Roommate Ka “Bas 5 Minute”

Aarav ki life mein do hi cheezein bilkul fixed thi—subah 7:00 baje alarm aur Sameer ka “bas 5 minute.” Aur honestly, Aarav ko lagta tha ki agar duniya ka end bhi aa jaye na, Sameer tab bhi rajai mein ghusa hua bol dega, “Bhai, bas 5 minute aur.”

Har morning same scene hota tha. Aarav already shower le chuka hota, ironed shirt pehan chuka hota, office bag ready hota, aur kitchen mein khade hoke apni black coffee ka last sip leta. Udhar Sameer? Sameer ka bas ek pair bahar hota, baaki body blanket ke andar, jaise koi winter survival challenge chal raha ho.

“Abe Sameer, uth ja. Late ho jayega,” Aarav bolta.

“Bas 5 minute, yaar… abhi sapna bahut interesting tha,” Sameer half-asleep voice mein bolta aur phir pillow ko aur tightly pakad leta.

Aarav ka dil karta tha usi pillow ko window se bahar phenk de. Lekin phir wo control karta. Kyunki Aarav control ke bina jee hi nahi sakta tha. Uske liye schedule, punctuality aur discipline koi boring words nahi the—yeh survival tools the. Corporate analyst ki job thi, aur uska manager time se zyada strict tha. Agar 9:15 pe login kiya na, toh office ka mahaul aisa ho jata jaise Aarav ne company ka pura budget uda diya ho.

Sameer bilkul opposite tha. Freelance graphic designer, night owl, creative soul, aur “ho jayega” attitude ka poster boy. Raat ke 2 baje tak reels dekhna, design final karna, aur subah 11 baje uthke bolna, “Bro, main raat wala person hoon.” Aarav ko hamesha lagta tha ki Sameer ka “night owl” actually “lazy pigeon” ka polished version hai.

Dono ek rented 2BHK mein Noida mein rehte the. Flat chhota tha, par unki daily drama series ka content unlimited tha. Ek side Aarav ka neat corner—books aligned, charger rolled properly, socks fold karke drawer mein. Dusri side Sameer ka kingdom—half-open sketchbook, coffee mugs, random cables, aur ek chair jisme kapde permanently resident the.

Subah ka ritual itna regular tha ki building ke security uncle bhi predict kar lete the. “Arre beta, aaj bhi Sameer ji late?” Aarav bas ek thaka hua smile de deta. “Haan uncle, bas 5 minute.”

Aur uncle haste hue bolte, “5 minute ke naam pe to aadha ghanta nikal jaata hai, beta.”

Aarav ke liye yeh joke nahi, daily torture tha.

Us din bhi kuch alag nahi tha. Aarav ready tha, laptop bag shoulder pe tha, aur Sameer wahi blanket mein. Aarav ne bedroom light on ki.

“Sameer, uth. 8:30 ho gaya.”

“Hmm…”

“Office nahi jaana kya?”

“Jaana hai… bas 5 minute.”

Aarav ne ek gehri saans li. “Main jaa raha hoon. Tujhe pata hai na aaj meri important meeting hai.”

Sameer ne aankh kholkar aadhi si smile di. “Haan bhai, all the best. Tu tension mat le, main uth jaunga.”

Yeh line Aarav ne last six months mein kam se kam 300 baar suni thi. Aur har baar same end—Sameer ke liye 5 minute ka matlab hota tha 20-25 minute, kabhi kabhi 40.

Aaj office mein unka quarterly review tha. Aur boss, Mr. Khurana, waise bhi mood ke king the. Unka face dekh ke hi pata chal jata tha ki promotion milegi ya humiliation.

Aarav ne tie theek ki, phone check kiya, aur boss ka message dekha:

“9:30 sharp conference room. Don’t be late. Important client discussion.”

Aarav ko pehle hi stress ho gaya. Usne sameer ke room ki taraf dekha. Rajai mein ek shape hil rahi thi. Usne man hi man socha, Isko chhod ke kaise jaun? Agar main nikal gaya aur yeh phir soya reh gaya, toh lock kaun karega? Aur agar yeh late utha toh kitchen mein kya karega?

Par agle hi second uske andar kuch toot gaya. Nahi, aaj nahi. Aaj woh Sameer ka wait nahi karega.

Aarav quietly room se nikla, apna bag uthaya, shoes pehne, aur hall ki taraf badha. Usne ek baar piche mud ke dekha. Sameer ab bhi blanket ke andar tha, bilkul safe, bilkul comfortable, bilkul irresponsible.

Aarav ne bina awaz kiye main door lock kiya. Keys pocket mein daali aur lift ki taraf chal diya.

Lift mein uska reflection dikh raha tha—ek tired, annoyed, overworked guy jo har din kisi aur ke “5 minute” mein phans jaata tha. Usne mobile nikala aur sameer ko message kiya:

“Main nikal gaya hoon. Aaj khud uth ke sambhal lena.”

Message sent. No extra emoji. No explanation. No guilt-filled paragraph. Bas ek line.

Lift ground floor pe aayi. Aarav bahar nikla aur metro station ki taraf walk karne laga. Thodi der ke liye uske shoulders halka feel hue. Jaise kisi ne uske head se invisible pressure hataya ho. Par phir guilt aaya—heavy, sticky, uncomfortable.

Shayad main overreact kar gaya? Par kya karun? Roz ka hai yaar. Main bhi toh insaan hoon.

Udhar flat mein, Sameer ne 8:40 pe ek aankh kholi. Phir dusri. Usne side table pe phone dekha. Ek unread message.

“Main nikal gaya hoon. Aaj khud uth ke sambhal lena.”

Sameer ne pehle toh socha Aarav mazaak kar raha hai. Phir usne room ka door dekha. Locked. Uska dimaag ek second ke liye blank ho gaya.

“Arre yaar… sach mein chala gaya?”

Usne blanket hata ke baithte hue phone check kiya. Ek missed call bhi nahi. Aarav ne is baar koi rescue mission nahi chalaaya tha. Sameer ko pehli baar samajh aaya ki Aarav ka subah ka routine sirf annoying nahi tha—wo ek invisible stress tha jo Aarav har din carry karta tha.

Sameer ne bed pe baithkar socha, Abe, main toh aadat se depend hi kar gaya tha. Aarav uthata tha, tabhi woh uthta tha. Aarav yaad dilata tha, tabhi uska din start hota tha. Aur kabhi kabhi Sameer ko yeh comfort lagta tha. Par aaj jab Aarav nahi tha, toh woh comfort achanak dependency lagne laga.

Tabhi phone ring hua. Client ka call.

Sameer ka dimaag ekdum se alert mode mein chala gaya. “Oh shit! 9 baje call tha!”

Woh bed se jump karke utha. “No no no, yeh kaise bhool gaya main!”

Ab scene pura reverse ho gaya tha. Sameer jo hamesha “bas 5 minute” bolta tha, aaj ekdam speed mode mein tha. Usne jaldi se shower liya, kapde pehne, hair set kiye, aur kitchen mein jaake toast bana liya. Itna efficient Sameer ko uske flatmate ne shayad hi kabhi dekha ho.

While butter lagate hue Sameer khud se bola, “Abe, main toh actually time pe ready ho sakta hoon.”

Usne laptop khola, earphones lagaye, aur client call join kar li. “Good morning, ma’am. Yes, files are ready. I’ll share the updated version in ten minutes.”

Call ke baad Sameer kuch pal ke liye kitchen ke counter pe lean karke khada raha. Flat mein silence tha. Na Aarav ki chai ki smell, na uska “keys le le”, na “lunch box mat bhoolna.” Aaj ghar ajeeb laga. Empty nahi, bas… incomplete.

Sameer hall mein aaya aur couch pe Aarav ka folded hoodie dekha. Tabhi usko dimag mein poora picture clear hua. Roz subah Aarav ka face, uska stressed tone, uska repeated “Sameer uth ja.” Sameer ko pehli baar genuinely feel hua ki uska mazaak, uski laziness, uska “5 minute” Aarav ke liye kitna exhausting tha.

Woh chair pe baith gaya aur phone mein Aarav ko message type kiya:

“Bro, sorry. Aaj pehli baar samajh aaya ki subah uthna kitna difficult hai jab koi aur tumhare schedule ka load bhi carry kar raha ho. I’m really sorry.”

Message send karne ke baad Sameer ne laptop bag side mein rakha aur khud se bola, “Theek hai. Ab se alarm khud set karunga. Aur khud uthunga. Bas 5 minute nahi.”

Idhar Aarav metro mein crowded coach ke corner mein khada tha. Office bag ko chest se lagaye hue, uska mind bar-bar sameer ke room ki taraf ja raha tha. Kya kar raha hoga? Utha hoga ya nahi? Late hua toh? Aur agar usko meri zarurat padi toh?

Par phir usne gussa bhi yaad kiya. Roz ka gussa. Roz ka stress. Roz ka “bas 5 minute.” Metro ke window mein usne apna reflection dekha aur khud se kaha, “Bhai, tu bhi toh zinda hai. Har kisi ko uthane ka ठेका liya hai kya?”

Office pahunchte hi Khurana ka mood already badal chuka tha. Conference room mein client on time tha. Aarav bhi on time tha. And surprisingly, meeting smooth rahi. Aarav ne data present kiya, queries handle ki, aur boss ne bhi ek baar nod kiya. That tiny nod felt like a medal.

Meeting ke baad boss ne casually bola, “Good work, Aarav. Timely prep. Keep it up.”

Aarav ko laga kisi ne uske shoulders se ek aur invisible bag utar diya ho. Par phir bhi, guilt ka ek chhota sa kona baaki tha. Sameer ka message aaya toh usne metro ke baad office lobby mein hi padh liya. Aarav ne usse reply kiya:

“Thanks. Main bhi over kar gaya tha. But yaar, roz ka ho gaya tha. Let’s fix this.”

Aarav ne send kar diya aur ek second ke liye phone ko dekhte reh gaya. Shuruat toh ho gayi thi.

Shaam ko jab Aarav ghar lauta, toh flat mein ek alag hi vibe thi. Sameer living room mein laptop ke saath baitha tha, aur uske paas ek notebook thi—alarm timings, client deadlines, shower schedule, sab kuch likha hua. Aarav ko dekh ke Sameer khada ho gaya.

Dono ek second ke liye bas dekhte reh gaye. Na hug, na dramatic apology. Bas ek awkward silence, jisme dono ki saari subah ki frustration aur realization chipki hui thi.

Finally Sameer ne hi bola, “Tu… gussa tha na?”

Aarav ne bag sofa pe rakha. “Haan. Bahut.”

Sameer ne head down kar liya. “Fair. Main seriously lazy ho gaya tha. Mujhe lagta tha tu mujhe uthata rahega, toh problem nahi. But…” Usne ek chhota sa breath liya. “Aaj jab tu nahi tha, tab samajh aaya—main actually dependent ho gaya tha. And not in a good way.”

Aarav ne ek thodi der ke liye kuch nahi bola. Phir usne apni tie kholte hue kaha, “Aur main bhi shayad thoda control freak ban gaya tha. Mujhe lagta tha agar main tujhe fix kar dunga, toh meri life perfect ho jayegi. But life waise kaam nahi karti.”

Sameer ne half-smile di. “Toh kya karna hai?”

Aarav ne shrug kiya. “Simple. Respect each other’s time. Tu apna alarm set karega. Main tera babysitter nahi hoon.”

“Deal,” Sameer bola. “Aur main tujhe subah disturb nahi karunga. Matlab… zyada nahi.”

Aarav hansa. “That ‘zyada nahi’ was suspicious, but okay.”

Dono hase, aur pehli baar din bhar ki tension thodi si melt hui.

Us raat, Sameer ne apne phone mein teen alarms set kiye. Aarav ne apna lunch box next day ke liye ready kiya. Kitchen mein chai ban rahi thi, aur hall mein awkwardness ki jagah ek naya understanding settle ho raha tha. Yeh understanding dramatic nahi thi. Koi big emotional speech nahi. Bas ek simple realization—room share karna sirf rent share karna nahi hota; time, space aur responsibility bhi share karni padti hai.

Aarav ne apni coffee cup side mein rakhi aur bola, “Waise, aaj first time office time pe pahunch gaya.”

Sameer ne grin kiya. “Proud of you, bro. Main bhi aaj time pe uth gaya. So technically, hum dono ne miracle kiya.”

Aarav ne eyebrow raise ki. “Miracle? Teri language mein?”

“Arre haan,” Sameer bola. “Bas 5 minute ka system upgrade ho gaya.”

Aarav ne cushion utha ke uski taraf throw kiya. “Bakwas mat kar.”

Sameer ne cushion catch kar liya aur bola, “But seriously, thanks. Mujhe aaj samajh aaya ki independence boring nahi hoti. It’s actually responsible.”

Aarav ne nod kiya. “Aur mujhe samajh aaya ki har cheez control karke bhi life manageable nahi hoti. Kabhi-kabhi let go karna padta hai.”

Woh dono kuch pal ke liye chup rahe. Bahar Delhi-NCR ka usual honking traffic chal raha tha, kisi neighbour ke ghar se TV ki awaaz aa rahi thi, aur neeche parking mein scooters ka alarm baj raha tha. Normal duniya chal rahi thi. Par is flat ke andar kuch shift ho chuka tha.

Next morning, Aarav ne alarm se pehle uth kar coffee banayi. Sameer bhi surprisingly 10 minute pehle uth gaya. Usne room se bahar aake bola, “Bhai, dekh. Main khud uth gaya.”

Aarav ne uski taraf dekha, phir coffee sip ki. “Wow. Adulting.”

Sameer ne dramatic pose mein kaha, “Aaj se main responsible citizen.”

Aarav has diya. “Bas 5 minute?”

Sameer ne seedha jawab diya, “Nahi. Ab bas 0 minute.”

Aur us din, dono ki morning thodi zyada quiet, thodi zyada smooth, aur kaafi zyada respectful thi. Bas itna hi chahiye tha.

storydilse ke pyaare readers, itni si kahani ke saath aapka waqt dene ke liye dil se thank you. Aasha hai Aarav aur Sameer ki yeh relatable si jodi aapko bhi apne kisi roommate, friend ya ghar wale ki yaad dilayi hogi. Pyaar, apnapan aur thoda sa light-hearted drama—yehi toh life ko interesting banata hai. Aise hi stories ke saath jude rahiye, aur apna khayal rakhiye.