The room was dim 🌙
Quiet 🤫
Warm with the soft hum of the night 🛋️✨
The kind of quiet that presses gently on the chest.
Mochi moved first.
Slowly.
Shyly.
Like she was testing the air itself.
She slid closer… just a little 🐾
Her fingers hesitated mid-air.
Then landed softly on Laddu's chest 🤍
She felt his heartbeat.
Fast.
Too fast.
Her arm wrapped around him gently.
Not trapping.
Not claiming.
Just holding.
Her head rested on his shoulder.
Perfect fit.
Laddu's heart forgot how to behave 💥
It skipped.
Stumbled.
Then ran like it was late for something important.
He blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Fully awake now 😳
Warmth rushing to his face like fire.
Laddu (soft, stunned):
"Mochi… you're… hugging me?"
Her voice came out tiny. Almost afraid.
Mochi:
"…Is it okay?"
He turned his head slightly toward her.
Careful. Like the moment might break.
Laddu:
"It's…"
"…more than okay."
She smiled shyly into his shirt 😊
Silence stretched between them.
Warm.
Fragile.
Alive.
Then Laddu whispered, voice trembling just enough to betray him.
Laddu:
"Moch… if I say 'I love you'…"
"…will you run away?"
Mochi's breath caught 💔
She didn't answer right away.
Instead…
She hugged him tighter.
Mochi (soft, blushing):
"No."
"I… I won't run."
Laddu swallowed hard.
His heart thundered like a drum in his chest 🥁
He lowered his face, lips brushing her hair as he whispered—
Laddu:
"I love you, Cili."
He repeated it without thinking.
Laddu:
"I love you, Cili—"
💀
💀
💀
Mochi's entire body froze.
Her arms were still around him…
But her soul quietly stood up,
put on chappals,
and prepared for WAR ⚔️
She pulled back slowly.
Too slowly.
Her eyes sharpened.
Calm.
Cold.
Terrifying.
Mochi:
"…Who."
"…Is."
"…Cili."
Laddu's heartbeat stopped.
Restarted.
Stopped again.
His brain flashed:
404 ERROR — OPERATION NOT FOUND 🚨
Laddu (panicking whisper):
"Mochi— listen— it was an accident—"
Her eyes narrowed further.
Mochi:
"Who."
"Is."
"She."
Laddu raised both hands like surrendering to police 🚔✋✋
Laddu:
"She's nobody now!"
Mochi leaned closer until their foreheads nearly touched.
Mochi:
"That didn't answer the question."
Laddu swallowed so loudly even the sofa heard it 🛋️
Laddu:
"O-okay okay—"
"She was… an ex."
Mochi didn't blink.
Not once.
Mochi:
"What kind of ex?"
Laddu closed his eyes like recalling a nightmare.
Laddu:
"Annoying kind."
"The type who thinks she is the only girl in the world."
"The type who texts, 'Why are you breathing?'"
Mochi blinked once.
Mochi:
"…Continue."
Laddu nodded rapidly.
Laddu:
"She gave me dumb nicknames."
"And she got jealous of air."
"Actual oxygen."
Mochi raised an eyebrow.
Mochi:
"Why did you date her?"
Laddu (small voice):
"My family forced me to go on five dates a week."
"I was emotionally kidnapped."
Mochi's mouth twitched 😐
Half anger.
Half amusement.
Mochi:
"And why did her name come out?"
Laddu threw his hands up.
Laddu:
"She shouted her name at me every day!"
"Morning: 'Good morning from Cili!'"
"Lunch: 'Did you eat? Cili loves you!'"
"3 p.m.: 'Why didn't you reply?!'"
"Night: 'Dream of Cili!'"
Mochi's eye twitched.
Mochi:
"…She sounds irritating."
Laddu:
"Yes!"
"I blocked her 43 times!"
Mochi:
"…Forty-three?"
Laddu:
"She bought new SIM cards."
Mochi leaned back, processing this horror story 🧠💀
Then—
Mochi:
"Do you still talk to her?"
Laddu:
"No! Never!"
"If she appears again, I will jump inside a well!"
Mochi:
"Do you still like her?"
Laddu grabbed her hand instantly, desperate.
Laddu:
"I don't even like the memory of her."
Her expression softened.
Just a little.
Mochi:
"Then why did her name come out?"
Laddu (tiny voice):
"Muscle memory…"
"Trauma memory…"
"System glitch…"
Mochi leaned closer again.
Mochi:
"You better delete that glitch."
Laddu:
"Yes ma'am."
She studied his face for a long moment.
Then—
Mochi:
"…Say my name."
He didn't hesitate.
He touched her cheek gently.
Laddu:
"Mochi."
Mochi:
"Again."
Laddu:
"Mochi."
Her grip loosened.
Anger cooled.
But inside?
She was still mentally scheduling interrogations 📋
Rights Declaration ⚖️
Laddu sat there, hair messy, eyes wide with fear and love mixed like tea and sugar ☕💗
Mochi crossed her arms.
Laddu:
"You… you weren't like this before."
Mochi:
"Before what?"
Laddu:
"Before we became… whatever we are."
She leaned closer.
Mochi:
"We are a couple now."
"It's my right to know everything."
Laddu:
"Your… right?"
Mochi:
"Yes."
"Your past."
"Your habits."
"Your passwords."
"Your weaknesses."
"And ex names."
Laddu choked on oxygen 😵
Laddu:
"That last one sounds illegal—"
Mochi:
"Say one more wrong name."
"See what happens."
Laddu:
"ONLY MOCHI!"
"Tall Flower update installed!"
She nodded proudly.
Then Laddu squinted.
Laddu:
"This interrogation style…"
"…This feels like Komal."
Mochi froze for a microsecond.
Mochi (too casual):
"…Who?"
Laddu:
"KOMAL!"
"That drum!"
"She trained you, didn't she?!"
Mochi:
"If I don't stop talking to her…"
"What will you do?"
Laddu opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Bravery left the room 🚪
Laddu:
"…I will run away."
Mochi:
"You better not."
Laddu:
"Yes yes women empowerment full support—"
She giggled and nudged him.
Mochi:
"You're mine."
"So I get rights."
Laddu's system rebooted.
Laddu:
"…Okay."
She hugged him again, pulling him close like a favorite pillow 🫂
Escape Attempt ❌
Laddu's brain made a fatal decision.
Laddu:
"…Maybe I should get water…"
Mochi narrowed her eyes.
Mochi:
"For what?"
Laddu:
"To hydrate my fear."
He stood.
Tried to escape sideways like a crab 🦀
Step one.
Step two.
Her hand shot out.
Grabbed his collar.
Mid-run freeze 🧊
Laddu:
"M-MOCHI?!"
Mochi:
"Where are you going?"
Laddu:
"…That direction."
Mochi:
"Wrong."
"Sit."
He sat instantly.
From hallway—
Maya:
"She controls him like a remote."
Cousin:
"He deserves it."
Candy:
"BIG BROTHER LADDU IS PET NOW!"
Judgement Day 📱⚡
Mochi's phone vibrated.
Caller ID: KOMAL SISTER
Laddu screamed internally.
Mochi answered sweetly.
Mochi:
"Hello, Komal."
Komal:
"HOW IS THAT USELESS BROTHER OF MINE?!"
Mochi glanced at Laddu.
Sitting straight.
Hands on knees.
Student mode 📚
Mochi:
"He said a wrong name."
Silence.
Then—
Komal:
"PUT HIM ON."
Laddu accepted death.
Komal:
"WHICH EX?!"
Laddu:
"Muscle memory—"
Komal:
"I TRAINED YOU TO BE SCARED OF WOMEN!"
Komal:
"MOCHI— IF HE DOES IT AGAIN, CALL ME."
Mochi:
"I will."
Komal:
"GOOD. GIVE HIM MILK."
Call ended.
Laddu stared.
Laddu:
"You told her?!"
Mochi:
"I tell her everything."
He covered his face.
Laddu:
"This is the end."
Mochi pulled his hands down gently.
Mochi:
"No."
"This is the beginning."
She hugged him again.
And Laddu didn't run.