Bargi Dam ki pahadi par teen log baithe huye the. Aur sath hi ek thaile me rakhe the Uncle chips ke khaali packet. Aur doosre thaile me the shikanji ki bottles.
"Ham log yahaan chips khaa rahe hain... Deepak Chatterji ki bhoot ko bura to nahin lagega?" Malhar ne maasoomiyat se kaha.
"Vaise bura maanne ki baat to hai," Kallu sochte huye boli, "Bhoot kucch khaa pee to sakte nahi. Kahin vo ye na soch rahe ham zinda log chips khakar, shikanji peekar jala rahe hain."
Malhar ne turant Chips ka packet door rakh diya.
Rajat bola, "Khaoge nahi to weakness lagegi."
Magar Malhar ne na hi kucch khaya na hi kucch piya.
Teeno ne kucch din Antakshari khelkar time pass kiya fir pahadi par se hi patthar beenkar chapete ka khel khela. Fir Kallu aur Rajat dono Malhar ke kandhe par sar rakhkar so gaye.
Suraj ab dhalne laga tha aur Malhar ko ek gehri udaasi gherne lagi thi. Use ehsaas ho chuka tha ki kucch sawaalon ke jawaab kabhi nahi milte chahe insaan kitni bhi koshish kar le. Vo kabhi nahi jaan payega ki uske bhai ke dimag me kya chal raha tha jab vo building se Zameen ki or aa raha tha. Kya use dar lag raha tha? Ya fir ye kadam uthane ka pacchtava? Kya usne ek bhi baar Bhagwan ji se prarthana ki thi ki bas ek baar use bachaa lein fir kabhi vo aisi galti nahi karega? Ya fir uske dil me itna dard tha ki maut ki god bhi use zindagi se suhaani lag rahi thi. Fir Malhar kabhi apne bhai ki vo aawaz nahin sun payega jab vo use vo gaane sunakar subah neend se jagata tha jinse Malhar ko chiddh chootti thi.
Malhar ne pehle to apne muh par haath rakhkar apni siskiyaan dabane ki koshish kari magar uske oopar uthte neeche girte kandhon se Kallu aur Rajat ki neend khul gayi. Un dono ne kucch nahi kaha, na hi Malhar ko koi dilaasa dene ki koshish ki. Bas dono uske gale se lipat gaye.
Jab Bargi dam se vo Jabalpur ki bas pakadne jaa rahe the, to Malhar aur Kallu peeche choot gaye. Malhar ne Kallu ka haath kas ke pakda hua tha.
Achanak chalte chalte Malhar ruk gaya aur Kallu ka haath apne haath me lekar bola, "Kallu tum to kabhi mujhe chhorkar nahi jaogi?"
Kallu ne na me sar hilaaya.
Malhar bola, "Pakka na?"
Jawaab me Kallu ne Malhar ki aankhein band ki aur uske kaan me boli, "I love you."
"Kallu! Malhar!" Rajat ne aawaz di.
Jab teeno bus par chadhe to Kallu ne chillakar Malhar ko aawaz di, "Malhar. Sab kucch saaf saaf dikh raha hai na?"
Malhar ne hoth bheench liye magar sharm se laal uske chehre ko chhipane ka koi tareeka nahi tha.
Kallu jaakar Rajat ke bagal wali seat par baith gayi aur apni hatheliyon ko apni god me rakhkar unhe dekhte huye boli, "I love Malhar."
Rajat ne chaunkte huye dekha, fir khud ko sambhalkar bhare gale se bola, "Matlab...kab...Mera matlab sahi h...acche lagoge tum dono saath me."
"Tum Malhar ko sach kab bataoge?" Kallu boli.
"Mera kaun sa sach hai Malhar ko bataane ko?"
"Kab tak chhupaoge apni feelings ko Rajat? Agar ab bhi chup rahe to Zindagi bhar pacchtane ke alawa kucch nahi milega."
Rajat poore safar chup hi raha.
Jab bus stop par teeno utre, to Rajat bola, "Malhar, ek second."
Malhar chillaya, "Kallu ruko, Rajat bulaa raha hai."
Kallu ne bina peeche mude kahaa, "Aj nahi, Malhar. Aaj Rajat ko sirf tumse baat karni chahiye."
Malhar Rajat ke saamne khada ho gaya. Rajat chup hi raha.
Malhar bola, "Ab kucch bologe bhi. Yaar, pata hai mujhe, tum Kallu ko like karte ho."
Rajat ne uski baat kaatkar kaha, "I love you."
"Kya?"
"I love you, Malhar."
Malhar hanste huye bola, "Are vo to main bhi love you. Itna senti kyon ho rahe ho?"
Rajat ne Malhar ki aankhon me dekhkar kaha, "I love you, not as a friend. I love you bilkul vaise hi jaise tum Kallu se pyaar karte ho. Mujhe pata hai ki aaj ke baad tum meri shakal bhi dekhna nahi chahoge, par yahi sach hai."
Malhar thodi der chup raha. Rajat vaapis jaane laga. Malhar ne kaha, "Rajat ruko!" Aur Malhar Rajat ke paas aakar peeche se uske gale lag gaya.
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2005
Ek suit pehne ladka railway station par kisi ka intezaar kar raha tha. Usne apne sunglasses utaare. Tabhi neeli saari pehne ek ladki train se neeche utri. Uske maathe par ek chhoti si neeli bindi, aur maang me sindoor tha.
Us ladke ne ladki ka suitcase utha liya.
Ladki hanskar boli, "Aur DM Sahab! Laal batti vali gaadi lekar aaye ho kya?"
"Kallu madam, main personal reasons ke liye kabhi sarkaari facilities use nahin karta. Aur apni dharmpatni ko receive karne ke liye meri puraani bike hi kaafi hai. Tumhara agle TV show ka screenplay complete ho gaya?"
"Nahin. Ab yahin complete karoongi. Likhte likhte haath bhi to dard karne lagte hain. Aaj vo aa raha hai, Malhar."
Malhar bola, "Haan! Aaj finally us raat ke baad pehli baar ham log usse milenge. Hotshot entrepreneur hain Sirji, India ki highest turnover vali company ke founder. Maje me zindgi kat rahi hai ladke ki. Ladkiyan marti hain Rajat Malhotra par. Saale ka naam hi stylish hai..."
Kallu ne aas paas kucch soonghne ki koshish karte huye kaha, "Malhar zara dekho ye jalne ki mehek kahaan se aa rahi hai?"
"Apne best friend ke super successful hone se jo na jale, use dost kehlane ka koi haq nahi. Aur ab jo chahe vo us par mare, Rajat Malhotra ka pehla pyaar to Malhar Mishra hi hai..."
"Aur Malhar Mishra ka pehla pyaar kon hai?"
"Luna."
"Maar khaoge tum mere haath se." Kehkar Kallu ne zor ka mukka Malhar ke pet me maara.
The End
Kaisi lagi ye kahaani please zaroor bataana?