The bottle sat on the floor between them. 🍾
Silent. Heavy. Tempting.
Laddu's fingers twitched.
Slowly… quietly…
they moved toward it again.
Mochi noticed instantly.
Her hand shot out first.
Laddu:
"Mochi—"
Too late.
She stood up in one sharp motion and—
CRASH! 💥
The bottle smashed against the wall.
Glass exploded everywhere.
Liquid splattered.
The smell of alcohol flooded the room like poison. ☠️
Laddu stared at the shattered pieces, stunned.
Laddu:
"…That is dangerous."
Mochi didn't even look at the glass.
Her eyes were burning. 🔥
She stepped forward and grabbed his collar with both hands.
Hard.
Pulled him close.
Mochi:
"Dangerous?"
Her voice trembled with fury.
Mochi:
"You want to talk about dangerous?"
She yanked him closer until their foreheads almost touched.
Mochi:
"Tell me.
Tell me how your life was without me."
Laddu clenched his jaw and turned his face away.
Mochi shook him violently.
Mochi:
"LOOK. AT. ME."
He looked.
Finally.
His eyes were dark. Empty. Tired. 🕳️
Eyes that hadn't known joy for months.
Mochi's voice cracked, anger and pain bleeding together.
Mochi:
"Tell me, Laddu.
Did you sleep?
Did you eat?
Did you laugh?
Did you smile?
Did you live?"
His throat worked.
His mouth opened—
Then closed.
She slammed him lightly against the wall. Enough to shock. Not to hurt.
Mochi:
"ANSWER ME!"
Something inside him broke.
His voice cracked like old glass.
Laddu:
"I didn't live."
Silence.
Thick. Crushing. 💔
He stared at the floor.
Laddu (quiet):
"I smoked… the thing I hate most.
I slept.
I woke up.
I worked out."
His breath shook.
Laddu:
"I forgot how to smile.
I forgot how to talk.
I forgot how to feel anything."
Mochi's grip loosened slightly.
Her eyes softened.
Just a little.
Then she tightened again.
Mochi:
"And you hid this from me?"
Laddu exhaled slowly.
Laddu:
"You weren't supposed to see me like that."
His voice fell to a whisper.
Laddu:
"I wasn't supposed to break in front of you."
Her expression shifted.
Anger… melting into hurt.
But she didn't let go.
OUTSIDE — FAMILY PANIC MODE 😰
The sound of glass shattering earlier had frozen the house.
Maya pressed her ear to the door.
Maya:
"Uh… Mama?
They're killing each other."
Cousin hid behind Grandma.
Cousin:
"What if Mochi throws him through the window?!"
Candy gasped dramatically.
Candy:
"Big sister became big monster!"
Father stood up.
Father:
"That's it, I'm opening the door—"
Mama blocked him with one hand.
Mama:
"No one moves."
Bob peeked nervously.
Bob:
"That glass breaking sound… not good."
Jin adjusted his glasses.
Jin:
"Ninety percent chance Mochi threw something."
Grandpa nodded calmly.
Grandpa:
"Let them fight."
Father stared.
Father:
"This is not a fight."
Grandpa:
"It is now."
Mama pressed her ear to the door.
Shouting.
Breathing.
Then… silence.
Mama whispered:
Mama:
"They need this.
Don't interrupt."
INSIDE — THE TRUTH SPILLS 🌧️
Mochi's hands were still clutching Laddu's collar.
Her voice dropped. Calm. Dangerous.
Mochi:
"You hurt yourself.
You worked yourself half-dead.
You fought Barfi.
You ran to another state.
You broke Mama's door.
You carried her in the rain."
She leaned closer, forehead almost touching his.
Mochi:
"Now tell me the whole story."
Laddu closed his eyes.
Laddu:
"You deserve a better man.
Not someone like me."
She yanked him down so their eyes locked.
Mochi:
"I decide that."
He froze.
Her voice softened but sharpened like a blade.
Mochi:
"I want you, idiot."
His breath caught.
Something cracked in his chest.
MOCHI'S TRUTH — THE PART SHE NEVER SAID 💔
Mochi pressed him against the wall again.
Her breathing uneven.
Mochi:
"You told me your life without me."
She swallowed.
Mochi:
"Now it's my turn."
Her voice shook.
Mochi:
"I didn't smile."
His eyes widened slightly.
Mochi:
"I didn't laugh at Maya.
Not at Cousin.
Not at Candy.
Not even at Papa."
She looked straight into his eyes.
Mochi:
"I forgot how to smile too."
Laddu flinched.
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
Mochi:
"I ate just enough to stay alive.
I slept only when my eyes burned.
I woke up hoping it was a dream."
Her grip loosened… then tightened again.
Mochi:
"I went on a date with Lie."
Laddu's chest tightened.
Mochi:
"He tried everything.
I felt nothing."
She leaned into his chest.
Mochi (breaking):
"I missed you.
I hated that I missed you.
I hated myself for it."
Her voice shattered.
Mochi:
"I missed the idiot who calls me Tall Flower.
The idiot who annoys me.
The idiot who makes me want to throw him off a bridge."
Her face pressed harder against him.
Mochi:
"I missed you so much it hurt."
SHE BREAKS — AND HE CATCHES HER 🫂
She finally broke.
No screams.
No drama.
Just silent, violent tears. 😭
Laddu froze.
Then slowly… carefully…
he wrapped his arms around her.
Held her like glass.
Laddu (shaking):
"Mochi…"
She clutched his shirt.
Mochi:
"You left me alone."
It pierced him.
Laddu:
"I'm sorry."
AFTER THE STORM — SHE CARES FOR HIM 🩹
Mochi pulled back and looked at his injuries.
Her tongue clicked in annoyance.
Mochi:
"Sit."
Laddu:
"What—?"
She pushed him into the chair.
Firm.
She grabbed a wet towel and returned.
Lifted his chin gently.
Mochi:
"Don't move."
She cleaned his lip.
Adjusted his bandage.
Touched his bruises carefully.
Mochi:
"Why did you fight Barfi?"
He looked away.
She forced his chin up.
Mochi:
"No lies."
Laddu:
"He slapped me because I said you deserve better."
She froze.
Then quietly:
Mochi:
"…He was right."
She pressed the towel harder.
Laddu:
"Ow!"
Mochi:
"That's for leaving."
WHY HE LEFT 🚪
Mochi:
"Why did you leave the hospital?"
Laddu's voice softened.
Laddu:
"I didn't know how to face you."
He inhaled shakily.
Laddu:
"I saw Mama safe.
I held the baby."
He looked down.
Laddu:
"I thought… if I stayed, you'd walk in."
Her chest tightened.
Laddu:
"I wasn't ready to see you hate me."
Her voice trembled.
Mochi:
"I never hated you."
Hope flickered in his eyes.
THE SECOND BOTTLE — DESTROYED 🚫🍾
Laddu reached for another bottle.
Mochi grabbed it.
Laddu:
"Mochi—"
She smashed it into the trash.
CRASH!
Mochi:
"If you drink even one drop,
I'll break the third bottle on your head."
Laddu:
"Yes. Understood. Tall Flower."
She sat down in front of him.
Wiped her tears.
Looked straight into him.
Mochi:
"We're not done."
Laddu swallowed.
Laddu:
"…I know."
Some truths don't heal quietly.
They shatter first —
and only then begin to mend.