So you're going to order a new car for that?
Well i wanted to maintain the image our image as partners!
Arjun you're thinking too much into this
What do you mean dad?
Isn't he going to visit our village for the factory inspection?
Yes...?
So wouldn't he still know how we live and moreover where are you going to accommodate him? Don't tell me you'll accompany him in a car but arrange his stay in a small village house. Pratap replied
This.... Arjun did not know how to reply.
Arjun, That guy is partnering with you not because of your level or something imaginary. He sees potential in you and want to hitch a ride, don't get confused between both.
Arjun did not know what more to say but he felt his dad had a point.
Alright i hope you don't go for superficial show offs in the future, Real people who want to be with you will be there no matter what you give them as long as you give your hundred percent to them.
People who come for your money are like passing clouds Arjun, they stay when it's going your way but if things go wrong they'll be the first in line to throw you under the bus. Pratap continued his lecture.
Alright dad i understand, i will not do this again Arjun apologized.
Pratap laughed out loud, it's good at least you didn't order the Maruti 800, i just hate that car and it's matchbox styled exterior.
So you're okay with the purchase?
What else can i do when you've already paid the advance Pratap replied still curios he questioned
How did you get that dealership to deliver in two weeks though? doesn't it take at least a couple of months for usual car delivery?
Well that ten thousand is actually the bribe i gave to the manager, Arjun replied hiding his face.
Pratap was dumbstruck, this kid was getting more and more out of the way he thought to himself.
Still he did not want to scold this spoiled brat much, what he couldn't do for his family his son was doing it all on his own and he was immensely proud of it.
Arjun meanwhile stayed on the beachside still repeating the words his dad told him about people and their character.
Still this was how he used to find most of his mates in his past life and did not know how to change his habits so quickly. But his father's words spoke more about realities of life, Arjun made a decision to change his ways as much as possible.
Arjun spent the entire school day the next day still thinking about his father's advice. When he returned to his home Kavitha informed him that Sumanth had given him a call.
When Arjun dialed back to enquire, Sumanth reminded him that he was supposed to meet with them on the previous Saturday for the design review and they were still waiting for the visit.
Arjun quickly apologized and asked Sumanth to send the designs trough fax and gave Madan's number. He quickly ran towards their house to let Bhargav know about the incoming fax.
While waiting for the fax Karan came around and took him out to play cricket for around an hour by then Bhargav was waiting for Arjun on the sidelines with a stack of papers in his hands.
Arjun took the stack and returned back to his home joining his mother at the table who was still busy with making drawing books. Sari noticing the drawing on the papers signaled for Arjun to lift her up onto the table so that she could see too.
With no choice Arjun complied and started going through the designs with Sari commenting from the sides whether she liked the monster or not. Most of which were not to her liking.
Arjun got this too as these drawings although cuter from the last time were still too complex for kids to take a liking to.
Most of the monsters which were inspired from real life were either looking too ferocious or too realistic with only simple adjustments to heads and tails to make them simpler and unsurprisingly these were the things Sari like the most.
Looking at her two kids commenting about some drawings Kavitha too joined them asking Arjun, were these made by the people at the studio you've recently started chinna?
Yes mom, but as you can see they still have a long way to go.
What do you mean chinna? These drawings look very good. I am pretty sure any encyclopedia guy who comes across these would absolutely love to have them in his books.
That's the issue mom, they're meant for a children's comic book and not some drawing competition.
Kavitha then remembered the drawings she had made earlier for him and understood what Arjun was getting at.
Comparing both the design styles it was very easy to know which style kids would be more fond of especially seeing how Sari instantly took a liking to the character Teju and even sticked it up on her wall.
Arjun then joined his mom to remake some of the designs they had submitted according his liking and what he could remember from his previous life.
He dialed back to Sumanth asking him for a fax number and rushed to Bhargav to quickly send them back.
Meanwhile he called Vinod and asked him to take a good look at the changed style and suggested each monster should not have more than twenty to thirty strokes if possible.
Vinod did not quite understand this kid's obsession with few strokes but did not say anything and accepted the criticism from his employer and checked out the drawings Sumanth had just brought back.
As he looked at the drawings Vinod could grasp what Arjun was getting at. While having more strokes could make the monsters more realistic and detailed, having fewer strokes meant way more easier to make it cuter and more likable to kids.
Vinod set a new goal for himself, he wanted his monsters to be drawable by any kid who was little into drawings. If he could do this Vinod felt it would be nearby what Arjun wanted for this project and shared his thoughts with Sumanth who too agreed with Vinod but instead of vague twenty or thirty strokes he came up with a limit of thirty six strokes. With this being their studio name Sumanth felt it would be a perfect match and retuned back to his team to put up the new condition and started remaking the designs from scratch.
The next day Arjun received a call from one character in his new life he wanted to have minimal interaction with, Saheri Padmanthan.
Hello?
Hello mam Arjun replied recognizing the voice.
Why are you suddenly being so distant kiddo?
Alright Atha, what is it?
Yes...that's much better
....
The food permit you wanted is approved chinna, you can collect it from my office in Vijayawada when you have time.
Arjun wanted to thank but he felt a but was incoming and held back his words
But...
just like he guessed here it was..
But?
It's only for this year, next year you need to reapply for the permit.
Why? big sister? don't permits like this are given for much longer?
Well i will check your progress in a year and if it's not satisfactory you might as well forget about the extension.
Arjun did not know how to reply, it was not like he was doing anything illegal for this women to keep snooping around was it? Sill he thanked her for the help and handed the phone to his mother while he was busy grumbling about his she devil.
If Lalitha was the perfect version of purity, this women was the exact opposite of her. She looked to take advantage whenever she had the opportunity or she would make the opportunity herself to get the advantage.
He wondered what would happen if the two spent sometime together, He knew it was quite possible for his new assistant to get spoiled by her and wanted to keep them as far apart as possible.
He decided instead of sending Lalitha to pick up the permit they would pick it up in their next trip to town. With Balram still in picture it would be tough if he spilled the beans while they were still trying to figure things out.
As he was busy in these thoughts Sari started tugging at his trousers asking him to come play along.
Looking at his sister Arjun suddenly had a new idea, he took her along and made a small sun dial with a small cardboard piece and a stick and explained to her it's purpose.
Sari was stunned such simple device could be used to know about time and took the thing to her new big sister screaming it was her new invention, who gave a kind smile and gave a knowing glance to Arjun but went along with sari to keep an eye on her while she was running around the neighborhood showing of her new toy to other kids.