Barish us din kuch zyada hi emotional thi. Na ruk rahi thi, na sambhal rahi thi. Main bhi kya karta, office se nikalte hi bike band ho gayi. Na chhata, na koi aur option. Samne ek choti si tea stall dikhi — "Sharma Tea Stall" — wahi purani, jaha bachpan mein cutting chai piya karte the.
Bhag ke gaya main, bheegta hua. Shirt se paani tapak raha tha, aur specs ke upar fog hi fog. Order diya, “Bhaiya, ek kadak wali chai dena.”
Aur bas, wahi pe usse dekha.
Ek red kurti, halka sa dupatta sir pe, aur haathon mein woh classic steel wali chai ki glass. Vo barish se zyada thandi thi, par uski aankhon mein kuch aisa tha… jaise kisi purani diary ka lamha achanak zinda ho gaya ho.
Usne dekha, thoda sa smile kiya — bas utna hi kaafi tha ki main andar se hil gaya.
“Hamesha aise hi bheeg ke aate ho?” usne casually poocha.
Main thoda awkward sa hasa, “Nahi, aaj bike aur barish dono ne saath chhod diya.”
“Good combination,” vo boli, “drama aur chai dono ek saath.”
Uske baad silence tha, lekin uncomfortable nahi — ek aisa sukoon jisme kuch kehna zaroori nahi hota.
Chai aayi. Main apne glass se sip le raha tha, aur wo khidki ke bahar barish dekh rahi thi.
“Main Meher hoon,” usne kaha, bina meri taraf dekhe.
“Aarav,” maine turant reply kiya, jaise kisi exam mein answer sahi mil gaya ho.
Phir har barish mein hum milte rahe. Kabhi usi Sharma Tea Stall pe, kabhi lake ke paas bench pe, kabhi bookstore ke corner mein. Hum dono normal the, lekin saath mein kuch alag feel hota tha. Na dosti thi poori, na ishq ka izhaar — bas ek ajeeb si khichav.
Ek din, bina plan ke hum dono museum chale gaye — waha ek purani painting ke saamne khade the. Usne poocha, “Agar main chali jaaun bina bole, toh yaad rahungi?”
Maine dekha uski aankhon mein, aur bola, “Tu agar chali bhi gayi na… toh barish bhi tujhe dhoondhegi.”
Bas usi waqt… usne mera haath pakda. Pehli baar. Thoda sa kaanp raha tha main, par uski ungliyon ki garamahat ne sab keh diya.
Koi propose nahi kiya, na hi love you bola. Par jab barish khatam hui na… to hum dono ek chhat ke neeche khade the — bina umbrella, bina shabd, par poori duniya ek side thi… aur hum ek side.
Kuch pyaar kehna nahi padta… wo bas hota hai.
Jaise chai mein shakkar — dikhti nahi, par bina uske mazaa bhi nahi.
