Incomplete Love

A New Junior

Later that day, Arjun saw Ishita for the first time as he and Shiva were walking through the campus. She was standing nervously outside the hostel, her eyes scanning the area like she was lost. Arjun, still annoyed by his father's request, walked over to her without much enthusiasm.

"You’re Ishita, right?" Arjun asked coldly, hands stuffed in his pockets.

Ishita turned to look at him, eyes wide. She had heard about Arjun Reddy—the most feared senior in the college—but she hadn’t expected him to be the one taking care of her. "Y-Yes," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Arjun glanced at her, noticing her nervousness. "I’m Arjun. My father told me to look after you. Everything's been arranged—your hostel room, your registration. If you need anything, talk to Shiva or me. But don’t expect me to babysit you."

Ishita blinked, taken aback by his bluntness. "Oh... um, thank you. I didn’t want to trouble anyone—"

"You’re not," Arjun interrupted her sharply. "Just stick with the rules, and you’ll be fine."

Without waiting for her response, Arjun turned and walked away, leaving Ishita standing there, confused but intrigued.

---

Days passed, and despite his cold attitude, Arjun made sure Ishita was comfortable. He arranged for her books, ensured she wasn’t ragged by the seniors, and even checked in occasionally, though always in a detached manner.

One day, after a particularly long anatomy class, Ishita hesitated as she saw Arjun sitting alone in the canteen. Gathering her courage, she walked over.

"Arjun... I just wanted to say thank you," Ishita said softly, standing awkwardly in front of him. "For helping me out."

Arjun didn’t look up from his cup of coffee. "You don’t have to thank me. I’m just doing what my father asked."

Ishita bit her lip, trying to find the right words. "Still, you’ve been really helpful. Not all seniors would do that."

Arjun finally looked at her, his gaze intense and unreadable. "Look, Ishita, I don’t do this out of kindness or because I care. You’re here because of a promise. That’s it."

Ishita flinched slightly at the harshness of his tone but didn’t back down. "I understand. But I just wanted you to know that I appreciate it."

Arjun didn’t respond, instead, he picked up his bag and stood. "Just stay out of trouble," he said flatly before walking away.

---

Despite Arjun’s cold demeanor, Ishita couldn’t help but admire him. She watched how he carried himself, how even in his aloofness, he commanded respect from everyone around him. The way he looked out for her, even if he didn’t care much, showed a side of him she couldn’t ignore.

One evening, after another long day of classes, Ishita bumped into Shiva outside the library. She hesitated before speaking.

"Shiva, I wanted to ask... Arjun, he always seems so distant. But he’s also so... I don’t know... responsible?"

Shiva grinned. "That’s just Arjun. He’s got his own way of doing things. Cold, but reliable. Why do you ask?"

Ishita shrugged, trying to sound casual. "I don’t know. It’s just... he’s been really helpful, but it’s like he doesn’t want to be."

Shiva laughed. "You noticed that, huh? He’s like that with everyone. But trust me, once he’s decided to take care of something, he’ll do it right."

Ishita nodded, feeling a strange warmth in her chest. She couldn’t explain why, but she had begun to admire Arjun—not just for his intelligence or his reputation, but for the quiet way he took responsibility without expecting anything in return.

---

Over the next few weeks, Ishita found herself thinking about Arjun more often. She watched him from afar—how he interacted with his friends, how he handled tough situations in the hospital, how he dealt with his own emotions, even if they were hidden behind a wall of indifference.

One afternoon, as she passed by the medical block, she saw Arjun sitting alone on the steps, his head lowered. Something about the way he sat, looking so distant and lost, pulled at her heart.

She walked over cautiously, unsure if he would even welcome her presence.

"Arjun?" she called out softly.

He glanced up at her, his face unreadable. "What do you want?"

"I just... you looked like you could use some company," Ishita said hesitantly, her voice gentle.

Arjun let out a bitter laugh. "Company isn’t really my thing."

Ishita took a seat beside him, ignoring the tension in the air. "You don’t have to talk. I just thought I’d sit here for a while."

For a moment, there was silence between them. Arjun didn’t push her away, but he didn’t say anything either. He stared off into the distance, lost in his own thoughts. Ishita sat quietly, not expecting anything, but just being there.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Arjun spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "You don’t know anything about me, Ishita. Don’t try to figure me out."

Ishita looked at him, her heart pounding. "Maybe. But that doesn’t mean I can’t try."

Arjun turned to her, his expression hard. "Don’t waste your time."

Ishita smiled softly. "It’s not a waste."

Arjun’s gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before he stood up abruptly. "Stay out of my business, Ishita," he said, his tone final. "You’ll just end up getting hurt."

Without another word, he walked away, leaving Ishita sitting there alone, her heart heavy but her admiration for him growing deeper.