The hot pot dinner was warm, steaming, and full of laughter ☁️🍲Laddu sat on Mochi's left, eating calmly like a peaceful monk 🧘♂️
Mochi sat stiff as a bamboo stick 🎋trying very hard not to stare at him 👀
Across the table—Mother, Maya, and Cousin exchanged looks.
Dangerous looks 😈Matchmaking looks 💍
Mother nudged Maya 👉Maya nudged Cousin 👉Cousin nudged Mochi's foot under the table 🦶
Cousin (mouth full, whispering):"Feeeed him."
Mochi almost spilled her drink 🫗
Mochi:"W-What?!"
Mother joined the silent torture.She looked at Laddu 👀then at Mochi 👀then did the universal mom gesture:
👉 Put food in his mouth.
Mochi shook her head violently ❌
Mochi (whisper):"No no no no—!"
Maya leaned in, grinning like a devil 😏
Maya:"Do it.Feed your boyfriend~"
Mochi nearly combusted 🔥
Mochi:"H-He's not— I'm not— We're not—!"
Big Brother cleared his throat loudly 🧍♂️
Big Brother:"Everyone stop making weird faces at the table."
But Mother gestured again.
👉 FEED HIM.
Mochi inhaled deeply 😮💨
Her hands trembled as she picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks 🥢She lifted it…
Slowly…Carefully…
Toward Laddu.
Her heart racing 💓💓💓fast enough to power a small city ⚡
But Laddu was unaware.
He leaned toward his bowl and ate peacefully 😌
Mochi panicked.
The meat hovered in mid-air 🫠
Mochi (thinking):"Should I tap him?Say his name?Or just… disappear…?"
Before she could decide—
Laddu turned his head.
Saw the food.
And without hesitation—
Laddu:"Oh, thank you."
Mochi's eyes widened 😳Maya froze 🧊Cousin froze 🧊Mother froze mid-bite 🥢
But instead of opening his mouth…
Laddu reached forward.
Picked up tofu with his chopsticks 🍥And gently held it in front of Mochi's lips.
Laddu:"You eat first.You look hungry."
💥 Mochi's soul left her body 💥
Mochi:"M-Me…?"
Cousin slammed the table silently 🤐🔥Maya grabbed Candy to stop a scream 😱Mother clutched her chest 🥹Big Brother frowned… secretly impressed 😐
Laddu tilted his head.
Laddu:"Eat.Before it melts."
Mochi turned pink 🌸
Slowly… very shyly…
She leaned in…
And ate the tofu from his chopsticks 😳🥢
💣 THE TABLE EXPLODED 💣
Cousin:"AAAAH THEY FED EACH OTHER—!!"
Maya:"THIS IS PEAK ROMANCE—!!"
Candy:"I SHIP YOU BOTH MORE THAN MY LIFE—!!"
Mother:"Perfect daughter-in-law scene…I'm crying…"
Big Brother nearly choked on water 😵💫
Big Brother:"Can you two NOT flirt so boldly—?!"
Mochi hid her face 🙈
Mochi:"I-I didn't mean— he fed me— I wasn't—!"
Laddu calmly ate another bite 😌
Laddu:"You should eat more, Mochi.You did pushups today."
Mochi:❤️💀❤️💀❤️Alive. Dead. Both.
📺 Cartoon Time Chaos
Dinner ended with laughter still echoing 😂
Laddu stood, stretched like a sleepy cat 🐈
Laddu:"Candy, cartoon time."
Candy launched like a rocket 🚀
Candy:"YES! Episode 42 where the teacher's wig flies away!!"
They ran to the living room and collapsed on the floor 📺laughing before the show even started 🤣
Maya:"They act like twin idiots."
Cousin:"A soulmate doesn't have to be smart.It just has to laugh with you."
🍽️ Quiet Words in the Kitchen
Mochi helped Mother wash dishes 🧼but her hands shook—plates clinked softly 🥄
Mother (smiling):"You like him."
Mochi almost dropped a spoon 😳
Mochi:"I—I… maybe… I don't know—"
Mother gently interrupted.
Mother:"He is a storm. 🌪️You can't control a storm…"
She placed a bowl on the rack.
Mother:"…but you can guide it."
Mochi looked toward the living room.
Laddu was laughing so hard he fell backward 🤣Candy crawled on him dramatically like a hero rescue 🦸♀️
Mochi (soft):"He's… impossible."
Mother:"Yes.But he is loyal.Kind.And he sees you."
Mochi lowered her eyes, smiling shyly 😊
🌙 Night Falls
Later, the house quieted 🌌Candy went to bed 🛏️Maya and Cousin left 🚶♀️Big Brother stared at papers like a tired soldier 📄
Laddu yawned loudly 😴
Laddu:"I'm sleeping."
Mochi:"In your room?"
Laddu:"No.The sofa is calling me."
He flopped onto it 🛋️pulled a blanketcurled up instantly
Laddu:"…Zzz…"
Mochi stood nearby.
Watching him breathe gently 😌hair messy 💭hand near his facering glowing faintly 💍
Peaceful.Soft.A boy inside a grown man.
Mother whispered:
Mother:"He says the sofa feels like home."
Mochi's chest tightened 💗
Mochi (whisper):"…I'll take care of him."
Mother squeezed her shoulder 🤍
Mochi watched Laddu sleep.
And for the first time—
No panic.No embarrassment.
Just a soft smile 😊Quiet.Warm.
Like she'd found somethingshe didn't knowshe was looking for 💞