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A few days had passed since Naima's birthday, and things between her and Shubman had smoothly transitioned into their new reality.
They were officially dating, though the teasing from the boys never quite let up. It had been a whirlwind of excitement—between their relationship and the fact that the World Cup squad was now preparing for their first match against Australia in Chennai.
The airport was buzzing with energy as the team waited for their flight. Everyone had their own way of passing the time.
Some were lounging with coffee in hand, others glued to their phones or headphones, vibing to music as they tried to keep calm before the storm that was the World Cup.
Shubman sat next to Naima, their bodies comfortably close as she leaned against him, scrolling through her phone.
He had his arm lazily slung around her, fingers brushing against her arm absentmindedly, while he glanced through the match lineups on his phone. It was the kind of comfort and closeness they'd settled into almost instantly since becoming official.
Ishan, ever the restless one, was pacing back and forth near the Starbucks kiosk, loudly contemplating which coffee would give him the energy to not pass out during the flight.
"Bro, just pick one already!" Hardik called from his seat nearby, shaking his head with a smirk.
"You're acting like this coffee is going to decide your entire performance tomorrow."
"I mean, it might!" Ishan shot back, still indecisive. "What if I pick the wrong one and it messes with my focus?"
Jasprit, who was seated beside him, raised an eyebrow. "You're an international cricketer, Kishan. Not a barista. Just get a damn coffee."
Shubman chuckled under his breath as he watched Ishan's internal battle unfold. "He's gonna be like this the whole flight, isn't he?"
"Definitely," Naima replied, smiling softly, resting her head on his shoulder.
