The door opened slowly 🚪.
Very slowly.
Laddu stepped out, hands raised like a criminal caught with evidence ✋😰.
"Okay," he said quickly,
"before court starts… let me explain."
Mochi crossed her arms ❄️.
"We are listening."
Everyone leaned in 👀.
Laddu cleared his throat 😤.
"I was young," he said seriously. "New job. New energy."
Maya muttered 😑,
"Bad start."
"I created Club 12," Laddu continued,
"for… entertainment 🎭. And motivation 💪."
Father squinted 🤨.
"Motivation for what?"
"To burn other workers' ass," Laddu corrected fast 😅.
"Mentally. Professionally."
Lily nodded nervously 😬.
"Yes… sir used to roast other departments."
"Roast?" Candy asked 🤔.
"Destroy," Maya translated 💀.
Laddu pointed at Lily 👉.
"Twelve assistants. Smart. Fast. Cute—yes—but mainly efficient."
Mochi raised an eyebrow 😐.
"Mainly?"
Laddu swallowed 😓.
"…Efficient."
He went on, gaining confidence 📈.
"We solved problems faster. Other teams got jealous.
Meetings became wars ⚔️. Emails cried 📧😭."
Father nodded slowly 👓.
"Office politics."
Mother smiled faintly 😊.
"So it was a weapon."
"Yes!" Laddu said, relieved 😌.
"A professional weapon."
Maya laughed 😂.
"You built an Avengers team."
"Exactly," Laddu said proudly 🦸♂️.
"But HR didn't like Avengers."
Mochi tilted her head 🤔.
"So why dissolve it?"
Laddu looked at her. Really looked 👁️.
"…Because I grew up," he said quietly.
"And because I didn't need it anymore."
The room softened 🌫️.
Lily added softly 🌸,
"Sir said teamwork shouldn't scare people."
Candy blinked 🥺.
"That's nice."
Mochi studied Laddu for a long moment ⏳.
"No more clubs," she said calmly.
Laddu nodded instantly 🙇♂️.
"Retired. Permanently."
Maya clapped 👏.
"Club 12 officially dead."
Mother stood up 🍽️.
"Good. Now eat."
As everyone moved away, Mochi leaned closer and whispered, low and dangerous 😈,
"We'll talk later."
Laddu smiled weakly 😬.
"…Yes, boss."
Candy sat cross-legged on the floor 🧸, eyes shining.
"What does he like at work?" she asked innocently ✨.
Laddu snapped his head around 😳.
"Work time. No biography."
Mochi didn't look at him.
She looked at Lily instead 👀.
"…You can answer."
Laddu accepted fate 💀.
Lily hesitated, then spoke honestly 🤍.
"Sir was… very cute at work."
Maya coughed 😤.
Father looked up 👓.
Mother paused mid-step.
"He cracks jokes," Lily continued,
"but only with female workers."
"That's a lie!" Laddu protested 😤.
"And he ignores male workers," Lily added.
"That's efficiency," Laddu said. "They don't laugh."
Maya slammed the table 😂.
"THIS IS WORSE."
Lily continued, warming up 🔥.
"If sir gets bored, he dances 💃 with us."
Candy gasped 😲.
"DANCE?!"
"Yes," Lily nodded.
"Very badly. But confidently."
Cousin collapsed laughing 🤣.
"And one time," Lily said carefully,
"HR asked about women empowerment…"
Everyone leaned in 👀.
"…Sir replaced all male staff with female staff for a week."
💥💥💥
Father stood up 😠.
"That's illegal."
Mother smiled 😌.
"That's creative."
Maya screamed 😱.
"THIS MAN RAN A COMPANY LIKE A SITCOM."
Candy clapped 👏.
"I want to work there!"
Mochi slowly turned to Laddu ❄️.
"Dance?" she asked calmly.
"For morale," Laddu said weakly 😓.
"And jokes only to women?"
"Targeted humor…"
"And ignoring men?"
"They survive," he shrugged 🤷♂️.
Mochi nodded slowly… very slowly 🐢.
"Good," she said.
Laddu relaxed 😮💨.
"From today," she continued,
"you dance only at home."
Silence 😶.
Laddu blinked.
"…That feels like punishment."
Mother patted Mochi's shoulder 😊.
"Good management."
Lily smiled awkwardly 😅.
"Sir is… very loyal now."
Laddu nodded proudly 😌.
"Retired menace."
Lily smiled shyly 🌸.
"But sir is a good person. He even helped me get a boyfriend."
Laddu's soul left his body 👻.
"OKAY," he clapped loudly ✋.
"Enough sharing."
Too late.
"…He helped you get a boyfriend?" Mochi asked ❄️.
"Yes, ma'am," Lily nodded.
"…Who?"
"…Sir became my boyfriend."
🌍💀
Candy dropped her spoon 🥄.
Maya screamed 😱.
Cousin fell laughing 🤣.
Father stood up, sat down 😵.
Mother closed her eyes 🧘♀️.
"NO NO NO," Laddu shouted 😭.
"EX-boyfriend!" Lily panicked 😰.
Mochi blinked 😐.
"…Ex."
"Yes!" Lily nodded fast.
"Fake dating. Confidence training. Two weeks."
Maya yelled 😂.
"THIS IS WORSE."
Father sighed 😮💨.
"This man runs workshops disguised as relationships."
Mother asked calmly 🧠,
"And did it help?"
"Yes," Lily nodded firmly.
Mochi studied Lily. Honest. Grateful 💖.
"You're unbelievable," she told Laddu.
"But effective," he bowed slightly 🙇♂️.
"No more experiments," she said.
"Yes," Laddu said instantly.
Candy raised her hand ✋.
"Can he help me?"
"NO," everyone shouted.
Lily straightened, serious now 🤍.
"Sir is a gentleman," she said firmly.
The room quieted 🌫️.
"He never touched anyone. Always three feet distance."
Laddu nodded quickly 📏.
"He taught red flags 🚩. How to say no."
Candy whispered 😯,
"That's smart."
Mochi looked at Laddu.
"…Three feet?"
"Except you," he said fast 😅.
Lily added,
"Sir said, 'Look at how Mochi stands beside me. That's trust.'"
That landed 💥.
Mochi placed a hand on Laddu's shoulder 🤍.
"He jokes too much," she said.
"But he knows the line."
Laddu froze 😳.
Lily smiled warmly 😊.
"Yes ma'am. He chose."
Then Lily added softly 🌸,
"Sir once said he is like a lion 🦁."
The room leaned in 👀.
"And that no girl can control him."
Silence.
Mochi turned slowly ❄️.
"…A lion?"
"CONTEXT," Laddu begged 😭.
Lily fixed it fast 😰.
"A lion doesn't chase. It waits. Respects territory."
"And if it meets someone fearless…"
"Control isn't needed."
Mochi stepped closer 🚶♀️.
Very close.
"Sit," she said softly.
Laddu sat.
Instantly.
Perfect posture 🧍♂️.
Maya screamed 😂.
"THE LION HAS BEEN TRAINED."
Mother smiled 😌.
Mochi said calmly,
"Lions don't need control. They choose."
She walked away 🚶♀️.
Laddu stayed seated.
Silent. Humbled.
Lily whispered, awed 😮,
"…Ma'am is scary."
Laddu nodded slowly 🐢.
"Queen of the jungle 👑🌿."
And for the first time that day—
The lion did not roar 🦁🤫.