[ it is equivalent exchange. kaveh begs, alhaitham demands. kaveh smiles in response, fuller this time, albeit still defeated. alhaitham demands for himself, not for kaveh's plea, not for kaveh's whims, not for kaveh. everything he does, he does it for himself. alhaitham, he thinks, still has no need for a new hobby, not one in the arts. alhaitham, he thinks, has no true use for art. alhaitham, he concludes, is doing this for himself — for if he were not, kaveh wonders, would the regret of his choice be too bothersome to bear? he does not do it to avoid breaking kaveh's heart; he does so because the resounding crack would leave a tear in his own.

alhaitham is not a man for sentimentality. he is reasonable, logical. sensical. but alhaitham, too, is human like everyone else.

it is a victory in itself. he would continue to beg, when kaveh is desperate for a more personal mark to be left in the world, and he could continue to feel sorry for it. it is, he thinks, the least he could do. ]

Practice makes perfect. I hope your books won't be jealous of the time you will spend perfecting the art of drawing, then. [ the joke is lighthearted, and it confesses to kaveh's mood. there is no such thing as perfectionism in drawing. an artist will be satisfied with their work, but perfect is an individual value.

kaveh squeezes alhaitham's hand in response. ] Hmmm, we could start later tonight with the basics. I might have some books that could be of help, if you would like.