Kuch kahaniyan milne se pehle hi shuru ho jaati hain, aur milne se pehle hi khatam bhi. Ye dastan bhi kuch aisi hi hai—do aise online doston ki, jo kabhi aamne-saamne nahi mile, jinhone kabhi ek-doosre ki awaaz tak nahi suni, bas ek-doosre ki zindagi ka sabse khaas hissa ban kar reh gaye. Kisi ne sahi kaha hai ki internet ki is behisaab bheed me hazaron log roz milte hain, par koi ek aisa hota hai jo aapki khamoshiyo ko bhi bina kahe padhna seekh jata hai.

Baat 8 March 2022 ki hai. Shaam dhal rahi thi, aur aam dino ki tarah hi sab kuch bilkul aam sa chal raha tha. Shrii apne kamre me baithi, thodi bore hote hue apne phone ki screen par ek online app scroll kar rahi thi. Random profiles ko ulat-palat karte hue achanak uski ungliyan ek jagah aakar ruk गईं. Wo profile thi Vinu ki. Vinu ki profile me kuch alag sa tha—na koi bhatke hue shauk, na koi dikhawa, bas ek shant aur mysterious sa vibe jisne Shrii ka dhyaan apni taraf kheench liya. Shrii ne bina zyada soche, ek pal ke impulse me aakar ek chhota sa message drop kar diya—ek simple sa 'Hii'.

Pehla text Shrii ki taraf se gaya tha. Usne socha tha ki shaayad jaldi hi reply aayega, par doosri taraf se sirf gehri khamoshi mili. Ghante beete, phir pura din guzar gaya, par Vinu ka koi notification nahi aaya. Phone ki screen baar-baar check karne ke baad bhi wahan sirf sannata tha.

Par Shrii bhi kahan itni aasani se haar manne wali thi. Uske andar ek ajeeb si zidd thi, ek curiosity thi jo use shant nahi baithne de rahi thi. Usne ek-do baar aur try kiya, thode aur messages bheje, ye sochkar ki shayad is baar wo dekh le. Aur aakhirkar, uski zidd rang layi. Vinu ka ek bohot hi chhota, rukhra aur thanda sa reply aaya.

Wahan se jo chat shuru hui, wo badi dilchasp thi:

Shrii: Hii

Vinu: ......

Shrii: Hello

Vinu: Kon?

Shrii: Aap kon?

Vinu ko shayad samne wale ka ye bholapan ya ajeeb tareeka thoda ajeeb laga, usne likha, "Pehle message tumne kiye na."

Shrii ne turant screen par type kiya, "Hn."

Vinu ne thoda sawaliya andaaz me pucha, "Kha se ho tum? Or kon ho?"

Shrii ne pehli hi baar me apni saari details batana sahi nahi samjha, isliye usne thoda gap chodte hue likha, "Mai ...... se hu. Or aap?"

Vinu ne bhi usi hoshiyari se jawab diya, "Mai ..... se hu."

Dono ek doosre ke baare me jaanna chahte the par koi bhi pehle apne patte kholna nahi chahta tha. Chat me ek ajeeb sa chorr-sipahi ka khel chal raha tha, jahan dono hi anjaan the par baat aage badh rahi thi.

Vinu: Tumhare naam kya hai?

Shrii: Tumhara naam kya hai?

Vinu: Meri bio pe likha hua hai.

Shrii: Meri bhi !

Vinu: Achha.

Shrii: Ha.

Is tarah un dono ki pehli baar online baat hui. Wo replies itne ajeeb, toote-foote aur hansi dilane wale the ki agar koi teesra unhe padhta toh shayad apna sir pakad leta. Par dono is baat se bilkul bekhabar the ki ye choti si, awkward si shuruat aage chal kar unki poori zindagi ko ek naya mod dene wali hai. Wo nahi jaante the ki ye wahi insaan hai jo unke har acche-bure waqt ka sathi banne wala hai.

Us din ke baad se, Shrii ka ek naya routine ban gaya. Wo rozana ki tarah bina kisi umeed ke message karne lagi, aur Vinu ke un chhote-chhote, khusk replies ke peeche ki jo khamoshi thi, wo ab dheere-dheere kam hone lagi thi. Unke beech ki baraf ab pighal rahi thi, aur ek nayi kahani dhiime-dhiime aage badh rahi thi.

Internet par roz hazaron log milte hain aur kho jaate hain. Par un dono ka is tarah takraana koi ittefaq tha ya phir aane wali kisi badi tabdeeli ka ishara? Shrii ko lag raha tha ki wo bas ek anjaan ladke se baat kar rahi hai, par wo nahi jaanti thi ki ye chat unki zindagi ka sabse bada aur sabse haseen turning point banne wali thi. Ek aisi shuruat, jiska anjaam dono me se kisi ne khwaab me bhi nahi socha tha.

Us din ke baad se, dono ke beech baaton ka silsila jaise ek khoobsurat raah par nikal pada tha. Shuruat mein Vinu jo sirf 'hmm' ya 'achha' likh kar formality poori karta tha, ab woh khud se message karne laga tha. Unki baatein ab sirf 'naam aur jagah' jaise buniyaadi sawalon tak nahi rahi thin, balki unme ek-doosre ki zindagi ko janne ki utsukta jhalakne lagi thi.

Dono ke beech ab mazaak-masti aur kheecha-taani aam baat ho gayi thi. Jab bhi waqt milta, dono phone pakad kar baith jaate. Vinu apne ghar se door rehkar padhai karta tha, jis wajah se uske paas waqt thoda kam hota tha, lekin phir bhi woh Shrii ke liye samay nikaal hi leta tha. Shrii bhi hamesha is koshish mein rehti ki apni baaton se Vinu ke chehre par ek muskaan la sake, uski thakaan mita sake.

Abhi tak Shrii aur Vinu ki dosti sirf chats tak hi simat thi, unhone kabhi ek-doosre ki awaaz nahi suni thi. Phir ek din, Vinu ne achanak Shrii ko voice call karne ko kaha. Woh message padhte hi Shrii ke haath jaise thithak gaye. Uska dil zor-zor se dhadakne laga, aur darr ke maare uske haath-pair thande pad gaye. Pehle toh usne ghabrahat mein saaf mana kar diya, par jab phone rakh kar thoda socha, toh dil ke kisi kone se aawaaz aayi ki ek baar baat kar lene mein koi burai nahi hai.

Shaam ke kareeb 4:30 baje, Vinu ne usi app par Shrii ko call kiya. Shrii ne darte-darte call receive kiya. Lekin jo Shrii call uthane se pehle darr aur ghabrahat se kaamp rahi thi, call connect hote hi woh ekdam se comfortable ho gayi. Vinu ki aawaaz mein ek aisa apnapan tha ki Shrii ka saara darr pal bhar mein gayab ho gaya. Uski hassi sunkar Shrii ke andar ek ajeeb si khushi daud gayi. Dono aise baat karne lage jaise barson purane dost hon, jinki aawaaz ek-doosre ke liye bilkul anjaan nahi thi.

Baaton-baaton mein Shrii ne call par hi Vinu ko apne do sabse acche doston se milwaya aur unki baat karwayi. Usne bataya ki kaise woh school ke dino se hamesha sath rahe hain. Isi tarah haste-muskurate unki baat lagbhag ek ghante tak chalti rahi. Woh ek ghanta kab beet gaya, dono mein se kisi ko pata hi nahi chala. Shrii ke liye yeh pehli baar tha jab usne kisi ladke se is tarah khul kar, bina kisi jhijhak ke itni friendly baat ki thi.

Kyunki dono alag-alag shehron se talluq rakhte the, isliye unki bhasha aur rehne ke tareeqon mein thoda farq tha. Baaton ke dauran unki local chizon par bhi thodi chulbuli behas hui, jaise:

Vinu ne bade chaav se kaha, "Tumhe pata hai, yahan humare shehar mein panipuri bahut achhi milti hai. Mujhe toh bahut pasand hai!"

Shrii ne turant muskura kar jawab diya, "Haan, humare yahan pe bhi gupchup bahut achha milta hai."

Vinu thoda heraan hua, "Gupchup? Yeh kya hota hai?"

Shrii ne haste huye kaha, "Buddhū! Humare yahan panipuri ko hi gupchup kehte hain."

Vinu khilkhila kar hass pada, "Achha! Bahut funny aur cute naam hai yeh toh!"

Call katne ke baad bhi Shrii ke chehre se woh muskurahat hatne ka naam nahi le rahi thi. Usne ek gehri saans li aur phone ko bade pyaar se apne seene se laga liya. Jo ladka chats par itna shaant aur chup-chup rehta tha, woh call par itna khul kar baat karega, yeh usne khwab mein bhi nahi socha tha. 'Gupchup' aur 'panipuri' ki is chhoti si nok-jhook ne unke beech ki bhasha ki doori ko jaise pal bhar mein mita diya tha. Phone ko dekhte huye Shrii ko andar se mehsoos ho raha tha ki shayad… uski aam si zindagi mein ek bahut pyaara aur khoobsurat badlav aane wala hai.

Par kehte hain na, jab zindagi zaroorat se zyada khoobsurat lagne lage, toh darr lagne lagta hai. Shrii ke dil mein ek taraf jahan khushi ke diye jal rahe the, wahin ek chota sa darr ka kona bhi tha. Woh ladka jo uske liye kal tak anjaan tha, aaj uski aawaaz Shrii ke sukoon ka sabab ban gayi thi.

Par kya yeh badlav sach mein itna hi masoom tha?

Us pehli call ke baad, jaise dono ki zindagi me ek naya silsila shuru ho gaya tha. Ab unke beech sirf dabi-chhuphi chats nahi, balki har roz shaam ko ghanton lambi baatein hone lagi thin. Shrii ka jo routine pehle ekdum fix aur boring hua karta tha, ab usme ek naya aur khoobsurat rang ghul gaya tha. Wo din bhar bas isi intezar me rehti thi ki kab shaam ke 4:30 bajenge aur kab uska phone ek pyari si vibration ke sath bol uthega.

Vinu se baat karte waqt waqt ka pata hi nahi chalta tha. Dono ek-doosre se apni har choti-badi baat share karne lage the. Shrii agar apne college, apni maa aur doston ke baare me batati, toh Vinu bhi utne hi haq se apne ghar, apni padhai aur doston ke kisse sunata tha. Wo jab baat karne lagta, toh apne baare me sab kuch batata chala jata—uski baaton me ek aisi sachai aur apnapan tha ki Shrii ko lagne laga jaise wo Vinu ko barson se jaanti ho.

Ek din shaam ko, dono roz ki tarah call par hasi-majak kar rahe the. Vinu apni city ki koi majedar baat bata raha tha, aur Shrii bas muskurakar use sun rahi thi. Tabhi Vinu ne achanak thoda ruk kar, gehri saans li aur kaha, "Shrii, pata nahi kyun, par tumse baat karke aisa lagta hai jaise main apna sab kuch tumhe bata sakta hoon. Tumhare sath ek alag hi comfort hai."

Vinu ki ye baat sunkar Shrii ka dil ek pal ke liye tham gaya. Wo andar hi andar behad khush thi. Uski zindagi me aaye is badlav ne use ek nayi umeed de di thi. Use lagne laga tha jaise use koi aisa mil gaya hai, jisse wo khulkar apne man ki har baat keh sakti thi—wo baatein bhi, jo wo kabhi apne sabse achhe doston se bhi share nahi kar paati thi.

Dono ke beech ka ye lagav waqt ke sath aur gehra hota gaya. Ek shaam, Vinu apne doston ke sath ice-cream khane gaya tha. Usne achanak Shrii ko ek photo bheji, jisme uske hath me ek ice-cream cone tha, aur sath me likha, "Kya tumhe ye khana hai?"

Shrii ne turant pure excitement ke sath reply kiya, "Haan bilkul! Main apna hissa khaungi, mere liye bhi bhijva do!"

Kuch hi seconds me Vinu ne us ice-cream ko aadhi kha kar ek nayi photo bheji aur likha, "Ab ye tumhara hissa hai, kha lo."

Us din Vinu ne pehli baar apni koi photo bheji thi. Shrii bas us photo ko screen par ghanton niharti rahi. Uske chehre par ek aisi muskan thi, mano use duniya ka koi sabse bada khazana mil gaya ho. Wo photo uske liye sirf ek file nahi thi, balki Vinu ki duniya ka wo pehla hissa thi jise wo sabse chhupa kar apne paas mehfooz rakhna chahti thi. Usne darr ke maare ki kahin ye photo gallery se delete na ho jaye ya koi dekh na le, phone me ek 'Secret Folder' banaya. Uska password unki pehli call ka waqt tha. Usne photo ko wahan move kar diya.

Lekin khushi ke is khwabnuma daur ke beech, unki agli call par sab kuch badalne wala tha.

Shaam ke thik 4:30 baje Shrii ka phone vibrate hua. Usne muskurate hue call uthaya, "Hello Vinu!"

Lekin us taraf hamesha jaisi warm aur hansti hui aawaz nahi thi. Ek gehri khamoshi ke baad Vinu ki ladkhadati hui aawaz aayi,

"Shrii... shayad hamara is tarah baat karna ab hamesha ke liye band hone wala hai. Mujhe tumse kuch chhupana nahi chahiye tha..."

Vinu ne achanak aisi kaun si baat kahi? Kya tha wo sach jo unke is pyaare se rishte ko hamesha ke liye badal sakta tha?