with water and gulping it down in a single breath he left for his room satisfying his stomach with water only. He went to his room and sat on his bed with his favourite Sherlock Holmes book in his hand. He read it for a while and then closed it again saying...

Abhijeet - Ajj kal yeh bhi boring ho gayi hai! Aree suspect ka coat dekhke bhi koi bata sakta hai kya ki uska victim ke saath koi relation tha ki nahi! Insan hai ki koi super human yeh Sherlock!

It was not him but his anger that was speaking... Better say his childlike anger. Reason? Was as follows...

*Yesterday*

It was Sunday afternoon and Abhijeet was busy in the kitchen... The kitchen looked like a real mess! All things were scattered here and there while Abhijeet himself wearing an apron was busy cooking something. He was so engrossed in it that it was already afternoon and he didn't even realize. He was working on this since morning. From morning 5 o'clock! In first place on a Sunday he got up at 5... Although he was never a late riser but still 5 was a way too early!
Previous night on Daya's pressurising him he had decided to take up a hobby... Something to do in free time. He reluctant at first but at the second thought he liked the idea. Singing? No! Learning to play some instrument? No! Painting? Noooooooooooo! Who would handle all the mess! Then writing? Mujhse nahi hoga! Cooking? Umm... Yes! And that's how he decided that he would cook. Thinking about what his first dish could be he spent the whole night. And then he came up to a final conclusion that he would make a cake! 'Why?' He never liked sweets! 'But Daya likes sweets!' He answered himself! But so what? He is not making it for him! 'Kush ho jayega... Bana leta hu na! And it was him only who suggested me to take up a hobby!' So he decided to go ahead with the idea.
As the night passed he was getting more and more excited to make his first dish ever! Atleast the first dish he ever remembered! So finally setting the alarm for 5 o'clock he went to sleep at 12 keeping aside his thoughts.
The morning came... He got up and as soon as he got up he searched for a recipe of a chocolate cake. Made a note of the ingredients and then went to freshen up when he realized that it was too early for the shops to open and he had to wait! He got ready... Finished some daily chores. Came from a jog and had his breakfast. And when it was time for shops to open he grabbed a bag and left to get all the things mentioned in the recipe. As soon as he was back he started with the work. Very carefully... He wanted this one to be great! It was his first dish afterall! Mixing the batter... Melting the chocolate. Pre heating the oven... And what not! Uff! This was tiring job... And after doing all of it he was now doing the hardest task he had ever did! Icing on the cake! He murmured in between...

Abhijeet - Yaar yeh cake iss duniya ka hardest case hai!

*3 o'clock*

The clock struck 3 and he washed his hands. And looked his creation with satisfied happy eyes.

Abhijeet - Chalo theek thaak toh ban hi gaya hai! Kal beauro leke jauga cake! (He said smiling... But then his smile went away as he said) Lekin sab kya sochege? Aree kuch nahi sochege yaar! Woh sab bhi toh kuch na kuch bana kar late rehte hai na roz! Kal mai le jauga! Kush ho jayege! Lekin haa Daya ko ajj raat hi dinner pe bula leta hu! Tabhi khila dunga usse!

And his hands reached into his pocket to take out his cellphone and call Daya. He called him and as Daya picked up the call he suddenly got uncomfortable... 'Kya sochega woh! Aise kabhi kuch kiya nahi maine!'... Meanwhile Daya broke his thoughts in a sleepy voice...

Daya - Hello sir... Boliye na... Kya hua?

Abhijeet - Tum so rahe the kya?

Daya - Ha sir... Woh teen din se schedule itna busy tha ki neend puri hui hi nahi! Isilye lunch karke so gaya.

Abhijeet - Acha koi... Koi nahi... So jao tum. Sorry for the disturbance...

He wanted to but couldn't say it... The thought of calling Daya over to his house for no apparent reason seemed too 'ajeeb' to him.

Daya - Sir mai shaam ko call karu? Bohot neend aa rahi hai...

Daya spoke like a cute child and Abhijeet said sadly...

Abhijeet - Hmm ok... Bye. Sorry maine disturb kar diya tumhe.

And cutting the call he looked at the cake sadly... And whispered 'Huh... Ek baar puch nahi sakta tha ki kyu call kiya! Bata deta na mai! Lekin sahab ko toh sone ki padi thi na!' And then he himself had his lunch deciding that he would now invite Daya on dinner in the evening when he would call... Yes he would! This time no overthinking and he would say it!
Evening came... The clock struck 6... Then 7 and then 8... Soon it was dinner time and even that passed with time's own pace... But Daya didn't call back! Abhijeet's constant checking of his phone stopped with the clock striking 10. He was angry now! 'Roz toh phone kar karke dimag kharab kar deta hai... Ajj ek baar bhi phone nahi kiya! Idiot!'... And at the end he went to bed so angry on Daya...
The morning rose and then getting ready he left for beauro. He took a part of the cake with him. Although his mood was spoilt and he had lost all the excitement today, he still took it with him for the team. Cause he back at home couldn't have finished it all himself and food shouldn't be wasted! But the day got busy for them... And the case made most of them skip lunch. So the cake came back home the same way it went to beauro with him.
Whole day he was angry on Daya. And Daya didn't have the slightest idea why! He got scolded so many times today. Unnecessarily! And what made his temper shoot up like anything was Daya's harkat at the end of the day... Where after the case getting solved and all of them being hungry he suggested to ACP sir while coming down the beauro stairs as...

Daya - Sir kyu na sab ek mini party kar le? Let's have coffee with chocolate pastry! Baju mai jo cafe hai na... Waha ki pastry bohot achi hoti hai!

Before ACP sir could even open his mouth to say something... Abhijeet bursted in anger...

Abhijeet - Koi pastry wastry nahi khani kisi ko! Jab dekho chocolate pastry, chocolate pastry karte rehte ho! Mote ho rahe ho!

Daya who was staring at him with open mouth until now immediately looked towards his stomach... And found it normal... But before he could say in his mind 'Ki kaha mota ho raha hu' Abhijeet said again...

Abhijeet - Kha kaise lete ho chocolate pastry! Kaisi ajeeb si toh dikhti hai! Kali kali!

When Daya in between spoke up stupidly...

Daya - Kali nahi sir... Brown hoti hai!

And Abhijeet's one glare was enough to close his open mouth... When ACP sir controling the awkward situation spoke up finally...

ACP - Koi baat nahi Abhijeet! Tumhe nahi khana toh mat khana. Uska man hai toh khane do na usse! Aur waise bhi sab ko bhook lagi hai. Chalte hai na!

Abhijeet - Mujhe toh bilkul bhook nahi hai sir. (Looking behind at the team, he asked) Kisi ko lagi hai bhook?

All of them nodded in a 'no' hurriedly... Although they were hungry no one dared to say yes after looking at Daya's condition.
Soon they were all downstairs and Abhijeet started walking towards his home, on feet. Everyone was wondering why? Cause his car was parked in the parking lot! But no one could dare to speak up! 'An angry Abhijeet is more dangerous than even an angry ACP sir'. Was the common saying in the beauro and the only person who could make him calm had already been his anger's victim a few minutes ago. So finally ACP sir decided to take the situation in his hands...

ACP - Abhijeet!

Looking back...

Abhijeet - Yes sir?

ACP - Car parking mai hai na tumhari? Koi problem hai usme?

Abhijeet - Nahi toh sir!

ACP - Toh chal kar kyu jaa rahe ho?

Abhijeet - Chocolate pastry hazam jo karni hai!

And he left completely even before ACP sir could say his 'hain?'... What happened and why? No one understood but they couldn't even do anything about it. So slowly they left the beauro one by one, leaving only Daya and ACP sir standing in the parking lot. When after a moment ACP sir spoke up...

ACP - Zayada phone mat karna ab usse! Uthane toh wala hai nahi... Tumhe hi daat pad jayegi agar galti se utha bhi liya toh!

Daya - Lekin phir woh dinner bhi nahi karege na!

ACP - Toh tumhe uska dinner banna hai?

Daya - Sir iss height ka ek hi toh fayeda hai! Woh mujhe pura nahi kha payege! (He joked grinning)

ACP - (with a slight laugh) Itni daat khate ho uski! Kitni baar toh bina wajh... Phir bhi kabhi naraz nahi hote usse?

Daya - Kya karu sir... Jabse CID join ki thi na... Unka favourite banna chahta tha! Kamse kam daatne ke liye hi ban gaya! Bas issi baat se kush ho leta hu

This time ACP sir smiled affectionately. This boy was so stubborn! Or maybe a way too loving! No matter what, he just wouldn't give up on Abhijeet... And he felt relaxed with this realization. There was atleast someone who looked at Abhijeet beyond his anger. Who looked at him not as a victim of circumstances but as a warrior who can fight all odds. And the one who would stand with him in all his wars! Coming out if his thoughts... He spoke again...

ACP - Toh kitni baar call karne ka irada hai usse?

Daya - (thinking) Sir kamse kam 15 - 20 baar toh karna hi padega... Tabhi toh woh irritate hokar mera phone uthayege!

ACP sir laughed again... 'Innocence' was one word that best described this boy! And maybe it was this particular thing that always forced stubborn Abhijeet to give up in front of him no matter how hard he tried not to!

ACP - Chalo... Ab ghar jao tum bhi! Aur usko dinner karane ke chakkar mai kudh mat bhool jana.

Daya - Yes sir...

While opening the door of his car...

ACP - Aur haa... Chocolate pastry mat khana! Mote toh sach mai ho rahe ho!

Daya looked down shyly giving a cute smile and then left towards his home. All the way thinking how to make Abhijeet have his dinner.
_

*Abhijeet's house*

Abhijeet switched off the lights and decided to sleep... But his empty stomach kept grumbling every now and then not letting him sleep! Just then the doorbell rang and confused Abhijeet looked at the clock to see it was 11:45 now...

Abhijeet - Iss waqt kon ho sakta hai!

His CID senses started working and hiding his gun behind his back he came downstairs and opened the door... To find a young man waiting outside with a small bag in his hand.

Abhijeet - Ji?

Man - Sir apka order...

Abhijeet - Konsa order? Maine kuch order nahi kiya!

Man - Sir address toh yehi hai... App Mr. Abhijeet hi hai na?

Abhijeet - Ha lekin...

Man - Toh sir yeh apka hi order hai... Apke naam se ek meal ka order place hua tha humare restaurant mai!

Abhijeet - Aree lekin maine kuch order kiya hi nahi toh!

Man - Sir please aisa mat kariye sir... Order return kiya toh manager mujhe datega.

Abhijeet - Acha acha theek hai! Lao do... (Taking the bag from him) Kitna payment karna hai?

Man - Sir payment already ho chuka hai! Thank you sir. Good night.

And then the man left the house leaving Abhijeet confused. Closing the door Abhijeet kept the bag on the dining table and opened it. Removing all the boxes of food and keeping them on the table. Below all the boxes, was a note kept.

Sir,
Please dinner kar lijiyega... Mere pet mai chuhe... Aur ab toh unke piche billi bhi kud rahi hai! Aur app jab tak nahi kha lete mai bhi nahi khauga! Please... Mere liye nahi toh inn chuho aur billiyo ke liye hi kha lijiye! Aur ha... Ek aur request hai! Agar woh chocolate cake aur ho toh please kal bhi le aayiyega na plz. Bohot tasty tha!
From,
Daya

Abhijeet's mouth remained open in shock... How did Daya come to know about the cake?

Abhijeet - Woh toh maine gadi mai hi... Hey baghwan! Matlab isne meri gadi mai se leke kha liya! Toh bol nahi sakta tha kya pehle!

And this time he had a huge smile dancing over his face as he whispered 'idiot'. And then he sat on the chair opening all the boxes one by one and discovering all his favourite dishes. And as he opened the last box... He found in it a dish he never liked but was Daya's favourite, a chocolate pastry!


Today... 20 years later Abhijeet smiled in satisfaction as he had his last bite of the chocolate pastry! While Daya was sitting in front of him with his hand on his head! He had never understood Abhijeet's obsession with chocolate pastrys. No he still didn't like sweets. Neither did he like chocolates! But any given day, any given time, his friend could never say no to a chocolate pastry! And today as they sat in the cafe besides beauro Abhijeet remembered how and why he got fond of this thing! So fond that, it no more remained Daya's favourite... Cause he was literally obsessed with them! Also it was the only dish he had learnt to cook in these 20 years!
And as he looked at the empty cup of chocolate pastry... He heard Daya say...

Daya - Chale? Ki ab cup bhi kha jaoge tum!