Rishabh Pant was excited for his B'day. Well, he was more than excited for his B'day. At least on his B'day, he will get his Virat bhaiya for himself. He means that his Vi bhaiya will call to wish him Happy B'day. Rishu was sure his Vi bhaiya will call and then Rishu will tell his Vi bhaiya everything. 

And the next day, he'll meet his Vi bhaiya live and cling to him at extra time. Well, cling isn't the right word. He'll hug his Virat bhaiya and never let go and complain about mean world, trolls and bullying older brothers.

Yups, Rishu was so excited for his B'day. He couldnt wait for the clock to struck 00:00 hours. His Virat bhaiya was going to wish him at 00:00 hours. He was hundered percent sure about it.

So, he was eagerly counting the minutes remaining before the clock struck 12 with his fav old song playing in background.

Rishu checked the phone at 11:30, at 11:35, at 11:40, at 11:50, at 11:57 Rishu was sound sleep.

+++++++++

Rahul checked the ICT group for the thousandth time in the last ten minutes. After days of static or just simple exchange of good morning and good nights, the group was buzzing with messages again but the person because of whom the group was buzzing was MIA currently.

Rahul was really excited for the day to be truthfull. He was sure on Rishu's B'day, they'll get proper ICT madness.

Yes, it was a madhouse currently but still some people were missing and it wasn't same with the feeling of being replaced hanging on their necks. They had tried. Well, they had tried every trick to make Rohit bhaiya understand the direness of the situation but Rohit bhaiya wasn't that affected.

He couldn't quite understand why Dev chipkuing to their Vi bhai was an issue and he had quite thoroughly told them to stop over acting and went back to sleep.

Rahul was quite sure that they weren't over acting if anything they weren't acting at all. Rahul had tried showing his displeasure to Virat during his match with RCB but the moment he spotted Virat, all his displeasure seemed to fly away somewhere. Virat smiled at him and his lips seemed bound to smile back. He didn't have even a percent control over his body muscles or actions.

He had leaned in for fist bump when or how he got wrapped in Virat's arms. He still doesn't remember.  It just happened and he was so happy and then the match happened. He was happy for his century, Virat was more happy for his century and even though he was in opposite team and shouldn't be hoping for Virat's well performance, he was doing just that. He didn't like his Vi bhaiya getting trolled.

Rahul knows for certain the others felt the same giddiness during their matches against RCB. Jassi and Harry had been going on and on about the praises loaded on them for days. Harry boasted about jumping on Virat's back and making him give him a piggy back ride. When that happened Rahul had no idea or visual proofs.  Jassi admitted hugging (clinging like koala) Virat bhai and talking to him till both the team were present in the ground.

Harry helplessly and not at all sorrily declared that he made Virat late. They didn't allow Virat to get back in his team bus quite soon. They had delayed as long as they could. Rahul understood the feeling fine, he had done something absolutely similar.

Though he hated the way Vi praised Dev and liked his posts on instagram. Why wasn't Vi liking his Insta posts? Rah wanted to demand. Virat was liking the posts of Washy and Dev but not his, that's unfair isn't it?

Why is he even following him if he didn't want to like the posts?

Humph, meanie older brothers forgetting all about sense and proprietary. They couldn't even complain to Mahi bhai about it now. Mahi bhai and trolls were having a very intimate relation right now and most of the time, all of them were involved in cheering Mahi bhai and making him feel loved.

Rah had even prepared a whole speech he'll give Mahi bhai face to face along with Manku. They loved their older brothers very much even if certain older brother's were becoming strays.

And Rahul couldn't wait for India's tour to Aus. At least, it'll be just them again. And why the heck they're calling Dev, Virat's heir and prince.

That's him. Everyone knows that. Even Virat has said so. So, what's wrong with people? Cant they see the awesome Virat-Rahul duo? Humph, blind people.

Though getting that Dev out early was quite satisfying for Rahul and Rahul can rant about that for hours but it wasnt the time for that. It was Rishu's B'day.  The elders were still quite missing and the youngsters were being totally mad. God, why is he being the sensible one again?

Rah: Isn't your room connected to Rishu's Shrey?

Rahul typed feeling drained already. The guys were arguing for the last ten minutes over heedless things and why is he talking sense in the group that's Mahi bhai's job.

Shrey was sending obnoxiously loud voice messages and Rishu was still quite missing.

Shrey: yes, why?

Rahul: don't you have the secret connecting door? 🙄

Shrey: Yeah!!!! I'll go and inform Sikhi pa and others about it. They had been contemplating breaking the door for what feel ages. 😃😃😃

Rahul facepalmed. God, what's wrong with these people? And atleast,  now they know where Jinks bhaiya, Ash bhai and Sikhi pa were.

Mahi: Happy Birthday baccha. Hope you have a very beautiful year ahead and have lots of fun. And enjoy your day, I'm sure Ash, Jinks, Sikhi and Shrey will do everything we wanted to do on your B'day. Have a merry day kiddo.

Rah: Mahi bhaiiiiii 🤩🤩🤩

Jassi: +1

Kul: +1

Subhi: +1

Harry: Mahiyaaaaa, my dearest, did you miss me?? 😁😁😁😁😁😁

Bhuvi: 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

Mahi: Harry!!!!

Harry: Mahi bhaiyaaaaaaaa, you missed me naah.

Jaddu: not at all 😏

Jassi: +1

Bhuvi: Rishu, my dearest little brother. Kiddo, I wish you a very happy B'day. Hope you have a fabulously amazing cricketing year ahead and have lots of fun.

Subhi: Bhuvi bhaiya, Rishu isn't online.

Bhuvi: Oh!!!!

Shrey: Mahiii bhai, Bhuvi Bhaiiii.....I'm so heartened to see you here on this hilarious occasion. 😄😄😄😄😄

Jaddu: what hilarious occasion?

Ro: why are you sounding like a crying crow Shrey?

Yuzi: Where's the B'day boy??

Jinks: why are you all screaming?

Yuzi: Happiest b'day to little Aarya Jinks bhaiya...I'll call my princess tomorrow.  Let's not spoil her sleep.

Jinks: yeah, let's just spoil her father's sleep only.

Jaddu: why do you need sleep? I can go for days without sleeping.

Ro: I need to sleep....

Jaddu: well, that's all you do, Ro...

Rah: Did you check the connecting door?

Shrey: Its locked.

Sikhi pa: I'm going to pull a Daya tonight. 😁😁😁😁

Harry: can I say DARWAZA TOD DAYA!!!!

Jassi: Nooooo

Rah: Absolutely not!!!

Mahi: Jinks, Ash, I thought we decided nothing destructive is going to happen.

Jinks: I tried Mahi bhai...

Ash: Me too bhai...

Sikhi: Its going to be Fun, Mahi bhai...

Mahi: the kid is going to get a heart attack..no, breaking...

Shrey: I can open the door with a card. Gimme a card...

Harry: What card?

Ro: how will we give you a card by drone? 🙄

Harry: You've a drone Rohitaaaaa. You didn't tell me about. I'M HEARTBROKEN. 😭😭😭😭😭😭

Rah: use your own card

Shrey: got Harry's credit card.

Mahi: Shrey

Virat: Happy B'day Rishu boy. So Sorry, I'm late.....

Ro: like you can be ever late. We are early😬😬😬

Vi: you suck at sarcasm B-Rooo

Ro: You suck

Mahi: Cheeekuuuuu

Vi: Mahi bhaiiiiiiii, Ro is being meanie.

Jaddu: I thought he was being sarcastic!

Vi: He was and that was quite meanieee

Ro: 😑😑😑😑😑

Ro: Why were you late? Mr. Punctuality!!!

Bhuvi: please, don't start....

Kul: You okay, Bhaiya??

Ro: No, he is insane....

Vi: talk about yourself...

Mahi: cheeku, Rooo

Shrey: done, I opened the door...

Mahi: Rishu alright??

Shrey: Yeah, he is sleeping with Mere Khwabon mein jo aaye playing on his laptop.

Mahi: What to do with this kid??

Jinks: Cake ready, are you ready guys???

Mahi: Add me on the call first!!

Vi: me too

Ro: me three

Harry: me four

Jasii: Jinks Bhaiya add all of us on calll....

With that being decided Jinks and Sikhi added everyone on video call. Jinks had already asked the chef to make Rishu's fav cake and had stored it in his mini fridge till the right time came.

Ash and Jinks hastily decorates the cake with candles but Shrey stopped them from lighting the cake then, they should have known something was up right then.

Entering Rishu's room through the connecting door. All the ICT fell upon an aww inducing sight. Rishu was sleeping on the bed with his legs dangling down, his hands clutched around his phone like it was the most precious thing in the whole world and Shrey's eyes were lit with mischief.

"Let's prank" he said excitedly....

"No!!!" Mahi, Jinks, Ash, Bhuvi, Ro and surprisingly Vi stated simultaneously.

But the other kids formed an union along with Sikhi and Jaddu and vetoed out them.  Shrey took his position near Rishu's bed with his beautiful feather pen.  He stole it from Sikhi. Sikhi had stolen it from Virat. The lights were switched off.

And Jaddu was asked to make the best ghost sounds he can.

Rishu woke up to someone pulling at his clothes, something soft crawling along his skin and mad ghost cackling in a dark room along with ghostly bgm.

Terrified the kid clutched his phone with a breakable grip, screaming "bhaiyaaaaaa bachaoooo"

Which Bhaiya he was exactly calling was anyone's guess. Rishu's screen light falling on Sikhi pa's madly grinning face made the kid scream more and Jaddu cackle more madly.

Finally, taking pity on the poor kid Jinks and Ash switched on the lights. Much to the disappointment of Shreyas, Jaddu and Sikhi. Both Shreyas and Sikhi were hit quite thoroughly with pillows by Rishu when he was sure that it was really them and not some skin changing ghosts.

"Happy B'day Bacchaaaa" Mahi bhai's wish stopped Rishu, Sikhi and Shrey from continuing their pillow war.

"IT'S YOUR B'Day. IT'S YOUR B'Day. HAPPY  BIRTHDAY TO YOU" Harry sang repeatedly cutting and deafening everyone else on line.

When they finally made Harry shut up. The others wishes Rishu happily, the cake was brought to be cut. Candles finally lit.

"Make a wish" all of the kiddos screamed on top of their voices. 

"Happy birthday to you ji. Cake shake hai toh bula ji, aise hi tum budhe hote rahoge humko usse kya mtlb batao ji, Happy B'day to you haaji" Harry, Yuzi, Jaddu and Sikhi sang merrily even Rahul, Mayank, Subhi, and Kul joined them.

Bhuvi, Mahi, Jinks, Ash facepalmed.

"Chotte tera birthday aaya," Rohirat sang happily.

And amidst the total confusion and mixing songs and lyrics and totally off-tune singers. Rishu cut his cake feeling very  happy. For this was the total ICT wala feels right there.

"Cake Smash time" Jaddu screamed as soon as Rishu was done feeding pieces of cakes to Shrey, Sikhi, Ash, Jinks and small scoops of cakes pointed at screen as if to feed all of them. Rishu ate all those parts of cake.

Laughing watching the boys scowl. Every single of them screamed like mad directing Sikhi and Shreyas on how to smash the cake on Rishu.

Jinks pondering how on the earth were this people so widely awake and full of energy in midnight?

Mahi bhai shaking his head at his crazy kiddos, celebrating virtual B'day.

"I've a gift for you!!!" Virat announced happily when all of the smashing was done and all of them present in Rishu's room were looking like chocolate ghosts.

"What is it??? Bhaiyaaa" Rishu demanded very eagerly.

"Surprise" Virat smriked

Rishu groaned.

"I'VE A GIFT TOOO" Ro announced importantly.

And just like that the whole ICt was talking about gifts, boasting and being their crazy selfs. Sleep and midnight concern totally forgotten. The ICT didnt actually care if their shouting was waking up others or disturbing someone.

They were too lost in their ICT induced feels and madness to care.

Rohirat were bickering.

Mahi bhai's name was whined about every second.

Jaddu was being the self-proclaimed DJ blasting songs.

Subhi was jumping on bed so were Rishu and Shrey.

Rahul was laughing.

Kulcha were playing stone, paper, scissors.

Jassi was trying to stop Harry from screaming the songs on top of his voice.

While Jinks, Bhuvi and Ash pondered about the insanity about the whole thing.

And at that moment, a series of knocks came from behind someone. All of them stared at each other and the screens to deduce which of them was being visited by someone at midnight.

Most of them thought it was Mahi bhai's call. After all, every player wanted Mahi bhai for some reason or other. Mahi bhai's kids were certain maybe Shardul or Deepak wanted Mahi bhai after having some nightmare or something.

But no, to the older kid's surprise and the younger ones total displeasure the sound came from Virat's room.

Virat was in the living room of his suit, Nushkie was sleeping and Virat didn't want to disturb her sleep. So, while the guy's were playing their guessing room and looking at Mahi bhai for explanation.

Virat had answered the door. Unfortunately, for Virat everyone was listening when he answered the door.

"Dev! Everything alright" Virat asked surprised finding the kid on his door so late in night and that too clutching his pillow like a teddy bear.

"Did I wake you up bhaiya??" Dev asked Virat self-consciously, fidgeting under Virat's concerned gaze. It was very hard to not wrap the kid in his arms. He looked so like a scared kitten right then.

"No, what happened kiddo?" Virat asked Dev patiently ushering him inside the room.

"You should be resting bhaiya. You practiced all night," Dev said pointedly knowing how hard Virat beat himself and practiced because of being out of form and dropping the catches.

Dev had idolized Virat for so long and now, in a team feeling like his little brother. Dev couldn't help but worry like his little brother too.

"I'm fine kiddo though you looked like you had seen a ghost," Virat declared using his top notch observation skills.

"Might have," Dev mumbled sulkingly leaning on Virat.

"I didnt quite catch the words kiddo, " Virat said sitting back on the sofa and Dev slumped on Virat's shoulder pouting.

"My room lights were flickering badly and Yuzi bhaiya had a paranormal activity movie marathon with us," Dev said defiantly and Virat understood the whole matter quite quickly.

The poor kid was terrified and alone after watching a horror movie and someone might be pulling pranks on him too.

"Why dont you stay with me till we get the management to fix your room's light" Virat asked suggestively trying not to point out the real reason the kid wanted to stay with Virat.

"Okay," Dev agreed without any ado.

"Great!! You know the discussion room you can sleep there" Virat said pointing to the extra room in his suit which they used as team bonding session room.

And shenanigans room too.

"Can't I stay with you?" Dev asked Vii, he wasn't looking forward to be alone. What if the ghost followed him? Virat bhai was safe base, he was sure.

"Alright," Virat agreed amused by the spooked kid.

Dev rested his head on Virat's lap. He had seen Washy, Nav, Shivam even Yuzi do it many times. He was too sleepy to care anyway. So, resting his head on Virat's lap with Virat's fingers running through his hair. He let sleep claim him again feeling quite safe.

*********

Mahi bhai was feeling quite proud of Virat. The way he handled the situation was quite commendable though he wasn't quite happy hearing that Virat had been practicing all night. He should have known his kid was doing something like that after all, Virat always did that.

But again, it was his cheeku and no, one was as hard on themselves as cheeku was on himself. Mahi thought to talk with Virat about this later.

For right now, something seemed to have possessed all the kids on the video call. Hearing, Dev they had started calling "Virat Bhaiyaaa" on top of their voices.

Almost deafening the rest of the people. They seemed ready to do anything to keep Virat's attention to themselves.

When Dev mentioned about the horror movie and Yuzi's hand in it. Mahi was surprised Yuzi hadn't gone through instaneous combustion due to the intensity of the glares.

"Aaj hi ka deen mila tha aapko," Rishu grumbled shooting Yuzi a withering glare.

Harry seemed to be mumbling about real ghosts and something about meet me.

Rahul seemed to be muttering something in kannad, something that suspiciously sounded like curse words to Mahi bhai.

And Mayank howling with laughter wasn't helping their ears too. When Virat said you looked like you have seen a ghost.

Mahi was sure he heard Hardik mutter "why didnt the ghost kidnap you? Would have saved us some headaches"

When Dev asked Can I stay with you? All of them seemed to yell "no" as one. All of them beside Yuzi who looked totally confused and bewildered.

And when Dev was leaning against Virat and was totally visible on Virat's screen. The kids looked like they wanted to throw something at Dev.

"What are you doing Harry?" Mahi heard Ro ask Harry wryly.

"Phone se fek kr marne k liye kuch dhund rha hu" Harry replied unbothered by the gaping reactions.

"Harry bhaiya mil jaye toh mujhe bhi de dena," Rishu stated.

"Mujhe bhi" Subhiiii said.

Jassi facepalmed.

Kul looked like he had swallowed a lemon watching Dev use Virat's lap as his pillow.

Jaddu seemed to be enjoying the whole think their was a mad twinkle in his eyes. Ro looked quite exasperated.

And when Virat finally wore his headphones again certain Dev was asleep. He found his kiddos scowling quite darkly. Ro looking exasperated. Jaddu looked like if their was popcorn nearby it would be perfect. Mahi bhai looked both exasperated and amused.

"Ummm...What happened?" Virat asked them uncertainly. 

Jinks couldnt beileve what he was hearing? Isn't it quite clear what's happening? How can this guy be so clueless? He didn't know.

___________

So, what do you think guys?

I'm sorry, I couldnt reply to your comments personally actually optical fibre had got damaged in our area somehow. So, both my tv and wifi aren't working. I'm so sad. They said it'll be repaired today. It isn't yet. How will I watch match tonight?

I just pray it gets sorted out before toss.

I hope you guys enjoyed the update.

Posting it was quite a challenge. Network is about non-existent here.