it's okay if it's you | ishman ✓

CH: 23

“okay, it’s getting creepy now. i’m gonna go ask them what’s up,” tilak says, getting up.

surya tugs him back into the seat.

“let them have their moment,” he says, patting his back.

tilak stares blankly. “they’ve been having their moment for the past fifteen minutes. and they’re not even talking!”

hardik snickers, he looks at surya. “you know what, let him go. it’ll be fun.”

surya turns to glance at them. right, they’re still staring holes into each other. it is starting to get creepy. shubman is smiling with his dimples on full display, blushing all over as his eyes are locked on ishan- who’s sat across him, returning the smile with an even broader one. he’s subtler than shubman, but obvious enough to make the bypassers shoot them funny looks. the obvious part being, like tilak said, they’re not even talking to each other.

surya’s not sure if it’s ishan being shy, but he looks away to bite down his smile. then he looks back at shubman, and starts smiling again. and this repeats after every three minutes.

what a bunch of doofus, surya thinks. he’s suffered enough to be witnessed to them behaving like newlyweds now. he signs tilak to go, high-fiving hardik with a grin.

“ishan seems feverish. check up on him for me, will you?” hardik says brightly. surya chuckles, he’s going to get the kid targeted.

a little confused, but tilak nods, making his way towards them. he takes a seat beside ishan, which causes the latter to turn to him. it finally bursts the bubble for shubman, he clears his throat realizing the surroundings.

“h-hey, my boy! what’s up?”

tilak notices that his cheeks are red, realizing that maybe hardik’s right. he reaches his hand touch ishan’s forehead, feeling any temperature. “are you not well?”

it catches ishan off-guard, he chuckles nervously. “did you come up to me to ask that?”

“your cheeks look oddly red. besides you and shubi bhaiya were having this intense stare-off, i thought something was up.”

ishan glances at shubman for help. “um, we were…”

“did you guys have a fight?”

“yes!” shubman blurts. “fight, yeah. that’s it.”

tilak shakes his head, sighing. “just say sorry and get it over with, shubi bhaiya.”

“sor- wait. why should i say sorry? you don’t even know what happened.”

tilak grins, looking at ishan. “i don’t care, i’m on his team.”

ishan laughs, ruffling his hair. “attaboy!” he turns to shubman with a smirk. “where’s my sorry, gill? i’m waiting.”

shubman shoots a sarcastic smile. “i’m sorry i didn’t let you sleep all night.”

sending off a glare at him, ishan turns back to tilak. “there you go, thanks for your service.”

tilak shrugs, still not convinced about the situation. “are you sure you’re okay? do you feel feverish?”

“arrey meri jaan, i’m alright. you’re always fussing over my health.”

shubman’s smile twitches a little. huh.

tilak huffs. “well, you’re always too hard on yourself. someone’s gotta look after you.”

yeah, me! shubman’s brain yells.

“the baby’s all grown up,” ishan feigns a gasp.

“kya yaar ishu bhai, i’m not that young,” tilak groans.