Bangalore PG, Filter Coffee aur Tum

Chapter 1: Pehli Mulakaat

Raat ke 9:30 baje the. Main apne laptop bag ko kandhe pe latkaye, BTM Layout ki galiyon se apni PG ki taraf chal rahi thi. Bangalore ki hawa mein wohi mehsoos tha — thodi garam, thodi nam, aur poori tarah se thakavut se bhari.

Din bhar ki testing ne meri aankhen sukha di thi. Woh last bug jo resolve nahi ho raha tha... uff! QA engineer ki zindagi hi aisi hoti hai — sabki galtiyan dhoondho, phir khud thak kar so jao.

Maine apni PG ki taraf mooh kiya, tabhi woh smell aayi.

Aroma. That heavenly, earthy, soul-stirring aroma.

Filter coffee.

Meri naak ne automatically mooh mod liya. Corner pe ek chota sa stall tha — "Anna's Kaapi Corner." IT park ke bahar yeh stall roz lagta tha, aur main roz iske paas se guzar ti thi. Lekin aaj... aaj kuch alag tha.

Shayad thakavat thi. Shayad loneliness thi. Mysuru se Bangalore aaye do saal ho gaye the, lekin aaj pehli baar itna ghar ki yaad aa rahi thi.

Maine rukne ka faisla kiya.

"Anna, ek filter coffee," maine kaha, apni purse kholte hue.

"Sure, madam. Strong?"

"Ha, bilkul. Aaj toh bahut zaroorat hai."

Main stall ke paas khadi thi, jab ek awaaz aayi —

"Arre, tum bhi yahan?"

Maine mud kar dekha. Ek ladka khada tha — tall, lean, slightly messy hair, aur haath mein ek programming book. Usne hoodie pehni hui thi jispe "Git Happens" likha tha. Techie. Clearly.

"Mujhe jaante ho?" maine poocha, thoda confused.

"Nahi, lekin dekha hai. Tum bhi wohi building mein kaam karti ho na? 5th floor, QA team?"

Maine eyebrow raise ki. "Kaunse floor pe tum?"

"3rd floor. Frontend. Rohan. Hubli se."

"Priya. Mysuru se. QA."

Usne muskurate hue haath badhaya. "Toh officially mil liye. Coffee ke saath."

Maine haath milaya. Uske haath garam the, shayad usne pehle se hi coffee pi li thi.

Anna ne meri coffee di. Woh pehla sip... oh my god. Mysuru ki yaad dila di. Amma ki coffee jaisi nahi thi, lekin Bangalore ki coffee apni jagah perfect thi.

"Tum roz itni der tak kaam karte ho?" Rohan ne poocha, apni coffee sip karte hue.

"Bug tha. Resolve nahi ho raha tha. Tum?"

"Same. Deployment issues. Frontend wale hamesha backend walo ke issues solve karte hain."

"Arre wah, victim card?"

"Nahi nahi, fact hai. Dekho, tum log test karte ho, hum log fix karte hain. Dono ki zindagi mushkil hai."

Main hansi. Uske chehre pe woh genuine smile thi — woh smile jo thakavat ko bhula deti hai.

"By the way," usne kaha, "tumhari PG kaunsi hai?"

"Shanti Nivas. BTM Layout mein."

Uske chehre pe surprise aa gaya. "Seriously? Main 'Sai Residency' mein rehta hoon. Bas doosri gali mein!"

"Kya? Itne paas?"

"Haan yaar. Do saal se same area mein hain, aur aaj mile hain. Bangalore ki irony."

Hum dono hase. Anna bhi muskura raha tha — shayad usne bhi aisi meetings dekhi thi.

"Toh kal milte hain?" Rohan ne poocha. "Same time, same place? Coffee meri taraf se."

Maine socha. Kyun nahi? Akeli coffee peene se achha hai company mein peena.

"Deal. Lekin main pay karungi apni."

"Arre nahi yaar—"

"Rohan, main Mysuru se hoon. Wahan ladkiyaan independent hoti hain."

Usne haath uthaya surrender mein. "Okay okay. Mysuru ki independent ladki. Kal milte hain."

Maine coffee khatam ki, aur apni PG ki taraf chali. Raaste mein, ek ajeeb si lightness mehsoos hui. Shayad coffee thi. Shayad woh conversation thi.

Shayad dono.

---

Chapter 2: Daily Ka Routine

Agle teen hafton mein, woh "kal milte hain" roz ka routine ban gaya.

9:30 baje. Anna's Kaapi Corner. Do filter coffee. Ek lambi conversation.

Rohan se baat karna... alag tha. Bangalore ke tech scene mein sab log apne baare mein hi baat karte hain — package, promotion, onsite. Lekin Rohan... usse baat karna jaise purane dost se baat karna.

Woh Hubli ke baare mein batata — wahan ki chill zindagi, uske dada ji ki paan ki dukaan, woh choti si haveli jahan woh bada hua.

"Hubli mein time alag chalta hai," ek din usne kaha, coffee ke cup ko haathon mein ghumate hue. "Subah 8 baje sab jagah khulta hai. Shaam ko 6 baje band. Yahan... yahan toh time ka pata hi nahi chalta."

"Tumhe bhi wapas jaana hai?" maine poocha.

"Bahut. Lekin pehle thoda experience, thoda paisa. Phir... pata nahi. Shaadi, bachche, responsibilities. Phir wapas kaise jaoge?"

Maine chupke se apni coffee peeti. Woh sawaal mujhe bhi satata tha. Mysuru... woh gardens, woh slow life, woh ghar jahan Amma pooja karti thi aur Appa newspaper padhte the.

"Main bhi wapas jaana chahti hoon," maine kaha. "Lekin Ananya ki shaadi hai... meri elder sister. Uske baad ghar pe pressure hoga ki meri bari."

"Arranged marriage?"

"Semi-arranged. 'Dekh lo, pasand aaye toh baat karo' wala system."

Rohan ne kuch nahi kaha. Bas coffee peeti. Lekin uske chehre pe kuch tha... kuch jo main samajh nahi paayi.

"Kiran kaisa hai?" maine topic change kiya. Kiran uska roommate tha — ek loud, extroverted ladka jo sales mein tha.

"Uff, woh toh pagal hai. Roz koi na koi scheme batata hai. 'Bhai, crypto mein daal de,' 'Bhai, yeh startup join kar le.' Mera dimaag kha jaata hai."

Main hansi. "Mere PG mein bhi aise hi hain. Ladkiyaan hain, lekin same energy. 'Priya, yeh skincare routine try kar,' 'Priya, weekend pe club chalte hain.'"

"Club? Tum jaati ho?"

"Kabhi kabhi. Lekin dil nahi lagta. Loud music, drinks, fake conversations... main book padhna prefer karti hoon."

Rohan ki aankhen chamki. "Books? Kaunsi?"

"Anything. Fiction, non-fiction, poetry. Abhi recently Murakami padh rahi hoon."

"Norwegian Wood?"

"Ha! Tumhe bhi pasand hai?"

"Yaar, woh book ne meri zindagi badal di. Itni achhi depiction of loneliness and connection..."

Aur phir shuru hua. Books, authors, favourite quotes. Woh raat 11 baje tak hum Anna ke stall pe khade rahe — usne doosri coffee offer ki, maine mana nahi kiya.

Jab main apni PG pahunchi, toh Auntie ne darwaza khola — woh hamari PG owner thi, 50-something, garam aadmi, strict bhi, loving bhi.

"Kahan thi itni der, Priya? Phone bhi nahi uthaya."

"Sorry Auntie, office se late ho gaya."

"Office se late? Coffee stall pe khadi thi maine dekha."

Mera chehra laal ho gaya. Auntie ko sab pata hota tha — woh building ki har khabar rakhti thi.

"Woh... ek friend mil gaya tha."

"Friend? Woh ladka jo roz tumhare saath coffee peeta hai?"

"Aapne dekha?"

"Aur kya! Main PG chalati hoon, CBI nahi. Lekin sun lo — achha ladka lagta hai. Lekin hadd mein rehna. Samjhi?"

Maine sir hilaya, sharm se. Lekin mann mein... mann mein kuch alag sa mehsoos ho raha tha.

---

Chapter 3: PG Wali Life

Shanti Nivas — naam toh shanti ka tha, lekin andar pure drama tha.

Teen floors. 20 rooms. 40 ladkiyaan. Aur ek Auntie jo sabko apni beti ki tarah treat karti thi.

Meri room partner Riya thi — Mumbai se, investment banker, roz subah 5 baje uthti thi gym jaane ke liye. Main uske alarm se jaag jaati thi, phir so nahi paati.

"Priya, tera woh developer friend aaj ayega?" Riya ne ek din poocha, mirror mein lipstick lagate hue.

"Kaisa friend?"

"Arre, woh jiske saath roz coffee peeti hai. BTM ke chakkar mein sabko pata hai."

"Kya?"

"Yaar, Bangalore chhota hai. Plus, tum dono Anna ke stall pe itni der tak... obviously log notice karenge."

Maine facepalm kiya. Yeh toh problem ho gayi.

Lekin problem nahi hui. Kyunki agle din, jab main coffee stall pe gayi, toh Rohan ne kaha —

"Tumhe pata hai, Kiran ne mujhe kitna tease kiya?"

"Kya? Tumhe bhi?"

"Usne dekha tha humein. 'Bhai, woh QA wali ladki hai na? Pakka interest hai tujhe.' Maine kaha, 'Chup kar, woh bas friend hai.'"

"Friend?" Maine poocha, aur phir realize kiya ki maine kitni expectant awaaz mein poocha tha.

Rohan ne meri taraf dekha. Woh filter coffee ki steam ke peeche se, uski aankhen kuch keh rahi thi.

"Priya, main... main sach kehta hoon. Tum sirf friend nahi ho. Lekin main nahi jaanta ki... ki kaise..."

"Mysuru jaana hai yaad hai?" maine kaha, halki si smile ke saath. "Pehle woh. Phir baaki sab."

Usne kuch der tak dekha, phir muskuraya. "Fair enough. Lekin... kal library chalogi? Cubbon Park wali? Sunday hai."

"Books?"

"Ha. Aur kuch bhi nahi."

Maine haan keh di. Kyunki books ke saath koi galat decision nahi hota. Right?

---

Chapter 4: Library aur Uske Baad

Sunday. Cubbon Park ki State Central Library.

Woh building dekh ke hi dil khush ho gaya. British era ki architecture, high ceilings, wooden shelves, aur woh smell — purani kitabon ki smell. Mysuru ki library ki yaad dila di.

Rohan pehle se hi wahan tha, ek table pe baitha, doosri chair pull out ki hui.

"Late ho gayi?" usne poocha.

"15 minutes. Fashionably late."

"Nice. Main toh soch raha tha tum aayi nahi."

"Main aati hoon. Books ke liye toh zaroor."

Humne ek shelf se books uthayi — main poetry section gayi, woh fiction mein ghus gaya. Phir wapas aake ek doosre se apni findings share ki.

"Ye dekho," usne kaha, ek purani copy of 'The Prophet' by Kahlil Gibran uthate hue. "Yeh book... meri mumma ki favourite thi."

"Tumhari mumma?"

"Ha. Unhone mujhe yeh padhne ko di thi jab main chhota tha. Ab woh nahi hain... 5 saal ho gaye."

Maine kuch nahi kaha. Bas uski taraf dekha. Uske chehre pe woh dard tha jo words se chhupa nahi sakta.

"Sorry," maine kaha.

"Nahi nahi, it's okay. Woh chahti thi ki main writer banu. Lekin maine engineering le li. Ab kabhi kabhi sochta hoon ki unhe achha lagega ki main kam se kam books padhta hoon."

"Tum writer ban sakte ho. Part-time. Blog, ya..."

"Maybe. Tum? Tum writer hona chahti thi?"

"Poet. Lekin QA engineer ban gayi. Practical choice."

"Wohi na. Practical choices. Lekin kabhi kabhi..."

"Kabhi kabhi?"

"Kabhi kabhi practicality se zyada zaroori hota hai ki hum khush hain."

Hum shaam tak wahan rahe. Kuch padha, kuch baat ki, kuch sirf baithe rahe. Shaam ke 5 baje, jab library band hone wali thi, tab humne exit liya.

Cubbon Park ke andar se ja rahe the. Shaam ki hawa, pedon ki chhan, aur door se traffic ki awaaz.

"Priya," Rohan ne kaha.

"Hmm?"

"Main... main tumhe kuch dikhana chahta hoon."

"Kya?"

Usne apna haath badhaya. Open palm. Waiting.

Maine dekha — uski aankhen, woh nervousness, woh hope. Aur maine apna haath uske haath mein rakha dya.

Garam tha. Secure tha. Perfect tha.

Humne haath pakad kar chalna shuru kiya. Koi nahi tha aas paas. Bas hum dono, ek dusre ke haath mein, chup-chap chal rahe the.

"Yeh galat toh nahi hai na?" usne poocha.

"Kya?"

"Ki main tumhe pasand karne laga hoon. Ki main roz tumse milne aata hoon. Ki main... ki main sochta hoon ki shayad, ek din, hum Mysuru-Hubli jaise kahin settle ho sakein. Chhota ghar, chhota café, books aur coffee."

Mera dil tez dhadak raha tha. "Rohan, main bhi... main bhi yahi sochti hoon. Lekin darr lagta hai. Itni jaldi..."

"Jaldi? Do mahine ho gaye. Lekin haan, tum sahi kehti ho. Pehle... pehle thoda aur waqt."

Humne haath nahi chhoda. Shaam ke 6 baje, jab street lights on hue, tab humne ek doosre ko dekha.

Aur usne... usne mera haath chhoda nahi. Bas aage badha, aur mere gaal pe ek chhota sa kiss kiya.

Soft. Warm. Brief.

"Mysuru tak wait karunga," usne kaha.

Main kuch bol nahi paayi. Bas muskurayi. Aur uska haath pakad kar chalti rahi.

---

Chapter 5: Ghar Ki Khabar

Agle hafte Ananya ka phone aaya.

"Priya, tum Bangalore mein ho?"

"Ha didi, kya hua?"

"Woh... woh Rohan kaun hai?"

Mera dil ruk gaya. "Kya? Kaunse Rohan?"

"Amma ne kisi se suna hai ki tum roz ek ladke ke saath coffee peeti ho. Office ke bahar. Late night. Priya, yeh sab..."

"Didi, woh sirf friend hai. Colleague hai. Coffee peete hain, that's it."

"Amma pareshaan hain. Unhe laga tha ki tum responsible ho. Aur ab shaadi ke time pe yeh sab..."

Maine phone kat diya. Gussa aa raha tha. Kisne bataya? Kaun tha woh "koi"?

Auntie? Nahi, woh aisi nahi thi.

Riya? Shayad. Uske Mumbai wale relatives the Bangalore mein.

Maine socha Rohan ko batana. Lekin phir socha — usse kya kahoon? Ki meri family ko pata chal gaya? Ki ab hum mil nahi sakte?

Nahi. Main aise nahi thi.

Maine Ananya ko message kiya: "Didi, main kal phone karti hoon. Sab samjhati hoon. Aap bas shaadi ki tayyari karo. Main wahan aaungi time pe."

Phir main so gayi. Lekin neend nahi aayi.

---

Chapter 6: Sachchai

Agle din, main coffee stall pe nahi gayi. Direct PG aa gayi.

Rohan ne call kiya. Message kiya. Maine ignore kiya.

Shaam ko 10 baje, meri PG ke darwaze pe knock hua.

Auntie ne darwaza khola. "Kaun?"

"Aunty, Rohan hoon. Hubli se. Priya se milna hai. Please."

Maine andar se suna. Mera dil dhadak raha tha. Jaoon? Na jaoon?

"Priya!" Auntie ne awaaz di. "Bahar aao. Koi milne aaya hai."

Maine socha ignore karoon. Lekin meri paon apne aap chalne lage.

Woh darwaze pe khada tha. Hoodie mein, haath mein ek book, aur chehre pe... chehre pe woh tension jo maine pehli baar dekhi thi.

"Priya, main... main jaanta hoon ki kuch hua hai. Please, baat karo."

Auntie ne mujhe dekha, phir usse dekha. "Andar aao. Hall mein baat karo. Lekin 10 minutes. PG ke rules hain."

Hall mein hum akele the. Riya apne room mein thi, baaki sab apne-apne kamron mein.

"Kya hua?" Rohan ne poocha.

Maine sab bataya. Ananya ka call. Amma ki tension. Yeh ki kisi ne unhe bataya ki main roz ladke ke saath coffee peeti hoon.

Rohan ne kuch der socha. "Kiran."

"Kya?"

"Kiran ne bataya hoga. Uske cousin hai Mysuru mein. Shayad woh connection hai."

"Kiran ko kaise pata?"

"Maine usse bataya tha. Ki... ki mujhe tum pasand ho. Shayad usne kisi se share kiya, aur woh..."

"Rohan!" Main gussa ho gayi. "Yeh private tha. Meri family ab..."

"Main jaanta hoon. I'm sorry. Lekin Priya, main koi galti nahi karna chahta tha. Main sirf... main sirf apne dost se share kar raha tha ki mujhe koi pasand hai."

Maine usse dekha. Woh sach bol raha tha. Uski aankhen wohi thi — genuine, concerned.

"Ab kya karein?" maine poocha.

"Main chala jaoon? Tumhari family ko lage ki kuch nahi hai?"

"Nahi," maine kaha, bina soche. "Nahi, aisa nahi karenge. Hum... hum sach bata denge. Dheere dheere. Pehle Ananya ko, phir Amma Appa ko. Ki tum sirf friend nahi ho, lekin tum achhe ho. Respectable ho. Aur..."

"Priya, tum sure ho?"

"Main sure hoon ki tumhe jaane nahi dungi. Kyunki... kyunki ab tum mere liye sirf coffee stall wale dost nahi ho."

Woh muskuraya. Woh wali smile. "Toh kya hoon?"

"Kuch aur. Kuch jo abhi define nahi kar sakti. Lekin kuch achha."

Auntie ne darwaze pe awaaz di. "Time ho gaya!"

Rohan uthne laga. "Kal coffee stall?"

"Ha. Lekin ab hum sirf coffee peene nahi ayenge. Plan karenge ki Ananya ko kaise batana hai."

"Deal."

Woh jaane laga, phir ruka. "Priya, ek baat aur."

"Kya?"

"Main tumse... main tumse bahut jyada feel karta hoon. Lekin main wait karunga. Jitna waqt chahiye, utna. Mysuru, Hubli, family, sab. Main hoon yahin."

Aur woh chala gaya.

Main hall mein khadi rahi, uski baat sochte hue. Auntie aayi, aur bina kuch kahe, mere kandhe pe haath rakha.

"Achha ladka hai," usne kaha. "Mujhe pata tha. Meri nazar kabhi galat nahi hoti."

---

Chapter 7: Ananya Se Baat

Ananya ki shaadi ke do hafte pehle, main Mysuru gayi.

Ghar. Woh purana ghar jahan main badi hui. Amma ki rasoi se aati hui khushboo. Appa ke garden mein kele ke ped.

Aur tension. Bahut saari tension.

Ananya ne mujhe apne room mein bulaya. "Baat karni hai."

"Ha didi."

"Tumhe pata hai na ki yeh sab galat time hai? Amma already meri shaadi se pareshaan hain. Aur ab yeh Bangalore wala ladka..."

"Didi, woh achha ladka hai. Frontend developer hai. Hubli se hai. Family oriented hai. Aur... aur hum sirf dost the, lekin ab..."

"Ab?"

"Ab mujhe lagta hai ki shayad yeh zindagi bhar ka rishta ho sakta hai. Lekin abhi nahi. Abhi hum bas jaan rahe hain ek dusre ko. Properly. Family ke saath milna, samajhna... sab."

Ananya ne kuch der socha. "Tumhe yaad hai jab main college mein thi? Maine ek ladke se dosti ki thi. Amma ne mana kiya. Maine chhod diya. Aaj woh ladka kahan hai, pata nahi. Lekin main sochti hoon... agar main us time thoda strong hoti, toh?"

Maine usse dekha. "Didi?"

"Priya, main yeh nahi keh rahi ki tum galat ho. Main yeh keh rahi hoon ki... ki soch samajh ke karna. Aur haan, main Amma se baat karungi. Unhe time doongi. Lekin tum bhi responsible raho. Koi aisi harkat nahi jo family ko sharminda kare."

Maine Ananya ko gale lagaya. "Thank you, didi. Sachi."

"Ab chalo, meri shaadi ki shopping karni hai. Aur haan, us Rohan se milna hai mujhe. Video call pe. Meri permission ke bina aage nahi badhna."

Main hansi. "Jee didi."

---

Chapter 8: Bookmark Wala Izhaar

Ananya ki shaadi ho gayi. Bangalore wapas aa gayi.

Rohan aur main... hum ab "official" the. Officially "getting to know each other." Family ko pata tha. Pressure tha, lekin hope bhi thi.

Ek din, Rohan ne kaha, "Tumhari PG mein library hai na?"

"Ha, chhoti si. Kuch hi books hain."

"Main kuch books donate karna chahta hoon. Meri collection hai. Kiran kehti hai ki jagah nahi hai hamare room mein."

"Achha idea hai. Lekin Auntie se permission leni padegi."

Auntie ne permission de di. "Lekin books check karungi. Koi gandi kitab nahi chahiye."

"Promise, Auntie. Sirf classics aur tech books," Rohan ne kaha.

Sunday ko, hum dono ne books arrange ki PG ki library mein. Chhota sa room tha, do shelves, ek table. Lekin ab woh bhara hua tha — Murakami, Tagore, coding manuals, aur poetry collections.

"Last book," Rohan ne kaha, ek purani copy of 'The Alchemist' uthate hue.

"Yeh toh meri favourite hai," maine kaha.

"Meri bhi. Isme... isme kuch hai."

"Kya?"

Usne book kholi. Pages ke beech mein kuch tha. Ek bookmark. Handmade. Cardboard pe likha hua.

"Padho," usne kaha.

Maine padha:

"Priya,

Pehli baar jab tumhe dekha tha, coffee ke steam ke peeche se, tab pata nahi tha ki yeh kya hoga.

Lekin ab pata hai.

Tum woh filter coffee ho jo subah ki thakavat mita deti hai. Tum woh book ho jo baar baar padhne ka mann karta hai. Tum woh ghar ho jahan wapas jaana achha lagta hai.

Main nahi jaanta ki future mein kya hai. Lekin itna jaanta hoon ki agar tum saath ho, toh woh future roshan hoga.

Mysuru ho ya Hubli, Bangalore ho ya koi aur jagah, main tumhare saath woh jagah banana chahta hoon jahan hum dono khush hain.

Kya tum... kya tum yeh safar mere saath chalna chahogi?

Rohan"

Maine bookmark ko dekha. Phir usse dekha. Woh nervous tha, haath uske side mein, aankhen meri taraf.

"Yeh... yeh proposal hai?" maine poocha, halki si smile ke saath.

"Nahi," usne kaha. "Yeh toh bas ek sawaal hai. Proposal toh... proposal toh tab hoga jab tumhari family ready hogi. Tab tak... tab tak bas yeh ki main tumse pyar karta hoon. Aur hamesha karunga."

Pyar. Usne woh word bola. Woh word jo hum dono jaante the, lekin kisi ne bola nahi tha.

Maine bookmark ko carefully fold kiya, aur apne purse mein rakha.

"Rohan," maine kaha.

"Hmm?"

"Main bhi tumse pyar karti hoon. Abhi se. Kal se. Hamesha."

Uske chehre pe woh smile aayi. Woh wali smile jo pehli baar coffee stall pe aayi thi. Lekin ab aur bhi zyada. Aur bhi genuine.

"Toh... toh yeh yes hai?"

"Yeh 'haan, main tumhare saath hoon' hai. Future jab bhi aaye, jaisa bhi ho, main tumhare saath hoon."

Usne mera haath pakda. Phir dheere se, library ke chhote se kamre mein, usne mujhe gale lagaya.

Woh hug... woh hug mein sab tha. Saari coffee dates, saari library visits, saari raat ki baatein, saari hopes aur dreams.

"Thank you," usne kaha, mere kaan mein.

"Kis liye?"

"Ki tumne mujhe chuna. Mysuru ki independent ladki ne Hubli ke simple se ladke ko chuna."

Maine usse alag hui, aur uski aankhon mein dekhi. "Maine nahi chuna. Bas... bas ho gaya. Jaise filter coffee banti hai — dheere dheere, perfect temperature pe, perfect blend se. Waise hi."

Hum hase. Phir library se bahar aaye. Auntie ne humein dekha, aur kuch nahi kaha. Bas muskurayi.

---

Epilogue: Sapne

Aaj, main apne PG ke room mein baithi hoon. Laptop pe Ananya ki shaadi ki photos dekh rahi hoon.

Rohan ne message kiya: "Kal coffee? 9:30? Same place?"

Maine reply kiya: "Hamesha."

Window se bahar dekhti hoon. Bangalore ki raat. Traffic ki lights, distant music, aur woh hawa jo ab ghar jaisi lagti hai.

Mere haath mein woh bookmark hai. Ab framed hai, mere study table pe rakha hua.

Sapne aate hain. Mysuru ka ek chhota sa ghar. Baghiche mein neem ka ped. Ek chhota study — Rohan ka writing desk, mera reading corner. Subah filter coffee. Shaam ko walk. Weekend pe Hubli jaana, dada ji se milna.

Practical nahi hai. Pata hai. Lekin... lekin ab lagta hai ki practical se zyada zaroori hai ki hum saath hain.

Rohan ne ek din kaha tha, "Git happens. Lekin hum merge kar lenge. Conflicts resolve kar lenge. Together."

Techie ki tarah sochta hai. Lekin sach hai. Life mein bugs aayenge, deployment issues honge, system crash hoga. Lekin saath mein... saath mein sab theek ho jayega.

Maine lights band ki. Pillow pe sar rakha. Aur sochte hue so gayi — ki kal coffee stall pe kya baat hogi, ki Rohan kya nayi book recommend karega, ki kab hum Mysuru jayenge Amma Appa se milne.

Aur sapne mein... sapne mein maine dekha. Ek chhota sa ghar. Do coffee cups table pe. Ek book dono ke beech mein. Aur Rohan, uski aankhen coffee se zyada garam, mujhe dekh ke muskura raha tha.

"Bangalore PG, Filter Coffee aur Tum."

Yeh kahani yahin khatam nahi hoti. Yeh toh bas shuruat hai. Ek lambi, pyaari, filter coffee jaise kadak aur meethi zindagi ki.

~ Khatam ~

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P.S. Agli subah, jab main coffee stall pahunchi, toh Rohan ne ek naya bookmark diya. Is baar blank tha. "Ispe tum likhna," usne kaha. "Humari kahani. Hum dono mil ke."

Maine likhna shuru kiya. Pehli line: "Ek thi Priya, Mysuru se. Ek tha Rohan, Hubli se. Dono mile Bangalore mein, aur..."

Aur aage? Aage abhi likhna baaki hai. ☕