AUTHOR'S POV -

"See Kuli, we do not remember that it is Yuzi's birthday today." Virat reminded Kuldeep for the umpteenth time at the death of night on a zoom call.

"But I do remember that its 23rd of July, Yuzi's birthday." Kuldeep said for the thousandth time.

"We know that, you know that his birthday is today, we know that we know that his birthday is today but we have to show him that we dont know that it is his birthday today." Rohit said trying to explain Kuldeep but miserably failing.

"Pehle tu apne aap ko yeh samjha, kya bola kuch nahi samajh mein aaya." Virat said.

"Samjh aane ke liye dimaag ka hone zarori hain." Rohit said.

"Shut up." Shikhar said before another drama from the ROHIRAT and then a calming down session from MSD.

"The plan is that - " Virat said but who would let our dear captain speak peacefully.

"See we all know that its Yuzi's birthday but we will tease him by making it look like we didnt remember it at all." Jaddu said.

"But thats mean." Rishabh said.

"Yeh cheez mere birthday pe toh nahi mean lagi." MSD said.

'Bhai you too? He will be so hurt if we act like we didnt remember that its his birthday." Kuldeep said.

"A fox and hurt?" Jinks asked.

"That sounded mean from you Jinks." Ash said.

"He is just annoyed that Arya didnt sleep all night yesterday and he had to ply with her all night and today we wont let him sleep until we get this sorted." Rohit said raising his collar.

"Papa Mumma papa aahha." Samaira started crying that very minute.

"What? not again." Rohit sighed.

"Why would you not want to play with Sammy go play." Virat said.

"You want me to play at 1 in the night, I have better work to do." Rohit said.

"Like sleeping." Bhuvi thoughtfully added.

"No I will make her sleep till then you explain Kuli." Rohit said.

"See Kuli we just dont call him, text him, or wish him on any social media till tomorrow noon." Bhuvi explained calmly since the rest were tired of it by now

"But - " Kuldeep protested.

"This plan was such a hit on Mahi bhai's birthday Kuli." Jassi said.

"I cant believe that you are in support of this plan." Kuldeep said as if he was betrayed.

"Can you stop being a goddy goddy and help out." Hardik screamed as if he was ten thousand miles away from his phone.

"Harry shut up." Natasa mumbled in sleep.

"Oh okay baby, sorry baby, I love you baby." Hardik said all at once.

"Mute option exists." Rahul said plainly as if used to Harry and his drama.

"Ya where is it?" Hardik asked.

"For god sake Harry, I thought you how to mute an infinite number of times." Rahul sighed.

"Infinite is not a number." Hardik stated .

"Its a word he knows that." Jassi said.

"Just check the meaning on google.." Shreyas said before Hardik diverts the topic all over again.

"So Kuli what will you do?" Jinks asked.

"I will wish Yuzi." Kuldeep said and all face palmed.

"You will wish Yuzi after 12 in the after noon." Virat reasonably said.

"Thats like what we did for Mahi bhai's birthday" Rohit said coming back.

"You all wished me at 2 not 12." MSD corrected them.

"That was dada's idea he said that you wont be up till 12." Ash said.

"The whole thing was dada's idea actually." Bhuvi said.

"And Virat led the plan very well because he is scared of dada." Shikhar said.

"I am not scared of anyone." Virat said.

"Virat when will you start training for the next season?" MSD asked in Dada's voice.

"Hain dada sir you here?" Virat jumped up and asked only for Anushka to shush him and the rest to laugh.

"Its Yuzi's birthday tomorrow." Shreyas reminded.

"Today you mean its one in the night already and we didnt wish him yet." Kuldeep said.

"We will surprisingly wish him tomorrrow." Hardik said.

"Makes no sense, we are awake now, why cant we just add him in the call?" Kuldeep desperately asked.

"Its a punishment." Virat said.

"What did he do? Even Tiktok is banned now come on." Kulddep said.

"Its a punishment because he once upon a time used it too much." Jinks said to convince Kuldeep.

"And he tweeted my female look from the face app on twitter." Rohit said.

"And he did not gift me a disco ball on my birthday." Hardik said an all face palmed and shushed him.

"Okay fine I wont call." Kuldeep said thoughtfully.

"I cant believe that we managed to convince you." Rahul said.

"Me neither." Jassi said.

"Me neither." Rishabh added.

"Either me." Hardik said and he was kicked out of the meeting..

"So done at 12 in the afternoon we will wish him and act that we didnt know his birthday till then." Virat said or rather ordered and then ended the meeting.

Kuldeep called Yuzi.

"Kuliya meri jaan." Yuzi said or screamed.

"I should not be remembering your birthday" Kuldeep said.

"Oh so they are using the same trick they used on Mahi bhai's birthday on me, nice." Yuzi said.

"I was not supposed to tell you that." Kuldeep said.

"We are best friends we dont hide anything." Yuzi said.

"Yes I forgot about that and I will wish you only at 12 in the afternoon, Vi bhaiya called me later and made me swear on him that I wont wish you before that." Kuldeep said.

"Arre no problem, mujhe kya jaldi hain." Yuzi said and after a little more of a 3 hour conversation they hung up and slept.

At 12 in the afternoon Yuzi's phone disturbed his sleep.

"Hello." Yuzi said sleepily.

"You were still sleeping come on even I am awake now" Rohit said.

"I was telling that he will not realise the we forgot his birthday by 12 give hi more time but no who listens to me." Hardik said.

"Another word and I will kick you out Harry." Virat warned.

"After sleeping at 4 which human will wake up early to realise that his team didnt call him all night and he kept waiting till 4." Yuzi said in a dramatically sad tone.

"What you waited till 4 for our call?" MSD exclaimed.

"Yes and not a single one of you called." Yuzi said sadly.

"But I -" Kuldeep was going to said and Yuzi interupted.

"Even you Kuliya, even you didnt wish me." Yuzi said frowning .

"Its okay, I know." Yuzi said before anyone could say anything.

"I know that you all dont love me." Yuzi said.

"No Yuzi - " Jinks was going to say but Yuzi continued.

"I know that you all call me a fox and like bullying me." Yuzi said.

"Bullying a 30 year old?" Jaddu asked.

"See still even now." Yuzi said and all face palmed.

"None of you consider me a part of the team, you all just pretend to love me." Yuzi said turning back and sprinkling water in his eyes and turning back again.

"Are you crying?" Jassi asked.

"No Ganga flows through my eyes now days." Yuzi said and acted like a lot of tears are coming and he is crying a lot.

"Arre we are sorry." Bhuvi said sensibly.

"You are saying this just to coax me." Yuzi said.

'Why will we do that? We love you kiddo." MSD said.

"Only you bhai, only you love me." Yuzi said not being able to even dramatize that MSD doesnt love him, forget him but the fact that he doesnt love his kiddos is not possible.

"Arre what did I do? I wanted to wish you at exact 12." Kuldeep said.

"You are my only true buddy and team mate." Yuzi said sobbing, he couldnt hurt his Kuliya even in an act.

"What are we?" Rahul asked.

"You all dont love me, you all even forgot my birthday." Yuzi fake sobbed .

"Sorry." they all screamed after a numerous sorrys.

"You all dont love me but I love you guys a lot so I forgive you." Yuzi said.

"Arre kya drama kar raha hain yeh." Shreyas murmured and all heard it.

"See you all are call my tears a drama, you all are pretending that you love me so I take wickets in the next match." Yuzi said.

"Arre what do I do with this guy?" Virat said tired of convincing him that they love him.

"You are my IPL captain also I am with you all year long and you still do not treat me like a team mate or a kiddo you dont love me." Yuzi said.

"Arre thats because you are too wild to be a kiddo." Virat said.

"Wild? Am I some animal?" Yuzi asked.

"I meant that you are really funny and cool and annoying and you are like me buddy mahn not a kiddo." Virat said.

"You still forgot my birthday." Yuzi said.

"We were just acting." Virat said sighing and then realized that he blurted it out.

"I know." Yuzi said and then bit his tongue realizing that all heard what he said clearly.

"You knew that we were acting?" Hardik asked.

"The only sensible question you ever asked harry." Rahul said.

"Kuli?" Ash asked with a doubt.

"He didnt tell me anything or call me." Yuzi said.

"What part of dont call him, text him or wish him on social media did you not understand Kuli?" Shikhar asked.

"Actually I will die now."Virat said.

"What rubbish." MSD said.

"How could you Kuli? how could you fake swear on me that you wont wish Yuzi?" Virat asked.

"I didnt wish him only but."Kuldeep said.

"Why? Finally this useless creature could have died." Rohit said.

"Get lost Ro." Virat said.

"No one still wished me." Yuzi said.

"Get lost Yuzi, after all the drama we really dont love you." Jaddu said.

"What?" Yuzi asked.

"Can you all stop all the dramas happening here?" MSD asked.

"No." all said.

"We mean yes." they said realizing that it was MSD who asked that.

"And wish Yuzi now." MSD ordered.

"Happy Birthday -" all screamed but could not complete.

VIRAT KOHLI'S FREE ZOOM MEETING TIMED OUT AND ENDED .

"This man can spend crores behind a car and not a few bucks behind a zoom subscription." Yuzi said annoyed.

"Happy birthday Yuzi." the team completed as Yuzi picked the conference call up and the usual bickering of the team began.