The No
Two days passed.
Too long.
Too quiet.
😔⏳
Mother stood near the window, phone in her hand again.
She called Barfi.
Then Jalabie.
📱📞
Conference on.
The line connected.
No greetings.
⚠️😐
Mother didn't circle it this time.
"Did he come to either of you?"
Her voice stayed steady.
🧊🫀
A pause followed.
Barfi answered first.
"…No."
❌
Silence spread.
Jalabie spoke next.
"He hasn't contacted me either."
😶🌫️
The room changed instantly.
Candy's shoulders dropped.
"…No?"
😟
Maya stood up.
"That's not like him."
Her voice was sharp.
⚡
Father's face hardened.
"So he didn't go to his anchors."
That mattered.
🪨
Bob frowned.
"That means he's deep in his head."
Too deep.
🧠
Rainess spoke quietly.
"He's isolating."
That was worse.
🌫️
Mochi's breath caught.
"…Then he's alone."
Her voice shook.
💔
Mother closed her eyes briefly.
Not panic.
Focus.
🧘♀️
"Are you sure?" she asked.
Barfi answered calmly.
"Yes."
✔️
"If he had come, we'd know."
The call ended.
The line went dead.
📴
The house felt heavier now.
Not loud.
Not chaotic.
🏠
Just the kind of silence
that means plans must change.
No delay left.
⏰
Candy whispered softly.
"What if he doesn't come back?"
Fear slipped out.
😰
Mother opened her eyes.
Her voice sharpened.
"…Is there anyone else?"
🔍
"Anyone he would go to?"
The question hung.
The room leaned in.
👂
A pause followed.
Then Jalabie spoke.
"…There is one more."
⚠️
Mother frowned.
"Who?"
She already felt it.
🧩
"…Rasmali."
The name landed.
Hard.
🪨
Barfi dialed instantly.
Conference expanded.
The call connected.
📞
Rasmali answered.
"…Hello?"
His voice was rough.
🥶
"Rasmali," Barfi said quickly.
"What's going on?"
No pleasantries.
🚨
A breath.
Then a sigh.
"Why does this feel heavy?"
😮💨
Jalabie didn't wait.
"Is Laddu with you?"
Straight to it.
🎯
Another pause.
Longer this time.
Then—
⏳
"…Yeah."
"He's here."
Rasmali answered quietly.
🧊
The room froze.
Candy covered her mouth.
"He's alive."
😱➡️😮💨
Mother closed her eyes.
"…Thank God."
Relief flooded in.
🙏
Rasmali continued.
"He's drinking."
"And crying."
🍺💧
Maya dropped into a chair.
"…Crying?"
That hurt.
💥
Father turned away.
Jaw tight.
Hands clenched.
🪢
"He keeps talking," Rasmali said.
"Blaming himself."
"Asking what he did wrong."
🗣️
Mochi's legs gave out.
She sat hard.
"…He thinks I cheated."
💔
Mother spoke firmly.
"Tell him the truth."
"Now."
📢
Rasmali sighed.
"He's too drunk."
"He won't understand."
🚫
Mother closed her eyes again.
"Okay."
"Don't force it."
🫂
"Give us the location."
The room waited.
Breath held.
🗺️
A pause.
Then Rasmali replied.
"Antarctica."
❄️
Silence.
One second.
Two.
🧊⏱️
Maya burst out.
"ANTARCTICA?!"
Her voice cracked.
🤣
Candy blinked.
"…With penguins?"
Genuine confusion.
🐧
Father rubbed his forehead.
"This is not funny."
Reality pressed down.
😓
Mother exhaled.
"Send the real location."
Exhaustion leaked.
😮💨
Rasmali answered flatly.
"…It's real."
"He's here."
❄️
"White everywhere."
"Three jackets."
"Still shivering."
🧥
Mother sat down.
No drama.
Just sat.
🪑
"…How?" she asked.
Rasmali answered simply.
"I sent the ticket."
✈️
"But he denied it," Rasmali added.
"Said he wouldn't come."
A pause followed.
🤍
"…Then he came anyway."
"Because of the misunderstanding."
That explained everything.
💭
Laddu's drunk voice cut in.
"…Why is it so cold?"
"Turn off the AC."
🥴
Everyone froze.
Maya covered her mouth.
"He's really there."
😶
Jalabie leaned forward.
"Laddu, what are you doing there?"
Voice firm.
🎙️
Rasmali answered instead.
"Vacation."
"From life."
🧳
Silence returned.
Heavy.
Thick.
🌨️
Rasmali spoke again.
"You should come here."
"It's quiet."
🤍
Barfi scoffed.
"White heaven with crying?"
Sarcasm cracked.
😒
Jalabie snorted.
"Heaven where you freeze."
Dark humor landed.
❄️🔥
Rasmali chuckled softly.
"I'm serious."
"No noise."
🤫
"No past."
"Just white."
Nothing else.
🤍
Laddu muttered again.
"…Why heaven has no chai?"
Complaint eternal.
☕
Candy almost laughed.
"He's still him."
That helped.
🙂
Mother closed her eyes.
"At least he's talking."
That mattered.
🫀
Barfi sighed.
"He finds poetry in pain."
Always has.
📖
Jalabie spoke firmly.
"Stay with him."
"Limit the drinking."
🚫🍺
"When he wakes up,"
"tell him everything."
The truth only.
✅
Rasmali nodded.
"This place traps runners."
"There's nowhere else."
🌍
"When truth reaches him,"
"he'll come back."
"On his own."
🧭
The call ended.
The house exhaled.
Together.
😮💨
Message Received
Everyone leaned in.
Rasmali's message continued.
"He never blamed Mochi."
📩
"Not once."
"He said he misunderstood."
"Then cried."
💬
Mother lowered the phone.
Her shoulders relaxed.
Finally.
🫂
Father nodded slowly.
"…Okay."
That helped.
✔️
Candy released a breath.
"So he's coming back."
Hope returned.
🌱
Maya leaned back.
"I trust them."
Always did.
🤝
Bob crossed his arms.
"If they say it, it's true."
Simple logic.
📐
Rainess spoke softly.
"He needed distance."
"To hear himself."
🕊️
Mochi stood quietly.
Relief and guilt mixed.
Tears unshed.
💞
Mother touched her shoulder.
"He'll come back."
"And we'll speak calmly."
🤍
Mochi nodded.
"…I'll wait."
No doubt.
⏳
The house settled again.
Lights on.
Dinner untouched.
🏠
Somewhere far away,
in endless white,
Laddu slept.
❄️😴
Everyone knew one thing.
He wasn't gone.
Just on his way back.
🧭
Two Days Later — The Call
The phone rang.
Mother answered instantly.
Heart racing.
📞
"He left," Rasmali said.
"I told him everything."
"He knows."
🗣️
The call ended.
Silence swallowed the room.
Then—
🌬️
Mother exhaled deeply.
"…Thank God."
Relief unlocked her chest.
🙏
Father sat down.
"So he knows."
That mattered.
✔️
Maya laughed softly.
"Finally."
Tension cracked.
😅
Candy smiled.
"He won't hate her."
Fear gone.
💗
Bob nodded.
"That changes everything."
Completely.
🔄
Rainess added quietly.
"Now he chooses cleanly."
No poison.
🌿
Mochi whispered.
"…He knows?"
Hope fragile.
🥺
Mother held her hands.
"Yes."
"He knows."
🤍
Mochi cried quietly.
Not fear.
Release.
💧
"I just want him back."
Her voice broke.
Honest.
💞
"He will come," Mother said.
"Now that the lie is gone."
Certain.
🧱
The house didn't celebrate.
Didn't shout.
Just breathed.
🌬️
Because somewhere out there,
Laddu walked lighter.
With truth.
🧭
Final Call
The phone rang again.
This time Barfi.
Mother answered.
📞
"He called me," Barfi said.
"He apologized."
Voice steady.
🗣️
"Sorry for leaving."
"He needs a few days."
"But he'll return."
⏳
Relief broke through.
Like air after drowning.
The house softened.
🌊
Mother sat down.
"…Okay."
She accepted it.
🤍
Father nodded.
"Space, not escape."
Exactly him.
✔️
Maya smiled faintly.
"That's Laddu."
Always was.
🙂
Candy exhaled loudly.
"So he's coming back."
Confirmed.
🎈
Bob added calmly.
"He does things properly."
After cooling down.
🧠
Rainess whispered.
"He walked it off."
That's his way.
🚶
Mochi wiped her eyes.
"…I'll wait."
Still.
⏳
Barfi finished softly.
"He didn't sound broken."
"Just tired."
😴
The call ended.
The house didn't rush.
Didn't chase.
🏠
Because now they knew—
Laddu hadn't disappeared.
He hadn't given up.
He was coming back
as himself again.
🧭🤍