Chapter 4: Saaye Ka Pehla Kadam
Ubaidkk ne sadak par se nigahein hataakar samne dekha. Raat ke andheron mein wo saya fir nazar aaya—lekin is baar zyada kareeb... itna kareeb ke saans bhi uski gardan ko choo rahi thi.
"Tu phir aa gaya?"
Ubaidkk ne dheere se bola, lekin aankhen uski fikr se bhari hui thi.
Saya uski aankhon ke samne tha... lekin chehra ab bhi dhundhla. Jaise koi cheez jaan-boojh ke apna wajood chhupa rahi ho.
Tabhi peechhe se wahi Korean aurat dobara aayi.
Iss baar uske haath mein coffee ka cup tha.
"Tumhare jese rude aadmi ko coffee ki zarurat hoti hai," usne kaha.
Ubaidkk ne cup liya bina dekhe, sirf bola:
"Aurat, mujhe akela chor de. Tere sheher mein ajeeb ajeeb log hain. Sab ki shaklein ek jaisi."
Aurat hass ke boli:
"Tumhare jese foreigners ko hum sab ek jaise hi lagte hain."
Ubaidkk thoda ruk kar uske aankhon mein dekhta hai.
"Tum logo ke chehre toh copy paste lagte hain. Siri voice mein bolte ho sab."
Aurat phir bhi hasi rok nahi pati.
"Tumhara sarcasm cute hai."
Ubaidkk ne coffee ka ek ghoont liya,
"Bas yahi bacha tha… ab cute bhi keh diya."
Tabhi wo saya ek lamha ke liye bilkul paas aaya —
ek saans ka faasla… lekin kisi ne mehsoos nahi kiya… sirf Ubaidkk.
Usne ghabra kar coffee gira di.
"Yeh kya tha?"
Aurat chauk gayi,
"Kya? Main toh samjhi tum mujhe dekh ke giraaye."
Ubaidkk chup tha. Pehli baar uski aankhon mein mazaak nahi tha.
Sirf ek sawal:
"Yeh saya mujhe kyun follow kar raha hai?"
Aur raat ke andhere mein… ek awaaz goonji…
"Kyuki tu us kahani ka kirdar hai jo tu bhool gaya hai…"
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(Agla chapter: Saya ka Asli Naam)