23rd may, 2024.

1:38 am.

"chal mere room ke balcony mein baithte hai mast juhu beach dikhta hai vaha se. also it's bigger than living room wali balcony." kasturie said and held his hand and led him to her room. as they entered her room, kasturie turned on the lights and shubman looked around her room it was very different from what it was when he saw it the last time. no doubt that he came into her room in the span of the few days he was staying there but he never observed it that much.

kasturie's room was a calming oasis after the bright lights of the city and the intense focus of the cricket pitch. the walls were painted a deep, restful navy blue, the color of the ocean depths. strings of tiny white lights, almost invisible in the daytime, twinkled like constellations across the ceiling at night.

music was a subtle presence. a set of sleek headphones hung from a guitar stand in the corner, beside a well-worn acoustic guitar case. stacks of vinyl records, their colorful sleeves peeking out from a vintage record player with a worn leather case, sat tucked away in a shadowy corner. a framed black and white photo hung above the record player, capturing kasturie mid-performance, a guitar slung around her neck and a smile radiating pure joy.

art supplies overflowed from a woven basket near the window, which offered a breathtaking view of the city skyline, a million tiny lights twinkling against the dark canvas of the night. canvases of all sizes leaned against the wall, some showcasing vibrant underwater scenes in shades of blue and bioluminescent green, while others displayed abstract bursts of color that mirrored the rhythm of her favorite music.

in the corner, a plush armchair upholstered in a deep emerald green beckoned for relaxation. a worn copy of 'the fault in our stars' lay open on a side table next to it. scattered around the room were a few polaroid photos clipped to a black string, some depicting her with friends, all captured in moments of joy and camaraderie.

the room was a reflection of her multifaceted personality - a place of serenity, inspiration, and creative expression.

one particular polaroid caught his attention. in the photo, kasturie leaned slightly forward, her chin resting on her hand. her gaze is fixed on shubman, a soft smile played on her lips. her eyes held a look of genuine warmth and admiration. shubman met her gaze, his own expression mirrored hers. there was a hint of shyness in his smile, and his posture seems relaxed and open.

the photo captures a moment of unspoken tenderness, where a simple look between them speaks volumes about the depth of their feelings.

kasturie moved towards the large window panes that led to the balcony. she opened it letting the cool sea breeze enter her room. "woh kya hai na ki i was thinking of permanently moving this apartment. toh thoda thoda karke I'm bringing my things here from mera thane wala ghar. rehti toh akeli hi hu toh kisi bhi ghar mein rahu, doesn't matter. aur upar se yaha se beach bohot paas mein hi hai so very peaceful vaatavaran rhega yaha pe. sun rha hai na tu?" she turned around to see shubman standing in front her polaroid wall staring at a one of them, completely zoned out.

she walked over to him and saw the photo he was looking at. she smiled softly. "cute hai na yeh photo? it's my favourite. all thanks to lord ishan for capturing it."

"cute toh hai." shubman said looking at her. they were looking into each other's eyes for a moment in silence until kasturie decided to break it.

"chal na bahar jaake baith te hai." kasturie said and pulled him outside.

the salty tang of the ocean breeze filled the air as kasturie and shubman sat on her balcony, the city lights twinkling below like scattered diamonds. the night was deep blue, the only faint sound of the rhythmic crash of waves against the shore.

"yaar world cup kitna paas aa rha hai. I'm very nervous." kasturie sighed, leaning back in her chair.

"feels surreal," shubman agreed, resting his elbows on the railing. "seems like just yesterday we were teasing each other about the fake-dating thing."

they both chuckled, a comfortable and familiar silence settling between them. stranger was the easy camaraderie that had blossomed between them since sharing the apartment.

"you know," kasturie said, breaking the silence, "merko laga nhi tha ki I'd buy a house of my own that too sea facing, kya view hai yaar."

"me neither," shubman admitted. "though, i gotta say, mera view bhi kuch kam nhi." he said looking at her

they both laughed again, the sound carried away by the ocean breeze. kasturie gestured towards the distant horizon.

"kabhi socha hai vaha kya hoga ?" she asked, her voice soft.

shubman followed her gaze. "beyond the horizon? shayad samandar hi." He paused, then added, "though, there are many possibilities."

kasturie smiled. "possibilities. that's a good word for it."

they talked for hours that night, about their dreams beyond cricket. kasturie spoke of her passion for music. shubman confided his plans to start a youth academy back in his hometown, to give underprivileged kids a chance at the game.

as the first rays of dawn painted the sky with streaks of pink and orange, they knew it was time to head in.

"well," kasturie said, stretching her arms, "subah honeko aayi hai but i have to say, this was a good talk."

"the best," shubman agreed, a genuine smile on his face. "we should do this more often, even after the world cup."

kasturie nodded, a flicker of something unspoken passing between them in the pre-dawn light. the future remained uncertain, but as they walked back inside, they carried with them the warmth of shared dreams and a newfound connection forged under the vastness of the ocean sky.

🕸️

23rd may, 2024.

5:14 pm.

mumbai was a welcome change from the grueling cricket season schedule. back in kasturie's cozy apartment, the three teammates finally had a chance to relax. the ipl season had just ended, and with a few days before their flight to the usa for the t20 world cup, there was a sense of relaxed camaraderie in the air.

as evening settled in, kasturie emerged from the kitchen, a tray laden with steaming cups of chai for ishan, coffee for kasturie and some plain milk for shubman and freshly baked cookies. ishan, sprawled on the couch engrossed in a video game, perked up at the sight.

"wah, kastu! yeh toh bawaal hai," he exclaimed, taking a mug from the tray.

shubman, perched on the armchair with a book in his hand, chuckled. "lagta hai cricket se zyada yeh ishan chai ko pasand hai."

ishan grinned. "I'm not even on the team, remember? mere liye toh yeh ek vacation jaise hi hai."

"fair enough."

the conversation flowed easily as they sipped their chai, discussing everything from the upcoming world cup to their plans for life after cricket. ishan, ever the prankster, kept them entertained with his hilarious stories from past tours, leaving kasturie and shubman in stitches.

"woh yaad hai australia wala tour," ishan recounted, wiping a tear from his eye from laughter, "jab virat bhai ne galti se..."

suddenly, a loud crash from the kitchen startled them.

"oh fuck," kasturie mumbled, setting down her mug. "lagta hai maine oven zara jyada der ke liye shuru chhod diya."

shubman and ishan followed her into the kitchen, where they found a tray of burnt cookies smoking in the oven.

"tabahi!" ishan declared dramatically.

kasturie groaned. "woh tere liye special chocolate chip cookies banane wale the, shubi."

shubman smiled reassuringly. "koi baat nahi, kisi aur din banayenge."

as they disposed of the burnt cookies, a comfortable silence settled between them. kasturie realized she cherished these moments of normalcy with shubman, away from the prying eyes of the media and the pressure of the cricket pitch.

later that evening, they decided to order dinner in. sprawled on the living room floor with plates of piping hot biryani, they continued their conversation. the talk turned to their childhood dreams, and kasturie listened intently as shubman spoke about his early days playing cricket in his hometown.

"maa ko humesha se pata tha main cricketer banunga." shubman said with a shy smile. "woh mujhe bahut chote hone par bhi practice karne ke liye local ground le jaati thi."

"that's so sweet," kasturie said, a warmth spreading through her chest.

ishan nudged shubman playfully. "lagta hai kisi ko mommy complex hai."

shubman playfully shoved him. "shut up, ishan."

the camaraderie between them was undeniable. Despite their different personalities - ishan, the extrovert, shubman, the introvert, and kasturie, the quiet observer - they fit together seamlessly.

as the night deepened, they decided to watch a movie. curled up on the couch with blankets wrapped around them, they settled on a lighthearted comedy. kasturie found herself leaning against shubman's shoulder, surprised at the ease and comfort it brought.

a sudden yawn escaped her lips.

"lagta hai kisiko neend aa rhi hai." ishan teased.

kasturie smiled sheepishly. "shayad thodi."

shubman offered her a pillow from the other side of the couch. "aaram karo. humari flight lambi hai."

with a murmur of thanks, kasturie drifted off to sleep, the gentle sounds of the movie and the warmth of her teammates' presence a comforting lullaby. the next morning, the apartment buzzed with activity as they packed their bags for the USA. a bittersweet feeling hung in the air - excitement for the world cup coupled with a tinge of sadness at leaving their home country behind.

🕸️

a/n : I'm trying to make the chapters a bit longer. also, glad that you people are loving the story, keep supporting aise hi. love y'all.

peace out.
~k.