Flashback continues :

Shubman couldn’t sleep that night.Last time he couldn’t sleep at night for a stranger was when he was in highschool.There was a new girl in their class.Shubman was struck with her beauty.But that girl didn’t even notice Shubman and Shubman doesn’t blame her to the least.Shubman always tried to remain as a disappeared mysterious boy in school.

But Abhishek is deferent.He can connect with him, so much more.May be because they both plays cricket.Abhishek has already played for U19 team for India.Shubman never considered cricket as his profession.He played because he liked to play.Infact he never played with academy before.He always had private tutor.But Abhishek is encouraging him to play for bigger level.

From that moment of birthday party, Shubman found himself encountering that pretty boy at every turn, each meeting leaving an indelible impression on his memory. Whether it was at the local cricket field, where he dropped Abhishek off for practice, or in the bustling market square, where his infectious energy seemed to light up the entire street, Shubman couldn't escape the magnetic pull of his presence.

One day over a game of cricket with Abhishek, Shubman couldn't help but broach the subject that had been weighing on his mind. "Hey, Abhi, you know that guy we always see around? The one with the long hair and always smiling? What's his name?"

Abhishek glanced up from his bat, a knowing twinkle in his eye. "Oh, you mean Ishan? Yeah, he's a pretty cool guy. Why do you ask?"

Shubman shrugged nonchalantly, trying to conceal the flutter of excitement in his chest. "Oh, no reason. Just curious, I guess. He seems interesting."

As days turned into weeks, Shubman's fascination with Ishan only deepened, leading him to develop a habit of following Ishan from afar, observing his every move with a mixture of curiosity and admiration. Each encounter left an indelible mark on Shubman's memory, fueling his desire to know more about the boy.

One afternoon, as Shubman trailed Ishan through the bustling streets of the town,he spotted Ishan entering a trendy mall. Intrigued, Shubman followed suit, careful to keep his distance as he watched Ishan disappear into the maze of shops and boutiques.

As Ishan emerged from a clothing store, disappointment etched on his face, Shubman couldn't help but wonder what had transpired inside. Drawing closer, he overheard Ishan haggling with the shopkeeper over the price of a shirt, only to be met with refusal.

Heart sinking at the sight of Ishan's crestfallen expression, Shubman knew he had to do something to lift his spirits. With determination coursing through his veins, Shubman entered the shop, his mind racing with a plan to turn things around for Ishan.

As Shubman approached the shopkeeper with a determined gleam in his eyes, he glanced around to ensure no one was within earshot before leaning in to speak in a low tone.

"I'll take that shirt off your hands," Shubman began, his voice confident yet hushed, "and I'll pay you 60% of the asking price."

The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow in surprise, caught off guard by Shubman's unexpected offer. "Why not just pay the full price?" he countered, a hint of suspicion creeping into his tone.

Shubman shook his head, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Because," he replied smoothly, "if I pay full price, it might raise some eyebrows. But I will pay you extra,you will call him back and say it was on sale you didn’t know"

The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment, weighing Shubman's words before finally nodding in agreement. "Alright, you've got a deal," he conceded, accepting the cash that Shubman discreetly slipped into his hand.

With the transaction complete, the shopkeeper wasted no time in putting their plan into action. Hurrying to the entrance of the store, he called out to Ishan,who was entering on another shop, his voice filled with false enthusiasm.

"Hey, you won't believe your luck! That shirt you were eyeing? It was on sale!I didn't notice!Come back inside and I'll give you a special discount!"

When Ishan returned to the shop, his surprise was palpable as the shopkeeper ushered him toward the discounted shirt. From behind a nearby pillar, Shubman watched with bated breath as Ishan's eyes widened in disbelief, his face breaking into a radiant smile at the unexpected turn of events.

As Ishan made his purchase and prepared to leave the shop, Shubman emerged from his hiding spot, offering a quiet but heartfelt "Thank you." He continued, "It was for a very special occasion. Thank you."

"I can't gift you directly anything till now,so this is going to be my first gift to you"-Shubman thought.

As Ishan reflected on the events of the past two months, he couldn't help but marvel at how luck seemed to be consistently on his side. It was as if the universe conspired to fulfill his desires, making his every wish come true in the most unexpected ways. Yet, the frequency of these occurrences left Ishan pondering whether there was something more than mere coincidence at play.

Just yesterday, after his tuition classes, Ishan had made his way to the nearby food court to indulge in his favorite treat - pudding. However, to his disappointment, he found that the pudding was sold out before he could get his hands on it. Disheartened, Ishan couldn't help but whine to his coaching friend about missing out.

But then, in a twist of fate that seemed almost too good to be true, that very afternoon, the food court van unexpectedly pulled up in front of Ishan's house. Knocking on their door, the shopkeeper handed Ishan a whole tray of pudding, apologizing profusely for the inconvenience and explaining that he felt bad for not having enough for his regular customer.

Ishan was left speechless by the gesture, unable to comprehend how his simple complaint had led to such a fortuitous turn of events as the food van owner was never friendly.He was always grumpy with his customers. It was moments like these that made Ishan wonder why suddenly God is too much on his side.

The next day, as Shubman filled his water bottle at the local cricket ground, he couldn't help but steal a glance at Ishan who had just dropped Abhishek off. His heart skipped a beat as he noticed Ishan wearing the shirt he had secretly paid for. The crisp white fabric clung to Ishan's frame, accentuating his features in a way that left Shubman breathless.

Lost in admiration, Shubman found himself frozen in place, the water from the bottle overflowing onto the ground unnoticed. It was only the sound of Abhishek's voice that broke through the trance, pulling Shubman back to reality.

"Hey, Shubman! What's up?" Abhishek called out, his voice filled with excitement as he approached.

Shubman quickly snapped out of his daze, hastily shutting off the tap and wiping his hands on his pants. "Oh, hey Abhi! Just filling up my water bottle," he replied, trying to sound nonchalant despite the butterflies fluttering in his stomach.

"Hey,mate! Sorry I'm late," Abhishek announced, his cheeks flushing.

The coach, however, looked less amused. "Late again, Abhi?" he admonished, a hint of irritation in his tone. "You know punctuality is key to success in this game."

Abhishek's grin faltered slightly at the coach's reprimand, but he quickly recovered, his cheeks turning a shade redder as he tried to explain. "I know, coach, I'm really sorry. It won't happen again, I promise."

Shubman couldn't help but notice how Abhishek was grinning like fool all the time since he came.

As Abhishek joined the rest of the team for practice, his grin returned with renewed vigor, his enthusiasm undiminished by the coach's stern words. "Alright, let's get started!" he exclaimed, a glint of excitement in his eyes. "I've got a feeling today's gonna be a good day."

Shubman couldn't help but smile at Abhishek's optimism, his heart warmed by the genuine joy radiating from his friend.

"Why are you so happy today?"-Shubman asked.

"Shubman,mate.I have to share you something.Today the best thing happened in my life."

"Yeah?Well,tell me.I wanna know tok what makes my friends this happy."

"My crush proposed me today.That's why I was late actually"-Now Abhishek's face is crimson red.

"Wow,congrats mate.Who is it?"-Shubman felt genuinely happy for his friend.

"Ishan Kishan."