Pune ke is co-ed hostel mein life ka schedule itna fixed tha ki alarm ki zarurat kam, aadat ki zyada thi. Subah 7:30 ka lecture, 8:45 ka breakfast, 10:00 library, 1:00 mess, 4:00 chai, 8:30 dinner, aur raat ko room mein wohi same do log — Vikas aur Kunal — jo har din ek dusre ko irritate bhi karte the aur sambhalte bhi the. Room number 214 ka scene sabko pata tha: Vikas bed ke side mein apni books, notes aur pen ek proper line mein rakhta tha, aur Kunal? Kunal ka side dekh ke lagta tha jaise kisi cyclone ne “organised chaos” ko personally challenge kiya ho.
“Bhai, tu room mein rehta hai ya museum?” Kunal har dusre din bolta.
Vikas bina uthe reply deta, “Aur tu bed par rehta hai ya emotional landfill mein?”
Kunal hamesha is line par fake hurt face banata, “Wah, kya poetry hai. Final-year student ho, dikha raha hai.”
Dono ka bond waise brother-brother type tha — one minute teasing, next minute chai share, phir raat ko kisi random topic pe serious discussion. Vikas silent protector tha, jo bina bole sab dekh leta tha. Kunal drama king tha, jo bina bole bhi 10 emotion dikha deta tha. Hostel mein sabko lagta tha ki ye dono bas roommate hain, but room ke andar ka scene alag hi tha. Vikas unofficial class notes supplier bhi tha, toh half campus usko “responsible bhai” bolta tha. Aur Kunal? Usko “full-time overthinker, part-time comedian” ka certificate milna chahiye tha.
Sab normal chal raha tha. Ya kam se kam aisa lag raha tha.
Phir ek Monday aaya, aur Kunal ne lunch skip kar diya.
Pehle Vikas ne notice nahi kiya. Hostel mein lunch skip karna koi crime thodi hota hai. Kabhi class, kabhi mood, kabhi mess ka khana — reasons mil hi jaate the. Par next day bhi Kunal ne plate li, do spoon rice uthaya, dal ko dekh ke face banaya, aur bas chai pe chala gaya. Third day tak Vikas ka patience ka meter hil gaya.
“Bhai, tu lunch kyun nahi kha raha?” Vikas ne room mein seedha poocha, bilkul flat tone mein.
Kunal ne aankh uthayi bhi nahi. “Bhookh nahi hai.”
“Teen din se bhookh nahi hai?”
“Bas mood nahi hai.”
Vikas ne thoda sa eyebrow raise kiya. “Mood nahi hai ya attention chahiye?”
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Kunal ka head turant utha. “Haan, bas mujhe attention chahiye. Hostel mein aur kya milta hai?”
Vikas ne dry smile ke saath laptop band kiya. “Mazaak mat kar. Seriously bol.”
Kunal ka face instantly off ho gaya. “Tu seriously hi toh bolta rehta hai. Har baat pe lecture. Khana kha, padh le, sleep kar le, stress mat le. Bhai, main koi machine hoon?”
Vikas ko laga ye bas usual Kunal attitude hai. But andar se usko gussa bhi aa raha tha, tension bhi. Us week uske ghar se bhi call aayi thi — papa aur mama ke beech phir se wahi same endless argument, aur phone rakhne ke baad Vikas ne room mein aake bas wall ko dekha tha. Usne kisi ko bataya nahi. Uske liye “main theek hoon” bolna aadat se zyada defense mechanism tha.
Ussi din mess mein scene aur बिगड़ गया. Lunch mein wahi thandi dal, overcooked rice aur aadhi cooked sabzi. Kunal ne plate mein bas do bites liye aur phir plate ko aise push kiya jaise usne kuch personal insult dekh liya ho.
“Yeh khana bhi meri life jaisa ho gaya hai,” Kunal ne bina emotion ke kaha.
Vikas ne plate ki taraf dekha, phir Kunal ki taraf. “Matlab?”
“Matlab bland. Cold. Useless.”
Vikas ka temper finally crack hua. “Acha? Teri life ka khana se comparison ho gaya? Teen din se lunch skip kar raha hai aur yahan philosophy chalu hai?”
Kunal ki aankhon mein bhi irritation aa gayi. “Tu samajhta hi kya hai?”
“Main samajhta hoon ki tu apni health ka tamasha bana raha hai.”
“Tamasha?” Kunal ki voice thodi loud ho gayi. “Tu bol raha hai tamasha? Tu toh aise act karta hai jaise sab control mein hai. Jaise tu sab theek kar lega. News flash: har cheez fix nahi hoti, Vikas.”
Us line ke saath room mein jo invisible wall bani thi, woh aur thick ho gayi. Vikas ne kuch reply nahi kiya. Kunal ne bhi plate chhod di aur bina khaye uth gaya. Hostel corridor mein log has rahe the, kisi ke speakers se gaana baj raha tha, kisi ka group assignment ka panic चल रहा tha, but 214 mein silence itna heavy tha jaise AC nahi, emotional freeze chal raha ho.
Us raat Vikas ne notes arrange kiye, table clean kiya, chai ka cup khatam kiya, aur phir bhi neend nahi aayi. Kunal bed par munh ghuma ke pada tha, phone scroll kar raha tha, par actually kuch dekh nahi raha tha. Dono ek hi room mein the, par beech mein itna distance tha jaise hostel aur ghar ke beech hota hai. Vikas ko gussa bhi aa raha tha aur guilt bhi. Kunal ko lag raha tha Vikas usko judge kar raha hai. Aur Vikas ko lag raha tha Kunal overreact kar raha hai. Typical roommate tragedy.
Agli shaam mess mein Rafiq Bhaiya ne Kunal ka plate dekha, phir Kunal ka face dekha, phir plate ke untouched dal ko dekha. Rafiq Bhaiya mess supervisor kam, hostel ke mood reader zyada the. Unki moustache ke neeche se ek aisi line nikli jo simple thi, but seedha dil pe lagi.
“Beta,” woh bole, “khana pet ke liye hota hai. Par kabhi-kabhi do log ek plate mein apni baat bhi kha lete hain.”
Kunal ne pehle toh halka sa awkward smile diya, kyunki line thodi funny bhi thi. Par phir uska face freeze ho gaya. Vikas ne bhi spoon rok diya. Rafiq Bhaiya ne bas itna aur bola, “Aaj ka dal pakka thandi hai. Par tum dono ka mood usse bhi thanda lag raha hai.”
Phir woh dusri table ki taraf chale gaye, jaise kuch hua hi na ho. But hua tha.
Vikas ne pehli baar dhyaan se Kunal ko dekha. Uski aankhen thodi red thi, face pe woh usual attitude nahi, bas tiredness thi. Kunal ne spoon uthaya, phir rakh diya. Vikas ne kuch bolne ka socha, par is baar lecture nahi dena tha. Usko khud bhi samajh aa raha tha ki Kunal ka issue sirf lunch skip karna nahi hai.
“Tu… theek hai?” Vikas ne dheere se poocha.
Kunal hansa, par woh fake laughter tha. “Wah. Teen din baad concern aa gaya?”
Vikas ne aankh neeche ki. “Main bas pooch raha hoon.”
Kunal ki fingers plate ke edge pe tik gayi. “Nahi hoon theek.”
Kunal ne lambi saans li. “Breakup hua hai, okay? Ab khush? Aur usse bhi zyada irritating part ye hai ki main usko miss kar raha hoon. Like, actually miss. Aur mujhe samajh nahi aa raha ki main pagal hoon ya weak.”
Vikas ne kuch seconds tak kuch nahi bola. Usne kabhi Kunal ko itna honest nahi suna tha. Kunal hamesha joke mein chhupa deta tha, sarcasm mein wrap kar deta tha. Ab uske voice mein jo crack tha, woh clear tha. Vikas ko yaad aaya ki usne bhi ghar ke calls pe kaise apne emotions ko lock karke rakha tha. Dono hi alag alag jagah se same cheez kar rahe the — pretending.
Kunal ne bina dekhe bolna continue kiya, “Aur Meera… usne itna cold behave kiya jaise kuch tha hi nahi. Bolti thi casual hai, no expectations, no drama. Main bhi cool ban raha tha. Par andar se I was… I don’t know, attached ho gaya tha. And then I saw you, yaar. Tu sab manage karta hai. Notes, attendance, room, life. Main compare karne laga apne aap ko. Tere saamne toh aur stupid feel hota tha.”
Vikas ko pehli baar samajh aaya ki Kunal ka gussa us par nahi, apne aap par tha. Aur Meera ka coldness sirf cruelty nahi, confusion bhi ho sakta hai. Usne spoon side mein rakha aur chair thodi paas khinch li.
“Meera heartless nahi hai,” Vikas ne calmly kaha. “Shayad scared thi. But haan, tu hurt hua hai. Yeh part valid hai.”
Kunal ne uski taraf dekha, thoda surprised. “Bas? Lecture nahi?”
“Main professor Malhotra thodi hoon.”
Kunal ke lips pe ek weak sa smile aaya. “Aaj tu unusually sane lag raha hai.”
“Main hamesha sane hi hota hoon.”
“Bhai, tu jhoot bhi itni confidence se bolta hai.”
Us moment mein Professor Malhotra ka naam aate hi jaise universe ne cue liya. Next morning class ke baad Professor Malhotra ne Vikas aur Kunal dono ko corridor mein roka. Unhone bas itna notice kiya tha ki dono pichle kuch din se absent-minded the, assignments late the, aur class mein bhi unka usual energy missing tha.
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“Everything okay?” professor ne pucha, strict voice mein, but aankhon mein genuine concern tha.
Kunal ne pehle toh “yes sir” bolne ka try kiya, par Vikas ne usse dekh liya. Phir professor ne bina pressure ke bola, “You boys don’t look lazy. You look tired. There’s a difference.”
Ye line bhi seedhi lagi. Kunal ne niche dekha. Vikas ne bas ek chhota sa nod diya. Professor Malhotra ne aur kuch nahi poocha. Bas itna kaha, “Discipline important hai. But broken students don’t study well. Take care of yourselves.”
Woh chalte gaye aur corridor mein silence reh gaya. Par ab ye silence pehle jaisa frozen nahi tha. Ismein ek crack aa chuka tha — aur us crack se thodi light aa rahi thi.
Shaam ko Vikas room mein aaya toh Kunal bed par baitha tha, aur is baar phone nahi, bas khali wall dekh raha tha. Vikas ne mess se extra roti li thi. Usne bag side mein rakha, chair khinchi, aur bina drama ke Kunal ke saamne plate rakh di.
“Aaj se lunch skip nahi,” Vikas bola.
Kunal ne usko dekha. “Command de raha hai ya request?”
“Dono.”
Kunal ne ek gehri saans li, phir almost whisper mein bola, “Main bas… toot gaya tha, bhai. Aur mujhe laga agar maine maan liya toh main weak ho jaunga.”
Vikas ne is baar turant kuch fix karne ki koshish nahi ki. Na lecture, na advice, na “move on”. Bas baith gaya. “Weak nahi hota,” usne kaha. “Bas insaan hota hai.”
Kunal ki aankhon mein pani aa gaya, par usne face ghuma liya. “Tu bhi theek nahi lag raha tha.”
Vikas hansa, thoda thaka hua sa. “Haan. Ghar se call aayi thi. Wahi same scene. Main soch raha tha sab manage kar lunga. Par honestly, bas numb ho gaya tha.”
Kunal ne pehli baar usko dhyaan se suna. “Tu bolta kyun nahi?”
“Kyuki main har cheez solve karne ki aadat mein fasa hoon,” Vikas ne sach bol diya. “Mujhe lagta hai agar main baith gaya toh sab bigad jayega. Family, room, tere notes, tera life drama… sab.”
Kunal ne snort kiya. “Tere notes mein mera life drama ka kya relation?”
“Tu hi toh unofficial extension liye baitha rehta hai.”
“Wah. Emotional moment mein bhi taunt.”
“Habit hai.”
Dono hansi. Pehli baar genuinely. Woh hasi loud nahi thi, par room ke andar jo weight tha, usme halka sa gap ban gaya.
Usi raat unhone mess ke baad walk ki. Hostel ke bahar thandi hawa thi, Pune ki road pe traffic ka familiar noise, aur gate ke paas chai tapri se adrak ki smell. Kunal ne bina joke kiye bola, “Mujhe lagta tha Vikas ke saamne toot gaya toh respect kam ho jayegi.”
Vikas ne seedha raaste pe dekhte hue bola, “Bhai, respect tab kam hoti hai jab banda fake hero banne lage. Tootna problem nahi hai. Chhupana kabhi kabhi problem ban jata hai.”
Kunal ne dheere se nod kiya. “Aur Meera?”
Vikas ne shoulder shrug kiya. “Usko villain mat bana. Sometimes people are confused. Bas itna samajh le ki jo tu feel kar raha tha, woh real tha. Aur jo usne feel kiya, woh bhi shayad real tha. Bas match nahi hua.”
Kunal ne first time bina ego ke kaha, “Haan. Shayad.”
Wapas room mein aake unhone ek simple pact banaya. Lunch together. Dinner ke baad 10-minute no-judgment talk. Night walk at least twice a week. Aur haan, thandi dal ko roast karna mandatory. Kunal ne extra condition add ki, “Aur tu kabhi kabhi khud bhi help maang lega.”
Vikas ne usko side-eye diya. “Itna bhi mat push kar.”
“Bhai, growth hoti hai toh dard hota hai.”
“Tu ab professor ban gaya?”
“Emotionally mature ho gaya hoon.”
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Rafiq Bhaiya door se ye sun rahe the. Unhone bas ek plate aur rakhi aur bina smile ke, lekin soft voice mein bole, “Dekho, food acha ho ya na ho, saath mein khaya jaye toh aadha bojh kam ho jata hai.”
Is baar kisi ko line funny nahi lagi. Kyunki ab woh line samajh aa chuki thi.
Breakup instantly heal nahi hua. Ghar ke problems magic se solve nahi hue. Mess ki dal next day bhi thandi hi thi, rice phir bhi overcooked tha, aur sabzi mein phir bhi namak kam tha. Par ab room 214 mein silence enemy nahi tha. Kabhi kabhi woh silence comfort ban gaya. Kabhi kabhi us silence mein Kunal bol deta, “Aaj bahut down feel ho raha hai,” aur Vikas bas uske saath baith jata. Kabhi Vikas chup chaap chai bana leta aur Kunal bina pooche cup le leta.
Aur dheere dheere, dono ne samajh liya ki har problem ka solution dhoondhna zaroori nahi hota. Kabhi kabhi bas kisi ke saamne baith jana, kuch na bolna, ya simple sa “main yahan hoon” keh dena hi enough hota hai. Vikas ne pehli baar accept kiya ki sab kuch control mein rakhna possible nahi. Kunal ne pehli baar mana ki vulnerability weakness nahi hoti.
Hostel ka life rhythm phir se normal ho gaya — lectures, attendance, library, chai, mess. Bas farq itna tha ki ab lunch skip karna koi joke nahi tha, aur “khana kaisa hai?” ka jawab sirf taste ke liye nahi, mood ke liye bhi diya jaata tha. Room 214 mein do roommates the, par kabhi kabhi family jaisa lagta tha. Aur shayad wahi enough tha.
Storydilse ke pyaare readers, itni si kahani padhne ke liye dil se thank you. Aapka support, aapka time aur aapka pyaar hi in stories ko zinda rakhta hai. Umeed hai Vikas aur Kunal ki ye hostel wali journey aapke dil tak pahunchi hogi. Aise hi storydilse ke saath jude rahiye, aur apna khayal rakhiye.
