Arjun entered his office amidst the hum of keyboards and the low murmur of conversations. His phone buzzed on the desk, vibrating with urgency. It was Ragu, his office colleague.
"Arjun! I need your help." Ragu's voice was strained and hoarse.
"What happened?" Arjun asked, immediately alert.
"I'm in the hospital. Got beaten up. Doctor says I'm not make it today" he groaned.
Arjun's posture straightened as concern crept in. "What? Which hospital?"
"Sunrise Hospital, Ward 153."
"Alright, I'll inform the manager. Hang in there."
Moments later, Arjun found himself knocking on the manager's office door.
"Come in," the manager called, his voice muffled by the rustle of papers.
Arjun stepped inside and explained Ragu's situation. As the words sank in, the manager's brow furrowed deeply.
"Beaten up? Now? Right when this project is at a critical stage? Who's going to handle his testing? Deadlines don't wait!" he snapped, his irritation palpable.
Arjun maintained his composure. "I understand, sir. But I'm sure we can manage. Also, just a heads-up—I'm taking leave next Friday. HR has already approved it."
The manager leaned back in his chair, exasperated. "Everyone's taking leave. What about the project?"
"We'll get everything done before the deadline, and there's a very big surprise for you, Manager, regarding the project," Arjun assured him. "By the way, a few of us are planning to visit Raghu after work. Would you like to join?"
The manager scoffed. "I have a date tonight, but tell him he'd better be back next week, ready to work. I'll see what surprise you have for me.
As Arjun left the office, he muttered under his breath, "You'll get your surprise soon, dear manager."
Back at his desk, his teammates were already waiting.
"What did the boss say?" one of them asked eagerly.
"Exactly what you'd expect," Arjun replied with a smirk. "More worried about the project than Ragu's health."
Another colleague sighed. "And let me guess—he's off on another one of his blind dates?"
"Right on target!" Arjun said, drawing laughter from the group.
One of them leaned closer, a serious note in their voice. "Arjun, why do you put up with this nonsense? He steals credit for your work and climbs the ladder using connections. Meanwhile, you're stuck."
Arjun shrugged nonchalantly. "Binding contract. But it ends next Wednesday."
"You're leaving?" someone asked, wide-eyed.
Arjun smirked. "You'll survive without me. Besides, isn't the boss a capable team leader?"
The group erupted into laughter again.
That evening, Arjun and a colleague visited Ragu at the hospital. The sterile air was thick with the scent of antiseptic, and the faint hum of machines provided a steady backdrop. They found Ragu lying in Ward 153, looking worse for wear but conscious.
"Ragu, what happened?" Arjun asked as they approached his bed.
Ragu shifted uncomfortably. "Promise you won't laugh."
"No promises," Arjun replied, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips.
Ragu sighed. "Fine. You know my girlfriend Alina, right? The one I'm always raving about?"
"Yeah, your 'perfect girlfriend,'" Arjun teased.
"Well," Ragu began hesitantly, "my family arranged a date for me with someone else a few weeks ago. She seemed nice, so I agreed to meet her—casually."
Arjun raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"Alina found out. She showed up during the date. She yelled at me, called me a cheater, and accused me of ruining our relationship!"
Arjun leaned in, intrigued. "What did you do?"
"I pulled her aside to explain. Told her the situation and asked her to calm down. But she stormed off, calling me a womanizer."
Arjun stifled a laugh. "And the beating?"
Ragu groaned, lowering his head. "This morning, her brother showed up at my apartment with his friends. They accused me of cheating and, well... you see the results."
Arjun couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. "You're a walking sitcom, Ragu."
"It's not funny!" Ragu protested. "I'm lucky to be alive."
"Lucky? More like unlucky," Arjun quipped. "You've got a girlfriend, a family-arranged date, and now a black eye to show for it."
"Next time, I'll get a restraining order," Ragu muttered.
"Next time, avoid double-booking your love life," Arjun shot back, grinning.
As they chatted, a doctor entered the room, holding a clipboard.
"Mr. Ragu, your tests are all clear. You're good to be discharged. But next time, be more careful," the doctor said sternly.
Ragu nodded sheepishly. "Noted, Doc."
Arjun patted his shoulder as they left the hospital. "Talk to her, Ragu. Everything will sort itself out."
Ragu sighed. "Easy for you to say. Don't laugh, okay?"
"No promises," Arjun teased.
As they parted ways, Arjun waved. "I'll see you on Monday, Ragu. Hopefully not at the hospital again. Take care."
"Bye," Ragu muttered, shaking his head. "And thanks... I guess."