24-05-2026, 12:10 PM
Chapter 10— Parallel Lives
Chennai rain had a way of making everything feel slightly more personal than it should.
Even distance.
Even silence.
Even thoughts that people pretended not to have.
---
Shruthi’s World
At office, Shruthi was already seated when Karthik arrived.
He placed a file gently on her desk.
“Morning.”
She didn’t look up immediately.
“Morning.”
A pause.
Then Karthik added:
“You’re early today.”
Shruthi finally glanced at him.
“I’m always early. The world just wakes up late.”
“That sounds philosophical.”
“It’s just irritation disguised as philosophy.”
Karthik smiled.
He had started doing that a lot lately.
Not loudly.
Not excessively.
Just enough to make her notice.
---
By lunchtime, they were again in the cafeteria.
It had become a pattern neither of them had formally agreed on, but both had accepted silently.
Karthik pushed her plate slightly toward her.
“You didn’t eat breakfast again.”
Shruthi looked at him.
“How do you know everything I don’t tell you?”
“I observe.”
“That’s how serial killers start conversations.”
He laughed.
“I’m a harmless trainee, not a thriller character.”
Shruthi leaned back slightly.
“That’s exactly what thriller characters say.”
They both laughed again.
---
Then, casually, Karthik said:
“My sister still talks about you sometimes.”
Shruthi raised an eyebrow.
“Oh no.”
“She says you were strict in college.”
“I was efficient.”
“She calls it trauma.”
“She survived. That’s enough.”
Karthik shook his head smiling.
“You haven’t changed much, right?”
Shruthi thought for a second.
“I’ve become more patient.”
“That sounds fake.”
“It is slightly fake.”
He laughed again.
And Shruthi realized something quietly—
this conversation felt easy in a way her home conversations hadn’t felt recently.
Not better.
Just lighter.
---
Lokesh’s World
Evening arrived differently for Lokesh.
Not faster.
Not slower.
Just more physically exhausting.
He reached home earlier than Shruthi that day with Hasini sitting on his shoulders, narrating a story about a boy who refused to share crayons and therefore “became villain of class.”
Lokesh listened seriously.
“Hm. That boy is dangerous.”
“Yes Appa!”
“Very bad influence.”
Hasini nodded gravely.
“Should we arrest him?”
Lokesh smiled faintly.
“Let’s inform college first.”
---
As they entered the apartment, their neighbor Laila stepped out of her door at the same time.
She was holding grocery bags and looked slightly tired.
“Oh, perfect timing,” she said casually. “Lift is not working again.”
Lokesh nodded.
“Again?”
“Always again.”
Hasini immediately peeked from behind Lokesh.
“Hi aunty!”
Laila smiled.
“Hi little boss.”
Lokesh adjusted Hasini on his arm.
“You coming from office?”
“Yeah. Dead day.”
She looked at Hasini.
“She looks more energetic than me.”
Lokesh replied calmly:
“That’s her job.”
Laila laughed.
“That’s true.”
Then added while adjusting her bag:
“By the way, your daughter once told me I walk like cartoon character.”
Lokesh looked down.
“That sounds accurate.”
Laila raised an eyebrow.
“You’re not defending me?”
“I don’t have evidence against her observation.”
That made her laugh properly.
---
At the lift, they stood together waiting.
The silence was comfortable.
Not forced.
Just shared routine.
Laila leaned slightly on the wall.
“You always come home early?”
“Most days.”
“Family man.”
Lokesh nodded.
“Something like that.”
She smiled faintly.
“That must be nice… having fixed reason to leave work.”
Lokesh looked ahead.
“It’s not nice or not nice. It’s just… required.”
Laila nodded.
“Still sounds stable.”
He didn’t respond immediately.
Then:
“Stable is good.”
That was the end of it.
No emotional weight.
Just normal neighbor conversation.
But repeated often enough, normal becomes familiarity.
---
Back at Shruthi’s Office
That same evening, Shruthi was leaving late with Karthik again.
Rain had just started.
He held an umbrella slightly tilted toward her.
“You always stay this late?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Don’t you get tired?”
“I am tired.”
“But you still stay.”
She glanced at him.
“That’s job.”
“That sounds sad.”
“It’s not sad. It’s routine.”
Karthik stayed quiet for a moment.
Then said:
“You smile more when you’re not in meetings.”
Shruthi stopped walking slightly.
Looked at him.
“You observe too much.”
“I think I just notice when people change tone.”
That made her silent for a moment longer than expected.
Then she simply said:
“See you tomorrow.”
“See you.”
---
Home Again
That night, Shruthi returned home to find Lokesh folding clothes near the sofa while Hasini watched cartoons half-asleep.
The apartment smelled of rice and mild rain.
Normal.
Safe.
Predictable.
---
Lokesh looked up.
“Late again.”
“Work.”
“Hm.”
A pause.
Then he added:
“Laila was asking about lift again today.”
Shruthi raised an eyebrow.
“Who is Laila?”
“Neighbor.”
“Ah.”
That was it.
No curiosity.
Just acknowledgment.
---
Later, after Hasini slept, they both sat in the living room quietly.
No television.
No phone noise.
Just rain outside.
Lokesh spoke first.
“Your trainee seems active.”
Shruthi looked at him.
“Karthik?”
“Hm.”
“Yes. He’s learning.”
Lokesh nodded.
“That’s good.”
And again—
no jealousy.
No tension.
Just awareness.
Like both of them were slowly observing each other’s expanding worlds without fully stepping into them.
---
Shruthi leaned back slightly.
“You know what’s strange?”
“Hm?”
“We talk less now.”
Lokesh didn’t respond immediately.
Then:
“We’re tired more.”
She nodded.
“Maybe.”
Silence returned.
Not heavy.
Just present.
---
Outside, rain continued washing Chennai like it always did—
quietly covering distances people pretended didn’t exist,
while inside the same home, two people still sat side by side…
slowly learning how to live parallel lives without yet calling it separation.
Chennai rain had a way of making everything feel slightly more personal than it should.
Even distance.
Even silence.
Even thoughts that people pretended not to have.
---
Shruthi’s World
At office, Shruthi was already seated when Karthik arrived.
He placed a file gently on her desk.
“Morning.”
She didn’t look up immediately.
“Morning.”
A pause.
Then Karthik added:
“You’re early today.”
Shruthi finally glanced at him.
“I’m always early. The world just wakes up late.”
“That sounds philosophical.”
“It’s just irritation disguised as philosophy.”
Karthik smiled.
He had started doing that a lot lately.
Not loudly.
Not excessively.
Just enough to make her notice.
---
By lunchtime, they were again in the cafeteria.
It had become a pattern neither of them had formally agreed on, but both had accepted silently.
Karthik pushed her plate slightly toward her.
“You didn’t eat breakfast again.”
Shruthi looked at him.
“How do you know everything I don’t tell you?”
“I observe.”
“That’s how serial killers start conversations.”
He laughed.
“I’m a harmless trainee, not a thriller character.”
Shruthi leaned back slightly.
“That’s exactly what thriller characters say.”
They both laughed again.
---
Then, casually, Karthik said:
“My sister still talks about you sometimes.”
Shruthi raised an eyebrow.
“Oh no.”
“She says you were strict in college.”
“I was efficient.”
“She calls it trauma.”
“She survived. That’s enough.”
Karthik shook his head smiling.
“You haven’t changed much, right?”
Shruthi thought for a second.
“I’ve become more patient.”
“That sounds fake.”
“It is slightly fake.”
He laughed again.
And Shruthi realized something quietly—
this conversation felt easy in a way her home conversations hadn’t felt recently.
Not better.
Just lighter.
---
Lokesh’s World
Evening arrived differently for Lokesh.
Not faster.
Not slower.
Just more physically exhausting.
He reached home earlier than Shruthi that day with Hasini sitting on his shoulders, narrating a story about a boy who refused to share crayons and therefore “became villain of class.”
Lokesh listened seriously.
“Hm. That boy is dangerous.”
“Yes Appa!”
“Very bad influence.”
Hasini nodded gravely.
“Should we arrest him?”
Lokesh smiled faintly.
“Let’s inform college first.”
---
As they entered the apartment, their neighbor Laila stepped out of her door at the same time.
She was holding grocery bags and looked slightly tired.
“Oh, perfect timing,” she said casually. “Lift is not working again.”
Lokesh nodded.
“Again?”
“Always again.”
Hasini immediately peeked from behind Lokesh.
“Hi aunty!”
Laila smiled.
“Hi little boss.”
Lokesh adjusted Hasini on his arm.
“You coming from office?”
“Yeah. Dead day.”
She looked at Hasini.
“She looks more energetic than me.”
Lokesh replied calmly:
“That’s her job.”
Laila laughed.
“That’s true.”
Then added while adjusting her bag:
“By the way, your daughter once told me I walk like cartoon character.”
Lokesh looked down.
“That sounds accurate.”
Laila raised an eyebrow.
“You’re not defending me?”
“I don’t have evidence against her observation.”
That made her laugh properly.
---
At the lift, they stood together waiting.
The silence was comfortable.
Not forced.
Just shared routine.
Laila leaned slightly on the wall.
“You always come home early?”
“Most days.”
“Family man.”
Lokesh nodded.
“Something like that.”
She smiled faintly.
“That must be nice… having fixed reason to leave work.”
Lokesh looked ahead.
“It’s not nice or not nice. It’s just… required.”
Laila nodded.
“Still sounds stable.”
He didn’t respond immediately.
Then:
“Stable is good.”
That was the end of it.
No emotional weight.
Just normal neighbor conversation.
But repeated often enough, normal becomes familiarity.
---
Back at Shruthi’s Office
That same evening, Shruthi was leaving late with Karthik again.
Rain had just started.
He held an umbrella slightly tilted toward her.
“You always stay this late?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Don’t you get tired?”
“I am tired.”
“But you still stay.”
She glanced at him.
“That’s job.”
“That sounds sad.”
“It’s not sad. It’s routine.”
Karthik stayed quiet for a moment.
Then said:
“You smile more when you’re not in meetings.”
Shruthi stopped walking slightly.
Looked at him.
“You observe too much.”
“I think I just notice when people change tone.”
That made her silent for a moment longer than expected.
Then she simply said:
“See you tomorrow.”
“See you.”
---
Home Again
That night, Shruthi returned home to find Lokesh folding clothes near the sofa while Hasini watched cartoons half-asleep.
The apartment smelled of rice and mild rain.
Normal.
Safe.
Predictable.
---
Lokesh looked up.
“Late again.”
“Work.”
“Hm.”
A pause.
Then he added:
“Laila was asking about lift again today.”
Shruthi raised an eyebrow.
“Who is Laila?”
“Neighbor.”
“Ah.”
That was it.
No curiosity.
Just acknowledgment.
---
Later, after Hasini slept, they both sat in the living room quietly.
No television.
No phone noise.
Just rain outside.
Lokesh spoke first.
“Your trainee seems active.”
Shruthi looked at him.
“Karthik?”
“Hm.”
“Yes. He’s learning.”
Lokesh nodded.
“That’s good.”
And again—
no jealousy.
No tension.
Just awareness.
Like both of them were slowly observing each other’s expanding worlds without fully stepping into them.
---
Shruthi leaned back slightly.
“You know what’s strange?”
“Hm?”
“We talk less now.”
Lokesh didn’t respond immediately.
Then:
“We’re tired more.”
She nodded.
“Maybe.”
Silence returned.
Not heavy.
Just present.
---
Outside, rain continued washing Chennai like it always did—
quietly covering distances people pretended didn’t exist,
while inside the same home, two people still sat side by side…
slowly learning how to live parallel lives without yet calling it separation.
-Pickup, drop, escape.
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