Never Google your feelings, Shubman learnt it the hard way.

After managing to escape the prying eyes of his teammates, Shubman did what any normal person would do.

He picked up his phone and googled his 'symptoms' for reasons elusive to his understanding. What could the internet say wrong though? He could get the solution to his problem or maybe something that could be helpful.

Boy! Was he wrong...

He had anxiety and even the chances of Myocardial infarction according to the search engine.

Well, that's reassuring.

Heart palpitations! That one seemed to be the least scary and the most aligned to his situation. Heart fluttering, pounding, racing.

Indeed! The description resonated with his current state.

As he browsed through the causes, he paused after reading the text...

Apparently, he needed to quit smoking, marijuana and alcohol consumption.

He was on the verge of slamming his phone onto the wall when someone knocked on his door.

Immaculate timing! Guess the phone lives' Shubman shrugged at the thought and opened the door to find Ishan on the other side.

Before he could utter a single word, Ishan pushed his way into the room and Shubman stared confusedly.

"To what do I owe this pleasure to?"

"Do I need a reason to be in my room now?"

Cranky! Shubman bit back a smile at the other's scowling face.

"Not at all, you can come and go as you please. I was just  saying..."

Ishan just hummed in acknowledgement and started browsing through his wardrobe while Shubman got back to his quest.

---

"Going somewhere?"

In his defense, Shubman did his best to ignore the other while he shuffled through his clothes and even walked out into the balcony as Ishan went to shower.

To give his some privacy, you know.

But he was not good at the 'ignoring' part. Not especially when the subject of his ignorance looked like a cuddly teddy bear, freshly bathed, all warm, soft and smelling like comfort.

His comfort...

This was 17th time in a row, that Shubman had drifted into his lala or would you say Ishalala land in the past week.

"Just gonna roam around the streets and would maybe get some coffee..." Ishan stopped for a second as if contemplating something and then asked, "Wanna tag along?"

The words were said as a peace offering and who was Shubman to deny that face.

"Yeah!" The reply slipped almost immediately, coffee sounded tempting.

Just the coffee!

----

Shubman walked along a smiling Ishan, repeatedly clenching and unclenching his hand. A breadcrumb rested on Ishan's face, which would go unnoticed unless closely inspected.

Shubman wanted to get that stupid scrap off. It was distracting!

Why was he making everything so complicated! He had wiped off Ishan's face so many times in the past. Then why was it any different?

Just forward your hand and wipe that freaking thing away!

Simple.

If only it was that simple.

"Is there something on my face, Shubi?" Ishan questioned, his smile unwavering. "You have been staring, or are you lost somewhere?"

Lost in you.

Shubman realised he had said it out loud when he found Ishan staring at him, impressed.

"That was a good one Shubi! I almost believed you meant it. You are becoming quite the charmer!" He chuckled.

Shubman couldn't help but grin at Ishan's response. The air between them shifted, a playful energy settling in.

"Well, maybe I did mean it," Shubman replied, his tone teasing. "Who knows what mysterious depths my feelings might hold?"

Ishan raised an eyebrow, his playful smile lingering. "Mysterious depths, huh? You're starting to sound like the protagonist of those cheesy movies you seem to hate."

"Maybe I am," Shubman quipped, enjoying the banter. "And who says real life can't have a touch of romance?"

Feeling a bit confident after the little banter, Shubman stepped a bit closer to Ishan, making the other stop his rambling and look at him in confusion.

Without a word, Shubman's hand reached out, gently wiping away the crumb, his fingers brushing gently against Ishan's skin.

"There's something on your face." Shubman whispered softly, his touch lingering for an extra heartbeat. As he wiped away the crumb, their eyes locked in a quiet exchange.

"Th.. thanks" Ishan stuttered as both of them came back to their senses while Shubman just smiled sweetly at the other.

---

A few meters away from the scene, behind the advertising boards, nine people could be seen whispering and exchanging knowing glances as they spied on the unfolding scene between Shubman and Ishan.

"And then they'll say that they are just friends." Siraj rolled his eyes at the exchange, anyone could see how 'friendly' these two were.

"The flirting, I swear!"

"We should not be here guys." Kul said almost in a whisper, the only voice of reason present in the group.

"Shubi is going to confess first!"

"Ishan would be the first!"

The group seemed to be divided on the 'who's-gonna-confess first'. Kuldeep sighed at his plight, feeling the absence of his fellow silent and intellectual fellows. Why did he agree to come with them?

"With that dense attitude of the two, I feel like we would have to be the one to confess on their behalf." Rishabh piped in, too done with his two friends and their obliviousness.

"Both of them would confess at the same time!" One of them yelled out.

"You know! Like blabbering the 'I like yous' at the same time!!"

Everyone paused their discussion and turned to look at Hardik, unimpressed, "You have watched way too many of those clichéd films"

"What? Oh come on!' Hardik whined, "Isn't their story already a bit clichéd for us to not bat a brow?"

"He's got a point." Yuzi and Jaddu seemed to agree with him.

"I'd say one of them would drop the L-bomb in a week or so." Jaddu said. "My money's on Shubh though."

There was a pregnant pause and then everyone started yelling out their thoughts and Rohit and Virat even went as far as to slam their wallets at eachother's faces.

"A week"

"A week and two days"

"Five days"

"One freaking week! And that's final! We're in too." Rohit successfully managed to shut Virat up and made Yuzi write his and Virat's name in the list too.

The list contained all the probable dates with the location, the guys expected the proposal to take place.

Always the overachievers, Virat, Yuzi, Harry and Jaddu even wrote the exact words for the little confession.

"You've written a full script here." Shreyash noted, to say he was impressed would be an understatement.

"Ekta Kapoor ke serials ko takkar denge ye chaaro." Rohit sassed, cringing at the cheesy lines written on the sheet, in Yuzi's section.

The four in question launched into a debate about their script being better than the Naagin lady with Rohit being on the receiving end of the explanations, while the others shrugged at the five and got back to their 'spying'.

"Where did they go?"

"What are you guys doing here?" Came a voice, and there stood two people the team would rather avoid being caught by.

Never get distracted while spying, the team learnt the hard way.

___