# Chapter 3 — The Locked Floor
Raat kaafi dheere utar rahi thi, aur hostel corridor ki halki si peeli roshni mein Room 69 ka number aur bhi saaf chamak raha tha. Andar fan ki awaz ek monotone sa sukoon de rahi thi, aur bed par baithe Rohan aur Pooja ke beech jo silence tha, woh awkward nahi, bas charged sa tha. Dono ne pehle bhi ek-do baar aise hi casual milna choose kiya tha, bina promises ke, bina unnecessary explanations ke, par aaj kuch alag sa tha—jaise dono ko pata ho ki baat sirf baaton tak nahi rukegi.
Pooja ne dupatta side mein rakha aur seedha Rohan ko dekha. “Aaj tu bahut quiet hai,” usne soft smile ke saath kaha.
Rohan ne hothon ke corner se hansi roki. “Tu bol rahi hai toh main sun raha hoon.”
“Bas sunne se kaam nahi chalega.” Usne thoda aage jhuk kar uski collar ko ungliyon se theek kiya, jaise ye uska right ho. “Thoda paas aa.”
Rohan ne koi jaldi nahi ki. Usne bas apna haath uske wrist par rakha, aur us touch mein koi urgency nahi thi—sirf warmth. Pooja ki nazar pal bhar ke liye uske haath par ruki, phir uski aankhon mein. Iss baar unke beech koi teasing line nahi aayi; jo paas aana tha, woh already shuru ho chuka tha.
Rohan ne dheere se uske baalon ke paas se ek strand hataaya. “Aise hi dekh rahi hai.”
“Kaise?”
“Jaise decide kar chuki ho.”
Pooja ki smile dheemi ho gayi. “Ho sakta hai.”
Usne Rohan ke shoulder par ungli rakhi, phir uske chest ke paas se shirt ka fabric pakad kar use apni taraf khinch liya. Gap almost khatam ho gaya. Rohan ka saans lena thoda sa badla, aur Pooja ne ye notice kiya. Dono ne ek dusre ko rokha nahi; bas ek chhota sa pause tha, jisme permission bhi thi aur invitation bhi.
Pooja ne uski cheek par halka sa touch kiya, phir uski jawline ke paas se ungli ghumaate hue poocha, “Ab bhi soch raha hai?”
Rohan ka jawab seedha nahi tha. Usne uska haath pakad kar apne lips ke paas laaya, aur uske knuckles par ek bahut halka sa kiss kar diya. Itna soft ki jaise kisi secret ko touch kiya ho. Pooja ki aankhen thodi si aur naram ho gayin. Usne khud ko aur aage badhaya, forehead almost uske shoulder se lag gaya, aur phir dheere se uske kaan ke paas murmured, “Aaj slow rakhna.”
Rohan ne bas “Haan,” kaha, aur uske tone mein woh sab kuch tha jo words nahi keh paaye..
Hostel corridor ki subah hamesha se zyada khokli lag rahi thi.
Ceiling fan ki aawaz, metal almirah ka halkasa rattle, aur corridor ke end mein chai ki smell—sab kuch normal tha, phir bhi normal bilkul nahi tha. Room 69 ke bahar Arjun pehle nikla, phone ek haath mein, dusre haath se baal theek karte hue jaise duniya ko yeh dikhana ho ki sab under control hai. Rohan uske piche-piche aaya, eyes screen par, ungliyan repeatedly call button pe ja rahi thi. Kabir ne apni jacket ka zip half-open chhoda hua tha, face pe woh familiar “mujhe farq nahi padta” wali expression, jo us waqt aur bhi suspicious lag rahi thi. Imran sabse last, silent, bas nazar idhar-udhar ghumate hue, jaise corridor ke har kone mein kuch likha hua dhoondh raha ho.
Kunal ka naam subah se unke phones par bar-bar chamak raha tha. Unanswered. Unreturned. Jaise kisi ne jaan-bujhkar network se uska nishaan hata diya ho.
“Mess pe dekhte hain,” Arjun ne low voice mein kaha. “Agar woh gaya bhi ho, breakfast skip nahi karega. Kunal aur rules? Impossible combo.”
Kabir ne snort kiya. “Rules se zyada usko late hone ki aadat thi.”
Rohan ne bina dekhe bola, “Funny hai, but useful nahi. Main library aur notice board check karta hoon. Agar koi attendance slip ya complaint hui ho, kuch toh milega.”
“Admin block main dekh loonga,” Arjun ne kaha. “Attendance, gate register, CCTV ke bahane. End mein sab wahi aata hai.”
Imran ne bas ek chhota sa nod diya. “Main old seminar wing aur us side ke corridors dekh leta hoon.”
Kabir ne uski taraf dekha. “Restricted area ke paas?”
Imran ka jawab seedha tha. “Haan.”
Woh chaaron alag direction mein chale, lekin campus aise lag raha tha jaise unhe ek hi invisible thread se kheench raha ho. Mess ke bahar steel plates ki khanak thi, students ki half-sleepy awaazein, aur phone ke vibration ka chhota sa jhatka—sab normal campus morning ka part, bas unke liye sab kuch threat ban chuka tha.
Mess mein ek ward boy chairs set kar raha tha. Arjun ne casual tone banaye rakhi. “Bhaiya, kal raat Kunal ko dekha tha kya?”
Ward boy ne pehle seedha jawab nahi diya. Uski aankh corridor ki taraf gayi, phir mess ke gate ki taraf, jaise kisi ko dekh raha ho. “Kunal? Haan... shayad.”
“Shayad?” Kabir ka voice sharp ho gaya.
Ward boy ne turant haath jhattak diya. “Nahi, matlab... dekha tha. Restricted staircase ke paas. Late night. Par main zyada nahi dekha. Bas itna hi.”
Rohan ne pen nikaal liya, jaise yeh bhi lecture notes ka part ho. “Restricted staircase? Kis side wali?”
Ward boy ki awaaz aur neeche gir gayi. “Old seminar wing ke peeche. Par aap log mujhse mat pucho. Main bas wahan se guzra tha.”
Arjun ne uski hichkichaahat notice kar li. “Guzre the ya ruk gaye the?”
Ward boy ne swallow kiya. “Bhai, sach bol raha hoon..
Canteen mein late morning ka shor apna hi ek system tha—steel cups ki khanak, bench ka chirr-chirr, aur background mein attendance ke liye bhaagte students ki bechaini. Ek corner mein do log professor ke naam pe betting kar rahe the ki kaun sa syllabus pehle khatam hoga; doosre corner mein ek junior calculator khol ke aise baitha tha jaise usi se life save hogi.
“Kal deadline hai, bhai,” Rohan ne apni chai ko dekhte hue kaha, “aur professor ne bola hai, ‘this is your last chance.’ Matlab officially doom.”
Kabir ne bina dekhe biscuit tod diya. “Har week last chance hota hai. College ka favorite word hai.”
Arjun hans diya, par uski nazar room ke bahar wali notice board ki taraf chali gayi thi. Canteen ke paas wali wall par fresh paper chipka hua tha, safed sheet, blue tape. “Old wing maintenance. Entry restricted after 6 PM.” Neeche maintenance office ka stamp tha, lekin paper ka kinaara abhi bhi crisp tha, jaise abhi-abhi lagaya gaya ho.
Arjun ne aankh chhoti ki. “Ye notice ab lagaya gaya hai?”
Rohan ne seedha saans li. “Kyun? Maintenance se itna interest kab se?”
“Interest nahi,” Arjun ne dheere se bola. “Timing ajeeb hai.”
Kabir ne chair pe peeth tikaayi. “Old wing mein waise bhi kaun jaata hai? Sirf woh log jo apni life mein suspense chahte hain.”
“Ya jo log attendance se bhaag rahe hote hain,” ek junior ne side se comment maara, aur paas baithe do ladke has pade.
Tabhi canteen ke andar se ek aur awaaz uthi. “Arre, Room 69 waale kidhar hain?” kisi ne half-joke half-gossip mein poocha. “Sunaa hai raat ko corridor mein ghummte dekhe gaye the.”