Kolkatar ek chhoto para… shoroter sesh dike. Akash jure halka megh, ar batash e ekta komol thanda chhoya. Sei parar ekta barir chhade protidin shondhye dariye thakto Arko. Tar chokh protidin khujto samner barir chhade dariye thaka meyeti ke.
Meyetar naam chhilo Nandini.
Prothom din Arko oke dekhe chhilo brishtir moddhe. Halka jhor jhor brishti hochhilo, ar Nandini chhade dariye haat tule brishtir jol dhor chhilo. Tar chul bhije gechhilo, ar chokher kone chhilo ekta ajana hashi. Sei hashi ta Arkor moner moddhe kichhu ekta alor moto jole uthchhilo.
Tarpor theke protidin shondhye Arko chhade uthto. Kakhono tara dujon chokhe chokh rakhto, kakhono abar dujon e lojja peye mukh ghuriye nito. Kintu tader chokher bhasha aste aste kotha bolte shuru korechhilo.
Ekdin jhor brishti namlo. Batash jhorer moto boichhilo. Arko chhade dariye chhilo, kintu Nandini ke dekhte pachhilo na. Mon ta ajana chinta e bhore uthlo. Hothat dekhe, Nandini chhata niye chhade elo. Brishtir jhore tar orna urey jacchhilo.
Arko sahos kore haat tule ishara korlo — "Niche eso, brishti khub jhor!"
Nandini haslo, tarpor chhata bondho kore brishtir moddhei dariye thaklo. Tar chokh bole uthlo — "Ami bhoy pai na."
Sei din prothom Arko bujhlo, ei meyeta shudhu shanto noy, tar moddhe ache onek sahos, onek alo.
Kichhudin pore parar library te tader prothom kotha hoy. Dujon e ekoi boi tulechhilo — Rabindranather golpo shongroho. Dujoner haat ekshathe boir opor pore gelo. Dujon e chonke gelo.
"Sorry," Arko bollo halka hashi niye.
Nandini o haslo, "Apni nin… ami pore nebo."
Arko bollo, "Na, apni nin. Amar mone hoy apnar dorkar beshi."
Sei chhoto kothopokothon theke shuru holo tader golpo.
Dhire dhire library theke phire ashar poth ta lomba hote laglo. Tara rastar dhare phuchka kheto, cha er dokane boshe golpo korto. Arko jante parlo Nandini chhoto belay ma ke hariyechhe. Tar baba tar shob kichhu. Nandini shopno dekhto ekdin nijer school khulbe, chhoto chhoto bachchader porabe.
Arko tokhon bujhlo, tar bhalobasha shudhu rup e noy, tar shopno te.
Ekdin shondhye Nandini bollo, "Arko, jodi ekdin ami onek dure chole jai… tumi ki amake mone rakhbe?"
Arko hashte hashte bollo, "Tumi dure geleo akash to ekoi thakbe. Ami akasher dike takalei tomake dekhbo."
Kintu jibon shob shomoy golper moto shoja noy.
Hothat ekdin Nandini janalo, tar baba transfer peyechhen. Tader onno shohore chole jete hobe. Kichhu diner moddhei.
Arkor mone holo puro shohor ta nishobdo hoye gechhe. Chhader batash o ar bhalo lagchhilo na.
Shesh diner shondhye tara dujon abar chhade dariye. Akashe chhilo pura chand.
Nandini halka kape kape bollo, "Ami jani na abar dekha hobe kina… kintu tumi amar jibon er shobcheye shundor onubhob."
Arko kachhe eshe bollo, "Bhalobasha jodi shotti hoy, tahole duratto take harate parbe na."
Sei din Arko prothom bar Nandinir haat dhorlo. Konodin eto shanti payni.
Nandini chole gelo.
Mas kete gelo. Protidin shondhye Arko chhade uthe, kintu samner chhad khali. Tobe se akasher dike takiye thake.
Ek bochhor pore, abar shorot elo. Ekdin brishtir moddhe Arko chhade dariye chhilo. Hothat pichhon theke ekta porichito shor — "Eto brishtite dariye acho keno?"
Arko ghure dekhe — Nandini.
Tar chokh jol e bhore uthlo. "Tumi?"
Nandini hashlo, "Bolechhilam na, ami bhoy pai na. Durattokeo pai na."
Jana gelo, Nandinir baba abar Kolkatay transfer peyechhen. Ar Nandini tar shopno puron korar jonno ekhanei thakbe.
Brishti jhor jhor kore porte laglo. Dujon e chhata chara dariye roilo. Ei brishti ar bidayer noy, ei brishti notun shurur.
Arko mone mone bollo, "Jodi bhalobasha shotti hoy, tahole brishtir opareo take khuje pawa jai."
Akash e bijli chamkalo, ar sei alor moddhe dujoner chokhe ekoi shopno jolchhilo — ek shathe thakar shopno.
Golper sesh noy… karon shotti bhalobashar kono sesh nei.