Candy leaned forward with dangerous excitement, elbows on the table, chin in her palms.
"Oppa…"she asked sweetly,"how many girls have asked you out until now?"
The kitchen froze.
Even the dumpling in Laddu's hand seemed to hesitate mid-air.
Mochi's chopsticks stopped.Her shoulders went stiff.Her eyes narrowed just a little.
Laddu glanced at Candy, then lifted one lazy hand.
"Candy."
"Yes?" she chirped.
"How many fingers do you see?"
Candy counted loudly, very seriously."One… two… three…"
Laddu grinned.
"Exactly. I need both hands to count."
The kitchen exploded.
Maya choked on air.Father blinked twice, processing.Mother smiled like she'd just heard gossip worth gold.Candy slammed the table."OPPA IS A CELEBRITY!"
Mochi's fingers tightened.
CRUNCH.
The metal cup bent again.
"So…" she asked carefully, voice tight,"…that many girls?"
Laddu shrugged, unbothered.
"Not my fault. I'm cute."He paused."next q."
Mochi's head snapped up.
He tapped his chest once.Then again.
"Because none of them made my heart go—boom boom."
Mochi's face turned scandalously red.
Candy screamed,"UNNIE, YOUR HEART IS BOOMING!!"
Mochi swatted her under the table and nearly fainted from the sweetness burning in her chest.
Laddu finished his dumpling and leaned back.
"Ah—full.""Now I can survive Mochi's punches."
Mochi lifted a spoon like a weapon.
He instantly raised his hands."Just kidding! Just kidding!"
At that exact moment—
BZZZT.
A modern ringtone vibrated from his pocket.
Everyone froze again.
Laddu pulled out the sleek phone, answered it, listened quietly, nodded once.
"Okay. Got it."
He hung up and slipped it away.
"I got a one-week off," he announced.
The family exploded.
"WHAT?!""WHY?!""FROM WHO?!"
Mochi whispered, barely breathing,"…Why…?"
"Chairman said I need rest," Laddu replied casually.
Candy leapt up."ONE WEEK WITH OPPA!"
Mochi's face blanched.
One week.
Seven days.
Laddu looked at her with gentle mischief.
"Yes, Titan. For the next seven days… you're stuck with me."
Mochi hid behind her hair, all warmth and panic.
The Barber Mission
Candy sprang up again, unstoppable.
"Oppa! Let's go to the barber—your hair looks like a bird's nest!"
Laddu gasped dramatically."Excuse me?! My barber is special.""He uses scissors instead of fingers."
Everyone froze.
Then Laddu shrugged.
"…Fine. Let's go to Maya's mom's salon."
The Salon Incident
The salon was bright and fragrant.White tiles.Soft music.Mirrors catching reflections of tiny shocked faces.
Maya's mother rushed over immediately.
"My tallest, sweetest angel!" she exclaimed, hugging Mochi.
Mochi melted into a shy bow.
Laddu sat in the chair while a young stylist fussed over him.
"Oh wow," she giggled."Your hair is so soft.""What oil do you use?""You smell nice… are you from India? So cute…"
Something in Mochi snapped.
Her ears burned.Her vision sharpened.Her feet moved forward on their own.
Before she could explode—
Laddu opened one lazy eye.
"Move your head to the left," he told the stylist.
She turned.
And finally saw Mochi.
Tall.Flushed.Watching like a quiet storm.
Laddu added calmly,"If you keep flirting with me, she'll chase you to hell."
The salon went silent.
A comb dropped.
The stylist apologized so fast she nearly bowed into the floor.
"I-I'm sorry! I didn't know—!"
Mochi covered her face, half mortified, half secretly glowing.
Candy whispered, awe-filled,"He protected unnie…"
Maya leaned back, grinning."This is basically a public declaration."
Mochi's heart thudded loud enough to drown the music.
After that, the stylist kept a very professional distance.
The salon felt warmer.Softer.
Like new beginnings.
And faintly…
like dumplings.