[Greenwood]

Update 53



Subah ke 7:18 baj rahe the.
Reyansh ke bedroom mein alarm ki awaaz teesri baar baj chuki thi. Usne takiye ke neeche haath daal kar phone nikala, aankhein aadhi khol kar alarm band kiya aur phir se aankhein band kar li.
Do second baad phone vibrate hua.
Jheel ?:
Good morning, Mr. Perfect.
Reyansh ke chehre par neend ke beech ek halki si muskurahat aa gayi.
Reyansh:
Perfect logon ko bhi sone diya jaata hai, Miss Trouble.
Jheel:
Perfect log time par uthte hain.
Reyansh:
Main uth gaya hoon.
Jheel:
Proof?
Reyansh ne apne bikhre hue baalon aur aadhi band aankhon ke saath ek selfie bhej di.
Do minute tak koi reply nahi aaya.
Phir Jheel ka message aaya.
Jheel:
Tumhari shakal dekhkar lag raha hai ki tumne abhi tak apni aankhon ko bhi relationship ke liye convince nahi kiya.
Reyansh hans pada.
Reyansh:
Tum subah-subah meri beizzati karne ke liye uthti ho?
Jheel:
Nahi. Tumhari aadat kharab karne ke liye.
Reyansh ne phone se nazar hata kar saamne ki deewar dekhi.
Pehle subah uthna uske liye bas din shuru hone ka naam tha. Ab subah ki shuruaat mein ek chhota sa message hota tha, jiska intezaar use khud bhi rehta tha.
Usne Jheel ko type kiya.
Reyansh:
Shaam ko milogi?
Jheel ka reply jaldi aa gaya.
Jheel:
Kahan?
Reyansh:
Tum decide karo.
Jheel:
Tumhare ghar par.
Reyansh ne message dobara padha.
Reyansh:
Dinner ke liye?
Jheel:
Haan. Lekin is baar cooking ki zimmedari meri hogi.
Reyansh:
Ek minute. Pichhli baar maine dinner banaya tha aur tumne mujhe 8/10 diye the.
Jheel:
Haan, toh aaj tumhe pata chalega ki 8/10 milna kitna mushkil hai.
Reyansh:
Main emotional support ke liye ready rahunga.
Jheel:
Tum bas kitchen se door rehna.
Reyansh ne phone side mein rakha aur uthkar baith gaya.
Uski muskurahat abhi bhi bani hui thi.
Shaam ka plan chhota tha.
Lekin use us chhote se plan ka intezaar hone laga tha.


Office pahunchte hi Reyansh ko pata chal gaya ki din uske hisaab se nahi chalne wala.
Ek client meeting reschedule ho gayi thi, campaign ke kuch changes pending the aur presentation ko lekar team ko ek baar phir baithna tha.
Reyansh ne apna laptop khola aur kaam mein lag gaya.
“Good morning,” Neha ne apni coffee desk par rakhte hue kaha.
“Good morning.”
Neha ne uski taraf dekha.
“Tum aaj bhi muskura rahe ho.”
“Main generally khush insaan hoon.”
“Tum generally meeting ke pehle teen minute tak khush rehte ho. Uske baad tumhari aankhon mein sirf deadlines dikhai deti hain.”
“Tum meri aankhon ka itna analysis kyun karti ho?”
“Kyuki tumhare expressions tumhare emails se zyada informative hain.”
Reyansh hans diya.
Neha apni chair kheenchkar baith gayi.
“Anyway, client ne feedback bheja hai. Do changes aur chahiye.”
“Sirf do?”
“Tumhari tone mein jo umeed thi, woh main todna nahi chahti.”
“Thanks. Bahut supportive colleague ho.”
“Anytime.”
Dono kaam mein lag gaye.
Agla ek ghanta calls, edits aur discussions mein nikal gaya. Reyansh ne presentation ke kuch points revise kiye, team ke saath changes final kiye aur client ko updated version bhej diya.
Meeting khatam hui toh usne ghadi dekhi.
Shaam hone mein abhi waqt tha.
Phone screen par Jheel ka message tha.
Jheel:
Main 7:30 tak aa jaungi. Kuch chahiye tumhe?
Reyansh ne reply kiya.
Reyansh:
Haan. Tum.
Kuch pal tak typing ka indicator dikhta raha.
Phir message aaya.
Jheel:
Cheezein order karne ki aadat mat daalo, Mr. Perfect.
Reyansh:
Tum cheez nahi ho.
Is baar Jheel ka reply thoda der se aaya.
Jheel:
Pata hai.
Uske baad ek chhota sa yellow heart tha.
Reyansh ne phone lock kiya aur laptop ki taraf mud gaya.
Lekin uske chehre ki muskurahat chhup nahi paayi.


Shaam ko ghar pahunchte hi Reyansh ne dekha ki Shalu living room ki table saaf kar rahi thi.
Uske paas ek chhoti si notebook khuli hui thi.
Reyansh ne bag sofa par rakha.
“Kya chal raha hai? Aajkal notebook tumse zyada important ho gayi hai.”


Shalu ne jaldi se notebook band kar di.
“Kuch nahi.”
“Achha. Toh main maan loon ki tum secret diary likhti ho?”
“Sir, aapko har baat mein mazaak karna zaroori lagta hai?”
“Bilkul nahi. Kabhi-kabhi main serious bhi hota hoon.”
Shalu ne use dekha.
“Jaise?”
Reyansh kuch pal sochta raha.
“Jaise abhi. Main bahut serious hoon.”
Shalu ke chehre par hansi aa gayi.
Reyansh ne kitchen ki taraf dekhte hue poochha, “Waise aaj itni jaldi kaam khatam?”
“Haan. Aaj thoda pehle aa gayi thi.”
“Achha hai. Tumhara course wala kaam kaisa chal raha hai?”
“Thoda-thoda samajh aa raha hai. Ab main computer par document khol leti hoon. Aur English mein kuch sentences bhi practice kar rahi hoon.”
“Nice.”
Shalu ne pehli baar khud se ek baat kahi.
“Sir, mujhe lagta hai main seekh sakti hoon. Bas abhi pata nahi ki aage kya karna hai.”
Reyansh ka andaaz halka raha, lekin jawab mein mazaak nahi tha.
“Abhi sab kuch pata hona zaroori nahi. Tumhe bas agla step pata hona chahiye. Phir uske baad wala.”
Shalu ne dheere se sir hilaya.
“Main koshish karungi.”
“Koshish nahi. Practice. Koshish kabhi-kabhi ek din chalti hai. Practice aadat ban jaati hai.”
Shalu ne apni notebook uthayi.
“Yeh baat likh leti hoon.”
“Copyright fees lagegi.”
“Kitni?”
“Ek cup chai.”
“Woh toh main waise bhi bana deti hoon.”
“Phir toh mera business model fail ho gaya.”
Shalu hans padi.
Thodi der baad woh apna kaam khatam karke chali gayi.
Reyansh ghar mein akela reh gaya.
Usne living room ko dekha, phir kitchen ki taraf nazar daali.
Aaj raat Jheel aa rahi thi.
Aur is baar use kuch special karne ki zaroorat nahi thi.
Bas ghar ko ghar jaisa rehne dena tha.


Doorbell theek 7:32 par baji.
Reyansh ne darwaza khola.
Jheel saamne khadi thi. Usne simple sa kurta pehna hua tha, baal khule the aur haath mein ek bag tha.
“Do minute late,” Reyansh ne kaha.
“Lift ruk gayi thi.”
“Excuses.”
“Darwaza band kar doon?”
“Please andar aaiye.”
Jheel hansi aur andar aa gayi.
Usne bag kitchen counter par rakha.
“Tumne kuch khaya?”
“Nahi.”
“Good. Matlab tum meri cooking ke baare mein abhi koi negative review nahi de sakte.”
Reyansh ne kitchen mein jhaank kar dekha.
“Tum sach mein cooking karogi?”
“Nahi, main yahan tumhare curtains dekhne aayi hoon.”
“Waise curtains achhe hain.”
“Reyansh!”
“Okay, okay. Main chup.”
Jheel ne ingredients nikaalne shuru kiye. Reyansh uske aas-paas ghoomta raha, kabhi paani dene ke bahaane, kabhi koi bartan nikaalne ke liye.
Aakhir Jheel ne use dekha.
“Tumhe kuch kaam hai?”
“Haan.”
“Kya?”
“Tumhe dekhna.”
Jheel ke haath ruk gaye.
Usne uski taraf dekha. Reyansh ke chehre par wohi shararti muskurahat thi, lekin aankhon mein mazaak se zyada sach tha.
“Tum har baat itni aasani se kaise keh dete ho?” Jheel ne poochha.
“Har baat nahi keh pata.”
“Kaunsi baat nahi keh paate?”
Reyansh ne kuch pal use dekha.
“Woh jo kehne ke baad insaan ko saamne wale ke aur kareeb le aaye.”
Jheel ki muskurahat dheemi pad gayi.
“Phir keh diya karo.”
“Tum sun liya karna.”
“Main sunti hoon.”
Dono kuch pal chup rahe.
Phir Jheel ne uske haath mein ek pyaaz thama diya.
“Ab yeh kaat do.”
Reyansh ne pyaaz dekha.
“Romantic conversation ka yahi anjaam hona tha?”
“Bilkul.”
“Tumhare saath meri life mein emotions aur vegetables dono bahut badh gaye hain.”
“Pyaaz kaatne mein rona mat. Mujhe sympathy nahi milegi.”
“Tumhare saamne toh main aansu bhi nahi baha sakta.”
“Bilkul nahi.”
Reyansh ne knife uthaya.
Paanch minute baad uski aankhon mein paani tha.
Jheel itna hansi ki use counter pakadna pada.
“Please,” Reyansh ne aankhein ponchte hue kaha, “meri emotional vulnerability ka mazaak mat udaao.”
“Tum pyaaz ki wajah se ro rahe ho!”
“Har kahani mein ek villain hota hai. Meri kahani mein pyaaz hai.”
Jheel ki hansi kitchen mein goonjti rahi.
Aur Reyansh ne mehsoos kiya ki kisi ke saath khush rehne ke liye har pal khoobsurat hona zaroori nahi hota.
Kabhi-kabhi aankhon mein paani bhi aa sakta hai.
Bas saamne wala tumhe dekhkar hans raha ho, toh tumhe bhi hansi aa jaati hai.


Dinner table par aaj khana sach mein achha tha.
Reyansh ne pehla bite liya aur Jheel ki taraf dekha.
“Okay. Main maan gaya.”
“Kya?”
“Tum mujhse achha khaana bana leti ho.”
Jheel ne chamach rakh diya.
“Yeh baat main record kar rahi hoon.”
“Main written statement bhi de sakta hoon.”
“Kal tum mukar gaye toh?”
“Tumhare paas evidence hoga.”
Jheel ne phone uthaya aur uski taraf camera kar diya.
“Repeat karo.”
Reyansh seedha baith gaya.
“Main, Reyansh, apni poori samajh aur hosh mein yeh maanta hoon ki Jheel mujhse achha khaana banati hai.”
Jheel ne recording band kar di.
“Saved.”
“Ab toh meri izzat tumhare haath mein hai.”
“Tumhari izzat kab thi?”
“Yeh relationship bahut one-sided lag raha hai.”
Jheel hansi.
Dinner ke baad dono ne milkar table saaf ki. Reyansh ne bartan dhone ki zimmedari le li aur Jheel ne kitchen counter saaf kiya.
Kaam khatam hone ke baad woh living room mein aa gaye.
TV band tha.
Bahar traffic ki halki awaaz aa rahi thi. Room mein bas lamp ki roshni thi aur dono ke beech ek aaram bhari khamoshi.
Jheel sofa par baithi thi. Reyansh uske paas aakar baith gaya.
“Kya soch rahi ho?” usne poochha.
Jheel ne apne haath ki ungliyon ko dekha.
“Yahi ki tumhare saath mujhe bahut aasani mehsoos hoti hai.”
“Kaisi aasani?”
“Main yahan aakar yeh nahi sochti ki mujhe kaise baithna chahiye, kya bolna chahiye, kitna hasna chahiye. Main bas... main hoti hoon.”
Reyansh ne uski taraf dekha.
“Achha hai. Mujhe bhi tumhare saath kisi aur tarah ka insaan banne ki zaroorat nahi padti.”

“Tum waise bhi bahut bolte ho.”
“Main apni natural personality ki baat kar raha tha.”
“Woh bhi bahut bolti hai.”
Reyansh hans diya.
Phir usne dheere se Jheel ka haath apne haath mein le liya.
“Jheel?”
“Hmm?”
“Mujhe tumhare saath yeh sab achha lagta hai.”
“Kaunsa sab?”
“Yeh ghar. Yeh dinner. Tumhara mujhse ladna. Tumhara mere jokes par hansna, chahe woh achhe na hon.”
“Main har joke par nahi hansti.”
“Tumhare dil mein jagah banane ke liye main kaafi mehnat kar raha hoon.”
Jheel ne uski taraf dekha.
“Jagah toh tumne bana li hai.”
Reyansh ki muskurahat dheemi ho gayi.
“Sach?”
Jheel ne uska haath thoda aur mazbooti se pakad liya.
“Sach.”
Kuch pal baad woh uske kandhe par sir rakhkar baith gayi.
Reyansh ne apna gaal uske baalon se laga diya.
Kisi ko kuch kehne ki zaroorat nahi thi.


Raat dheere-dheere aage badh rahi thi.
Jheel ne phone dekha. Waqt ho chuka tha, lekin uska ghar jaane ka mann nahi kar raha tha.
Reyansh ne uski taraf dekha.
“Thak gayi?”
“Thodi.”
“Ghar chhod doon?”
Jheel ne uski aankhon mein dekha.
“Tum chahte ho main chali jaaun?”
Reyansh kuch pal chup raha.
“Nahi.”
“Phir?”
“Main chahta hoon tum wahi karo jo tum chahti ho. Sirf isliye mat rukna kyunki main tumhe rokna chahta hoon.”
Jheel ke chehre par ek narm si muskurahat aa gayi.
“Main apni marzi se yahan hoon, Reyansh.”
“Pakka?”
“Pakka.”
Reyansh ne uske maathe ko chooma.
Jheel ne aankhein band kar li.
Jab usne dobara aankhein kholi, toh dono ek doosre ke bahut kareeb the.
Reyansh ne uske chehre ko dekha, jaise uski aankhon mein koi aisi baat padh raha ho jo abhi lafzon mein nahi aayi thi.
Jheel ne apna haath uske gaal par rakha.
“Tum kya soch rahe ho?”
“Ki main tumhare saath jaldi nahi karna chahta.”
Jheel ki ungliyan uske gaal par thehar gayin.
“Main bhi nahi chahti ki hum kisi cheez ko jaldi mein karein.”
“Good.”
“Lekin iska matlab yeh bhi nahi ki hum har achhe pal ko soch-soch kar kharab kar dein.”
Reyansh ke chehre par halki si hansi aa gayi.
“Tumne abhi mujhe overthinking ka taana diya?”
“Pyaar se.”
“Tumhara pyaar bhi kaafi dangerous hai.”
Jheel uske kareeb aayi aur uske hothon par ek narm sa kiss diya.
Is baar Reyansh ne usse door hone ki jaldi nahi ki.
Usne uske chehre ko dono haathon mein thaama aur use dobara chooma. Jheel ne apni baahen uske kandhon ke gird rakh di.
Unke beech ki doori dheere-dheere kam hoti gayi.
Koi jaldi nahi thi.
Koi dikhawa nahi tha.
Bas do log the, jo ek doosre ko chahte the aur ab apni chahat ko chhupane ki koshish nahi kar rahe the.
Kuch der baad Jheel ne uske seene par apna sir rakh diya.
Reyansh ne uske baalon mein ungliyan phirate hue poochha, “Tumhe ghar par koi call toh nahi karega?”
“Abhi nahi.”
“Tumhe rukna hai?”
Jheel ne sir uthakar use dekha.
“Haan.”
“Sirf aaj?”
Jheel ki aankhon mein shararat laut aayi.
“Kal ka kal dekhenge, Mr. Perfect.”
Reyansh hans diya.
“Tum kabhi seedha jawaab nahi deti.”
“Tumhe suspense pasand hai.”
“Main romantic suspense ki baat kar raha tha. Tum toh poori thriller ho.”
Jheel uske seene se lagkar hansne lagi.
Aur Reyansh ne use apni baahon mein samet liya.



Kuch der baad Jheel ne kaha ki use fresh hona hai.
Reyansh ne use guest bathroom dikha diya aur ek saaf towel nikaal kar de diya.
“Tum aaram se fresh ho jao. Main tumhare liye kuch comfortable kapde nikaal deta hoon. Agar tum chaho toh.”
Jheel ne uski taraf dekha.
“Thank you.”
“Ismein thank you ki kya baat hai?”
“Har baat mein nahi hota. Kabhi-kabhi hota hai.”
Reyansh ne bas muskurakar sir hila diya.
Jheel bathroom ki taraf chali gayi.
Reyansh bedroom mein aaya. Usne almari kholi, kuch der kapdon ko dekha aur phir ek saaf T-shirt aur track pants nikaal liye.
Kapde bed par rakhkar woh kuch pal khada raha.
Uske andar ek ajeeb si khushi thi, lekin saath hi ek zimmedari ka ehsaas bhi.
Woh Jheel ko chahta tha.
Lekin woh chahta tha ki Jheel uske saath har kadam par apni marzi se chale. Use kisi bhi pal yeh mehsoos na ho ki sirf uski feelings ki wajah se use kuch karna pad raha hai.
Bathroom ka darwaza khula.
Jheel bahar aayi toh usne Reyansh ki T-shirt aur track pants pehne hue the. Baal abhi bhi halke geele the.
Reyansh use dekhkar kuch pal chup raha.
Jheel ne apne kapdon ki taraf dekha.
“Kya hua?”
“Kuch nahi.”
“Tum aise kyun dekh rahe ho?”
“Bas soch raha hoon ki meri T-shirt tum par mujhse zyada achhi lag rahi hai.”
Jheel hans padi.
“Tumhe har baat mein tareef karni hoti hai?”
“Jab saamne tareef ke laayak koi ho, toh rokna mushkil ho jaata hai.”
Jheel ne nazrein jhuka kar muskuraya.
Phir woh uske paas aayi aur uska haath pakad liya.
“Reyansh?”
“Hmm?”
“Aaj raat mujhe tumhare saath rehna achha lagega.”
Reyansh ne uski aankhon mein dekha.
“Tum sure ho?”
Jheel ne bina nazar hataye kaha, “Haan. Aur agar kisi bhi waqt mujhe kuch theek nahi laga, toh main tumhe bata dungi.”
“Bilkul. Aur main bhi.”
Jheel ne uska haath apne dono haathon mein le liya.
“Phir itna socho mat.”
Reyansh ki aankhon mein muskurahat aa gayi.
“Tumhe idea bhi nahi hai ki tum mere saath kya kar rahi ho.”
“Achha hai. Thoda surprise tumhare liye bhi rehna chahiye.”
Woh dono ek doosre ke kareeb aaye.
Reyansh ne uske maathe par kiss kiya. Jheel ne uski baahon mein apna chehra chhupa liya.
Bahar Bengaluru ki sadkon par gaadiyan ab bhi chal rahi thi. Kisi ghar mein TV ki awaaz aa rahi thi, kisi balcony mein der tak jalti light thi, aur kisi flat mein agle din ki taiyari shuru ho chuki thi.
Lekin Flat 303 mein waqt jaise apni raftaar dheemi kar raha tha.
Reyansh ne lamp ki roshni kam kar di.
Jheel ne uska haath nahi chhoda.
Aur us raat ke baaki palon ko un dono ne apne liye rehne diya.
Kuch kareebiyan lafzon se shuru hoti hain. Kuch bharose se. Aur kuch tab, jab do log ek doosre ke paas rehne ka faisla bina kisi dabaav ke karte hain.
Us raat Reyansh ko laga, shayad sukoon kisi badi cheez ka naam nahi tha.
Shayad kabhi-kabhi woh bas kisi apne ka haath tha, jo andhere mein bhi chhoot nahi raha tha.