The restaurant inside the mall was bright.
Too bright for the mood at the table.
Laddu, Mother, and Candy sat together.
Candy was happily swinging her legs from the chair, humming to herself, licking ice cream from a spoon like nothing in the world had gone wrong. 🍨
Mother sat straight-backed, tired eyes, arms folded.
And Laddu…
Laddu looked like a man who had narrowly escaped execution.
His shoulders were stiff.
His jaw tight.
His eyes kept drifting down to the table, then away, then back again.
He let out a long breath.
Laddu (quiet):
"…Thank you.
Both of you.
For saving me today."
Mother raised one eyebrow slowly.
Mother:
"Saving you from what?"
(pause)
"Your own stupidity?"
Laddu rubbed the back of his neck.
Laddu:
"…Yes."
Candy leaned forward proudly.
Candy:
"I help too!
I put letter under Mochi Didi bed!" ✋
Mother shot her a look.
Mother:
"That wasn't help."
Candy blinked.
Candy:
"…It was little help."
Mother sighed and turned back to Laddu.
Mother:
"Now tell me the truth."
"Why did you run from the house?"
Laddu's faint smile disappeared.
He looked down at his hands.
Laddu (soft, honest):
"Mochi wasn't joking."
"Her anger was real."
Mother leaned forward.
Mother:
"Did she look hurt?"
Laddu swallowed.
Hard.
Laddu:
"…Yes."
Candy added quietly, unusually serious:
Candy:
"Mochi Didi eyes were shaking."
"Like she want to cry and shout same time."
Mother closed her eyes briefly.
Mother:
"That girl's emotions today were real."
"Nothing fake."
Laddu nodded once.
Laddu:
"I know."
"She was angry… embarrassed… jealous…"
"And underneath all that—"
"…she was hurt."
Silence hung between them.
Mother opened her eyes sharply.
Mother:
"And those letters?"
Laddu winced.
Mother:
"They were real."
Laddu nodded.
Laddu:
"Yes."
"Letters from old girlfriends."
"I never threw them away."
Candy frowned.
Candy:
"And jewellery also real."
Laddu nodded again.
Laddu:
"…Yes."
Mother's expression tightened.
Mother:
"Under washing machine."
"Inside sofa."
"Behind fridge."
Laddu shrank visibly.
Laddu:
"I hid them everywhere."
Mother:
"You fool."
Candy crossed her arms.
Candy:
"Mochi think you dirty flirt boy."
Laddu covered his face with both hands.
Laddu:
"I KNOW."
Mother exhaled slowly.
Mother:
"And Mochi's silence?"
"Her shock?"
"That was not acting."
Laddu nodded.
Laddu:
"She wasn't pretending."
"She was in pain."
Candy whispered:
Candy:
"Very pain."
Mother tapped the table once.
Mother:
"Then why did you let Candy tell her it was a prank?"
Laddu lifted his head, helpless.
Laddu:
"Because…"
"If Mochi knew everything was real…"
"…she would have destroyed me."
Candy added quickly:
Candy:
"I say prank to protect brother!"
Mother nodded.
Mother:
"I ordered the black dress to soften her heart."
"Candy sold the 'prank' story so Mochi wouldn't break."
Laddu looked at both of them, eyes sincere.
Laddu:
"I owe you."
"You saved my life."
Mother shook her head firmly.
Mother:
"No, Laddu."
"We didn't save your life."
"We bought you time."
Candy tugged his sleeve.
Candy:
"Brother… tomorrow big punishment."
Laddu sighed.
Laddu:
"I know."
"And I deserve it."
Mother softened slightly.
Mother:
"But until then…"
"We're in a mall."
"And you promised anything we want."
Laddu snapped into survival mode instantly.
Laddu:
"Yes yes— ANYTHING!"
"Toys, dresses, jewelry, makeup—"
"ANY price!"
Candy jumped.
Candy:
"I WANT TOY TRAIN!"
Mother smiled faintly.
Mother:
"And I want something nice."
Laddu stood up dramatically.
Laddu:
"Approved!"
Candy whispered, grinning:
Candy:
"Brother… tomorrow Mochi will kill you."
Laddu nodded calmly.
Laddu:
"I know."
"I am a dead man walking."
Mother corrected him.
Mother:
"No."
"You are a dead man shopping."
Night
The front door opened.
Laddu walked in with Mother and Candy.
All three were loaded with bags.
Luxury store bags.
Toy shop bags.
Cosmetics.
Designer boutiques.
Father stared.
Father:
"…This boy shops like he robbed a bank."
Maya and Cousin leaned over the railing.
Cousin:
"That's guilt shopping."
Maya:
"Compensation shopping."
Mother rubbed her forehead.
Mother:
"Just… let them go upstairs."
Laddu looked up.
And froze.
Mochi stood in the hallway.
Calm.
Still.
Unreadable.
That expression scared him more than her anger ever had.
Laddu (soft):
"Mochi… can we talk?"
She didn't answer.
She simply turned and walked toward her room.
Laddu swallowed and followed.
The door closed behind them.
Outside the Door
The house held its breath.
Maya whispered:
Maya:
"She's going to destroy him."
Cousin:
"No… she's quiet."
"That's worse."
Father muttered:
Father:
"When women go silent, mountains shake."
Mother folded her arms.
Mother:
"He deserves whatever happens."
Suddenly—
SMACK.
A sharp slap echoed through the hallway.
Candy gasped.
Candy:
"She hit him?!"
Maya winced.
Maya:
"That wasn't playful."
Cousin whispered:
Cousin:
"Goodbye, Laddu."
Father nodded solemnly.
Father:
"He lived bravely."
Then—
Nothing.
No yelling.
No crying.
No voices.
Just silence.
One hour passed.
Then another.
The family sat frozen.
Mother finally stood.
Mother:
"I can't handle this."
She turned to them, voice low.
Mother:
"Listen."
"Everything Mochi found today—"
"The letters."
"The jewelry."
"The toys."
"The perfumes."
"It was all real."
The room froze.
Candy gasped.
Candy:
"Even jewellery"
Mother nodded.
Mother:
"Yes."
"Nothing was fake."
Maya's expression softened.
Maya:
"She felt betrayed."
Cousin nodded.
Cousin:
"That must've hurt deeply."
Mother sighed.
Mother:
"This wasn't a prank."
"Mochi's heart was real."
"And Laddu ran because he didn't know how to face it."
Candy hugged Mother.
Candy:
"She crying inside…?"
Mother nodded gently.
Mother:
"Yes."
Father stepped toward the door.
Placed his ear against it.
Nothing.
He stepped back.
Father:
"…Either they're talking quietly."
"Or Laddu is unconscious."
Maya covered Cousin's mouth to stop her laugh.
Mother stared at the door.
Worried.
Hopeful.
Mother:
"I think…"
"They're sorting their hearts."
"Let's give them space."
They all sat back down.
Waiting.
Silent.
Because behind that closed door…
Something between Mochi and Laddu
was breaking—
and rebuilding—
at the same time.