Ict: Kith and Kin✅

40

To all those who voted and commented on the last chapter, thank you so much 🫶✨

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Three days later:

'I'm very excited for today.' jammy Bhai said with a serious face.

'Maybe you should smile then.' Sachin pa teased him who earned a playful slap in return.

Everyone had someone from their family come and meet them except Mahi Bhai. Sakshi promised to meet him as soon as her project will be over.

Ritika and Virat had exchanged numbers, having gained mutual respect and affection. And Rohit was quite happy with that development.

The team still had five days rest before the tests began. The juniors were still not given a chance to be a part of the test team.

'They've boarded the cab. I'll go and see if Virat and Rohit woke up.' Mahi Bhai said, with his eyes fixed to his phone's screen.

'I'll be on it.' Yuvi pa immediately jumped out of his seat and ran before Mahi Bhai could even react.

It was hard to determine who among them were more excited than the rest.

Yuvi pa had violently began banging their door.

Virat opened the door with his eyes barely open. He stifled a yawn as he tried speaking.

'Who is that disturbing my sleep. Just close the door and - *yawn* ' Rohit mumbled from under his blanket.

'It's 8:00 am in the morning. Why are you two this sleepy?' Yuvi pa asked them.

'We were watching some show and-' the rest of his sentence got lost in the yawn that made way from his mouth.

'Anyways there's a surprise for you two, get ready and - * yawn* ' the boys have succeeded in spreading their yawns to yuvi pa.

'Just come down in half an hour.' he informed them and left.

Very reluctantly, the sleepyheads have got ready while promising themselves to never skip sleep again.

'Hey, close their eyes, close their eyes.' jammy Bhai *almost* yelled as he saw the boys walking out of the elevator in the speed of a turtle.

Sachin pa and yuvi pa closed their eyes while the boys were as confused as they were sleepy.

They could hear slight whispers from their seniors and on any other day, they would have been extremely excited about what was happening.

'Rohit, why are you crying?' Sachin pa asked him, sensing the tears streaming from his eyes.

'No, I'm not. They are due to sleep. I'm alright.' he said.

'Ok, are you guys ready?' Mahi Bhai asked them and they replied positive in a dull tone.

The seniors have removed their hands, letting the boys see what the surprise was.

'Ajju' 'Jaddu' the boys yelled in excitement at the same time.

'Are you here for real?' Virat almost jumped onto him in excitement.

While the interaction between Virat and jaddu were violent, the Mumbai boys were comparetively quiter.

'I'm so happy for you Ajju. Now I'm completely happy for myself too. All these days I felt bad for you but now I'm content.' he said as he tightly hugged him.

Virat who was engrossed in a conversation with jaddu until then noticed how freely Rohit was expressing his feelings with his friend.

'I bought you vada pav from your favourite place.' Rahane told him as he began searching for it in his duffle bag.

'And I bought you this Amulet, so that we can go to a haunted house without fear.' jaddu handed over the Amulet to him, feeling quite proud of himself for his thoughtfulness.

The Mumbai boys started conversing in their local language and Sachin pa joined them and Virat suddenly felt so out of place and uncomfortable with the situation.

'Your dear friend Jaddu is here, you must be happy.' Virat told himself but he somehow didn't like the fact that Rohit had got his old friend with him now.

And just like him, Rohit too had observed how strong Virat's and jaddu's connection was and wondered if he and Virat would ever be able to form something like that ever.

'Hi, I'm Ajinkya Rahane.' he introduced himself to Virat.

'Yeah, I know you. I've seen you play, it's really eye pleasing to watch you bat.' Virat was all praises for him.

And looking at the two talk well with other made Rohit extremely happy. And that's when it striked to him that Virat forming good relations with his people is giving him enormous happiness but he failed to realise why.

'I see y'all have a lot to talk about but both of you go to your room and freshen up first.' Mahi Bhai told them.

'Yes sir.' Rahane said.

'Mahi bhai.' Virat, Rohit and Mahi Bhai have corrected him at the same time.

'Yes, Mahi Bhai.' he passed a revised statement.

Virat and Rohit helped them with their luggage. The new boys were giving a room just below Virat's and Rohit's.

'Both of you can join us to sleep.' Rohit offered to them, because he knew how hard the initial few days would be.

'Yeah, you guys are familiar with us anyways so don't hesitate to reach out to us, whatever the issue might be.' Virat added.

Mahi Bhai who went to their room saw his juniors speak exactly what was on his mind.

'They are born team players.' he thought to himself while leaning on the door frame.

'Mahi Bhai, come inside.' jaddu said as he saw him.

'Hello, jadeja-'

'Call me jaddu.' he corrected him.

'Hello Jaddu, how are you feeling?' the captain asked him.

'I'm very excited to visit Australia next week. I've never been out of india.' he expressed his honest feeling and that made Mahi Bhai chuckle at his innocence.

'No matter how hard they try to act like grown ups, they are all still kids who are barely twenty year old.' he thought to himself and he was definitely not wrong.

All of the seniors have soon gathered to their room and a mini conference took place there.

They've all began narrating fun stories of their first few days in the team, conciously making efforts for them to feel included.

And just like that, they've already become a part of the ICT family.

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From today, I'll be updating daily but alternating between this story and the new story.

Hope I do justice to both the stories and you guys will love them both equally.