Chapter 3: Ek Naya Rang

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?

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