Laddu came out of his room, already dressed.
"I'm going to meet my online friend," he said casually.
"I'll be late."
Mochi looked up instantly.
"That can be dangerous."
Laddu frowned.
"I'm not a kid," he snapped.
"I know what's right and wrong."
He grabbed his keys 🔑
And left.
The door closed.
Silence fell like a dropped glass.
The cousin spoke before thinking.
"…He's going on a date."
That word hit.
Mochi turned suddenly, her voice breaking as it rose.
"DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I WAITED?" she shouted 💥
"So he wouldn't cheat on me?!"
Mother flinched.
"Mochi—what happened?"
Mochi's eyes filled.
"He doesn't look at me," she cried.
"He doesn't talk to me like he used to."
She wiped her tears angrily and kept going.
"I knew everything about him," she said.
"Every habit. Every mood. Even his bank account."
Her voice cracked.
"And now this new Laddu," she continued,
"this loud, smiling, careless version—"
She shook her head.
"He gets on my nerves," she admitted.
"And that scares me."
The room stayed quiet.
Maya spoke softly.
"You're not angry because he changed."
Father nodded.
"You're angry because you were erased."
Mother held Mochi's hands.
"He didn't replace you," she said gently.
"He's lost."
Mochi sobbed.
"I feel like I'm watching someone else live in his body."
Candy whispered,
"He didn't even say bye properly…"
The cousin sighed.
"This isn't a date problem. This is an identity problem."
Father said calmly,
"We don't chase him. But we don't ignore this."
Mother nodded.
"He needs help. And you need rest."
Maya looked at Mochi.
"You're allowed to be angry."
Mochi whispered,
"I don't want to control him…
I just want my person back."
No one argued.
Because everyone understood:
This wasn't jealousy.
This wasn't insecurity.
This was grief. 🖤
Grief for someone still alive,
but drifting just far enough away to hurt.
Mochi's shoulders shook as the guilt finally spilled out.
"It's my fault," she whispered.
"If that day I showed more emotion… reacted the way he wanted…"
She looked at Mother, eyes drowning.
"He wouldn't have gone outside," Mochi cried.
"He wouldn't have had the accident."
The room reacted instantly.
"No," Maya said sharply.
"No. Stop."
Father stood.
"That's not how cause and effect works."
Mother held Mochi's face gently.
"Listen to me," she said softly.
"You did not cause an accident."
"But—"
The cousin interrupted calmly.
"He left because he didn't know how to sit with calm."
Candy hugged Mochi's arm.
"He always walks when he's confused."
Mother nodded.
"And even on his worst days," she added,
"he never blamed you for being yourself."
Mochi whispered,
"He wanted emotion…"
"And you gave honesty," Father replied.
"That is not a mistake."
Maya crossed her arms.
"If fake reactions were the solution, he'd have broken anyway."
The cousin added,
"You don't prevent accidents by performing feelings."
Mochi broke.
"I just wanted to keep him," she sobbed.
Mother pulled her into a tight hug 🤍
"And you tried the healthiest way possible."
Father said quietly,
"Accidents are not punishments."
Candy whispered,
"He came back because this is home."
Mochi cried openly now.
Not weak.
Relieved.
She did not break him.
📞 The phone rang.
Father looked at the screen and stood immediately.
"I'll be back," he said.
"From where?" Maya asked.
He didn't answer.
He left.
⏳ Later…
The door opened.
Father came in.
His face said everything.
"Laddu is at the police station," he said.
Mother gasped.
"What happened?"
Father swallowed.
"He was bullied."
Maya's voice rose.
"For what?!"
"His clothes," Father said quietly.
"Colorful. They mocked him. Followed him."
Mother covered her mouth.
"Oh God…"
Candy whispered,
"He didn't fight?"
"No," Father replied.
"He just stood there."
The cousin clenched his fists.
"Then why the station?"
"One of them pushed him," Father said.
"Someone called the police."
Maya shook with anger.
"He didn't defend himself?"
"No," Father said.
"He kept apologizing."
That shattered something.
Mother stood.
"We're going."
Father nodded.
"Yes."
Candy looked at Mochi.
"He must be scared…"
Father added softly,
"He asked for you."
Mochi froze.
"…He did?"
Father nodded.
They moved. No arguments. No plans.
Because whatever Laddu had been becoming—
Right now, he was just someone hurt
for being visible.
🌙 Night
The door opened.
Laddu came in quietly.
No phone 📵
No smile 😶
Wrinkled clothes. Eyes low. Shoulders folded inward.
He didn't look at anyone.
He went straight to his room.
Door closed.
Maya whispered,
"He didn't even look up…"
Mother stepped forward.
"Laddu—"
Before she knocked—
The door opened again.
Mochi went in.
She closed it.
And locked it.
Click. 🔒
Inside the Room
Laddu sat on the bed, staring at the floor.
Mochi sat nearby.
"I'm here," she said softly.
"I didn't do anything," Laddu whispered.
"I know."
"They laughed," he said.
"At my clothes."
"I know."
"I just stood there," his voice cracked.
"I didn't know what to say."
"You didn't do anything wrong."
"They asked if I was pretending."
"You weren't."
His hands shook.
"I wasn't brave enough to leave."
"You stayed," Mochi said gently.
"That's not nothing."
"They touched me," he whispered.
"Just pushed."
"That shouldn't have happened."
"I hate being seen," he said, breaking.
"I know."
Silence wrapped around them.
"I don't feel like laughing anymore," Laddu whispered.
"You don't have to," Mochi replied.
Outside the Room
Maya paced.
"Why did she lock the door?"
"She's protecting him," Mother said.
Candy clutched her hands.
"Is he crying?"
Father answered quietly.
"Not in front of us."
The cousin murmured,
"This was targeted."
Mother's voice hardened.
"For clothes."
Maya snapped,
"I want names."
"No," Father said.
"Not now."
Candy looked at the door.
"Will he be okay?"
"He'll be hurt," Mother said.
"But not alone."
The house stayed quiet.
Not empty.
Guarded.
Because inside that room,
someone loud and confusing was finally allowed to be small.
And someone else stayed with him.
Not fixing.
Not questioning.
Just staying. 🕯️