Between Distances: An Unspoken Tale of Love

 

Between Distances: 

An Unspoken Tale of Love

"It's been so long, and I'm extremely sorry for being late. Aaj ek aur daastaan sunane wala hoon... ek aur mohabbat ki kahani."

Prologue:

Bahut kuch badal gaya hai… aadatein, rishte, jeene ka tareeka… par agar kuch nahi badla, to wo uska pyaar.

Ek time pe socha tha ki zindagi sirf ek hi insaan ke saath guzregi, but phir suna tha "Samay ke saath sab badalta hai."

Badal toh gaya sab, lekin dil ka ek kona aaj bhi waisa hi hai.

Pyaar ek baar ho toh bhi, uski yaadein hazaar baar dukh deti hain.

Aaj kal ki generation me love sirf ek phase ban gaya hai—situationships, break-ups, move-ons.

People say, "Bus, train aur chokri ek jaati hai, doosri aati hai." But that’s a lie.

Jab koi sach me pyaar karta hai na… toh uska replacement nahi hota.

Kuch log apni ex ko gaali dete hain, lekin kabhi ye nahi sochte ki khudne kya galti ki thi?

Maine apni har ek past relationship ko ek lesson ki tarah liya. They didn’t break me, they built me. That’s why I'm growing, getting better, aur ab…

Aaj ek aur kahani likhne ja raha hoon… jo sirf ek kahani nahi, ek ehsaas hai.

(26 December 2023 – Vivaan moves to a new city.)

Ek naya sheher. Naye log. Nayi life. But for Vivaan, kuch bhi naya nahi tha.
Office, ghar, aur ek chai ki tapri, jaha wo shaam me aake ek bargad ke ped ke neeche baithta tha—alone, lost in his thoughts.

Wo jagah uska silent escape thi. Jahaan wo apne dukhon se milta tha, unhe mehsoos karta tha, aur phir andar hi andar daba leta tha.

Us din bhi wo wahi baitha tha, jab baarish hone lagi.

Vivaan baarish dekhte hue soch raha tha, "Baarish hamesha yaadein laati hai, aur yaadein hamesha dukh deti hain."

Lekin us din, baarish sirf yaadein nahi laayi… ek ajnabi bhi laayi.

Thodi door ek ladka aur ladki lad rahe the. Pehle Vivaan ne ignore kiya, but phir ek tez thappad ki awaaz uske dil tak pahunch gayi.

Ladka gusse me chala gaya. Aur ladki… wo lake ke paas jaake rone lagi.

Vivaan usse bas dekh raha tha. Wo bhi bheeg rahi thi, par shayad andar se bhi bheegi hui thi—tut chuki thi.

Chahe jitna bhi introvert ho, kisi ko aise rote nahi dekh sakta tha.

Vivaan (softly): "Hey, I'm sorry, but baarish ho rahi hai… yahaan mat baitho. Bimmar ho jaogi."

Stranger (rudely, aankhon me aansu): "Did I ask for your help? Just leave me alone."

Vivaan halka sa muskuraaya, jaise uski takleef ko samajh gaya ho, aur wapas apni jagah baith gaya.

But few minutes later, wo ladki khud uske paas aa gayi.

Stranger (dheere se): "I'm sorry... I was just upset."

Vivaan ne bina kuch kahe uski taraf ek pani ki bottle badha di.

Vivaan: "Kabhi kabhi kisi ajnabi se apni problems share karna achha hota hai."

Stranger (halke se smile ke saath): "Mujhe aadat nahi hai apna dukh share karne ki."

Aur bina kuch kahe wo chal padi…

Baarish ab ruk rahi thi… par Vivaan ka dil ab bhi kuch mehsoos kar raha tha.

Agli shaam, Vivaan fir tapri pe gaya.

Shopkeeper: "Aaj late ho gaye bhaiya?"
Vivaan: "Haan, office me kaam zyada tha."

Chai lekar apni usual jagah jaane laga, but waha pehle se koi baitha tha.

Wahi ladki!

Vivaan (surprised): "Oh, tum?"
Stranger (thodi si smile ke saath): "Haan, tum yaha roz aate ho?"
Vivaan: "Haan, yaha sukoon milta hai."

Thodi der baad, wo khud bolne lagi. Shayad ab wo khulna chahti thi.

Stranger: "Kal jisne mujhe thappad maara… he was my boyfriend."

Vivaan chup raha, bas sun raha tha.

Stranger: "Six months ka relationship tha. I found out he was cheating. Jab maine usse poocha, usne mujhe thappad maar diya aur chala gaya."

Ek lambi khamoshi rahi.

Vivaan (softly): "Kabhi kabhi tootna zaroori hota hai… kyunki jo cheezein hume todti hain, wahi hume banati bhi hain."

Ladki ne aankhon me dukh ke saath thodi si tasalli bhi mehsoos ki.

Stranger: "Par bhool nahi paa rahi. Har baar yaad aata hai toh dil bhar aata hai."

Vivaan ne lake ki taraf dekha aur muskuraaya.

Vivaan: "Dukh ko ek chhoti kahani samjho… jo tumhe strong banayegi."

Stranger (haath badhate hue): "By the way, I’m Radhika."
Vivaan (haath milate hue): "Vivaan."

Uska phone baja, aur wo jaldi se waha se chali gayi.

Vivaan bas dekhta raha.

Shayad ye sirf ek mulaqat nahi thi…

Ab roz ki tarah, dono wahi milte the. Chai peete, batein karte, par kuch alag sa mehsoos hota tha.

Phir ek din, Radhika gayab ho gayi.

Shopkeeper: "Bhaiya, wo ladki aapke baare me pooch rahi thi kuch din pehle."

Vivaan halka sa muskuraaya.

Aur ek din, jab Vivaan office se aaya, usne dekha—ek puppy waha bhatak raha tha.

Aur piche se ek awaaz aayi—

"Arey, tum yahan the? Main kabse tumhe dhoond rahi thi!"

Vivaan ne dekha, Radhika waha khadi thi… aur uske haathon me wo puppy tha.

Aur uss moment pe, Vivaan ko samajh aaya…

This wasn’t just a normal friendship anymore.

To be continued…