Everyone was still gathered in the living room, warm and full after dinner, when Candy suddenly leaned forward with sparkly eyes ✨.
Candy:"Laddu… what type of kid were you when you were little?"
Cousin perked up.Maya grinned 😏.Mochi tilted her head, curious.
Laddu scratched his chin.
Laddu:"When I was little…during school holidays…"
He paused.
Everyone leaned in.
Laddu:"My mother would give me money…"
Mother nodded proudly 😊.
Maya (whispering):"Oh, he was responsible since childhood!"
Laddu finished calmly:
Laddu:"…so that I don't come home until evening."
💀 SILENCE 💀
Candy choked.Cousin grabbed her stomach laughing 😂.Maya fell sideways.Mochi stared, mouth open.
Candy:"WHY would your mom PAY you to stay OUTSIDE?!"
Laddu shrugged.
Laddu:"Because I was…a very active child."
Cousin (wheezing):"ACTIVE??LIKE HOW ACTIVE?!"
Laddu counted on his fingers ☝️.
Laddu:"I climbed everyone's roof.I fed my neighbor's buffalo my food and tried to eat her food.I kidnapped chickens.I dug holes to find treasure.I chased goats for exercise.And once… I tried to teach a cow yoga."
Mother covered her mouth laughing 🤣.Father nodded calmly.
Father:"This is why I like this boy."
Candy (screaming):"YOU TAUGHT A COW YOGA?!"
Laddu:"She was flexible."
Mochi pressed her forehead.
Mochi:"You were… a menace."
Laddu smiled proudly 😌.
Laddu:"So my mother needed peace.She gave me money and said,'Come home only when the sun goes down.'"
Cousin (clapping):"YOUR OWN MOTHER OUTSOURCED YOU TO THE VILLAGE!"
Maya:"He was basically the village side-quest!"
Candy jumped excitedly 🐇.
Candy:"I want a childhood like that!"
Mochi:"No, Candy.You're already dangerous enough."
But Laddu leaned forward, grinning.
Laddu:"Candy… if you want…I can teach you goat chasing."
Candy:"YESSSSSS!"
💀💀💀
Mochi:"PLEASE NO—DO NOT CREATE A MINI LADDU—"
Big Brother passed the hallway and muttered without stopping:
Big Brother:"One Laddu is already too many…"
Laddu smiled smugly.
Laddu:"You love me."
Big Brother:"I fear you."
🏡 Talk About Home
Later that night, the house settled into a cozy hush.
Big Brother retreated to his room, dignity still recovering.Candy was drawing goats 🖍️🐐.Maya and Cousin whispered and giggled.
Mochi's mother sat beside Laddu.
Mother (warmly):"Son… tell me about your family.What is your village like?"
Laddu brightened instantly ✨.
He sat straighter, eyes shining with pride.
Laddu:"My village is the BEST place in the world."
Candy leaned closer.Maya raised an eyebrow.Cousin prepared imaginary notes 📒.
Laddu:"No water problem.No food problem.No electricity problem."
Maya:"WAIT— WHAT?!"
Laddu:"No rain problem."
Cousin:"That sounds… suspiciously stable."
Laddu:"But you enjoy ALL seasons properly!"
He spread his hands dramatically.
Laddu:"Summer so hot your slippers melt.Monsoon so wild you fell like you live on a ship.Winter so cold emotions freeze.Autumn… beautiful but dangerous.Leaves fall. Goats slip. Big issue."
Candy (gasping):"I MUST VISIT THIS PLACE!"
Mochi:"Please do not…"
Laddu continued proudly:
Laddu:"And best part?Zero criminal cases."
Father (clapping):"Good! No crime!"
Laddu raised one finger ☝️.
Laddu:"Because if anyone commits crime,the whole village beats himbefore police arrives."
Mother:"That is… efficient."
💥 The Real Reason He Left
Candy crawled closer, eyes glowing.
Candy:"Then why did you leave your village?It sounds perfect!"
The room went quiet.
Laddu sighed.
A heavy sigh.
Laddu:"…Because my grandfather wanted me to marry."
💥
Cousin:"AT WHAT AGE?!"
Laddu:"FIFTEEN."
Maya:"THAT'S CHILD MARRIAGE!"
Candy:"WHO WAS THE GIRL?!"
Laddu:"My grandpa's friend's granddaughter."
Mochi:"Were you close?"
Laddu:"I didn't even know her name."
Cousin (dying):"YOU WERE GOING TO MARRY A STRANGER?!"
Laddu:"Yes.Very normal there."
Maya:"So… you talked to your family?"
Laddu:"No."
Candy:"You negotiated?"
Laddu:"No."
Cousin:"You ran?"
Laddu stood proudly 🏃♂️.
Laddu:"I ran away as fast as possible."
Everyone burst out laughing 😂.
Candy:"YOU RAN TO CANADA TO ESCAPE A WEDDING?!"
Laddu:"Yes.Running is faster than arguing."
Mother shook her head gently.
Mother:"Poor boy… you must have been scared."
Laddu:"No.I wasn't afraid of marriage.I was afraid of my future wife's grandmother."
Cousin:"WHAT DID SHE DO?!"
Laddu:"She once slapped a buffalofor blocking her view."
💀💀💀
Maya:"SHE SLAPPED A BUFFALO?!"
Laddu:"I decided I cannot marry into that family."
Candy hugged his arm 🤗.
Candy:"You did the right thing."
Mochi smiled softly.
Mochi:"You're safe here now."
Laddu looked at her.
Warm. Gentle.
Laddu:"I know."
💓 Late-Night Mochi Thoughts
That night, long after everyone slept…
Mochi lay in bed, staring at the ceiling 🌙.
She thought about the boy who ran from a wedding,who taught cows yoga,who slept on her sofa like it belonged to him,who fought soldiers with herbal medicine,and somehow…fit into her family perfectly.
She hugged her pillow.
He didn't run away from responsibility,she thought.He ran toward his own life.
A small smile formed.
Somewhere in the living room,Laddu turned in his sleep on the sofa 🛋️.
And for the first time in a long while—
Mochi felt calm.
💗