As morning broke, Arjun returned to his room. He began packing his things, preparing to return to his new home. After making sure everything was clean, he handed the keys over to the house owner. They exchanged a few polite words, and then Arjun said goodbye.
He boarded the train and reached his destination by 5 p.m. Once home, he started unpacking and setting things up. Later that evening, he visited a nearby hospital to have his hand checked—it had been bothering him. On the way back, he stopped at a store to buy some essentials: groceries, toiletries, and a carton of milk.
While heating the milk, it accidentally spilled over the stove. Arjun quickly removed the vessel from the heat and cleaned up the mess. After tidying the kitchen, he cooked dinner. Exhausted, he went straight to bed.
The next morning, Arjun woke up early—excited and nervous. It was his first day at the new job.
As he reached the front door, it opened just as he was about to step out. Ananya, his neighbor, stood there.
"Hello," Arjun greeted her politely.
"Hi," Ananya replied with a smile.
Noticing he was about to leave, she stepped aside. Arjun, unsure, stepped back as well to let her pass. They both hesitated, laughed awkwardly, and spoke at the same time:
"You can go ahead," said one.
"No, you can enter," said the other.
They chuckled again. Arjun finally said, "You can enter."
Ananya nodded, smiled, and walked in, closing the door behind her. As she reached her room, Arjun called out, "Good morning!"
She turned around and replied sleepily, "I need to get some rest. Last night was really hectic."
"Then have a good sleep," Arjun said warmly.
Ananya paused at her door. "Is everything settled now?"
Arjun, who had just turned around, glanced back. "Yeah, all good now. Thanks for the bandage—it helped a lot."
Ananya smiled. "Take care, okay?"
Arjun nodded and left for the bus station. After catching a bus that stopped near the train station, he boarded a train. The journey took about 50 minutes—reasonable enough.
Upon reaching the company premises, he waited at the front desk. A few other new joiners were also there. Soon, the manager arrived.
"Welcome to the company, everyone," he said with a smile. "I'm your manager, and I'm here to guide you through your first day."
He continued, "This is where you'll receive your ID badges. Make sure you keep them with you at all times. Even if you forget to eat—don't forget your ID. You won't be able to enter without it."
They were then directed to the Software Center to collect laptops and equipment.
"Now, a few ground rules," the manager explained. "Call everyone by their names—regardless of age or position. Here, everyone is equal. Also, don't blow your first salary in a week. Budget wisely—you'll need it till the end of the month."
They followed him to the fifth floor, where their office was located.
"You'll be assigned departments based on this list," he said, pointing to a chart. "Learn well, and make the most of your time here."
After a brief tour—including the cafeteria and the smoking zone—they arrived at the meeting room.
"Any questions?" the manager asked.
An intern raised a hand. "Sir, if we work extra hours, will we be paid?"
The manager smiled but responded firmly, "Nope. Your job is from 9 to 5. Focus, and you won't need extra hours."
The room grew silent. Arjun sat quietly, laptop on his lap, a mix of nerves and excitement rushing through him.
He knew this was just the beginning.
As the manager wrapped up his speech, he said, "Let's go allocate your projects."
Just as Arjun stood up, someone accidentally bumped into his arm.
He was wearing a full-sleeved shirt, so no one noticed the bandage underneath. But a red stain started to show through the fabric.
A sharp pain shot through his arm.
"Hey, what happened?" someone asked after noticing the stain.
"I injured it yesterday," Arjun replied.
The manager walked over. "If you're not feeling well, you can go for a check-up after your department is assigned."
"Thanks, sir," Arjun said. "I just need to re-bandage it. I'll be fine."
"Alright. Let's go, everyone."
As they moved, a colleague came up beside Arjun. "Don't tell me you had an accident?"
"It wasn't an accident—there was a sharp object, and it cut my hand when I was getting out."
"Be careful, man. First day and you're already getting an early off!"
Arjun chuckled weakly.
He slipped into the washroom, removed his shirt, and gently cleaned the wound with cotton before re-bandaging it. When he stepped out, he realized he didn't know where to go.
Just then, a woman approached him.
"Are you Arjun?" she asked.
"Yes. And you are?"
"I'm Sara, your team leader. Vivek assigned you to my team. Everyone's waiting for you in the coffee area. Let's go."
At the coffee area, she introduced him. "Hey everyone, this is our new intern, Arjun. He's under your care now—help him get up to speed."
"I heard you have a wound on your arm?" someone asked.
"Yeah, but it's fine now," Arjun replied.
However, as time passed and he continued talking, the red stain reappeared on his sleeve.
Sara noticed. "You'd better see a doctor and get that checked properly. Your onboarding meetings can be rescheduled for tomorrow. If the doctor advises rest, let me know."
"Thank you, everyone. I'm really sorry for the inconvenience. I'll return tomorrow."
Arjun left for the nearest hospital and got an appointment. After checking the wound and hearing the full story—how the injury happened while rescue the person—the doctor gave him fresh medication.
"Don't stress too much," the doctor advised. "And don't use your injured arm to lift anything heavy."
On his way out, Arjun decided to walk home instead of taking a bus. The distance was about 2 km—it took him roughly 35–40 minutes. As he walked, he began noticing the world around him: the city's rhythm, the people, the sounds.
He stopped at a grocery store to pick up a few items. As he walked through the aisles, he spotted a familiar face.
"Hi Ananya," he said.
"Hey Arjun! How's your hand?"
"I just visited the doctor. He said not to lift anything heavy."
"Buying stuff?"
"Yeah, just the basics," Arjun replied.
"I just finished shopping," she said, walking toward the counter. Then she paused. "I'll wait outside. Come quickly."
"It's okay, Ananya. I still have more to pick up—it'll take time."
"No problem. I'll be at the café opposite the building. Come there once you're done. Don't forget."
As she left, Arjun looked at the items in his cart and smiled.
He realized something—Ananya had offered to help, in her own quiet way.
He chuckled to himself. Wake up, Arjun. Don't read too much into it. She's just being a good friend. Don't let your thoughts wander.