[Greenwood]

Update 39



Ek Message, Aur Reyansh Ki Smile Gayab Hone Ka Naam Hi Na Le!
Raat ke kareeb 11 baj rahe the.
Bengaluru ki sadkon par gaadiyon ki awaaz ab dheere-dheere kam ho rahi thi. Flat 303 mein Reyansh sofa par aadha letkar phone chala raha tha. TV par koi random show chal raha tha, lekin uska dhyaan screen par kam aur phone par zyada tha.
Kyunki phone par ek khaas insaan online thi.
Jheel ?
Reyansh:
Madam, so gayi kya?
Jheel:
Nahi.
Reyansh:
Achha. Toh reply karne mein itna time kyun laga?
Jheel:
Main tumhari tarah poora din phone lekar nahi baithi rehti.
Reyansh:
Bilkul. Tum toh bas har do minute mein mera last seen check karti ho.
Jheel:
Jhooth!
Reyansh:
Achha ji?
Jheel:
Haan ji.
Reyansh:
Toh abhi mera last seen kya hai?
Kuch seconds tak Jheel ka reply nahi aaya.
Reyansh ke chehre par dheere-dheere shararti muskaan aa gayi.
Phir notification aaya.
Jheel:
Tum bahut irritating ho.
Reyansh:
Aur phir bhi boyfriend main hi hoon. Kya karein, kismat achhi hai tumhari.
Jheel:
Tumhari zyada achhi hai. Itni pyaari girlfriend mili hai.
Reyansh seedha hokar baith gaya.
Reyansh:
Ek minute.
Jheel:
Kya hua?
Reyansh:
Screenshot le raha hoon. Zindagi mein pehli baar tumne meri tareef ki hai.
Jheel:
Rehne do! Delete karo!
Reyansh:
Ab toh family group mein bhejunga.
Jheel:
REYANSH! ?
Woh hans pada.
Uski hansi mein aajkal ek alag hi aasani thi. Use har waqt kisi baat ka jawaab dhoondhne ki zaroorat nahi padti thi. Kabhi-kabhi bas kisi ka message padhkar muskura dena bhi kaafi hota hai.
Phone phir vibrate hua.
Jheel:
Waise…
Reyansh:
Ji, girlfriend sahiba?
Jheel:
Kal miloge?
Reyansh ne bina soche type kiya.
Reyansh:
Kal? Main toh abhi bhi mil sakta hoon.
Jheel:
Raat ke gyarah baje?
Reyansh:
Pyaar mein waqt nahi dekha jaata.
Jheel:
Aur neend?
Reyansh:
Woh tumhare saath aayegi toh so jaaunga.
Jheel ne phone apne chehre ke saamne kar liya.
Jheel:
Tum na… ?
Reyansh:
Main kya?
Jheel:
Tumhari baaton ka koi ilaaj nahi hai.
Reyansh:
Ilaaj mat karwana. Mujhe aisa hi rehne do.
Jheel muskurate hue takiye par gir gayi.
Usne phone side mein rakha, lekin kuch hi seconds baad phir utha liya.
Jheel:
Good night, Mr. Naughty.
Reyansh:
Good night, Miss Blushing.
Jheel:
Main blush nahi karti!
Reyansh:
Achha. Kal milkar check kar lunga.
Is baar Jheel ne reply nahi kiya.
Bas ek red heart bhej diya. ❤️
Aur Reyansh ko laga ki uska din achhe note par khatam hua hai.


Agli Subah: Darwaze Par Jheel, Aur Chehre Par Shararat
Subah Reyansh abhi apni coffee lekar dining table par baitha hi tha ki doorbell baj gayi.
Ding-dong!
Usne darwaza khola.
Saamne Jheel khadi thi. Simple top, jeans, baalon ko dheele se baandha hua, aur chehre par woh seedhi-si muskaan jise dekhkar Reyansh ko aksar shak hota tha ki madam kuch na kuch sochkar aayi hain.
Reyansh ne darwaze se hatne ke bajaye wahin khade rehkar use dekha.
Reyansh:
“Good morning, girlfriend.”
Jheel:
“Good morning.”
Reyansh:
“Bas?”
Jheel:
“Kya bas?”
Reyansh:
“Kal raat toh badi-badi baatein kar rahi thi. Aaj saamne aakar formal good morning?”
Jheel ne aankhein sikodi.
Jheel:
“Tumhe subah-subah kya chahiye?”
Reyansh ne apni baahen halka sa khol di.
Reyansh:
“Ek hug. Aur kuch nahi.”
Jheel ne ek pal use dekha.
Phir bina kuch kahe uske paas aayi aur use gale laga liya.
Reyansh ke chehre par turant muskaan aa gayi. Usne bhi use aaraam se baahon mein le liya.
Kuch seconds tak dono waise hi khade rahe.
Phir Jheel ne dheere se kaha, “Ab chhodoge bhi?”
Reyansh:
“Main toh chhod doon. Dil ko kaise samjhaun?”
Jheel:
“Tumhara dil bahut filmy hai.”
Reyansh:
“Tumhari wajah se hua hai.”
Jheel peeche hati aur uske seene par halki si thapki maari.
Jheel:
“Achha, bas. Mujhe kuch kaam hai.”
Reyansh:
“Kaisa kaam?”
Jheel:
“Tumse milna tha.”
Reyansh ne use dekha.
“Matlab… sirf mujhse milne aayi ho?”
Jheel ne apni muskaan chhupane ki koshish ki.


“Haan. Koi problem?”
“Problem toh hai.”
Uska chehra ekdum badal gaya.
“Kya problem?”
Reyansh uske kareeb jhukkar bola, “Ab roz tumse milne ki aadat pad gayi toh?”
Jheel ke gaal gulaabi ho gaye.
Jheel:
“Tum jaan-boojhkar aisi baatein karte ho!”
Reyansh:
“Bilkul. Mehnat karta hoon apne relationship par.”
Jheel hans padi.
“Tum impossible ho!”
“Lekin tumhare hoon.”
Is baar Jheel ke paas koi funny jawaab nahi tha. Usne bas muskurakar uska haath pakad liya.
Aur Reyansh ne bhi uska haath nahi chhoda.


Jheel kitchen ki taraf badhi toh uski nazar dining table par padi.
Ek coffee mug. Do bread slices. Aur ek plate mein aadha kata hua apple.
Usne Reyansh ko dekha.
Jheel:
“Tumne breakfast kar liya?”
Reyansh:
“Kar raha hoon.”
Jheel:
“Yeh breakfast hai?”
Reyansh:
“Haan. International breakfast.”
Jheel ne plate uthakar dekhi.
“International? Do bread aur aadha apple?”
“Minimalism, madam.”
“Tumhari cooking bhi minimal hogi.”
Reyansh ne seene par haath rakh liya.
“Dil tod diya tumne.”
Jheel ne fridge khola aur andar jhaanka. Kuch basic groceries, doodh, eggs aur kuch vegetables rakhi thi.
Jheel:
“Tum ghar par kuch dhang ka banate bhi ho?”
Reyansh:
“Main bahut kuch banata hoon.”
Jheel:
“Jaise?”
Reyansh:
“Coffee.”
Jheel ne use dekha.
“Bas?”
“Achhi coffee.”
“Reyansh!”
Woh hans pada.
Jheel ne bread toaster mein rakhi aur eggs nikaal liye.
“Baitho. Main bana deti hoon.”
Reyansh kitchen counter ke paas aakar khada ho gaya.
“Ek baat poochun?”
“Poocho.”
“Tum meri girlfriend ho ya meri personal chef?”
Jheel ne spatula uthakar uski taraf ishara kiya.
“Zyada bole toh aaj tumhe sirf coffee milegi.”
Reyansh ne turant dono haath upar kar diye.
“Ji, chef sahiba. Main chup hoon.”
Lekin woh chup rehne waalon mein se tha hi nahi.
Jab Jheel eggs bana rahi thi, usne peeche se kaha, “Waise tum kitchen mein bhi achhi lagti ho.”
Jheel ne palatkar dekha.
“Main har jagah achhi lagti hoon.”
Reyansh do seconds ke liye chup ho gaya.
Phir usne taali baja di.
“Confidence! Wah! Yeh meri girlfriend hai!”
Jheel khud bhi hans padi.
“Tumne hi toh kaha tha ki mujhe apne aap par confidence rakhna chahiye.”
Reyansh ki muskaan thodi naram ho gayi.
“Haan. Aur tum rakh sakti ho.”
Jheel ne plate mein breakfast rakha aur uske saamne rakh diya.
“Lo. Ab khaao.”
Reyansh ne pehla bite liya.
Jheel uske chehre ko dhyaan se dekhne lagi.
“Kaisa hai?”
“Achha hai.”
“Sach?”
“Bahut achha.”
Jheel ke chehre par khushi aa gayi.
Phir Reyansh ne agla sentence bola.
“Ab roz banaogi toh aur practice ho jayegi.”
Jheel ki smile gayab.
“Khud bana lena!”
Reyansh zor se hans pada.
“Arre, mazaak kar raha hoon!”
“Tumhara mazaak kabhi khatam nahi hota?”
“Tumhari smile ke saamne toh bilkul nahi.”
Jheel ne nazrein jhuka li.
Uske liye compliments ab bhi thode naye the. Lekin Reyansh ke saath woh dheere-dheere unse bhaagna band kar rahi thi.


Breakfast ke baad dono living room mein baithe the.
Jheel sofa ke kone par pair sametkar baithi thi, jabki Reyansh uske paas baitha coffee pee raha tha.
“Kal kahaan chalna hai?” Jheel ne poochha.
Reyansh ne cup table par rakha.
“Tum batao.”
“Main?”
“Haan. Har baar main hi plan banaun?”
Jheel kuch der sochti rahi.
“Bookstore?”
“Bookstore?”
“Haan. Mujhe wahan jaana achha lagta hai.”
Reyansh ne sir hila diya.
“Done.”
Jheel ne hairani se use dekha.
“Bas? Tumhe boring nahi lagega?”
“Tumhare saath bookstore boring kaise hoga?”
“Wahan toh bas books hongi.”
Reyansh thoda uski taraf jhuka.
“Aur tum hogi.”
Jheel ne apna chehra haathon se chhupa liya.
“Please! Har baat par flirt karna zaroori hai?”
“Bilkul nahi.”
“Good.”
“Lekin tum saamne ho toh control mushkil hai.”
Jheel ne cushion uthakar uske kandhe par maara.
Reyansh hansne laga.
Phir usne cushion side mein rakha aur Jheel ka haath apne haath mein le liya.
“Sach mein, tum plan banao. Mujhe achha lagta hai jab tum apni pasand batati ho.”
Jheel ki hansi dheere-dheere shaant ho gayi.
“Pehle main itna nahi sochti thi,” usne kaha. “Kahin jaana ho toh lagta tha ki pata nahi doosre ko pasand aayega ya nahi. Phir main apni choice batati hi nahi thi.”
Reyansh ne uski taraf dekha.
“Ab bata diya karo.”
“Aur agar tumhe pasand nahi aaya?”
“Toh hum doosra plan bana lenge.”
“Bas itna simple?”
“Har baat ko complicated karna zaroori thodi hai.”
Jheel ne uski ungliyon ko apni ungliyon mein phansa liya.
“Tumhare saath kabhi-kabhi cheezein sach mein simple lagti hain.”


Reyansh ne uske haath par apna angutha dheere se phiraya.
“Achha hai. Mujhe bhi tumhare saath aisa hi lagta hai.”
Kuch pal dono chup rahe.
Kisi ko kuch prove nahi karna tha. Na koi bada promise, na koi dramatic dialogue.
Bas ek sofa, do coffee mugs aur do log jo ek-doosre ke paas baithkar apne din ka shor bhool sakte the.
Shayad sukoon hamesha kisi badi jagah ya badi khushi mein nahi milta. Kabhi-kabhi woh kisi ke paas chupchaap baithne mein bhi mil jaata hai.


Dopahar ke aas-paas Reyansh ka phone baja.
Screen par naam chamka.
Arshad Calling…
Reyansh ne call uthaya.
Reyansh:
“Haan, bol.”
Arshad:
“Bade busy lag rahe ho aajkal.”
“Kaam hai.”
“Kaam ya koi aur kaam?”
Reyansh ne aankhein band karke gehri saans li.
“Tu seedha baat karega?”
“Main toh seedha hi hoon. Teri awaaz tedhi ho gayi hai.”
Jheel paas baithi apni hansi rokne lagi.
Arshad ne phone par poochha, “Tu akela hai?”
Reyansh ne Jheel ki taraf dekha.
“Ky—”
Jheel ne turant apne hothon par ungli rakhkar use chup rehne ka ishara kiya.
Reyansh ne muskurate hue kaha, “Haan.”
Arshad kuch seconds chup raha.
Phir bola, “Jhooth bolte waqt teri awaaz itni seedhi kyun ho jaati hai?”
Jheel ka control chhoot gaya. Woh hans padi.
Phone ke doosri taraf Arshad ne turant pakad liya.
“Ek minute! Yeh hansi kiski thi?”
Reyansh ne maatha pakad liya.
“TV chal raha hai.”
“Achha? TV par ladkiyan bhi hansne lagi hain?”
Jheel ne apna chehra cushion ke peeche chhupa liya.
Arshad ki awaaz mein shararat badh gayi.
“Reyansh sahab, Bengaluru mein hawa badal gayi hai ya aapki zindagi?”
“Tu apna kaam kar.”
“Kar raha hoon. Lekin ab samajh aaya ki tu phone par itna kyun muskura raha tha.”
Reyansh ne call khatam karne ke liye phone kaatne ka natak kiya.
Arshad turant bola, “Achha sun! Ek freelance client ka kaam mil sakta hai. Proposal bhejna hai. Shaam ko baat karte hain.”
Reyansh ka andaaz turant normal ho gaya.
“Sure. Details bhej dena. Main dekh lunga.”
“Wah! Kaam ki baat par asli Reyansh wapas aa gaya.”
“Arshad…”
“Achha, achha. Ja. Apna international breakfast kha.”
Call kat gaya.
Jheel zor se hans padi.
Reyansh ne use dekha.
“Bahut maza aa raha hai?”
“Bahut!”
“Achha. Toh ab tumhe bhi ek naam diya jaayega.”
Jheel ne bhaunhein utha di.
“Kya naam?”
Reyansh:
“Mrs. International Breakfast.”
Jheel ne cushion seedha uske chehre par maar diya.
“Tum bilkul pagal ho!”
Aur Reyansh ke liye shayad yahi us dopahar ka sabse achha pal tha.



Kuch der baad Jheel ko apne flat mein jaana tha.
Woh darwaze ke paas khadi hokar apna bag theek kar rahi thi, jab Reyansh uske paas aaya.
“Kal bookstore pakka?”
Jheel ne sir hila diya.
“Pakka.”
“Time?”
“Shaam ko.”
“Kitne baje?”
“Reyansh, hum mil rahe hain. Court hearing nahi hai.”
Woh hans pada.
“Bas schedule clear kar raha hoon.”
Jheel ne darwaza khola, lekin jaane se pehle ruk gayi.
“Ek baat kahun?”
“Bolo.”
“Tum jab mere saath hote ho na… toh mujhe har waqt kuch bolna zaroori nahi lagta.”
Reyansh ki shararat bhari muskaan dheere se halki ho gayi.
Jheel ne baat aage badhai.
“Main chup bhi rahun, toh tumhe lagta nahi ki main bore ho rahi hoon. Aur main kuch galat bol doon toh tum mera mazaak udaate ho, lekin mujhe bura feel nahi hota.”
Reyansh ne muskurakar kaha, “Kabhi-kabhi toh tum khud hi mujhe mauka deti ho.”
Jheel ne aankhein ghumayi.
“Main serious hoon!”
“Achha, sorry. Bolo.”
Jheel ne uska haath pakad liya.
“Bas… thank you.”
“Kis liye?”
“Pata nahi. Mere saath aise rehne ke liye.”
Reyansh kuch pal use dekhta raha.
Phir usne dheere se use apni baahon mein le liya.
Is baar hug mein koi naughty line nahi thi. Koi teasing nahi. Koi jaldi nahi.
Jheel ne apna sar uske kandhe par rakh diya.
Reyansh ne uski peeth par pyaar se haath phiraya.
“Thank you tum bhi,” usne dheere se kaha.
Jheel ne sar uthaya.
“Kis liye?”
“Tumhare saath main har waqt funny banne ki koshish nahi karta. Kabhi chup rehne ka mann ho toh chup reh sakta hoon.”
Jheel ki aankhon mein ek naram si chamak aa gayi.
“Tum chup bhi reh sakte ho?”
Reyansh ne use dekha.
“Ek minute pehle emotional moment tha. Tumne khud barbaad kiya.”
Jheel hans padi.
“Sorry, Mr. Naughty.”
“Maafi tab milegi jab ek aur hug milega.”
“Tumhari demands kabhi khatam nahi hongi?”
“Relationship mein negotiation zaroori hai.”
Jheel ne muskurate hue use dobara gale laga liya.
“Lo. Ab khush?”
Reyansh ne use baahon mein sambhalte hue kaha, “Kaafi.”


“Kaafi?”
“Kal bookstore ke baad review dunga.”
Jheel ne use peeche se halki si thapki maari aur darwaze se bahar nikal gayi.
“Bye, Reyansh!”
“Bye, girlfriend!”
Darwaza band hone se pehle Jheel ne palatkar use ek flying kiss di.
Reyansh ek second ke liye wahin khada reh gaya.
Phir usne hawa mein kiss pakadne ka natak kiya aur apne seene par haath rakh liya.
“Gaya main.”
Flat mein ab phir se khamoshi thi.
Lekin is baar khamoshi khaali nahi lag rahi thi.
Reyansh ne darwaza band kiya aur muskurate hue apne phone ki taraf badha.
Uski screen par ek naya message aaya tha.
Unknown Number:
Lagta hai aajkal aapke paas muskurane ki wajah hai.
Reyansh ki muskaan ek pal ke liye ruk gayi.
Usne message dobara padha.
Phir type kiya.
Reyansh:
Aapko meri muskurahat se itni dilchaspi kyun hai?
Message deliver ho gaya.
Is baar saamne se turant reply nahi aaya.
Reyansh ne phone table par rakh diya.
Woh abhi us paheli ko suljhaane ke mood mein nahi tha.
Aaj uske paas ek bookstore date thi, ek shararti girlfriend thi, aur ek aisi shaanti thi jise woh bina naam diye bhi pehchaan sakta tha.
Usne coffee ka aakhri sip liya.
Aur khud se kaha:
“Filhaal, itna kaafi hai.”