Guwahati ki subah hamesha thodi dheemi hoti hai. Brahmaputra ke upar halki dhund, chai ki dukaano se uthti bhap, aur log apni-apni zindagi ki race shuru karte hue. Aaj bhi subah waisi hi thi… par do logon ke liye yeh din alag hone wala tha.Kabir bus stop par khada ghadi dekh raha tha. 9:10.
"Bas aaj hi late hona tha," usne dheere se khud se kaha. Aaj uski nayi job ka pehla din tha.Usne phone nikala — 2% battery.
"Wah, perfect timing."Tabhi uske paas se ek ladki tez kadam chalti hui aayi. Haath mein file, baal thode bikre hue, saans thodi tez — clearly late.
"Excuse me… yeh bus Downtown side jaati hai kya?" usne jaldi mein poocha.
Kabir ne sir hilaaya. "Haan… par aaj thodi late chal rahi hai shayad."Ladki ne pareshani se aasman ki taraf dekha. "Mera interview hai… first round. Agar late ho gayi na toh gaya kaam."
Kabir halka sa hasa. "Mera bhi first day hai job ka. Lagta hai universe test le raha hai."
Woh thodi si muskuraayi. "Great. Do log ek hi boat mein."
Do second awkward silence raha, phir ladki ne haath badhaya.
"By the way, main Naina.""Kabir," usne haath milaya.
Uska haath thanda tha — shayad nervousness se.
Tabhi Kabir ka phone band ho gaya. "Aur gaya mera last connection duniya se."
Naina hansi rok na paayi. "Mera toh already dead hai."
Dono ek dusre ko dekh kar hans pade. Stress thoda halka ho gaya."Auto le lete hain?" Kabir ne suggest kiya.
"Paise bachane ke chakkar mein bus ka wait kar rahi thi…" Naina boli, phir ruk kar boli, "Par shayad aaj kanjoosi ka din nahi hai."
Road par ek auto aaya. Kabir ne haath diya.
"Downtown Tech Park chaloge?"
Auto driver ne sir hila diya. Dono jaldi se baith gaye.
Auto chalte hi hawa tez lagne lagi. Naina apni file tight pakde hui thi.
"Bahut important interview hai?" Kabir ne poocha.
"Haan… ghar walon ko prove karna hai ki main serious hoon career ko lekar," usne halka sa smile diya. "Aap?""Main bas yeh prove karna chahta hoon ki main late aane wala employee nahi hoon… pehle din hi," Kabir hansa.
Naina ne uski taraf dekha. "Aap thode funny ho."
"Thoda hi?" Kabir ne fake shock dikhaya.
Dono phir hans pade. Auto ke chhote se safar mein ajeeb si comfort feel ho rahi thi — jaise purane dost ho.
Tech Park aa gaya.Naina ne paise dene ke liye purse nikala. Kabir ne roka. "Half-half."
"Fair enough," usne smile kiya.
Gate ke bahar utarte hue dono ek second ke liye ruk gaye. Badi building, log formal kapdon mein bhaagte hue, security check — real world start ho raha tha.
"Best of luck," Kabir ne kaha.
"Tumhe bhi," Naina ne jawab diya, phir thodi hichkichahat ke baad boli, "Waise… agar hum dono select ho gaye, toh canteen wali coffee meri taraf se."Kabir ne haath badhaya. "Deal pakki."
Naina ne uska haath shake kiya, phir andar chali gayi.
Kabir kuch pal wahin khada raha. Dil mein halka sa ajeeb sa feeling tha — nervousness ke beech ek chhoti si khushi.
Usse yeh nahi pata tha ki yeh sirf ek random subah nahi thi.Yeh unki kahani ka pehla page tha.
Aur kahani abhi shuru hui thi.