Cricketing hearts - Chapter 63: Chapter 63

The first half of interview went smoothly. The directors explained everything to the media which the reporters were jolting every detail carefully.
When they were explaining about all the things Naman did and the punishment he is going to receive, Ishan felt a bit uneasy but Shubman's hand which was over his fist was enough to keep him calm.
Neither Ishan nor Shubman were subtle about their stares. And the smile Ishan was giving him whenever their eyes would meet was enough to flutter Shubman's heart.
Despite the stress and tension in the air, both the lads were completely at ease just thinking about the things they did just a moment ago.
"If any of you have any questions for us or for the cricketers you may ask," The director said and ushered whispers filled the once silent moment.
"So you mean the news of Ishan raping Shubman is fake?"
"Of course it's fake. Didn't you listened what they said before? Naman had mixed a drug in our drink that's why we both were intoxicated and did that." Shubman glared at the reporter.
"But how can the drug intoxicate you guys so much that Ishan sir you couldn't even understand you were giving a blowjob to a man?"
"Y-" Shubman stopped when Ishan gave a gentle squeeze to his hand.
"How do you know I gave a blowjob to Shubman?"
"Because we all saw the video," The reporter was confused.
"There are many ai generated videos trending nowadays, how can you all be sure that it was real?"
"Sir we did not watched those trending videos. We watched the footage, I think you forgot we were emailed the network address of the cctv camera of your bathroom."
"No no I did not forgot, so you guys know that it was the footage of our bathroom camera? And you guys still watched whole footage to confirm what I was doing with Shubman?"
"Yeah, we needed to see it ourselves if the news was true or not."
"Okay, can all of you guys raise your hands which still continued to watch the footage till me and Shubman got to that part while knowing it was a cctv camera footage of our bathroom?" Ishan asked and almost all the reporters had their hands up.
Ishan took out his phone clicking a picture where everyone's face was clearly visible.
"Please get information over all these people, I want to sue all of them in court." He said handing the phone to the directors.
Loud murmurs broke out.
"You guys accepted that you committed that crime by yourselves. As much as Naman is wrong to put the camera in our personal space, you all are also wrong for peeping into our personal space while knowing damn well what it was,"
Shubman was looking at Ishan with heart eyes. Because damn papi.
With the way he handled all of the reporters and left them baffled was truly an amazement.
Huh what did they all thought? They will come and belittle his boyfriend just like that? Well take that scumbags!
The chaos was exploding between reporters while Ishan was just sitting with a grin on his face.
The directors were also amazed as to how Ishan turned the situation.
No matter how much the reporters could say they had a different reason for watching the footage, still it was illegal.
"What media right huh? Just because you guys are media you think you all will be not charged under the IT act of 2000? Should I remind you all the section 66E? That camera captured their private parts without their consent so this is a crime. You guys should have thought before committing it." One of the directors said.
Ishan looked at them while being grateful.
"Quite a nice way to divert the topic Ishan sir, just because you didn't wanted to answer my question you dropped this bomb?" The previous reporter spat when nothing was left to say.
"I did not diverted any topic, I just showed you all the mirror. A criminal will never accepted they committed the crime now will they? And as far as your question goes, yeah I was not intoxicated enough to not being able to differ between a man and a woman but what does it even show? I am gay so it is normal for me to do it with a man,"
Okay this was a bomb for the directors as well, the media were flabbergasted and the shuttering noises of cameras which were dying down again lit up. Everyone trying to capture the moment in the best way possible.
"You are gay?"
"Yes I am gay, I like men." Ishan shrugged.
"Specifically he likes me. And I like him too, he is my boyfriend." Shubman was quick to add. If this is going to hit headlines then he can't give any ideas to other men that Ishan is single.
The directors were giving side eyes to Shubman and Ishan, they can't just do that without asking the authorities first.
"So Shubman and Ishan, who were supposedly the future of cricket, are into men?"
"What do you mean by supposedly? We still are the future of cricket, if you guys have any homophobic remarks then we are not here to cater you all." Shubman replied.
"You can stop us but you won't be able to stop the public sir. We are just showing you the truth. Our country does not accept this kind of relationship. The whole country is going to oppose your relation." One of the reporters shrugged.
"If this country think opposing us is more important than addressing how to decrease poverty or focusing onto the rising crime rate then I don't have any words for this country,"
"Sir we do focus on everything. Measures are definitely taken for everything but we are here to focus onto your story. After all the sin happening here needs to be shown as well," The reporter smirked.
Shubman and Ishan exchanged a knowing look.
"You call it a sin, we call it love. And we are not ashamed of who we are and who we love. If the public has any issue with it, then that's their problem. We are not here to please everyone, we are here to live our truth."
The room fell silent for a moment before another reporter cleared their throat.
"There is not any issue in loving but you all should be aware the backlash you would be getting from public. And they are also not wrong, what the reaction they are having is totally justifie-"
"Their reaction is justified? Have you actually read the comments below the video? All those remarks doesn't even make sense," Ishan interrupted.
"Just because they are questioning your doings, it doesn't mean what they are saying doesn't make sense. Everyone has an equal right to speak in India,"
"But atleast talk while using your brain. And those remarks makes sense? Let me open and show you guys the comments," Shubman said looking at one of the staff and asked for a tab.
There was a commotion while everyone started talking among themselves.
"Shubi is it necessary to actually talk about those comments?"
"Ish trust me, people just comment rubbish in the heat of moment but when it's pointed out loud they will understand they were actually very wrong," Shubman reassured pecking his cheek.
And the cameras were shuttering very quickly almost blinding both of them. Now they can't even display their affection. Just great.
The directors weren't even trying to stop the young lads. Well they were angry for just outing themself before asking them.
"Let's check out the comments now. Shall we?" Shubman said showing the top most comment on the video.
" olivia07_ here says 'Inko bahar feko team se, saari galat cheeze inki wajah se ho rhi hai #BCCITAKEACTION' ...so every mishappening is because of us? Chennai had a cyclone recently so it was because of us I guess. Even corona happened because of us also. You are right, the public truly talk with so much sense," Ishan snorted.
"And this one by RaeRade 'So chapri'...so two people who are in love are chapri then what will you call those men who are assaulting females on roadside? Saints?" Shubman muttered.
"See this one by Serenity4545 'Ye log khud chakke hai isliye inse chakke aur chauke nii lagte' pfft that is actually funny" Ishan snickered laughing out loud. Shubman was also laughing beside him.
"Okay this comment was creative but jokes aside if we never hit any boundary then is our stats all lies? And those matches where we smashed so many sixes and four is a lie?" Ishan shrugged.
" Look this one by anixious 'Favorite cricketer ne LGTV bankar aukat dikhadi' ...Bro first of all it's Lgbtq+ and second ye homosexual bante kese hai? Is there a crash course or something for it? I used to think love is something which just happens and then nothing else matters, the only thing which matters is the love between those two people. But I guess this generation has a different meaning for love," Shubman retorted.
"It's okay Shubi, people just have forgotten the true meaning of love. See like how they are naming our love as virus," Ishan rasped focusing on the comment by Peace_remedy which was 'This homo virus has reached next level, now our cricketers are infected by it, should consult a doc or bcci should take actions this gonna spoil their game Nowadays anything goes trending n people just blindly start following it Focus on ur game rather than di***'
"Belittling the public when they are just sharing their opinions can get you guys in trouble," One of the reporter snorted.
"We are not belitteling anybody? We are just speaking the truth. Belittling is what these people are doing to us, just hating on us because we love each other and comparing it to our form in matches? How is it related to our profession? And even if it is then I can't see the impact which is having on our form in gameplay. Like just look at the stats, recently we went for Asia cup, Ishan helped the team in the most crucial time when the top order collapsed, and his other scores were also great in the Asia cup," Shubman gave a tight lipped smile.
"Even Shubi also did great, he was the top run scorer in Asia cup with having 1 century and 2 half centuries," Ishan was quick to add.
"When the youngsters are busy making the country proud then it is not the way you guys treat them based on their personal life. All these hate comments are uncalled for," A director chirped out trying to stop the commotion. A fight starting between the media and ICT is the last thing they want to cater.
As a part of BCCI they are supposed to keep their members safe.
"But the comments are the reality," Someone shouted.
"This is reality?" Shubman showed all the comments.
+100k more comments
"Many of the comments are just feeling bad of Sara. Shubman gill never confirmed his relationship with Sara. Dragging others is also not the correct way, ee understandwhat the public is feeling right now but we should try to focus on their professionallife instead of their personal life." The other director said.
"What professional life? Shubman's professional life flourished only because of the daughter of Sachin Tendulkar," The reporter snickered.
"What I am in the field is solely because of me and my dad's efforts. The mentors also helped me a lot but I achieved them because of my own self and not because of Sara. I never even liked her neither does she like me. It's just the public and those reels which made me think I am infatuated to her but in reality it had been Ishan always, I have been in love with him ever since I met him...like love at first sight or maybe love at first prank?"
Ishan snorted and gave him a light lunch at his shoulder. The sharp noises coming from the camera was enough for them to warn they are not alone.
"Anyways what I mean is, I already had spent shit ton of time to think I don't belong with him. So if you all have any pro-"
"Wait wait...is it the comment of Rishabh Pant?" One of them shouted and everyone focused on that comment. Why did they not turned off the projector for showing comments? But still Ishan and Shubman focused onto the screen.
Indeed it was Rishabh's comment.
'Holy shit. You're not kidding, are you? My OTP finally kissed? So the fanfiction I was secretly writing about the both of you finally came true? I knew those rituals would work, amen🙏'
"Huh?" Ishan blinked reading what his friend had actually commented with his real id.
Everyone were gushing over his comment but Shubman and Ishan's focus was onto the thread of supporting comments which were joined there. They were tons as well.
Ishan looked at Shubman smiling widely. Shubman know what he was thinking and to be honest Shubman thought the same.
If they still have many fans supporting them then they don't care for the haters at all. The haters can spread as much hate as they want to. Shubman was sure he can fight them wuth Ishan's support.
After what felt like an eternity they were done with the interview.
When they had came inside the changing room with Mr Sharma, Shahneel and Mayank, the boyfriends forgot about their family and just kissed each other.
Mayank had to clear his throat because the other two people were busy in clicking those pictures.
Shubman glared at Mayank while pulling away. Meanwhile Shahneel and Mr Sharma were also glaring at Mayank like he committed a crime.
"What? It's not a safe place to be doing all this anyone can enter here," Mayank reasoned.
"Nobody will co-" Shahneel was cut off when Kamlesh entered the changing room.
"Shubman you need to come with me fast," Kamlesh said huffing. It looked like he ran a marathon.
"What happened?" Shubman asked while already starting to follow Kamlesh.
Everyone also followed him.
"Your dad- your mum...argh just come and see for yourself,"