Dinner continued after Laddu finished explaining his dream of a giant joint-family home.
The table was calmer now.
No shouting.
No spoon-throwing.
Only soft clinking of plates.
Mochi sat quietly, cheeks warm.
Then, in a small voice, she asked the question that had been sitting in her chest.
⏳ The Timeline Question
Mochi (soft):
"So… how long until… all this happens?"
Laddu leaned back confidently, folding his arms like a man with a five-year plan and zero stress 😌
Laddu:
"Don't worry.
You have many years."
Mochi blinked.
Mochi:
"Why?!"
Laddu raised one finger like a professor explaining gravity 📐
Laddu:
"Because first…
my older brother and older sister must get married.
Then it becomes my turn."
😵 A QUEUE FOR MARRIAGE?!
Cousin slammed the table.
Cousin:
"So you have a LINE?!
A QUEUE?!"
Maya burst out laughing 😂
Maya:
"Even marriage has waiting numbers with this guy!"
Mochi covered her face, half embarrassed, half relieved.
At least… not tomorrow.
🛏️ Candy's Important Concern
Candy suddenly raised her hand like this was school.
Candy:
"WAIT.
In that big house you're buying…
Where will I live?!"
The entire table turned to Laddu.
He nodded seriously.
Very seriously.
Laddu:
"Don't worry, Candy.
You will have your own room."
Candy's eyes sparkled ✨
Candy:
"My own room?!
SPECIAL room?!
REALLY?!"
Laddu nodded again.
Calm.
Confident.
Suspiciously confident.
Laddu:
"Yes.
Very special room."
Candy gasped dramatically.
Candy:
"What will be the name?!"
The table leaned in.
Laddu placed a hand on his chest like declaring something historic.
Laddu:
"Dog House."
💀 TOTAL SILENCE
Candy froze.
Cousin spit out water 💦
Maya screamed into a pillow
Mother laughed so hard she almost dropped her spoon 😂
Big Brother choked on air
Father hid his smile behind his hand
Mochi stared at Laddu like she had misheard reality.
Mochi:
"DOG HOUSE?! WHY?!"
Laddu shrugged.
Laddu:
"Because Candy is small, fast, loud, eats everything…
and bites sometimes."
Candy jumped up like a firecracker 💥
Candy:
"WHO BITES?!
I DON'T BITE—
OKAY MAYBE SOMETIMES—"
Laddu calmly sipped water.
Unbothered.
Peaceful.
Evil.
Laddu:
"Your room will also have a small door.
So you stay inside."
Candy attacked him with a spoon.
Candy:
"TAKE IT BACK!!
I WANT A PRINCESS ROOM!! NOT DOG HOUSE!!"
Laddu dodged effortlessly.
Laddu:
"Princess dog house."
Candy screamed louder.
Mochi immediately pulled Laddu's ear.
Mochi:
"STOP BULLYING HER!!"
Laddu:
"I'm not!
I'm motivating her!"
Mochi:
"For WHAT?!"
Laddu:
"To not bite people."
Candy spun like a tornado 🌪️
Candy:
"I DON'T BITE—
okay fine maybe Maya once—
BUT STILL!!"
Maya raised one finger calmly.
Maya:
"She bit me because I touched her fries."
Candy:
"That was a justified bite."
Mother wiped tears from laughing.
Mother:
"Laddu… you are trouble."
Laddu smiled proudly.
Laddu:
"And still everyone loves me."
Mochi turned red.
Candy crossed her arms angrily.
Candy:
"MY ROOM WILL NOT BE DOG HOUSE."
Laddu nodded.
Laddu:
"Fine.
Royal Dog House."
Candy screamed.
Everyone laughed again.
Mochi hit Laddu with a napkin.
Big Brother silently prayed.
Another normal day in the Laddu–Mochi family circus 🎪
🌙 Laddu's Real Dream
After the chaos settled, Maya leaned forward, eyes sparkling.
Maya:
"Okay, Laddu.
We heard Mochi's plans…
Candy's room…
Big Brother's suffering…
But what about you?"
Laddu blinked.
Laddu:
"Me?"
Maya:
"Yes.
What's your dream life in the future?"
Everyone turned.
Father lowered his fork 🍴
Mother smiled knowingly
Cousin leaned in
Candy stood on her chair
Mochi's heart thumped quietly 💓
Laddu scratched his chin.
Thought.
Then spoke in the softest voice they'd ever heard.
Laddu:
"My dream life…
I wake up in the morning.
My wife comes…
and calls me…"
He hesitated.
Laddu:
"'Ji'…
or 'Aji'."
💗 Old Dreams, Honest Words
The room froze.
Mochi blinked rapidly.
Mochi:
"…J-Ji…?"
Candy raised her hand ✋
Candy:
"What is ji??
Why would someone say that?"
Laddu straightened, entering Indian Teacher Mode 🇮🇳
Laddu:
"In old Indian tradition…
a wife doesn't say her husband's name.
She says 'ji' or calls him by relation.
It is respect…
and love."
Candy gasped.
Candy:
"So instead of 'Laddu,'
Mochi will call you 'ji'??"
Mochi nearly died.
Mochi:
"NO I WON'T—!!"
Cousin slammed the table.
Cousin:
"That is SO old-fashioned!"
Laddu raised a hand, stopping her.
His voice was calm.
Deeper.
Warm.
Laddu:
"I know.
It is old-fashioned."
He looked directly at Mochi.
Laddu:
"It's her choice.
Times changed.
People changed.
Relationships changed."
He smiled softly.
Laddu:
"But…
if you were born in India…
you would understand."
Silence filled the table.
Candy whispered:
Candy:
"So… it's your little dream?"
Laddu nodded once.
Laddu:
"Every Indian boy dreams of hearing it.
Even if he pretends he doesn't."
Maya wiped a fake tear 😭
Maya:
"This is unexpectedly romantic."
Cousin nudged Mochi.
Cousin:
"You gonna call him 'ji'?"
Mochi turned red, hid her face.
Mochi:
"I—I can't—!!
It's too embarrassing—!!"
Laddu smiled gently.
Not teasing.
Not joking.
Laddu:
"It's okay.
You don't have to.
It's just a dream.
A small one."
Mochi peeked through her fingers.
Her heart softened.
She whispered, barely audible:
Mochi:
"…Maybe one day."
💥 SYSTEM FAILURE
Laddu froze.
Ears turned red 🔴
Candy screamed.
Maya fell off her chair.
Cousin fainted laughing.
Mother smiled proudly.
Big Brother stared at the ceiling.
Laddu looked at Mochi like she had rewritten his future.
Laddu:
"That… is enough."
Mochi hid her face again.
And the house filled with laughter 💞