As they were heading towards the hostel Arjun was lost in his world. He did not know what just happened, that was the weirdest conversation he had ever had and Vinod was even weirder.
Once they reached the campus hostel, Vinod took both Arjun and Bhargav towards the room no.36 and started shouting excitedly at the people in the room.
"Guys guys look who i brought, he wants to start a studio with me" Vinod was jumping around grinning from ear to ear and the rest of the students joined him.
Arjun kept staring at the guy dumbstruck. Just a few minutes ago it took all his effort to make him talk properly and here he was jumping around like a kid who just found a candy.
Meanwhile the only guy who was not dancing around got up and walked towards Arjun wanting to shake his hand.
"I am Sumanth, nice to meet you. were you the one who offered to start a studio with Vinod?"
"Yes Sumanth, I am Arjun. It's a pleasure to meet you, But how did you know it was me and not the guy beside me?"
"I saw it."
"..."
Were all these people so weird? why can't there be a single normal person Arjun was starting to question his choices by now.
"Hahaha, don't worry i am not like him."
Wait mind reading again?
"No no, not mind reading" Sumanth said laughing his heart out
But you just did no? Arjun was having a sense of Deja Vu.
"I can understand form your expressions, it's something you learn when you spend too much with that guy" Sumanth explained.
Arjun was relieved at least there was a sane person in this dorm. He handed the comic strip to Sumanth and mentioned they were here to meet the guy who made it.
"You've already met him"
"Wait what?" Arjun started thinking but noticing Sumanth with a cheeky smile on his face he understood.
"You're the one isn't it?"
"Yes did you like it?"
"Yeah it's pretty good. Are all you people friends? do all of them paint too?" Arjun questioned
"Yes we all paint and some of us write stories too" Sumanth said and proceeded to show him some of the other paintings and comic snippets they made.
Arjun was glad he had come here, he finally found his team. All at one place too. But choosing a leader might be a tough choice to make. Although Vinod was the first person among the group to be hired, he was not at all suitable to be a leader. Noticing Sumanth beside him who seemed to be the only person with some real life experience among these people he decided to give him a try.
Arjun went on to offer every one a position at the studio with a salary of one thousand and two hundred rupees each, while Vinod and Sumanth would receive two thousand. He made Vinod the chief designer for the studio while Sumanth was handed the position of manager of the studio.
The Studio would be given a starting fund of thirty thousand rupees for rental and other expenses. They had not yet named the studio as Arjun did not find a proper name so they decided to go with 36 studios as this was their dorm number.
Arjun warned Sumanth though to not try messing with the funds. He informed him someone would come every month to check the records and if any mismanagement was made Sumanth would need to take the responsibility.
After handing them their phone number and asking them to inform him once they moved into the new studio Arjun left them on their own. He knew he was handing too much to some inexperienced kids but this was the best choice he had right now. He did not yet have people to take care of his matters for him. Lalitha had not yet even got into her job, it would be too much to ask of her to run behind these kids backs.
He decided to let them run and if they ever stumble he would take care of the mess. It would be better than hiring some new manager who had no idea about and crush their creativity through the management deadline stuff.
Arjun and Bhargav returned to the hotel room where Karan was still asleep. They woke him up had their lunch and started their journey back to village the same afternoon.
On their journey Bhargav was very fidgety, trying to sneak glances at Arjun wanting to express something but holding it in.
"What is it Anna?"
"What do you mean Arjun?"
"Anna, we've spent so much time together. You can speak your mind you know, i am not a boss to you anyway."
"Well..... Are we not going to be anything about Lalitha?"
"What do you mean? Haven't we hired her already?" Arjun understood what he wanted to say but still wanted him to spit it out. After all there is huge difference between a kid saying it and an adult saying it.
"That guy who destroyed her life, are we not going to do anything about it? Who knows how many women's life he ruined by now."
"Hmmm.... we're not yet that big Anna."
"I know but still...."
"Okay do a normal investigation about him and his assets."
"Alrighty" Bhargav said with a small satisfactory smile.
"But no need to mess with him, especially when we don't know where he gets the courage to act as he pleases from."
"Alright kiddo, i understand. I am merely a assistant what can i do even if i wanted to" Bhargav lamented.
Arjun went along with Karan to meet up with Madan once they reached the village. Madan was still in office and noticing Karan and Arjun he stopped his work and looked up. Karan was exactly waiting for this moment and did a somersault went up to him saying "you can't stop me!!" the famous dialogue from the movie.
After he was done with his son's antics Madan motioned for Arjun
"Tell me Arjun what are you here for this time?"
"Uncle what happened to the test results we wanted?"
"ohhh... i forgot Arjun let me ask" He picked up his telephone and made a call.
Arjun i just spoke with him and the results were out two days ago apparently my friend is going to visit our locality tomorrow so he did not inform me wanting to hand them directly.
"Okay thanks uncle" Arjun spoke but had yet to get up from the chair.
"Is there anything else beta?"
"Umm... is there any possibility of getting any business loans from my press for the new factory i want to build?"
"Are you having issues with funding Arjun? let me take care of it, i'll loan you the money and you return them whenever you can."
Arjun was surprised by this offer. But taking this meant he would be forever in Madan's debt and he did not want that.
No no uncle i have eight lakh twenty thousand with me right now but i need at least fifteen lakh to purchase machinery from Russia. I have already found a seller but am struck with the lack of funds. If i had another two weeks it wouldn't be an issue but the seller wants to sell as soon as possible and won't accept split payments.
"Is he trustworthy? Your seller" Madan calmly asked
"Well my friend who reached out to him is."
"Is it the same guy you met in Vijayawada?"
"Yes"
"Arjun do you know how risky this is? you want to send fifteen lakhs to some one thousands of kilometers away with no guarantee or proper paperwork?"
"That's the only way if i want to get them for that price"
"How much would it cost to buy them elsewhere?"
"Maybe twenty lakhs or even more."
Madan was stunned, why would that guy selling for such low prices Arjun? This sounds even more like a scam right now.
Arjun went on to explain further details of the present situation to Madan and why it wasn't probably a scam. Also Vladimir did not seem to really care for such measly amounts of money according to the description of his lifestyle he had given him.
Madan was relieved at least it wasn't a scam. But that guy daring to steal fifteen lakhs of company property for his own gain, what a gall he had. But the matter of seven lakhs loan was very tough to deal with.
Had it been one or two lakhs he could have adjusted them from the village funds but seven lakhs would make too many heads turn. Loan was out of the picture too as Arjun's press hadn't even been open for over two months and banks usually loan only to businesses over two years old. Even then it would be a lengthy process definitely wouldn't finish within a single week.
Arjun i don't have any solution for the issue right now especially when you don't want to take the loan from me. Try asking that guy for some more time maybe we could figure something out Madan replied.