Not Ours, Yet Ours

If it's true, then...

Suryansh had always been professional, but lately, there was something different about the way he behaved around Ujasha. It wasn't just his natural reserve- he had become distant, detached, and cold. Each time Ujasha approached him with work or questions, she could sense his walls were up higher than ever before.

He would brush her off with curt, direct responses, his once subtle hints of camaraderie now buried under layers of formality.

"Mr. Khurana," Ujasha began one morning, standing at his office door, file in hand, "I've completed the quarterly report you requested. I can go over the details with you now if you'd like?"

Suryansh didn't bother looking up from his laptop. "Leave it on my desk. I'll review it later."

Her brow furrowed slightly. "I thought you said we needed to-"

"I said later, Ms. Ujasha." His tone was clipped, his eyes still glued to the screen.

Ujasha stepped back, biting her lower lip, unsure what had triggered this sudden frostiness in their interactions. She had done everything right, hadn't she? Was there something wrong with her work?

"Okay... I'll be at my desk if you need anything."

He didn't respond.

"Shit! Was I too rude? No, I just need to be extra professional. Ya, it's just professionalism." He muttered convincing himself.

___________________________________________________________

Things at the office continued like this for days, with Suryansh growing colder, creating a palpable tension between them. It wasn't until one day when the news of Rahul's transfer broke that Ujasha felt an entirely different pang of confusion.

"Wait, what?" Ujasha nearly dropped her coffee mug as she heard the news. "You're leaving?"

Rahul smiled sheepishly, holding the official letter. "I've been transferred to the U.S. branch. Big opportunity, I guess. I leave next week."

Ujasha's heart sank. Rahul had become one of her closest friends in the office, someone she could banter with, who made the long workdays bearable. The thought of him leaving left her feeling both sad and a little lost.Suryansh, who had overheard the conversation from his office, felt an inexplicable surge of satisfaction. Rahul, with his easy charm and constant proximity to Ujasha, would finally be out of the picture. No more awkward glances across the office, no more casual laughter from Ujasha directed at someone else. But as the days ticked by, even that satisfaction wasn't enough to quell the growing irritation he felt whenever Ujasha was in the room.

____________________________________________________________

The department had gathered to bid farewell to Rahul on his last day. The room was filled with bittersweet laughter, well wishes, and light-hearted jokes about the new challenges he would face in the U.S.

Ujasha couldn't help the tears that welled up in her eyes. She wasn't one to cry easily, but the thought of Rahul, her confidant, leaving the company hit harder than she expected. When it was her turn to say goodbye, she pulled him into a tight hug.
"I'm going to miss you so much," she said, her voice cracking slightly as she pulled away, wiping at her eyes. "Don't you dare forget about us!"

Rahul smiled, patting her shoulder. "How could I forget? And hey, you've got the whole department to keep you company."

Across the room, Suryansh stood stiffly, arms crossed. His jaw clenched as he watched the emotional display. He had expected to feel relieved at Rahul's departure, but seeing Ujasha hug him so tightly filled him with an unfamiliar sense of frustration and jealousy. Even as everyone else laughed and joked around them, Suryansh remained stony-faced, his mood soured. Gauransh glanced at both knowingly.