Lecture ke baad Kajal seedha bookstore pahunchi. Door ke bahar hi Namjoon wait kar raha tha, hands in pockets, ek calm smile ke saath.
“Tum aa gayi,” usne softly kaha.
Dono andar gaye. Bookstore ka cozy atmosphere Kajal ko instantly peaceful feel karwane laga — wooden shelves, soft lighting, aur corner se halki coffee ki smell.
Namjoon directly travel section me gaya, ek book uthayi aur Kajal ko di,
“Yeh tumhare liye… mujhe laga tumhe pasand aayegi.”
Kajal ne smile di, “Tumhe kaise pata main yeh read karti hoon?”
“Main notice karta hoon,” Namjoon ne casually kaha, lekin uski eyes Kajal pe aise tikki thi jaise woh har expression observe kar raha ho.
Kajal ek shelf ke upar se book nikal rahi thi jab usne glass door ke bahar ek familiar figure dekha — Yoongi. Hoodie pehne, casual posture me khada… lekin eyes directly un dono pe.
Uske phone me vibration hui — Yoongi ka text:
“Bas check kar raha tha… tum safe ho na?”
Namjoon ne Kajal ke phone ki screen ka reflection glass me dekha. Uske expression me ek second ka shift aaya — gentle smile ke neeche ek faint possessiveness.
“Tum distracted lag rahi ho,” usne low tone me kaha.
“Bas… zyada soch rahi hoon,” Kajal ne halki si muskaan di.
Check-out counter pe Namjoon ne Kajal ke haath pe apni ungliyon ka grip thoda tighten kar diya, jaise silent message ho — Tum sirf meri ho.
“Kal tum free ho?” usne casually pucha.
Kajal ne hesitate kiya, “Nahi… muje thoda kam hai.”
Namjoon ki smile thodi sharp ho gayi, “ok… jab free ho jao tab bta dena.”
Bookstore se nikalte hue Kajal ne ek last glance door ki taraf kiya — Yoongi ab wahan nahi tha.
Kajal apne room me study table par baithi thi, notes revise kar rahi thi, jab phone ring hua — Yoongi ka call.
“Hello?” Kajal ki awaaz me surprise tha.
“Tum thik ho?” Yoongi ki voice soft thi, lekin uske andar ek depth thi jo Kajal ko hamesha pause karwa deti thi.
“Main thik hoon… tum bookstore ke bahar kyun…” Kajal ruk gayi.
Yoongi ne thoda silence ke baad kaha, “Mujhe bas dekhna tha… ki tum safe ho.”
Kajal ne halki si sigh li, “Tumhe kese pata chal jata hai me kha hu, or vese bhi main apna khayal rakh sakti hoon?”
Yoongi ki halki si hansi aayi, “Pata hai… tum apna dhyan rakh skti ho par tum meri habit ban chuki ho. Main ignore nahi kar paata.”
Kajal ka dil ek second ke liye skip hua. “Namjoon ko laga tumhara message kuch… alag tha.”
Yoongi ki tone thodi serious ho gayi, “Aur tumhe kya lagta hai? Kya mera message sirf friendly tha?”
Kajal ne jawab nahi diya.
Yoongi ne dheere se kaha, “Bas yaad rakhna… chahe koi bhi tumhare paas ho, main hamesha background me rahunga.”
Call cut hone ke baad Kajal ne apna phone desk pe rakha, uske dil me dono ke liye alag-alag feelings ka storm chal raha tha — ek taraf Namjoon ka possessive comfort, doosri taraf Yoongi ka quiet but intense pull.
Next morning campus unusually bright tha, lekin Kajal ka mood abhi bhi mixed tha. Lecture khatam hone ke baad usne library ka plan banaya, lekin halfway jaate-jaate Namjoon uske saamne aa gaya.
“Library? Main bhi aa raha hoon,” usne bina pooche kaha.
Library me dono corner table pe baithe. Namjoon books arrange kar raha tha jab Kajal ka phone vibration hua — Yoongi ka short text:
“Don’t skip lunch.”
Kajal ne phone quickly side me rakha, lekin Namjoon ne uski body language note kar li.
“Kaun tha?” uska tone casual tha, lekin aankhon me ek sharp curiosity thi.
“Kuch nahi… bas ek friend,” Kajal ne topic cut kiya.
Namjoon ne halka sa smile kiya, “Friend…” usne softly repeat kiya, jaise woh word ko taste kar raha ho. “Kya main usse jaanta hoon?”
Kajal ne sir shake kiya, “Chhodo na, padhai pe focus karo.”
Thoda waqt chup rehne ke baad Namjoon ne ek pen uthaya, uske notes ke corner me chhota sa smiley bana diya.
“Kya?” Kajal ne hansi roki.
“Bas… tumko yaad dilane ke liye ke main yahan hoon,” Namjoon ne softly kaha, lekin uski eyes me ek unspoken challenge tha.
Kajal ko pata tha — yeh sirf shuruaat thi. Dono ke beech me ab sirf pyaar ka masla nahi tha… kuch aur bhi tha. Aur us “kuch” ka naam shayad Yoongi tha.
Us din evening me Kajal library ke baad campus ke lawn me akeli chal rahi thi. Hawa me halki si thand aur street lamps ki soft glow ka combination atmosphere ko dreamy bana raha tha.
Kajal ke phone ne vibration dikhaya — Yoongi ka short text:
“Campus gate pe wait kar raha hoon. Tumhare liye surprise hai.”
Kajal ne internally sigh li. Ye phir se…
Thoda hesitant, wo gate ki taraf gayi. Jaise hi wahan pohanchi, Yoongi wahan casual stance me khada tha, hands in pockets, hoodie slightly tilted, aur aankhon me wo same alert curiosity.
“Hey,” Yoongi ne halki si smile ke saath bola.
“Hi,” Kajal ne softly reply kiya.
Thodi der ke liye dono silence me rahe. Phir Namjoon ki voice piche se aayi:
“Kajal?”
Kajal ne quickly turn kiya, aur dekha Namjoon gate ke thodi door khada tha, confident aur composed, lekin aankhon me ek subtle edge of jealousy.
Yoongi ne half-smirk diya, jaise wo perfectly aware tha Namjoon ka reaction.
“Lagta hai… timing perfect hai,” Yoongi ne casually comment kiya.
Namjoon aage aaya, step by step, eyes locked on Yoongi. “Tum… campus pe kyun?” uska tone calm tha, lekin clearly possessive.
Yoongi ne thoda tilt kar ke dekha, “Bas… dekh raha tha ki tum safe ho, Namjoon. Tumhara concern unnecessary hai.”
Kajal ne dono ke beech me step liya, “Stop it… please. Don’t make this weird.”
Namjoon ne Kajal ko side se dekha, phir Yoongi ki taraf. “Ye weird nahi… bas clarity chahiye. Tum hamesha background me kyun ho?”
Yoongi ki aankhon me ek flash aya, phir halki si hansi, “Clarity… mujhe lagta hai tumhe pata hai main yahan kyun hoon. Kajal… bas usi ke liye.”
Kajal ki heart beat tez ho gayi. Namjoon ka grip uske haath pe thoda tight ho gaya.
“Bas itna samjh lo… main bhi yahan sirf kajal ke liye ho,” Namjoon ne softly, par fir bhi firm tone me kaha.
Yoongi ne step back liya, ek subtle respect ke saath, aur halki si teasing tone me bola, “Main interfere nahi kar raha. Bas observe kar raha hoon… aur thoda protect.”
Kajal ne dono ko dekha. Dono hi uske liye alag tareeke se important the — Namjoon ka possessive stability aur Yoongi ka spontaneous intensity. Heart me ek chaos chal raha tha, par lips pe halki muskaan.
Namjoon ne Kajal ki taraf dekha, “Tumhari choice… par yaad rakho… main hamesha yahan hoon.”
Yoongi ne halki si smile di, “Aur main bhi. Background me, hamesha.”
Kajal ne dono ke beech me apna head tilt kiya, “Stop it… mujhe tension mat do. Ek din me itna kaafi hai.”
Namjoon aur Yoongi ne ek dusre ko glance diya, ek silent understanding ke saath.
Kajal ne socha… Ye dono… dono hi alag tareeke se meri life me important hain… aur ye chaos… surprisingly comforting bhi hai. Kajal vha se chali gayi.
Wo us raat campus ke lawn se ghar ke liye chali, heart me warmth aur tension dono ke saath, ready for whatever next day.
