OrionTech India HQ – HR Bay
Dev strutted into HR like he owned the floor, sipping on a paper cup of chai like it was a martini.
“Alright, ladies and gentlemen,” he said to the small cluster of HR execs gathered around the break desk, “we have a situation.”
Megha, the Lead Talent Officer, raised an eyebrow. “Is it the fire exit audits again?”
“Worse. It’s emotional.”
“Oh God,” someone muttered. “Is it Vanya?”
Dev nodded grimly. “She’s in deep. Like Mariana Trench deep. Girl thinks about Ira every time someone says ‘presentation.’”
“Wait,” Megha leaned forward. “Ira? That girl from the training campus? With the vest?”
“That’s the one.”
“The one who said Vanya’s presence helps her brain focus?”
“YOU SMELL LIKE- Like sandalwood and panic ALSO You’re rare too,” Dev said, whisper-shouting.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMzbkxysE9
Chairs squeaked as people leaned in.
“So, what's the plan?” Megha asked, wide-eyed.
“We make her realize,” Dev declared, “that this isn’t about a job. This is a courtship. Softly. Strategically. Respectfully.”
“You’re proposing a covert matchmaking operation inside our company?” someone asked.
“Absolutely.”
“I’m in,” Megha said immediately.
Operation: Wake Up, Ira Rathore
By lunch, the plan was in motion.
Step 1: No job offer.
An official HR update was quietly sent to the training center stating that no hiring was currently active, especially not for on-site interns. This confused a lot of students but clarified one very important thing:
Ira was not being interviewed.
Step 2: Friendly HR Check-In.
Megha “accidentally” called Ira’s campus line under the guise of “feedback for last week's visit.”
“Hi Ira, just a quick check. How did you find the interaction with Miss Singhania?”
“She was... intense,” Ira said honestly.
“In a good way?”
“I guess. She listened. Most people don’t. She wasn’t... scary. Just focused.”
“And what did you think the meeting was about?”
“Recruitment?”
Pause.
“Ira... we don’t have any current opening listed.”
“You... don’t?”
“Nope.”
Another pause.
“Then... why did she come back?” Ira asked, voice quieter now, more thoughtful.
Megha smiled behind the receiver. “That’s a very good question.”
That Evening – Singhania Mansion
Vanya was curled up on the corner of the massive sofa, reading a file and pretending to be busy when Dev walked in with the smugness of a man who just set an entire plotline in motion.
“She knows,” he said.
Vanya looked up, eyes narrowing. “Knows what?”
“That she wasn’t being interviewed.”
Silence.
Vanya set the file down. Her spine straightened, like a queen snapping into her throne.
“What did she say?”
“Nothing yet. But her voice changed. Just a little. Like something clicked.”
Vanya’s mind began to spin in directions she didn’t like admitting: hope, possibility, anticipation.
“And now?”
“Now you wait.”
“Wait for what?”
Dev shrugged. “For her to walk into the room and say something ridiculously casual that flirts harder than any pickup line ever invented—and have no clue she’s doing it.”
Cut To: Campus Dorms – Girls’ Lounge
Ira sat quietly on the edge of the couch, confused.
“So... she wasn’t hiring?”
“Nope,” said Aditi, biting her lip.
“Then why did she want to know what kind of people I get along with? And my hobbies? And whether I like small talk?”
Silence.
The girls stared at her like she was a walking Greek riddle.
“Ira,” Aditi said slowly, “she was flirting with you.”
“What?” Ira blinked. “She was being thorough.”
“She flew down. Alone. With no deck. She stared at you like you were dessert.”
“She complimented my ability to explain cybersecurity.”
“She complimented your voice, Ira.”
Pause.
Ira looked away.
“That’s... weird.”
“It’s romantic.”
Ira sipped her tea, eyes distant. “I thought CEOs didn’t have time for that kind of stuff.”
“Well, apparently this one makes time for you.”
Next Day
The morning light filtered softly through the tree-lined courtyard of the training center. Birds chirped, and conversations buzzed low in the background—normal, forgettable. But the tension that descended when Vanya Singhania walked through the main gate?
Unforgettable.
She wasn’t alone.
Dev.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxe0Uulz19E
Trisha.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjUQ63OBst
Arav.
The Trio of Emotional Support and Chaos had returned—with one mission: Don’t let her walk out this time without saying the word “date” correctly.
Vanya was dressed like power and poetry—black high-waisted trousers, a navy silk shirt tucked in just right, and a soft gold pendant that disappeared into her collarbone. Hair up, lipstick dark. She didn’t walk—she moved, like gravity bent slightly around her.
“You look like a woman about to propose to a goddess,” Dev said with a smirk.
“She is,” Trisha whispered to Arav. “And the goddess probably thinks it’s a Google Calendar meeting.”
“Everyone shut up,” Vanya muttered. “This time I’ll be clear.”
Inside – 11:30 AM
Ira stood at the edge of the workshop bay, sleeves rolled to her elbows, smudge of ink near her wrist again, sipping lukewarm vending machine coffee like it was just another day.
Except it wasn’t.
Because when she turned—
She saw her.
And like always, her reaction was calm, unaffected, controlled—while everyone else behind her suddenly began whispering and practically vibrating with anticipation.
“Ma’am,” Ira greeted. Straight to the point. Polite, no smile.
“Still calling me that,” Vanya replied with a sigh.
“It’s accurate,” Ira said with a tilt of her head. “You outrank everyone here.”
“Please, call me Vanya,” she said softly.
Ira stared at her for a moment, then gave a slow, thoughtful nod.
“Alright, Vanya,” she said—and somehow made it sound like her name had just found its real pronunciation.
Vanya’s heart skipped. Just a little. The way Ira said it—grounded, calm, like she'd never doubted the syllables. No flirtation. No flinch. Just... truth.
“What brings you here again?” Ira asked, sipping her coffee.
“Actually,” Vanya said, shifting her weight slightly, “I came to ask you something.”
“Let me guess.” Ira nodded. “An offer evaluation? Or a mock interview round?”
Vanya blinked. “No—”
“A freelance project test case?” Ira continued, absolutely unaware of the personal undertone. “You need a junior consultant on a security protocol? I’d be honored—though I’m not certified yet.”
“Ira—”
“I can email my work samples if needed,” she added seriously. “Or is this a surprise panel? You should’ve said. I’d have worn better shoes.”
Vanya stepped forward, slowly, trying not to laugh or cry.
“Ira,” she said gently. “It’s… not a job. It’s a date. I came to ask you out.”
There was silence.
Birds chirped again.
A vending machine somewhere buzzed softly.
“Like a... date date?” Ira asked, head tilted slightly.
“Yes,” Vanya nodded. “With me.”
Ira stared at her. Expression unreadable. Processing.
“I’ve never done that before,” she said simply. Like she was talking about welding, not love.
“You’ve never been on a date?” Vanya asked, surprised again.
“Nope,” Ira replied honestly.
"Not even once," Vanya asked curiously.
“Never got asked.” Ira replied.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ir7iwnMhN
A beat.
“Then,” Vanya said with a faint smile, “let me be your first.”
Ira looked down. Actually paused. And for a moment, Vanya thought—this is it.
Then Ira’s brows furrowed.
She stepped back slightly.
“No,” she said. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?” Vanya asked, stunned. “Did I say something wrong?”
“You’re a CEO,” Ira said, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.
“So?”
“You have power. Influence. You can blacklist me. You know people in the industry. You could accidentally ruin my career path without meaning to or if things didn't work out”
“Ira—”
“And if I don’t do well on the date? What happens? What if I bore you? Or say something stupid?” she added, completely serious. “I’m just a trainee. And you’re… you.”
Vanya stared at her. And suddenly, it all clicked.
She wasn’t rejecting her.
She was protecting herself.
This wasn’t about fear of affection. It was about risk. Ira saw relationships through the lens of logic. A CEO asking her out was a variable too unstable to trust.
And still, she didn’t look afraid.
Just practical. Honest. Ira.
“I don’t dislike you,” Ira added, sensing the tension. “In fact, you’re… fine. Not irritating. That’s rare.”
Vanya blinked. “Not irritating?”
“I meant that as a compliment,” Ira nodded. “You’re the kind of person who makes a room quiet. Not loud. I respect that.”
Vanya stared at her, caught between a laugh and an ache in her chest.
“Ira,” she said softly. “I’m not going to blacklist you. I’m not going to break you. I don’t want to own you. I just want… to know you. Outside this place. Outside pressure. Just you.”
Ira paused. Really looked at her for a moment.
“That’s... new,” she said after a while.
Then slowly shook her head.
“Still feels risky.”
And with that, she turned to leave.
No dramatics. No flustered exit. Just quiet steps.
But before she could walk fully away, Vanya found her voice again.
“If I showed up again tomorrow?” she asked.
Ira paused.
“Would you still say no?”
A pause. Then Ira, without looking back, replied:
“Depends. Are you still a CEO tomorrow?”
Vanya exhaled a soft, bitter-sweet laugh.
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Then yes,” Ira said. “Still no.”
And with that, she was gone.
Leaving Vanya standing in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by the sounds of a world that kept turning—even when hers had just stopped.
The Hypothetical Curve
Vanya Singhania had conquered a thousand boardrooms, silenced executives with a glance, and walked out of more mergers than most people had attended Monday meetings. But she had never, not once, walked into a courtyard so emotionally dangerous.
And yet—here she was again.
Back at that same training campus. Third visit in as many weeks.
This time, however, she wasn’t alone.
She came with her battle squad:41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPWncHi0CV
Dev, her assistant and chaos consultant,41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfiBNQVVVk
Trisha, her sister and emotional blackmailer, and41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR57TfMT5Mh
Arav, her brother and occasional human megaphone.
The plan today?
Ask out Ira Rathore one last time.
But this time—hypothetically.
Dev’s words echoed in her ears from earlier that morning:
“She doesn’t respond to direct. Try hypothetical. Coded. Almost algorithmic. Like: ‘Would you say yes if...?’ Not ‘Will you go out with me?’ Because if you make her boot up emotionally, she might panic.”
“Also,” Trisha had added, “be hot. But like, emotionally non-threatening hot.”
Vanya had rolled her eyes, but now, walking into the open courtyard, dressed in black wide-leg trousers and a deep-blue silk shirt—collar relaxed, sleeves rolled up, hair softer than usual—she hoped they were right.
Then she saw her.
Ira. Sitting. Dangerous. Unaware.
Leg crossed over the other, leaning lazily against the back of a stone bench with a paper cup of coffee in hand. She wore a slightly oversized black crop hoodie and fitted jeans, her hair twisted into a low, loose bun that let a few strands brush her cheek.
She looked up absently—then spotted Vanya.
And stood.
Stretching as she did, lifting her arms high above her head with a soft yawn—like she was waking from a dream.
That’s when the hoodie shifted.
Just a little.
Just enough.
Vanya stopped breathing.
The hoodie rose slightly as she stretched—revealing a clean line of toned skin and a perfect curve of her waist. It was nothing dramatic. Not even intentional. But it was lethal.
For half a second, Vanya forgot why she was even there.
Her brain? Gone.
Her purpose? Vaporized.
She stared.
Dev, standing beside her, muttered through clenched teeth:
“Blink. Say something. Don’t just stand there like you’ve never seen God stretch before.”
Vanya blinked once. Twice.
Then refocused.
“Hi, Ira,” she said, voice far more uneven than usual.
And Ira, As Always, Oblivious and Brilliant
“Vanya,” she greeted, tone polite but calm, brushing her fingers through her hair and gesturing to the seat beside her. “Didn’t expect another campus visit. Everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine,” Vanya said, sitting down beside her as the trio lingered in the background pretending not to watch like hawks.
Ira sipped her coffee.
“Let me guess,” she added. “You have another... recruitment test?”
Vanya smiled faintly.
“Actually... yes. Hypothetical. Let’s say this isn’t about recruitment—but something else entirely.”
Ira tilted her head slightly, intrigued.
“Okay. Go on.”
Vanya took a breath. Then said:
“Let’s say you had a friend. And this friend wanted to spend time with someone who—let’s say—never dated before. Someone brilliant. And deeply magnetic, even if they didn’t know it.”
Ira nodded slowly, listening, sipping her coffee again. “Mhm.”
“Now this friend,” Vanya continued, “was... maybe a little intense. Kind of scary, professionally. But only because she’s used to leading, not asking.”
Ira looked at her now, more focused. “Sounds like your friend’s trying to ask someone out.”
“Exactly,” Vanya said, almost smiling. “So if this was you—and that friend asked, not as a boss, not as a CEO, but as a woman... would you say yes?”
There was a pause.
Ira looked down at her coffee cup.
Then at Vanya.
And said simply:
“Okay.”
Dev nearly choked.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwdhKjYmJ4
Trisha clutched Arav’s shoulder like she’d witnessed a miracle.41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrljGMqcwx
Vanya blinked, uncertain if she’d heard correctly.
“Okay?” she echoed.
Ira nodded. “To your hypothetical.”
Vanya couldn’t stop herself.
“So you’d go on a date? With me?”
There it was.
The first flicker of realization on Ira’s face.
She blinked.
“Wait. You meant you you? As in... this isn’t hypothetical anymore?”
“No, Ira,” Vanya said gently. “I’ve been trying to ask you out for weeks.”
Ira stared.
Then: “A date. Like, a date date?”
“Yes,” Vanya said, amused now. “With me. Vanya.”
Ira went quiet again. Thinking.
Processing.
Then she said—completely sincere:
“I’ve never done that before.”
“I know,” Vanya replied softly.
“And you’re a CEO.”
“Still true,” Vanya smiled.
Ira looked up, as if that alone explained everything.
“That’s... kind of intimidating.”
“Only if you forget I’m also the girl who forgot English the last time you complimented me.”
Ira blinked at that.
Then smiled—barely.
“I guess I’d say yes.”
“You already did,” Vanya replied.
Across the courtyard, a cheer almost erupted before Trisha clamped her hand over Arav’s mouth and Dev silently fist-pumped behind a tree.
And Ira? Still sipping her coffee. Still thinking this was all entirely logical.
But inside Vanya’s chest?
Everything was chaos.
41Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnqauQ4moZ
