Jin's private swimming pool sat quietly behind her villa.Clean. Expensive. Peaceful.
It stayed that way for exactly three minutes.
Then Mochi's entire family marched in like a festival parade.
Jin sat on a pool chair wearing sunglasses, watching the chaos with the tired eyes of a soldier who had survived too many wars.
Maya immediately pulled out her phone."This is documentary material."
Candy bounced around wearing floaties bigger than her head."I CLAIM THIS CORNER!"
Father walked along the edge, checking tiles like a safety inspector."Hmm. Slippery. Dangerous."
Mother unpacked snacks.On the poolside table.On another chair.On Jin's dignity.
Jin removed her sunglasses for one second."…I regret everything."
Then Laddu appeared.
He walked out proudly wearing two bright orange floaties, one on each arm, chest puffed out like a superhero debuting his costume.
He posed.
Mochi froze.
"L–Laddu…" she whispered. "Are you… good at swimming…?"
Before he could answer, Candy marched up.
"Brother," she asked seriously, "do you know how to swim?"
Laddu nodded confidently."Not at all."
Candy blinked."…Have you ever tried?"
"Yes," Laddu said gravely. "Once. With three friends."
Mochi leaned forward, nervous."W-What happened…?"
Laddu stared into the distance like a war veteran.
"We were fourteen or fifteen. First time swimming pool. One side crowded. One side empty."
Candy gasped."You chose the empty side."
"Yes," Laddu nodded. "It was eight feet deep."
Mochi's soul started leaving her body.
"We jumped," Laddu continued."One friend landed near the stairs. He grabbed them. Second friend grabbed his leg. Third friend—me—was in the deepest part. I grabbed his leg."
Candy whispered, "Like a chain…"
"Yes. Human survival chain."
Mochi covered her mouth.
"We all survived," Laddu finished."Water came out of our noses. Our mouths. Our souls."
Silence.
Candy nodded slowly."…You almost died."
"Yes," Laddu said proudly. "Very educational."
Then he turned to Mochi, eyes sparkling.
"So please. Teach me, Titan."
Her heart did a full backflip.
"O-Okay…" she said nervously, holding his hand."But no deep water. Please."
"Got it!" he said. "I promise I won't do anything stu—"
He jumped.
Straight into the eight-foot section.
SPLASH.
Jin shot up from her chair.
"STOP USING MY POOL FOR SUICIDE TESTING!"
Mochi screamed and dove in without thinking.
She wrapped her arms around Laddu before he even sank and hauled him up like he weighed nothing.
"LADDU! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"
He coughed dramatically, clinging to her like a soaked koala.
"I… thought I could do it…"
"You can't even FLOAT!!"
Candy rolled on the floor laughing.Maya zoomed in with the camera.Father whispered, "This boy wants to die."Mother sighed, "At least he's honest."
Laddu looked up at Mochi, dripping and miserable.
"You saved me… again…"
Her ears turned red.
"Of course I saved you! You're impossible!"
He touched her wrist lightly.
"You saved me like a prince," he said softly."…with a kiss."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Mochi's brain shut down.Her entire body turned tomato-red.
Jin shouted,"THIS IS A FAMILY POOL, YOU MENACE!!"
Laddu winked.
"One kiss to cure my fear of water—"
"You have fear of using your BRAIN!!"
Mochi shoved him gently into the shallow end.
SPLASH.
He floated away like a confused potato.
"I tried…" he whispered."I really tried."
Five minutes later, he flipped upside down and nearly drowned again.
Mochi saved him.Again.And again.And again.
By the end of the day, she had saved him nine times.
The family reached a conclusion.
She was his lifeguard.And probably his future wife.
Car Ride Back — The Hindi Call
After hours of chaos, everyone squeezed into the car.
Mochi sat beside Laddu, still pink from the almost-kiss incident.
Laddu pulled out an ancient Nokia brick phone like it was a legendary artifact.
RINNNGGG! RINNNGGG!
Father flinched.Maya stared.Candy whispered, "Oppa's phone is from dinosaur time…"
Laddu answered cheerfully.
The moment he heard the voice, he lit up—and switched into rapid-fire Hindi.
"Arre baba, aaj toh main doob hi gaya tha!Haan yaar, bilkul 8-feet waale mein!Aur Mochi ne utha liya mujhe—superhero jaise!Main zinda hoon, tension mat le!Ben fir se peeche pada tha—"
The entire car stared at him like he was casting spells.
Mochi leaned toward Maya and whispered,"…W-What is he saying…?"
Maya shrugged."No idea. But he sounds VERY happy. That's concerning."
Father whispered,"Is he planning an attack?"
Mother whispered,"He's laughing too much. Dangerous."
Candy nodded seriously."He's speaking alien language."
Through it all, Laddu kept glancing at Mochi—softly, warmly, stupidly fond.
And every glance made her look away in panic,hands pressed to her burning cheeks.
Whatever he was saying in Hindi…she knew it was about her.
And she knew it wasn't bad.
Because he was smiling like someonewho had already fallen in love.