The house felt quieter now.
Ever since Sam left, Mahiru found herself feeling… off.
She still had a week of summer break left, but without Sam around, time seemed to move painfully slow.
She tried to keep herself busy—helping her mother with chores, spending time with her childhood friend Sana, and visiting old spots around town—but no matter what she did, the feeling of something missing never left her.
That something was Sam.
Every morning, she woke up and instinctively reached for her phone, hoping to see a good morning message from him. And every night, they stayed up texting, stretching their conversations as long as possible before one of them fell asleep.
Her mother noticed her restlessness.
"You've been glued to your phone all day," she teased one evening while they were having dinner.
Mahiru pouted, stirring her food absentmindedly. "It's not my fault…"
Her father huffed. "You act like you'll never see him again. You're leaving in a few days, aren't you?"
"I know… but it feels different." Mahiru sighed, resting her chin on her hand. "I got used to being with him every day."
"Hmph." Her father crossed his arms. "That boy better not have brainwashed you."
"Dad!" Mahiru shot him a glare, her cheeks heating up.
Her mother chuckled. "Oh, let her be. It's cute."
Mahiru groaned, hiding her face in her hands.
She wasn't that bad… was she?
But even if she tried to act normal, deep inside, she missed Sam terribly. The warmth of his presence, the way he teased her, the way he always found a reason to touch her—holding her hand, tucking her hair behind her ear, wrapping an arm around her shoulders when she was cold.
Now that he was gone, everything just felt… lonely.
And based on his messages, Sam felt the same.
Sam: "Time moves too slowly without you here."
Mahiru: "Tell me about it."
Sam: "I'm never letting you stay back alone again."
Mahiru: "Haha, possessive much?"
Sam: "Yes. Very."
Mahiru giggled, hugging her phone to her chest. Even if they were apart, their bond remained the same.
But no matter how much they talked, it wasn't the same as being together.
She sighed, rolling onto her bed and staring at the ceiling.
"Just a few more days…" she whispered to herself.
Then she would be back where she belonged.
Back with Sam.
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