The talking ended.
The house relaxed.
Then—
Ding dong.
The doorbell rang.
Candy jumped first.
"I'll get it!"
She ran.
Opened the door.
A man stood there.
Big.
Bearded.
Red suit.
Santa costume.
Full.
White beard included.
Candy stared.
Wide-eyed.
"Santa?"
The man laughed.
Deep.
"Nope."
He pulled the beard down.
"I'm Bob."
He stepped inside.
Age forty-two.
Broad shoulders.
Tired eyes.
Friendly smile.
Candy tilted her head.
"Why are you Santa?"
Bob pointed his thumb back.
"At him."
Laddu.
Still wrapped in a blanket.
Fever survivor.
"We planned Santa costumes," Bob said."Together."
He shrugged.
"But this idiot fell sick."
Laddu sighed.
"Sorry."
Bob waved it off.
"Come on.""I'll take you home."
Mochi froze.
"Y-you're leaving…?"
Bob lifted Laddu easily.
Like practice.
"Two days rest," he said."No drama hero acts."
Laddu looked at Mochi.
Smiled.
Small.
"Bye."
She wanted to say something.
Anything.
Words failed.
The door closed.
The house felt empty.
Two days passed.
Slow.
Painfully slow.
Empty.
Mochi forgot—
She never took his number.
Every morning—
Same feeling.
Heavy chest.
Every night—
Phone in hand.
Screen empty.
By the third day—
She gave up.
Parents were out.
The house quiet.
She dragged herself to the living room.
Hair messy.
Eyes tired.
Coffee in hand.
Like survival.
She dropped onto the sofa.
Turned on the TV.
Tried to distract her heart.
In the kitchen—
Her family watched.
Silent.
"She looks miserable," her mother whispered.
"She misses him," Candy nodded.
Maya crossed her arms.
"If that idiot doesn't show up today," she muttered,"I'll break his face."
They let Mochi sink.
Slow.
On TV—
A couple stood in the rain.
Hands intertwined.
Eyes close.
Mochi swallowed.
Her cheeks warmed.
She imagined—
Laddu holding her hand.Laddu smiling.Laddu leaning in—
BEEP.
The channel changed.
A cartoon exploded.
Loud.
Bright.
Mochi flinched.
"H-Hey!""Who changed it?!"
She grabbed the remote.
Turned—
And froze.
Laddu sat beside her.
On the sofa.
Calm.
Relaxed.
Like he lived there.
Ironing his shirt.
With a tiny portable iron.
Mochi's soul exited.
"H-H-H-HOW ARE YOU HERE?!"
He looked up.
Casual.
"Your remote died," he said."So I changed it manually."
That was not the question.
Her brain stopped.
"H-How did you get in?!"
"Front door," he shrugged."Candy opened it."
Candy popped her head in.
"Oh yeah.""I let him in."
"YOU WHAT?!"
Candy shrugged.
"You were sad.""So I let your boyfriend inside."
Mochi made a sound.
Not human.
"HE'S NOT—WE AREN'T—I—YOU—CANDY!!"
Laddu paused.
Mid-iron.
Serious.
"Do you want me to climb the window instead?""I can try.""But your mosquito net is strong."
"STOP TALKING!!"
Mochi covered her face.
Maya walked in.
Juice in hand.
"He wiped his shoes," she said."Very polite idiot."
Mochi wanted to evaporate.
"This is… too embarrassing…"
Laddu finished ironing.
Folded the shirt.
Neatly.
Sat closer.
Too close.
"You were sad," he said quietly."So I came."
Her heart melted.
Instant.
"W-Why would you think that…?"
"You didn't text me."
Her face went nuclear.
"I—I was waiting for YOU!"
He blinked.
"Oh.""Then we both waited."
He leaned in.
Close.
Very close.
"You could've called me."
She shook her head fast.
"N-No!""I was too shy!"
He chuckled.
Soft.
"I know."
That smile.
Deadly.
Behind them—
"They're idiots," Maya whispered.
Candy nodded.
"But cute idiots."
Laddu tapped Mochi's shoulder.
Gentle.
"You missed me, right?"
Mochi opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Opened again.
Only one sound escaped—
"…eep."
Candy threw paper scraps.
"YAY!""They're fighting like lovers!"
Mochi squeaked.
Mortified.
Laddu laughed.
And just like that—
The empty house felt full again.