Kiska Hai Tumko Intezaar

Mujhe sunake gayi

Munna was out of breath when he reached his office.

The moment he entered, he shot the first question, 'Pakde gaye kya?'

Seated in the visitor's chair, Sameer swung towards him, smiling, 'Tu ek perfect actor se keh raha hai uski acting mein koi kami reh gayi? Bilkul nahi. Makhan ki tarah gaya sab. Maine kisi ko shak bhi nahi hone diya.'

Muna drew in a long breath and walked in tiredly, 'Toh bataya kyon nahi raat ko phone karke? Main aur Pandit aise hi hanuman chalisa padh rahe the tere liye?'

That made Sameer wonder why he did not think of calling them last night. After dropping Naina, he was so engrossed in thinking about the evening and running each incident through his mind several times that it did not occur to him even once to let his friends know the outcome of the meeting.

Heavily plonking on his chair, Munna wiped his brow, 'Achha yeh bata Naina ke saath koi panga toh nahi kiya tune?'

Sameer gave him a hard look, 'Main karta hun panga? Tujhe uski galtiyan nahi nazar aati? Jab dekho kuch na kuch sunati rehti hai. Koi insaan kab tak us behenji ka lecture sunega.'

That was when Pandit entered the office, after receiving Munna's message that Sameer was here.

Hearing Sameer's remark, he exclaimed, 'Tu apna Naina puran band kar aur shuru kar de kal ka repeat telecast. Gyarah baje ki meeting pe jaane se pehle poori report chahiye.'

Sameer also needed to reach his office before Dadaji so he quickly gave them the complete account of how the evening went. Only when he came to that part did it strike him to question Munna, 'Ek baat bata, tu mera dost hai ki uska? Use toh saare tips de diye, mujhe kuch nahi bataya. Pata hai Naina maharani ne kaisi situation mein phansa diya tha mujhe? Woh toh maine smartly paneer bol diya kyonki paneer sabhi ko pasand hota hai warna usne meri band bajane ki taiyari kar li thi.'

Without giving them a chance to ask, he told about the incident of favourite dishes.

Munna's eyes widened, 'Achhaaa. Toh isliye Naina kal lunch time pe tere baare mei yeh sab puch rahi thi. Sahi hai yaar. Badhiya foresight hai uski.'

Pandit nodded in understanding, 'Ladki kaafi smart hai.'

'Oversmart hai.' Sameer scoffed, 'Sabko pataa liya ghar pe. Aaj subah se gharwale usi ka gungaan kar rahe hain. Dadaji toh aaj hi milne bula rahe the. Maine keh diya Naina ko aaj shaadi mein jaana hai. Toh bole kal le aana. Itna toh main bhi nahi milta apni family se jitna wo Naina ko bulane pe tule hain.'

Munna shrugged, 'Yeh toh achhi baat hai. Iska matlab Naina ne unhe convince kar diya aur unhe teri girlfriend pasand aa gayi.'

After taking a quick look at the door, Sameer dragged his chair closer to the table and said in a low voice, 'Wohi toh. Ek meeting mein kaise pasand aa sakti hai... woh bhi Naina jaisi ladki. Tum maante nahi ho par uske paas koi jaadu tona hai. Pata nahi khila deti hai ya sungha deti hai. Jise dekho usse impress ho jaata hai.'

Pandit poked his forehead, 'Kabhi tere dimag ne yeh nahi kaha ki sab isliye impress hote hain kyonki woh hai hi itni achhi. Baaki log teri tarah andhe nahi hai na.'

Sameer let out a disbelieving grunt, 'Uski achhai tum logon ko nazar aati hai lekin uska behaviour nahi. Kitni rude hai pata hai? Aaj maine uski help karne ki koshish ki par woh fir se mujhi pe chadh gayi. Aaj toh genuinely main apne aap gaya tha usse bachane ke liye.'

'Aaj?' Munna was surprised, 'Already mil liya tu usse? Aur yeh bachane ka kya kissa hai?'

Sameer narrated the incident of coffee shop and his heroic effort to save her from someone who wanted to harass her.