Chapter 9 — Unexpected Meeting
Kajal ne socha tha, aaj ka din simple hoga. Mann ko distraction dene ke liye wo city ke chhote street market aayi thi. Hawa me coffee aur freshly baked bread ki khushboo thi, stalls pe rang-birangi lights jagmag kar rahi thi.
Wo ek stall par earrings dekh rahi thi, jab piche se ek familiar awaaz aayi —
“Ab bhi silver zyada pasand hai?”
Kajal ne palat kar dekha — Yoongi. Casual denim jacket, hands pocket me, jaise bas walk pe nikalte-nikalte aa gaya ho.
“Tum yaha?” Kajal ne hairan hokar pucha.
“Bas tumhe dekhne ka mann tha… ya shayad tumse takra jana chahta tha.” Usne half-smile di.
Kajal kuch keh paati, usse pehle doosri taraf se ek aur awaaz —
“Kajal?”
Namjoon. Black coat, neatly styled hair, aur wo confident walk jo crowd me bhi alag lagti thi. Usne Kajal ko dekha, phir Yoongi ki taraf — ek second ka pause, lekin us pause me kaafi kuch tha.
“Namjoon… tum yaha kaise?” Kajal ne thoda nervous hoke pucha.
“Ek meeting thi paas me, socha coffee le lu… lekin mujhe nahi pata tha yahan aur interesting cheez mil jayegi.” Uski aankhon ka focus Kajal par tha.
Hawa me ek halki awkwardness aa gayi. Yoongi ne Kajal ke bag ka strap apne haath me le liya.
“Tum bohot heavy carry kar rahi ho, main le leta hoon,” usne casually kaha.
Namjoon ka jaw slightly tighten hua.
“Kajal, tum coffee logi? Mere saath.”
Yoongi ne smirk kiya, “Ya phir hum teeno saath chalein? Kahani thodi interesting ho jayegi.”
Kajal dono ko dekhti rahi — ek taraf Yoongi ka chilled tease, doosri taraf Namjoon ka steady, protective presence. Lights chamak rahi thi, log guzar rahe the, par uske liye sirf ye do chehre frame me the.
Ek din free rehne ka socha tha… aur ye dono aa gaye.
“Chalo… teeno saath chalte hain.”
Dono ne ek dusre ko dekha — ek silent challenge.
Café warm lights me dooba tha, background me soft jazz chal rahi thi. Window ke paas ek chhoti si table mili, jo teeno ko close baithne par majboor kar rahi thi.
Yoongi ne jacket utar ke chair par daal di. “Main order karta hoon, tum log kya loge?”
“Kajal ke liye green tea,” Namjoon ne turant kaha.
Yoongi ke lips par chhota sa smile aaya. “Aur uske liye honey add karwana, kyunki strong taste pasand nahi.”
Namjoon ne uski taraf dekha — silent, sharp exchange.
Kajal ne awkward laugh di, “Tum dono ko mujpar encyclopedia banane ka shauk hai kya?”
Order aate hi conversation ka face ajeeb ho gaya. Namjoon casually Kajal ke shoulder ke upar lean karke baat karta, jaise apni presence mark kar raha ho. Yoongi kabhi-kabhi apna cup uske cup se touch hone deta — ek soft reminder.
“Tum kal free ho?” Namjoon ne achanak pucha.
“Shayad… kyun?”
“Mujhe tumhe ek jagah le jaana hai.” Namjoon ki voice me wo surety thi jo mana karna mushkil banati.
Yoongi ne turant interrupt kiya, “Kal to hum already mil rahe hain. Tum bhool gayi?”
“Kab decide hua?” Kajal ne hairan hoke pucha.
“Abhi hua.” Yoongi ke tone me relaxed smile thi, lekin aankhon me challenge.
Kajal ne sigh kiya. “Nahi… kal mera important lecture hai.”
Bill settle hone ke baad teeno café se bahar nikle. Market ki lights ab aur bright thi, thandi hawa chal rahi thi.
Namjoon ne casually apna coat Kajal ke shoulders par rakh diya.
“Tumhe thand lag rahi hai,” usne softly kaha.
“Thanks… lekin tumhe kaise pata chala?”
Namjoon bas halki si smile dekar aage chalne laga.
Peeche se Yoongi aaya, hands pocket me.
“Waise coat ke neeche tumhari green scarf match ho rahi hai… tum par dark colors zyada suit karte hain.”
Kajal ne dono ki taraf dekha. “Mujhe lagta hai tum dono mujhe zyada study karte ho.”
Café ke bahar Kajal ek stall par kuch dekhne ruki thi. Uske thodi door, Yoongi aur Namjoon side me khade ho gaye.
Thand ka halka jhonka aaya, dono ne apne hands pocket me daale.
Namjoon ne casual tone me shuru kiya, “Tum hamesha har jagah kaise pahunch jaate ho, Yoongi?”
Uske words calm the, lekin undertone me ek sawal chhupa hua tha.
Yoongi ne slow smirk kiya, “Shayad tum mujhe underestimate karte ho. Main sirf wahan hota hoon jahan mujhe lagta hai… koi interesting cheez mil sakti hai.”
Usne Namjoon ki aankhon me seedha dekha, ek second zyada hold karke.
Namjoon ne slightly lean kiya, “Aur tumhe lagta hai Kajal tumhare liye ‘interesting cheez’ hai?”
Yoongi ne shoulders ucha diye, “Lagta nahi… pata hai.”
Ek chhoti si silence hui. Market ke shor ke beech me wo silence aur heavy lag rahi thi.
Namjoon ne slow, firm voice me kaha, “Main tumhe ek cheez clear kar du… jo bhi game tum khel rahe ho, main uska part nahi banne wala. Mere liye wo sirf game nahi hai.”
Yoongi ne halki hansi di, “Yahi to problem hai, Namjoon. Tum overly serious ho jate ho… aur main enjoy karta hoon.”
Usne pocket se ek coin nikal kar flip kiya, catch kiya, phir casually bola, “Dekhte hain, end me fate kis side hota hai.”
Kajal ne peeche mud ke dekha to dono apne apne expression normal kar chuke the — jaise kuch hua hi na ho.
Lekin unki aankhon me ab ek naye level ka challenge jal raha tha.
kuch der walk krne ke baad footpath par ek street performer guitar baja raha tha. Yoongi ne Kajal ko push kiya, “Chalo, ek gaana sunte hain.”
Namjoon ne watch dekhi, “Late ho raha hai, tumhara lecture kal hai.”
Kajal ne decide kiya, “Sirf ek gaana.”
Music hawa me gungunane laga. Kajal ne aankhen band ki, lekin usse mehsoos hua — dono ki nazrein us par hi hain.
Gaana khatam hote hi Namjoon ne kaha, “Chalo, main drop kar deta hoon.”
Yoongi ne turant bola, “Main bhi aa raha hoon.”
Street lamp ke neeche Kajal samajh gayi — chahe kal ka din lecture ka ho, in dono se bachna mushkil hoga.
