Heartfelt Recipes and stirring Emotions

Stranger was engrossed in his office canteen, fervently cooking Bangladeshi cuisine for Nil. His hair was disheveled, yet a gentle smile adorned his face. The intense aroma of Bangladeshi spices wafted through the air. Despite the challenge, the soft smile on Stranger's face conveyed his willingness to go to any length for Nil. Occasional coughs punctuated the atmosphere, a consequence of the potent spices used in the Bangladeshi dishes. Shian entered the canteen, concerned about Stranger's unconventional culinary venture."Kaoo, what're you doing? If you tell the chefs, they can make these Bangladeshi foods fluently. You don't have to do this!"After a moment of silence, Stranger, without meeting Shian's gaze, responded,"For my Nil, I want to do it all with my own hands."Struck by Stranger's heartfelt words, Shian had nothing left to say and left the canteen with a mournful expression. In the office, the staff buzzed with excitement about their boss's remarkable transformation. While many celebrated the positive change, Lava seethed with discontent. Meanwhile, at the hospital, Nil, Marry, and Achara sat together. Having already had his breakfast and medicine, Nil awaited the visit of Dr. Atid.As Dr. Atid entered the cabin, Achara and Marry stood beside Nil. The doctor approached Nil, placing a hand on his back, and inquired about his health."How are you feeling now, Nil? Do you experience any pain in your back?"With a slight exclamation of "Ouch," Nil winced. Dr. Atid withdrew his hand, observing Nil, who after a moment, responded,"A bit of pain, but overall, I'm feeling quite good."Cheking Nil's pulse rate, Dr. Atid furrowed his brow, instilling fear in Achara and Marry, who silently prayed for positive news. After a while, the doctor's smile returned as he spoke in a gentle tone,"I believe someone has taken care of you with a lot of love, contributing to the swift recovery of your wounds."Upon hearing Dr. Atid's words, Nil's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Witnessing Nil's reaction, Achara and Marry exchanged smiles. Dr. Atid, pen in hand, swiftly added,"You're well enough now, but we must check for any internal injuries. When Mr. Neptune arrives, please inform him to meet me."They both nodded in acknowledgment and as Dr. Atid gently patted Nil's head, he left the room, leaving behind a polite smile. Once the doctor departed, Nil adopted a sorrowful expression. Concerned, Achara and Marry approached him, asking,"What happened?"Casting a glance around, Nil responded in a somber tone,"When will Stranger arrive?"Lowering his head, Nil conveyed a sense of longing. Meanwhile, Than entered Melodious 19 canteen and took a seat. He appeared nervous, anxiously surveying the surroundings. After a prolonged wait, he approached a staff member and requested,"Where is Kao sir? Can you please tell him that Than has come to meet him?"The staff member, with a nod, regarded Than in a peculiar manner, adding, "None of us are allowed to go to Sir now!" and was about to leave.Persisting with a crooked smile, Than inquired, "Where is your cold-faced Sir?"In a polite yet firm tone, the staff member responded, "In the canteen kitchen."Expressing disappointment, Than muttered, "Ooo," and continued with a sigh, "Such a cranky fellow! But he called me."The staff member, angered by Than's words, retorted with a heavy tone, "He's not cranky; he simply has an explosive reaction to individuals like you." Without waiting for a response, the staff member left for the second floor via the stairs.Infuriated by the reply, Than stood up and began shouting in the midst of the canteen, "Youuu bloody staff, youuuuu bas!"Responding to the commotion, Shian approached Than, questioning, "Than, what are you doing here, and why are you shouting in the middle of the canteen?"Sighing and rolling his eyes, Than nodded slightly, choosing not to explain. Shian, with a tense expression, emphasized, "You're fortunate that your fate is kind to you. If Kao knew you were screaming in the middle of the canteen, God knows how he would react!"Than offered a sympathetic smile and requested Shian not to inform Stranger about his outburst. Shian agreed and escorted him to Stranger. As they entered the kitchen, a delightful aroma wafted through the air, but Stranger appeared preoccupied, moving around with an intense focus on cooking. The Khichdi was already prepared, and Payesh simmered on the stove. They stood there in astonishment. After a while, still engrossed in his tasks and without looking at them, Stranger spoke in a slightly stern yet polite tone,"You both don't have to stand at the door; you can come inside."However, as they were about to enter, Shian's phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, he smiled with a hint of disappointment, saying, "Sir Somchai is calling, excuse me." Stranger nodded, and Shian left the kitchen. Than, feeling a sense of unease, continued to watch Stranger, clearly not wanting to be left alone. In a moment of urgency, Stranger asked him to pass the sugar (sugar-free), but Than, trembling and hesitant, mistakenly handed him the salt jar. Stranger stared at him wide-eyed but chose not to say anything, retrieving the sugar jar from the table himself. Adding sugar to the Payesh, he stirred while assessing the sweetness level."So, Than, you love Achara?" Stranger asked.Confused and unsure of how to respond, Than nodded and stammered, "Hmmm." Lowering the heat on the stove, Stranger turned his attention to the Khichdi. After stirring it to prevent sticking, he continued without looking at Than,"Look, you two like each other, and I have no objection to that, buttt!!!"As Than nervously anticipated Stranger's words, he felt a sense of relief, and curiosity got the better of him. He asked, "Buttt?"Without addressing Than directly, Stranger began serving Khichdi into a bowl and handed it to Than, urging him to taste it. Than followed Stranger's instructions, taking a spoonful and exclaimed, "Mmmm," adding with excitement, "Sir, it's too good! I haa..."Stranger returned to the Payesh, continuing to stir, and resignedly said, "But you both won't cross your limits. I hope you understand what I'm saying. Achara is still in college, and I want her to complete her studies first. Until then, you'll have time to establish your future too."Hearing Stranger's words, Than began eating Khichdi in a sarcastic manner. With widened eyes, Stranger turned to him and asked, "Did you understand?"Than remained silent, offering no words, just nodding in response. Stranger gestured for him to leave and turned away. Finally catching his breath, Than swiftly exited with the bowl in hand. By the time Stranger turned, Than had already left. Glancing at the door, Stranger sighed in frustration, muttering, "My sister fell in love with a donkey!"After a while, Shian reentered the kitchen, scanning the area, but Than was nowhere to be found. Breaking the silence, he questioned Stranger, "Kaoo, where's Thann?"With the Payesh finished, Stranger poured it into a separate vessel and responded while continuing his tasks, "Ran away!"Shian was shocked, exclaiming, "What!"Stranger said nothing more, focusing on packing the Khichdi and Payesh into a tiffin bowl for Nil. Once the packing was complete, he headed towards his car, with Shian carrying the tiffin bowls behind him. In a hurry, Stranger instructed, "Shiann, distribute this food among the employees."Shian nodded, and as Stranger got into the car, Lava was already seated inside, smiling. Shian placed the tiffin bowls in the car, and Stranger started driving towards the hospital. Lava kept a constant gaze on him, while Stranger glanced at the tiffin box, anticipating, "Nil would be happy to see this Payesh and Khichdi; maybe he'll hug me!"