Beauty and the Bodyguard

Chapter 5: Nirvana

Well, Shubman thought, Ishan's best friends were no use. He'll just have to figure something out. Maybe I'll just lock him inside a buffet...

Get a grip Shubman, he chided himself, Ishan ne tujhe bhi pagal kar diya hai. Just then, he spotted Virat coming out of his father's office. A bright idea popped into his mind.

He approached Virat, who greeted him with a smile.

"So Virat bhai, I had a favor to ask. Ishan helped me out with something and I wanted to thank him. I went to Siraj and Co. but they were no help. All my ideas sound like something a 5-year-old kid would come up with, but that's what Ishan likes, you know - stuffing his face, dancing anywhere he likes - it's like he grew up in the jungle without his parent—"

"Shubman."

Shubman stopped at the hard look on Virat's face.

"What do you know about Ishan?"

"Um, just the basic stuff?"

"Did. You. Read. Our. Files?"

"Yes, but briefly. What happened? You're scaring me."

Virat motioned for him to join him in a secluded area.

"Have you made comments about Ishan's parents in front of him?"

"No, but what's wrong? Even Gabru was looking at me weirdly when I said something."

"Shubman, Ishan doesn't have parents."

At Shubman's stunned look, Virat continued.

"I'm guessing you didn't know. He is an orphan, and so are most of us who join ICT. It's what makes our bond stronger, but it also hurts. A lot. So please make sure you don't say stuff like that in front of him."

Shubman felt tears well up at Virat's words. Orphan? He truly didn't know. He felt his heart squeeze in his chest at the thought of Ishan, the life of every party, being all alone and unloved. How could someone think of leaving Ishan: Ishan, who recited SRK's dialogues during every one of his movies, who danced in strangers' baraat, who talked up a storm with the old and young alike? A hand on his shoulder brought him out of his thoughts.

"Shubman, are you alright?"

Wiping his tears, he said,

"Yeah, I'm just– sorry, I truly didn't know; that was massively insensitive of me. I'm so, so sorry."

Virat gave him a small smile and left him alone.

Shubman was still stuck on the thought of Ishan as an orphan. Shubman felt rage unlike anything else - the thought of someone leaving Ishan all alone in the world made his blood boil. All he wanted to do was run to Ishan and tell him how wonderful he was.

But maybe..... there was a better way to show him.

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When Ishan was told that they were being given a day off, he was about to drop off into dreamland, but when he was hauled into Dhawan's car to 'go somewhere special', he was intrigued. After driving for about 45 minutes (and grumbling for 44 of them), they finally reached a secluded location in the middle of nowhere - Ishan's hackles rose, but it was instantly replaced with sheer relief at finding Shubman setting up chairs(!) along with his gang of friends. He ran toward Shubman on quiet feet and shouted "boo" very loudly in his ears. Startled, Shubman turned back and caught hold of Ishan as he fell, taking them both tumbling down.

"Ouch, you moron, why did you scare me like that!"

Shubman rubbed his head which had hit Ishan's chin.