Avinash kuch der tak use jaate hue dekhta raha.

Uski muskaan dheere-dheere aur gehri ho gayi.

Pata nahi kyun...

Lekin Arohi ki chhoti-chhoti baatein bhi ab uske din ko behtar bana deti thi.

Tabhi peeche se ek awaaz aayi—

"Kya dekh rahe ho itni der se?"

Avinash ne palat kar dekha.

Sira uske peeche khadi thi.

Uske chehre par shararti muskaan thi.

Avinash turant sambhal gaya aur bola

"Kuch bhi toh nahi, chachi ji

Sira ne bhaunhein uthate huye kahaa

"Achha? Toh phir corridor ke us khaali jagah ko itne pyaar se kyun dekh rahe the?"

Avinash ne aankhen ghumayi, aur bola,

"Aapko उससे क्या karna hai"

Sira boli,"Kuch नहीं"

Sira uske paas aakar boli.

"Waise ek baat bataun?"

Avinash sawaali नजरों से देखते हुए बोला",Kya?"

Sira ne uski aankho me dekhkar कहाँ,

"Tum aajkal bahut zyada haste ho."

Avinash ne kuch nahi kaha.

Sira muskura kar boli,

"Aur us hansi ka connection kis se hai, ye bhi main achchhi tarah samajh rahi hoon."

Avinash halke gusse me bola"Bas karo."

Sira apne chehre par masumiyat late huye boli"Main toh kuch boli hi nahi."

Avinash ne use ghura aur wahan se nikal gaya.

Lekin Sira ki muskaan aur badh gayi.

"Interesting..." woh dheere se budbudayi.

---

Dusri taraf...

Study Room

Arohi andar pahunchi toh राजेंद्र kuch files dekh rahe the.

Unhone Arohi ko dekhte hi file band kar di, Aur bole

"Aao darling, baitho."

Arohi saamne wali chair par baith gayi,Aur boli,

"Aapne bulaya tha?"

राजेंद्र ne haan mein sir hilaya, fir bole,

"Haan. Darasal agle hafte ek business gathering rakhi gayi hai. Bahut saare investors aur guests aayenge."

Arohi chupchaap sunti rahi.

राजेंद्र ne aage kaha,

"Main chahta hoon ki us event ki arrangements tum dekho."

Arohi thodi hairan hote huye boli,

"Main?"

"Haan."

राजेंद्र ने halka sa muskura kar kaha.

"Tum zimmedar ho. Aur mujhe tum par bharosa hai."

Arohi ke chehre par halka sa sankoch aaya.

Lekin phir usne dheere se kaha,

"Theek hai. Main poori koshish karungi."

राजेंद्र मुस्कुराते हुए बोले, "Yahi umeed thi."

Tabhi study room ka darwaza khula.

Aur bina knock kiye Avinash andar aa gaya.

Arohi ne turant use dekha.

"Tumhe knock karna nahi aata?"

Avinash ne seedha jawab diya,

"Aata hai."

Arohi use देखकर boli,"Toh phir kiya kyun nahi?"

Avinash bola,"Kyunki mujhe jaldi thi."

Arohi सवालिया नजरों से देखते हुए boli,"Jaldi kis baat ki?"

Avinash ne bina palak jhapkaye kaha,

"Dekhna tha ki tum mere bina kya kar rahi ho."

Arohi ek pal ke liye chup reh gayi.

राजेंद्र ने हल्के गुस्से में uski taraf dekha.

Aur agle hi pal Avinash ne khud hi nazar hata li.

Jaise use ehsaas ho gaya ho ki woh kuch zyada hi bol gaya hai.

Kamre mein ek ajeeb si khamoshi chha gayi.

Arohi ne dheere se nazrein jhuka li.

Pata nahi kyun...

Lekin uske dil ki dhadkan ek pal ke liye tez ho gayi thi.

Aur Avinash...

Woh pehli baar apne hi बातों se pareshaan nazar aa raha tha.

To be continued..