Azaan, an eighteen-year-old boy from London had just joined ANZ College in Singapore as a first-year Computer Science student. He was bold, friendly, and talkative—the kind of person who could make friends anywhere within minutes.

On the other hand, Viki was completely different.

Viki, a thirty-five-year-old Mechanical Department professor, was known for being quiet and reserved. He rarely spoke to others unless necessary. Most people in college saw him as cold, but deep inside, he was simply shy, sensitive, and someone who preferred loneliness over crowds.
It was Azaan's very first day at college.

That morning, he rushed toward the bus stand, worried about being late. The streets were already busy, and the sound of vehicles filled the air. He adjusted his bag on his shoulder and checked the time again.

"Great… first day itself I'm going to be late," he muttered under his breath.
Unfortunately, he missed his college bus.
With an annoyed sigh, Azaan stood near the bus stand waiting for the next one. While waiting, another bus stopped nearby. Through the slightly open window, he noticed someone sitting quietly beside it.

A man in formal clothes.

His eyes were fixed outside the window, lost in thought while the morning sunlight softly touched his face.

It was Viki.

For a moment, their eyes met.
Just a second.

But to Azaan, it felt strangely slow, as if time itself had paused around them.
Something inside his chest tightened.

His heartbeat suddenly became faster, and he couldn't understand why. He had never felt this way before. He wanted to look away, yet his eyes stayed fixed on the silent professor.
Meanwhile, Viki simply stared back for a brief moment before turning his gaze away again.
Azaan stood there frozen, unable to speak or move.

"Why does my heart feel like this…?" he whispered softly.
Before he could think further, his own college bus finally arrived. Snapping back to reality, he quickly got inside.
But even after the bus started moving…

His mind was still stuck on that one unexpected meeting