Here is the part 3 of "ð¾ðððððð ðð ððð ð»ððð"
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The following days seemed to pass in a haze. Shubman couldn't shake the feeling that time was slipping through his fingers. Every encounter with Ishan left him more tangled in his own emotionsâdesperate to atone, yet terrified of the consequences.
Ishan's innocence, the way he laughed, the way he looked at him with such genuine curiosity, made Shubman's heart ache. It was as if he was seeing Ishan for the first time and yet, somehow, he was seeing him for the last time.
But this time, Shubman was determined to do things differently. The ghosts of the past weren't just memories; they were warnings. He had to make things right. For both of them.
Shubman's POV:
I knew I was running out of time. Every moment I spent with Ishan felt like a fleeting gift, a fragile thread connecting us, and I could feel the weight of my past pressing down on me.
The love I had buried, the betrayal, the regretâit all consumed me. But how could I make him see? How could I tell him the truth without destroying everything we had built in this life?
"Shubman," Ishan's voice called out to me as I stood outside the dressing room, lost in thought once again. His voice was gentle, but there was a note of concern in it. "You've been avoiding me lately. We're teammates, not strangers. Talk to me, will you?"
His words pierced through my defenses. My heart skipped a beat, and I turned to face him. He stood there, his hands tucked into his pockets, his head slightly tilted, waiting for an answer.
"I'm not avoiding you," I said, though it wasn't entirely true. "I've just been... thinking a lot."
"About what?" Ishan pressed, stepping closer.
I swallowed, the lump in my throat making it hard to speak. The words I had kept hidden for so long burned on the tip of my tongue. "About us," I managed. "About everything, really."
Ishan raised an eyebrow. "Us? You mean the team?"
I looked at him, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to show him the truthâthe longing, the pain, and the love that had never fully left. "No, I mean... you and me, Ishan."
His eyes softened, a slight frown forming as he studied my expression. "Shubman... what are you trying to say?"
I hesitated. This was it. The moment of truth.
"I've known you before, Ishan," I whispered, my voice shaking. "In another life... we were together."
I saw his eyes widen, his expression unreadable. But I pushed forward, unable to stop myself. "I hurt you. I betrayed you. And I've spent every day since regretting it. I don't expect you to understand. I don't expect you to forgive me. But I have to tell you the truth."
There was silence between us. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, my breath shallow. For a moment, it felt like everything had stoppedâlike the world was holding its breath, waiting for Ishan's response.
Ishan's POV:
The air between us crackled with tension. I didn't know what Shubman was talking about, but there was a depth in his eyes, a vulnerability I had never seen before.
The words he spokeâabout knowing me before, about another lifeâwere so strange, so impossible to grasp. But there was something about his tone, something in his eyes, that made me pause.
"Another life?" I echoed, trying to make sense of it. "What do you mean? I don't... I don't understand."
Shubman took a deep breath, his hands shaking slightly as he ran them through his hair. "I've wronged you, Ishan," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "In the past, I killed you. I didn't want to, but I was manipulated... and Iâ"
His voice faltered, and for the first time, I saw the raw pain in his eyes. It hit me like a punch to the stomach. "You killed me?" My words felt numb as they left my mouth. "But why?"
"Because I didn't see you for who you were," Shubman replied, stepping closer. "I didn't understand how much you loved me. I was blind to the truth, and by the time I realized it, it was too late. You were gone. And I... I couldn't live with that. So I promised myself that if I ever found you again, I would make things right. And now I'm here, and I have no idea how to do that."
I stood, my legs unsteady. The memories flooded back nowâhis cold words, the betrayal, and the love I'd seen in his eyes too late.
"I remember," I whispered, my voice shaking.
Shubman's eyes widened. "Ishanâ"
"Leave," I said, cutting him off. My voice was firmer now, laced with the pain of two lifetimes. "I need time."
He hesitated but eventually nodded, walking out the door.
I didn't know what I was feelingâanger, sadness, confusionâbut I also felt something else. A deep, overwhelming love that I couldn't ignore.
The Next Day-- Shubman's POV
I stood outside Ishan's hotel room for what felt like hours before knocking. The door opened, and he stood there, his expression guarded.
"Can I come in?" I asked cautiously.
He didn't answer but stepped aside, letting me enter. The air between us was thick with unspoken words.
"Ishan," I began, "I know I have no right to ask for your forgiveness. But I need to say this."
He crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. "Go on."
"I was a fool," I said, my voice trembling. "In our past life, I let someone manipulate me into believing you were my enemy. I didn't see the love you had for me, and I... I took everything from you."
"You killed me," he said bluntly, his voice steady but laced with pain.
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I did. And I've regretted it every moment since. When I realized what I'd done, it was too late. I vowed to find you in the next life and make things right, but... how do you fix something so broken?"
"You can't just erase the past, Shubman," he said, his voice cracking slightly. "You stole my life, my trust, my love. How do you expect me to forgive that?"
I dropped to my knees, the weight of his words crushing me. "I don't expect forgiveness. But I love you, Ishan. I loved you then, even if I was too blind to see it. And I love you now. All I want is a chance to prove it."
For a moment, there was only silence. Then he sighed, his posture softening.
"Stand up, Shubman," he said, his voice gentler.
I stood, hesitant, as he stepped closer.
"I don't know if I can forgive you yet," he admitted. "But I think... I think part of me still loves you too."
Ishan's POV
The pain of remembering was overwhelming, but so was the memory of the love I had felt for him. It wasn't something that could be extinguished, no matter how much I wanted to deny it.
Seeing him on his knees, broken and vulnerable, stirred something in me. Perhaps it was the faint hope that this life could be different.
"Let's take this slow," I said finally. "You don't get to fix everything overnight, Shubman. But if you're serious, you'll have to earn my trust again."
His eyes lit up with a mix of relief and determination. "I'll do whatever it takes."
Author's POV
Shubman didn't waste time. Over the next few weeks, he went out of his way to show Ishan that this life would be different. He was patient, considerate, and made a conscious effort to support Ishan both on and off the field.
The team noticed the change.
"Is Gill trying to woo Kishan?" Rishabh joked one day during practice.
"Looks like it," Hardik replied, smirking. "About time someone took Kishan off my hands."
Ishan rolled his eyes but couldn't help the small smile that crept onto his face.
Present Day â Shubman's POV
We were sitting on the team bus after a match, the atmosphere buzzing with victory. I leaned over to Ishan, who was scrolling through his phone.
"Can I take you out for dinner?" I asked softly.
He looked at me, surprised. "Like... a date?"
I nodded, my heart pounding.
He hesitated but then smiled. "Alright, Gill. One date."
Author's POV
That dinner marked a turning point. Over candlelight and quiet conversation, the two began to rebuild the bridge that had been burned lifetimes ago.
Shubman's sincerity and Ishan's willingness to forgive created a bond that felt unbreakable.
One evening, as they walked along the beach near their hotel, Ishan stopped and turned to Shubman.
"I need to do something," he said, stepping closer.
Before Shubman could respond, Ishan cupped his face gently and leaned in, their lips meeting in a kiss that was tender, hesitant, but filled with unspoken promises.
When they pulled away, Shubman looked at him, his eyes glistening.
"I think... I'm ready to forgive you," he said softly.
Author's POV
The past no longer held them captive. Together, they faced their trauma, finding strength in each other.
On the field, they were a formidable pair, and off it, they found peace and joy in the life they had reclaimed.
Their teammates teased them mercilessly but celebrated their happiness.
"Guess we're all just living in Gill and Kishan's love story," Hardik joked, earning laughter from the group.
For Shubman and Ishan, it wasn't about erasing the past but embracing the present and building a future together.
As they stood on the cricket field one evening, watching the sun set, Shubman took Ishan's hand.
"This time, I'll get it right," he promised.
Ishan smiled, squeezing his hand. "You already are."
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The End.
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