The world is where your smile is

Chapter 1

A/N: The important thing here is that all conversations are generally in Hindi unless there's Narine or Dre Russ involved, I guess. But I can't write in Hindi, so I'm a translator.

________________

Rinku dropped the first bombshell in KKR's first media shoot before IPL 2024 began.

"What do you think of your chances this time?" the anchor asked, in Hindi.

Rinku spoke about the squad--in Hindi--so all was normal till he said, switching language, "So I hope we go and get that baby!"

Nitish dropped his coffee cup. "What?" 

"What did you say?" VC demanded.

Russell must have seen the horror and shock in his teammates' faces, because he removed his headphones and asked, "What did he say?"

Rinku looked over at Shreyas, apprehensive that he'd said something really wrong.

Shreyas shook his head reassuringly and turned on Nitish and VC. "Why are you making him feel he's saying something wrong?"

"Wrong?" spluttered Nitish. "Did you hear what he said?"

Shreyas was baffled.

"Do I have to teach you both common English phrases, too?" He brightened. "I'm a good teacher, Rinku, aren't I?"

"Yes," said Rinku instantly.

Shreyas beamed and looked at Nitish and VC. "So?"

They rolled their eyes. 

"No thanks."

VC slipped back into his seat, but Nitish persisted with a frown.

"You're teaching him common English phrases?" 

"Some, yeah," said Shreyas.

"Rinku." Nitish rounded on him. "Is he forcing you?"

This time Rinku dropped his coffee cup (that made two spilled coffees on the carpet).

"Wh-what do you mean?" he asked, alarmed.

"What do you mean?" asked Shreyas, eyes narrowed.

"I meant what I said," said Nitish. "Is Shreyas manipulating you into learning English slang?"

"No, of course not," said Rinku, backing away.

Nitish couldn't pursue, because Shreyas caught his sleeve and pulled him away, out of earshot of the others, and none too gently.

"Ask me what you asked him," he said menacingly.

"Why do you need to teach him stuff he's not natural with?" complained Nitish.

"So that he can give interviews properly? So that he can be more confident while talking in public?"

"He can talk fine!"

"Oh, like he talked at the jersey launch?"

"Ok, so he's a bit camera-shy--"

"A bit?"

Venky, who'd been in the other group during the shoot, came and clapped a hand on each of their shoulders from the back. "What's up?"

Shreyas scowled. Nitish scowled.

 Venky counted up to ten, and still got no answer. "In case you didn't hear, I asked what's up."

Then both the captain and the vice-captain spoke together, in the same whining tone.