Laddu's voice dropped.
Not joking.
Not playful. ❌🙂
"Let me give you a right," he said quietly,
"a right that only you will have."
Mochi straightened. ⚠️
"…What right?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he reached up and touched his own hair once, almost unconsciously. 🫳🧠
"Oil my hair," Laddu said.
"My great-grandmother used to do it." 🪔🖤
Mochi froze.
He continued, words slower now. 🕰️
"After she left… I never let anyone."
"No mother. No aunty. No lover." 🚫
He smiled weakly. 😔
"I used to sit on her lap. Like this."
He shifted slightly, then realized where he was sitting.
"…And now I sit on yours." 🫂
Mochi felt her chest tighten. 💔
Laddu's breath shook. 😮💨
"She was the best," he said.
"She was with me through school." 🎒
"Through college." 📚
"Every exam. Every failure." ❌✔️
His voice cracked. 💢
"But when she was at the end…"
"I wasn't there."
Silence swallowed the night. 🌌
"I hate myself for that," Laddu whispered.
"Every time I remember." 🕳️
Mochi didn't rush him.
She gently pulled him closer, one arm around his shoulders, steadying him. 🫂🤍
"You didn't abandon her," she said softly.
"You were living." 🌱
Tears slipped down his face anyway. 💧💧
"I still wanted to be there," he said.
"Just once."
Mochi rested her chin on his head. 🌸
"I'll oil your hair," she said.
"Not to replace her."
She paused.
"But to remind you…"
"you're not alone now." 🤍
Laddu closed his eyes. 😌
For the first time that night, he cried without hiding it. 😭
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just honestly.
The café stayed quiet. ☕🌙
The night didn't interrupt.
Some rights aren't about control. 🔐
They're about trust. 🫶
Laddu tried to speak again.
Nothing came out.
His shoulders trembled once.
Then again. 🫨
And then the tears fell.
Not suddenly.
Not loudly.
Just one drop.
Then another. 💧💧
They slid down his face and disappeared into Mochi's clothes. 🫂
"I didn't even say goodbye," he whispered.
"I thought there would be time." ⏳
His voice broke completely. 💔
"She waited for me," Laddu said.
"And I kept telling myself… tomorrow."
Mochi felt his tears soak through.
She didn't wipe them away.
She didn't tell him to stop.
She simply held him.
Tighter. 🤍🫂
His forehead pressed into her chest like a child who finally gave up pretending to be strong. 🧸
"I'm sorry," Laddu said, hating the word as soon as it left his mouth.
"I should've been there."
Mochi shook her head gently. 🌱
"You loved her," she said softly.
"She knew." 🕊️
His breathing came uneven now. 😮💨
"I remember her hands," he said.
"Rough. Warm." ✋
"The smell of oil." 🪔
"How she'd tell me to sit still."
Mochi closed her eyes.
She ran her fingers slowly through his hair. 💆♂️
Careful.
Respectful.
No rush.
No replacement.
Just presence. 🤍
"You're here now," she whispered.
"And you don't have to carry this alone anymore."
Laddu didn't answer.
He just cried. 😭
And for the first time,
he didn't apologize for it.
The night stayed quiet. 🌌
The café slept. ☕💤
And somewhere inside Laddu,
a door that had been locked for years finally opened. 🔓✨
🌅 MORNING — TOO QUIET
Morning arrived quietly.
Too quietly. 🌤️
Laddu and Mochi were still on the bench.
Asleep.
Exactly where the night left them.
Mochi's back against the café wall.
Laddu curled into her, forehead on her shoulder, arms still wrapped like he was afraid she might disappear before sunrise. 🫂💭
Cold air had done its work.
Very efficiently. ❄️😷
🚪 DISCOVERY
Candy opened the café door first.
Candy:
"…Why are they dead." 💀❓
Maya rushed over.
"They're not dead—"
She touched Laddu's forehead.
Maya:
"…WHY IS HE ON FIRE." 🔥🔥
Mother hurried out, one look enough.
Mother:
"High fever." 🌡️
Mochi shifted weakly, eyes half-open.
"…Why is the sun so loud," she murmured. ☀️🔊
Father wasn't there, but his absence didn't stop the authority.
🏥 FULL FAMILY MODE
They were carried inside.
No arguments allowed. 🚫🗣️
Blankets layered. 🛏️
Warm water. 🚿
Medicine prepared. 💊
Mother wiped Laddu's face gently, muttering,
"Stubborn children…" 😔
Maya held Mochi's hand.
"You two act brave and then collapse like this."
Cousin checked temperatures.
"Both high." 🌡️🌡️
Candy sat between them like a guard. 🛡️
Candy:
"They slept outside because of love."
Mother sighed.
"Yes. And now love has fever." 🤦♀️❤️🔥
🩺 CARETAKING CHAOS
Laddu woke up briefly.
"…Why is everyone here," he croaked. 😵
Mother:
"Because you're sick."
Laddu squinted at Mochi.
"…She okay?"
Mochi, barely awake:
"…He talking too much." 😑
Mother smiled despite herself. 😊
Medicine was forced. 💊
Water was forced. 🚰
Rest was non-negotiable. ❌
Ben lay near the bed, refusing to move. 🐕🫶
📜 THE VERDICT
Candy whispered seriously,
"They should not sit outside again."
Maya nodded.
"Yes. Romance needs jacket." 🧥😂
Mother adjusted the blanket one more time.
"They'll be fine," she said.
"Just foolish." 🤍
Mochi shifted slightly, hand finding Laddu's sleeve even in sleep. 🤝💤
Laddu relaxed instantly.
Fever didn't take that instinct. 🌡️❌
Morning passed slower than usual. ⏳
The café stayed quiet. ☕🤫
Two strong people slept. 😴😴
And the family took care of them—
The same way they always did.
Without drama.
Without conditions.
With love. 🤍🌱