The next day—
Mochi went to Laddu's office.
Early.
Too early.
Heart loud.
Hands cold.
She stood at the entrance of a tall glass building that said GAME-KING in bold letters.
She swallowed.
This was real.
The security gate beeped.
A man in uniform looked up.
Then—
"HEY!"
He smiled.
Wide.
Friendly.
It was Bob.
Still big.
Still loud.
Now wearing a security uniform like it was destiny.
"Mochi!" he said."You came!"
"H-H-Hello…" she bowed slightly.
Bob laughed.
"Relax.""Laddu's been waiting like a nervous chicken."
He opened the gate.
"Come. I'll take you."
As they walked inside, Bob leaned closer.
"Warning," he whispered."You're entering a battlefield."
"…B-Battlefield?"
Bob nodded gravely.
"Roasting hours."
Inside—
Chaos.
Laughter.
Clapping.
Keyboards abandoned.
Developers crowded around one room.
And from inside—
Voices.
Loud.
Sharp.
Perfectly timed.
"You call that code?" a woman snapped."I've seen cleaner logic in a broken calculator."
"That calculator didn't have to work with YOUR requirements," Laddu shot back."Which change every eight minutes."
Laughter exploded.
Mochi froze.
Bob grinned.
"That's Boss Jin."
They peeked in.
Inside the room—
Jin.
Arms crossed.
Sharp eyes.
Queen energy.
And Laddu—
Standing confidently.
Too confidently.
"You named a variable 'thingy'," Jin said."THINGY."
"It's a flexible name," Laddu replied."Emotionally adaptable."
The room lost it.
One employee wheezed.
Another slapped the table.
Jin pointed at the screen.
"This function crashes the server."
"Yes," Laddu nodded."Only when humans use it."
"So never?"
"Exactly."
More laughter.
"You broke production yesterday," Jin continued.
Laddu gasped.
"NO.""I stress tested production."
"That was a live user base!"
"They survived."
Jin stepped closer.
"You pushed code without approval."
"Approval is temporary.""Confidence is eternal."
The room went insane.
Someone shouted, "HE'S BACK AT IT!"
Mochi covered her mouth.
This was… war.
Friendly.
Deadly.
Professional.
Bob whispered, "They do this every day."
Inside—
Jin slammed her palm on the desk.
"You think you're funny?"
"Yes," Laddu replied."And efficient."
"You're replaceable."
"Then why haven't you replaced me?"
Silence.
Jin stared.
Employees leaned in.
Jin smirked.
"…Because you're annoying and useful."
Applause.
Someone bowed.
Mochi blinked.
They… liked him.
Then—
Laddu turned.
Saw her.
Everything stopped.
"…Mochi?"
His face changed instantly.
Sweat.
Panic.
Joy.
All at once.
"BOSS—WAIT—"
Jin turned.
Eyes locked on Mochi.
Scanning.
Tall.
Shy.
Blushing.
Blanket-level panic.
The tension snapped.
Jin crossed her arms.
"Well," she said slowly,"This better be good."
Laddu cleared his throat.
"Boss Jin… let me introduce someone."
Her eyebrow rose.
"Proceed."
He pointed proudly.
"Meet my beautiful, intelligent—"
Jin smiled.
"Oh?"
"—not more than me—Boss Jin."
Death.
Absolute.
Death.
The room froze.
Someone dropped a pen.
Mochi nearly fainted.
On Candy's phone—
Maya whispered,"He's trying to die."
Candy nodded."Natural selection."
Jin's eyebrow twitched.
"…Not more than you?"
Laddu panicked.
"E-Equal!""Equal!""Equal intelligence!"
"That is NOT what you said," Jin growled.
Mochi jumped in.
"H-He talks without brain sometimes!"
Jin nodded calmly.
"Yes.""I noticed."
Before Jin could continue—
Laddu smiled again.
"And this is Mochi!""She works as a Lord Shark—"
"L-LORD WHAT?!" Mochi choked.
Jin froze.
"…Lord Shark?"
"Yes," Laddu nodded."Big.""Powerful.""Shark lord."
"I'M A WAITER!" Mochi grabbed his sleeve."At a café!"
"Oh," Laddu blinked."Same thing."
"IT IS NOT."
Jin massaged her temples.
"What kind of introduction is this?"
Laddu wasn't done.
"Also, Boss—""She sent ten people to the hospital."
Mochi's soul left.
"LADDU STOP TALKING!"
Jin stiffened.
"Ten?"
"She's strong," Laddu said proudly."Scary when angry.""Real Titan."
Jin stared at Mochi.
"…You hospitalised people?"
"I DIDN'T!" Mochi flailed."I never hit anyone!"
Candy's voice came through the phone.
"Unnie cries when she steps on ants!"
Jin pointed.
"Explain. Now."
"No punching," Laddu clarified."Accidents."
"Accidents?" Jin echoed.
"She bumped.""Tripped.""Opened doors fast.""Sneezed."
Jin stared.
"…Sneezed."
"Yes," Laddu nodded."Powerful sneeze."
Mochi hid behind her scarf.
Jin closed her eyes.
"And today," Laddu whispered,"She will send me to the hospital."
Mochi lunged.
Jin sighed.
"You are both disasters."
"Enough," Jin said finally."Welcome to Game-King, Mochi."
She opened the door.
Mochi stepped inside—
And froze.
A tiny office.
Next to Laddu's.
Her name taped on the door.
Printed.
Neat.
"Mochi," Laddu beamed."This is for you!"
"I never approved that," Jin muttered.
Inside—
Eight framed photos.
Laddu with—
An alien.Thanos.Darkseid.Prime Minister Modi.A giant cockroach.A robot.A shadow demon.A vegetable seller holding a glowing turnip.
"…Why?" Mochi whispered.
"I like famous people," Laddu said.
"The cockroach looks real…"
"That one IS real."
"STOP SAYING THAT!" Jin yelled.
"I look stupid," Laddu shrugged."I do stupid.""But I work VERY hard."
"You mean 'walking problem,'" Jin corrected.
"Same thing."
Mochi giggled.
Then—
She noticed the bed.
"…Why is there a bed?"
"Home is far," Laddu said seriously."Work is near.""So I live here."
"You LIVE here?"
"Eight months," Jin snapped."I tried to stop him."
"Work hard now," Laddu smiled."Sleep when I die."
"DON'T SAY THAT!" Mochi panicked.
Her hand brushed a red button.
Click.
The wall slid open.
Alcohol.
So much alcohol.
Mochi screamed.
"WHAT IS THIS?!"
"Stress corner," Laddu said calmly."I cry here."
"CLOSE IT!" Jin yelled.
"Sorry!" Mochi bowed.
"He shows it to everyone," Jin groaned.
"I'm a man of culture," Laddu smiled.
Mochi hid her face.
Mortified.
But smiling.
Because this—
This chaos.
This idiot.
This workplace disaster—
Is exactly who she came for.
And somehow…
Her heart was okay with that.