Morning was still half-asleep 🌤️😪.
The house breathed softly 🏠💨.
Light spilled over the sofa ✨🛋️.
No one moved yet 🤫.
Laddu's eyes opened just a little 👀.
He didn't lift his head.
Didn't shift his body.
Just leaned closer and whispered, so low it almost stayed inside his chest 💭❤️.
"…Want a kiss?" 😌💋
Mochi froze ❄️.
Not shocked.
Not angry.
Just very, very awake ⚠️👁️.
She looked around first 👀➡️🏠.
Family still pretending not to see 🙈.
Mother in the kitchen 🍳.
Father making unnecessary noise with cups ☕🔊.
Maya and Cousin watching everything through half-closed eyes like a documentary narrator 🎥😑.
Mochi leaned down slightly, close enough that only he could hear 🤏.
"This is morning," she whispered.
"And this is the hall."
Laddu smiled faintly 😏.
"Then… later?"
She didn't answer.
Instead, she placed her palm gently on his cheek ✋🤍.
Just for a second.
Warm. Grounding.
"Get up," she said softly.
"Brush your teeth first." 🪥😐
He chuckled under his breath 😂.
"Cruel woman."
But he sat up ✔️.
And the way he looked at her said
the question wasn't rejected…
only postponed ⏳💞.
Laddu leaned a little closer, still keeping his voice low but not nearly low enough 😈.
"The family already heard this," he whispered dramatically 🎭.
"So now… I cannot wait anymore."
Mochi's eyes widened 😳.
"Laddu," she hissed, warning sharp but flustered ⚡.
Too late.
Maya snorted from the doorway 🤦♀️.
"We didn't hear. We felt the secondhand embarrassment."
Cousin laughed openly 😂.
"Bro announced it like a festival 🎉."
Candy blinked 👀.
"Wait for what?"
Father cleared his throat loudly 😤, suddenly very interested in the ceiling fan.
"I am deaf. Temporarily."
Mother didn't even turn around from the kitchen 🍳.
"Eat breakfast first. Romance later."
Ben barked once 🐶, offended by the delay.
Mochi covered Laddu's mouth instantly ✋.
"Stop talking," she whispered. "You're sick."
He kissed her palm lightly 😘✋ instead, eyes smiling.
"That counts as waiting."
She pulled her hand back, mortified 😳.
"You are impossible."
"And patient," he replied proudly 😌.
"Just… not that patient."
Maya shook her head.
"I wake up to chaos every day."
Mother walked in with plates 🍽️, took one look at them on the sofa, and sighed happily 😊.
"Wash your face," she said to Laddu. "Then you can sit properly."
Laddu stood up obediently ✔️, stretching like nothing had happened.
As he walked past Mochi, he leaned close and murmured, just for her 💬,
"Permission pending."
She didn't look at him.
But she didn't say no either 😶🌫️❤️.
Laddu, fully awake now and clearly dangerous ⚠️😏, picked up his phone 📱.
Cousin watched him suspiciously 👀.
"What are you doing?"
"Morning exercise," he said.
He tapped a contact and put the phone on speaker 🔊.
Ring.
Ring. ☎️
Then, in a suddenly soft, sugary female voice 🍯🎀, Laddu said,
"Hello baby… how are you?" 💁♀️💕
The entire house froze 🧊.
Maya's soul left her body 👻.
Cousin covered her mouth 😮.
Candy whispered, "WHO IS THAT?" 😱
Father sat down. Slowly. 🪑
From the phone came his big brother's confused voice.
"…Who is this?"
Laddu twirled imaginary hair 💃.
"It's meee. I was thinking about you."
Mochi stared at him in horror 😨.
"Are you insane."
Five minutes passed ⏱️.
Five full minutes of nonsense 🤯.
Laddu giggled 🤭.
He asked about breakfast 🥞.
He complained about loneliness 💔.
He sighed dramatically 😩.
And big-brother… fell for it 😵.
Finally, the big-brother said sincerely,
"Your voice is beautiful. Your face must be beautiful too."
Absolute silence ⚰️.
Laddu's smile vanished 😐.
He straightened his back, cleared his throat, and switched instantly to his normal deep voice 🎤⬇️.
"You talk to my wife again," he said calmly,
"and I will kill you." ☠️
The line went dead 📵.
Call ended.
For two seconds, no one breathed 😶.
Then Maya screamed,
"WHAT DID I JUST WITNESS?!" 😱
Cousin collapsed onto the sofa laughing 🤣.
Candy clapped wildly 👏.
"Again! Again!"
Father rubbed his temples 😵💫.
"I raised this?"
Mother walked in, took the phone from Laddu, and hit his arm lightly 📱👋.
"Eat breakfast. Crimes later."
Mochi stared at him, stunned 😳.
"…you make him fright again."
Laddu grinned 😁, completely unashamed.
"Public service announcement."
She opened her mouth to argue…
Closed it.
Then muttered,
"You are a problem."
He leaned closer, whispering, pleased 😌,
"But a loyal one."
Breakfast officially began 🍽️☀️.
And somewhere far away,
a big brother questioned every decision he'd ever made 😵♂️💭.
Laddu, still riding the high of emotional violence against his brother 😈, casually dropped another bomb 💣 while sitting at the table.
"Oh, by the way," he said, stirring his tea ☕,
"I have a female assistant. Her hand broke, but healing spell worked. She's coming."
Silence 🧊.
Forks paused mid-air 🍴.
Maya slowly looked up 😐.
Father stopped chewing.
Mother raised an eyebrow 👀.
Mochi's spoon froze 🥄.
Candy tilted her head innocently 🤔.
"…How did her hand break?"
Laddu didn't even look up.
"She was trying to teach me driving."
Mochi's head snapped toward him ⚡.
"…What?"
"And that," Laddu continued calmly, sipping tea ☕,
"that's why I did not learn driving from Mochi."
The house exploded 💥.
Maya slammed the table 😤.
"EXCUSE ME?"
Cousin laughed 😂.
"BRO SURVIVED ONE WOMAN AND SAID NEVER AGAIN."
Candy's eyes sparkled ✨.
"Did the car break too?"
"No," Laddu said seriously.
"Only fear."
Father sighed deeply 😮💨.
"I knew this day would come."
Mother looked at Mochi with fake sympathy 😌.
"He chose life."
Mochi stared at Laddu, jaw tight 😠.
"You never even tried to learn from me."
Laddu finally looked at her, completely sincere 😇.
"I value my bones."
Maya howled 🤣.
"THIS MAN CALLED YOU A NATURAL DISASTER."
Mochi stood up slowly 🧍♀️.
Very slowly.
"Finish your breakfast," she said sweetly 🍯.
"After that, we'll talk about driving."
Laddu swallowed 😬.
"…I suddenly respect public transport."
Candy clapped 👏.
Ben barked 🚨🐶.
Mother smiled into her tea 😊.
Some lessons, it seemed,
were still pending 📚⚠️.
The doorbell rang.
Ding–dong 🔔.
Everyone froze.
Maya blinked 😳.
"Who's coming this early?"
Before anyone could answer, the door opened 🚪.
A cute girl stood there 😊.
Neat clothes.
Gentle smile.
One arm supported with a light bandage 🤕.
She bowed slightly 🙇♀️.
"Hello, Laddu sir."
Dead.
Silence. ☠️
Candy's mouth dropped open 😲.
"…SIR?"
Maya slowly turned toward Mochi 😬.
"Oh. So this is the assistant."
Cousin whispered 👂.
"She's cute-cute."
Father adjusted his glasses 🤓.
"Very polite."
Mother's eyes sharpened 👀⚠️, scanning the girl like airport security.
Mochi didn't move.
Didn't smile.
Didn't frown.
Just looked 😐.
Laddu stood up immediately ✔️.
No drama.
No delay.
"Oh, you're early," he said normally.
"Come in."
The girl stepped inside, hands folded 🙏.
"Sorry, I didn't want to be late. My hand is better now."
Candy zoomed right up 🚀.
"Are you the one who broke your hand?"
The girl laughed nervously 😅.
"Ah… yes."
Maya leaned back 😏.
"While teaching driving."
The girl nodded.
"…Yes."
Mochi finally spoke.
Flat.
Calm.
Perfectly polite 😐.
"Good morning."
The girl turned instantly 😲.
"Oh! You must be Mochi ma'am."
Ma'am.
That word hit the room harder than the doorbell 💥.
Mother smiled 😊.
Maya choked 🤯.
Cousin covered her mouth 🤭.
Mochi raised an eyebrow.
"…Ma'am?"
The girl panicked 😨.
"S-sorry! Sir always talks about you like—"
Laddu cut in fast ⚡.
"Like family," he said smoothly.
The girl nodded quickly 😮💨.
"Yes! Like family!"
Mochi looked at Laddu.
Long look 👀.
Very long.
Then she smiled 🙂.
Not sweet.
Not angry.
Interesting.
"Welcome," Mochi said. "Breakfast?" 🍳
The girl relaxed instantly 😊.
"Thank you!"
Laddu exhaled quietly 😮💨.
Mother watched the entire scene with deep satisfaction 😌.
Ben wagged his tail 🐕💃.
Candy whispered loudly,
"This house is fun."
And somewhere inside,
Laddu realized one thing very clearly—
This day…
was going to be dangerous 😈🔥.