It was a Full Moon Night | An Ishman Fanfiction

Chapter 4

A decade back...

Shubman hides behind the brick wall and peeped out towards the boy around his own age, at the tap. He follows the boy's movement and sees how the boy is folding the dirty cotton pants up to his knees for the umpteenth time that keeps sliding back to its full length, while filling up his two tumblers.

Shubman is following this boy silently for two days now. He very well knows he has no reason to creepily follow this boy. He can very well go up to him and introduce himself and talk to him. God knows, how much he wanted to talk to him, know his name and pinch his cheeks.... okay stop.. maybe become friends and play together since the moment he had seen him for the first time.

Shubman has come to Patna for the first time. His dad is also with him and they might have to stay for two weeks now. Shubman's father is a moderately wealthy businessman and here in Patna, he had some works with his partners. From Patna, they will be going to Assam, from there to a new state, basically a mini country tour. So, Shub's mother had jumped on board and the whole family is out for a sort of vacation. Getting a two months long vacation from the high-end private school that Shubman study in Shimla, was not also a problem when your father is somewhat influential in the admin board.

The Gill family has lodged in this five-star hotel, and while his parents were discussing whether to visit the Nalanda or the Golghar first, Shubman had quietly slipped out in the balcony, which was where he first saw the boy cleaning the tables in the pool area and laughing with another hotel staff. After that, it felt like Shubman is always crossing paths with him. Sometimes at the dining area, sometimes at the garden, sometimes in the room service.

It's not like that, the sixteen years old Shubman Gill didn't like it. He actually liked it very much, so much so, he wanted at least a moment of interaction.

So, without another thought, he steps towards the boy filling up his tumblers from top at the the back end of the hotel and quite directly asks, "You need help? With these?" Shubman points at the now filling up buckets. "Looks like they are heavy."

Ishan Kishan. That's the name of the boy. And yes, those cotton pants belonged to his elder brother, who is a bit taller than him. Also, a sudden complain, "That's why skirts are better." Ishan had looked so horrified at his own sudden genuine confession, and looked so scared while looking back at him.

"Yeah. You'd look pretty in a skirt though." Shubman had replied, just an assurance to take away the scared expression from that cute face. Though he genuinely meant it too. He had liked the red blush that bloomed on the older boy's face.

Yes, Ishan is seventeen, one year older than him.

"No way, I'm calling you Bhaiya, you three grape size human!" Shubman did not mind the prompt bonk that came upon his head.

"Better than you, you bean pole!"

The banter had come easy in between them. Over the first five days of the stay in the luxurious hotel, Shubman had bonded pretty fast with Ishan. Shubman's ma had been happy that rather than on his phone, though a little concerned as where her son was disappearing for time to time.

"Nothing ma. I just roam around the gardens. And you know, this hotel has a small library?"

A day later, he had come to his parents and told them about the ongoing local fair going on, on the occasion of Shivratri. "There will be so many stalls ma! So many lights and stuffs and food!"

"And since when our raja beta started liking these public places with street foods and shops. Last time I checked, you even wanted a five-star rated fast food corner." His father raised his eyebrows.