Subah ka suraj khidki se andar aa chuka tha, lekin Kajal ka mann abhi bhi raat ke sapne me uljha hua tha — do raaste, do chehre, aur wo beech me. Usne phone uthaya, screen pe do unread messages.
Namjoon: “Good morning, Kajal.”
Yoongi: “Rise and shine, sleepyhead.”
Kajal ne dono padh liye, par reply kisi ko nahi diya. Uska dil chahta tha ki dono ke liye ek saath kuch likh de… lekin kaise? Uske fingers type karne ko ready hue, phir ruk gaye.
College pahunchte hi, library ke corridor me Namjoon mil gaya. Black shirt, rolled-up sleeves, aur wo intense gaze jo Kajal ka dhyaan apni taraf kheench leti thi.
“Tum mujhe avoid kar rahi ho?” usne softly puchha.
Kajal ne muskaan banayi. “Bas busy thi.”
Namjoon thoda sa nazdeek aaya, awaaz halki si serious. “Busy… ya phir confused?”
Kajal chup rahi, lekin uski khamoshi ka matlab Namjoon samajh gaya. “Jo bhi ho, Kajal… main tumhara intezaar karunga.”
Uske baad wo casually chala gaya, lekin Kajal ke dil me wo baat goonjti rahi.
Sham ko
Campus gate par Kajal apni books adjust kar rahi thi, jab ek familiar awaaz ne uska naam liya.
“Kajal!”
Palat kar dekha — Yoongi. Hoodie, cap, aur wo easy-going smile.
“Surprise,” usne arms open kiye. “Bina bataye wapas aa gaya.”
Kajal ke chehre pe ek genuine smile aa gayi. “Tum… kab aaye?”
“Bas abhi. Socha tumse pehle hi mil loon.”
Dono ne thoda walk kiya. Campus ke gate se thoda aage jaane ke baad Yoongi ne Kajal ke haath se books le liye.
“Tum hamesha itna weight le kar kio chalti ho?” usne casually pucha.
Kajal ne hansi roki, “Itna bhi heavy nahi hai.”
Yoongi ne half-smile ke saath kaha, “Tumhare liye nahi ho sakta hai , lekin mujhe lagta hai tum already bohot kuch carry kar rahi ho… sirf books nahi.”
Kajal ne ek second ke liye uski taraf dekha, uske words ka matlab samajhne ki koshish ki.
Thoda pause karke usne tease kiya, “Waise tum abhi bhi green tea peeti ho na? Yaad hai, library break me tum hamesha wahi order karti thi.”
Kajal ne halki si hansi di, “Haan… abhi bhi.”
Yoongi ne hawa me ek leaf catch ki jo hawa ke saath ud rahi thi, phir usse Kajal ki palm me rakh diya.
“Life complicated lag rahi hai na?” usne softly pucha.
Kajal ne sirf halki sa nod kiya.
Yoongi ne ek deep breath li, “Main complicated cheezein ko simple banane me expert hoon. Tum jab ready ho jao , mujhe bata dena. Main tumhe wahan le jaunga jahan tumhare saare ‘ifs’ aur ‘buts’ khatam ho jayenge."
Kajal ne ek chhoti si smile di, lekin uske dil me ek ajeeb sa comfort settle ho gaya.
Tabhi Kajal ka phone vibrate hua — screen pe Namjoon ka naam flash hua.
Yoongi ne casually pucha, “Pick karogi ya baad me?”
Kajal ne ek pal socha, phir call pick ki.
“Hello…”
Namjoon ki awaaz me urgency thi, “Kajal, mujhe tumse milna hai… abhi.”
Kajal ne thoda hesitant hoke kaha, “Main campus ke bahar hoon, shayad thodi der—”
“Main wait karunga.” Namjoon ne bas itna kaha aur call cut kar diya.
Yoongi ne halki si smirk ke saath dekha, “Lagta hai koi important tha.”
Kajal ne bas smile kiya, “Bas ek friend.”
Yoongi ne tease kiya, “Friend… jo tumhe abhi bula raha hai? Wah, kaafi lucky friend hoga.”
Kajal ne kuch nahi kaha, lekin dil me ek chhoti si guilt ki lehar zaroor aayi.
Later…
Kajal cafe phochi or dekha Namjoon café ke corner table par betha tha. Namjoon apne phone pe kuch scroll kar raha tha, lekin jaise hi Kajal aayi, uski aankhon ka focus sirf us par tha.
“Kajal,” usne chair pull karte hue kaha, “tum thaki hui lag rahi ho.”
Kajal ne thoda hansi me udata, “Din thoda lamba tha.”
Namjoon ne waiter ko bulaya, “Uske liye green tea le aana, extra warm.”
Kajal ne surprise hoke dekha, “Tumhe kaise pata mujhe green tea pasand hai?”
Namjoon ne calm tone me kaha, “Main dhyaan rakhta hoon.”
Ek chhoti si silence hui. Phir wo lean hoke bola, “Main tumhare liye compete nahi karna chahta. Bas tumhe protect karna chahta hoon. Jo bhi choice tum karogi, main tumhare saath rahunga.”
Kajal ne uski aankhon me dekha. Us intensity me ek sachchai thi, jo shayad Yoongi kabhi nahi keh payega — kam se kam is tareeke se nahi.
“Tumhe pata hai, Kajal,” Namjoon ne softly kaha, “kabhi kabhi dil ke faisle samajh se nahi, bas ehsaas se hote hain. Aur main chahta hoon tum apne ehsaas ko ignore na karo.”
Kajal ka dil ek pal ke liye fast beat karne laga. Usne bas tea ka cup apne lips ke paas le liya, jaise kuch bolna avoid kar rahi ho.
Cafe ke baad…
Kajal café se nikal kar seedha hostel wapas jaane ka soch rahi thi, lekin jaise hi gate ke paas aayi, ek bike uske saamne ruk gayi.
Helmet ke peeche se familiar awaaz aayi, “Kya tum mujhe ignore kar rahi ho, Miss Kajal?”
Kajal ne aankh ghumayi, “Yoongi… tum yahan kya kar rahe ho?”
Yoongi ne ek playful bow kiya, “Tumhe kidnap karne aaya hoon… dinner ke liye.”
“Main already khana—” Kajal keh hi rahi thi ki Yoongi beech me bol pada, “Green tea ka matlab dinner thodi hota hai. Chalo.”
Usne bina pooche ek spare helmet uske haath me de diya. Kajal ne thoda hesitate kiya, lekin uski aankhon me woh familiar warmth dekh kar maan gayi.
Bike chalate waqt hawa Kajal ke baalon me ulajh rahi thi, aur shehar ki lights blur si lag rahi thi. 15 minute baad, Yoongi ne bike ek chhote se street-food stall ke saamne roki.
“Korean food toh tumne kabhi taste nahi kiya hoga,” Yoongi ne ek plate tteokbokki order karte hue kaha.
Kajal ne ek bite li, phir hansi aayi, “Yeh spicy hai!”
Yoongi ne teasing tone me kaha, “Tumhari life ki tarah… thodi complicated, thodi spicy.”
Kajal ne aankh narrow ki, “Tum har baat ko mere upar kyu le jaate ho?”
“Kyuki sach seedha bol do toh boring ho jaata hai,” Yoongi ne casual shrug diya.
Dono bench pe baith kar khate rahe. Aas-paas traffic ka shor tha, lekin un dono ke beech ek alag hi silence tha — comfortable, bina pressure ka.
Yoongi ne halka sa uske shoulder ko bump kiya, “Jab tum smile karti ho na, lagta hai duniya itni buri bhi nahi.”
Kajal ne ek second ke liye uski taraf dekha… phir nazar chura li. Dil ke andar ka confusion fir se gehra ho gaya.
Raat
Kajal apne balcony me baithi thi. Chand ki roshni uske chehre par gir rahi thi, hawa me thodi thandak thi. Ek taraf Yoongi ke easy-going words, doosri taraf Namjoon ka steady promise… aur beech me wo khud.
Phone vibrate hua — Yoongi ka text:
“Don’t think too much, Miss Kajal. Life short hai, smile zyada karo.”
Kajal ke lips pe ek chhoti si smile aayi, par saath hi Namjoon ka din me kaha hua ek line yaad aaya — “Main tumhara intezaar karunga.”
Usne phone table par rakha, aankh band ki… lekin uske dil ka tug-of-war abhi bhi khatam nahi hua tha.
