Chapter 3: The Shadow and the Stranger
Ubaidkk abhi tak hawaas mein nahi tha. Seoul ki thandi sadak par khud ko tanha mehsoos karte hue, usne aankhen moṛi hi thi ke...
Peechhe se ek thandi saans jaise gardan par lagi.
"Kon hai?"
Ubaidkk ne palat kar dekha — ek saya, ek chhaya, ek saaya sa... sirf khamoshi.
Achaanak hi vo saya gayab hogaya, jaise kabhi tha hi nahi.
Ubaidkk ne sir jhuka ke bola, "Drama mat kar bhai, mujhe nahi dar lagta."
Par andar se kaanp gaya tha.
Tabhi ek imported car brake lagati hai. Ek aurat utarti hai — classy, rich, full Korean drama heroine vibes.
"Do you know me?" – usne poocha.
Ubaidkk seedha bolta hai, "Nahi, aur na hi jaana chahta hoon."
Thoda attitude mein.
Aurat muskura ke bolti hai, "Janoge to hairan ho jaoge."
Ubaidkk ka turant reply: "Main hairan hone ka shauk nahi rakhta."
Aurat hassi rok nahi pati. "Ache dikhte ho... is badtameezi ke liye maaf kiya!"
Ubaidkk palta, haath se signal diya jaise "chal hatt", aur bola,
"Apna kaam karo aunty..."
Aur nikal gaya bina peeche dekhe.
Sadak par phir se thandi hawa chali... lekin ab wo saya wapas tha.
Aur is baar... wo aur kareeb.