chapter 1: ek anjaan shuruaat

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.

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