Rudran’s POV :

am currently seated at the backseat of her two wheeler, we just left the apartment.

I asked "How is your work going on these days?"

"Everything is going good just a little stressed about the ongoing project." She answered like every time.

I replied "I just do not understand how you manage sitting in front of the system for so long." I reply.

I cannot imagine myself doing that. I need to go out and interact with people to be sane.

"We take breaks Rudra. And I am passionate towards what I do so I enjoy doing it." She replied.

I absolutely love how she calls me Rudra. Only my mom calls me that. In my workplace all my colleagues in my department call me Reddy and the other Telugu guy as Naidu. I do not understand why our surnames attract them more than my first name. Anyways I blame the HOD Lakshmi Menon who coined and called me that name on the first day we met and naturally everyone followed it. It's not like I am not liking it or vice versa but its kinda annoying though. But I am glad that my students call me Rudran Sir at least.

We reached the supermarket in silence and Aarna retrieved her huge jute bag from the front hook. We walked in silence and got ourselves a trolley. I had to pick up only a few spices and oats so we got a single trolley and started to walk from the first corridor, I pushed the trolly whereas she kept filling things.

I picked up the necessary items and gathered them in the corner of the trolley.

We talked a bit, shared about work and I shared about some funny incidents that my students cause in my class and so on.

Shopping is always boring when you do it alone. My mom and I when coming to get monthly requirements have lots of fun talking non stop and now talking to Aarna got me thinking the same.

We were at the billing counter waiting for our turn and that's when someone called me, "Rudran Sir?"

I turned and saw Satya, one of my students approaching me.

"Good morning sir, what a surprise to see you here." She said, I do not still understand her unwanted excitement while talking to me.

"Hi Satya." I smiled nonetheless. "I came to shop as you can see." I told her.

That's when Aarna who was checking the list of items in her phone called me.

"Rudra I think I missed to add Chilli powder to the cart, wait here until I get it." She said and looked at me and then towards Satya.

"Oh. Aarna, this is my student Satya and Satya this is Aarna." I introduced them, then turned to Aarna and said

"I will bring it, you can wait here." and looked back to Satya who was seeing us shocked and told her "It was nice seeing you here Satya." And went to get the powder.

I can never understand her baseless expressions

...

DEVI'S POV:

I was looking at Rudra who was going while someone cleared their throat.

I looked back to his student Satya, she Is looking at me with a smile that looked so fake. Anyways I looked at her and smiled.

I push the trolley and started setting my things at the counter. That's when Satya spoke "You are lucky".

I turned to her confused of what she meant, She was still looking at Rudra.

"Pardon me?" I questioned.

She turned to look at me and said "You are lucky ma'am, Rudra sir is a great man. He addresses everyone with respect and kindness."

I agree that Rudra has been good to me all the time and I absolutely adore the interactions between him and his mother but why is she calling me lucky though. Before I could ask her, Rudra was back.

"Hey I found this nearby in the wrong section looks like someone kept it there." Saying that he put the packet on the counter and also the remaining groceries.

The billing was done separately and while coming back Rudra took a minute to say goodbye to his student, I saw how Satya called him again while he was leaving making him turn back, his back was facing me and after a while he came looking shocked.

I asked him about it as he looked bothered but he replied "uh? Ah! Nothing. She was just asking about something about the upcoming exams." Something seemed off but I did not bother asking again.

The ride back to the apartment was silent.

The lift clinked, we both stepped out and walked to our respective apartments. Before entering to his, he said "Thank you"

I asked "for what?"

"For the ride and pleasant company" he replied.

I frowned before saying "no. I should be saying that, you tagged along through out my long list of shopping and kept me company. It felt good to shop after a long time."

He smiled before saying "Ok then I will tag along next time too."

I reciprocated his smile and said "That would be nice. Ok then I need to arrange all these things" before bending forward to take my bag from him, he insisted on carrying it since it was big and heavy while I carried his small one.

He pulled it back saying "uh uh, its quite heavy, open the door I will keep it inside"

I opened the door while secretly admiring his kindness.

He came in and kept the bag near my kitchen counter.

I thanked him and offered him a glass of water, he quickly finished it.

His phone rang just when he kept the glass on the counter. He picked it up and responded "ha Amma, ikkade vunna Aarna intlo, vosthunna".

"Ok ra, I will leave now." He said and left.

I must say he is such a sweet man.