Kiska Hai Tumko Intezaar

Main kaun hun... main confused hun

With a glass of whiskey in hand, Sameer stared at nothing, his eyes narrowed to slits.

Munna suggested, 'Tu ek baar Naina se baat kar le Sameer. Keh dena tujhe galatfehmi hui thi kyonki...' He thought for a while then came up with a lie, '...kyonki pehle kisi ne tere saath aisa dhokha kiya tha.'

Pandit clapped, 'Kya dimaag lagaya hai bhai. Kamaal plan hai Sameer. Uska gussa bhi thanda ho jayega or tujhe thodi hamdardi bhi mil jayegi.'

Sameer gave his friends a frustrated look, 'Tumhe lagta hai mujhe uski hamdardi ya kisi bhi baat se fark padta hai? Bhad mei jaaye woh. Jo sochna hai soche. Main uske liye jhooth kyon bolun? Kya main shakal se itna paidal lagta hun ki ek ladki mujhe ullu bana sakti hai? Yeh dhokhe wali kahani pe mujhe khud hansi aa rahi hai use kaise bharosa hoga.'

Munna shot back, 'Toh tu hi bata de Einstein, kaise manayega use. Tere brilliant dimaag ke pitaare se kisi ek dhamaal idea ko toh bahar aane de. Warna andar pade pade unpar deemak lag jayegi.'

'Main kyon manaunga?' Sameer shrugged, 'Meri lagti hi kya hai? Jaise woh us din kisi se phone pe apne boss ki burai kar rahi thi aise main bhi apne dost ke saamne uske baare mein wohi keh raha tha jo mujhe lagta hai. Kisne kaha tha use darwaze se kaan lagakar hamari baatein sunne ke liye?'

Munna retorted, 'Ab tu hadd se aage jaa raha hai Sameer. Usne apne boss ke liye wahi kaha jo woh ghatiya aadmi uske saath kar raha tha. Lekin tune Naina ke liye ulti seedhi kahani bana di. Dono mein fark hai. Agar tera koi lena dena nahi hai toh kyon saara waqt uski baatein karta hai, kyon uski har harkat ka analysis karta hai? Woh apne raaste hai, tu chupchaap apne raaste jaa. Lekin nahi, tujhe toh uske peeche peeche chalkar uski har baat pe apna expert comment dena hai.'

Pandit, who was quietly listening with his eyes darting between them, finally spoke up, 'Munna sahi keh raha hai Sameer. Tune ek shareef ladki ko Komolika (TV show reference) bana daala. Isse pehle ki woh Komolika se Monjolika ban jaye, iss aag ko bujha de. Hum tere saath chalenge. Tu bas ek baar dheere se sorry bolna fir hum dono zor shor se maafi maang lenge. Tu uske baad chahe kuch mat bolna.'

Sameer took a sip of his drink and leaned back on the recliner, 'Main usse pehle bhi kuch nahi bolunga. I don't care.'

Pandit worriedly looked at Munna, 'Tu hi kuch idea nikaal ab. Isne toh yuddh ka elan kar diya aur khud patli gali se khisakne ka soch raha hai.'

Munna let out an exasperated sigh, 'Kuch toh karna hi padega. Safed jhanda leke main hi jaunga. Koi aur option nahi hai.'

"Main chalunga tere saath, 'Pandit declared.

They both looked at Sameer.

He rolled his eyes, muttering, 'Tumhari marzi. Waise zarurat nahi hai.'

Next morning, Munna waited for Naina in the meeting room. She arrived after a few others so he couldn't talk to her. She seemed absolutely normal... shaking hands, speaking to team members, smiling. The presentation was done in one hour. Her ideas of previous day proved to be an instant hit with the team and they decided to develop them, confident that the client would instantly approve the project.

After the meeting, Naina went back to her cabin. She still had a headache. Maybe a coffee was what she needed. After getting one for herself from the coffee station at the end of the corridor, she was walking back when she saw a peon carrying something to her cabin.

He was returning when she entered, his hands empty.

'Kuch kaam tha, Devkilal ji?' She asked.

'Madam, aapke liye reception pe kuch aaya tha. Wohi dene aaye the hum.' The elderly man smiled pleasantly.