Laddu spoke again.
Quieter this time.
Like each word had weight and didn't want to fall wrong.
"…There were only eleven times," he said.
Everyone stayed still.
"I smoked only eleven times in my life."
Maya blinked. "Only?"
"Yes," Laddu nodded. "I counted."
Candy hugged her knees tighter.
Father didn't interrupt.
Mother's hands folded slowly.
Mochi felt her chest tighten but said nothing.
"My past is not good," Laddu continued.
"I broke many girls' hearts."
No jokes.
No defense.
Just truth.
"I didn't cheat," he added quickly.
"But I left without explaining.
I chose silence.
I chose escape."
cousin swallowed. "…That still hurts people."
"Yes," he agreed. "That's why it stays with me."
He paused.
Then said the part that cracked the room.
"And after… me and Mochi broke up—"
Mochi's breath stopped.
"I smoked for eight days straight," Laddu said.
"Not because I liked it."
His voice lowered.
"But because I wanted to die."
Candy gasped sharply 😨.
Mother's hand flew to her mouth.
Father stood up so fast the chair scraped loudly.
Maya's eyes filled instantly.
"I didn't want drama," Laddu said.
"I didn't want sympathy.
I just wanted the pain to end."
Silence collapsed inward.
Mochi finally spoke.
Her voice didn't shake.
That was scarier.
"You already asked forgiveness," she said.
"And they gave it to you."
Laddu shook his head slowly.
"That doesn't make me clean."
He looked at her then.
Really looked.
"I am not a clean person, Mochi," he said.
"Not like you.
You walk straight.
I… leave messes behind."
That broke Mother.
She stepped forward, voice trembling.
"Don't talk about yourself like that."
Father's voice came hard and firm.
"Do you think clean people never hurt anyone?"
Maya wiped her face angrily 😡.
"Everyone hurts someone.
Difference is whether you run or stay."
Candy looked at Laddu with scared eyes.
"You wanted to die?"
He nodded once.
Candy ran to him and hugged him tight 🫂.
"No.
You can't.
I didn't say yes."
That was it.
Laddu closed his eyes.
For a second, the strong posture cracked.
Mochi moved closer.
Not dramatic.
Just present.
She placed her hand on his chest.
Right over his heart.
"You didn't break people because you're bad," she said.
"You broke them because you didn't know how to stay."
Laddu's voice was small now.
"…I still don't."
"Yes, you do," she replied.
"You're here."
Father spoke softly now.
"Killing yourself wouldn't have paid any debt."
"Living well does."
Mother nodded through tears 💧.
"You are not dirty.
You are unfinished."
Maya crossed her arms, crying openly now.
"If you ever disappear again," she said,
"I'll drag you back myself."
Candy sniffed.
"I don't want new brother."
Laddu laughed weakly.
"…Fair."
He looked at Mochi again.
"I'm scared you'll regret choosing me."
She didn't hesitate.
"I chose you knowing all of this," she said.
"That's not regret.
That's consent."
That word settled everything.
Laddu exhaled.
Long.
Heavy.
Relieved.
"…Okay," he said.
"I'll stop punishing myself."
Mochi nodded once.
"Good.
Because we're tired of fighting a ghost."
The family closed in around him.
Not tight.
Not suffocating.
Just enough.
And for the first time,
Laddu didn't count his past by mistakes—
The room was still recovering.
Breaths were uneven.
Eyes were red.
Truth was already heavy in the air.
Then Laddu looked at Mochi.
Not quickly.
Not nervously.
He looked at her like someone standing at the edge of a cliff, choosing whether to jump or finally stop running.
"There's one more thing," he said.
The room tensed again.
Maya's shoulders stiffened.
Father's jaw tightened.
Mother felt it coming and didn't sit down.
Mochi didn't move.
She just waited.
"I also…" Laddu swallowed.
"…made a physical relationship with a girl."
The words landed like a dropped plate.
Sharp.
Loud.
Irreversible.
Candy froze, not fully understanding but sensing danger.
Maya's eyes widened.
Father took a step forward.
Mother's face went pale.
Mochi didn't react immediately.
"…When," she asked calmly.
"Before you," Laddu said.
"And one time after… when I was broken."
That did it.
Maya exploded.
"ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?!"
Father's voice thundered.
"LADDU."
Mother pressed a hand to her chest.
"Oh my God…"
Candy whispered, confused,
"…Is that bad?"
No one answered her.
Laddu didn't wait.
He stood up.
Straight.
Deliberate.
Like someone taking responsibility without asking permission.
He faced Mochi fully now.
"You deserve better," he said clearly.
"Better than my past.
Better than my mistakes.
Better than carrying things I broke."
Mochi stood too.
Slowly.
The room held its breath.
"You should be with someone clean," Laddu continued.
"Someone who didn't run.
Someone who didn't hurt people and then learn later."
Maya shouted,
"DON'T YOU DARE DECIDE FOR HER."
Father nodded sharply.
"She didn't ask for your resignation."
Mother's voice cracked.
"This is not how atonement works."
Laddu didn't argue.
He just looked at Mochi.
Eyes steady.
Voice steady.
"I won't lie to you.
I won't hide.
And I won't trap you with guilt."
He took a step back.
"If you walk away now," he said,
"I will understand."
Silence.
Then Mochi laughed.
Not loudly.
Not happily.
A short, disbelieving sound.
"You think intimacy is what makes someone dirty?" she asked.
Laddu hesitated.
"…It adds weight."
"No," she said firmly.
"What adds weight is lying.
Running.
Using people."
She stepped closer.
"You didn't tell me to shock me," she said.
"You told me because you respect me."
Laddu shook his head.
"I told you because I'm scared."
"Yes," Mochi nodded.
"And scared people don't get to decide who deserves love."
That hit hard.
Maya covered her mouth.
Father exhaled slowly.
Mother's eyes filled again.
"You don't get to throw yourself away like a broken object," Mochi continued.
"And you don't get to downgrade me into someone who needs perfection."
Candy suddenly shouted,
"I LIKE THIS VERSION."
No one scolded her.
Mochi placed her hand on Laddu's chest again.
Firm.
Grounding.
"You think I'm clean," she said.
"I'm not.
I just chose honesty earlier than you."
Laddu's voice cracked.
"…I hurt people."
"Yes," she said.
"And you stopped."
He looked down.
"…I can't undo it."
"No," she agreed.
"But you can stay."
Father spoke quietly now.
"Young man… leaving after truth is cowardice.
Staying after truth is courage."
Mother nodded.
"Don't rob her of her choice."
Maya stepped forward, furious tears streaming.
"If you ever pull this 'you deserve better' nonsense again," she said,
"I'll remind you she chose you knowing everything."
Candy hugged Laddu's leg.
"You not bad.
You sad before."
That broke him.
Laddu covered his face with one hand.
Breathing hard.
Mochi waited.
Then said softly,
"You don't get to decide my worth.
And you don't get to escape by calling it noble."
She took his hand.
"I'm here," she said.
"If you want to be."
Laddu looked at her.
Really looked.
"…I want to stay," he whispered.
She nodded.
"Then stay.
No drama.
No martyr speeches."
The family relaxed all at once.
Mother wiped her eyes and smiled.
"Good.
Because I already accepted you."
Father sat back down.
"Sit.
You're not dismissed."
Maya exhaled shakily.
"God, I hate emotional men."
Candy clapped softly.
"Stay stay."
Laddu sat.
Not because he was told.
But because for the first time,
running wasn't an option anymore.
And Mochi,
standing right there,
proved something simple and terrifying:
She didn't want a clean man.
She wanted an honest one.
"Okay," Laddu said after a breath, rubbing his palms together like closing a file.
"Back to the smoking topic."
"Because smoking is not cool," he said simply.
Candy frowned. "Why not cool?"
Laddu leaned forward a little, voice quieter now 🎧.
"When I was small," he said, "there was a man near the crematorium."
The room settled.
"He only smoked when someone died," Laddu continued. "Only then."
Cousin stopped smiling 😶.
Father listened carefully.
Mother stayed still.
"He would light his cigarette," Laddu said slowly,
"from the fire where a human body was burning."
Candy's eyes widened 😨.
"He burned his cigarette on the burning body," Laddu finished,
"and stood there smoking like it was nothing."
Silence filled the room 🕯️.
"That," Laddu said softly, "is not cool."
Candy hugged Ben tightly 🐶💔.
"…That scary."
"Yes," Laddu nodded. "Very."
Mochi looked at him, understanding now.
"So when people say smoking looks cool," Laddu went on,
"my brain remembers fire, death, and silence."
Maya exhaled slowly 😮💨.
"Okay. That explains everything."
Father nodded once.
"Some images stay forever."
Mother reached out and patted Laddu's shoulder gently 🤍.
"You learned early."
Candy looked up at him.
"So smoking bad?"
"Yes," Laddu said.
"Not because people say so. Because I saw where it belongs."
Candy nodded seriously.
"I not smoke."
Laddu smiled, relieved 🙂.
"Good. Be cool in better ways."
Mochi added quietly,
"Like choosing."
Laddu glanced at her and smiled.
Some lessons don't need warnings 🌱.
Candy puffed up her chest proudly 💪.
"I will not smoke."
Laddu checked his watch like a wise old uncle ⌚.
"…You will," he said calmly.
Candy's eyes went wide 😱.
"WHY?"
Laddu tapped the watch.
"Time."
Everyone leaned in.
"When you grow," he explained, counting on his fingers ☝️✌️🤟,
"there are three dangerous pressures."
Candy listened very seriously 🧐.
"First," Laddu said,
"friend pressure. Someone will say, 'Try it, everyone does.'"
Candy frowned.
"Bad friend."
"Yes," Laddu nodded.
"Temporary friend."
"Second," he continued,
"cool pressure. Movies, reels, stupid poses."
Maya muttered,
"Lies with background music."
"And third," Laddu finished, tapping his head 🧠,
"stupid pressure. When life hurts and you think smoke will fix it."
Candy looked worried 😟.
"…It won't?"
"No," Laddu said gently.
"It just adds smoke to the hurt."
Candy hugged Ben again 🐶.
"Then I still not smoke."
Laddu smiled.
"Good."
He leaned closer, softer now.
"But if one day you feel like you will…"
Candy looked at him.
"…remember this," he said.
"You don't need to prove anything to anyone."
Candy nodded hard 💯.
"I prove with ice cream."
Everyone laughed 🍦😂.