Lajpat Nagar Ke Teekhe Momos

"Nahi, nahi," maine haath uthaya, "Yeh meri galti thi. Male ego, you know. 'Main kar lunga' wala attitude."

"Achha laga," usne kaha, "Aapki honesty."

"Aapka tissue," maine kaha, "Lifesaver."

"Always carry," usne apna bag dikhaya, "Designer hoon na. Fabric ke alawa essentials bhi rakhti hoon."

Hum dono hansne lage. Woh jo awkwardness hoti hai na pehli meeting mein, woh bilkul nahi thi. Bas ek natural sa flow tha.

"Toh..." maine momos ki taraf ishaara kiya, "Khaayein? Normal chutney ke saath?"

"Deal," usne kaha.

Humne momos khaaye, aur baatein ki. Usne bataya ki woh Delhi ki hai, Lajpat Nagar ke paas hi rehti hai. Maine bataya ki main Kanpur se hoon, yahan ek saal ke project pe aaya hoon.

"Ek saal?" usne pucha, "Toh phir toh Delhi explore karni padegi."

"Guide mil jaye toh?"

Usne smile di. "Milti hai. Fees mein momos chalenge."

"Done."

Woh uthne lagi. "Chalun? Mujhe fabric lena hai."

"Main bhi chalun? Mujhe bhi... woh... market dekhna tha."

"Sure," usne kaha, "Lekin pehle..."

Usne apna phone nikala. "Number? Agli baar momos ke liye."

Maine apna number diya. Usne miss call maari. "Saved."

"Aapka?"

"Meera. Fashion designer. And... your new friend."

"New friend," maine repeat kiya, "I like the sound of that."

Woh chali gayi, lekin jaane se pehle woh mudi, aur boli, "Rohit?"

"Ha?"

"Aapki aankhein abhi bhi laal hain. Cute lag rahe ho."

Aur woh hass ke chali gayi.

Main wahin khada raha, momo stall pe, aur soch raha tha... Yaar, yeh Delhi kuch alag hi hai. Aur yeh Meera... bilkul alag.

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Chapter 2: Momos, Messages, aur Thodi Si Chemistry

Us din ke baad... main batata hoon, kya din the woh.

Raat ko ghar aaya, PG mein. Single room, ek bed, ek table, aur laptop. Typical bachelor life. Lekin aaj kuch alag tha. Phone pe woh notification... "Meera sent you a message."

Main jhat se khada ho gaya. Haan, literally khada ho gaya bed pe.

Message tha: "Aankhein theek hain? 😂"

Maine reply kiya: "Abhi bhi laal hain. Aapki yaad mein. 😉"

Woh typing kar rahi thi. Main wait kar raha tha. Woh dots jo aate hain na WhatsApp pe, woh dekh ke mera dil tez dhadak raha tha.

Message aaya: "Haww, flirting kar rahe ho?"

Maine kaha: "Nahi, fact bata raha hoon. Aapke paas aankhon ka ilaaj tha na, toh aap hi zimmedar hain."

"Oho, blame game?"

"Nahi, gratitude. Aapne meri jaan bachayi. Woh tissue... woh paani... main toh fan ho gaya."

"Fan?"

"Big fan. Number one fan. Rohit ka fan club, president: Meera."

Woh hassi. Emoji mein, lekin hassi. "Aap bahut cheesy ho, Kanpuriya."

"Cheesy nahi, authentic. Kanpur se aaya hai, dil se bolta hai."

"Achha? Toh kal kya kar rahe ho?"

Mera dil race kar raha tha. Kal? Kal! She wants to meet again!

"Kal Sunday hai. Free hoon. Aap batao?"

"Main bhi free hoon. Momos?"

"Same time? Same place?"

"Nahi," usne kaha, "Ek aur jagah hai. Better momos. Lajpat Nagar mein hi. Main leke chalun?"

"Lead the way, designer sahiba."

"Aur haan," usne kaha, "Extra teekhi chutney nahi milegi. Promise."

"Thank god," maine kaha, "Woh ek baar kaafi tha. Lekin..."

"Lekin?"

"Lekin agar aap paas ho toh, teekhi bhi meethi lagti hai."

Woh "aww" bheji. Actually "aww" likha. Yaar, main toh cloud nine pe tha.

---

Kal aaya. Maine apni best shirt nikali - light blue, jo meri maa ne Kanpur se bheji thi. Jeans press ki, shoes polish ki. PG wale bhaiya ne pucha, "Kahan ja rahe ho? Interview hai?"

"Nahi bhaiya," maine kaha, "Important meeting hai."

"Client?"

"Future... woh... friend. Special friend."

Bhaiya ne samajhdaari se kuch nahi pucha. Bas wish kiya, "All the best."

Main Lajpat Nagar pahuncha. Woh already wahan thi, ek dukaan ke saamne, red dress mein. Nahi, actually woh kurta tha, ankle length, floral print. Aur usne matching jhumke pehne the.

"Hi," maine kaha.

"Hi," usne mudke dekha, "Aaj toh... presentable lag rahe ho."

"Special occasion hai na."

"Kaunsa?"

"Pehli... official... momo date?"

Usne blush kiya. "Date?"

"Nahi, nahi, woh... friendly meeting. Hangout. Whatever you want to call it."

"Date theek hai," usne kaha, aur mera dil dance karne laga.

Hum chalne lage. Woh mujhe ek aur stall pe le gayi, gali ke andar, "Tibetan Momo Corner."

"Yahan ki momos best hain," usne kaha, "Aur Bhaiya..."

"Bhaiya?" maine pucha.

"Arre, woh pehle wale nahi. Yeh alag Bhaiya hain. Tibetan hain, authentic taste hai."

Humne momos order kiye. Veg for her, chicken for me. Aur chutney... normal wali.

"Toh," maine baat shuru ki, "Fashion designer. Kaise shuru hua?"

Usne bataya. College ke time se sketching karti thi. Uske bhai ne encourage kiya. Phir small boutique, phir online presence, aur ab apna label.

"Aman bhaiya," usne kaha, "Unhone hi sab kuch support kiya. Papa nahi hain, toh bhaiya ne papa jaisa role play kiya."

"Wah," maine kaha, "Bhai-behen ka pyaar."

"Aapke ghar mein?"

"Main akela hoon. Maa hain Kanpur mein. Papa... unhe 5 saal ho gaye."

Usne haath rakh diya mere pe. Soft, warm. "Sorry."

"Nahi, nahi, it's okay. Time ho gaya. Lekin maa hain na, unka bahut saath hai."

"Unse milna chahungi kabhi."

Maine uski aankhon mein dekha. Sincere thi. Genuinely interested thi.

"Zarur," maine kaha, "Aur waise bhi, woh aane wali hain next month. Delhi ghoomne."

"Sacchi?" uski aankhein chamki, "Toh main unko Lajpat Nagar ghumaungi. Best shopping guide hoon main."

"Pakka?"

"Promise."

Momos aaye. Humne khaaye, aur baatein ki. Usne apne designs dikhaye phone pe. Sarees, kurtis, fusion wear. Beautiful tha, sach mein.

"Aap talented ho," maine kaha, "Bahut."

"Shukriya," usne kaha, "Lekin talent se ghar nahi chalta. Marketing chahiye, funding chahiye..."

"SEO chahiye?" maine suggest kiya.

"Kya?"

"Aapki website hai?"

"Ha, basic si."

"Main optimize kar dunga. Free mein. Client nahi, friend ke liye."

"Sach?" usne excited hoke pucha.

"Promise. Monday se start?"

"Aap best ho," usne kaha, aur woh moment... woh moment yaar, main kabhi nahi bhoolunga. Usne mere haath pakda, aur press kiya. "Thank you, Rohit."

"Welcome, Meera."