“Yep, you lot killed it this season! Subs up by 35% since August, and the views are wild. You Alright, Cuz? with you, Donald and Simba? Gold. Fans love the cousin banter and the Ghanaian vibes. The roasts? They’re doing mad numbers on TikTok! Remember when Donald and Justice sang that Ruger song… what’s the name again… Asiwaju, right after the Europa League final? Off the charts, bruv!”

Mickey, seated on the edge of the table, nodded excitedly as Benoy Bisharan, the channel’s producer—a British-born Bangladeshi guy with a sharp fade, thick beard, and a hoodie emblazoned with the Perspective logo—leaned against a chair, holding a tablet with analytics charts.

As the owner and visionary of Perspective, news like this was quite the encouragement. From watching other YouTube football channels and wishing he could rub shoulders with them someday to hearing figures like this… the stuff of dreams.

Thank goodness for his dear cousins, who bought into the vision quickly and helped make it grow! His classmates from primary school, Ash Clovez and Magnum, had also been instrumental in helping set things up. And they helped to bring in most of the staff, who had quickly become deeply involved with the vision.

“That’s peak, Ben!” he chuckled. “Love to see it. What else is popping?”

Benoy scrolled up. “Mad Opinions with Ash Clovez and Magnum? That show’s another banger. The brothers going through all those tweets, debating the wildest football takes like ‘Harry Kane’s better than Henry’ and sending’ the worst ones to the gulag? Bruv, the comment section’s a warzone, and the fans are here for it. Views are hitting six figures per episode. And don’t sleep on Roundtable Preview. You, Simba, Donnie, Ash, Magnum, Justice, and Benoni all together? Pure chaos, but the people love it. That segment’s pulling serious numbers, especially when Justice and Benoni start arguing about Bayern Munich and Real Madrid footballers. It is wild for sure!”

Mickey beamed with pride. “Ayy, that’s what I’m talking about, yeah! The Perspective fam’s showing out. I am buzzing right now, bruv. We’ve all been putting in mad work, you get me? Not just us in front of the camera, but everyone behind the scenes too. You’re holding it down as our producer, keeping’ this ship running’ smooth. Ines is a wizard with the socials and edits, making our clips pop off. Sahjara’s directing like she’s Scorsese out here. TMA, the GOAT with the camera—catching’ every angle. And Ian’s dealing with the wild fans in the comments. It’s a proper team effort, innit?”

“Straight facts, Mickey. Everyone’s bringing their A-game. Ines told me yesterday she’s got a new edit for Mad Opinions that’s gonna break the internet. Sahjara’s already planning’ next season’s set upgrades. TMA’s been experimenting with some cinematic shots for Roundtable. Only way is up, my gee!”

Mickey nodded, rubbing his hands in pleasure. “One hundred percent, Ben! Alright, man’s gotta have a meeting with Simba and Donnie later this week about the–”

He paused as the unmistakable beat of ‘Bebe’ by MHD and Dadju drifted from the editor’s room. He smirked and shook his head. “You hear that, Ben?”

Benoy chuckled. “Justice strikes again! He’s been pushing that jam on everyone for the last two weeks. I bet he’s successfully roped Sahjara into his obsession at this rate!”

“Oh, definitely! No way she’d let him blast it like that if she wasn’t hooked! Let’s go see them.”

He motioned to Benoy, and they headed toward the editor’s room, the music growing louder as they approached.

The door swung open to reveal a lively scene: Simba, Justice Adeoye, and Benoni Johan in the middle of the room, dancing shaku-shaku to the song, while Sahjara Dhonchak, the British-born Indian director with long, flowing hair, sat at the editing desk, bobbing her head to the beat, with a smile across her face.

Mickey leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, as he nodded in amusement. “Ayy, you lot are smooth with the moves! Issa proper Afrobeats party in here, innit!”

“Say it again!” Simba agreed, still in groove mood. “This song is freaking dope! Don’t know how we never knew this song existed till now. Six years late, but hey, better late than never.”

“Agreed! Justice, your girl found a gem with this one!” Benoni, the tall South African with a clean trim, chipped in. “Are you sure you never heard it before two weeks ago?”

Justice, a short guy with braided hair, shrugged. “Dami swears she’s been listening to it since we were in Abuja, but I can’t remember ever hearing it. But well, notin spoil.”

“Not at all. You lot are killing it!” Mickey chuckled before turning to Sahjara. “At this rate, you’re proper infected with the Afrobeats bug, innit?”

“Like I ever stood a chance!” Sahjara laughed. “It’s like I’ve been baptized into Afrobeats, hanging around you lot. And I’m not even mad about it, coz the music is crazy!”

“You’re welcome, Sahjee!” Justice replied, smirking mischievously. “It’s a privilege to have upgraded your music taste.”

Sahjara turned in his direction and gave him a deadpan stare. “Listen, I do not have the facilities for your annoying self right now, bigman.”

Mickey and the others snickered. Justice and Sahjara had the most amusing banter relationship in the office; as close as they were, you could always expect them to throw shots at each other.

Just then, Mickey’s phone vibrated. He reached into his pocket, looked at it, and smirked lightly. Simba caught the smirk and asked, “Carola wants her husband back home, right?”

Mickey shrugged. “You know it, bruv. Second trimester’s taking the mick with her. So she calls whenever she wants some pampering.”

“Well then, what the hell are you waiting for? Go home and pamper her!” Sahjara scolded playfully. “It’s no walk in the park carrying a little human being inside you. She deserves all the pampering in the world.”

“Alright, Sahjee, I hear you. Going right a–oh, shit. The call ended before I could answer it.”

Simba snickered. “Get ready for divorce papers when you get home, bro.”

Everyone laughed.

***

A few minutes later, Mickey stepped out of the front door. His car keys in his hand, he waved to Donald and Ash Clovez, who were busily chatting at the reception. As he stepped further outside, shutting the door, he noticed Magnum and Ines standing near the studio’s side entrance, leaning against the wall. They were both vaping, clouds swirling while deep in conversation. Ines Carpenter was the blonde-haired and blue-eyed Brit and Perspective’s social media manager and video editor, while Magnum Reyes, one half of the Mad Opinions duo and Ash’s older brother, sported a bomber jacket and a beanie, exhaling a puff of vapor as he talked.

Ines noticed Mickey as he passed by. “Hey Mickey. Heading home now?”

Mickey nodded. “Yep, gotta get home before Carola thinks I hate her. I missed her call already, so she’s probably freaking out already.”

Magnum snickered and shook his head. “Carola always be doing the most when dealing with you. Been that way since you two fell in love back in school.”

“Tell me about it, bruv. At this point, she just loves to take the mick. She’s carrying our little one, so I’ll allow it, you get me. Anyways, you two, you planning to leave this place anytime soon, or you setting up camp out here?”

Magnum chuckled, shaking his head. “Nah, mate, we’re just chilling for a bit.”

Mickey narrowed his eyes playfully, giving them the classic “I’m watching you” gesture—two fingers pointing at his eyes, then at them. “I got my eyes on you man, yeah?”

It was no secret that Magnum and Ines were dating; everyone in Perspective had known about that for a year now. What most didn’t know was how it came about. The two had been feeling each other from the very start of her time with the channel, with a bubbling tension building over her first three days working with Perspective. By the fourth day, it spilled over, resulting in the two meeting up after working hours and partaking in some heated lovemaking. It was so good, they made it a regular thing, using the soundproof studio area to cover up their noises.

Mickey had returned to pick up something from the office on one of those occasions, and while he was lucky to have not heard Ines moaning while getting railed, he stepped out of his office to find Magnum in his boxers and vest, startled by the sound.

The only reason Mickey wasn’t firing him was due to a favour he and Carola owed Magnum years back: on a visit to Carola’s parents’ house, Magnum had somehow managed to distract her mother while Carola, fresh off a visit from the Philippines, dragged her then-boyfriend into her mother’s home office for a steamy quickie.

Magnum never failed to remind them how much they owed him for his heroic efforts to stop them from getting caught, and at that moment, he had used the favour to good effect.

“Chill, bruv!” Magnum snickered. “No clarting in the studio no more. We’re heading to her place if we need to, you know…” He winked exaggeratedly, making Ines swat his arm while giggling. “Besides, you know you owe me.”

Mickey groaned, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. “Ugggghhh! Fucks’ sake, man. How many times is man gonna remind me about that? Christ, I blame Carola for all this. Whatever, bruv. I’m out. See you tomorrow.”

“Alright, Mickey! Send our love to Carola!” Ines called, waving as he waved back, then moved past them and headed for his Audi, sliding and starting up the engine and moving in no time flat.

***

About half an hour later, the Audi rolled into the garage of a cozy, modern terraced house in Canning Town, the engine humming softly before cutting off. As the garage door closed, Mickey, still in his claret-and-blue West Ham cap, grabbed a paper bag from the passenger seat, the logo of a local halal burger shop printed on it. He stepped out, locked the car, and headed inside.

The Aikins’ living room was its usual warm and inviting self, with soft lighting and a plush couch where Carola was quietly lounging. Carola, a slender and strikingly beautiful Filipina in her second trimester of pregnancy, had a blanket draped over her legs, her baby bump gently visible under her oversized sweater.

She looked up as Mickey entered, and her face instantly lit up with a sweet smile.

“Baby, welcome home!” she called cheerily. “How was today’s episode? Oh, and I hope you got my burger from Halal Munchies just the way I told you. I’ve been dreaming about it all day.”

Mickey grinned as he brushed back his curls and held up the bag. “It was all good, love. Me and the boys did our thing as always. Gang business, you get me? As for the burger… I got one, yeah, but… I’m thinking I might just eat it myself. Smells too good to share with you.”

Carola crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at him. “I knew it. I knew you hated me all this time and just wanted to get rid of me. First you ignore my call, now this? How could you, Mickey? How could you do this to a poor pregnant woman like me? Whyyy?”

Mickey stifled a laugh. “Christ above, Carola, you really do the most sometimes,” he guffawed as he took a seat next to her, pulling out the burger. “Here you go, my sweet. Halal Munchies burger with pickles, and fries with peri-peri, just as you ordered.”

“Yeah, you know what? I take that back. You’re the best husband in the world! I love you, Mickey.”

“And I love you even more, my beautiful wife who loves to jump to conclusions for no good reason.”

They laughed, then shared a sweet, deep kiss. Mickey kicked off his trainers and observed her as she unwrapped the burger and took a small bite.

They were both twenty-seven years old, but had spent more than half of their lives knowing each other. From primary school all the way to university, everyone who knew Mickey and Carola knew the two of them had a thing for each other. Mickey was the one to first develop feelings for this beautiful girl who moved with her parents from Manila to London when she was three years old. It took a while for her to catch feelings for the young man with Ghanaian heritage, but once she did, she fell head over heels in love with him. It was literally impossible for her to imagine doing life with anyone else but him; her future and family had him alone in it as her life partner and father of her kids.

As she sat there, munching on a burger while sporting a baby bump caused by the man she loved, she was living her dreams.

“Mmm, Mickey, this hits different,” she sighed as she cozied up to him. “Somehow, this burger’s the only thing my stomach can handle right now. Everything else just… ugh, comes right back up.”

Mickey frowned. Indeed, Carola had not been eating very well since they discovered that their favourite activity had borne fruit for them; she was constantly vomiting whenever she tried to eat. Sometimes, even water was a problem for her.

“Yeah, and that’s not great,” he noted with concern. “We really gotta sort that out, you know? You and the little one need proper nutrients to stay strong. Coz this junk food definitely ain’t good enough to sustain you long term.”

Carola nodded. “Yeah, I know. The doctor said it’s normal for the second trimester, but this feels nasty, still. We’ve got that appointment next week. We’ll figure it out. For now, this burger’s keeping me and baby happy.”

Mickey wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. “Alright, as long as you’re feeling okay. But we’re keepin’ on top of this, yeah? My girl and my little man have got to be healthy. You two are way too important to me for anything wrong to happen. I swear down, I’d go fucking mental if anything went wrong.”

Carola smiled at him and rubbed his thigh. “Don’t worry, my love. Everything will be alright. Don’t get worked up. Nothing’s happening to us. We’ll be just fine.”

Mickey nodded, then kissed her on the forehead. “I hear that, Carola, I hear that. Anyways, guess what? Magnum reminded me again about our ‘debt’. You know, that one.”

“Oh my days, he won’t let it go, will he?”

“Considering how he’s clarting Ines right now, not a chance.”

Well, that’s a cute little thing Mickey has: a pregnant wife obsessed with him, and a thriving YouTube channel. I’m guessing Magnum and Ines will be pretty interesting to note, too…