Conference hall khali ho chuka tha.
Par Anaya ke kaano me abhi bhi reporters ki awaazein goonj rahi thi.
Hotel ke private suite ka door band hote hi ek ajeeb si khamoshi chaa gayi.
Anaya ne dheere se apni heels utaari.
Usne Aarav ki taraf dekha.
"Ye sab sach me ho gaya."
Aarav ne uski taraf seedha dekha.
"Ha. Ab hum officially engaged hain."
Us line me confidence tha.
Par Anaya ke dil me halki si ghabrahat thi.
"Wapas jaane ka option nahi hai na" usne dheere se poocha.
Aarav uske paas aaya.
Bahut paas.
"Main wapas jaana bhi nahi chahta."
Anaya ne uski aankhon me dekha.
Waha sirf seriousness nahi thi.
Kuch aur bhi tha.
"Ye sab plan tha"
Aarav ne halka sa sir hila diya.
"Announcement plan tha. Tum nahi."
Room ki soft yellow light uske chehre par gir rahi thi.
Anaya ka heartbeat slow se fast ho raha tha.
"To main kya hoon"
Aarav ne bina jaldi kiye jawab diya.
"Meri choice."
Woh ek simple line thi.
Par usne Anaya ke andar kuch shift kar diya.
Balcony ke bahar city lights chamak rahi thi.
Andar sirf dono ki saansein sunai de rahi thi.
Aarav ne dheere se uska haath pakda.
Is baar grip strong nahi thi.
Warm thi.
"Dar lag raha hai" usne poocha.
Anaya ne halka sa smile kiya.
"Thoda. Public life easy nahi hoti."
Aarav ne uske baal ka ek halka sa strand uske face se hata diya.
Touch gentle tha.
"Main hoon na."
Usne ye line normally nahi kahi.
Jaise promise ho.
Anaya ne uska haath thoda aur tight pakad liya.
"Pata hai sab contract se start hua."
Aarav ne uski baat beech me nahi roki.
"Par jo ab feel ho raha hai wo scripted nahi lag raha."
Ek second ke liye waqt ruk gaya.
Aarav uske aur kareeb aaya.
Itna kareeb ki unki saansein takra rahi thi.
"To phir script change kar dete hain."
Anaya ki aankhon me halka sa spark aaya.
"Kaise"
Aarav ne dheere se kaha
"Real bana kar."
Usne Anaya ke haath ko apne dil ke paas rakh diya.
Heartbeat steady thi.
Strong thi.
"Ye fake nahi hai."
Anaya ka darr dheere dheere pighal raha tha.
Balcony ki hawa halki thandi thi.
Par unke beech ka distance khatam ho chuka tha.
Neeche city me cameras flash ho rahe the.
Upar ek naya rishta quietly grow kar raha tha.
Aarav ne dheere se kaha
"Ab jo hoga wo choice se hoga. Pressure se nahi."
Anaya ne uski taraf dekhte hue jawab diya
"To phir main bhi peeche nahi hatungi."
Aarav ke lips par halki si smile aayi.
Game public ho chuka tha.
Par iss pal me sirf do log the.
Aur unke beech ek feeling jo contract se zyada strong thi.