Sam lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, his thoughts stuck on the Ferris wheel moment.
That almost-kiss.
The way Mahiru's eyes had softened, how the setting sun reflected in them, how close their lips had been before—damn that ride stopping at the worst moment.
He groaned and covered his face with his arm.
Why am I even thinking about this so much? It's not like it actually happened…
Yet, it didn't matter. The warmth, the tension, the way their hearts raced— it was all real.
He turned to his side, grabbing the locket Mahiru had gifted him. His thumb brushed over the small photo inside—Mahiru smiling at him.
He let out a sigh.
"…This girl is dangerous," he muttered, his cheeks warming.
On the other side of town, Mahiru lay awake in her apartment, gripping her pillow.
Her face was burning.
She had almost… with Sam…
She rolled over, burying her face into the plushie he had won for her at the arcade.
"W-What was that?! W-Why did my body move on its own like that?!" she whispered to herself.
The thought of their lips almost touching made her heart race all over again.
She hugged the plushie tighter, her toes curling.
"…I was really about to kiss him, wasn't I?"
The realization shook her.
Would it have been okay? Would Sam have kissed her back?
She clutched her blanket and groaned.
"This is too much…!"
Her thoughts wouldn't stop.
It wasn't just the Ferris wheel. It was everything.
The way he looked at her, the way he held her when she cried, how he took care of her when she was sick.
She felt safe with him.
And that's what scared her the most.
The next morning both Sam and Mahiru woke up groggy, having barely slept.
Yet, when they saw their reflections in the mirror, they had the same realization.
They were smiling.
"…I'm so screwed," Sam muttered.
"…I'm really falling for him, aren't I?" Mahiru whispered to herself.
---
At School
Sam sat with his friends, barely touching his lunch. His mind was still fogged with last night's thoughts.
"Yo, Sam, you okay?" one of his friends asked.
"Huh? Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Sam mumbled.
They exchanged knowing looks.
"You've been acting weird lately. You sure you're not in love or something?"
Sam choked on his drink.
His friends laughed as he coughed.
"N-No way! What kind of question is that?!"
"Uh-huh, sure. You better not be hiding a girlfriend from us!"
Sam froze.
Then, awkwardly looked away.
"...He totally has one," one of them whispered.
Meanwhile, at Mahiru's college, Valentine's Week had started.
The girls in her class were already buzzing with excitement.
"Are you giving someone chocolates this year?"
"I heard the seniors are planning a confession event!"
"Valentine's Week is the best!"
Mahiru listened quietly, her heart thumping.
She had never given chocolates to anyone before.
Would it be weird if she… made some for Sam?
She shook her head, her face turning red.
"N-No way…! That's way too obvious!"
But the more she thought about it, the more tempting the idea became.
Could she really do it?
Would he even like them?
She clutched her bag.
"...I need to think about this."
----