Playing the Field

The Indian team boarded the overnight flight to Leeds for the next phase of the Inside India series.
Kavya, clipboard in hand, was scanning the passenger manifest when Shubman casually swapped seat tags.

“You’re not supposed to do that,” she muttered without looking up.

“What? I just happen to like sitting near familiar company,” he grinned.

“This isn't a rom-com. This is a work trip.”

“So I’m not allowed to fall in love during a work trip?”

Kavya shot him a warning glare. “Behave.”

Three rows behind them, Ishan was already filming snippets for the vlog. Yashasvi and Siraj were bickering about window seats. Shardul walked down the aisle pretending to confiscate phones like a strict teacher.

“Team India, settle down before Kavya bans your Wi-Fi,” Tina called out from across the aisle.

“She already has,” muttered Siraj, showing his ‘no network’ status.

A few hours into the flight, lights dimmed, and dinner trays clattered down the aisles.

Kavya had finally relaxed, shoes off, headphones on — editing footage on her laptop.

Shubman, in the seat beside her, passed her a note instead of speaking.

"Take a break. You’re the only one working at 1:00 AM."

She scribbled back:

"You think documentaries make themselves?"

He grinned. Then casually tugged her laptop away, closed it, and replaced it with a pack of airplane cookies and his shoulder.

“Use your editor’s instincts,” he whispered. “Cut to… sleep.”

She smirked. “Fine. Ten minutes.”

Ten minutes turned into her head resting lightly against him…
And then into Shubman wrapping a blanket around both of them.
Somewhere between Delhi and Doha airspace, they dozed off like that — tangled, warm, and unconscious of Ishan pointing his phone at them.

Snap!!

Siraj’s Insta Story:
“Shavya in their ‘no paparazzi pls’ era 💙✈️” (accidentally set to public....)

The next morning, as they landed in Leeds, Kavya yawned and stretched.

“Did we sleep through breakfast?”

“Nope,” Shubman replied, brushing crumbs off her hair. “You just drooled on me.”

She gasped.

“Joking. Relax,” he laughed, grabbing her bag off the overhead bin.

As they walked out of the plane, Siraj, Bumrah, and Ashardeep huddled behind them, already plotting:

“Operation: Shavya Reveal,” Ashardeep whispered.

“Or Operation: Leave Them Alone?” Bumrah added dryly, appearing behind them like a parent catching unruly kids in the act.

“That’s no fun,” siraj pouted.

Kavya turned around slowly. “Try anything, and I’ll cut your mic privileges.”

“She’s scary when she’s not sleepy,” Siraj whispered.

“She’s scarier with Shubman,” KL Rahul added from up ahead.

As they stepped out into the brisk English air, Shubman caught her hand for a second. No cameras. Just a simple squeeze.

“One more city,” he said.

“One more story,” she replied.