As Arjun stepped out of the shower, the alarm rang—it was 7 o'clock. He dried himself off and opened his cupboard. He didn't have many clothes—just a few suits, shirts, and t-shirts. Scanning through them, his eyes landed on a white shirt and black pants. He wasn't going to an interview, though, so he kept looking. Finally, he found a black shirt with a unique pattern of white symbols. He picked it up and paired it with dark blue jeans.
After getting dressed, he made himself a simple breakfast—bread, omelet, and a cup of coffee. Once he was done, he stepped out of his apartment, headed to the nearest bus stand, and caught a bus. His stop was near a hospital. Before heading inside, he checked the map for a nearby flower shop and found one close by. He walked over, bought a bouquet of light pink roses, and then entered the hospital.
Upon reaching the room, he heard laughter from inside. Smiling, he pushed the door open.
"Hi, Meena," he greeted warmly. Then, turning to the young girl in bed, he asked, "How are you feeling now, Arha?"
"I'm good," she replied cheerfully.
"See, I brought you a bouquet with your favorite flowers."
"Uncle, thank you so much!" she beamed.
After chatting happily with Arha, Arjun stepped outside and spoke with Meena's husband.
"The reports are coming today," he informed Arjun. "If everything looks good, they'll discharge her in the evening."
"That's great news! Did you guys eat?"
"Yes, I brought food for everyone."
"Perfect. Then I'll get going. See you guys later."
As he walked out of the hospital, he spotted a shop and went in to buy some chocolates. After that, he made his way to his next destination—the Grand Arcade, one of the biggest luxury restaurants and hotels, known for its diverse cuisine and entertainment.
At exactly 5 p.m., he reached the entrance and pulled out his phone to call his best friend.
"Hey, Rahul, have you reached?"
"Yes, I'm at the parking lot. Coming now. What about you?"
"I'm near the entrance."
Just then, a familiar voice called out, "Hey, Arjun!"
Turning around, he saw one of his old benchmates. "Raj! How are you?" Arjun greeted him with a hug.
"Why are you standing here instead of going inside?" Raj asked.
"I'm waiting for Rahul."
"Where is he?"
"Still alive, Raj?" Rahul's voice rang out as he approached.
"As long as you're alive, what could happen to me?" Raj grinned.
The three of them hugged before heading inside.
As they found their seats, Rahul eyed Arjun's outfit. "Why didn't you wear a suit?"
"I don't like suits. Shirts are more comfortable," Arjun replied.
"Your clothes, your choice," Rahul shrugged.
"So, Raj, how's life going?" Arjun asked.
"I'm a surgeon now. Life's good, but busy."
"What about your love life?" Rahul teased.
"My family is looking for matches. But with my job, it's tough."
"What about you?" Arjun smirked. "Any interesting dating stories?"
Raj laughed. "Actually, yes. I once went on a date, and right after I met the girl, I got an emergency call for surgery. I literally ran off without saying a word."
Rahul and Arjun burst into laughter.
"You should've seen my phone later—almost a hundred missed calls. My mom scolded me like hell!" Raj said, shaking his head.
"Raj, you're the perfect definition of a sigma male," Arjun chuckled.
"What about you guys?" Raj asked.
"I'm single. No dating, nothing," Arjun sighed. "My life is already full of problems—I don't need another one."
Rahul added, "My family is looking for matches, but you guys know me. I want to work in another company, but my father wants me to take care of his shopping complexes. And the girls I meet are all about money. They ask how much I earn, and when I tell them it's just enough for my monthly expenses, they reject me immediately."
Raj laughed. "Sounds brutal."
"That's nothing," Rahul continued. "One girl was crazy. She wanted me to buy a house and a car on my salary while she spent her money on herself. She even said my parents wouldn't be allowed in our home."
"What did you do?" Arjun asked, curious.
"I ordered a huge meal, then told her I needed to use the restroom. I walked out and waited for her outside. When she came out, she was furious."
"What did you say?"
"I told her, 'Sorry, I got an urgent call. Did you enjoy the food? Let's go—I'll pay for it.'"
"She looked me dead in the eye and said, 'It cost $200. You can transfer it to me.'"
Arjun and Raj burst into laughter.
"I just told her, 'I didn't eat anything, so I'm not paying. Also, I'm not interested in you. So, goodbye.'"
"She was so angry! She shouted all kinds of insults at me, but I just ignored her."
Raj shook his head, still laughing. "That's wild! Did she try to contact you again?"
"Oh yeah. Later, she found out about my background from her mother. She called me so many times, but I had already told my mom everything. My mom was furious and called her mother to give her a proper scolding."
Rahul smirked. "One thing I'm sure of—this girl is still angry because of me."
Everyone laughed loudly.
"These girls think they're princesses," Rahul added. "They expect guys to drop everything, chase after them, and spoil them."
Raj smiled. "Not all girls. My colleague is really nice."
Arjun and Rahul exchanged knowing looks.
"Are you interested in her?" Arjun asked.
Raj hesitated. "She hates people who use connections to get ahead. If she finds out the hospital belongs to my family and that I got in through connections, I'll be doomed."
"Just tell her, Raj," Rahul encouraged. "Deal with the consequences later."
Raj sighed, lost in thought, as his friends chuckled.
Their reunion was just getting started.