Barfi woke up in his tiny room above the café 🛏️☕ and stretched like a dying cat 😵🐈.Ceiling fan creaked. Morning light leaked through dusty curtains 🌤️.
He washed his face 🚿, brushed his teeth 🪥, and stared at himself in the cracked mirror.
"Today," he muttered seriously,"I will study properly." 📚🔥
Like every day.
Downstairs, he unlocked the café door 🔑, switched on the lights 💡, and the bell above the entrance jingled softly 🔔.Before starting the coffee machine, he clicked on the small TV near the counter 📺.
The volume blasted instantly.
"🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨A museum was robbed last night!"
Barfi froze mid-step ☕✋.
The reporter continued,"An elderly man dressed as Santa Claus 🎅 stole a historical treasure map 🗺️ and was shot in the buttock 🍑 while escaping."
CCTV footage rolled.
The old man ran in dramatic slow motion 🐌, shouting,"HO HO NOOO!" 😱🎅before tripping over a trash can 🗑️💥.
Barfi leaned closer, eyes narrowing 👀.
That run.That posture.That… stupidity.
It looked familiar.
He shook his head quickly."Impossible. My boss is dumb 🤡… but not that dumb."
☕ A NORMAL MORNING (SORT OF) ☕
Customers slowly filled the café 🌅.
🎒 Students occupied the window seats.💼 An office worker ordered his usual triple-shot espresso.🚴 A delivery guy placed his helmet on the counter.
The bell jingled again 🔔.
A little girl with pigtails 👧🎀 ran inside, dragging her mother's hand.She came every morning before school.
She ran straight to Barfi, eyes sparkling ✨.
"Where is Funny Grandpa?""I want his stories! Yesterday he said he beat a shark in arm-wrestling!" 🦈💪
Barfi smiled awkwardly 😅."Funny Grandpa is… not here today."
She frowned."Why? Is he sleeping in the dustbin again?" 🗑️😴
Her mother laughed nervously 😬."I think she believes everything he says."
Barfi sighed softly."He went on a trip."
The girl gasped dramatically 😲."A treasure trip?? He said he's a treasure hunter!" 🏴☠️💰
Barfi nearly dropped the spoon 🥄💥.
He tells kids this nonsense too…
😵 EVERYONE MISSES WALTER 😵
The questions never stopped.
👵 "Without Walter, this café feels empty! I miss being called 'Danger Grandma'!"🧑🎓 "Bro, did he steal my chewing gum again? He said it was evidence!"🧔 "Tell Walter he still owes me five dollars from 1992!"
Barfi nodded through everything 🙂.
Inside, fear slowly crawled up his spine 🐍.
The Santa costume from the TV replayed again… and again… 🎅📺
💥 NIGHTTIME DISASTER 💥
Night fell 🌙.
Barfi was wiping the last table 🧽 when—
BANG! 💥
The café door burst open.
Walter Blue stood there 🚪, leaning on the frame, breathing heavily 😮💨, clutching his backside 🍑.
Barfi dropped the mop."SIR! WHAT HAPPENED!?" 😱
Walter puffed his chest proudly."Doctor… I got shot." 😌
Barfi screamed,"IN CANADA!?" 🇨🇦💀
Walter nodded."Yes. In the butt." 🍑🔫
A couple at the last table gasped 😨.
The man whispered,"This is why we should've eaten at McDonald's." 🍔💔
Barfi rushed forward."Sir, sit—no! DON'T sit! Just stand!" 🫨
Walter winced."They shot me for my Santa performance." 🎅🎭
Barfi stared hard."You were the Santa on TV."
Walter smiled proudly 😁."Yes! They filmed me!"
"THAT WAS CCTV!" 📹😡
"Oh," Walter nodded."That explains the lighting." 💡
🩺 DESI EMERGENCY SURGERY 🩺
Upstairs, there was no medical kit ❌.
So Barfi improvised like a true desi survivor 🇮🇳🔥.
🥄 Kitchen spoon💧 Hot water in a steel bowl🧂 Salt🍴 Fork🧻 Towel🙏 And a prayer strong enough to shake heaven
Walter screamed before surgery even started 😱.
A neighbor shouted from outside,"IS SOMEONE DYING!?" 🗣️
Barfi yelled back,"Minor surgery!" 😤
Walter screamed louder,"HE'S REMOVING MY SPINE!" 💀
Ten chaotic minutes later ⏱️💥, Barfi pulled the bullet out with the spoon.
Walter collapsed dramatically 🛏️."Doctor… once again, you saved a legend." 🌟
Barfi wiped sweat 😓."Why do you do stupid things?"
Walter slowly pulled out a rolled paper 📜.
"The map. The treasure. Our destiny." 🗺️✨
Barfi stared."YOU GOT SHOT FOR THIS!?" 😵
"No," Walter corrected calmly."I got shot for asking the guard if he wanted to join me." 🤝🔫
Barfi covered his face 🤦.
"Pack your bag, Doctor," Walter said proudly."Tomorrow… treasure hunting." 🏴☠️🌄
🔒 BASEMENT & MORNING 🔒
Walter crawled into the café's hidden basement 🕳️.
"Wake me when treasure calls," he whispered. 😴
Barfi locked the door."Please don't die." 😐
"If I do," Walter replied faintly,"write 'LEGEND' on my grave." ⚰️⭐
Morning came 🌞.
Barfi reopened the café.
The part-timer, Sasha arrived 👩🍳, chewing gum and tying her apron.
"Boss missing again?" 😏
Barfi nodded."Yeah."
She shrugged."Cool. Less shouting today." 😌
🏃 NO BUS MONEY 🏃
Barfi checked the time ⌚.
College in thirty minutes 😨.
He grabbed his bag 🎒 and ran.
He had no money for the bus 💸❌.Running was the only option.
Shoes slapped the road 👟🔥.Breath burned.Heart raced.
🚓 THE POLICE KNOW 🚓
A police car honked 🚔📢.
Officer Hank stepped out.
"Barfi. We need to talk."
Santa costume.Museum robbery.Shot in the butt.
Barfi acted innocent 😶.
Hank sighed."There's only one idiot capable of this. And he owns your café."
"No proof," Hank admitted."That's why he's free."
Barfi looked straight at him."When I needed help, he was there. I don't leave people behind." 🧍♂️🤝
The walkie-talkie crackled 📻.
"This isn't over," Hank said, driving away.
📚 MIKO 📚
Barfi reached college exhausted 😮💨 and hungry 🍽️❌.
In the library, whispers followed him 👀.
Then—
A lunchbox landed softly on his desk 🍱✨.
Miko.
A short Japanese girl 🇯🇵, round cheeks, quiet eyes, calm presence.Small in height. Sharp in mind.
"Eat," she said softly."You forgot again." 🥺
Warm rice 🍚.Egg 🥚.Vegetables 🥬.
Homemade. Made with care ❤️.
She sat beside him."I don't like seeing you struggle alone."
For the first time that day…
Barfi felt warm 🔥.
Not treasure.Not adventure.
Just someone who cared.