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Arohi and rudraksh side story

Arohi 's pov

The hospital corridor buzzed with activity, but my focus was solely on the man who had just walked in. I stormed towards him, arms crossed firmly, planting myself in front of him.

He froze mid-step, his face an unreadable canvas. Then, for a fleeting second, a spark ignited in his eyes, and the faintest hint of a smile played on his lips.

Wait, was he smiling at me? Do I look funny or something?

"Hey you! Kya tum mere peecha kar rahe ho?" I snapped, clicking my fingers right in front of his face.

("Are you following me?")

He raised an eyebrow, looking both amused and baffled.

"Listen, Mister Mistaken Romeo, I've already told you I'm not interested. So leave-right now. Abhi ke abhi yahan se chale jao, varna..."

"Leave right now, or else...")

I took a step back instinctively as he stepped forward. Leaning closer, his warm breath brushed my ear as he whispered in an almost husky voice - no, scratch that, it was a pure husky voice.

"Varna? Varna kya karogi, Miss Misunderstanding Juliet?"

("Or else? What will you do, Miss Misunderstanding Juliet?")

A rush of heat flooded my cheeks. My brain stuttered for a moment. What was that? I placed my hand on his chest to push him away, but instead, I felt his steady heartbeat under my palm. That snapped me back. I shoved him back gently but firmly.

"Listen, Mister, I think you need cardiac treatment. Third floor. And don't you dare show up in front of me again, or you'll end up in the orthopedic section!" I warned, trying to sound confident.

Just then, a doctor hurried toward him with a file in her hand.

"Doctor Rudraksh, here's the medical report for the patient's 306. You were right-the root cause of the tumor is external, not internal," she said, handing him the file.

My heart stopped. Doctor Rudraksh?

I froze as the realization hit me like a truck.

This is Dr. Rudraksh Singh Suryawanshi? The same doctor whose thesis I've admired? One of the top five neurosurgeons in the world?

"Why, Bholenath, why?" I cried internally, cursing my luck.

His voice cut through my panic. "So, Mumma's boy is reporting on duty, ma'am " He smirked, a teasing glint in his eyes.

I made my best puppy-eyed face, the one that only worked on Murthy Ji back home. But his smirk widened.

"So, Miss..." he paused to read my ID card, "...Arohi Murthy. Nice name. Here's the deal: You've got exactly three minutes to report to your in-charge, or today will be your last day in this hospital. So...run."

I stammered, searching for words to apologize, but he started counting down.
"Oops, 2:59, 2:58..."

Panicked, I sprinted toward the in-charge's cabin without looking back.

---

Inside the Cabin

I reached just in time to hear a commanding female voice from inside.

"This is Hridaya Hospital. Here, we don't just have doctors. We have qualified doctors," the woman declared.

I slipped inside quietly, joining the row of interns, and listened as she continued.

"Once a shift starts, it may last up to 48 hours without breaks. In emergencies, every doctor, nurse, and staff member must be available. Is that clear?"

Her authoritative tone left no room for arguments. This was Dr. Supriya Vasudev, the in-charge of interns. I'd heard a lot about her.

"And you, not-so-talented interns," she said, turning to us with a pointed glare, "don't start patting yourselves on the back for handling a minor myocardial ischemia. This is nothing. There's much more to learn, so prepare yourselves."

I gulped. So she's talking about me and Asha.

"There are three rules you must follow here. First, don't get emotionally attached to patients. Second, leave your personal baggage outside the hospital premises. Third, follow all instructions from me. Understood?"

Her sharp gaze scanned us. None of us dared respond.

"I said, is that clear?" she barked, and we chorused, "Yes, Doctor!"

"Good. Your schedules are on the board outside. Follow them. Now, what are you waiting for? Muhurat?" she snapped.

We scrambled out like frightened school kids.

---

At the Schedule Board

I scanned the list for my name.
"Dr. Kabir Rane, MS (Neurology)."

Wait, who's Dr. Kabir Rane? ..

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Rudraksh's POV

"Doctor, mujhe teen-chaar dinon se ek ajeeb si feeling ho rahi hai. Vomit bhi ho raha hai aur chakkar bhi. Maine Google pe check kiya, and these are symptoms of a brain tumor. Isiliye main yahan aayi hoon."

("Doctor, I've been feeling strange for the past few days. Vomiting and dizziness. I checked on Google, and these seem like brain tumor symptoms. That's why I came here.")

I was seated in Dr. Kabir Rane's ( my besties ) cabin, reviewing a critical medical report when Mrs. Duggal, Kabir's patient, walked in. She seemed worried, her voice laced with anxiety as she explained her symptoms.

Hearing her words, I looked up. She appeared to be in her mid-30s, visibly worried. Kabir, however, was his usual nonchalant self.

"Mrs. Duggal, aap tension mat lijiye. Aapko brain tumor nahi hai. Panic karna band kijiye," he said with a carefree smile.

("Mrs. Duggal, don't worry. You don't have a brain tumor. Stop panicking.")

Her concern deepened. "Agar kuch problem nahi hai, toh mujhe yeh ajeeb sa feeling kyun ho raha hai? Aap check toh kijiye!"

("If there's no problem, why do I feel this way? Please check!")

Kabir examined her briefly, then leaned back casually. "Problem toh hai, Mrs. Duggal."

("There is a problem, Mrs. Duggal.")

She leaned forward, eyes wide, hanging onto his every word. Kabir smirked.

"Your problem is inside your stomach. That's the reason for your weird feelings."

Her panic spiked. "Kya hai doctor? Kya main marne wali hoon? Kya woh problem hum nikal sakte hain?"

("What is it, doctor? Am I dying? Can we remove it?")

Kabir leaned forward dramatically. "Haan, agar abhi nikalna chahenge toh nikal sakte hain. But do mahine baad nikalna chahenge toh crime ho jayega.and Yes, if you wait a few months, it will come out on its own. Don’t worry"

("Yes, you can remove it now. But if you try after two months, it'll be a crime.")

I sighed, rubbing my temples. Kabir's antics were endless.

" There is any major problem doctor ? " She enquired while getting worried ..

"No, there’s nothing to worry about, ma’am. In fact, some people get really happy in this situation. They even distribute sweets in their neighborhood, and some go crazy with joy," Kabir said. I started worried for patient —right now, I just want to punch him.

"What?" she said, confused, and I quickly jumped in to intervene in their conversation.

I couldn't take it anymore and stepped in. "Mrs. Duggal, I think you should consult a gynecologist. These are symptoms of pregnancy. Dr. Sandhya will examine you on the first floor."

She bewildered at the moment and turned towards kabir and said

"Toh  aap khul kar nahi bata sakte kya?" she demanded, frustration bubbling.

("Doctor, can't you just say it outright?")

Kabir smiled. "Main toh samjhana chahta tha, lekin aapko mujhse zyada Google par bharosa tha. Isliye maine aapki bhasha mein samjhaya."

("I wanted to explain, but you trusted Google more than me. That's why I explained in your language.")

Her face went from shock to anger.

"Aapko pehle yeh baat saaf-saaf nahi bolni chahiye thi?"

("Shouldn't you have said this clearly in the first place?")

She stormed out after glaring at Kabir. Once she was turned , I hit Kabir lightly on the back of his head.

As soon as Mrs. Duggal stormed out of the cabin, slamming the door in frustration, I turned to Kabir, who was casually spinning his stethoscope like a cowboy preparing for a showdown.

"Kabir!" I growled, hitting the back of his head with a file.

"Arre! Kyun maar raha hai? Maine kya kiya?" he protested, rubbing his head dramatically.

("Why are you hitting me? What did I do?")

"Kya kiya? Tumhein lagta hai woh patient kyun bhag gayi? Tum usko doctor ke bajaye street magician lag rahe the!" I snapped.

("What did you do? Why do you think the patient ran off? You looked like a street magician instead of a doctor!")

Kabir smirked. "Maine toh bas samjhaane ki koshish ki thi. Aur waise bhi, tumhe nahi lagta meri storytelling skills kaafi impressive thi?"

("I was just trying to explain. And don't you think my storytelling skills were pretty impressive?")

I rolled my eyes. "Haan, patient ki jaan le kar zarur impressive lagega! Tumhare dialogues sunke mujhe laga ki tum kisi Bollywood film ke villain ho jo dramatic twist ke baad bolo 'tumhari maut tumhare andar hai'!"

("Yeah, you'll definitely impress by killing your patient! Listening to your dialogues, I thought you were a Bollywood villain saying, 'Your death lies within you!'")

Kabir leaned back, grinning. "Mujhe lagta hai mujhe Oscar milna chahiye. Par tum yeh sab chhodo, badshah Saleem. Tumhare Anarkali ke baare mein baat karte hain."

("I think I deserve an Oscar. But forget all this, King Saleem. Let's talk about your Anarkali.")

I groaned. "Kabir, woh Anarkali nahi hai. She's a highly qualified doctor, and I hired her because she's an asset to the hospital."

Kabir raised his eyebrows, leaning forward like a gossiping aunt. "Asset hospital ke liye ya tumhare dil ke liye?"

("An asset to the hospital or to your heart?")

I glared at him, but Kabir continued with full dramatic flair.

"Ab maan le, yaar. Tere dil ki halat mujhe dikh rahi hai. Teri yeh dil ki dhadkan, jo usse dekhte hi uppar neeche hoti hai, uska ek hi ilaaj hai-'haan' bol de!"

("Just admit it, man. I can see the state of your heart. That heartbeat of yours that goes up and down when you see her has only one cure-just say 'yes'!")

I grabbed the file from the table and pretended to throw it at him. "Kabir, tu chup karega ya nahi?"

("Kabir, will you shut up or not?")

He dodged and raised his hands in mock surrender. "Theek hai, theek hai! Par ek baat bata-hospital ka owner hone ke faayde ache hain, haan? Apni sapnon ki rani ko direct yahan job dilwa diya!"

("Fine, fine! But tell me one thing-being the hospital owner has its perks, right? You directly gave your dream queen a job here!")

I sighed, knowing there was no escape. "Main tumhare saath kyun baithta hoon, mujhe samajh nahi aata. Tumhare jokes itne stupid hote hain ki agar Shivaksh bhaiya sun le, toh mujhe is cabin se nikal kar receptionist bana denge!"

("I don't know why I even sit with you. Your jokes are so stupid that if Shivaksh Bhaiya hears them, he'll demote me to receptionist!")

Kabir laughed loudly. "Tension mat le. Waise bhi reception pe baith kar bhi tum Arohi madam ko dekh sakte ho. Tumhari toh lottery lag gayi!"

("Don't worry. Anyway, even as a receptionist, you'll get to see Arohi madam. You've hit the jackpot!")

I pinched the bridge of my nose, suppressing a laugh.

"Kabir, mujhe usse hot steamy affair nahi chahiye, samjha? Agar ek surgery ka chance mil jaye uske saath, wahi mere liye kaafi hai."

("Kabir, I don't want a hot, steamy affair with her, okay? If I get one chance to perform surgery with her, that'll be enough for me.")

Kabir gasped dramatically, clutching his chest dramatically . "Bas itna hi? Tum toh bade sharif nikle, Saleem ji! Par mujhe toh lagta hai ek din tum dono operation theatre ke lights ke neeche ek doosre ko 'I love you' bolne waale ho!"

("That's it? You're such a gentleman, Saleem! But I think one day, under the operation theatre lights, you both will confess your love to each other!")

"shut up kabir !" I shot back,

Kabir leaned back, still grinning. "Beta, yeh toh shuruat hai. Main toh tumhari love story ka official commentator banne waala hoon!"

("Bro, this is just the beginning. I'm officially going to be the commentator of your love story!")

And as much as I wanted to deny it, I knew he wasn't entirely wrong. But right now all I want is her only her and her presence around me ..

" Bus ek baar haan boldo Arohi, that's all I want from you .par ithna easily nahi , thoda sa pareshan karna toh banta hai "

***************"*****

Arohi pov

"Haan murthi ji bathayiye" i said to papa over phone ..

" Ruhi beta jaldi se cafeteria mein ajao , mujhe tumse baat karni hai kuch important hai " he said  ..

I walked into the cafeteria, my heart pounding with anxiety. "Why did Papa call me so urgently?" I wondered, clutching my phone tightly. I spotted Murthy ji sitting at a table, a folder in his hand, and his usual warm smile playing on his face.

“Haan, Papa, kya hua? Itni urgency mein kyun bulaya?”  I asked, settling into the chair opposite him.

(Yes, Papa, what happened? Why did you call me so urgently?)

He cleared his throat, pushed the folder towards me, and said with a grin, “Yeh dekho, beta.  I’ve brought some prospective grooms’ photos for you."

I froze, staring at the folder like it was a bomb.  What?! Murthy ji , shadhi ? I don’t want to get married right now!)

“Arrey, photos toh dekh lo pehle!”  he said, sliding a photo out.

(At least look at the photos first!)

“Yeh dekho, Dr. Sameer. He’s a very good guy and a doctor like you!' he said

I glanced at the photo and burst out laughing.  " Murthy ji , this Sameer used to make me fall asleep in anatomy lectures! How can I marry him?

Murthy ji looked bewildered.

" Okay, forget him. Look at this one, Amol. He’s a software engineer, earns well, and is planning to move to Canada."

I shook my head vigorously.  " Murthy ji , , I don’t want to go to Canada. And anyway, I’m not attracted to such people at all!"

He sighed dramatically, leaning back. “Toh phir batao, beta , are you interested in any handsome doctor at Hridaya Hospital? I don’t have any objection."

I stared at him, my jaw dropping. “murthi ji ! What are you saying? Are you trying to act like a cool father and wants to spill secrets?, I go to the hospital to work, not to make relationships!"

He smirked, raising an eyebrow. “Acha? Toh tumhare woh surgeon Rudra ke saath tumhari  kya chakkar hai?”

(Oh really? Then what’s the matter  with your neuro surgeon, Rudra?)

“jasoos, saste ,  byomkesh bakshi , papa " I mumbled , turning crimson. “Kuch nahi hai! Aur waise bhi, woh... woh irritating hai!”

(There’s nothing! And anyway, he’s... he’s irritating!)

Murthy ji chuckled, clearly enjoying himself.

“Beta,  life needs a little romance. Otherwise, you’ll spend your whole life with just patients.)

Frustrated, I stood up. “ you're impossible , Papa!” I turned and said to myself " why Bholenath why?? Aapka sara humour mere upar hi kyu karch kar rahe ho "

He laughed, waving me off. “Thik hai, thik hai. But do think about it!" She shouted and the whole cafeteria is seeing is " damn "

---

Fuming, I marched through the corridor, muttering under my breath about Murthy ji’s antics. "Marriage, handsome doctor, Rudra… Huh! I don’t need any of this!"

Lost in thought, I turned a corner and collided into what felt like a hard wall. My hands instinctively reached out to steady myself, but before I could fall, two strong arms caught me.

I gasped, looking up. My hazel brown eyes locked with piercing green ones. It was Rudra.

We stood like that for a few seconds, frozen in time. His gaze held a mix of amusement and something else I couldn’t quite place.

“I know,” he said, his voice teasing, “mein bahut handsome hoon. Par tum aise hi dekhte rahogi toh log kya sochenge?” he said dramatically like those aunties who judge the people without any second thought .

(I know, I’m very handsome. But if you keep staring at me like this, what will people think?)

" Kithna irritating hai yeh Banda "

I quickly stepped back, adjusting my hair and avoiding his smirk. “Thanks for the rescue,” I mumbled.

He leaned slightly closer, a playful glint in his eyes.  " By the way, you smell nice. What perfume do you use, Dr. Murthy? "

I glared at him. Like saying "It’s not perfume. This is natural."

His grin widened. “Ohh, toh yeh tumhari natural fragrance hai? Lavender wali? Patients ke dil par attack ho gaya toh?”

(Oh, so this is your natural fragrance? Lavender? What if it gives patients a heart attack?)

" Isse kaise pata chal gaya ki mein kya soch rahi hunn ? "

“Badtameez aadmi!” I muttered under my breath, turning on my heel to walk away.

(You shameless man!)

He followed me, clearly enjoying my irritation.
“Arrey, gussa mat karo. Main toh bas tareef kar raha tha.”

(Hey, don’t be angry. I was just complimenting you.)

Before I could retort, a loud commotion broke out near the hospital entrance.

“Doctor! Doctor! Emergency hai! Humari beti ko bacha lijiye!”

(Doctor! Doctor! It’s an emergency! Please save our daughter!)

Rudra and I exchanged a quick glance and rushed to the entrance together. My irritation with him was momentarily forgotten as we sprinted to handle the emergency.

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So that's it for today! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you did, please don’t forget to vote and leave a comment—your support means the world to me! 💖

See you in the next update!