The four of them sat in the quiet park near the mall.
Children played in the distance 🛝Birds chirped 🐦The evening breeze was calm.
Which was a lie.
Because Maya and the Cousin were circling Laddu like gossip wolves 🐺🐺.
Maya:"Five girlfriends?Just five? Really?"
Cousin:"Come on, Laddu.Men like you attract chaos.Five feels… too few."
Laddu sipped his juice calmly 🧃.
Laddu:"I told the truth."
Mochi stared at him slowly.
Her voice was soft.But sharp enough to cut steel.
Mochi:"Say it again.Look into my eyes."
Laddu turned.
Looked directly into her eyes.
He blinked.He sighed.
Then—
Laddu:"…Actually… I dated fifteen girls."
💀 TOTAL SILENCE 💀
Maya dropped her sandwich 🥪The cousin choked on air.Mochi's soul exited her body.
Mochi:"What."
Laddu:"Fifteen."
Mochi:"WHAT?!"
She grabbed him by the hoodie—LIFTED HIM OFF THE PARK BENCH—
And held him at eye level.
Children nearby gasped 😱A dog barked in fear 🐕A man on a bicycle hit a pillar and fell 🚲💥
Cousin:"…Did she just lift him again?"
Maya:"She's the Hulk in romance form."
Mochi shook Laddu gently like a furious mother shaking a misbehaving child.
Mochi:"FIFTEEN?!Explain.NOW."
Laddu dangled helplessly.
Laddu:"I was young!Sorry!Put me down— my feet are not touching the ground—!"
Mochi raised him higher.
Mochi:"EXPLAIN."
Maya sat cross-legged like it was story time 📖.
Maya:"Yes, Laddu.Explain your villain origin story."
The cousin pulled popcorn from her bag 🍿.
Cousin:"This will be a TED Talk."
Laddu sighed in defeat.
Laddu:"Fine.I'll explain all fifteen.But put me down first."
Mochi lowered him slowly…but kept one fist gripping his hoodie.
📜 Laddu's Fifteen-Girlfriend List
(Everyone prepared for psychological damage)
Laddu took a deep breath.
Girlfriend #1:"Wanted me as a pet."
Maya:"She definitely tried to feed him dog biscuits."
Girlfriend #2:"Very physical.Very romantic.24/7 'touch me Laddu.'I almost died."
Mochi:"…How are you alive?"
Girlfriend #3:"Abusive.Threw furniture.Called me garbage."
Cousin:"Low-key iconic.High-key terrifying."
Girlfriend #4:"Pseudo-feminist.Breathing was a crime."
Maya (saluting):"Respect to that queen."
Girlfriend #5:"Psychopath.Stalked me.Went to prison."
Cousin (clapping):"He deserves a medal."
Mochi crossed her arms.
Mochi:"That's five.What about the other ten?"
Laddu gulped.
Girlfriend #6:"Conspiracy theorist.Thought the world was run by shapeshifting aliens."
Maya:"And she dated you?She was studying you."
Girlfriend #7:"Only ate food shaped like triangles."
Cousin:"She is my spirit animal."
Girlfriend #8:"Cried whenever I talked to any female.Including grandmas."
Mochi:"…WHY?"
Laddu:"She thought I was cheating."
Girlfriend #9:"Believed she was Cleopatra reincarnated."
Maya:"Did she make you fan her?"
Laddu:"Yes."
Girlfriend #10:"Dated boys to gain XP.Believed life was an RPG."
Cousin:"She leveled up by dumping you."
Laddu:"She said 'Mission complete.'"
Girlfriend #11:"Believed laughter was forbidden."
Mochi:"That's… sad."
Laddu:"She dumped me because I laughed."
Girlfriend #12:"Only spoke in rhymes."
Maya:'I like you Laddu, yes I do, now go fetch me a shoe'?"
Laddu:"…Yes."
Girlfriend #13:"Carried crystals.Talked to trees."
Cousin:"My aesthetic."
Girlfriend #14:"Hated humans.Loved cats.Saw me as a tall cat."
Maya:"You do have cat energy."
Girlfriend #15:"Completely normal.Sweet.Perfect."
Mochi blinked.
Mochi:"…Then why did you break up?"
Laddu scratched his cheek, embarrassed.
Laddu:"She was too normal.Too perfect.After fourteen…I became abnormal."
Maya stared.
Maya:"You were the problem in that one."
Cousin:"That poor girl."
💔 Mochi Speaks
Mochi stared at Laddu.
Mochi:"…So you dated fifteen girls."
Laddu:"Yes."
Mochi:"And all of them were strange."
Laddu:"Yes."
Mochi:"Why?"
Laddu smiled softly.
Laddu:"Because I wanted attention.Not love.Not something real."
He met her eyes.
Warm. Gentle.
Laddu:"Now I want something real."
Mochi's heart skipped 💓.
Maya (whispering):"He's talking about you."
Cousin:"CONFESS OR I WILL CONFESS FOR YOU."
Mochi turned red and looked away.
Mochi:"…Idiot."
Laddu:"I know."
💥 DLC UNLOCKED
The park finally calmed down…
Until Laddu spoke again.
Laddu:"Actually…"
Mochi narrowed her eyes.
Mochi:"Actually what."
Laddu:"…There were sixteen."
💀 DEAD SILENCE 💀
Maya:"SIXTEEN?!"
Cousin:"He has DLC girlfriends."
But Mochi—
Her eyes filled with real hurt.
She stepped forward.
And LIFTED HIM AGAIN.
Higher this time.
Mochi:"Sixteen?!You said fifteen!"
Laddu:"S-sorry—!Please—!"
Her voice cracked.
Mochi:"Why didn't you tell me…?"
That stopped him.
He gently touched her wrist.
Laddu (soft):"Let me explain."
She lowered him.
💔 The Sixteenth Girl
Laddu sat on the grass.
Laddu:"She was real.Official.And… I liked her."
Mochi:"…Explain."
Laddu:"She was tall.Cute.Sweet.Very hot."
Maya blinked.The cousin blinked.
Laddu:"Her father was a police officer.Her mother was pregnant.She had a big brother in the army.And a little sister in school."
Maya froze.
Cousin:"…Wait."
Both slowly turned to Mochi.
Both (internally):"MOCHI."
Mochi:"M-me…?"
Her voice shook.
Mochi:"W-Why did you break up with her?"
Silence.
Then realization hit.
Maya:"…Mochi."
Cousin:"He's talking about you."
Mochi froze.
Turned red.
Covered her face.
Mochi:"I—I didn't mean—!"
Cousin (screaming):"SHE JUST ASKED WHY HE BROKE UP WITH HER!"
Maya (laughing on the grass):"SHE ACCIDENTALLY CONFESSED!"
Laddu watched her.
Smiled softly.
Laddu:"I never broke up with her."
Mochi peeked through her fingers.
Mochi:"…Idiot."
Laddu:"I know."