Us raat ke baad GC phir se normal ho gaya tha…

par Siya Rathore apne books me kho gyi firse...

Agli shaam…

Siya Dixit apne room ke floor par books faila kar baithi thi.

Ek taraf CS ke modules, dusri taraf office ki files… aur beech mein woh khud — thodi tired, par focused.

Tabhi kitchen se awaaz aayi —

“Madam… aaj bhi dinner skip karne ka plan hai kya?”

Siya Dixit ne thoda irritate hote hue bola —

“Rohan please… abhi mood nahi hai. Bohot kaam hai.”

Rohan Dixit doorway par khada muskura raha tha.

Haath mein apron… aur aankhon mein woh same calm intensity.

“Kaam hamesha rahega Siya… par tum nahi raho gi toh kya karunga main?”

Siya ne uski taraf dekha… thodi annoyed, thodi soft.

“Drama band karo aur jaake khana serve karo.”

Rohan dheere se uske paas aaya…

aur bina kuch bole uske saamne baith gaya.

“Ek condition pe…”

Siya ne eyebrow raise ki — “Kya?”

“Main khilauga.”

Siya ne aankhon se mana karna chaha…

par thakan itni thi ki woh bas chup ho gayi.

Rohan ne ek bite li… aur uske paas laake ruk gaya.

“Open.”

Siya ne thoda sa glare diya… phir halka sa smile aa gaya.

“Tum na… bohot zyada ho.”

“Tumhare liye hi hoon.”

Room mein silence tha… par woh uncomfortable nahi tha.

Woh apna sa silence tha.

Raat thodi aur badhi…

Siya ab bhi padh rahi thi, par aankhon mein neend clearly dikh rahi thi.

Rohan ne lights thodi dim ki…

aur uske peeche jaakar khada ho gaya.

“Kitna aur push karogi khud ko?”

Siya ne bina mudhe bola —

“Jab tak sapne reality na ban jaaye…”

Rohan thoda jhuk kar uske kaan ke paas dheere se bola —

“Ya jab tak main tumhe forcefully sula na du?”

Siya ka pen ruk gaya.

Usne dheere se peeche mud kar uski taraf dekha.

Un dono ke beech ka distance ab sirf ek saans ka reh gaya tha.

“Try karke dekh lo…” Siya ne halki si challenge wali smile ke saath kaha.

Rohan ke lips pe ek dangerous si smirk aayi.

“Tum bhool rahi ho Siya… main har challenge jeet ta hoon.”

Agla second…

Siya ko samajh bhi nahi aaya aur Rohan ne usse gently uthake bed par bitha diya.

“Rohan—”

“Shhh…” usne uske lips ke paas finger rakh di.

“Bas 5 minute… sirf mere liye.”

Siya chup ho gayi.

Rohan uske baal halka sa side karta hai…

aur uski aankhon mein directly dekhte hue bolta hai —

“Din bhar duniya se ladti ho…

raat ko mujhse mat lada karo.”

Siya ki aankhon ki harshness dheere dheere melt ho gayi.

“Main tumse ladti nahi hoon…” woh halki si awaaz mein boli.

Rohan aur close aaya —

“Phir itni door kyun bhaagti ho?”

Silence.

Phir Siya ne dheere se uska collar pakda…

aur usse apni taraf kheench liya.

“Kyuki agar ruk gayi na… toh tumhari aadat ho jaungi.”

Rohan ke lips uske kaan ke paas almost touch karte hue ruk gaye.

“Already ho.”

Us raat…

books side par reh gayi…

targets pending reh gaye…

par ek cheez complete thi —

unka saath.

Struggle unki life ka part tha…

par ek dusre ka hona — unki strength.

Subah phir wahi routine start hoga…

office, studies, responsibilities…

par har raat…

un dono ka yeh dark, intense, aur raw love unhe wapas jod deta tha.