"Ma!" "Naina kya hua beta?" The love for Naina in her mother's voice makes Naina emotional. With teary eyes, she says, "bus kuch acha nahi lag raha. Ek ajeeb sa darr lag raha hai. Aisa lag raha hai jaise wqat bohot jaldi bhaag raha ho. Kuch hone wala hai!" To Naina's surprise instead of consoling her, Naina's mother laughs. "Haan waqt to bhagega hi!" Unable to understand what her mother meant, Naina asks,"matlab?" "Teri dost Natasha ayi thi ghar aaj. Main soch rahi thi tujhey call karun ya na karun!""Natasha ghar ayi thi? Kyun?" "Hmm... tere aur Peeyush ke barey mein keh rahi thi", smiles her mother. "Peeyush ke barey mein? Uske barey mein kya keh rahi thi?" "Yahi ki tu tera dost Peeyush dono ek dusre ko pasand karte ho?" "Kya? Ma ye tum kya keh rahi ho? Aur Natasha ne aisa kyun kaha?" asks Naina, shocked on listening her mother's words. "Ma tum achi tarah se janti ho ki main wahan kisi se baat nahi karti siwaye Natasha ke. Haan main manti hun ki maine Peeyush se ek-do baar baat ki hai, par humare beech aisa kuch nahi hai! Arey main to usse janti tak nahi hun!" "Naina, Natasha ke saath Peeyush ke mummy-papa bhi ghar aye the. Mujhey to badey ache log lagey" "Kya? Wo ghar tak aa gaye? Ye ho kya raha hai achanak? Ma tum janti ho ki mera maksad kya hai, aur uss maksad ko pura kiye bina main kisi aur baat pe dhyan nahi dungi!" "Bohot ho gaya Naina! Maksad! Maksad! Maksad! Itna waqt ho gaya hai Naina tujhey KMA gaye hue, kitni safal ho payi tu apne maksad mein?" asks her mother. "Ma please!", Naina feels humiliated, failed. "Main koshish kar rahi hun par achanak itna sub kuch..." she realizes she has said more than she should. "Anyways Ma, mujhey ab iss barey mein koi baat nahi karni. And I hope ki aap meri shadi ke barey mein sochna band kar dengi ab", says Naina, getting irritated."Band kar dun sochna?..."  says her mother. 

Suddenly her father takes the receiver, "Naina beta!""Baba!" says Naina, getting emotional on hearing his voice. "Kaise hain aap?" "Main theek hun beta" "Baba aap mujhse gussa to nahi hain na?" "Gussa? Main bhala tujhse gussa kyun honga beta?" "Wo main zada phone nahi karti..." "Beta kaisi baat kar rahi hai tu? Kya main tujhey samjhta nahi hun kya?" "Thank you Baba!" "Beta Peeyush acha ladka hai, dekh hum tujh par koi zor-zabardasti nahi karenge. Tu ek baar akar ussey mil le!" "Baba..." "Milne mein kya harz hai beta? Fir tera jo faisla hoga humein sweekar hoga".Naina gets into a dilemma of whether to disclose the truth about her and Rajveer or not. She was thinking, when her Baba asks, "Oh han, tere wo Sir, kya naam tha, han Captain Rajveer Singh Shekhawat, kaise hain wo?" Naina gets shocked on listening to this."Aap... aap achanak unke barey mein kyun puch rahe hain?" "Aye the do-teen din pehle wo yahan humse milne". Her father's confession comes as a total surprise for her.

"Ra... mera matlab, Sir wahan aye the? Kyun?" asks Naina, creasing her brows. "Pata nahi, keh rahe the ki kisi kaam ke silsiley mein unka yahan aana hua tha to humse bhi milte hue gaye. Bhaley insaan lage wo mujhey". Listening to a compliment about her husband, swells Naina's heart. A smile creeps on her lips. But suddenly it vanishes too on listening to her Baba's next line, "kafi pareshan lag rahe the, jab maine darwaza khola tha. Par mujhey dekhte hi jaise wo chaunk se gaye, jaise unhone expect na kia ho mujhey yahan. Fir achanak bohot khush hue. Beta mujhey to kuch samajh mein nahi aaya" "Aur kya kaha unhone?" asks Naina. "Teri tareef kar rahe the. Keh rahe the ki tu unki best cadet hai!" says her father proudly. His words make Naina to blush. "Aur..." says her father hesitantly. His hesitation makes her heart to skip a beat. "Aur kya Baba?", she asks almost breathless, as she tries to anticipate what else he could have possibly told. "Beta wo keh rahe the ki wo Naveen ke batch mate the! Naveen ke subse ache dost! Kya ye baat tu janti thi Naina?" asks her father. Naina stays quiet, not having guts to reply. "Naina?"prompts her father. "Han Baba! Main janti thi!"replies Naina. "Naina tu ne ye baat humein batayi kyun nahi?" asks her father, getting anxious.

Out of frustration she replies, "uffo Baba ab har baat yaad nahi rehti ki apko bataun. Jab pata laga tha tab phone nahi kar payi thi classes ke chakkar mein, aur uske baad dimag se nikal gaya ki aap logo ko batana hai" "Dimag se nikal gaya? Itni important baat tu bhool gayi humein batana?" asks her father, surprised. "Theek hai na Baba! Aap ye sub choro. Issey koi farak nahi parhta ki Rajveer Sir aur Bhaiya batch mates the. Aise to kayi honge unke batch mates. Acha chalo meri class hai main rakhti hun phone""Theek hai beta apna khyal rakhna. Aur ho sakey to kabhi milne aa jana" says her Baba, expectantly.Getting emotional she says, "Theek hai Baba. Aap apna aur Ma ka khayal rakhna" She was about to end the call, when her mother takes over the receiver.

"Ek minute Naina, beta main janti hun ki tujhey koi baat pareshan kar rahi hai, jo tu mujhse nahi keh rahi. Agar tu nahi batana chahti to main tujhey force bhi nahi karungi. Par tujhse ek baat kehna chahungi, beta jab tere Baba ko koi baat pareshan kar rahi ho to unki pareshani durr ho jaye iss liye vrat rakhti hun. Kehte hain agar pati ke liye patni vrat rakhti hai to unke problems jaldi durr hotey hain. Par ab main tere liye ye vrat rakhungi kyunki jitne important mere liye tere Baba ki salamti hai utni hi important mere liye meri beti ki salamati hai. Dekhiyo teri sari problems bohot jald durr ho jayengi" says her mother. "Ahmm... nahi Ma aap please aisa kuch mat karna, apse baat karke, meri jo pareshani thi wo durr ho gayi hai, solution mil gaya hai. Thank you. Please aap koi vrat mat rakhna" says Naina. "Theek hai beta, jaisa tu kahe, humesha khush reh meri bachi!" blesses her mother. Naina hands over the receiver to Alekh who until now was paying attention to each of Naina's reaction to her mother's replies. 

"Hello!" says Alekh. "Hello, thank you beta!" "Boley to aap apun ko thank you kayeko bol rahi hain?" "Beta aaj tumhari wajah se main Naina se baat kar payi, warna to ussey zada baat hi nahi ho pati. Bus kabhi-kabar agar usne kar dia to ho jati hai. Par wo bhi kahan humein zada call karti hai" "Aunty boley to ye to ek bhai ka farz tha" "Beta Naina ne bataya hai mujhey tumhare barey mein. Wo dil se tumhe apna bhai manti hai" smiles her mother. "Apun bhi dil se Naina ko apni choti behn manta hai aunty. Iss anath ko ek behn mil gayi, aur kya chahiye?" says Alekh."Khabardar agar aaj ke baad khudko anath kaha to! Agar Naina tumhari behn hai to hum bhi tumhare Ma-Baba hain! Aaj se hum tumhare parivaar hai to isliye khud ko kabhi akela mat samajhna" says Naina's mother. This brings tears to his eyes. "Abse tum mujhey Aunty nahi Ma bulaoge, samjhe? Aur jab bhi koi baat karni ho, bejhijhak apni Ma ya apne Baba ko phone karke unse baat kar lena. Theek hai?""Ma!" says Alekh, with shaky voice, his eyes fill with tears. "Theek hai Ma apun rakhta hai ab!" says a happy Alekh who ends the call after saying 'bye' as his voice chokes out of too much emotions and he finds it difficult to talk. Looking back towards Naina with teary eyes, he hugs her. Naina smiles wholeheartedly on seeing Alekh happy.

****

As Naina reaches Pooja, she feels dizzy out of anxiety. Pooja grabs her by her upper arm, "Naina tu theek to hai na?" "Haan... Haan Pooja main theek hun!" "Tu aaj dinner ke time kahan thi? Maine tujhey dekha hi nahi. Main Sneha ke saath thi aaj dinner se pehle purey time, socha tha ki dinner time mein tujhse mil lungi, par tu mujhey tab bhi nahi mili. In fact lights out hone ke baad bhi tu room mein nahi ayi! Mujhey teri bohot chinta ho rahi thi main Kirti ke room mein bhi gayi thi, par tu wahan bhi nahi thi" says Pooja.

Getting nervous at Pooja's mentioning about Naina's absence, Naina says, "ahmm... Pooja wo... dinner karne ka mann nahi kar raha tha isliye room mein hi thi. Baad mein zara aise hi socha kuch der corridor mein hi walk kar lun. May be tu uss waqt room mein gayi ho!" "Tu ne socha ki tu corridor mein walk kar le? Tujhey Lolita Ma'am se darr nahi lagta?" asks Pooja, shocked. "Oho Pooja, Lolita Ma'am itni bhi buri nahi hain!" "Hmm... acha ye sub chor, tu kuch kha le" "Nahi Pooja mera bilkul mann nahi hai""Mann nahi hai? Kyun?" asks Pooja, creasing her brows. Naina stays silent. "Hmm... Shah Rukh ki wajah se na?" asks Pooja. Naina looks at her, then lowers her eyes. "Tu unki chinta mat kar zada, aur kha le" "Pooja please mujhey nahi khana. Please force mat kar". Pooja stares her for sometime, sighing, she says, "theek hai main zabardasti nahi karungi. Tujhey jab mann kare mujhey bata dio, main khud le aungi khana", smiles Pooja. "Pakka!" smiles back Naina.

Driving his jeep, on his way, Captain Rajveer gets a call, "haan Chaubey! Kahan ho tum?""Sir academy se nikal kar left turn hote hi jo pull ata hai main wahan hun""Chaubey, Dr. Mishra, Dr. Mishra wo triggers le gayi!" says Captain Rajveer, feeling utterly annoyed at his own failure. "Kya mazak kar rahe hain Sir? Itni achi tarah se lock kia hua tha humne wo, kaise le ja sakti hain Dr. Mishra aise wo triggers?" asks Chaubey, not believing Captain Rajveer. "Wohi to mujhey samajh nahi aa raha!", Captain Rajveer gets more annoyed on his own carelessness. "Aapne wahan theek se dekha ki triggers hain ya nahi?""Haan wahan triggers nahi the!" "Triggers nahi the, ya triggers ka box?" asks Chaubey, smiling!

****

Alekh reaches Naina and informs her, "Naina, Ma ka call aya hai!" "Ma ka call? Unhone firse call kyun kia? Aur wo to kabhi call nahi karti!" says Naina, creasing her brows. "Ye to apun ko bhi samajh nahi aa raha. Apun wahan se guzar raha tha to apun ne phone uthaya, to unhone kaha ki unhe tujhse baat karni hai" "Theek hai, main abhi call karti hun".
Reaching the phone, Naina calls back at her home."Hello Ma apne call kia tha" "Haan beta tujhey kuch batana tha" "Haan Ma bolo" "Naina kal m ain ghar saaf kar rahi thi to ek tasveer mili Naveen aur...""aur kon Ma?" asks Naina. With a lot of bitterness in her voice, her mother tells her, "aur uski girlfriend ki!" "Bhaiya ki girlfriend?" asks Naina, shocked, creasing her brows. As she listens to this, she remembers...

*Flashback*

Rajveer gets closer to her, taking his hand behind her, he holds her hand having the picture, he forces her to show. They fight, none of them saying anything, just staring each other, while their hands are playing the game of winning the paper, she is holding. 

Looking deep into her eyes, Rajveer holds her hand tightly, making her to feel the pain, so that she gives up. But Naina is not that innocent to break easily. She whispers, "main nahi dungi". "Dekho Naina, humein jana hai, sub intezaar kar rahe honge. Zid choro aur mujhey dikhao, jo tum mujhse chupa rahi ho". "Yahi main apse bolna chahti hun, sub intezaar kar rahe honge, zid choriye" "aaa..." cries Naina, as he twists her hand a little, she keeps her voice low.

Rajveer gets shocked on seeing the pictures. "Ye ladki kon hai Naveen ke saath?" he asks, all serious. "Yahi to mujhey janna hai!"

~ Flashback ends ~

Her line, 'yahi to mujhey janna hai' repeats in her mind. "Dr. Mishra!" she breaths, shocked. Then she remembers how she used to look towards her during her classes. "Aap janti thi matlab ki main kon hun? Aap janti thi ki main... ki main Naveen Bhaiya ki behn Naina hun!" says Naina, spitting venom through her each word. Naina mentally sums up everything even the fact that Dr.Mishra is missing from KMA! "Hello! Hello Naina!" calls her mother, through the other side of the phone. "Haan Ma, main sunn rahi hun. Ma kya aap kabhi bhaiya ki girlfriend se mili thi?" "Haan beta bus ek baar. Ghar laya tha Naveen ussey. Kafi modern thi seedhi-sadi to mujhey bilkul nahi lagi. Tere Baba aur tu uss din ghar par nahi the to tum nahi mil paye". "Ma aapne ye baat mujhey uss din kyun nahi batayi ki bhaiya apni girlfriend ko ghar laye the, jis din wo aye the?" asks Naina, getting frustrated. "Naina tab tu parhai mein busy rehti thi, tab kya batati main tujhey ye sub?" "Ma...!" says Naina, unable to understand what should she do now."Ek baat kahun Naina?" "Ji!" "Jab bhi main Natasha ko dekhti hu mujhey Naveen ki uss dost ki yaad aati hai. Kuch hai dono mein ek jaisa. Aisa lagta hai jaise ki dono behne ho!" "Ma ye aap kya keh rahi hain? Natasha ka Dr. Mishra se kya lena-dena ho sakta hai?" "Nahi main ye nahi keh rahi. Main to bus tujhse share kar rahi thi jo mujhey lagta hai. Dono ki height lag-bhag ek jaisi hai, in fact ankhein bhi milti-julti hai. Khair chor!" "Ma main rakhti hun, mujhey sochna hai ab iss barey mein. Aur haan agar apko koi bhi baat yaad aye Dr... I mean Bhaiya ya uss ladki ke barey mein , to mujhey zarur batana" says Naina. "Theek hai beta! Tu apna khyal rakhna" saying this she ends the call.

Naina thinks about Natasha, 'let me guess tu KMA join kar rahi hai' "Natasha ko kya such mein mere excitement se pata chala tha ya... ya wo pehle se janti thi ki main KMA join karne wali hun?" says Naina. 'Hmm... jo ladki apni best friend ko kabhi call nahi karti, ussey apni best friend ki zarurat mehsus nahi hoti wo achanak agar call karey to zarur koi badi baat hogi' "Uss din ke baad Natasha ne mujhey kabhi call nahi kia!" says Naina.

'Bus congrats? Tu mujhse milne nahi aa rahi?''Ahmm...Yaar wo main chahti to hun par main thodi busy hun' "Tu mujhse milne kyun nahi ayi Natasha, tu kitni excited hoti thi jab hum KMA ke barey mein baat karte the fir achanak kya hua? Kyun nahi ayi tu mujhse milne?"

****

She reaches her room and sits on her bed, her face giving all the signs of how puzzled she is. "Lekin agar Natasha, Dr. Mishra ke saath mili hui hai to usne aaj tak mujhse koi aisi baat kyun nahi puchi jo uske liye aur Dr. Mishra ke liye helpful ho?" "Natasha!" says Suriji, standing at the door of her room.

Entering the room, Suriji asks, "Puttar kahin tu Dr. Mishra ki behn Natasha ke barey mein to baat nahi kar rahi?" and places the tray carrying the coffee mug on the side table. Surprised on having realized that Suriji knows about her, she says in excitement, "ji Suriji, kya aap jante hain Natasha ko?" "Oh puttar badi hi changi kudi thi Natasha. Wo jab bhi aati thi, raunak si aa jati thi iss academy mein" "Wo yahan kyun aati thi Suriji?" she asks getting more serious."Oye Puttar ek baar pucha tha to usne bola tha ki apni behn se milne ayi hun" "To apne pucha nahi, kon hai uski behn?" "Puttar ji iss academy mein itne log atey rehte hain, apne bhai-behen, chacha-chachi se milne ki ab kis-kis se puchun main?" laughs Suriji."Fir achanak usne ana band kyun kar dia?" asks Naina, out of curiosity. "Puttar iss academy ke ek cadet se ussey pyar ho gaya. Kafi waqt guzaarte the wo ek saath" "Fir?" "Fir ek din wo shaheed ho gaya!"says Suriji with sorrow and pain in his eyes.

"Bohot royi wo!" "Uske baad bohot dino tak wo academy nahi ayi. Pehle to mujhey lagta tha ki dheere-dheere wo iss sadme se ubhar jayegi aur wapas aa jayegi academy. Wo ayi to thi wapas, par kareeb do (2) mahine baad. Kafi chaunk gaye the sub ussey dekh kar!"
"Putter uss din maine jis Natasha ko dekha tha, wo, wo Natasha nahi thi jissey main janta tha! Wo to koi aur hi Natasha thi" says Suriji, remembering that fateful day. "Matlab?" asks Naina, creasing her brows."Wo Natasha jo kafi chulbuli hua karti thi, khamosh si ho gayi thi. Akeli-akeli rehne lagi thi. Ussey dekh kar aisa lagta tha puttar mano uske dimag mein kuch chal raha ho chaubiso ghante (24 hours). Maine ussey baat karne ki bhi koshish ki par koi faida nahi hua" "Fir?" "Ek raat wo lights out ke baad academy mein ayi. Maine dekh lia. Ussey pucha ki wo kahan gayi thi! To usne kafi serious ho kar bus itna kaha ki 'Sorry Suriji ab se jaldi aa jaungi' " "Ye soch kar ki uski tabiyat theek nahi hai, maine ussey jane dia bina kuch kahe. Uske sir par hath pher kar ussey uske room mein jane ko kaha. Uske baad bhi maine ussey ek-do baar pakda aise jatey hue. Kayi baar to maine dant bhi lagayi, ye soch kar ke shayad mere dant ke darr se wo ruk jaye. Par lagta hai meri dant ka koi faida nahi hua", says Suriji, sadly.Naina realizes yet again that Suriji knows so much about past, unable to control herself any longer she asks, hesitatingly "Suriji apse ek baat puchun?"Smiling, as if he knows what's coming up next, he says, "itni der baad? Puch daal puttar jo puchna hai. Tera ye Suriji humesha tere saath hai" "Kya apko such mein lagta hai ki Naveen Bhaiya deshdrohi the?" asks Naina, creasing her brows, with too much expectation. Placing a hand on her head, Suriji says, "Puttar mere teen sher mera gurur hai. Wo kabhi deshdrohi ho hi nahi sakte. Suriji ne bohot logo ko dekha hai, subki pehchan hai. Kon sacha hai kisne mukhota pehna hai, sub jante hain ye Suriji". Smiling a little, Naina asks, "Teen?" "Haan teen Abhi-Naveen aur Rajveer!" says Suriji proudly. His chest swells with pride. 'Abhi!' thinks Naina, creasing her brows and she remembers...

'Aur ye Abhi! Abhi kon hai? Maine ye naam pehle kabhi nahi sunna bhaiya ke muh se nahi kabhi read kia kahin ye naam bhaiya ki entries mein!' asks Naina, creasing her brows.Closing his eyes and sighing, Rajveer replies, "Abhi humara dost tha" "Bhaiya ne to kabhi iss barey mein mujhey nahi bataya" "Kya Naveen ne apko mere barey mein bataya tha?" asks Rajveer, looking deeply into her eyes, waiting for her to answer, as if his life depends on her answer.Looking at him she replies,"Nahi!" It is then that he exhales. "Aur apko? Kya apko unhone kabhi mere barey mein bataya tha?" (Slow Rajveer-Naina tune starts) Rajveer slowly raises his eyes to look at her and then in the same pace, he lowers his eyes again. Naina keeps staring him, in shock.
"Aap..." looking elsewhere, Naina takes her time to accept that he already knew about her. Rajveer waits for her to clear her mind and put forward her question. Controlling her emotions, she asks "Kya aap shuru se jante the main kon hun? Agar aap jante the, to aap mere ghar kyu gaye the?" Sighing, Rajveer stands and starts walking forth and says, "Haan Naina ye such hai ki Naveen ne mujhey bataya tha tumhare barey mein. Par ye bohot purani baat hai and I guess do(two) bar se zyada humare beech tumhare barey mein koi baat nahi hui. Aur unn do(two) bar mein se ek bar, maine tumhari photo bhi dekhi thi".Then turning to look at her, he says "Par Naina ye bohot purani baat hai, maine tumhe jab KMA mein dekha, tab mujhey aisa laga zarur tha ki maine tumhe pehle kahin dekha hai, par main such keh raha hun Naina mujhey samajh nhi aa rha tha ki main aisa kyun feel kar raha hun. Mujhey yaad nahi tha ki Naveen ke paas maine tumhari photo dekhi thi".'