The vibrant atmosphere with booming music, dazzling lights, and people lost in carefree dance created a surreal world where nothing else seemed to matter.
Certainly, this environment provided solace. The loud music, combined with the taste of alcohol against his tongue and the way it slid down his throat, temporarily helped him escape reality.
The bitterness of the drink played a role in numbing his troubles, yet it also left him feeling hollow amid the chaos.
With each sip, he allowed himself to be engulfed in a sea of emotions, seeking peace in memories of happier times.
In the midst of it all, he finally answered his phone, breaking his week-long streak of avoiding calls, too drunk to even realize it.
"Hello," he mumbled, his senses dulled by the buzz.
The voice on the other end, frustrated and concerned, demanded to know his whereabouts and the source of the noise in the background.
Before Jassi could identify the caller, the voice continued, accusing him of being in a club again.
"Who is it?" Jassi asked, still unaware of the caller's identity.
Rohit, now both irritated and anxious, clarified, "It's Rohit. How hammered are you? I need you to come here. He wants to see you, Jas," he spoke with a soft urgency.
"I don't want to see him," Jassi replied, dismissing Rohit's request and ending the call.
"Another," he signaled to the bartender, hoping to drown his emotions further in yet another drink, seeking a temporary escape into emptiness.
***
"Get him back anyhow," Rohit turned to Shreyas and Hardik, his frustration evident. "Ask your security guards, anyone, I don't care—get him out of that hell hole he's been in," he ordered sternly.
"Bhai, it's not as easy as it seems," Shreyas explained, acknowledging the difficulty of the situation.
"He's very smart, changes his location every day so that no one can find him," Hardik added, familiar with the elusive pattern Jassi was following.
Rohit clenched his fist in annoyance. "And if some stranger stumbles upon him and exposes him in this intoxicated state, what will happen? Does he want to tarnish his own and the Indian Team's image?" he vented, irritated by Jassi's and KL's antics.
Shreyas and Hardik were at a loss for words. While Rohit had a point, they also knew and they understood why Jassi was behaving this way.
"We will find him, bhai, don't worry," Hardik assured.
Shreyas gently held Rohit's arm. "You should take some rest, bhai. You've been here the whole week—haven't got a wink of sleep," he suggested softly.
"Shrey—I mean Shreyas is right," Hardik chimed in, avoiding using the nickname that Shreyas no longer liked.
"No, I can't leave from here," Rohit insisted, shaking his head.
He glanced through the glass window. "I just can't. Do me a favor—get KL and Jassi back on track," he requested, his weariness evident in his tone.
Shreyas and Hardik left from there.
***
"No, Virat, this isn't right. It feels like you're considered me a failure. I get that I might not be in the best shape right now, especially compared to you, but how could you say something like that about me?"
"Rah, you've got it all wrong, kiddo. Please, just try to understand and hear me out."
KL couldn't bear to hear Virat's pleading anymore, so he covered his ears, trying to drown out the words that were hurting him, "Rah, Please kiddo".
With a frustrated grunt, he grabbed a nearby showpiece and hurled it at the mirror, shattering it into pieces. As the glass shattered, he saw his own reflection fragmented among the shards, feeling disconnected from the person he saw.
In a moment of impulse, he picked up a shard, accidentally cutting his hand in the process, confronting both the broken mirror and his own sense of identity.
As the blood coursed through his veins, he experienced a numbing sensation that gradually eased him into sleep. However, unbeknownst to him, this sleep was actually unconsciousness.
Shreyas arrived at KL's room after Hardik had left to locate Bumrah, feeling increasingly anxious.
"K, open the door," Shreyas pounded on the door, but received no reply.
Acting swiftly, he obtained a spare key by bribing the receptionist.
"Oh no," Shreyas muttered in dismay as he discovered KL unconscious amidst a pool of blood.
Despite the shock, he gathered his composure, determined not to succumb to panic, and promptly reached out to the people who will help him. His hands were shaking as he was making calls, hands covered in KL's blood.
"too much blood loss, he is gonna be weak once he wakes up", the doctor informed Shreyas.
Shreyas just nodded not trusting his voice at the moment. He rubbed his face in frustration.
"You can do it, Shrey! I believe in you", the voice echoed in his head, which made him tear up.
"Sometimes, the silence of missing someone is louder than any words could ever be."
***
