Incheon Airport ki roshniyan itni tez thi ke Anaya ne apni ankhen thodi der ke liye band kar li. Do farms ka safar, teen ghante ki layover, aur ek dil jo Karachi ke ek hospital ke kamre mein reh gaya tha — sab kuch us waqt sirf ek jumle mein simat gaya:

"Zara, main pohanch gayi hoon."

Usne apna phone nikala, lekin video record karne se pehle uski nazar apne wallpaper par thehar gayi — Zara ki ek muskurati hui photo, kuch hafte pehle li gayi, jab usse pehli baar Stage 1 cancer ki khabar mili thi.

Uska dil kuch der ke liye bhaari ho gaya.

Char maheene pehle...

Hospital ka kamra sufaid aur roshan tha. Zara bed par baithi hui thi, thodi kamzor lekin phir bhi apni purani zinda-dili ke saath. Stage 1 ki khabar naye-naye mili thi — dar bhi tha, lekin ummeed zyada thi. Uska haath Anaya ke haath mein tha.

"Tum jaogi," Zara ne kaha, uski awaaz mein woh purani zid thi jo Anaya bohat pyaar karti thi. "Tum jaogi aur mujhe sab dikhaogi. Main yahan baith kar bhi wahan hongi."

"Zara, main tumhe akela chhod kar—"

"Akela nahi chhod rahi," usne Anaya ka haath zor se pakad liya. "Tum mere liye jaa rahi ho. Yeh farq hai. Aur main theek ho jaungi — doctors ne kaha hai early stage hai, sab control mein hai. Bas mujhe intezaar mein nahi rakhna, samjhi?"

Anaya ne muskurane ki koshish ki, halke se. "Main K-pop se nafrat karti hoon, tumhe pata hai."

Zara hansi. "Mujhe pata hai. Isi liye yeh sabse bada tohfa hai — koi cheez jo tum khud kabhi nahi chuntin, sirf mere liye kar rahi ho." Usne Anaya ka haath thoda aur mazbooti se pakda. "Bas mujhe live dikhana. Mujhe woh lights dikhana, woh awaaz sunana, jaise main khud wahan hoon."

Anaya ne sar hilaya.

"Aur ek waada karo," Zara ne kaha, muskurate hue lekin ankhon mein sachai ke saath. "Apne aap ko bachaye rakhna. Duniya mein jaa rahi ho jahan koi tumhe nahi jaanta — is baat ko azadi samajhna, darr nahi."

Anaya ne apni ankhen kholi. Hospital ka kamra gayab ho gaya, aur waapis Incheon Airport ki roshniyan aa gayi.

Usne wallpaper ko ek pal dekha, phir video record kar li — apne dupatte ke rang ko dikhate hue, apni awaaz mein woh mazbooti laate hue jo Zara sunna chahti thi. "Main pohanch gayi hoon. Jaldi hi tumhe sab dikhaungi. Tum bas theek raho."

Usne message bhej diya aur phone pocket mein rakh liya.

Anaya ko K-pop se koi lagav nahi tha. Na hi usse fame ya glamour attract karta tha. Lekin jab tumhari best friend, chemotherapy ke beech, tumse sirf ek chhoti si khwahish maange — to duniya ke doosre kinare tak jaana bhi koi bara faisla nahi lagta. Yeh sirf ek promise tha. Aur Anaya apne waade nahi todti.

Usne apna bag utha kar arrival gate ki taraf badhna shuru kiya. Uska libaas hamesha ki tarah simple aur practical tha — ek lambi hoodie, neeche khula aaram-deh trouser, aur sar par cap jiske upar hoodie ka hood chadha hua tha. Hoodie ke andar uska niqab tha, aur gardan ko chupane ke liye ek neck cover bhi — taake koi hissa khula na rahe, chahe woh kitna bhi safar kare, kisi bhi mausam mein. Yeh uska apna style ban chuka tha, itne saalon ke safar ke baad.

Kyunki Anaya koi naye safar ki shaidai nahi thi — yeh uska pehla mulk nahi tha jahan woh akeli aayi thi. Malaysia, Turkey, Indonesia — uske passport par itni muhrein thi ke kabhi kabhi airport officers hairan ho jate the ke itni kam umar mein itna safar kaise. Woh jaanti thi ajnabi shehron mein kaise chalna hai, kaise apna raasta dhoondna hai, kaise akeli reh kar bhi mehfooz rehna hai. Yeh uski taaqat thi — dosri jagah, dosri zubaan, dosre log, aur phir bhi Anaya ka sukoon wahi rehta, jo uske andar se aata tha, bahar se nahi.

Kisi ne kabhi poocha tha, "Itni garmi mein, itni bheed mein, tumhe mushkil nahi hoti?" Aur woh hamesha muskura kar jawab deti, "Yeh mushkil nahi, yeh mera sukoon hai. Yeh meri pehchaan hai, meri kamzori nahi."

Ajnabi mulk zaroor tha, lekin Anaya ke liye ajnabi hona koi nayi baat nahi thi. Uske kadam nahi ruke. Woh akeli thi, lekin akeli hona uske liye kabhi darr ki wajah nahi raha — yeh to uska tareeqa tha jeenay ka.

Airport ka hall log se bhara tha. Kisi flight ka delay tha, aur announcement system baar baar Korean mein kuch bol raha tha jo Anaya samajh nahi paayi. Usne apna phone nikal kar map dekha — hotel yahan se taxi mein chalees minute ka rasta tha.

Tabhi shor mach gaya.

Ek taraf se cheekhne ki awaaz aayi — bachchon jaisi, dar bhari. Anaya ne palat kar dekha to ek chota bacha, shayad saat ya aath saal ka, ek gira hua banner ke neeche phasne wala tha jo ceiling se latak rahi thi aur ab ek loose cable ki wajah se neeche gir rahi thi.

Log door bhaag rahe the. Kisi ne madad ke liye chillaya. Lekin sab dooriyan bana rahe the — sirf tamasha dekhne wale, ya phir apni jaan bachane wale.

Anaya ke zehan mein ek hi khayal aaya: Agar main abhi na roki, to kal khud ko kabhi maaf nahi karoongi.

Usne sochne mein waqt zaya nahi kiya.

Usne apna bag chhod diya, aur seedha us bache ki taraf bhaagi. Banner ka bhaari dhaancha teezi se neeche aa raha tha. Usne bache ko ek hi jhatke mein apni taraf kheencha, apne badan ko us par jhuka diya, aur dono zameen par gir gaye — theek us waqt jab banner unke upar se guzar kar side mein ja takraya, dhamake ki awaaz ke saath.

Chand second ki khamoshi. Anaya ki saans ruki hui thi, uska dil zor se dhadak raha tha, lekin uske haath bache ke ird gird mazbooti se lipte rahe.

Phir shor. Log daurte hue aaye. Security guards chillate hue. Koi Korean mein kuch bol raha tha jo Anaya samajh nahi paayi, lekin uska matlab wahi tha jo har zubaan mein hota hai jab koi bacha bach jaye — sukoon ki cheekh.

Anaya ne apni ankhen kholi. Bacha uske neeche tha, kaanp raha tha, lekin theek tha. Usne apne niqab ko theek kiya jo giregiri mein thoda hat gaya tha, aur bache ki taraf dekha.

"Tum theek ho?" usne angrezi mein poocha, jaante hue ke shayad woh samjhega bhi nahi.

Bache ne kuch nahi kaha. Sirf uski ankhon mein dekhta raha — ankhen jo bohat kuch dekh chuki thi, ankhen jo shayad Anaya ki tarah kisi aur dard ko chhupa rahi thi. Woh dekhta raha, jaise koi cheez pehchan raha ho jo usne kabhi mehsoos nahi ki thi. Mehfooz hone ka ehsaas.

Tabhi bheed ke beech se ek aadmi tezi se aaya, uski saans phooli hui thi, uska chehra khauf se safed.

"Ji-Hun!" woh chillaya, bache ki taraf lapak kar. Uski aankhon mein aansu the jo woh rokne ki koshish kar raha tha. "Ji-Hun, tum theek ho?"

Bacha — Ji-Hun — ne kuch nahi kaha. Bas apne kaanpte haathon se apne uncle ki shirt pakad li. Aur wahi khamoshi thi jo sabse zyada bol rahi thi — Anaya ne foran samajh liya ke yeh bacha sirf darr ki wajah se khamosh nahi tha. Yeh khamoshi purani thi. Bohat purani.

Aadmi ne Anaya ki taraf dekha. Uska suit expensive tha, uski ghadi ek maheene ki kisi ki tankhwah se zyada keemat ki thi, lekin uski ankhon mein jo darr tha, woh kisi bhi paise se nahi khareeda ja sakta tha.

"Aap ne... aap ne mere bhanje ki jaan bachai," usne kaha, awaaz mein larzish thi. "Main... main aapka kaise shukriya ada karoon?"

Anaya khadi hui, apne kapdon ki gard saaf ki. "Shukriya ki zaroorat nahi," usne kaha, seedhi lekin narm awaaz mein. "Koi bhi karta."

Aadmi ki ankhon mein hairaniyat thi jo woh chhupa nahi paaya. "Koi bhi nahi karta," usne ahista se kaha, jaise khud se baat kar raha ho. "Log mujhse kuch chahte hain hamesha. Yeh pehli baar hai jab kisi ne kuch nahi maanga — aur sabse zyada de diya."

Anaya ne ek pal ke liye uski taraf dekha — is ajeeb, thakay hue, ameer aadmi ki taraf jiski duniya shayad kabhi kisi ke bagair kuch maangne ki nahi thi. Uske andar ek ajeeb sa khayal aaya — yeh log jitna zyada ameer hote hain, andar se utne hi zyada tanha lagte hain. Phir usne apna bag utha liya.

"Main jaa rahi hoon," usne kaha. "Umeed hai woh theek ho jayega." Usne ek akhri baar Ji-Hun ki taraf dekha, aur halke se muskurayi — sirf uski ankhon se, kyunki uska baaki chehra niqab ke peeche tha. "Woh bohat mazboot bacha hai."

Woh palat kar chalne lagi — jaise kuch bhi na hua ho. Jaise duniya bachana uske liye rozana ka kaam ho.

Aadmi — Cha Min-Ho — khada raha, apne bhanje ko sambhale hue, us ladki ko dekhta raha jo bina naam liye, bina wapas mudkar dekhe, bheed mein gum ho gayi.

"Ruko—" woh bola, lekin awaaz itni halki thi ke sirf woh khud sun saka.

Uske haath mein abhi bhi woh garmi thi jo Anaya ke haathon se aayi thi jab usne Ji-Hun ko uski taraf badhaya tha. Aur uske zehan mein ek hi sawaal ghoomta raha: Main us ladki ka naam bhi nahi jaanta.

Anaya ko khabar nahi thi ke jis taxi mein woh baithne wali thi, uska raasta seedha ek aisi duniya se guzarne wala tha jahan se wapasi ka koi seedha rasta nahi hota.

Usne apna phone nikala. Zara ka message aaya tha:

"Pohanch gayi? Kaisa laga? Bata sab!"

Anaya ne muskura kar type karna shuru kiya — "Bas airport hai abhi, kuch khaas nahi..."

Lekin uske peechay, kuch fasle par, ek kaali gaadi khadi thi jiski khidki se do ankhen sirf Anaya ko dekh rahi thi — woh nahi jaanti thi ke woh ankhen sirf khauf se nahi, hisaab se bhi dekh rahi thi. Kisi ne uska chehra apne phone mein capture kar liya tha. Kisi aur wajah se.

Anaya ne apna message bhej diya, apna bag uthaya, aur airport se bahar nikal gayi — bekhabar is baat se ke Seoul shehr mein uska pehla din, uska aakhri "aam" din bhi tha.

Taxi Seoul ki roshan sadkon se guzar rahi thi. Anaya ne khidki se bahar dekha — neon signs, bulandiyon tak jaate hue buildings, log jo teiz raftar se chal rahe the jaise unke paas rukne ka waqt hi nahi. Yeh shehr Karachi se bilkul mukhtalif tha, lekin Anaya ke liye har naya shehr ek jaisa hi hota tha — sirf ek aur jagah jahan usse apna raasta khud dhoondna hota.

Uska phone baja. Zara ka reply aaya:

*"Kuch khaas nahi?? Anaya main jaanti hoon tum kuch chhupa rahi ho. Bata!"*

Anaya muskurayi. Zara usse itni ache se jaanti thi ke jhoot bolna mumkin hi nahi tha.

*"Theek hai theek hai. Ek bacha bachaya airport pe. Kuch khaas nahi, sach mein."*

*"ANAYA TUM NE KISI KI JAAN BACHAI AUR KEHTI HO KUCH KHAAS NAHI?? Main tumhe jaanti hoon, tum kabhi khud ko hero nahi samajhti. Lekin main samajhti hoon. Meri hero."*

Anaya ne apni ankhen band ki, phone seene se laga liya. Kabhi kabhi Zara ki mohabbat itni sadi lekin itni gehri hoti thi ke Anaya ko lagta jaise woh khud ko us mohabbat ke laayak nahi samajhti.

*"Tum meri hero ho, Zara. Hamesha se."*

---

Hotel abhi bhi das minute door tha jab taxi driver ne ruk kar Korean mein kuch kaha, ishaara karte hue ke aage rasta band hai — koi construction ya accident, Anaya samajh nahi payi. Usne ishaare se poocha ke kya woh yahan se paidal chal sakti hai, aur driver ne sar hila kar map par ek chota rasta dikhaya.

"Theek hai," Anaya ne khud se kaha, bag utha kar taxi se utar gayi. Woh raaton ko akele chalne se darti nahi thi — yeh uske liye naya nahi tha.

Gali tang thi, dono taraf purani deewaron ke saath, upar se latakte hue bijli ke taar aur ek do roshan dukanein jo band ho chuki thi. Sannata tha, sirf door kahin se music ki halki awaaz aa rahi thi.

Tabhi usne kisi ki saans sunayi — teiz, dard mein, kisi deewar ke peeche se.

Anaya ruk gayi. Uska pehla khayal yeh nahi tha ke khud ko bachaye — balke yeh tha ke koi madad ke liye pukaar raha hai.

Woh ahista se aawaz ki taraf badhi. Deewar ke peeche, andhere mein, ek aadmi baitha tha — apni jacket ka hood chadhaye, chehre par ek simple black mask, jaisa log bemari se bachne ke liye pehante hain. Uske haath uski taang par the, aur woh dard se kaanp raha tha.

"Aap theek hain?" Anaya ne poocha, angrezi mein, phir samajh kar body language se hi apna sawaal repeat kiya.

Aadmi ne sar utha kar dekha. Mask ke upar sirf uski ankhen nazar aa rahi thi — thaki hui, dard mein, lekin kisi tarah tez bhi.

"Main... theek hoon," usne toota-phoota angrezi mein kaha, awaaz mein dard chhupane ki koshish. "Bas... mera pair..."

Anaya ne uske paas ghutne tek diye, uski taang ki taraf dekha bina chhue. "Kya hua?"

"Gir gaya. Bhaag raha tha," aadmi ne kaha, phir jaldi se add kiya, "Log peeche the. Camera ke saath."

Anaya ki bhaun uth gayi. *Camera?*

"Aap kisi mushkil mein hain?" usne poocha.

Aadmi khamosh raha, jaise faisla kar raha ho ke kitna bataye. Phir usne apna hood thoda neeche kiya, sirf itna ke Anaya uski shakal ka ek hissa dekh sake — jawaan chehra, sharp features, aankhon mein woh thakaan jo sirf bohat der se chhupne wale logon mein hoti hai.

"Aap mujhe nahi jaanti," usne kaha, jaise yeh khud ek ajeeb baat ho.

"Nahi," Anaya ne saaf kaha. "Jaanni chahiye?"

Aadmi ki ankhon mein ek pal ke liye hairaniyat chamki — phir kuch aur, jo shayad sukoon tha. "Nahi," usne ahista se kaha. "Shayad yehi behtareen baat hai."

---

Anaya ne apna bag kholte hue apna chota first-aid kit nikala — woh hamesha apne saath rakhti thi, safar ki aadat ki wajah se. "Dikhaiye," usne kaha, "main dekh sakti hoon shayad."

Aadmi ne pehle mana kiya, phir dard ki wajah se haar maan li. Anaya ne uski jeans ka neeche ka hissa thoda upar kiya — ankle sujj gayi thi, lekin haddi tooti nahi lagti thi.

"Yeh sprain hai," Anaya ne kaha, apne kit se bandage nikalte hue. "Torn nahi hai, lekin aapko aaram karna hoga. Kal chalna mushkil hoga."

"Kal main perform karna hai," aadmi bola, awaaz mein pehli baar sachi ghabrahat.

"Perform?" Anaya ne uski taraf dekha, bandage lagate hue. "Aap actor hain?"

Aadmi ne ek ajeeb si muskurahat di, jo mask ke neeche se bhi Anaya ko mehsoos hui. "Kuch aisa hi."

Anaya ne shrug kiya. Usse farq nahi padta tha yeh aadmi kaun tha — model, actor, ya koi bhi. "Ice lagaiye jaldi ho sake, aur pair ko upar rakhiye. Bandage kas ke lagaya hai, lekin doctor se dikhwa lena kal."

Usne bandage khatam ki aur apna kit band karne lagi.

"Aap ko pata nahi mera naam bhi," aadmi ne kaha, ajeeb si awaaz mein — jaise woh khud confuse ho ke yeh baat kyun keh raha hai.

"Zaroorat hai kya?" Anaya ne poocha, seedhi lekin narm awaaz mein, apna bag uthate hue khadi ho gayi.

"Nahi," usne kaha. Phir, ruk kar: "Haan. Shayad. Main... Kang Seo-Jun."

Anaya ne sar hilaya, jaise yeh naam kisi ordinary aadmi ka naam ho. "Theek raho, Seo-Jun. Aur ice mat bhoolna."

Woh palatne lagi.

"Ruko—" Seo-Jun ne kaha, apni awaaz mein woh larzish jo uski position mein kisi aadmi ki nahi honi chahiye thi. "Aap... aap ka shukriya kaise ada karoon?"

Anaya ne palat kar dekha, uski ankhon mein sirf sukoon tha, koi ehsaan ki umeed nahi. "Shukriya ki zaroorat nahi. Bas apna khayal rakhna."

---

Woh gali se bahar nikal gayi, apna raasta phir se dhoondte hue map ki taraf dekhti hui, bekhabar is baat se ke peeche, andhere mein baithe hue Kang Seo-Jun — jise duniya "Jeo" ke naam se jaanti thi, Korea ke sabse bade idol group Obsidian ka leader — apna mask utaar kar uski jaane wali surat ko dekh raha tha, jaise koi khwaab dekh raha ho jo abhi khatam ho gaya ho.

Uske phone mein missed calls ki list thi — manager, security, sab log usse dhoond rahe the kyunki paparazzi ne usse bina mask dekh liya tha kisi cafe ke bahar, aur woh bhaagte hue yahan tak aa gaya tha, apna pair mod baitha.

Lekin abhi, is pal mein, usse kisi ki fikar nahi thi. Sirf ek sawaal uske zehan mein ghoom raha tha:

*Uska naam kya tha? Maine poocha bhi nahi.*

Woh khud par hansa, halke se, dard ke bawajood. Kitni ajeeb baat thi — Kang Seo-Jun, jo lakhon logon ke naam yaad rakhta tha, apne fans ke chhote chhote messages tak yaad rakhta tha, aaj ek shaks se mila jiska naam usse pata bhi nahi chala. Sirf ek niqab, do roshan ankhein, aur ek awaaz jo bina kisi ehsaan ki umeed ke madad karti thi.

*Mask girl,* usne khud se socha, kyunki koi behtar naam uske zehan mein nahi aaya. *Woh mask girl jo mujhe nahi jaanti thi.*

Aur pehli baar bohat saalon mein, Seo-Jun ko is baat se darr nahi laga — usse sukoon mila.

Uska phone phir baja. Manager ka message:

*"Haru ro raha hai. Poochh raha hai aap kahan hain. Jaldi aayen."*

Seo-Jun ki ankhon mein foran hi pareshani aa gayi. Usne apna hood theek kiya, dard ke bawajood khada hua, aur ahista ahista chalna shuru kiya — apne bete ki taraf, apni doosri zindagi ki taraf, jahan koi usse "Jeo" nahi, sirf "appa" kehta tha.

Lekin us gali mein, chand minute ke liye, woh sirf ek aadmi tha jise ek ajnabi ladki ne bina kuch jaane madad ki thi.

Aur woh bhoolne wala nahi tha.

Hotel ka kamra chota tha lekin saaf, aur khidki se Seoul ki roshniyan andar aa rahi thi jaise sitaray zameen par utar aaye hon. Anaya ne apna bag ek taraf rakha, apna hood aur cap utaari, aur pehli baar sukoon ki saans li.

Safar ki thakaan uske badan mein basne lagi thi. Usne apna niqab thoda theek kiya, wudu ke liye paani garam kiya, aur namaz ada ki — apne kamre ke ek chote se hisse mein, jo Karachi se hazaron mile door thi, lekin sajda karte waqt ye fasla mit jata tha. Yahi to woh cheez thi jo Anaya ko har jagah "ghar" jaisa mehsoos karati thi.

Namaz ke baad usne apna phone uthaya. Zara ka ek aur message tha:

*"Room mil gaya? Tasveer bhejo!"*

Anaya ne muskura kar apne kamre ki ek photo click ki aur bhej di. Phir usne remote uthaya aur TV chala diya — sirf awaaz sunne ke liye, kyunki khamoshi kabhi kabhi bohat bhaari ho jati thi.

TV Korean mein tha, samajh nahi aa raha tha, lekin visuals se andaza ho gaya ke koi entertainment channel hai. Anaya ne apna bag kholna shuru kiya, apne kapde nikalne lage, jab TV screen par ek breaking news banner flash hua.

Usne ek nazar dali — tasveer mein ek aadmi tha, chehra dhaka hua, ambulance ki taraf le jaya ja raha, security ke ird gird. Neeche Korean text tha jo Anaya samajh nahi payi.

Uska dil ek pal ke liye ruk gaya — kuch ajeeb sa lagा, kuch jaana-pehchana. Lekin thakaan aur bhook ki wajah se usne zyada dhyan nahi diya. *Kisi celebrity ki khabar hogi shayad,* usne socha, aur remote se channel badal diya, kuch aisa dhoondte hue jo English mein ho.

Woh nahi jaanti thi ke jo tasveer usne dekhi thi, uska seedha talluq us aadmi se tha jise usne chand ghante pehle andhere gali mein bandage lagayi thi.

---

**Kahin Aur, Ussi Waqt**

Obsidian ke management office mein afra-tafri machi hui thi. Manager, Han Jae-Won, apna phone kaan se laga kar teiz teiz baat kar raha tha.

"Nahi, koi press statement abhi nahi. Bas kaho Jeo ko halka sa muscle strain hai, kal ka show postpone nahi hoga—"

Doosri taraf se koi cheekh raha tha. Jae-Won ne ankhen band ki. "Main jaanta hoon fans pareshaan hain. Main jaanta hoon. Bas mujhe do ghante do."

Usne phone rakha aur Seo-Jun ki taraf dekha, jo sofa par baitha apna pair upar rakhe hue tha, ice pack ke saath.

"Kya hua tha wahan?" Jae-Won ne poocha, awaaz mein gussa aur fikar dono. "Tum bina security ke bahar kyun gaye?"

"Haru so nahi raha tha," Seo-Jun ne ahista se kaha. "Main bas... thoda waqt chahta tha. Khud ke liye."

Jae-Won ne sar hilaya, samajhte hue lekin phir bhi pareshan. "Aur ye taang?"

Seo-Jun khamosh raha ek pal. Phir, "Koi thi jo mili. Usne madad ki."

"Kaun?"

"Pata nahi," Seo-Jun ne kaha, aur ajeeb baat yeh thi ke uski awaaz mein ek muskurahat thi jo Jae-Won ne kabhi nahi suni thi is tarah. "Naam bhi nahi pata. Bas... woh niqab pehne hui thi. Aur uski ankhon mein kuch aisa tha jo main bhool nahi pa raha."

Jae-Won ne bhaun uthai. "Naam bhi nahi jaanta, aur itna sochta ja raha hai us ke baare mein?"

"Ajeeb hai na," Seo-Jun ne halke se muskura kar kaha, jaise yeh baat khud usse yakeen nahi aa rahi. "Sab log mera naam jaante hain. Yeh pehli baar hai jab kisi ne mujhse kuch nahi poocha, aur mujhe bhi uska naam nahi maloom."

---

**Kahin Aur Bhi, Ek Aur Kamra**

Ek chhoti, teezi se light hone wali screen ke saamne, do log baithe hue thay — aadmi ka chehra andhere mein tha, sirf uski ungliyan keyboard par nazar aa rahi thi.

"Jo footage airport se aayi hai," ek awaaz boli, "us mein woh ladki saaf nazar aa rahi hai. Ji-Hun ko bachaya usne."

"Cha Min-Ho ka bhanja?" doosri awaaz ne poocha.

"Haan. Aur is se pehle bhi, humare bande ne usse dekha — Seo-Jun ke saath, ek gali mein, raat ko."

Khamoshi chha gayi kamre mein.

"Yeh koincidence nahi ho sakta," pehli awaaz ne kaha. "Ek chhoti si ladki, aik hafte mein do bade naamon ke saath? Cha Min-Ho, aur ab Obsidian ka leader?"

"Ho sakta hai woh sirf achi qismat hai. Ya bad-qismati."

"Jo bhi ho," awaaz mein ek sardi thi jo kisi bhi garam kamre mein bhi thandak la sakti thi. "Humein maloom karna hoga yeh ladki kaun hai. Aur kya woh cheezein jaanti hai jo usse nahi jaanni chahiye."

Screen par ek tasveer zoom hui — Anaya ka chehra, sirf uski ankhein nazar aa rahi thi niqab ke upar se, airport ki CCTV footage se li gayi.

"Dhoondo usse," awaaz ne hukum diya. "Ahista se. Abhi koi shor nahi."

---

Anaya ko is sab ka koi ilm nahi tha.

Woh apne kamre mein baithi, apna khana order kar rahi thi — kuch halal options dhoondne ki koshish, jo asaan nahi tha ek naye shehar mein — aur Zara se video call par baat kar rahi thi.

"Tumhe pata hai," Zara boli, screen par uski muskurahat thodi kamzor thi lekin ankhein roshan thi, "mujhe lagta hai Seoul tumhe badal dega."

"Main nahi badloongi," Anaya hansi. "Main wahi rahoongi jo hoon."

"Yeh nahi kehna chahti thi main," Zara ne ahista se kaha, apna sar takiye par tikate hue. "Main kehna chahti thi ke... duniya tumhe pehchan legi, Anaya. Chahe tum chhupna chaho ya nahi."

Anaya ne haske sar hilaya, lekin Zara ki baat mein kuch tha jo uske dil mein utar gaya — jaise ek pehchaan jo abhi shuru nahi hui thi, lekin jiska raasta pehle se taiyar ho raha tha.

"Tum bohat ajeeb baaten karti ho jab tumhe neend aa rahi hoti hai," Anaya ne pyaar se kaha. "Chalo so jao. Kal phir baat karenge."

"Waada karo," Zara boli, ankhein band karte hue.

"Waada," Anaya ne kaha.

Call katne ke baad, Anaya khidki ke paas gayi aur Seoul ki roshniyan dekhne lagi — bekhabar is baat se ke us shehr ke andar, kai log ab uska naam, uska chehra, aur uski kahani dhoondne mein lag gaye the.

Kuch log tumhe bachaate hain kyunki woh tumhe chahte hain.

Kuch log tumhe dhoondte hain kyunki tum unke liye khatra ho sakti ho.

Anaya abhi tak nahi jaanti thi ke woh dono list mein aa chuki thi.