The midday sun shone warmly as Sam walked down the busy street, heading toward the spot where Mahiru had asked to meet. The city was alive with chatter and movement, but his mind was focused on one thing—her.
As he arrived, he saw Mahiru standing under the shade of a tree, rocking on her heels with a soft smile on her lips. The moment she noticed him, her face brightened.
"You're here!" she chirped, walking up to him.
Sam let out a small chuckle. "Of course. You're the one who invited me."
Mahiru tilted her head playfully. "Still, I was kinda worried. What if you got bored of me?"
Sam sighed dramatically. "Yeah, right. Spending the day with my girlfriend? Sounds awful."
Mahiru pouted. "At least pretend to consider it!"
He smirked. "Nope."
She huffed, but her smile never faded. "Well then, since you're here, let's go!"
He raised an eyebrow. "Go where?"
Mahiru twirled a little, looking around. "Hmm… I didn't really plan anything. I just wanted to be with you."
Sam's heart skipped a beat. He was getting used to these casual, affectionate words from her, but they still made his stomach flip every time.
"Well," he said, clearing his throat, "let's just walk around. We'll find something."
Mahiru nodded eagerly, and with that, they set off into the lively city streets.
—
Their casual walk soon turned into a fun-filled adventure as they found themselves exploring random stores, pointing out silly things to each other, and chatting about everything and nothing.
At one point, Mahiru spotted an arcade and immediately grabbed Sam's arm. "Oh! Let's go in!"
He looked at her, amused. "You like arcades?"
"Of course! Don't you?"
He shrugged. "I haven't been to one in a while."
"Then that's all the more reason to go!" she declared, pulling him inside before he could protest.
The arcade was buzzing with life—flashing lights, the sounds of game machines beeping, and excited chatter from other players. Mahiru's eyes sparkled as she looked around.
"Oh! A claw machine!" She rushed over and turned to Sam with determination. "I'm gonna win a plushie!"
Sam smirked. "You sure about that?"
Mahiru pouted. "Are you doubting me?"
He crossed his arms. "Just saying, these things are rigged."
She stuck out her tongue at him. "Watch and learn!"
With intense focus, she inserted a coin and moved the claw toward a small white bunny plush. Sam watched as she carefully adjusted the position, her lips slightly pursed in concentration.
The claw descended, wrapped around the bunny, and…
It slipped right through.
Mahiru gasped dramatically. "Nooo!"
Sam shook his head, chuckling. "Told you."
Mahiru turned to him with pleading eyes. "Sam…"
"…What?"
She pointed at the machine. "You try!"
He sighed but stepped forward, inserting a few coins. Unlike Mahiru, he studied the machine, testing the joystick sensitivity before carefully positioning the claw.
Mahiru watched intently, almost holding her breath.
The claw descended, gripping the bunny firmly this time.
It lifted.
It moved toward the prize slot.
And then—
It dropped.
Mahiru turned to him with a slow, teasing grin. "I told you it wasn't easy."
Sam groaned, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, yeah. One more try."
—
After several more tries (and more money spent than he'd like to admit), Sam finally won the bunny plush. He handed it to Mahiru without a word.
Mahiru gently took it, holding it to her chest. "You won it for me?"
"I mean… yeah."
Her cheeks turned slightly pink as she looked down at the plushie. "Thank you, Sam."
He coughed lightly, looking away. "Don't mention it."
Mahiru hugged the bunny close and smiled. I'll treasure it.
—
The fun didn't stop there. They went from game to game, challenging each other in air hockey (Mahiru won, but only barely), shooting games (Sam destroyed her in that one), and even a dance machine (where they both failed spectacularly and ended up laughing too hard to care).
Hours passed in what felt like minutes.
As they finally stepped out of the arcade, Mahiru stretched her arms. "That was so much fun!"
Sam nodded. "Yeah, it was."
Mahiru turned to him with a grin. "Admit it, I made your day better."
He smirked. "I mean… yeah."
She giggled. "I knew it."
They continued walking through the city, side by side, enjoying the peacefulness of each other's company.
Sam glanced at her. She was hugging the bunny plush tightly, a soft smile on her lips as she looked at the bustling streets around them.
For some reason, he felt incredibly lucky.
Today really was a day just for them.
----