Captain Rajveer in his room, sitting on the sofa, his left leg folded and is placed on the right leg. Resting his left elbow on the left arm of the sofa, so that it gives support to his erect hand, which is holding an eraser, while his right hand is busy, drawing a sketch on the drawing pad, kept on his right folded leg for support, is trying to sketch out the girl he met. Dr. Shalini ushers through the opened door, and says "Captain have you seen Suriji?"
Placing the drawing pad on the corner table, Captain Rajveer gets up, adjusting his dark blue shirt, he says "No Dr. Shalini. Kyu apko kuch important kaam tha kya unse?" "Nahi I mean, not so important, it's just that unhone Cadet Yudi ke headphones le liye hain. So you know Cadet Yudi abhi pareshan ho raha hai. Unhe adat hai raat ko gaane sunn kar sone ki. So I thought main Suriji se request karun ki wo wapas de dein Cadet Yudi ke headphones".Laughing a little, Captain Rajveer says, "Magar Dr.Shalini, Suriji ne aisa kiya kyun?" "Well I guess ab ye to wohi bata payenge" smiles Dr. Shalini.
An orderly knocks the door, "Ma'am apke liye call hai""Kiska?" "Mr. Sameer Arora ka".
As soon as Dr. Shalini listens to his name, blood drains off her face. She keeps staring at the curtains in front of her. Understanding her state perfectly, Captain Rajveer indicates the orderly to leave.
After he leaves, Captain Rajveer places his right hand on her left shoulder and says,"Dr. Shalini, aap kab tak yun darti rahengi? Aap janti hain ki KMA hi apka ghar hai, apka parivar hai, aur hum sub apke saath hain. Please jaiye aur baat kariye. Keh dijiye ki ab apko kisi ki zarurat nahi hai".Dr. Shalini looks at him with teary eyes, then controlling herself and not letting even a single tear to fall, she nods twice, indicating Captain Rajveer that she can and she'll do it. But more than him, it's a confidence she gives to herself that she won't break at any cost! She leaves the room.
Picking up the receiver, she says"Hello", she gets a reply. Then she continues, "Mujhey tumse koi baat nahi karni!" "Aur isse tumhe kya? Main janti hun mujhey kya karna hai" "Aaj to call kar liya hai, par ayinda mujhey call karne ki koshish to kya, sochna bhi mat, do you get that?"scolding him, she ends the call."Orderly! Orderly!"she shouts. "Yes Ma'am" "Ayinda agar mere liye koi bhi call aye to mujhey mat dena, you get that?" The orderly nods, and Dr. Shalini leaves. Yudi hears everything, hiding behind a pillar.
*****
Naina knocks the door of Rajveer's room and asks permission to come in. Rajveer looks at her and nods. She gets into his room and stands in front of him, holding her books in the front. "Please sit Cadet" says Captain Rajveer, gesturing her to take her seat. She hands him a diary and takes her seat. Captain Rajveer creases his brows, unable to understand what it is! "Kholiye"commands Naina. Rajveer chooses to open the page which was bookmarked.
2nd September 2011
Mujhey to ye samajh nahi aata ki koi bina girlfriend ke kaise reh sakta hai! Yaar main manta hun ki KMA join karne se pehle meri koi girlfriend nahi thi, par ab aisi life sochna bohot mushkil hai mere liye to.
Par mera dost Raj, lagta hai usne kasam khai hai ki wo inn sub chakaron mein nahi parne wala. Yaar itni girl cadets hain humare class mein, koi to pasand aaye! Par mujhey to shaq hai ki wo humari class ki ladkiyon ko bhi janta hai! Khair mujhey to pasand aa gayi hai. Agar humari dosti aisi hi rahi na, to main to ussi ladki se shadi karunga.
Haan main janta hun ki Raj aur main pehle se hi shadi shuda hai, arey bhai humne apne desh se jo shadi kar li hai. Par na pata nahi kyun, ye mujhey pasand aa rahi hai itni. Main uska naam nahi likh sakta, warna main humesha darta hi rahunga ki koi dekh na le. Waise main Raj se ye baat chupana nahi chahta, keh dena chahta hun, par abhi batana, shayad jaldbazi hogi. Main sahi waqt ka intezaar karunga. Aur Abhi, Abhi bhi to hai na meri tang kheechne ke liye. I wish Abhi jaldi aa jaye wapas. Agar usse bina bataye Raj ko bata dia, fir mujhse ladega. Jab hum teeno ek saath hote hain na, tab aisa lagta hai, main kisi bhi situation se ek pal mein bahar nikal aunga.
After reading the diary entry, Rajveer looks towards Naina, creasing his brows, indicating 'what does that mean? Why is she showing it to him?' Naina answers his unasked question."Ye '2nd September 2011' ki entry hai, aur aaj '16th July 2015' hai. Yani ki iss waqt tak Dr. Mishra aur apke beech koi relation nahi tha, ya sirf bhaiya ko hi nahi pata tha?" her question takes him by surprise. "Aur bhaiya! Unki girlfriend thi? Kon?"Getting angry, Rajveer closes his eyes for few seconds, then opening his eyes he stares at Naina and says or rather scolds, "Cadet Singh agar apne dhyan se entry parhi ho to shayad yahan likha hai ki Naveen ne mujhe iss barey mein kuch nahi bataya tha. To mujhey kaise pata hoga?" shouts Captain Rajveer."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". Naina moves forth and picks up the photo frame of Naveen which Brigadier Chandok threw away. Rolling her hand on his picture, Naina says with teary eyes, "Bhaiya mujhey abhi ye nahi pata ki kya sahi hai, kya galat. Par main ek din har such ko samne laungi zarur laungi aur subko ye dikha dungi ki aap deshdrohi nahi the. Ye photo frame, iski sahi jagah par zaruri jayegi. Bus iss beech kuch aisa mat hone dena, ki main tut jaun, mera vishwas dagmaga jaye!" Listening to her words makes Rajveer tensed.
Sighing, Rajveer says "Naina tum ek bright student ho. Main janta hun ki jab tum kuch thaan leti ho usse pura karke dikhati ho. I would suggest ki tum apni mehnat, apna focus ek acha student, ek acha cadet, ek acha soldier banne ke liye use karo, na ki Naveen ko begunah sabit karne ke liye""Kyun Sir, aap kyun mujhey rok rahe hain? Aap kyun nahi chahte ki main Naveen Bhaiya ke such tak pohnchun?" shouts Naina. "Tum issey jitna aasan samjh rahi ho, ye utna aasan nahi hai"shouts back Rajveer. "Sir jis din maine ye faisla kia tha ki main such tak pohunchungi, Bhaiya ko nirdosh sabit karungi, unke upar lagey 'traitor' ka mark mitaungi, uss din maine ye bhi faisla kar lia tha, ki raasta chahe kitna bhi kathin kyun na ho, main haar nahi manungi" "Aapko pata hai na ki main ek writer hun, to aap aisa soch bhi kaise sakte hain Sir ki main apne bhaiya ki kahani adhuri chor dungi?" Shaking her head, with determination in her eyes she says,"Nahi Sir, aisa nahi hoga, kabhi nahi hoga. And I would request you Sir, ki agar aap mera saath nahi de sakte to na sahi, par mujhey rokne ki koshish bhi mat karna!" Putting forward her point clearly, she leaves.Rajveer looks heavenwards, with teary eyes he says,"Main kya karun Naveen? Main kya karun?"
*****
All the cadets attend Dr. Shalini's class except Huda, who is in the cafeteria drinking coffee. Holding the coffee mug, Huda talks to himself"Oye yaar kuch bhi ho jaye, Mummy ji ke haathon ki chai ke aage ye coffee fiki hai". Taking her seat in front of him, Dr. Mishra says "exactly Cadet Huda. Ma ke haathon ki baat hi alag hai. You know, Ma apne bachey ke liye jab kuch banati hain, chahey wo simple si coffee hi kyun na ho, par uss mein bhi itna extra pyar mix kar deti hain ki sugar ki bhi zarurat nahi parhti"smiles Dr. Mishra.Placing the coffee tumbler on the table, "to isliye aap sugar free coffee peeti hain? Zada pyar hazam nahi hota kya?" jokes Huda. Giving a sarcastic smile, Dr. Mishra says"Cadet, subke kismat mein Ma ke haath ki chai nahi hoti". With an expression of regret of having said that, Huda says "I am sorry main..." "It's okay Cadet, please don't mention" Dr. Mishra gives another sarcastic smile.
Taking a sip of her coffee, Dr. Mishra says, "Anyways Cadet Huda, tell me something about yourself. Anything! I mean apko kya pasand hai, apki family mein kon hai and all stuffs. That's if apko koi problem na ho mujhse kuch share karne mein",smiles Dr. Mishra."Arey kaisi baat kar rahi hain aap ma'am! Aap to mujhe sharminda kar rahi hain. Puchiye kya puchna hai! Acha aap kya puchengi, main hi batata hun aaj apko apne barey mein. Main hun Huda, ek sacha jatt. Meri mummy ji kehti hain ki jananiyon se kabhi batameezi nahi karni chahiye. Aur main hun apni mummy ji ka agyakari beta, unhone jo keh dia wo to main kabhi mana kar hi nahi sakta. Aur karun bhi kyun, akhir mummy ji hain meri, mere liye bura thodi na chahengi? Main hun ek kisaan ka beta, mehnat karne se kabhi darta nahi, par jahan kisi ne mujhse panga liya, ussey bhi nahi chorta" "Hmm... interesting. Cadet Huda, tumhara jo khud par confidence hai, issey kabhi kam mat hone dena. Ye confidence tumhe kayi difficult situations se bahar nikalne mein madadgar sabit hogi, especially KMA mein rehne ke liye tumhe iski kafi zarurat hogi. Anyways Cadet, thanks for spending time with me. Have a nice day!" saying this Dr. Mishra leaves.