candy return from hospital and have food poison and get medicine
Evening settled into the house like a familiar blanket 🛋️🌙
The TV glowed softly in the living room 📺✨
A romantic K-drama played. Rain. Slow music. Long stares 🌧️🎶💔
Mochi sat cross-legged on the sofa, hugging a cushion 🤍🫂
Completely absorbed, eyes glued to the screen 👀📺
Maya lay sideways beside her and got bored in exactly three seconds 😐😑
She glanced toward the kitchen and smirked 😏
"Laddu," Maya called out loudly on purpose 📢
"THE GUY JUST CONFESSED 😭💌"
She paused dramatically 🎭
"Very emotional 😩"
"Very romantic 💞"
From the kitchen, Laddu didn't even look up 🍳
"Hm," he replied calmly 😐
Zero interest detected ❌❤️
Mother stood beside him, chopping vegetables with expert rhythm 🔪🥬
"Focus," she said calmly 🧘♀️
"Salt first 🧂"
Laddu nodded, adjusted the flame, stirred the pan 🔥🥄
No drama ❌
No distraction ❌
Maya leaned closer to Mochi and whispered 🤫
"See?"
"He ignores romance like it's spam mail 📩🚫"
Mochi smiled shyly, content 😊
Still watching the screen 📺
Hugging the cushion a little tighter 🤍
At the dining table, Father sat with Cousin 📄✍️
Papers spread everywhere like battle plans 🗂️📚
Serious energy 💼
"This one," Father said, tapping the page 👆
"Police exam question 🚨"
"What's the priority?"
Cousin answered instantly ⚡
"Procedure before emotion 🧠"
Father nodded. Approved ✔️
Candy was already asleep on the other end of the sofa 😴
Curled up dramatically, mouth open, one sock missing 🧦❌
Cinema-level sleep 🎬
Beside her, Ben slept like a statue 🐕🗿
And Oggy was sprawled upside down, snoring softly 🐶💤
Chaos balanced perfectly ⚖️
The house was full 🏠
Loud and quiet at the same time 🔊🤫
Alive 💛
Maya suddenly shouted again 📢
"LADDU, IF YOU DON'T CONFESS NOW, YOU'LL LOSE HER 😱💔"
Laddu tasted the food, unimpressed 😐🥄
"Too much salt in that scene," he replied 🧂😒
Mother smiled to herself 😊
Mochi laughed quietly 🤭
Cushion hugged tighter 🤍
Maya tried again 😈
"Laddu," she called,
"Do you watch K-dramas?"
He didn't turn ❌
"I don't," he replied simply 😐
Maya grinned 😏
"Why?"
Laddu shrugged lightly 🤷♂️
"Jalabie hates this stuff 😑"
Cousin looked up instantly 👀
"Of course he doesn't."
Maya scoffed 😤
"Jalabie will die single."
Laddu laughed. Actually laughed 😂
Shaking his head amusedly 😄
"If you ever see the girls who like Jalabie," he said 😏
"You'll die of shame 😶"
Mochi looked up, confused 🤔
"…What do you mean?"
Laddu glanced at her, still smiling 😊
"Jalabie-type men," he explained casually 🧠
"Only attract rich, powerful girls 💼💎"
"Status people 👑"
"Control people 🎯"
Maya blinked 😳
"…Excuse me?"
Cousin nodded slowly 😐
"Unfortunately accurate."
Mother stirred the food, pretending not to listen 🍲🙉
Mochi thought quietly 💭
"…Then what kind of people like you?" she asked softly 🤍
Laddu paused for half a second ⏸️
Then answered without drama 😌
"Normal ones," he said.
"Who want peace 🕊️"
Mochi smiled into her cushion 😊
Heart warm 💛
On screen, the couple finally kissed 💋📺
Laddu added from the kitchen,
"…Also, too much background music 🎶❌"
Maya groaned loudly 😩
The house stayed exactly how it was 🏠
Comfortable. Familiar. Safe 🤍
Laddu spoke again, quieter this time 🌙
"Jalabie was like me. Innocent."
"Then a girl changed him."
"From boy… to man."
Maya leaned forward instantly 😮
"Who?"
Laddu smiled faintly 🙂
"If I tell you, you will cry."
Everyone looked at him 👀
Mother stopped stirring 🍳
Father folded papers 📄
Mochi left the TV 📺❌
"…Okay," Laddu said after a beat 😌
"Jalabie was in an Indian Army special unit 🇮🇳🎖️"
"Posted in the Himalayas 🏔️"
Maya blinked 😳
"…And?"
"That's where he met her," Laddu continued softly 🌬️
"A pahadi girl 🏔️👧"
"A mountain girl."
Silence filled the room 🤫
"He was young," Laddu added quietly 🕯️
Cousin frowned 😐
"And…?"
Laddu's smile faded just a little 😶
"He told this story last year," he said simply
"And I don't remember my last year."
The words landed heavy 🪨
No jokes ❌
No teasing ❌
Mother looked down 🫥
Father folded the papers slowly 📄
Maya swallowed 😔
"…Oh."
Mochi watched Laddu, heart tight 💔
He wasn't avoiding the story
He had lost it 🕳️
Laddu picked up the spoon again 🥄
Anchoring himself 🍲
"Dinner's ready soon," he said.
The family stayed quiet 🤍
Some memories were missing
But the man standing there
Was still whole 🌱
Maya broke the silence carefully 😐
"…What about Barfi's life?"
Laddu looked up, surprised, then smiled 😊
"There were four of us," he said
"Me, Barfi, Jalabie, and Rasmali."
He laughed suddenly 😂
Short. Empty.
"Our past," he added,
"Was the worst."
Everyone stiffened ⚠️
"We felt so much pain," Laddu continued lightly
"That pain started looking like an old girlfriend 💔"
Mochi blinked 😳
"…What happened?"
Laddu didn't answer ❌
He looked at Mother.
Mother didn't hesitate ❄️
"If anyone asks about the boys' past," she said calmly
"They will be thrown out of my house."
Immediate reactions 🚨
Maya raised both hands 🙌
"NOT ASKING."
Cousin nodded ✔️
Father leaned back 😌
Candy murmured in sleep 😴
"Too dark…"
Mochi stayed quiet 🤍
Laddu met her gaze briefly and smiled 🙂
Some stories were protected
For a reason 🔒
Laddu laughed again
But it didn't reach his eyes 💧
They went wet. Just for a second 💦
Like an old wound touched again 🩸
Mother noticed instantly 👀
"Watch your face," she said gently
The room shifted ⚖️
Cousin spoke quietly
"He remembered a feeling."
"Not the event."
Father stayed silent 🧍♂️
Mochi didn't ask ❌
She just watched 🤍
Laddu blinked hard 😶
Forced a smile back 🙂
"It's nothing."
"Old stuff."
Mother shook her head slightly
"Old stuff still bleeds."
Candy murmured half-asleep 😴
"Bad memories bite…"
No one laughed.
The family talked softly after that 🕯️
Food 🍛
Exams 📚
Tomorrow 🌅
And Laddu listened
Grounded again 🌱
Some pain didn't need words
It just needed people who noticed 👁️🗨️
Laddu's phone buzzed 📱
He checked it once
No explanation ❌
Jacket on 🧥
Already halfway gone 🚶♂️
"I'll be back next morning," he said
Door closed 🚪
Silence followed 🤫
Maya broke it
"…What happened with them?"
Cousin turned to Mochi
"Did he tell you anything?"
Mochi shook her head 😔
"No."
Mother spoke carefully
"That means he's not close enough to share his past."
The words hit hard 💥
Mochi looked down
Chest tight 💔
Mother softened her voice
"When he can share it,"
"That means you're already married."
Mochi swallowed 😶
Father stood up abruptly
"Enough."
"Forget it."
He walked away 🚶♂️
The house went quiet again 🏠
Mochi sat there, sad but understanding 🌧️
Some closeness isn't rushed
It arrives only when someone feels safe enough
To open a locked room 🔐
And know it won't be judged 🤍