Maya had enough.
The room paused.
Mochi still red.Laddu on the sofa.Blanket wrapped.Candy upside down on the carpet.Their mother chopping vegetables.Loudly.Listening.
Maya stepped forward.
Hands on hips.
Eyes sharp.
"HEY."
She pointed.
"Idiot."
Laddu blinked.
"…Yes?"
"Did your phone break?""Did your fingers fall off?""Did your SIM card explode?"
She jabbed a finger toward Mochi.
Mochi vanished behind a cushion.
Turtle mode.
"Do you know how long she waited?" Maya snapped."TWO DAYS.""Two days staring at her phone like a sad giraffe!"
"M-Maya please—!" Mochi squeaked.
Laddu sat straight.
Schoolboy posture.
"Yes…""I know…""I'm sorry…"
Mother folded arms.Father leaned forward.Candy climbed onto the couch.
"So?" Maya said."Why didn't you text?"
Laddu sighed.
Heavy.
"Do you want…""my sad story?"
Everyone groaned.
"Oh no," Mother said.Father frowned.Candy clapped. "STORY TIME!"Maya crossed her arms. "This better be good."
Mochi covered her face.
Laddu cleared his throat.
Tragic tone.
"It started two years ago.""When I moved here."
Blank stares.
He nodded seriously.
"One day…""I accidentally kicked a dog name ben ."
"YOU WHAT?!" Mochi gasped.
"BY ACCIDENT!" Laddu yelled."He ran behind me!"
Candy gasped.
"Our Ben?""The dog two streets away?!"
"Yes," Laddu said gravely."Your Ben."
Maya muttered, "This is stupid already."
"It didn't end there," Laddu continued."I stepped on his tail."
Pause.
"Not once.""Not twice."
He inhaled.
"TWENTY TIMES."
Everyone exploded.
"TWENTY?!""ARE YOU BLIND?!" Candy screamed.
Father facepalmed.Mother choked.Maya collapsed laughing.
"He KEPT SNEAKING BEHIND ME!" Laddu protested.
"And then," he said darkly,"Ben gathered his gang."
Mochi blinked.
"…Dogs have gangs?"
"Yes," Laddu said seriously."In this area."
Maya slid down laughing.
"They had members," Laddu continued."Big dogs.""Small dogs.""Stray dogs."
Pause.
"And some weren't even dogs."
"WHAT?!" Candy yelled.
"One was a crow," Laddu said..Silence.
"…They attacked you?" Mochi whispered.
"Every day," Laddu said."I buy bread.""They chase me.""I buy milk.""They chase me.""I breathe.""They chase me."
He pointed outside.
"Maybe they're watching."
Everyone looked.
Nothing.
"They're ninjas," he whispered.
Maya wiped her face.
"What does ANY of this have to do with texting?"
Laddu lowered his head.
"…I lost my phone."
Silence.
"You lost it," Mochi whispered,"because a dog chased you?"
"Yes," he nodded."Ben remembers everything."
Maya slammed her forehead.
"This is the dumbest love story."
Candy whispered,"But funny."
Mother wiped a tear.Father muttered,"If that dog causes trouble, I'll arrest it."
Mochi stepped closer.
"You could've borrowed a phone…""And called me…"
"I know," Laddu said softly."I was shy."
Mochi blushed.
"I was shy too…"
Eyes met.
Two idiots.One brain cell.
Maya sighed.
"Idiots in love."
Candy nodded.
"Romantic idiots."
Maya smirked.
"I don't believe the dog story."
Laddu stood instantly.
"I NEVER lie about dogs."
"Prove it," Maya said.
"…Fine."
Candy whispered, "Oh no…"
Father muttered, "I blame the dog."
Laddu marched outside.
"W–Where are you going?!" Mochi grabbed her scarf.
"To prove my innocence."
The family lined up at the door.
Audience mode.
Laddu raised his hand.
"I summon Ben."
Maya scoffed."Who summons a dog?"
"Ten…""Nine…""Eight…"
Mochi clutched her scarf.Candy covered her eyes.
"Six…""Five…"
Bushes rustled.
"Four…""Three…"
A growl.
"Two…"
Two glowing eyes.
"One."
Ben appeared.
Furry.
Fast.
Angry.
A missile.
Laddu screamed.
Ran.
Ben chased him down the street.
Chaos.
Laughter.Screaming.Clapping.Panic.
"DO YOU BELIEVE ME NOW?!" Laddu screamed while sprinting."HE NEVER FORGOT THE TAIL INCIDENT!"
Mochi nearly fainted.Maya collapsed laughing.Candy cheered like Olympics.Mother shouted for biscuits.Father nodded, impressed.
And through all of it—
Laddu kept looking back.
Only at Mochi.
And her heart—
Did something dangerous.