Just As I Am ?

Monday mornings were rarely Vedha's favorite. The air-conditioning was always too cold, the emails too many, and her brain too foggy to process small talk. But today felt... different. Like the day was carrying a quiet charge, humming beneath the surface.

There was chatter in the air—something about a new addition to the design team. A transfer from the Mumbai branch. Supposedly brilliant. Known for clean aesthetics and even cleaner leadership.

Vedha didn't care much for office gossip. She had her own list of bugs to test and two dozen unread emails staring her down. Still, for some reason, she'd picked the bottle green kurta that morning—the one with the silver threadwork that hugged her waist just enough. Silver hoops, too. Nothing dramatic, but enough to make her feel... intentional.

"Third day in a row and still killing it," Alekhya said, walking beside her with a paper cup of tea in hand. "Keep this up and I swear people are going to start asking you for fashion tips."

"Stop hyping me," Vedha muttered, though the compliment warmed her more than her thermal mug ever could. "It's just clothes."

"Nope. It's showing up. And you're doing it."

They reached their floor just as the studio door swung open.

A tall man stepped in. Crisp beige trousers. Neatly ironed navy shirt. Clean-shaven. He had the kind of presence that didn't demand attention—it simply held it. His gaze moved across the room slowly, deliberately, like he was taking in every corner before choosing where to stand.

Vedha's breath caught.

That jawline... that posture...

Satish, their team lead, clapped twice. "Everyone, meet Charan Narayanan. He's joining us from the Mumbai branch as our new Senior UI/UX Consultant. Fun fact—he's also an alum of Stella Tech!"

Vedha's world stopped moving for half a second.

Charan?
No. It couldn't be.

But then he spoke. "Hey everyone. Happy to be back in Chennai—and among some familiar faces, I hope."

His eyes scanned the group and landed directly on her.

Recognition lit up his expression.

"Vedha?" he said, his voice warm, surprised.

She blinked. "Charan?"

Alekhya's eyes darted between them. "Wait—you two know each other?"

Vedha gave a slow nod, still processing. "He was my senior in college. Final year UI when I was in second year."

Charan walked over, that familiar half-smile on his face. "Didn't expect to see you here. Vedha Srinivasan—the girl who always had a book in one hand and filter coffee in the other."

She let out a nervous laugh, her cheeks warming. "And you were the guy who hijacked the canteen playlist with Ilaiyaraaja songs."

"I stand by that," he said with a chuckle. "Timeless music."

Alekhya grinned. "Okay, this is so juicy."

Charan glanced at her politely before turning back to Vedha. "Glad to know you're still writing. You were always good with words."

Vedha looked at him, stunned. "You remember that?"

"Of course. You wrote that piece for the tech fest magazine, remember? The one about the design lab being more stressful than the exam hall? I still remember the line about rulers being deadlier than deadlines. Cracked me up."

She stared. That had been years ago. A one-off piece she barely remembered herself.

And he still remembered.