Elevator ka button dabate hi Kajal ne ek deep breath li. Vo sab purani baate yaad kar rhi thi.
Jo usne Namjoon or Yoongi ke sath bitayi thi.
Vo hasi majak or late night cafe Street songs.
Kese Yoongi uske liye seat resive rkhta tha.
Kese Namjoon Bina bole uski care krta tha. but abhi shaam ko jo hua dil ki rhythm abhi bhi fast thi, jaise har ek beat ke saath dono ke words echo ho rahe ho.
Yoongi: “Ek din tumhe choose karna padega… aur main pray karta hoon ke woh main hoon.”
Namjoon: “…aur main yeh maan kar chal raha hoon… ke woh tumhara decision main hoon.”
Dono alag, lekin dono ka maksad ek.
Aur Kajal? Wo beech me phasi hui thi… ek patli si dor pe balance banane ki koshish kar rahi thi.
Elevator “ding” karte hue ruk gaya, aur Kajal apne floor pe utar gayi. Hostel ka corridor quiet tha.
Bas ek do doors ke neeche se halki si light aa rahi thi.
Room ka lock khol ke jaise hi Kajal andar gayi, phone vibrate hua.
Screen pe Yoongi ka naam flash kar raha tha.
Kajal ne call uthaya, “Hello?”
Yoongi ki awaaz me urgency thi. “Kahan ho?”
“Kya hua?” Kajal ne thoda tense ho kar poocha.
“Bas… ek baar milna hai. Abhi. Bahar aao.”
Kajal ka mind thoda confuse ho gaya, “Yoongi, raat ka 10 baj raha hai—”
Yoongi ne beech me cut kiya, “Kajal, please. Yeh important hai.”
Kuch seconds hesitation ke baad Kajal ne jacket uthai aur bahar nikal gayi.
Hostel ke gate ke bahar Yoongi ki car khadi thi.
“Kya hua?” Kajal ne passenger seat me baithte hue poocha.
Yoongi ne drive shuru kiya, uski gaze road pe thi. “Main tumse… sorry bolna chahta hoon.”
Kajal surprise ho gayi. “Sorry?”
Yoongi ne halki si sigh li. “Aaj studio me jo bola… shayad thoda harsh tha. Bas… tum Namjoon ke saath thi, aur mujhe pata nahi kyun… laga main tumhe lose kar raha hoon.”
Kajal ne uski side dekha — eyes me genuine guilt tha.
“Yoongi, main tumse kuch chhupa nahi rahi. Tum dono mere liye important ho. Bas…”
Yoongi ne soft smile di, “Bas yeh sunna tha.”
Car ek quiet road pe thi jab suddenly phone bajne laga — lekin iss baar Kajal ka phone, aur screen pe Namjoon ka naam flash kar raha tha.
Yoongi ki eyes us par gayi, “Pick karo.”
Kajal ne call uthaya, “Hello?”
Namjoon ki voice sharp thi, “Tum kaha ho? Hostel me nahi ho.”
Kajal ne glance li Yoongi ki taraf, phir calmly bola, “Main Yoongi ke saath hoon.”
Line me ek second ka silence hua, phir Namjoon ka tone thoda intense ho gaya,
“Kajal, abhi location send karo. Main aa raha hoon.”
Kajal ne hichkicha ke kaha, “Namjoon—”
Namjoon ne cut kiya, “Just send it.”
Aur call cut ho gayi.
Yoongi ne steering wheel thoda tight pakda, “Woh aa raha hai?”
Kajal ne bas slow nod kiya.
15 minutes ke andar ek small café ke bahar Yoongi ne car roki. “Coffee?”
Kajal ne awkward smile di, “Thoda late nahi hai?”
Yoongi ne shoulders ucha diye, “Mujhe tumhare saath thoda aur time chahiye.”
Kajal ne haan me head shake kiya, aur dono café ke andar chale gaye.
Hardly 5 minutes hue the, door khula aur Namjoon enter hua.
Uski gaze seedha Kajal pe — intense, steady, almost challenging.
“Kajal, chalna hai,” Namjoon ne direct kaha, Yoongi ko barely acknowledge karte hue.
Yoongi ne calmly kaha, “She’s with me.”
Namjoon ne finally uski taraf dekha, “Aur ab woh mere saath jaayegi.”
Café me thoda awkward silence ho gaya — staff bhi side se notice kar rahe the.
Kajal ka dil fast beat kar raha tha.
“Namjoon, tum—” Kajal ne start kiya, lekin Namjoon ne softly interrupt kiya, “Kajal, choose karo. Abhi.”
Yoongi ki eyes Kajal pe thi, “Yes. Abhi decide karo.”
Kajal freeze ho gayi. Yehi woh moment tha jiska andaza usne lagaya tha — decision ka waqt jaldi aane wala hai…
Aur wo yeh soch rahi thi ki shayad yeh kabhi real nahi hoga.
Namjoon ek step aage aaya, “Main tumhe apni life me chahata hoon, Kajal. Clear. No games.”
Yoongi ne calmly bola, “Aur main tumhe jaane nahi dunga.”
Dono ki voices alag thi — ek confident aur firm, doosri quiet lekin stubborn.
Kajal ka throat dry ho gaya. “Main…”
Uske lips pe words aane hi wale the ki suddenly café ke bahar loud screeching sound hui — jaise brakes lag rahe ho.
Sab ka attention glass door ki taraf gaya, aur ek bike uncontrollably skid karke corner me crash ho gayi.
Kajal shock me khadi ho gayi. “Oh my god!”
Bina soche samjhe wo bahar bhaagi, dono ke saath.
Biker unconscious tha, blood thoda se aa raha tha.
Kajal turant uske paas baith gayi, “Ambulance bulao!”
Namjoon already phone dial kar raha tha, Yoongi jacket nikal ke injured person ke neeche rakha.
Situation ne dono ko ek second ke liye unite kar diya — lekin Kajal ka mind abhi bhi us moment me atka tha…
Woh second jab usne decide karne ki koshish ki… aur phir fate ne interrupt kar diya.
Ambulance aayi, injured ko le gayi, aur sab quiet ho gaya.
Yoongi ne Kajal ki taraf dekha, “Tum theek ho?”
Kajal ne slow nod kiya. “Haan… bas…”
Namjoon ne softly bola, “Tum abhi bhi decision avoid kar rahi ho.”
Kajal ne uski aankhon me dekha, “Nahi. Bas shayad… main ready nahi ho.”
Yoongi ne thoda sarcastic smile diya, “Ya phir tum hume lose nahi karna chahti.”
Kajal ne kuch nahi kaha. Wo bas café ke doorway pe khadi thi, dono ke beech me.
Aur andar se ek baat clear thi —
Fate ne aaj decision delay kar diya…
Lekin agla mauka shayad utna merciful nahi hoga.
Wo car ki taraf chalne lagi, lekin peeche se dono ke footsteps sunayi diye — ek ka halki si chaal, doosre ka confident stride.
Aur Kajal ko mehsoos hua… shayad agla decision sirf pyaar ka nahi, balki zindagi badalne wala hoga.
