Kudos to @MahuaPanja for suggesting this amazing story idea!
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ShubmanÃishan
Part 1:
The sun was setting over the lush greens of the cricket field. The Indian Cricket Team was wrapping up their practice session for the day.
Shubman Gill, with his characteristic focus and sharp determination, stood near the boundary, lost in thought as his teammates gathered around, chatting and laughing after their intense training. Yet, there was one person who caught his attention, every time he glanced toward him.
Ishan Kishan, his new teammate, laughed with Hardik Pandya, but there was something in his eyes that spoke of deeper things, things Shubman had always felt but could never fully explain.
Every time their eyes met, there was a spark, an unspoken understanding, though neither of them could name it. Shubman tried to shake the feeling, but it only intensified. There was something about Ishan that felt... familiar.
Shubman's POV:
I couldn't shake the feeling. Not when I saw him for the first time at the trials, not when I saw him take a stunning catch, and certainly not now, watching him interact with the rest of the team.
It was as if the universe was pulling me toward him, a force I couldn't deny.
But that wasn't the strange part. The strange part was the gnawing, aching sensation in my chest every time our eyes met, as though somethingâsomeoneâwas whispering in the back of my mind.
It wasn't just a feeling of attraction. It was deeper than that, an undeniable pull, like I had known him before. But that didn't make sense, did it?
"Shubman! Earth to Shubman!" I heard Hardik's voice cut through my thoughts, his hand slapping my back.
I blinked and looked up, startled. Hardik was grinning mischievously, while Ishan stood beside him, his brow furrowed with curiosity. I swallowed hard. "What's up?" I asked, trying to shake off the strange feeling.
"Nothing. You were zoning out, bro," Hardik said, eyes twinkling. "Ish, tell him about your big plan!"
Ishan rolled his eyes, but there was a playful glint in his gaze. "Nothing big," he said, though his smile betrayed him. "Just thinking of trying something different for the warm-up tomorrow. You in?"
I nodded, though my mind was elsewhere, still trying to untangle the threads that seemed to connect me to him, threads that didn't belong to this life, but rather... somewhere else.
Ishan's POV:
I couldn't explain it. Something about Shubman made me feel like I had known him my entire life, like I had once stood beside him in a place I couldn't quite remember.
It wasn't just the way he carried himself on the fieldâconfident, yet with an underlying sense of vulnerabilityâor the way his eyes would occasionally meet mine with that intensity that made my heart skip a beat. There was a strange familiarity about him, one that tugged at my soul.
As we walked off the field, I found myself glancing at him more often than I would admit. The others had gone ahead, but I lingered back, walking slowly to stay near him.
"Hey, Shubman," I started, voice a little quieter than usual. "You ever feel like... you've met someone before, but you can't remember when or where?"
Shubman gave me a surprised glance before his lips curled into a small smile. "All the time. But I never know who they are. Maybe you just have a good intuition, Ishan."
It was a simple comment, but it felt like he was saying more. Something unspoken hovered between us, just out of reach.
Past Life:
The sun was hot on the land of a vast estate, and Shubman, now a zamindar in a life long past, stood overlooking his lands, his gaze distant.
The mansion behind him was a symbol of his power and wealth, but the weight on his chest was unbearable.
He had been forced into a marriage with Ishan, a man he barely knew, because of the demands of his family and the expectations of society.
But Shubman's heart lay elsewhere, with someone he could not nameâa person who had promised him that together, they could rule the world.
Ishan was kind, and he loved Shubman with the kind of pure, unwavering love that only the most devoted could offer.
But to Shubman, it wasn't enough. His heart was consumed by another, and in the shadows, his lover whispered lies, promises of a life of freedom, of power, of love.
That night, it all fell apart. Driven by a mix of jealousy, insecurity, and manipulation, Shubman took Ishan's life, feeling nothing but cold emptiness as he watched the light leave his eyes.
He didn't understand it then, but the regret and sorrow soon consumed him. It was too late to undo what he had done. The person he thought he loved had disappeared, leaving him to face the consequences of his actions.
Shubman's POV (Present Life):
I shook my head, trying to banish the haunting memories of a past life that seemed to claw at my mind. I had promised myself I would find him again, that I would make it right.
But how could I face him now? How could I face Ishan when all I had left was the wreckage of my past?
Author's POV:
The air was thick with unspoken words as the night descended. Shubman, Ishan, and the rest of the team continued their evening rituals, but for both of them, the connection between them seemed undeniable, even if they didn't understand it yet.
Somewhere, deep in the folds of their souls, there was a promiseâone made long agoâthat had yet to be fulfilled. But fate, it seemed, had a way of making its presence known.
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End of Part 1
Since the story grew longer. I decided to break it down into three parts.