The house had a cozy, warm atmosphere, but Sam barely noticed.
Because the moment he stepped in—
He felt it.
A presence.
A very strong, intimidating presence.
Then, a deep voice cut through the silence.
"Hmph. So you're the one."
Sam froze.
Slowly, very slowly, he turned his head.
And there he was.
Mahiru's father.
Tall. Broad-shouldered. Arms crossed like he was evaluating Sam's very existence.
His sharp eyes bore into Sam, making him feel as if every flaw, every secret, every stupid thing he had ever done in his life was being examined under a microscope.
Sam swallowed hard.
This was it.
The moment that decided whether he would leave this house as Mahiru's boyfriend—
Or as a body-shaped stain on the front porch.
Mahiru's mother, on the other hand, was all smiles.
"Oh my! Sam, dear, what a lovely surprise!" she chirped, clearly thrilled to see him.
Mahiru's father, however, was not so easily impressed.
His gaze was like a steel blade.
"You came all the way here just to see my daughter?" he asked, voice deep and serious.
Sam tried not to flinch. "Uh… yes, sir."
Silence.
Then, Mahiru's father narrowed his eyes.
"Why?"
Sam hesitated for a split second.
He could lie.
He could try to smooth-talk his way through this.
Or he could just be honest.
So he looked Mahiru's father straight in the eye and said—
"Because I missed her."
Another silence.
Mahiru's mother gasped happily. "Oh, how romantic!"
Mahiru turned bright red. "M-Mom, stop!"
Her father, however, was still analyzing him like a military general.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he let out a long sigh.
"Well… as long as you treat her right, I have no complaints."
Sam exhaled in relief. "Thank you, sir."
But just as he thought he was finally safe—
Her father's eyes sharpened.
"But," he added, voice low and firm, "if you ever make my daughter cry… you better start running before I find you."
Sam stiffened. "U-Understood, sir."
Mahiru groaned, grabbing Sam's wrist. "Dad, please! He's already scared enough!"
Her father just grunted. "Good."
Sam was pretty sure he saw the shadow of a smirk on the man's face.
But whether it was amusement or a promise of future pain—Sam wasn't sure.
----