Chapter 5: Khamoshi Aur Khwaab

Agle din jab subah ki pehli dhoop khidki se chhan kar andar aayi, toh dono ke phones par raat ke un shabdon ka khumar abhi bhi baki tha. Vinu jab jaga, toh uske dil ka bojh halka tha—mano mahino baad vo sukoon ki neend soya ho. Par Shrii? Vo apni rozmarra ki zindagi me laut toh aayi thi, par uske dimaag me abhi bhi Vinu ki kahi baatein ghoom rahi thi. 'Kya sach me pyaar itna gehra hota hai?' Usne aaine me khud ko dekha aur ek thandi aah bhari. Uske mann me ek sawaal baar-baar uth raha tha—kya kabhi vo Vinu ko apna sach bata payegi?

Filhaal, Shrii is baare me jyada sochkar khud ko pareshan nahi karna chahti thi. Vo jo jaisa chal raha tha, usme khush thi, isliye usne is fikar ko dimaag ke ek kone me dhakel diya.

Dhire-dhire, dono ki baatein aur gehri hone lagi. Ab har roz ek-dusre ko funny memes share karna, aur jab bhi waqt mile call par lag jana unki aadat ban chuka tha. Ek din, Vinu ne apna ek video status post kiya, jisme vo badminton khelta hua dikh raha tha. Video dekhte hue Shrii ka dhyan achanak uske racket par gaya, jo itne josh se khelne ke baad buri tarah toot chuka tha.

Usne turant chat par pucha, "Ye racket ka aisa haal kyun ho gaya?"

Vinu ne haste hue reply kiya, "Hum khelte hi itne josh se hain! Ye racket jyada din nahi tikte, aksar isi condition me milte hain."

Shrii ne aankhein band ki aur khud ko Vinu ke saath badminton khelte hue imagine karne lagi. Usne thoda shararatan likha, "Jab mai aapse milungi, toh aap mujhe bhi ye khelna sikhaoge?"

Vinu ne muskurate hue, bade pyaar se jawab diya, "Haan, bilkul! Kyun nahi?"

Usi din jab dono ki call par baat hui, toh Vinu ne thoda khul kar apne studies aur apne ghar walon ke baare me bataya. Baaton hi baaton me, Vinu ne dharakate dil se vo sawaal pooch hi liya jo uske dimaag me kab se tha.

"Shrii, maine ab tak tumhe dekha nahi hai... tum kaisi dikhti ho? Kya mai tumhe dekh sakta hoon?"

Sawaal sunte hi Shrii ke hath-pair thande pad gaye. Usne ghabra kar baat ko talne ki koshish ki, par Vinu is baar serious tha. Vo isi baat par ada raha, "Mujhe tumhara chehra dekhna hai, Shrii."

Apne darr ko chupate hue Shrii ne jaldi se kaha, "Mai... mai jaldi hi apni photos social media par post karungi." Vinu ne uski baat maan li, us waqt topic badal diya aur uske post ka intezar karne laga.

Shaam hote hi dono apne-apne kaamon se free hue. Roze ki tarah ek-dusre ko message kiya, "Kaisa raha tumhara din?"

Lekin Shrii ke dimaag me ab bhi darr betha hua tha. Use lag raha tha ki agar usne normal baat ki, toh Vinu fir se photo ki maang karega. Is darr se vo uske messages ko ignore karne ki koshish karne lagi. Par Vinu bhi kahan kam tha? Jab chat par reply nahi aaya, toh usne direct app par hi call ghuma di. Shrii ke paas ab koi rasta nahi tha, use call receive karna hi pada.

Call connect hote hi, Vinu ne dubara bade pyaar se par thode haq se vahi baat kahi, "Shrii, apni ek photo toh dikhao..."

Shrii ke gale jaise sookh gaya. Vo buri tarah darr gayi thi, aur phone ke us paar bilkul khamosh ho gayi.

"Shrii? Tum wahan ho?" Vinu ki aawaz me ek ajeeb si bechaini thi.

Shrii ka dil tezi se dhadak raha tha. Usne kaanpte haathon se phone ko kaatne ki koshish ki, par tabhi uski nazar kamre ke us kone par gayi jahan ek purani diary rakhi thi. Us diary me ek aisa raaz dafan tha, jo Vinu aur uske rishte ko hamesha ke liye badal sakta tha. Agar Vinu ko sach pata chal gaya, toh kya vo ab bhi usse aise hi baat karega? Ya ye unki aakhri baat thi?

Shrii ne gehri saans li, aur phone screen par ungli rakh di...

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