Doorbell bajti hai.
Ding-dong.
Ammi kitchen se awaaz lagati hain.
"Kaun hai?"
Darwaza khulta hai.
Bahar Ayaan khada hota hai. Thoda mature. Thoda confident. Jaise waqt ne usse badal diya ho.
Ammi thoda surprise ho jaati hain.
"Arre beta… tum? Kaafi time se nazar nahi aaye."
Ayaan halka sa smile karta hai.
"Ji aunty… main bahar tha. Job mil gayi thi. Out of India tha… 3–4 saal se."
Pause.
"Abhi kuch din pehle hi wapas aaya hoon."
Ammi thoda impressed, thoda curious.
"Accha… to yahan kaise?"
Ayaan ka expression thoda serious ho jaata hai.
"Actually aunty… Ammi-Abbu meri shaadi ki baat kar rahe the. Maine socha pehle aapse mil kar aata hoon."
Ammi confuse ho jaati hain.
"Shaadi ki baat? To phir yahan kyun aaye ho?"
Tabhi Ayaan side mein thoda hatt jata hai. Uske parents bhi saath khade hote hain.
Ayaan ke Abbu respectfully bolte hain—
"Agar aap ijazat dein… to hamara beta aapki beti Zoya ko pasand karta hai. Hamara parivaar ka business kaafi established hai… aur unhone 3–4 companies mein apna kaam shuru kar diya hai. Education bhi complete hai—Class 12 ke baad experience aur business skills dono."
Room mein thoda emotional silence chha jaata hai.
Ammi clearly shocked ho jaati hain.
"Zoya?"
Woh Ayaan ki taraf dekhti hain. Phir dheere bolti hain—
"Tumhein… meri beti pasand hai?"
Ayaan seedha jawab deta hai.
"Ji. Bahut pehle se."
Pause.
"Jab main 19 ka tha… tab main soch raha tha kaise life banau. Ab 25 ho chuka hoon… aur wapas aaya hoon."
Room kuch seconds tak bilkul quiet ho jaata hai.
Phir families baith kar baat karti hain. Respectfully. Calmly.
Ammi puchti hain:
"Business? Education? Career?"
Ayaan patiently explain karta hai:
"12th complete hai… phir experience liya. Family ka business bhi ab manage kar raha hoon… aur apni 3–4 companies bhi start ki hain. Stable hoon, aunty. Bas meri life ka next step… Zoya ke saath hai."
Kuch der baad—rishta accept ho jaata hai.
---
Private Scene – Ayaan & Zoya
Zoya thodi awkward khadi hoti hai. Usse samajh nahi aa raha hota kya bole.
Ayaan halka sa smile karta hai.
"Do you remember me?"
Zoya thoda straight face bana kar bolti hai—
"Not bro."
Ayaan thoda laugh karta hai.
"To kya bolun?"
Zoya seedha bol deti hai—
"Future husband bhi mat bolo. Pehle dost ban ke dikhao. Phir husband ka sochenge."
Ayaan uski taraf dekh kar softly smile karta hai.
"Deal."