The room finally calmed.
Mostly.
Mochi's face was still burning red.
Candy cartwheeled across the living room.Maya leaned against the wall.Judging.As always.
In the kitchen, her mother chopped vegetables.Very loudly.Listening to everything.
Laddu finished folding his shirt.
Perfectly.
He turned to Mochi.
Grinned.
"Hey, Titan," he said."How are you feeling?"
Mochi froze.
"T–Titan…?"
He nodded.
Confident.
"You're tall.""You're strong.""And when you shout—""Terrifying."
"So yes.""Titan."
Mochi hid behind her scarf.
"I-I'm not scary…"
Candy whispered,"She's a little scary."
Maya shushed her.
Smirked.
Then Laddu leaned forward.
Serious now.
"Do you want to see my biggest," he said,"scariest talent?"
Mochi blinked.
Fear.Curiosity.Equal.
Candy yelled,"SHOW US!"
Maya frowned.
"Don't traumatize her."
Mochi swallowed.
Nodded.
"O-okay…"
"You asked for it," Laddu said.
Smirking.
He grabbed his chin—
CRACK.
His jaw popped out.
Wrong.
Too wide.
Unnatural.
Like a snake.
Mochi stopped breathing.
Candy dropped her juice box.
Maya choked.
Her mother covered her mouth.
Her father peeked in.
"What demon ritual is this?"
Before panic could explode—
Snap.
Jaw back in place.
Perfect.
Normal.
Laddu wiped his mouth.
"Ta-da."
"How was it?"
Mochi lunged.
Grabbed his shoulders.
Shook him.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?!""ARE YOU DYING?!""ARE YOU A DEMON?!"
He laughed.
"Relax, Titan."
Candy hid behind her mother.
"Is he human…?"
Maya stared.
"Insane."
Her mother whispered a prayer.
Her father muttered,"If he dies here, I'm not filing that report."
Laddu waved his hands.
"Village wrestler taught me."
Pause.
"He said real men should know how to dislocate their jaw."
Candy squeaked.
"WHY?!"
Laddu shrugged.
"I was small.""And cute.""They trained me like a pet."
Maya rubbed her forehead.
"That childhood sounds illegal."
Mochi trembled.
Still staring.
Planet alien.
Laddu smiled softly at her.
"I won't do the jaw thing again."
Mochi squeaked.
"My heart almost stopped…"
He laughed.
"Worth it."
Her face burned.
Then—
He raised his hand.
"I can also dislocate my hand and leg."
"Want to see?"
Mochi nearly fainted.
"NO!""NO NO NO NO!""PLEASE!""MY HEART CAN'T TAKE THIS!"
Candy screamed.
"I'LL HAVE NIGHTMARES!"
Maya pointed.
"Sit.""One more bone—""I'll glue them permanently."
Her mother snapped.
"This is a home, not a horror movie."
Her father growled.
"I will call an ambulance and arrest you."
Same time.
Laddu slowly lowered his hand.
"…Okay.""Maybe later."
Mochi collapsed in relief.
Hand on chest.
"Thank you…""No more bone sounds…"
"You're dramatic, Titan," he teased.
"I'M DRAMATIC BECAUSE YOU'RE SCARY!"She snapped.
Blushing.
Still shaking—
Mochi reached out.
Gently.
Held his sleeve.
Voice small.
"Please…""No more dislocating.""The jaw thing scared me…"
Laddu paused.
Really looked at her.
Then nodded.
"Okay.""I promise."
Her face turned red again.
Candy whispered,"He listens to her."
Maya smirked.
"He's scared of her giant hands."
Laddu shrugged.
"She's strong.""I like that."
Mochi hid her face.
Again.
Her father cleared his throat.
"Boy.""No more circus tricks."
"Yes, sir," Laddu said instantly.
Her mother laughed.
"Strange.""But sweet."
Maya sighed.
"Walking jump scare."
Candy clapped.
"I like him!"
Mochi peeked out.
Laddu was watching her.
Quiet smile.
Warm.
Her heart thumped.
Soft.
Shy.
And she realized—
She was falling again.
And this time—
She didn't want to stop.