The Other Side of the City
In another part of Chennai, far from the familiar sounds of Aazhini's neighbourhood, the morning unfolded a little differently.
Sunlight slipped through the glass doors of a spacious balcony, falling across the floor of a modern apartment. The city was already awake, but the man standing there seemed to be moving according to a rhythm of his own.
Arjun Vasudevan.
While most people needed a few extra minutes to escape the comfort of their beds, Arjun had already begun his morning workout.
His movements were steady and controlled as he worked through his routine. Dressed in a simple black sleeveless workout shirt and dark track pants, he showed the results of years of discipline. His broad shoulders and well-defined arms flexed with each movement, the muscles in his forearms becoming more prominent as he gripped the dumbbells. A faint sheen of sweat covered his skin, and a few strands of his thick black hair fell across his forehead.
He finished his final set, placed the weights back in their proper position, and took a moment to catch his breath.
No unnecessary distractions. No rushing.
That was how he preferred to begin his day.
After a quick shower, Arjun stood in front of his wardrobe, selecting a pale blue formal shirt and charcoal trousers. He buttoned his shirt, adjusted his watch, and ran a hand through his still-damp hair before checking his reflection.
Satisfied, he picked up his laptop bag and car keys.
Within minutes, he was on his way to work.
The roads of Chennai were gradually filling with office commuters, buses, and two-wheelers weaving through the morning traffic. Arjun drove with one hand resting on the steering wheel, his attention fixed on the road while his mind was already occupied with the day's tasks.
He had a meeting scheduled that morning, followed by a review of the AI system his team had been developing.
Work had a way of keeping his mind occupied.
And he preferred it that way.
The glass facade of the multinational company reflected the morning sunlight as Arjun drove into the parking area.
He parked his car, collected his belongings, and walked towards the entrance.
A few familiar faces greeted him along the way.
"Good morning, sir!"
Arjun gave a brief nod.
"Morning, Arjun!"
Another nod, accompanied by a faint smile.
He wasn't rude. He simply wasn't someone who could turn every passing greeting into a conversation. Arjun preferred listening over speaking, observing over drawing attention to himself. He was comfortable in his own space, and those who knew him well had long since understood that his silence was never meant to be insulting.
He entered the lift and pressed the button for his floor.
As the doors closed, he glanced at the notifications on his phone, mentally arranging the tasks waiting for him.
By the time the lift opened, he was already thinking about work.
His office floor was busy with employees settling into their seats, discussing deadlines, and preparing for meetings. Arjun walked past the rows of desks and reached his workstation.
"Good morning, Arjun," one of his teammates greeted.
"Morning," he replied, placing his bag beside his chair.
He switched on his computer, opened his project dashboard, and reviewed the latest reports.
As a Senior AI Engineer, Arjun was responsible for developing and improving intelligent systems used in the company's products. His current project involved refining an AI-powered recommendation system, making its predictions more accurate while ensuring that the results remained reliable.
It was challenging work, requiring patience, attention to detail, and the ability to look beyond what the data showed at first glance.
Fortunately, those were things Arjun was good at.
He studied the latest test results, compared them with the previous version, and made a few notes for his team. A small inconsistency caught his attention. He went through the relevant section again, identified the issue, and marked it for further discussion.
He was so absorbed in his work that he barely noticed how quickly the morning passed.
A calendar notification appeared on his screen.
**Team Review Meeting - 10:30 AM.**
Arjun saved his work, gathered his notes, and headed to the conference room.
The meeting began with updates from the team. When it was his turn, Arjun connected his laptop to the display and walked everyone through the latest developments.
He explained the improvements, pointed out the remaining issues, and answered questions without unnecessary elaboration. When a senior manager suggested a different approach, Arjun considered it carefully before explaining why his team's current method might produce more reliable results.
He wasn't someone who needed to dominate a room to make his point.
He simply made sure his point was understood.
By the end of the meeting, the next steps were clear, and the team had a workable plan.
Arjun returned to his desk and resumed his work.
One task became two. Two became three.
And before he realised it, his stomach reminded him that he had skipped breakfast in a hurry.
He glanced at the time.
**12:48 PM.**
With a quiet sigh, he saved his work and closed his laptop halfway.
Lunch.
Finally.
The company cafeteria was already crowded when Arjun arrived. Employees sat in groups, their conversations blending with the clatter of plates and the hum of the air conditioner.
He collected his lunch and chose a table near the window.
He had barely settled into his seat when someone dropped into the chair beside him.
"Enna da, innikku late-ah?"
(What happened, man? You're late today?)
Arjun didn't even need to turn to know who it was.
"Aama da," he replied, opening his lunch box.
(Yeah, man.)
His friend Rakshan worked in a different department, which meant their schedules rarely matched perfectly. But whenever they happened to be free at the same time, Rakshan made it a point to find him.
Rakshan looked at Arjun's lunch, then at his face.
"Dei, kaalaila irundhu work pannitu irukkiya? Illa indha laptop-kooda kalyanam pannikka poriya?"
(Hey, have you been working since morning? Or are you planning to marry that laptop?)
Arjun gave him a brief look.
"Saapida vandhirukken da. Konjam amaidhiya saapida vidu."
(I've come here to eat. At least let me eat in peace.)
Rakshan laughed and opened his own lunch box.
"Seri, seri. Saapidu. Aana oru mukkiyamaana vishayam kekkanum."
(Alright, alright. Eat. But I need to ask you something important.)
Arjun continued eating, already suspicious.
"Enna?"
(What?)
"Eppa dhaan da nee love panna pora?"
(When are you finally going to fall in love?)
Arjun paused for half a second before continuing with his lunch.
"Unakke theriyum la da. Enakku ippo idhellam yosikka time illa."
(You know that already, don't you? I don't have time to think about all this right now.)
Rakshan stared at him as though he had just heard the most predictable answer in the world.
"Adhe dialogue dhaan da nee college-la irundhu sollittu irukka. Appo studies, ippo work. Appuram startup-nu solluva. Un life-la love-ku mattum eppo time kidaikkum?"
(You've been giving me the same answer since college. Back then it was studies, now it's work. Next, you'll say it's your startup. When exactly will you make time for love in your life?)
Arjun shook his head, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
"Enna panradhu? Nee enakku ponnu paaka aarambichiduviya?"
(What can I do? Are you going to start finding a girl for me?)
"Adhukku munnadi nee oru ponna normal-ah pesi pazhaga kathukko da!"
(Before that, learn how to talk normally and get to know a girl!)
This time, Arjun let out a quiet laugh.
"Un velaiya paaru, Rakshan."
(Mind your own business, Rakshan.)
"En velaiya dhaan paakuren. Un life-la konjam interest eduthukkuren, avlodhaan."
(I am minding my own business. I'm just taking a little interest in your life, that's all.)
"Romba nandri."
(Thank you very much.)
"Welcome da, machan."
(You're welcome, buddy.)
Rakshan grinned and went back to his food, clearly pleased with himself.
Arjun shook his head, but the small smile remained for another moment.
He had heard this conversation more times than he could count. Rakshan was convinced that Arjun's carefully organised life needed a little romance. Arjun, on the other hand, saw no reason to go looking for something he wasn't missing.
He had goals to achieve, responsibilities to handle, and a future he wanted to build with his own hands.
Love wasn't something he had rejected.
It simply wasn't something he had made room for.
At least, not yet.
And as Arjun returned to his lunch, completely unaware of what the days ahead might hold, Chennai continued to move around him.
Somewhere else in the same city, another life was moving forward too.
Neither of them knew that their ordinary days would not remain ordinary forever.
_______________________
Until the next chapter, keep a little room in your heart for their story. 🤍
With love, your storyteller. ♡
~Nilaezh
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