With painstaking care, Shubman reached for the sharp piece of glass, delicately plucking it from Ishan's skin, making sure it didn't pierce. Holding it up to him, he said, "This... this was wrong, rather I should say, at the wrong place."

Ishan sighed, "Oh, thanks... There's no cut right?"

Shubman shook his head, "Nah, I saved you." Ishan dramatically replied, "OMG, my hero!" They laughed.

They stood up after picking up the pieces and were soon back to their study session. As Shubman was noting down some important topics that Ishan thought should be studied, he looked up at him momentarily, with a genuine smile on his face.

"Thank you so much, yaar."

Ishan smiled nervously, and shrugged.

Shit! How do you respond when your crush says thank you?

Shubman continued, his voice filled with appreciation, "Tell me, what can do for you in return for this?"

Marry me. Ishan thought. After which he used his logical brain. He considered the question for a moment before responding with a glint in his eye. "Just pass in your exams, and I want a century in the next match!" He declared, a playful tone lacing his words.

Shubman chuckled, his eyes lighting up with amusement. "The second task is easier!" he joked, a grin spreading across his face.

Ishan couldn't help but laugh along with him. With a reassuring smile, Ishan waved off Shubman's concerns. "Don't worry about that," he said confidently. "I've taught you enough. You'll pass."

***

As the students streamed out of the exam hall, a buzz of excitement and anxiety filled the air. Almost immediately, a group of classmates surrounded Ishan, eager to compare their answers with his. They knew that if their responses matched Ishan's, they were likely correct. These moments, just after exams, were some of the only times most of them spoke to him.

"Ishan, what did you get for question five?" one student asked.

"And what about the essay part?" another chimed in.

Ishan patiently confirmed their answers, calling out the incorrect ones with corrections. Amidst the flurry of questions, his eyes scanned the crowd, searching for Shubman.

He spotted him at a distance, watching the scene unfold. Their eyes met, and Shubman mouthed, "I'll call you later." Ishan nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips.

After around 10 minutes of the discussion, Ishan found Mayank walking around aimlessly in the garden.

Ishan caught him from behind, "Oye!" Startled by the response, Mayank gasped and turned around finding Ishan with a wide grin on his face.

"It's you." He said, his tone quiet. "Don't let Rohit sir find you down here! Don't want a thrashing!" Ishan wrapped his arms around his shoulder. Noticing the sadness in his voice, Ishan's smile faded. Mayank's face clearly showed that his exam didn't go too well.

Leaning in closer, he tilted his head, and said softly, "It's okay, bro... You'll do well in the next one."

Mayank made an irritated face and said, "2 marks ka galat kar diya yaar!"

Ishan pushed him, "Fucker, you want my sympathy for that?"

"Could've scored a 100 if not for that stupid mistake," Mayank pouted. Ishan shook his head. "Come on, we need to get out before Rohit sir spots us here."

As they walked out of the garden, Mayank asked, "What's up with Shubman and your... Tutoring sessions?" He raised and eyebrow, his tone slightly teasing.

"Please, Mayank, it's just extra workload for me, nothing else." But only he knew how much he cherished those moments, even though the bittersweet thoughts of Shubman forgetting him one day, still lingered.

***

An hour later, Ishan was back in his apartment, relaxing with Mayank, who had fallen asleep on Ishan's comfy bed under the cooling hum of the air conditioner. When Shubman called, Ishan quickly picked up the phone, careful not to wake Mayank.

"Hello," he answered quietly.

"Too desperate waiting for my call, huh?" Shubman teased.

Blushing, Ishan bit his lip. "No, idiot. Mayank is sleeping, so I picked up the phone faster," he whispered.

"Sorry about that... So, I saw the crowd around you after the exam. Guess you've become quite the celebrity! They were all standing there as if they wanted your autograph!" Shubman joked.

Ishan sighed. "Most of them just remember my name during exams."

Shubman, missing the deeper meaning in his words, replied casually, "Well, that's how some people are."

Ishan's tone shifted. "Hmm. You're one of them too."

There was an awkward silence for a few seconds, each word hanging heavily between them. Finally, Shubman broke the silence. "I... uh... I'm sorry. You know my situation, right?"

Realizing the harshness of his words, Ishan felt a pang of regret. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry," he apologized softly.

"It's okay," Shubman responded gently. "I understand."

The tension eased, and they both felt the weight of unspoken emotions settle into a more comfortable silence.

Ishan took a breath, then asked, "Sorry, I didn't ask you earlier. How was your exam?"

"Oh, I'll pass," Shubman said confidently. "With good marks, even. So yep, the first task of yours is done. Now for the century."

He chuckled, "You better not let me down. I'm expecting a hundred from you in that next match."

There was a brief pause before Shubman said, "I want you to be there for my first match. Good for you, it's in Mumbai."

Ishan was about to respond when he quickly added, "Don't you dare say no to this. Only I know how much I went through to get a VIP ticket for you, when it wasn't even available. Now all of my teammates think you're my boyfriend!"

Ishan's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, what? They think I'm your boyfriend?" he asked, a mix of amusement and disbelief in his voice.

"Yeah," Shubman laughed. "So, you can't back out now. You've got to come and cheer for me. Deal?"

Ishan, still processing this new information, smiled. "Alright, alright. I’ll be there. But you better score that century, or I might have to reconsider this whole boyfriend rumor," he teased.

Shubman laughed heartily. "Deal. I'll see you at the match, boyfriend....oops! Ishan..."

***

Sorry for the very short chapter....

I love my mom but she keeps bothering me😭 Don't know how should I concentrate on writing... But no worries! I'll probably update two chapters tomorrow..

Bye for now! Need to go listen to mother :-)

Thanks for reading💖