Mohabbat Jo Dheere Dheere Hui, Aur Aadat Ban Gayi

Aarav kabhi khud ko pyaar ke liye bana hi nahi maanta tha.
Uska simple sa logic tha—jo cheez jaldi shuru hoti hai, woh utni hi jaldi khatam bhi ho jaati hai.
Isliye usne apni duniya chhoti rakhi thi… kaam, thodi si tanhaai, aur kaafi saari khamoshi.
Aur sach bolun toh… woh theek hi tha usmein.

Phir Meher aayi.

Meher bilkul uske opposite thi.
Woh un logon mein se thi jo bina wajah hans padte hain… jo baarish ki mitti ki khushboo ko seriously feel karte hain… jo purani kitaab ke panne palat-te waqt bhi khush ho jaate hain.
Kabhi kabhi Aarav sochta tha—“log aise kaise hote hain?”

Unki pehli mulaqat… honestly, kuch khaas nahi thi.
Koi slow-motion scene nahi, koi filmy background music nahi.

Bas ek bus stop.
Roz subah 8:15.

Pehle din—do anjaan log.
Doosre din—phir wahi.
Teesre din… pata nahi kyun, Aarav ne notice kiya ki agar Meher nazar na aaye, toh subah thodi si adhuri lagti hai.
Aur usse yeh baat samajh nahi aayi… par ignore bhi nahi kar paaya.

“Excuse me… time kya hua?”
Usne casually poocha.

“8:12,” Aarav ne dekha bhi nahi properly.

Bas itni si baat thi.
Par shayad kahaniyaan aise hi shuru hoti hain… bina awaaz ke.

Uske baad… pata hi nahi chala kab chhoti chhoti baatein routine ban gayi.
Kabhi bus ka wait karte hue, kabhi raste mein chalte hue, kabhi ek cup chai ke saath.

Ek baar baarish ho rahi thi.
Meher bina kisi tension ke bheeg rahi thi—jaise usse koi farq hi nahi padta.

Aarav ne umbrella aage badhaya, thoda awkward sa…
“Share kar logi?”

Meher ne bas muskura diya.
Aur us muskaan mein… pata nahi kya tha… par Aarav ko laga jaise sab kuch thoda halka ho gaya ho.

Meher apne sapno ke baare mein baat karti thi—
ek chhota sa ghar, ek kamra jo books se bhara ho… aur koi jo shaam ko bas uska intezaar kare.

Aarav zyada bolta nahi tha.
Par woh sunta tha… dhyaan se.
Itna dhyaan se ki usne kabhi “I love you” nahi kaha…
par usse Meher ki favourite chai yaad rehne lagi.
Usse samajh aane laga kab usse space chahiye hoti hai… aur kab sirf saath.

Shayad yahi pyaar hota hai…
jo bolne se zyada samajhne mein hota hai.

Phir ek din… Meher nahi aayi.

Aarav ne socha, “chalo, aaj nahi aayi.”
Par jab doosre din bhi nahi aayi… aur teesre din bhi nahi…
toh usse woh ajeeb si bechaini hone lagi jiska usne kabhi experience nahi kiya tha.

Chauthe din… ek chhota sa letter mila.

“Har rishta naam nahi maangta… kuch bas saath maangte hain.
Mujhe nahi pata tum kya mehsoos karte ho… par tumhare saath sab kuch thoda sa theek lagta hai.”

Aarav kaafi der tak bas woh letter dekhta raha.
Usse pehli baar realize hua… ki jo cheez se woh hamesha bhaagta raha…
woh chupke se uski zindagi ka hissa ban chuki thi.

Usne usi din us cafe ka rukh kiya jahan Meher aksar baithi hoti thi.

Aur woh wahan thi.

Aarav ne kuch seconds liye… phir dheere se bola—
“Mujhe mohabbat se darr lagta tha… par tumne pata nahi kab use meri aadat bana diya.”

Meher ki aankhon mein aansu the…
par woh ro nahi rahi thi.
Uske chehre par ek ajeeb sa sukoon tha.

Shayad isliye… kyunki kuch pyaar aise hote hain jo shor nahi karte.
Woh dheere dheere dil mein utarte hain… bina permission ke.

Aur phir… bas reh jaate hain.