Subah ke 8 baje the. Kajal apne hostel ke corridor me slow steps le rahi thi. Uske phone screen pe ek hi chat pinned thi — Yoongi. Kal raat ke “Kal” ke baad koi reply nahi aaya.
Usne deep breath li, decide kiya ki chahe kuch bhi ho… aaj usse milna hi padega.
Room me aate hi usne apna bag uthaya aur studio ke liye nikal padi. Raste me clouds low the, jaise weather bhi heavy ho.
Kajal ne door knock kiya. Kuch seconds ke baad andar se ek halki si “Come in” aayi.
Andar enter karte hi usne dekha — Yoongi chair par baitha tha, piano ke keys ke upar haath rakhe, lekin koi tune play nahi kar raha tha.
“Kaisa feel kar rahe ho?” Kajal ne softly poocha.
Yoongi ne uski taraf dekha, eyes tired, voice flat. “Better.”
Kajal uske paas aayi, “Tumne bataya kyun nahi ki tum hospital me the?”
Yoongi ne thoda shoulder shrug kiya. “Batane se kya hota? Tum already busy thi.”
Uske tone me sarcasm subtle tha, lekin Kajal ko chub gaya.
“Yoongi, tum jaante ho main tumhare liye—”
“—Sab kuch?” Yoongi ne interrupt kiya, eyebrow raise karte hue. “Kya tum sure ho? Kyunki kal raat tumne ek clear decision liya tha.”
Kajal speechless ho gayi.
Yoongi ne halki si bitter laugh di. “Main drama nahi kar raha. Bas fact hai — tumne decide kiya ki kiski priority banoge.”
Kajal ne aankhein band karke sigh li. “Mujhe lagta hai tum galat samajh rahe ho…”
Yoongi ne chair se uthkar directly uske saamne khade hote hue kaha, “Toh samjhao. Kyunki abhi tak mujhe lagta hai ki main tumhare liye sirf ek comfort zone hoon. Aur jab real choice ka time aaya… tumne mujhe choose nahi kiya.”
Room ka silence itna heavy tha ki Kajal ko apna heartbeat sunai de raha tha.
Yoongi ke room se nikalte hi Kajal ka phone vibrate hua. Namjoon ka naam screen par flash hua.
“Hey,” Kajal ne call receive kiya.
Namjoon ka tone urgent tha. “Kajal, tum studio ke paas ho na? Mujhe ek kaam me tumhari help chahiye.”
“Kaunsa kaam?”
“Ek private showcase hai, jahan sirf selected log allowed hai. Mujhe kisi ke through entry chahiye… aur tum help kar sakti ho.”
Kajal ne ek second hesitate kiya. Ye event Yoongi ke mentor ka tha — ek strict, no-media policy wale senior composer.
“Namjoon, main… mujhe pata nahi yeh sahi idea hai ya nahi. Agar pata chal gaya toh—”
“Kajal,” Namjoon ne interrupt kiya, “main tumpe trust karta hoon. Bas ek favour hai. Tum aa jao.”
Event Hall – 12:45 PM
Kajal ne apni old connection use karke security bypass karwaya. Namjoon andar aaya, casual smile ke saath.
“Tum best ho,” usne whisper kiya, “tumne mere liye ek huge door open kar diya.”
Event shuru hua. Music, networking, and influential people everywhere. Namjoon clearly shine kar raha tha.
Lekin Kajal ka mind abhi bhi restless tha. Har baar jab wo Yoongi ke mentor ko dekh rahi thi, ek guilt ka shadow andr se khinch raha tha.
Event ke beech suddenly Yoongi ka mentor directly Kajal ke paas aaya.
“Kajal? Tum yahan kaise? Aur… tumhare saath ye kaun hai?”
Kajal ne thoda confident tone banaya. “Sir, ye mere dost hain. Sirf thodi der ke liye aaye hain.”
Mentor ka expression instantly change hua. “Tum jaanti ho rules. Aur tumhe pata hai main unauthorized logon ko tolerate nahi karta.”
Namjoon ne politely hand forward kiya, “Sir, main—”
Mentor ne haath utha kar interrupt kiya. “Nahi, mujhe tumhari introduction nahi chahiye. Kajal… tumne mera trust tod diya.”
Us moment Kajal ka stomach drop ho gaya.
---
Evening Fallout – 6:00 PM
Yoongi ka call aaya. Voice low thi, lekin har word me disappointment bharahua.
“Kajal… tumne aaj kya kiya, mujhe pata chal gaya.”
Kajal ne aankhein band ki. “Yoongi, main samjha sakti hoon—”
“Mat samjhao,” Yoongi ne softly kaha. “Bas ye yaad rakhna… trust ek baar break ho jaaye, toh wapas lana easy nahi hota.”
Aur call cut ho gaya.
Kajal frozen khadi thi. Usne realise kiya ki is baar sirf jealousy ka game nahi tha… is baar usne sach me ek ka trust break kar diya tha.
Namjoon ne usse cafe me bulaya. Wo abhi bhi upbeat tha, “Aaj tumne jo kiya, uska result tum dekhogi. Main ek direct meeting secure kar li hai. Tum meri lucky charm ho, Kajal.”
Kajal ne faint smile di, lekin kuch nahi bola.
Namjoon ne uska haath pakda. “Kya hua? Tum aise kyun ho?”
Kajal ne aankhon me directly dekhte hue kaha, “Bas… mujhe lagta hai maine kisi apne ko hurt kiya.”
Namjoon ne calmly kaha, “Kajal, tumne ek decision liya… mere liye. Main uska respect karta hoon. Aur jo log tumhare decisions ko accept nahi karte… shayad unke liye tum priority nahi ho.”
Kajal ka dil ab aur heavy feel kar raha tha.
Raat ko hostel me wapas aayi to piche se kisi ne awaaz lgai.
Kajal slowly turn hui. Yoongi wahan tha — black hoodie, cap low pulled, lekin uski aankhon me woh softness nahi thi jo usually hoti thi.
“Kya baat?” Kajal ne cautious tone me poocha.
Yoongi ne calmly bola, “Tumhe lagta hai tum game khel rahi ho… lekin tumhe pata nahi yeh game kaise khatam hota hai.
Yoongi ne ek deep breath li. “Tumne mere mentor ka trust tod diya. Aur indirectly… mera bhi.”
Kajal ne instant defense me kaha, “Main sirf help kar rahi thi. Namjoon ko ek chance chahiye tha—”
“—Aur tumne decide kiya ki uska chance, mere trust se zyada important hai.” Yoongi ki voice steady thi, lekin har word me weight tha.
Kajal ne aankhein chura li. “Yoongi, tum samajh nahi rahe—”
“Main samajh raha hoon,” Yoongi ne step forward kiya, distance kam karte hue. “Tum sochti ho ki tum dono ko balance kar rahi ho… lekin tum sirf ek ko preference de rahi ho.”
Kajal ko tab realise hua — ab yeh sirf ek love triangle nahi raha… ab yeh ek war ban chuka tha.
