Sid noticed Ishan's sudden reaction  on the dance floor and asked with concern, "Hey, why have you stopped dancing? Is everything okay?"

Ishan, avoiding eye contact, mumbled, "I just need a moment," and headed towards the washroom. Sid, perplexed, watched Ishan's retreating figure.

Shubman,watching the scene, followed Ishan after giving a subtle excuse to Sheela. Inside the washroom, he found Ishan leaning against the sink, looking visibly agitated.

Shubman,knowingly, asked, "What happened, Ishan? You were enjoying the dance, and suddenly you seem upset."

Ishan, frustrated, finally let his guard down, "Can you just stop this, Shubman? The constant flirting with Sheela, the provocative comments. It's driving me insane!"

You don’t deserve to say these when you are the one who is with your boyfriend- Shubman thought bitterly.

Shubman,replied,just to hurt Ishan verbally, "What are you talking about?Why would my flirt make you insane?What are you my boyfriend?"

Ishan, feeling the sting of Shubman's words, shot back, "No, I'm not your boyfriend. But your actions are hurting me, Shubman. It's not fair."

Shubman, defensively, retorted, "I can do whatever I want.Just like you are doing whatever you want."

Shubman meant Sid,but Ishan couldn’t understand the reference.

Ishan, looking at Shubman with a mix of frustration and confusion, countered, "You say that as if it's an excuse. But we're not just strangers. There's something between us, and your actions are messing with it.One day you insult me,the next you are sorry.One day you are friendly with me the next you don’t even reply me."

"Why do you need my reply anyway,isn’t this your honeymoon phase?Going to fancy dinner with boyfriend?"-Shubman's patience was giving away.

"What?"-Ishan is now seriously confused.

Shubman, trying to maintain his composure, responded, "Ishan, let's not complicate things. You have your boyfriend, and I have my date. We're both occupied."

Ishan, raising an eyebrow, replied, "Boyfriend? Shubman, I don't have a boyfriend. Where did you get that idea from?And I don't care about your date but don't play with my emotions."

Shubman, surprised, said, "Wait, you don't? I thought you and Sid...He proposed you.I saw it with my eyes."

"Yes..But we are taking it slow.I didn’t accept it yet.If you weren’t so arrogant and texted me back,you would have know it."

"Right,YET!".So you will eventually?"-Shubman asked.

"If things go right,yes maybe.I don't wanna die alone."-But Ishan is now confused too.

After today,He wanted to imagine himself on the place of Sheela.But he knows It's not possible,never.Ishan doesn't want to ruin his sanity in dwelling in dream of having a crush on celebrity.And he does love 'love'.He wants someone who will love him.

Shubman, feeling a mix of frustration and confusion, scoffed, "So, you're still unsure about Sid,still you are in a date with this guy,feeding his hope, but you're here complaining about my actions?"

Ishan, growing more agitated, retorted, "It's not about Sid. It's about you, Shubman. You're hot and cold to me, and I can't keep up with these mood swings."

Shubman, with a dismissive wave, replied, "I don't owe you any explanations, Ishan. If you can't handle it, that's your problem."

Ishan, hurt by Shubman's indifference, shot back, "Maybe you're right. Maybe I shouldn't have expected anything more from someone like you."

Shubman, feeling a surge of irritation, decided to deliver a final blow, "Someone like me? What does that even mean, Ishan? You're the one who can't make up his mind.Sheela was right, Maybe you enjoy the drama."

Ishan, hurt and frustrated, muttered, "How is my relation with Sid is any of your concern to judge me.You know what, Shubman. Enjoy your games. I'm done trying to figure you out.My only fault was being your fan and supporting you at Stadium at first place.I wish I have never met you in person."

This time Shubman lost his mood.He bitterly asked,"So you also think my comeback was because of you?That lucky charm shit!?"

Shubman's words hung in the air, leaving a bitter taste. Before Shubman could can mend the words he said in anger, the washroom door swung open, and a third person entered, disrupting the tense atmosphere.They came outside.

Sheela, who had been waiting outside the washroom, raised an eyebrow at the evident tension between Shubman and Ishan. "Everything okay in there?You were late so I came to find you.Is anyone bothering you?" she asked,looking at Ishan.

Shubman, not wanting to escalate the situation further,replied, "Yes.Why would anyone bother me!"

As they rejoined their respective partners, the night continued with a strained atmosphere.

Later, as Shubman and Sheela headed home, the unresolved conflict lingered in the air. The car ride was marked by an uncomfortable silence, both lost in their thoughts.

Shubman dropped Sheela to her house,saying,"Sorry,My mood is really bad right now and I think you shouldn’t stay at my house unless we have any tag for us."

Meanwhile, Ishan and Sid also left the venue, with Sid noticing the shift in Ishan's mood. "What happened back there?You seemed distracted.Do you have any connection with Shubman Gill other than being just a fan?" Sid asked, concerned.

Ishan, avoiding the details, replied, "No and I wish to keep it that way.Let's not talk about it again."

Days passed, and life returned to its routine, but the unresolved tension between Ishan and Shubman lingered in the background.They both didn’t approached each other further. Fate, however, had other plans for the two of them.

It was a typical weekday evening in the city. Ishan, after a long day at the office, found himself caught in the unexpected embrace of heavy rain as he headed home. The streets, usually bustling with activity, were nearly deserted, and Ishan sought refuge under a lonely bus stop, drenched from head to toe.

Meanwhile, Shubman, wrapping up a shoot, was on his way home. The raindrops danced on his car window, creating a soothing rhythm. As he drove along the nearly empty road, his gaze caught sight of a figure huddled at the bus stop, rain-soaked and seemingly stranded.As he got closer, his breath caught – it was Ishan.

For a moment, time seemed to freeze. Shubman's grip tightened on the steering wheel, and he found himself pulling over instinctively. The car engine hummed softly as he rolled down the window, raindrops splattering against the glass.

"Need a ride, Ishan?" Shubman's voice cut through the rain-soaked silence.

Ishan, looking up, met Shubman's gaze. The memories of their recent conflict flashed before his eyes, and he hesitated. The raindrops seemed to echo the rhythmic beating of his heart. "No, thanks. I'll manage," Ishan replied, trying to sound unaffected.

Shubman, leaning slightly out of the car, couldn't look away. The unspoken tension lingered in the air. "Come on, Ishan. It's pouring, and I'm just offering a ride. No drama, just a ride."

Ishan, still holding onto the remnants of their unresolved argument, shook his head. "I appreciate the offer, Shubman, but I'll pass.I can't just pretend to forget everything and behave like nothing happened ."

Shubman, feeling an unfamiliar pull, sighed. "Fair enough. But I'll be honest with you. If you don't get in, this car is parked right here until you say yes. I don't care if the paparazzi come. Take your time."

Ishan, caught off guard by Shubman's determination, hesitated.He doesnt want another tweeter trend.One was enough to take his sleep away.The rain continued its relentless dance, and Shubman's car became a refuge in the storm.

Finally, Ishan relented, "Fine, but only because I don't want your car blocking the road."

"But the road is empty"-Shubman smirked.

Ishan glared at the reply.The audacity of this man." Do you want me to change my mind?"-Ishan threatened.

"Sorry,Sorry!" Shubman chuckled.

As Ishan settled into the seat, the atmosphere inside the car shifted. The silence was broken only by the rhythmic pattern of raindrops on the roof. Shubman, focused on the road, stole glances at Ishan, and Ishan, looking out the window, couldn't ignore the magnetic pull.

The unspoken tension crackled, and the air inside the car became charged with a different kind of energy. Shubman, breaking the silence, attempted to lighten the mood, "So, how's life treating you, Ishan?"

Ishan, trying to maintain a casual tone, replied, "Same old, same old. Work, life, and unexpected car rides in the rain."

Shubman chuckled, "Well,May be the rain was an excuse to get us together. Sometimes, you just have to go with the flow."

Ishan didn’t reply.

"You know, Ishan, despite everything, I've always found our encounters intriguing. There's something... magnetic about them."

Ishan, caught off guard by the honesty in Shubman's words, couldn't help but feel the same magnetic pull. "It's like we're caught in the crossfire of fate," he admitted.

Shubman, stealing another glance, added with a hint of playfulness, "Maybe the rain is washing away the unresolved tension between us."

Ishan, unable to resist a smile, replied, "Or maybe it's just adding to the complications."

The rain was playing a lively percussion on the car roof as Shubman drived through the wet streets. Inside the car, Ishan sat, attempting to maintain to composed himself despite the swirling emotions within.

"You know, Ishan, they say rain is like a romantic setting in movies. Does that mean we're in the middle of a dramatic scene right now?"

Ishan, shooting him a half-amused, half-exasperated look, replied, "Shubman, this isn't a Bollywood film. It's just rain."

Shubman, undeterred by Ishan's skepticism, continued with a mischievous grin, "Well, we've got the rain, the car, and a complicated relationship status. Sounds like a perfect script to me."

Ishan, rolling his eyes, retorted, "If this is a script, it needs a better writer."

Shubman, earning a mock glare from Ishan, chuckled, "Ouch! Tough critic. I'll have to work on my scriptwriting skills then."

"Write it with your girlfriend,Sheela or something."-Ishan replied shortly.

"You know, Ishan,What would be adventurous?If there was no car,no umbrella with us. Too bad we're stuck in a car."

Ishan, now openly amused, quipped, "I think the rain is doing just fine on its own, thanks. No need to complicate it further."

Shubman, feigning innocence, added, "Just trying to make the scene more Cinematic."

Ishan, shaking his head, couldn't help but smile. "I'll stick to real life, thank you very much."

Shubman, steering into a more serious moment, said, "On a serious note, Ishan, I didn't mean to make things complicated between us. It's just...happened, you know?You with Sid,It made me angry.I just don't know why.Don't ask me why."

Ishan looked at Shubman searchingly.Is he jealous of Sid?Then again,He is Shubman Gill,alleged boyfriend of heroin Sheela.Ishan tried not to mean anything from the Shubman's confession.These celebrity people are confusing.

As they reached Ishan's house, Shubman,wanting more of Ishan beyond the rain-soaked car ride, casually suggested, "How about a cup of coffee to warm up?If you are okay of course."

"Sure, why not?So sorry,I was thinking of asking,but wasn’t sure if my house is celebrityproof"

Shubman laughed."Don’t worry.We are normal people like all."

Inside Ishan's cozy living room, Shubman couldn't help but ask, "Do you live alone?"

Ishan, while preparing the coffee, replied, "Yes, my family is in Patna. I moved here for work."

Ishan went to change after giving coffee to Shubman.There was a wall mirror across from Shubman's seat,And Shubman could see Ishan's back from that,The door to Ishan's room was ajar, offering a partial view inside.

Shubman, unable to resist the temptation, stole glances at the reflection in the mirror. The sight of Ishan's bare broad back stirred something within Shubman. He found himself captivated by the play of light and shadow on Ishan's silhouette.

Cursing himself for the unintentional invasion of privacy, Shubman tried to avert his gaze. "Such a pervert move," he muttered under his breath, chiding himself for succumbing to a moment of weakness.

But would it be too bold move if Shubman barge into the room, push Ishan onto the bed, and make Ishan's knee weak with a fervent kiss-Shubman thought while watching Ishan from the mirror.

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Should they have a mild streamy moment on next chapter before they are dating or realising their heart?????