Chapter 4

After the class ended, Veeresh Raj stepped into the corridor, his stride confident but calm. He approached the doorway where Poornima was gathering her books, her fingers lightly brushing the pages as if she were still holding onto the magic of her lecture.

“Miss Rai,” he began, his voice carrying a subtle authority but not a hint of arrogance, “I’m Veeresh Raj, professor of Economics and Business.”

Poornima looked up, her eyes meeting his. A small, polite smile curved her lips. “Hello, Mr. Raj. I’m Poornima Rai, professor of Literature.”

Veeresh nodded slightly, his gaze studying her for a brief moment—her calm composure, the ease with which she carried herself. Then, leaning just a fraction closer, he asked, “How are the students? Are they adjusting to the new curriculum?”

Poornima’s smile widened softly, a warmth in her voice. “Yes, they’re adjusting well. Everything is going smoothly so far.”

Veeresh’s lips curved into a rare, subtle smile of his own. “Nice meeting you, Miss Rai.”

She returned the smile, a quiet spark of friendliness in her eyes. “Nice meeting you too, Mr. Raj.”

For a brief moment, the bustling corridor seemed to pause around them—the two professors exchanging a simple greeting, yet each silently aware of something intriguing in the other.

Veeresh walked away with a faint smile lingering on his face, a rare thought crossing his mind: this new literature professor—so simple, so disciplined, so quietly brilliant—was someone worth noticing.