ARJUN vs ZAHEER

[Greenwood]

Update 66




Delhi Darshan Begins – Lodhi Garden, Late Morning
Dilli ki halki dhup, July ki warmth ke beech shahar ka ek sabse haseen aur peaceful kona — Lodhi Garden.
Gate se andar jaate hi lambe-lambe trees, trimmed bushes, aur beech mein bikhre hue historical tombs ne ek alag hi vibe bana rakhi thi.
Zaheer ne sunglasses adjust kiye, aur piche dekha —
Shanu ek off-white long kurti aur denim me, haath me sling bag, aankhon me excitement.
Zaheer
To madam, aaj ki guide ho tum ya main?
Shanu
Main guide hoon, tu toh sirf haath pakadne ke liye aaya hai.
Zaheer hansa, aur ek baar uski aankhon me dekha.
Shanu ka haath uske haath me slip ho gaya… bina kisi drama ke, bina kisi hesitation ke. Natural. Apna.
Dono chalte gaye garden ke pathways par… beech beech me rukte… kabhi kisi tree ke niche thoda shade lene, kabhi kisi monument ke samne photo ke liye.
Shanu
Zaheer, zara wahan khade ho… perfect light aa rahi hai.
Zaheer
Acha wahan? Ya tere paas hi aa jaun, phir toh light bhi jealous ho jaayegi.
Shanu ne uski taraf ek nakhra se dekha,
Shanu
Tu kabhi serious ho sakta hai kya?
Zaheer
Tere sath? Kabhi nahi.
Ek selfie click hoti hai… dono ke faces close… Zaheer thoda sa sideways, shanu uske shoulder pe thoda lean kar ke smile kar rahi hai. Background mein ek purana tomb. Selfie ke neeche caption aata…
“Old walls, new madness.”
Garden ke ek kone mein ek stone bench milti hai. Dono wahan baith jaate hain… samne lake, idhar se udhar chalte log, aur unke beech me ek calm silence.
Shanu
Acha sach bata… yeh sab tu enjoy karta hai na?
Zaheer
Tere sath toh traffic jam bhi romantic lagta hai.
Shanu uski taraf dekhti hai… thoda blush… thoda disbelief… phir halki si muskurahat ke sath apna sir uske shoulder pe tikaa deti hai.
Zaheer uska haath thoda aur tight pakadta hai… aur dheere se uski ungliyon ko apni ungliyon se tangle kar leta hai.
Ek moment ke liye… Delhi door hoti hai.
Sirf dono ke beech ki halka sa romance, ek comfort, ek companionship.
Zaheer aur Shanu – Agrasen ki Baoli, Late Afternoon

Dilli ka suraj ab dheere dheere dhal raha tha.
Lodhi Garden ke baad unhone auto liya, aur ab dono khade the ek aur purani, lekin incredibly cinematic jagah ke samne – Agrasen ki Baoli.
Bahar se simple lagne wali is jagah ke andar jaate hi ek alag hi aura mehsoos hota tha… neeche jaate stone steps, dono taraf tall walls… beech mein sirf echoes aur unke kadmon ki aahat.
Zaheer ne upar dekha — ek do tourist the, kuch students group ke. Lekin mostly khaali.
Shanu us narrow raaste pe ja rahi thi jahan se seedhiyan neeche descend karti thi.
Zaheer
Aree... madam kahaan bhaag rahi ho? Kahi koi bhoot waise hi na mil jaaye.
Shanu
Toh tu bacha lena na… bhoot bhi agar dekh le tu mere saath hai toh darr ke bhaag jaaye!
Zaheer ne hansa aur uske paas aake uska haath pakad liya.
Neeche tak jaane ke baad, dono ek edge par baith gaye.
Baoli ka water section purana aur mostly dry tha, lekin hawa mein thandi si nami thi. Echoes sunayi dete the — log door se baat kar rahe hote, lekin yahan… dono ke beech mein sirf ek silence tha jo comfort se bhara hua tha.
Zaheer
Yeh jagah mujhe tere jaisi lagti hai.
Shanu thoda confuse
Kaise?
Zaheer
Door se simple lagti hai, lekin andar jaane pe layered, intense… aur agar kisi ko theek se samajh na aaye toh wo bas upar se dekh ke chala jaata hai.
Shanu uski taraf dekhti hai. Zaheer ke words use kabhi-kabhi itne unexpectedly chhoo jaate the ki jawab nahi banta.
Usne dheere se apna haath Zaheer ke shoulder pe rakha, aur thoda uske paas slide kar gayi.
Shanu
Aur tu? Tu kaun si jagah jaisa hai?
Zaheer
Main? Main toh bas tera tourist hoon… har baar tujhme kuch naya explore karta hoon.
Shanu ki aankhon mein ek chamak thi… usne apna head uske lap par rakh diya…
Zaheer uske baal se khelne laga.
Light breeze chal rahi thi. Shanu ne aankhein band kar li. Zaheer ne uski cheek pe halka sa brush kiya apni ungliyon se… aur phir dheere se uske forehead pe ek soft kiss diya.
Shanu
(ankhein band kiye hue)
Main jab tu nahi hota, mujhe sab kuch plain lagta hai…
Zaheer
Toh ab kabhi plain mat rehna. Main hoon na — tera permanent texture.
Dono thodi der baat nahi karte… sirf ek dusre ke saath us baoli ke beech mein lost rehte hain. Dilli ke beech, but duniya se door.
Arjun ka Room – Late Evening

Room mein light sirf table lamp ki thi. Baaki har kone mein ek thakaan si baithi thi.
Laptop screen par match ka ek paused frame — Arjun ka last diving goal.
Uske neeche YouTube par live comments the: "Arjun you beauty!", "Captain for a reason", "Insane finish bhai!"
Arjun ne screen close kar di.
Thoda piche hatha, kursi se uthkar bed par aa gaya… backwall se tik gaya, haath peeche rakhte hue. Aankhon mein ek ajeeb si satisfaction aur thoda disbelief tha — jaise koi sapna abhi tak poori tarah utar nahi raha ho.
Arjun
(apne aap se, dheere)
Yeh mera golden phase hai… literally.
Uss moment mein usne poori honesty se mehsoos kiya —
Ek waqt tha jab sirf court uska area hota tha… par ab, pura game uske control mein tha.
Team uski respect karti thi, college ke juniors usse idol maante the. Professors bhi jab dekhein, aankhon mein appreciation hoti thi.
Aur us sab ke beech, sabse zaruri… Ammu.
Ammu ka woh narm sa haath jab uski collar ke andar se uske chest par slide karta hai…
ya fir jab woh uske shoulders par sir rakh ke hasti hai…
ya sirf uske naam ko thoda ghussa, thoda pyaar se bolti hai – "Arjun…"
Uski heartbeat us moments mein double ho jaati thi.
Usne side table se ek bracelet uthaya — simple leather band.
Ammu ne ek baar shopping ke dauraan mazak mein uska haath pakad ke bola tha, yeh tujhe suit karega.
Us din se Arjun usse alag nahi kar paya.
Aaj bhi pehna hua tha.
Arjun
(murmur karta hai)
Sab kuch hai mere paas.
Champion… lover… leader…
Bas ek cheez chahiye — ki yeh sab khatam na ho.
Uske mann mein ek chhoti si darr ki lehar thi…
Jaise kuch toh fragile ho is magic mein.
Jaise kahin kisi mod par koi black screen aa jaye…
Kahi phir se wohi na ho jo ek waqt tha — jab game tha, but koi Ammu nahi thi.
Usne phone uthaya, aur Ammu ke profile pic ko thoda der tak dekhta raha.
Zoom nahi kiya. Bas screen ko dekhta raha — jaise us moment mein Ammu uske paas ho.
Kahi uski khushbu mehsoos karta…
Kahi uske haath ki warmth.
Arjun
(breathe lete hue, aankhen band karta hai)
Iss baar… kuch bhi ho… main yeh sab nahi khona chahta.
Na tu… na game… na yeh version of myself.
Background mein Arjun ke phone ka ek reminder buzz karta hai — Practice tomorrow: 7 AM sharp
Arjun uthta hai… lekin ek nayi energy ke saath.
Jab tak sab kuch uske paas hai, woh sab kuch dene ke liye tayaar hai.
Ammu ki Kitchen – Early Evening

Chhoti si rasoi mein ek halki si mithas thi — gas par doodh ubal raha tha, thoda sa cinnamon stick daal kar. Table par bread ka packet, butter, aur ek chhoti katori mein cut kiye huye fruits. Ammu aaj kuch zyada hi slow thi… har movement soft, thoughtful… jaise har ek cheez uske dil se nikal kar haathon mein aa rahi ho.
Aaj kitchen sirf kitchen nahi tha — ek personal space tha jahan uske dil ke dono raaste mil rahe the.
Usne bread ko toaster mein dala, aur khud thoda sink ke paas jaakar khadi ho gayi. Elbow slab pe, cheek apne haath par tikaye… aur aankhon mein ek hi chehra — Arjun.
Ammu
(mind mein)
Yeh sab itna jaldi ho gaya… ya main hi itna slow thi?
Wo ladka jo ek waqt mujhe sirf chidhaane ke liye exist karta tha…
Aaj… woh mera saath chhod kar subah jaata hai, toh poora din khaali lagta hai.
Kya yehi hota hai — pyaar?
Usse yaad aayi kal raat… Arjun ka cheek pe softly brush hota stubble…
unke beech ke woh khamoshi wale moments jahan sirf heartbeat sunayi deti thi…
aur Arjun ki woh baatein, jo kisi ne kabhi usse nahi kahi thi — bina demand, bina condition ke.
Ammu
(thoda sa blush karte hue)
Main bhi na… sab kuch itna mehsoos karne lagi hoon…
Aur shayad usme hi toh asli sukoon hai.
Toaster ka pop-up hua. Ammu ne halka sa jump kiya jaise kisi khwab se jagi ho.
Butter lagate waqt ek dusra khayal uske dil ke kone se ubhar aaya…
Zaheer.
Uska ekdam alag sa world tha — tough, silent, protective.
Aur usi tough shell ke andar tha ek caring bhai…
jo har baar uska haath tha jab Arjun se jhagda hota tha…
jo uski khamoshi pad leta tha bina kuch bole.
Ammu
(dheere se, apne aap se)
Bhai abhi kahan hoga? Delhi toh pahuch gaye the…
Kya usne kuch khaya hoga?
Usne apna phone uthaya… Zaheer ka last seen check kiya.
Online 2 hours ago.
Koi message nahi.
Ammu
(murmur)
Hamesha khud ka dhyan rakhna bhool jaata hai…
Usne ek plate mein do buttered toast, ek cup doodh aur fruits arrange kiya… lekin sirf ek plate.
Khaali plate dekh ke aankhon mein ek chhoti si lahar aayi —
Zaheer aur Arjun.
Uski life ke do poles — ek pehnaaya hua rakshak… aur ek chhupke se dil mein aakar bas gaya.
Ammu
(sigh karte hue)
Main hamesha dono ke beech hi rahoongi shayad.
Ek taraf bhai ki fikr… dusri taraf Arjun ki chahat.
Wo table pe baithi, plate apne saamne rakhi…
ek fruit piece uthaya, par muh tak nahi le ja payi.
Sirf ek soft sa smile diya — pyaar aur fikr dono ki talwaron ke beech jeeti ek ladki ka smile.
Guesthouse Dining Hall, Delhi – Late Evening

Ek cozy si dining hall, jahan chand guest tables par log apna dinner khatam kar rahe the. Ek kone ki table par Shanu aur Zaheer… ek regular sa dinner kar rahe the — bas surface par. Kyunki table ke neeche ek completely different game chal raha tha.
Zaheer ne casuals pehne hue the, ek loose grey t-shirt aur dark jeans… aur Shanu, ek breezy kurta with soft shades of peach and white — fresh aur effortless.
Table pe dono ke samne kadhi chawal aur bhindi fry pada tha… aur dono usi focused expression ke saath kha rahe the jaise bas taste par dhyan ho.
Par neeche…
Shanu ka pair pehle halki si tapping kar raha tha — Zaheer ke jute se. Zaheer ne ek baar casually uska toe press kiya, aur uske baad shuru ho gaya unka silent foot war.
Ek pair doosre ke pair ko dhakelta, phir dodge karta… jaise table ke neeche koi childish ladai ho rahi ho. Dono ki shakal serious… par aankhon ke kone me muskurahat dabaye hue.
Zaheer ne apna glass uthaya, thoda paani piya, aur jab glass wapas rakha… usne apna pair dheere se slide karte hue Shanu ke ankles tak le gaya…
aur wahan se, jaise kisi memory lane ki tarah, uska pair smooth sa upar chadhne laga… calves… then thighs.
Shanu ka haath jo spoon le kar jaa raha tha apne muh tak — ekdum freeze ho gaya.
Spoon hawa mein… aankhon mein surprise aur cheek pe suddenly tapakti shyness.
Usne sideways dekha Zaheer ki taraf —
Par Zaheer ka dhyaan abhi bhi apni plate mein tha.
Lekin cheekbones pe chhupi woh halka sa smirk, jise sirf Shanu hi dekh sakti thi…
Woh usse zyada tease kar gaya, jitna uska foot.
Shanu ne softly aankhon se ghoora,
aur phir spoon finally apne lips tak le gayi…
lekin aankhon mein usi naughty flirt ka jawab tha…
Game on, Mr. Zaheer.
Table ke neeche ab dono ke pair close tangle mein bandhe hue the,
jaise dinner do log kha rahe the… par chemistry chaar logon ki chal rahi thi
ek pair table ke upar… aur pair table ke neeche.