MI grabs the title for the fifth time!

Has been absolutely incredible the whole season!

The most successful team of Indian Premier League!

With these commentary still going on, MI had already erupted in the celebration which would, of course, continue for the whole night, giving a few of them hangover for next couple of days.

After collecting the trophy and being done with the post match presentation, team was back in the hotel where they were staying, in no mood to consider the covid norms which could, by any chance dim their celebration in any possible way.

"Let's start the party!" Hardik shouted gleefully joined by others in the dance celebration that had just begun.

"Rohit bhaiya, why are you standing there? Join us!" Ishan called out taking a step further towards Rohit.

"It's okay if you don't want to go, Bhaiya. We can just stand here?" Jassi said quickly pulling Rohit by grabbing his arm.

"It's okay, Ish, you go on! I'm fine here!" Rohit said in the politest tone he could so as to not disappoint the kid.

Jassi perked up. Again.

His name is Ishan, isn't it? Jassi thought indignantly. And why does he always try to cling to Rohit Bhaiya?

Rohit looked at Jassi questioningly while Jassi just shrugged slightly as he gripped his arm tighter before looking away.

Rohit couldn't help but smile. Jassi was being a bit too possessive these days. And Rohit wasn't complaining a bit yet sometimes he felt Jassi did overreact. And Rohit credited Hardik for being the reason.

Harry needs to stop rubbing off on his innocent kid!

"Jass, you sure you don't want to join them?" Rohit asked as he noticed Jassi looking at Hardik and others with a wistful expression.

"No, Bhaiya, I'll stay with you." Jassi said half heartedly.

"Are you sure?" Rohit asked promptly as Jassi' eyes were fixed upon others and Rohit could clearly see he longed to join them in.

"Yes!" Jassi muttered.

"Jassi, what are you doing here? Come with me!" Hardik shouted amid the loud music in the background.

"Come on, kiddo, join in celebration!" Rohit said coaxing him.

"But you will be alone then!" Jassi said innocently.

"I think I want to get some sleep instead, kiddo! You guys enjoy!" Rohit said ruffling his hair.

Jassi went to join Harry and others in the celebration but not before giving a smile to Rohit bhaiya. And Rohit walked to his own room returning a assuring smile to Jass.
-------------------------------------

Not that Rohit wasn't happy. He was ecstatic to win their fifth IPL title. This season has been brilliant for them. Jassi had been magical and Rohit could hardly explain how proud he was.

Despite all that, he didn't feel like celebrating. Even he didn't know why!
It's just that.. that—this year didn't feel the same! Why? Rohit didn't know.

He lied on the bed as he recalled his earlier wins with his eyes closed.

IPL 2013....

Rohit could hardly stop grinning since the time he held his first IPL trophy as the captain of his team, Mumbai Indians, vaguely having any idea that one day he will lead his team to win their fifth title.

Rohit stood a bit far from where the team was celebrating. Though, Sachin sir had called him twice but he preferred to slip away from there.

As he was walking back to his own room, he saw Mahi Bhai's room's door was open. He felt sudden urge to enter.
And so he did.

"Mahi Bhai?" Rohit said, entering and then closing the door behind him.

"Ro!" Mahi said, sitting up. "Not celebrating with others?"

"I didn't feel like staying there, Mahi Bhai." Rohit said, slipping beside him.

"Congratulations on your first win, kiddo!" Mahi Bhai said beaming at him. "I'm so, so proud of you, Ro!"

"Really?" Rohit asked looking at him with sort if guilty expression.

He had just defeated Mahi Bhai's team and here he was in his room hoping that Mahi Bhai would praise him and feeling guilty about the same.

Mahi Bhai caught his eyes and replied with a smile. "Yes! How can I not be proud of your first win as a captain? I'm the proudest that my Ro won it."

Rohit beamed with his eyes glinting with joy. Mahi Bhai's slightest affection always made him the happiest. He had made Mahi Bhai his go to person ever since the day he came in the team. Be it his lost phone or him being late for the practice or feeling down after a bad match, it was always Mahi Bhai he stumbled upon. And Mahi Bhai, too, always made sure he was there with him whenever he needed, without even asking for it.

"I sleep here tonight?" Rohit asked turning towards Mahi Bhai.

"Of course!" Mahi replied as he extended his arm and Rohit quickly slipped in beside him.

"You know, Bhai, Yuvi pa had pranked me—" Rohit was narrating one of the stories to Mahi Bhai with his head in his lap, which Rohit never realised was his position.

It was hours after Rohit fell asleep after narrating all the stories from him being pranked to his first experience of captaincy to Mahi Bhai.

And this was how Rohit had spent the night when he had won his first IPL trophy as captain.

Rohit smiled reminiscing how the second and third win also had similar kind of stories.

IPL 2014....

"Bhai, are you angry?" Rohit asked to Mahi.

"Why would I be, Ro?" Mahi replied, amused at the question.

"You still didn't congratulate me!" Rohit said disappointedly.

"And didn't even praise me!" Rohit added to himself.

Mahi smiled. Rohit had come a long way but sometimes, Mahi could still see the young, debutant Rohit who would look up to him after his every knock in hope that his Mahi Bhai would praise him. And his face had the happiest smile whenever he praised him, no matter how many praising he had already recieved. It was always his praising which he awaited the most.

"Bhai?" Rohit said offensively.

"Do I still need to say that I'm proud of you, Ro?" Mahi said putting an arm around him. "You should know that your each and every achievement makes me the happiest and proudest, kiddo!"

"Really?" Rohit asked innocently.

"Yes!" Mahi ruffled his hair laughing.

Rohit remembered how he had again spent that night with Mahi Bhai only, not having any regret to miss out the celebrations.

And then again, their next finals had same kind of story.

IPL 2017......

"I'm having headache, Mahi Bhai." Rohit complained as both of them walked back from the post match.

"Why don't you just say that you don't want to join them, Ro?" Mahi said chuckling, looking at the MI team ready to celebrate their third win.

"I don't!" Rohit admitted.

"How about I give you a treat?" Mahi asked.

"Treat!" Rohit said excitedly. "Yes, Bhai!"

"Let's go out then!" Mahi smiled looking at the overexcited Rohit, who happened to had headache few seconds ago.

"But you have to eat with me whatever I want to!" Rohit demanded.

"Okay, okay! It's your day. I'm not going to refuse you for anything!" Mahi said.

"Ice cream?" Rohit said joyfully.

They had to walk pretty long to find a ice cream stall but surprisingly none of them had anything to complain about.

Rohit was rather happy to have Mahi Bhai all to himself and have the most of the time he could.

"I'm so proud of you, Ro! You captained exceptionally well, kiddo!" Mahi said while they were walking back to hotel.

Rohit grinned broadly at the praise and Mahi Bhai ruffled his hair slightly.

Rohit would probably never disclose how smug he felt at all the times he could have Mahi Bhai all to himself.

And IPL always gave him that opportunity.

Talk about their forth win!

IPL 2019....

"Can we have dinner in my room, Bhai?" Rohit asked.

"Okay, as you want, Ro." Mahi said and Rohit started filling their plates.

"Bhai, you know Jassi was extraordinary this year! He's going to be our trump card in upcoming matches!" Rohit said while they had their dinner in his room.

"Yes, he was brilliant!" Mahi agreed.

"And you captained amazingly, Ro!" Mahi added in prideful voice. "I'm so proud of you!"

Rohit's eyes shone listening to that—like always! It always makes him the happiest that he made Mahi Bhai proud!

"Bhai, let's watch movie?" Rohit asked as he wanted to spend more time with Bhai.

"Aren't you tired to be awake whole night, Ro?" Mahi asked.

"No, Bhai!" Rohit said quickly.

"Okay, then." Mahi smiled.

And Rohit ended up falling asleep with his head in Mahi Bhai's shoulder hardly after an hour they started watching the movie.

Mahi Bhai pulled over the comforter and slept in the same position, not wanting to disturb Rohit's sleep.

Rohit scratched the back of his head sheepishly as he remembered Mahi Bhai had pain in back because of that sleeping position next day.

"Bhai could have woken me up." Rohit said to himself as he sat up.

He looked at his phone and suddenly it dawned upon him—

It didn't feel the same this year!

It didn't feel the same because it wasn't the same this year!

And it wasn't same because....

Rohit quickly grabbed his phone and video called Mahi Bhai.

"Mahi Bhai!" Rohit exclaimed as soon as the call was answered. "I'm angry!"

"Ro, please don't you start behaving like Cheeku." Mahi Bhai said while Rohit chuckled.

"You still didn't congratulate me, Bhai!" Rohit complained.

Mahi sighed. His mind flashed a similar scenario of few years back.

"I thought you would be celebrating with others, Ro!" Mahi said.

"When do I ever celebrate with them, Bhai?" Rohit said disappointedly. "It's always with you and it's not the same without you, Bhai!"

"It's okay, Kiddo! Don't worry, I'll give you your treat next time." Mahi said teasingly.

Rohit huffed.

"Ro, congratulation on your fifth win, kiddo!" Mahi said affectionately and was successful to draw a smile on Rohit's face.

"I'm so damn proud of you, kiddo!" Mahi said with genuine pride an elder brother feels for his younger one.

Rohit's eyes glinted with the same happiness it used to seven years back. Mahi noticed how his eyes held the same reverence for him as the young debutant Rohit's did. Rohit looked at him with the same respect and adoration as he did the back when he debuted under him.

Rohit wasn't like Cheeku who claims right over him or demand the extra attention. Rohit used to and still beams with the same happiness at the slightest show of affection.

"I wish you were here, Bhai! I want to be with you." Rohit said weakly.

"It's okay, kiddo, how does it make any difference? All that matters is you have won and you should be celebrating it right now." Mahi Bhai said.

"I know but I wanted to be with you." Rohit said stubbornly.

"We will meet soon, Ro!" Mahi smiled.

Rohit sighed.

"Bhai, you know what Jassi did today? You won't believe it!" Rohit said as he didn't want to miss narrating the story to Mahi Bhai.

Mahi Bhai listened to Rohit's all stories patiently for another two hours before Rohit reluctantly disconnected as he was already half asleep.

Rohit put the phone aside and lied down to sleep.

May be, it did feel a bit same now!

Surely, it did!

Meet soon, Mahi Bhai! Rohit thought as he slept peacefully.
______________________________________

A/n

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