[Greenwood]

Update 42


Subah Reyansh ki aankh alarm bajne se kuch minute pehle khul gayi.
Usne phone uthaya. Jheel ka koi message nahi tha.
Reyansh ne waqt dekha.
7:12 AM
Usne khud se kaha, “Abhi tak madam so rahi hain.”
Woh bed se utha, curtains khole aur kitchen ki taraf chala gaya. Coffee banane ke baad phone lekar sofa par baith gaya.
Aakhir usne message kar hi diya.
Reyansh:
Good morning, Miss Blushing.
Koi reply nahi.
Do minute baad:
Reyansh:
Madam?
Phir ek minute baad:
Reyansh:
Zinda hain ya kal ke dessert ke baad coma mein chali gayi?
Aakhir notification aaya.
Jheel:
GOOD MORNING!
Reyansh hans pada.
Reyansh:
Itne capital letters? Gussa ho?
Jheel:
Nahi.
Reyansh:
Phir chill kyun rahi ho?
Jheel:
Tum subah-subah itne messages kyun karte ho?
Reyansh:
Tumhara attention lene ke liye.
Jheel:
Mil gaya attention. Ab khush?
Reyansh:
Thoda aur mil jaaye toh din ban jaaye.
Jheel ne ek heart bhej diya.
Reyansh ne phone se nazar uthakar coffee ka sip liya.
“Din ban gaya,” usne khud se kaha.
Lekin agla message aate hi uski smile ruk gayi.
Jheel:
Aaj shaam tum free ho? Mujhe tumse ek kaam hai.
Reyansh ne turant reply kiya.
Reyansh:
Kaisa kaam?
Jheel:
Shaam ko bataungi.
Reyansh:
Yeh suspense kyun?
Jheel:
Boyfriend ho. Thoda patience rakho.
Reyansh ne phone ko dekha.
“Patience toh rakhta hoon. Lekin girlfriend ne suspense de diya toh din bhar dimaag chalega.”
Phir bhi usne sirf itna likha:
Reyansh:
Theek hai, madam. Shaam ko milte hain.


Office mein Reyansh apne desk par baitha ek presentation dekh raha tha.
Neha paas aayi aur ek file uske desk par rakh di.
“Yeh revised brief hai. Client ne do points change kiye hain.”
Reyansh ne file li.
“Thanks. Main dekh lunga.”
Neha jaane lagi, phir rukkar boli, “Waise aaj bade shaant lag rahe ho.”
Reyansh ne screen se nazar nahi hatayi.
“Main roz shaant rehta hoon.”
“Bilkul. Aur main roz tumhari baatein maan leti hoon.”
Reyansh hans pada.
Neha chair kheenchkar baith gayi.
“Dinner kaisa tha?”
Reyansh ne uski taraf dekha.
“Kaunsa dinner?”
Neha ne bhaunhein utha di.
“Wahi jiske baad tum kal poore din phone dekhkar muskura rahe the.”
“Tumhare paas aur koi kaam nahi hai?”
“Kaam hai. Lekin tumhari shakal par jo smile chipki hai, woh bhi office ki productivity ko affect kar rahi hai.”
Reyansh ne file band ki.
“Dinner achha tha.”
“Girlfriend ke saath?”
“Girlfriend aur dost ke saath.”
Neha ke chehre par halki si surprise wali smile aayi.
“Achha! Toh ab dost ko bhi introduction mil gaya?”
“Haan.”
“Good. Waise, tumhe dekhkar lagta hai ki tum finally apni personal life mein kuch time de rahe ho.”
Reyansh ne kuch pal socha.
“Shayad.”
Neha ne uski taraf dekha.
“Bas, isi tarah. Har cheez ko kaam ki tarah manage karne ki zaroorat nahi hoti.”
Reyansh ne mazaak mein kaha, “Tum meri manager ho ya life coach?”
“Dono ka bill alag bhejungi.”
Woh hans padi aur apni desk ki taraf laut gayi.
Reyansh ne dobara presentation khol li.
Kaam ab bhi zaroori tha. Lekin ab use yeh bhi samajh aane laga tha ki din ke aakhir mein kisi ka intezaar hona kitna achha lag sakta hai.


Doosri taraf Arshad apne agency office mein laptop par kaam kar raha tha.
Uske saamne freelance client ka brief khula tha. Usne kuch lines likhin, unhe padha aur phir do lines delete kar di.
Phone par Sakshi ka message aaya.
Sakshi:
Kal raat ghar pahunchkar so gayi thi. Tumse properly baat nahi ho paayi.
Arshad:
Koi baat nahi. Thak gayi thi tum.
Sakshi:
Aaj shaam free ho?
Arshad ne apna calendar khola. Ek taraf agency ka kaam tha, doosri taraf freelance proposal ki deadline.
Usne kuch pal socha.
Arshad:
Thoda kaam hai. Lekin raat ko free ho jaaunga.
Sakshi:
Theek hai. Phir baat karte hain.
Arshad ne phone rakh diya.
Usne apne kaam ki taraf dekha.
Pehle woh har nayi opportunity ke baare mein sochta rehta tha, lekin ab use ek decision lena tha. Freelance work ke liye waqt nikaalna hoga. Iska matlab kabhi-kabhi apne personal time ko bhi plan karna padega.


Usne document save kiya aur ek naya message client ko bheja.
I’ll share the first draft by tomorrow evening.
Message send karne ke baad usne kursi par peeche hokar saans li.
“Chalo, ab commitment kar hi diya.”
Phir usne Sakshi ko message kiya.
Arshad:
Kal dinner ke baad thoda walk karein? Sirf hum dono.
Sakshi ka reply aaya.
Sakshi:
I’d like that.
Arshad muskuraya.
Kabhi-kabhi relationship ko chalane ke liye bade gestures nahi, bas waqt nikaalne ka sachcha iraada chahiye hota hai.



Shaam ko Reyansh ghar lautkar fresh hua hi tha ki doorbell baj gayi.
Usne darwaza khola.
Jheel saamne khadi thi.
Aaj uske haath mein ek chhota sa paper bag tha.
Reyansh ne use dekha, phir bag ko.
“Hello, girlfriend. Yeh kya hai?”
“Pehle hello toh bol do.”
“Hello, girlfriend.”
“Good.”
Woh andar aayi aur bag dining table par rakh diya.
Reyansh ne darwaza band kiya.
“Ab bataogi ki yeh suspense kya tha?”
Jheel ne bag khola. Andar ek chhota sa board game tha.
Reyansh ne use dekha.
“Yeh kya hai?”
“Game.”
“Woh toh mujhe bhi dikh raha hai. Lekin kyun?”
Jheel ne uske saamne baithkar kaha, “Tum hamesha kehte ho ki hum saath waqt bitayein, lekin har baar bahar jaana zaroori nahi hai. Toh aaj ghar par hi kuch karte hain.”
Reyansh kuch pal use dekhta raha.
Phir uske chehre par muskaan aa gayi.
“Tum mere ghar par date plan karke aayi ho?”
Jheel ne seedha jawab diya, “Haan.”
Reyansh ne apna haath seene par rakha.
“Madam, aap toh badi dangerous nikli.”
Jheel hans padi.
“Game khelna hai ya nahi?”
“Bilkul. Lekin ek condition hai.”
“Kya?”
“Jo haarega, woh winner ki baat maanega.”
Jheel ne turant kaha, “Manzoor.”
Reyansh ne uski taraf dekha.
“Tumne itni jaldi haan kyun kar di? Tumhe pata bhi hai main kya maang sakta hoon?”
Jheel ke gaal gulaabi ho gaye.
“Tum kuch bhi maang sakte ho, lekin main sirf wahi karungi jo mujhe theek lage.”
Reyansh ne uski taraf dekha, phir muskurakar sir hila diya.
“Fair enough.”
Jheel ne game khola.
“Chalo. Ab dekhte hain kaun jeetega.”
5. Game Kam, Taang-Khinchai Zyada
Pehle kuch rounds mein Reyansh jeet gaya.
Woh har baar jeetne ke baad apni imaginary trophy hawa mein uthata.
“Thank you, thank you. Main apne fans ka shukriya ada karta hoon.”
Jheel ne use dekha.
“Tumhe khud par itna confidence kahan se aata hai?”
“Talent.”
“Overconfidence.”
“Dono ka combination.”
Phir agla round Jheel jeet gayi.
Usne dono haath upar kar diye.
“YES!”
Reyansh ne hairani se kaha, “Yeh kaise ho gaya?”
Jheel ne use dekha.
“Talent.”
Reyansh hans pada.
“Achha, madam. Batao, winner ki demand kya hai?”
Jheel ne sochne ka natak kiya.
“Hmm…”
Reyansh uski taraf jhukkar bola, “Zyada mat sochna. Main bahut gareeb aadmi hoon.”
“Tumne khud hi condition rakhi thi.”
“Ab pachhta raha hoon.”
Jheel hansne lagi.
Phir usne kaha, “Mujhe ek hug chahiye.”
Reyansh kuch pal use dekhta raha.
“Bas?”
“Haan.”
“Yeh toh bina game ke bhi mil sakta tha.”
Jheel ne muskurakar jawab diya, “Lekin jeetkar lene ka maza alag hai.”
Reyansh ne baahen khol di.
Jheel uske paas aayi aur use gale laga liya.
Usne bhi use pyaar se baahon mein le liya.
Kuch seconds baad Reyansh ne dheere se kaha, “Ek baat bataun?”
“Haan?”
“Tum game haarne ke baad bhi hug maang sakti thi.”
Jheel usse alag hokar boli, “Lekin phir tum jeetne ka credit le lete.”
Reyansh ne hanskar kaha, “Madam, tum toh bahut smart ho gayi ho.”
“Tumhari company ka asar hai.”
“Achha hai. Ab tumhe koi aasani se bewakoof nahi bana sakta.”
Jheel ne uski taraf dekha.
“Tum toh bana hi nahi sakte.”
Reyansh ne eyebrow utha di.
“Challenge?”
Jheel ne turant game board apni taraf kheench liya.
“Nahi. Agla round!”
Dono hans pade.


Game ke baad Jheel sofa par baith gayi. Reyansh kitchen se do glasses paani lekar aaya.
Ek glass use dete hue usne poochha, “Jheel, tumhe mere saath ghar par aise waqt bitana pasand hai?”
Jheel ne glass table par rakha.
“Bahut.”
“Bahar jaana bhi achha lagta hai?”
“Haan.”
“Dono?”
“Dono.”
Reyansh uske paas baith gaya.
“Good. Main bas yeh nahi chahta ki hum har baar kuch special karne ke pressure mein rahein. Kabhi date, kabhi movie, kabhi game… aur kabhi bas aise hi baithna.”
Jheel ne uska haath pakad liya.
“Mujhe bhi aisa hi relationship chahiye. Jahan har mulaqat ko yaadgaar banane ki zaroorat na ho. Kuch din normal hon, kuch din funny, kuch din boring bhi.”
Reyansh ne muskurakar kaha, “Boring days mein bhi main tumhe pareshan karta rahunga.”



“Woh toh mujhe pata hai.”
Dono kuch pal chup baithe rahe.
Phir Jheel ne apna sar uske kandhe par rakh diya.
Reyansh ne uska haath thaam liya.
TV par koi comedy show chal raha tha, lekin dono ka dhyaan us par nahi tha.
Woh bas saath baithe the.
Aur us waqt unhe kisi aur cheez ki zaroorat nahi thi.


Jheel apne flat laut chuki thi.
Reyansh ne use message kiya.
Reyansh:
Ghar pahunch gayi?
Jheel:
Haan.
Reyansh:
Aaj ki date ka review?
Jheel:
Achhi thi.
Reyansh:
Bas achhi?
Jheel:
Bahut achhi thi.
Reyansh:
Better.
Jheel:
Tumhe har baat mein rating chahiye?
Reyansh:
Girlfriend ki rating se motivation milta hai.
Jheel:
Toh 10/10.
Reyansh ne turant reply kiya.
Reyansh:
Aur boyfriend ko?
Jheel:
9/10.
Reyansh:
EK NUMBER KAM KYUN?
Jheel:
Kal bataungi.
Reyansh:
Jheel!
Jheel:
Good night, Mr. Naughty.
Reyansh:
Good night, Miss Trouble.
Phone rakhte hue Reyansh muskura diya.
Kal usse pata chalna tha ki ek number kyun kam mila.
Aur woh is baat ko lekar zaroor pareshan hone wala tha.




Raat thodi aur gehri ho gayi.
Reyansh ne living room ki lights band ki aur bedroom ki taraf badha.
Phone par koi naya message nahi tha.
Usne use side table par rakh diya.
Aaj ka din achha tha. Office ka kaam, Jheel ke saath game, uski hansi aur woh aaraam jo uske paas hone se mehsoos hota tha.
Reyansh bed par let gaya.
Kuch der tak woh chhat ko dekhta raha.
Phir usne aankhein band kar li.
Aaj raat uska dimaag shaant tha.
Aur kabhi-kabhi, bina kisi wajah ke, aisi raat mil jaana bhi ek chhoti si jeet hoti hai.