Mumbai ke ek chhote se café mein, Aanya apna cappuccino stir kar rahi thi. Baarish ki boondein sheeshe ke glass pe tapak rahi thi, aur background mein Arijit Singh ka koi purana gana baj raha tha.

Tabhi ek awaaz aayi, “Excuse me, yeh seat free hai?”

Aanya ne dekha — ek simple jeans aur hoodie pehna ladka, aankhon mein kuch apnaapan sa.

“Haan, baith jao,” Aanya ne muskurate hue kaha.

Ladke ka naam tha Kabir. Aur woh bas 10 minute ke liye café mein aaya tha, ek meeting ke beech mein break lene. Lekin kaun jaanta tha, woh 10 minute dono ke life ka turning point ban jayega.

Dono ne casually baatein shuru ki — favorite movies, favorite books, Mumbai ki traffic ka gussa, aur life ke random plans.

Aanya ek aspiring writer thi, aur Kabir ek struggling musician.

“Tum likhti ho?” Kabir ne interest se poocha.

“Main likhne ki koshish karti hoon,” Aanya hansi.

Kabir ne bola, “Main bhi gaane banata hoon… par abhi tak kisi ko pasand nahi aaye.”

Dono hans diye. Shayad isiliye connection instant tha — dono apne sapno ke peeche daud rahe the, duniya ki race ke against.

Us din ke baad, ek naya routine ban gaya. Har Saturday subah woh café mein milte, apne sapno ke baare mein baat karte, ek doosre ka encouragement bante.

Lekin jaise har kahani mein ek twist aata hai, waisa hi yahan bhi aaya.

Kabir ko ek bade music label se offer aaya — London mein ek saal ke liye training aur contract sign karna tha.

Aur Aanya ko ek publishing house ne bola tha ki woh apni pehli book publish kar sakti hai — lekin Mumbai mein rukhkar.

Café ke uss kone mein, jahan se baarish ki boondein abhi bhi nazar aati thi, dono chup baithe the.

“Kya karen?” Aanya ne dheere se poocha.

Kabir ne uska haath pakad ke kaha, “Chhod de sab kuch, London aa ja mere saath?”

Aanya ne aankhon mein aansuon ke saath muskuraya, “Aur main bolun ki tu yahin ruk ja?”

Kabir hans diya, lekin aankhon mein dard tha.

Dono jaante the — sapne important hain, par kabhi kabhi pyaar ke raaste aur sapno ke raaste alag hote hain.

Us din, café mein dono ne ek dusre ko last baar hug kiya.

“Raaste alag hain, lekin kahani adhoori nahi hai,” Aanya ne kaha.

Kabir ne muskurakar uske baal sambhalte hue kaha, “Hum dono apne sapno ko poora karenge. Aur kahin na kahin, kisi naye mod pe, phir milenge.”

Aanya ne sirf haan mein sir hilaya.

Phir dono alag raaston par nikal gaye — apne sapno ke peeche, ek doosre ki yaadon ke saath.

My Other Short Stories