Ek Adhura Khat

Ek Adhura Khat

Ayaan aur Armaan sir ek dating app par mile the. Pehli mulaqat me hi ek ajeeb si baat thi jo un dono ko ek dusre ki taraf kheench rahi thi. Par unka rishta sirf ek teacher-student ya dost ka tha, kabhi physical nahi hua. Ayaan unke sabse kareeb tha, unki har baat samajhta, unka dukh mehsoos karta.

Ek din, jab Ayaan sir ki purani kitaabein aur papers dekh raha tha, uske haath ek diary lagi. Diary ke beech ek murjha chuka, adhoora khat pada tha:

"Rahul, tumhe kabhi bata nahi paaya, par tum mere liye sirf dost nahi the... Main har din tumhare saath jeena chahta tha, lekin..."

Ayaan hairan tha. Yeh Rahul kaun tha? Kya sir kabhi kisi se pyaar karte the?

Us raat Ayaan ne himmat karke poocha, "Sir, Rahul kaun tha?"

Armaan sir ek pal ke liye chup rahe, phir unhone ek halka sa muskura diya, par unki aankhon me udaasi thi.

"Ek adhoora sapna, jo kabhi poora nahi ho saka..."

Ayaan ne sir ki aankhon me ek alag si udaasi dekhi. Ek aise raaz ki chhaya jo kabhi kisi se nahi kahi gayi thi.

"Par kyun, sir? Kya aapne unse kabhi apne dil ki baat nahi kahi?"

Armaan sir ne ek gehri saans li aur diary apni god me rakh li. "Rahul mera college ka dost tha. Hum ek dusre ke bahut kareeb the, lekin us waqt yeh samajhna mushkil tha ki jo humare beech hai woh sirf dosti nahi."

Ayaan chup-chaap sun raha tha. "Phir kya hua?"

Sir ne kahani aage badhayi, "Ek din mujhe samajh aaya ki main usse pyaar karta hoon. Par us waqt yeh baat kehna asaan nahi tha. Ek ladka doosre ladke se pyaar kare, yeh log samajh nahi paate the. Maine apne dil ki baat chhupa li... aur Rahul kisi aur shehar chala gaya. Phir kabhi wapas nahi aaya."

Ayaan ne dhyan se suna. "Aur yeh khat?"

Armaan sir ne khat uthaya. "Maine uske jaane ke baad likha tha. Shayad kabhi bhejta, par himmat nahi hui. Bas yeh ek yaad banke reh gaya."

Ayaan sir ke dukh ko mehsoos kar sakta tha. Usne socha, kya yeh kahani sach me adhuri rehni chahiye? Kya Rahul ab bhi kahin hoga?

Ayaan us raat so nahi paaya. Uska dil kehta tha ki kahani yahin khatam nahi honi chahiye. Usne chhupke sir ki purani files aur photos dekhi aur ek purani tasveer mili—sir aur Rahul ki. Tasveer ke piche ek address likha tha, jo shayad Rahul ka tha.

Agle din, Ayaan ne bina sir ko bataye us address par online search kiya. Usse pata chala ki Rahul ab bhi vahi shehar me hai, ek professor ke roop me. Ayaan ne decide kiya ki use Rahul se milna chahiye.

Wo bina kisi ko bataye uss shehar gaya aur university me Rahul se milne pahunch gaya. Rahul ab ek samajhdar, lekin thoda udaas lagne wala aadmi tha. Ayaan ne dheere se kaha, "Aap Armaan sir ko jaante hain?"

Rahul ek pal ke liye ruk gaya, jaise koi purani yaad zinda ho gayi ho. "Haan... jaanta tha," usne dheemi awaaz me kaha.

Ayaan ne sir ka likha adhoora khat nikal kar diya. Rahul ne use padte hi aansu poch liye. "Armaan ne kabhi ye baat mujhe nahi batayi…" usne kaha.

"Abhi bhi der nahi hui," Ayaan bola, "Kya aap sir se milna chahenge?"

Ek hafte baad, Ayaan ne ek surprise arrange kiya. Armaan sir music room me baith kar piano bajaa rahe the jab darwaza khula, aur saamne Rahul khada tha. Dono ek pal ke liye chup rahe, phir sir ki aankhon me puraane dino ki chamak laut aayi.

Rahul dheere se bola, "Armaan, kya ab bhi der ho chuki hai?"

Sir ne muskurate hue kaha, "Shayad nahi..."

Ayaan ek taraf khada un dono ko dekh raha tha. Ek adhoora khat, jo kabhi bheja nahi gaya, aaj ek adhoori kahani poori ho rahi thi....

The end----