Chapter 1PUNE MORNING CHAOS
The morning in Pune did not believe in peace.
And Gowri learned that the hard way.
Somewhere between her roommate's endless gossiping and "five more minutes" negotiations with her pillow, the clock had already betrayed her-8:00 AM.
"OH NO-!" she shot up like her life depended on it.
In the next few minutes, the bathroom turned into a war zone. Toothbrush in one hand, towel flying somewhere, brain still half asleep.
By 8:30 AM, she somehow emerged like a semi-functional human being.
She stood in front of the mirror, fixing her hair, tilting her head slightly like she was the main character of a drama.
Then she smiled at herself.
"Okay Gowri... you are the most beautiful girl in the world," she said confidently.
A pause.
"And definitely your crush will ask you for a date one day."
She nodded to herself like it was a medically approved diagnosis.
"Alright. Confidence: ON. Life: LET'S GO."
Her cat sat nearby judging her entire existence.
"Oh wait-my baby!" she instantly softened.
She poured cat food, filled water, bent down and kissed its tiny head dramatically.
"Be good okay? Mama is going to fight patients and emotions today."
The cat blinked slowly like, I didn't ask for this information.
Gowri finally opened the door-
And immediately stopped.
Varun.
Blue scrubs. Hands in pocket. That irritatingly perfect posture. That expression like he already disagreed with her existence.
They both froze.
For half a second, the world felt like it sighed.
Then-
"Seriously?" Gowri muttered.
Varun raised an eyebrow. "Same question."
"Of all people-"
"Same building-same floor-same bad luck," he cut in calmly.
She rolled her eyes so hard it was almost a skill.
"God, I need extra salary for this."
And before he could respond, she quickly walked past him, pressed the lift button, and slipped inside like she was escaping a crime scene.
Just as Varun stepped forward-
BEEP.
She pressed close door button.
Their eyes met through the closing gap.
"Good morning," she said sweetly, fake smiling.
"Good trauma," he replied.
Door closed.
She reached the hospital with the energy of someone who had already survived three battles before breakfast.
"Today will be peaceful," she lied to herself.
But destiny laughed.
Reception area.
"Ma'am, ajay sir isn't coming today," the receptionist said casually.
Gowri froze.
"...What do you mean not coming?"
"Personal issue."
The world lost color.
"Oh wow," she whispered. "Even my motivation took leave."
She sighed dramatically.
"Okay fine. I'll just survive. Bare minimum survival mode."
And then came the announcement.
"All doctors, mandatory interactive session - Modern Medicine vs Alternative Medicine."
Gowri slowly turned her head.
"...Excuse me?"
A slow smile formed.
"Oh. So today is war."
The conference hall was already buzzing.
White coats, scrubs, opinions sharper than scalpels.
And then it started.
Modern medicine spoke first-logic, evidence, structure.
Alternative medicine responded-holistic care, patient-centered healing.
The room heated up fast.
And then-
Varun stood up.
Calm. Controlled. Dangerous.
"Alternative medicine lacks reproducible evidence," he said. "That is not science."
Gowri turned slowly.
"Oh here we go," she muttered.
She stood up too.
"And modern medicine has never failed a patient?" she shot back. "Patients are not numbers on your report sheet."
The room went silent for a second.
Varun looked at her now.
"Oh so emotion replaces evidence now?"
Gowri stepped forward.
"And arrogance replaces humanity now?"
Boom.
The room literally felt the impact.
Voices started overlapping, arguments rising like fire catching wind.
Gowri's temper was now at maximum level.
"Do you even listen to patients or just charts?" she snapped.
Varun's voice dropped slightly.
"And do you treat or just believe?"
Silence again.
Tension peaked.
Gowri opened her mouth-
And then-
The conference door opened.
A shift in atmosphere.
Footsteps.
Presence.
Every doctor turned slightly.
Gowri didn't need to look twice.
Her senior crush had entered.
And suddenly-
the argument didn't feel like the main event anymore.
