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10. The road to recovery

After a solid five minutes of Shubman looking at the ground and not answering his question, Virat turned towards Rohit.
"Rohit, do you know what went down between these two?"
He repeated.
"No.. I don't know"
Rohit shrugged his shoulders. Shubman's head snapped towards his direction, on this statement.

"What?"
"Kya kya?"
Rohit made a face at him.
"Then-then.. Why do you hate me?!" Shubman was bewildered.
"Saale! Meri marzi chale toh mai tujhe mar du. You've made my boy cry so much! Hum hi jante hai kaise usko theek kiya hai."
Rohit countered.

"Now! Tell me what happened before Hardik comes! Or else..."
Virat left the statement incomplete.
"We... Were in a happy relationship.. Ishan just liked-liked to play pranks a lot.. And one day he played a prank saying he was in an accident.. And I got angry.. Terribly angry on him even when he kept calling me for the whole week after the fight.. He even-even sent me a bracelet as an apology... "

He took a pause.
"Then what?! What did you do?!"
Rohit snapped.
"When he was sick..he called me to drop him home.. He was short on money that day.. but I.. yelled at him thinking it was a prank again.."
Shubman gulped.

"He-he... walked home that day.. while he was sick..... and he-he called me again.. I cut the call on.. his face.. again.. and then showed up at his apartment and yelled at him.. Threw-threw the bracelet that he got as an apology.. and told him that... he was nothing.. without me.."
Shubman finished, breathing raggedly.
"YOU ASSHOLE!"

The chair clashed loudly as Rohit stood up and started taking strides towards Shubman.
"No no!"
Virat held him back.
"Saale! After all this you want him back again?!"
Rohit yelled.

"He was burning with fever 5 years ago when we met! He fell unconscious!! My boy. He cried for you. For months! Ask Harry! There were so many times when Ishan woke up because of nightmares! He-He-"
Rohit coughed, feeling emotions choke his throat.
"Sit."
Virat picked up the chair and made him sit.

"Yash, give me some water"
Rohit was forcefully made to drink water and Virat calmed him slowly.
"YOU did what?"
The door opened, revealing an angry Hardik.
Uh-oh!
"Shit", Virat cursed.
Hardik walked in the room, he had a bag of Ishan's clothes and things given from the OT.

Hardik's nose flared in anger and he threw the bag at Shubman's face, making all the things inside it, spill out.
"I will kill you!"
He mumbled like a crazy man, already moving towards Shubman.
"Hardik Hardik! No!"
Rohit pulled him back.
"What no?! I will kill him! Leave me, bhai!"
Hardik struggled against Rohit's hold.

"Hardik! Chup!"
Rohit pulled Hardik out of the room with a LOT of struggle.
Virat smacked Shubman's head.
"DO you not want to see him?!"
Virat was frustrated now.
Shubman gulped and walked towards the bed. It all felt like a nightmare.
"Ishu"
He whispered, eyes tearing up immediately.

Shubman was again painfully reminded about their last meet five years ago, Ishan was sick and Shubman hadn't even tried.
"Ishu"
Shubman broke down in tears, gently holding Ishan's face, as if he was made of glass.
"I'm so sorry"
He sobbed.

"I mi-missed you so much, meri jaan"
He continued.
Shubman gently leaned down kissing Ishan's forehead, lingering there for a few moments before he retracted. Hardik and Rohit would break his bones if they saw him near Ishan.
"I'm going to make things right, Ishu.. I've made mistakes and I'm going to correct them."
He sniffled.

He moved backwards before stumbling on Ishan's belongings, which Hardik had thrown on his face.
Shubman's eyes fell on the bracelet before he immediately bent to pick it up.
"I'm so sorry"
He mumbled, tears sprouting in his eyes again, as he kissed the piece of accessory and kept it in his pocket.

He didn't know how much time he had spent near Ishan, when they heard the door open again and quite a calm Hardik entered the room.
"Get out"
Was the first thing he said looking at Shubman.Virat knew anything said right now would turn into a fist fight, he really didn't want Shubman to get punched.

Atleast not by Hardik. Ishan punching Shubman would satisfy him more.
"Chal"
He whispered guiding Shubman out of the room.
After they were out Hardik heard a meek voice.
"Can I-I stay..?"
It was yash.
"Don't worry, yash.. You can"
Rohit smiled gently at the boy.

Hardik kept looking at Ishan. He slowly sat beside him on the chair, taking Ishan's hand in his and bent his head touching his forehead on the back of Ishan's palm.
"I'm sorry, chotu"
Hardik sniffled.
"Sorry for-for not coming soon today, for not-not being able to save you"
He started sobbing.

"I'm sorry for re-restraining your hands, chotu.. But-but it was needed"
He explained his intentions to the unconscious boy.
"I-I know you'll not blame me, but-but I know how it much it hurt.. I'm sorry"
He sobbed hard caressing Ishan's hand.
"I'm sorry"
He kept mumbling. He just couldn't get the image of Ishan pleading them that it hurt him while they squeezed his wound, out of his head.

"Please wake up, chotu"
Hardik cried.
"Rohit bhai, dekho na.. Ye bada badtameez hota jaa raha hai.. Ankhe bhi nahi khol raha.. Aap boldo na.. He listens to you na"
Hardik cried. Rohit immediately hugged feeling his own eyes turn misty. Another body joined them in the hug, Yash.

"Yash, he's your friend na.. Tell him to wake up.. Please"
Hardik was almost joining his hands.
"Please"
Yash also started crying.
"Dont torture me like this, bhaiyya"
He held Hardik's hands before kneeling beside the bed.
"Ishan Bhaiyya.. Please wake up"
He sobbed.

"Hey hey, get up"
Rohit made yash stand up.
"He's going to be fine don't worry", Rohit mumbled, not knowing if he was trying to convince them or himself.

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