"Rohini Se Cyber Hub Tak" - Bus wala Romance

December Ki Pehli Mulaqat

Bus Stop, Rohini Sector 9, Subah 7:30 AM

Neha Gupta ne apne woolen coat ka collar upar kiya aur haathon mein gloves pehne. December ki Delhi ki sardi uske chehre par chubh rahi thi. Uski saansen dhuan ban kar hawa mein udd rahi thi.

Yaar, yeh Gurugram jaane ka idea hi galat tha, she thought, par kya karein, naukri toh karni hi hai.

Woh chartered bus ka intezaar kar rahi thi - wohi blue color ki AC bus jo Roz Rohini se Cyber Hub jaati thi. Neha, 25 saal ki, customer support executive ek MNC mein. Charismatic, confident, aur jaisa woh khud kehti thi - "thodi hatke, thodi bindaas."

Bus aayi. Neha chadhi. Andar garmi thi. AC chal raha tha. Usne apna favourite window seat pakda - last row, right side. Wahan se poora view milta tha.

Do teen stops baad, ek ladka chadha. Lamba, lean, specs pehne hue, haath mein laptop bag. Usne Neha ke bagal wali seat dekhi. Khali thi.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" usne pucha, halki si smile ke saath.

Neha ne upar dekha. "Nahi, baith jao."

Woh baitha. Thodi der chuppi. Phir usne apna phone nikala - kuch notes type karne laga.

Neha ne side se dekha. Notes mein likha tha: "Chapter 3 - The Last Train"

"Writer ho?" Neha ne pucha, curiosity se.

Ladke ne muskurate hue kaha, "Haan, kind of. Vaibhav Bansal. Content writer hoon Cyber Hub mein. Par actually... stories likhna pasand hai. Apni pehli short stories book pe kaam kar raha hoon."

"Wah! Interesting. Main Neha Gupta. Customer support mein hoon ek firm mein. Gurugram mein hi."

"Achha? Daily commute?"

"Haan, roz. Tum?"

Vaibhav ne sharmate hue kaha, "Main... actually irregular hoon. Kabhi kabhi car le jaata hoon, kabhi cab, kabhi yeh bus. Aaj mood tha bus mein baithne ka."

Neha ne haske kaha, "Writer ho toh mood toh chalta hi rahega."

Bus Delhi-Gurugram Expressway pe chal rahi thi. Bahar fog tha, par andar AC ki garmi mein dono comfortable the.

"Roz itni subah uthna mushkil nahi hota?" Vaibhav ne pucha.

Neha ne sigh kiya. "Bhai, Delhi ki sardi mein subah 6 baje uthna aur phir 7:30 ki bus pakadna - yeh toh adventure hai. Meri toh roz ki ladai hoti hai alarm ke saath. Par kya karein, naukri pyaari hai."

"Rohini mein rehti ho?"

"Haan, Sector 11. Tum?"

"Main bhi Rohini mein hi hoon, Sector 7. Neighbours hain basically!" Vaibhav ne haske kaha.

"Toh phir milte rahenge," Neha ne kaha, aur phir seedhi ho gayi. Kya bol rahi hai tu, Neha? Pehli mulaqat hai!

Vaibhav ne bhi notice kiya, par kuch nahi bola. Bus mein announcement hua - "Next stop, Cyber Hub."

"Mera stop aa gaya," Vaibhav utha. "Nice meeting you, Neha. Shayad... phir milenge?"

"Ha-ha, same bus, same time... maybe," Neha ne kaha, aur ek ajeeb si feeling aayi. Kash yeh kal bhi aaye.

---

Doosri Mulaqat - Coffee Ki Baat

3 din baad, same bus, same time

Neha ne Vaibhav ko bus ke andar dekha. Aaj woh pehle se tha - window seat pakdi hui, usi last row mein.

"Arre, aaj regular ban gaye?" Neha ne bagal mein baithte hue pucha.

"Actually, kal car ki battery dead ho gayi thi. Toh socha aaj bus hi theek hai. Plus..." Vaibhav ne pause liya, "tumse baat karna achha laga tha."

Neha ke cheeks pe thodi garmi aayi. "Acha? Kya baat hai, writer sahab ne mujhe apni kitaab ka character bana liya kya?"

"Nahi nahi, bas... tumhari energy achhi lagti hai. Roz subah itni fresh kaise rehti ho?"

"Energy drink?" Neha ne masti mein kaha. "Nahi yaar, actually coffee pe dependent hoon. Subah 2 cup minimum. Bina uske toh zinda nahi hoon."

"Same pinch! Main bhi coffee lover hoon. Actually, main toh coffee shop mein baithkar hi likh paata hoon. Ghar pe distraction hota hai."

"Kya likh rahe ho aajkal?" Neha ne genuinely pucha.

Vaibhav ne excited hokar bataya, "Ek love story likh raha hoon - do strangers ki, jo daily train mein milte hain. Par twist yeh hai ki unko pata hi nahi chalta ki kab unki dosti pyaar mein badal gayi."

Neha ne sochte hue kaha, "Sounds interesting. Aur... kya unki story happy ending hoti hai?"

"Abhi tak toh main confused hoon. Ending likh nahi pa raha. Shayad real life se inspiration chahiye," Vaibhav ne side se Neha ko dekha.

Neha ne window ki taraf dekha. "Real life mein toh... endings unpredictable hote hain. Par shuruaatein... woh hamesha yaad rehti hain."

"Jaise aaj?" Vaibhav ne dheemi awaaz mein pucha.

Neha ne uski taraf dekha. Uske specs ke peeche ki aankhen sincere thi. "Haan... jaise aaj."

Bus ruki. Cyber Hub aa gaya.

"Phir milenge?" Vaibhav ne uthte hue pucha.

"Main toh roz yahin hoti hoon, tum aate jaate raho," Neha ne muskurate hue kaha.

---

Teesri Mulaqat - Ghar Ki Baat

Agle hafte, Shukravar

Aaj Vaibhav time pe aaya tha. Woh Neha ke liye seat bachaye baitha tha.

"Wow, gentleman ban gaye?" Neha ne baithte hue kaha.

"Seat reserved hai madam ke liye," Vaibhav ne drama kiya.

"Achha ji. Toh aaj kya topic hai? Politics? Cricket? Ya phir...?"

"Nahi yaar, aaj kuch personal baat karein? I mean... agar tum comfortable ho toh?"

Neha ne socha. "Theek hai. Pehle tum batao - family mein kaun kaun hai?"

Vaibhav ne kaha, "Main single child hoon. Mummy, Papa, aur main. Simple family. Papa government job se retire ho chuke hain, Mummy ghar sambhalti hain. Tumhari family?"

Neha ne kaha, "Hum toh bade hain. Papa - woh ek FMCG company mein senior manager hain. Mummy housewife. Aur do behenein hain. Ek badi - Mansi, jo ki... actually uski shaadi fix ho gayi hai. February mein hai. Aur ek chhoti - Saloni, college mein hai."

"Wah! Shaadi ki taiyaariyan chal rahi hongi?"

"Haan yaar, poora ghar upside down hai. Roz koi na koi function, shopping, discussions. Mansi toh stressed hai, Mummy excited, Papa... unka bas chale toh woh office hi na jaayein. Par unka ek bada achievement aa raha hai - unko 'Senior Manager of the Year' award mil raha hai next month."

"That's great! Unki hard work rang layi."

"Haan, 25 saal ki service hai unki company mein. Woh bohot dedicated hain apne kaam ko leke."

Vaibhav ne kaha, "Tumhare Papa jaise hote hain asli heroes. Bina drama ke, silently apna kaam karte hain."

Neha ko achha laga. "Tum bhi na... achhi baatein karte ho. Writer ho isliye?"

"Nahi, actually... main jab bhi kisi se connect karta hoon, toh unki family ki importance samajhta hoon. Kyunki... meri family bhi mere liye sab kuch hai."

Neha ne notice kiya - Vaibhav ki aankhen emotional ho gayi thi. "Tum bade sensitive ho, pata hai?"

"Shayad... ya phir bas observant," Vaibhav ne muskurate hue kaha.

"Accha suno, tumhari book ka kya hua?"

"Abhi tak 4 stories complete hain. 6 aur likhni hain. Publisher se baat chal rahi hai, par pehle poora manuscript ready karna hai."

"Main padhna chahti hoon kabhi," Neha ne kaha.

"Sacchi?"

"Haan, kyun nahi?"

Vaibhav ne kaha, "Toh phir... coffee pe chalein kabhi? Weekend pe? I mean... as friends. Tumhari favourite coffee place?"

Neha ne socha, phir kaha, "Theek hai. Saturday ko? CP mein?"

"Done!"

---

Chauthi Mulaqat - Dreams Ki Baat

Agle Wednesday

Aaj bus mein thodi bheed thi. Vaibhav aur Neha saath mein ek seat pe squeeze hue baithe the.

"Sorry, thoda adjust karna padega," Vaibhav ne kaha.

"No problem," Neha ne kaha, par uske dil ki dhadkan tez ho gayi thi. Itni proximity mein pehli baar the.

"Waise... Saturday ki coffee achhi thi," Vaibhav ne kaha.

Neha ne yaad kiya - woh 2 ghante CP mein, coffee, aur endless baatein. "Haan yaar, mujhe bhi bohot maza aaya. Tumhari stories sunke... tum sach mein talented ho."

"Thanks. Tumne bhi toh apne sapne bataye. Customer support mein ho, par tumhara passion kya hai?"

Neha ne kaha, "Actually... mujhe event planning pasand hai. Main office mein bhi saare events handle karti hoon. Meri dream hai ek din apna event management company kholna."

"Wah! Yeh baat pehle kyun nahi batayi?"

"Kyunki... log hasenge. 'Customer support wali event planner banegi' - aise comments aate hain."

Vaibhav ne serious hokar kaha, "Neha, koi bhi dream chhota nahi hota. Aur tum mein woh spark hai. Main genuinely keh raha hoon - tum kar sakti ho."

Neha ne uski taraf dekha. Itni belief, itna trust... koi pehli baar itna keh raha tha.

"Thank you, Vaibhav. Sach mein... tum bohot alag ho."

"Alag matlab?"

"Matlab... tum mein woh genuine feel hai. Fake nahi ho. Aajkal ki generation mein rare hai."

Vaibhav ne sharmate hue kaha, "Shayad isliye ki main zyada logon se milta nahi. Bas apni duniya mein rehta hoon - likhna, padhna, sochna."

"Meri tarah. Main bhi zyada social nahi hoon. Office, ghar, bus... bas yahi zindagi hai."

"Ab toh bus mein bhi interesting ho gaya hai," Vaibhav ne kaha, aur dono ne ek doosre ko dekha.

Kuch seconds ki khamoshi. Par awkward nahi... comfortable. Jaise kuch samajh mein aa raha ho.

---

Paanchvi Mulaqat - Past Ki Baat

Agle Monday

Aaj Vaibhav udaas lag raha tha.

"Kya hua? Subah subah mood off?" Neha ne pucha.

"Actually... kal ex-girlfriend se baat hui thi. Social media pe. Uski engagement ho gayi hai."

Neha ko ajeeb sa laga. "Oh... tumhari...?"

"Ha-ha, nahi nahi. 2 saal pehle breakup ho gaya tha. Par pata nahi, ajeeb sa lagta hai. Woh mere saath thi jab main kuch nahi tha, aur ab..."

Neha ne dheere se kaha, "It's okay to feel that way. Tum insaan ho, emotions hain tum mein."

"Thanks for understanding. Actually, tumse baat karke achha lagta hai. No judgment."

Neha ne bhi apni baat share ki. "Main bhi... ek relationship mein thi college mein. 3 saal. Phir usne mujhe cheat kiya. Uske baad se... trust karna mushkil ho gaya."

"Oh... I'm sorry."

"Nahi, it's fine. Time heals everything. Par... kabhi kabhi lagta hai ki kya sach mein koi genuine mil sakta hai?"

Vaibhav ne kaha, "Milta hai. Shayad time lagta hai. Shayad hum jaldi give up kar dete hain."

"Haan. Waise... tum give up nahi karte na? Writing mein itna time lag raha hai, phir bhi..."

"Passion hai na. Jis cheez mein passion ho, usme give up nahi karte."

Neha ne uski aankhon mein dekha. "Tum mein woh dedication hai. I admire that."

"And I admire your strength. Roz itni door jaana, ghar sambhalna, behen ki shaadi ki taiyaari... tum bohot strong ho, Neha."

Ye pehli baar tha jab kisi ne uski strength notice ki thi. Usually log uski beauty ya style dekhte the. Par Vaibhav... woh uski asli dekh raha tha.

---

Chhathi Mulaqat - Present Ki Baat

Agle Thursday

Aaj dono ne saath mein breakfast liya bus ke andar - sandwiches aur chai.

"Yeh bus wali chai bhi kuch alag hi taste ki hoti hai," Neha ne kaha.

"Haan, aur yeh sandwiches... highway ke dhabe ki yaad dilaate hain," Vaibhav ne kaha.

"Waise... tum mere baare mein kya sochte ho?" Neha ne suddenly pucha.

Vaibhav ne sandwich neeche rakha. "Sach?"

"Haan, sach."

"Tum... different ho. Mujhe pehli nazar mein pata nahi chala tha, par jab tumse baat ki, toh samajh aaya ki tum superficial nahi ho. Tum depth pasand karti ho. Conversations mein, relationships mein... sab mein."

Neha ne kaha, "Tum bhi waisa hi ho. Main... main actually tumhe roz bus mein dekhti thi. Pehle kabhi baat nahi ki."

"Kya? Tum mujhe notice karti thi?"

"Haan. Tum hamesha kuch likhte rehte the. Mujhe curiosity hoti thi ki yeh ladka kya likh raha hai."

"And now you know," Vaibhav ne muskurate hue kaha.

"Now I know. And I want to know more."

Vaibhav ne kaha, "Me too. Tumhare baare mein aur jaanna hai. Tumhari family, tumhara bachpan, tumhare dreams... sab."

"Toh phir... kya tum... mere ghar aaoge?"

Vaibhav ne hairani se dekha. "Ghar? Matlab...?"

"Actually, Papa ke award function ke baad ek chhota sa get-together hai. Family friends aayenge. Main... main chahthi thi ki tum bhi aao. As a friend. I mean... mera ek friend bhi nahi hai wahan pe. Sab relatives hain. Mujhe koi chahiye tha jisse main comfortable feel karoon."

Vaibhav ne socha, phir kaha, "Main... main aa sakta hoon?"

"Haan! Please!"

"Theek hai. Batao kab hai?"

"Agle Sunday. Shaam ko 6 baje. Rohini Sector 11."

"Main aa jaunga."

Neha ko itni khushi hui ki woh bayaan nahi kar sakti thi.

---

Sunday - The Big Day

Neha ka Ghar, Rohini Sector 11, Shaam 6:30 PM

Vaibhav ne bell bajayi. Neha ne darwaza khola.

"Hi! Aa gaye!"

Vaibhav ne dekha - Neha ne simple sa pink suit pehna tha, baal khule chhode hue. Usse pehli baar traditional mein dekh raha tha. Beautiful lag rahi thi.

"Hi. Yeh... yeh tumhare liye," Vaibhav ne ek bouquet diya.

"Thank you! Aao andar."

Ghar bada tha, garmjoshi se bhara hua. Drawing room mein already kuch guests the.

"Pehle tumse meri family milwaun," Neha ne kaha.

Neha ki Mummy aayi - Mrs. Gupta, 50 saal ki, warm smile wali.

"Namaste aunty," Vaibhav ne pranam kiya.

"Arre wah! Neha ne bataya tha ki ek friend aa raha hai. Aao beta, baitho. Naam kya hai?"

"Vaibhav, Vaibhav Bansal."

"Achha ji. Kya karte ho?"

"Main content writer hoon Cyber Hub mein. Aur stories bhi likhta hoon."

"Wah! Writer ho! Humari Neha bhi kitabon ki shaukeen hai. Chai peeyoge ya coffee?"

"Chai theek rahegi, aunty."

Neha ne whisper mein kaha, "Mummy ko impress kar liya. Chai offer ki hai, yeh badi baat hai."

Tabhi ek ladki aayi - lambi, confident, engagement ring haath mein.

"Hi! Main Mansi, Neha ki didi. Tum Vaibhav ho?"

"Ha-ha, namaste."

"Neha roz tumhara zikr karti hai. 'Bus mein ek ladka hai...' - ab samajh aaya kyun," Mansi ne masti mein kaha.

Neha ne sharmate hue kaha, "Didi!"

Mansi ne Vaibhav se kaha, "Meri behen ko sambhalna mushkil hai. Strong hai, par andar se emotional hai. Usse hurt mat karna."

Vaibhav ne serious hokar kaha, "Main koshish karunga ki usse kabhi hurt na ho."

Mansi ko uski sincerity pasand aayi.

Phir Saloni aayi - 20 saal ki, energetic, college ki ladki.

"Hi! Main chhoti behen! Tum writer ho? Meri favourite book 'The Alchemist' hai. Tumne padhi hai?"

"Ha-ha, bohot baar. Coelho fan?"

"Haan! Aur tum?"

"Main Kafka bhi pasand karta hoon. Thoda dark, par realistic."

"Wah! Neha didi, yeh toh cool hai!"

Neha ne smile ki. Sabko pasand aa raha hai.

Phir Mr. Gupta aaye - dignified, salt-pepper beard, warm eyes.

"Namaste uncle. Congratulations aapke award ke liye," Vaibhav ne kaha.

"Shukriya beta. Baitho. Neha ne bataya ki tum writer ho?"

"Ji uncle. Abhi pehli book likh raha hoon."

"Achha? Kaisi hai?"

"Love stories hain uncle. Do strangers ki, jo daily commute mein milte hain."

Mr. Gupta ne Neha ki taraf dekha, phir Vaibhav ko dekha. Unhein kuch samajh aaya. "Interesting. Real life se inspired?"

"Ji... kuch kuch," Vaibhav ne Neha ki taraf dekha.

Dinner ke baad, sab terrace pe baith gaye. Delhi ki thandi hawa chal rahi thi, par garm kapdon mein sab comfortable the.

Vaibhav Neha ke Papa ke saath baitha tha.

"Beta, Neha bohot special hai. Humari sabse chhoti hai, par sabse zyada responsible hai. Uski khushi mein humari khushi hai."

"Uncle, main samajh sakta hoon. Neha mein woh quality hai... jo aaj kal rare hai. Genuine hai woh."

Mr. Gupta ne kaha, "Tum bhi genuine lagte ho. Mujhe lagta hai... tum dono achhe dost ban sakte ho."

"Uncle... sirf dost?" Vaibhav ne himmat karke pucha.

Mr. Gupta ne muskurate hue kaha, "Woh toh waqt batayega. Par shuruaat toh achhi hai."

---

Raat Ke 10 Baje - Chhat Pe

Vaibhav jaane wala tha. Neha usse chhodne aayi chhat pe.

"Aaj bohot achha laga. Thank you for coming," Neha ne kaha.

"Thank you for inviting. Tumhari family... bohot special hai. Mansi didi ki shaadi ki excitement, Saloni ki energy, Mummy ka warmth, aur Papa... woh toh legend hain."

"Haan, Papa mere hero hain," Neha ne kaha.

"Neha... main kuch kehna chahta hoon."

"Haan bolo."

Vaibhav ne kaha, "Main... main pehle kabhi itna comfortable feel nahi kiya kisi ke saath. Tumse roz bus mein milna, baat karna... yeh meri favourite part ban gayi hai din ki. Aur aaj... aaj tumhari family se milke lag raha hai ki... shayad yeh sirf friendship se zyada hai."

Neha ne uski aankhon mein dekha. "Mujhe bhi wahi feel ho raha hai, Vaibhav. Pehle socha tha ki bas time pass hai, par... tum alag ho. Tum samajhte ho mujhe."

"Toh... kya hum...?" Vaibhav ne haath badhaya.

Neha ne apna haath uske haath mein diya. "Dheere dheere. Abhi se shuruaat hai. Roz bus mein milna, coffee pe jaana... aur dekhte hain kahan jaata hai."

"Main wait karunga. Jitna time chahiye," Vaibhav ne kaha.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Neha ne kaha, "Waise... tumhari family se bhi milna hai mujhe. Next weekend?"

"Pakka. Mummy ko bataunga ki... ek special friend aa rahi hai."

Dono ne ek doosre ko dekha. Delhi ki sardi mein bhi garmi thi - dil ki garmi.

"Chalo, main chalta hoon. Kal bus mein milte hain?" Vaibhav ne kaha.

"Haan, 7:30. Same seat."

"Reserved for you, madam."

Vaibhav ne jaate hue peeche mudkar dekha. Neha wahin khadi thi, haath hila rahi thi.

Shayad yahi hai woh feeling, Vaibhav ne socha, jo main apni stories mein likhta hoon. Real life ki love story.

Neha ne socha, Shayad yeh woh hai jiska intezaar tha. Genuine, simple, aur mera.

---

Epilogue - Bus Mein Agla Din

Subah 7:30 AM, Rohini Bus Stop

VAibhav bus mein baitha tha. Window seat. Uske bagal mein ek book rakhi thi - "Short Stories by Vaibhav Bansal" - handwritten, spiral bound.

Neha aayi. Baitha. Dono ne ek doosre ko dekha.

"Good morning," dono ne saath mein kaha, phir hass diye.

"Yeh lo, meri pehli copy. Tumhare liye," Vaibhav ne book di.

Neha ne kholke dekha. Dedication likha tha:

"For Neha - Who taught me that real love stories don't need dramatic moments. Just two people, daily conversations, and the courage to say 'I care.' - Vaibhav"

Neha ki aankhen bhar aayi. "Yeh... yeh bohot beautiful hai."

"Aur ek baat," Vaibhav ne kaha, "Maine woh love story complete kar li hai. Do strangers ki. Tain mein milne wali."

"Ending kya hai?"

"Happy ending. Kyunki... real life mein bhi happy endings possible hain. Bas thoda time lagta hai."

Neha ne uska haath pakda. "Main bhi wahi ending chahti hoon."

Bus chal padi. Delhi ki sardi thi, par dil mein garmi. Do log, ek journey, aur ek story jo abhi shuru hui thi.

Rohini se Cyber Hub tak... aur uske aage bohot door tak.

---

~ End of Part 1 ~

Kahani jaari hai...

---

Note: Yeh ek family-oriented, light-hearted romantic story hai jo do strangers ki daily commute dosti se shuru hokar, dheere dheere ek meaningful relationship mein badalti hai. Story mein emotions, humour, aur genuine human connection par focus hai.