Elisa looked at silent and completely lost Ishan, it was feeling like he is physically present but emotionally and mentally absent at the environment and at the place. Elisa tried to wake him up, she patted on his shoulder...but still, Ishan was looking down and lost somewhere. Zara finally realized it...that Ishan couldn't move on from that, he was completely lost in his thoughts and Zara knew that he is down and worrying about Mahi, but she was half wrong, she was thinking that Ishan is thinking about her and worrying, but Ishan was actually regretting and thinking that if he wanted or if he could walk fast to the right place then...maybe, just maybe, Mahi would be fine and wouldn't have to face the same fate.
But Elisa ignored him for a moment and focused at the court. Ivan and Noah looked around and Ivan saw Ly and Ishan, he smiled and waved his hand with joy, Ly smiled brightly and waved her hand in response with a great joy, Ivan smiled and looked at Ishan...but Ishan was still not reacting, he was looking at the court ground but not looking alive, still thinking about something. Ivan was confused that what happened to him but the referee whistled and he had to come on his work and came on his position and his teammates also took there positions.
The opponent team arrived and surprisingly, they were the same outsiders of the school stadium Ishan met earlier. They all also smiled looking around and the both the teams were being cheered up and they all also shouted to do that louder, they were having the bright and burning spirit and they all were excited to play. They all started looking around...and they were surprised by seeing Ishan, the Captain smiled and waved his hand looking at Ishan...but Ishan was still lost somewhere and didn't even look at him but everyone looked at him.
"Who has brought such a depressing boy in the audience, it will spoil the players joy." A guy said but as a joke, not seriously or angrily on Ishan...but Ishan was actually down. Elisa noticed the opposite team calling him and she beat at his head, but Ishan didn't react much like waking up with a shock that what happened or who beat him, he just calmly came to his senses and looked at Elisa and Elisa was now worrying about his mental and so was Ivan, Zara and Ly...it was actually too much now in their view and Ishan should actually go and rest, stop thinking and take sleep, but no one had the courage to say, because they know that Ishan himself wouldn't know what is happening to his mind at this moment and they don't want to leave Ishan either, they can't send him alone, and nor they wanted to leave the stadium because it was Ivan's first game.
Ishan was back to his senses, and looked at the outsiders and they all were confused, and they were also worrying about him now, but Ishan smiled and waved them back, they all thought that he would be fine and just said with joy, "Yo, kid, are you here to watch our game?"
Ishan shook his head, "I am here for my big brother, but it is a surprise that you all are his opponents." And they all were frozen, Ishan looked at Ivan and just moved his lips, wishing all the best to Ivan and Ivan finally felt a little bit alive and he smiled and nodded his head. But the outsiders looked at him...and they all started sweating...they were scared, if Ishan was fast at football...then what would be his big brother even? And he is a basketball player from a college team, college level basketball is not a joke...and they all were completely scared. But they looked at Ishan and Ishan tried to cheer them up, to not think about the relationship of him and nor about how tough or strong their opponent will be, they should just enjoy the game and it made them normal and actually more dedicated to the game and they also came on their positions and the game was going to begin now.
The game started now, but Elisa and Zara's eyes were on Ishan, worrying about him but he was now completely normal, having a decent smile and looking at the basketball being moved, he was looking normal now but they both were now seriously confused, that what was that then, what happened to him at that moment that he was just reactionless and not reacting, this was now more scary because suddenly change is too much weird and unusual, they were happy that he is normal but all of a sudden it happened? They are afraid if Ishan is trying to show that he is fine but from inside the same or even more worse...but they couldn't read his mind, the one who could was not there.
"What happened then?!" Lisa was walking with Mahi to their houses and Mahi sighed, "How many times I said...there were my friends...to whom I was considering as a friend, they bullied me, but Ishan and Senior Ichinose came there with a teacher and saved me. That's it."
"But...there's something missing..." Lisa tried to remember and said, "...Zara also told me about something...like...injury or something...but I just can't remember..." And Mahi smiled, remembering about Ichinose and what he said...and Lisa's eyes widened, after reading her mind...and she looked down with a smile, and nodded her head, "...So that's what happened...?" And she smiled again.
The game was on a half break, and the outsiders were in a great shock...the scores were 68-35, and Ivan all alone scored 43...they finally realized, that there is actually, always someone better than them. But they didn't take it so seriously, it was a friendly match and they just wanted to enjoy and that's all, they didn't want anything else.
All the players were sitting on the court and their friends and family were also coming and talking to them, the Captain of the opponents saw Ishan talking with Ivan and looking like chilled, he smiled, stood and walked to them and he sat next to Ishan and Ivan and others were surprised.
"Don't be shocked, I was playing football with him at the school ground this week at starting, I know him though I forgot your name or did you even tell me your name?" The captain asked and Ishan smiled with a sweat but nodded, "Yes, he and his team was playing with me that day." And they got their answers and they just smiled but Miyu, Aid and Eta were just looking him seriously.
"...Your big brother plays very well, do you also play basketball and I really think if you do, you would be better than him, don't you?" The Captain said and Ivan smiled and nodded his head--
"No, I don't play basketball..."