Living Room — Late Morning
Rainse tilted her head, casual but clear. 🙂
"Are you free tomorrow?"
Laddu answered without thinking. 😌
"Yes."
Mochi's eyebrow moved.
Just a millimeter. 👀
Rainse smiled. 😊
"Want to go watch a movie?"
Silence hit the room like someone paused time. ⏸️
Maya's spoon froze mid-air.
"…A movie." 😐
Candy's eyes widened.
"POPCORN?" 🍿
Father leaned back slowly.
"Define movie." 🤨
The cousin adjusted his glasses.
"Context matters." 🧐
Mother didn't react immediately.
She watched Laddu. 👁️
Laddu finally looked around, realizing everyone was staring.
"…What?" 😅
Mochi spoke calmly.
"Which movie?"
Rainse shrugged.
"Anything fun." 🎉
Maya muttered,
"This is escalating fast." 😬
Father cleared his throat.
"Is this a date?"
Rainse laughed. 😂
"No. Just a movie."
Candy nodded firmly.
"Movies are innocent." 🧁
The cousin added,
"In theory." 🧠
Mother finally spoke, voice even.
"Public place?"
"Yes," Rainse said immediately.
"Day show." ☀️
Mochi met Laddu's eyes.
"Do you want to go?"
Laddu hesitated.
Then nodded. "…Yes." 😶
Maya groaned softly.
"We're doing this."
Mother nodded once.
"Okay." ✔️
Everyone blinked. 👁️👁️
Mother continued,
"Daytime. Public. And you come back for dinner." 🍽️
Laddu smiled, relieved.
"Deal." 🙂
Rainse clapped lightly.
"Yay!" 🎈
Candy whispered to Maya,
"This house is spicy." 🌶️
Maya sighed.
"And we're out of chilli." 😩
Mochi didn't smile.
But she didn't stop it either.
She just said quietly,
"Tell me the time." ⏰
Laddu nodded.
"I will."
The room relaxed a notch. 🌬️
Not because it was comfortable.
But because everyone felt the same thing.
This wasn't betrayal.
It wasn't permission either. ⚖️
It was a test of balance.
Evening — The Return 🌆
Morning had gone smoothly.
Laddu left the house well dressed. 👔
Clean shirt.
Proper shoes.
Hair actually combed. ✨
Maya had muttered,
"That's effort." 🙄
Now it was evening.
The door opened. 🚪
Laddu came in laughing, phone in hand,
clearly replaying something funny in his head. 😄
He didn't announce himself.
Didn't look around.
Straight to his room.
Door closed. 🔒
Happy.
Too happy. 😬
The living room went quiet.
Maya was the first to explode.
"Mochi, do something or you'll be late." 💥
Mochi didn't look up.
"I respect his privacy."
Maya stared at her.
"That's not maturity. That's surrender." 😠
The cousin stood up and quietly poured a drink. 🍷
"Here. Just… drink."
Mochi hesitated.
Then took it.
One sip.
Two. 😮💨
She exhaled sharply.
Her shoulders dropped.
Then the real Mochi came out. 🔥
"How dare that bi***h," she snapped,
"sit on the same sofa as him and go to a movie with her?"
The room froze. ❄️
Candy's mouth fell open.
"…Mochi?" 😲
Maya's eyes widened.
"Oh. She's back." 👀
Father coughed into his hand, pretending not to hear. 😶
Mother closed her eyes briefly.
"Language." 🙏
Mochi stood up, suddenly animated.
"I clean that sofa. I choose his clothes. I know what side he sleeps on."
She pointed toward his room. 👉
"And she just walks in, laughs, popcorn, movie, day out?"
Maya nodded aggressively.
"Exactly!" 💯
The cousin raised an eyebrow.
"So privacy was temporary." 🤔
Mochi rubbed her face, frustrated.
"Privacy was ass." 😤
Mother spoke gently.
"It sounds like you're hurt."
Mochi's voice cracked just a little.
"I am." 💔
Candy whispered,
"She sat on your sofa." 🛋️
Mochi looked at her.
"Thank you, Candy. Finally, someone understands."
Maya sighed.
"You can't pretend you don't care and then explode internally." 😩
Mochi sank back into the chair.
"I didn't want to control him."
Mother sat beside her.
"And you didn't." 🤍
Father added quietly.
"But feeling jealous doesn't make you wrong."
The cousin nodded.
"It makes you human." 🌱
From behind the closed door, Laddu laughed again. 😄
Loud. Carefree.
Mochi clenched her jaw.
"I won't fight her," she said.
"But I won't disappear either." ✊
Mother squeezed her hand.
"That's the balance." ⚖️
The house settled again.
Not calm.
Not resolved.
But honest. 🪞
The Confrontation 💬
Mochi stood up suddenly.
Her chair scraped the floor.
"LADDU," she shouted,
"WE NEED TO TALK." 🔊
The laughter from his room stopped.
Silence. 😶
Maya whispered,
"Oh. That tone."
Candy covered Ben's ears.
"He's in danger." 🐶
The door opened.
Laddu stepped out slowly,
still smiling a little, still riding the high.
"…What happened?" 😅
Mochi didn't move toward him.
Didn't raise her voice again.
"Come here," she said.
"Now." ❗
Laddu hesitated.
Then walked over.
"What's wrong?" he asked casually.
"You look angry."
Mochi laughed once.
A sharp, humorless sound. 😐
"I'm not angry," she said.
"I'm done pretending I'm not affected."
The room went dead quiet. 🫢
Maya leaned back.
"This is serious-talk posture."
Laddu straightened.
"…Okay."
Mochi crossed her arms.
"You went out," she said.
"You laughed. You had fun. I didn't stop you."
"Yes," Laddu replied carefully.
"You came back," she continued,
"happy enough to disappear into your room."
Laddu frowned.
"I didn't do anything wrong."
"I know," Mochi said immediately.
"That's the problem." ⚠️
He blinked.
"…What?"
"I respected your privacy," she said.
"I gave you space. I didn't question you."
She stepped closer.
"But don't confuse my respect," she said clearly,
"with me not caring." 💔
The smile slipped from Laddu's face.
Maya muttered,
"Oof."
Mochi continued, voice steady but raw.
"I don't want to control you.
I don't want to interrogate you.
I don't want to compete."
She pointed gently toward his room.
"But when you come back glowing like that and vanish—
I feel erased."
Laddu swallowed.
"That wasn't my intention."
"I know," Mochi replied.
"But intention doesn't cancel impact."
Silence stretched. ⏳
Laddu ran a hand through his hair.
"So… what do you want?"
Mochi didn't hesitate.
"I want presence," she said.
"If you're happy, share it." 😊
"If you're confused, say it."
She looked him straight in the eyes.
"Don't make me find out how important I am by guessing."
Laddu's shoulders dropped. 😔
"…I didn't think," he admitted.
"I was just… enjoying not being heavy."
Mochi softened slightly.
"I don't want to be your weight."
"You're not," he said quickly.
"You're my ground." 🌍
The room collectively exhaled. 😮💨
Maya whispered,
"That was poetic. Accidental, but poetic."
Mochi nodded once.
"Then stand on it."
"Don't step away silently."
Laddu nodded.
"…Okay." ✔️
Not dramatic.
Not perfect.
But real. 🤍
The Truth Comes Out 🪞
Mochi stayed standing.
"What's the difference," she asked,
"between me and her?"
The room held its breath. 😶
Laddu answered honestly.
Too honestly.
"She compliments me," he said.
"Says I'm cute. Hard-working."
Maya winced.
"…Oof."
"She fed me popcorn," Laddu added.
"And you've never done that." 🍿
Maya muttered instantly.
"Damn."
Mochi didn't shout.
She didn't cry.
She just nodded once.
"I never compliment you," she said slowly.
Laddu looked at her.
"Yeah."
The word wasn't angry.
It was factual.
Mochi swallowed.
"I thought you didn't need it."
Laddu shrugged.
"Men not ask." 😐
Maya threw her hands up.
"This is emotionally stupid."
Mochi ignored her.
"When did I compliment you last?" she asked.
Laddu didn't hesitate.
"Tell me."
Silence. 🫥
Candy shifted uncomfortably.
Mother closed her eyes.
Mochi searched her memory.
Days. Weeks.
Nothing landed.
"…I don't remember." 💔
Laddu nodded.
"That's my answer."
Maya snapped,
"He's not a puppy!"
Laddu replied calmly.
"I work ten hours minimum."
"I don't ask for praise at work.
I don't ask for it from family."
He looked at Mochi.
"I've never seen you do romance," he said.
"Not once."
The room went quiet again.
Mochi took a breath.
"Because," she said slowly,
"I was scared."
"Of what?" Laddu asked.
"Of doing it wrong," Mochi replied.
"Of becoming controlling."
She sat down.
"I grew up watching romance turn into obligation."
"Care becoming control."
"So I chose safety," she continued.
"Routine. Stability. Presence."
"I thought staying steady was enough."
Laddu nodded.
"I didn't need fireworks."
"I know," Mochi said.
"But I avoided sparks." ✨
Silence.
Then Laddu said gently,
"So you weren't cold."
"You were careful."
"Yes," Mochi replied.
"And I wasn't needy," he added.
"I was waiting."
The tension eased. 🌤️
Maya exhaled.
"You discovered love languages."
Candy clapped softly.
"Languages!" 📚
Laddu looked at Mochi.
"So… will you try?"
Mochi didn't promise big things.
She just said,
"Yes." ❤️
And for the first time that night,
romance wasn't fear or performance.
It was a choice.
Made with open eyes.