A comfortable silence filled the apartment as Mahiru rested her head against Sam's shoulder, her fingers idly playing with the hem of his sleeve. The soft glow of the TV cast a warm light over them, the romantic film playing in the background almost forgotten as the warmth between them took precedence.
Sam shifted slightly, adjusting his arm around her shoulders to make her more comfortable. She hummed in contentment, letting out a small sigh as she leaned into him further.
"You're really getting comfortable, huh?" Sam teased, a smirk tugging at his lips.
Mahiru huffed without opening her eyes. "Mhm… you're warm."
Sam chuckled, shaking his head fondly. "You're just sleepy."
Before Mahiru could argue, a sudden crack of thunder rumbled through the air, shaking the windows. She flinched, her eyes fluttering open in surprise.
"Huh—?" She sat up slightly, glancing toward the window just as another flash of lightning illuminated the sky. Within seconds, heavy raindrops began pelting against the glass, the once calm evening now turning into a stormy night.
Sam sighed, glancing at the clock. "Great. Looks like I should get going before it gets worse."
Mahiru frowned immediately, turning to him. "What? You're not seriously thinking about going out in this, are you?"
"It's just rain, Mahiru. I'll be fine," Sam said, grabbing his bag.
A strong gust of wind rattled the window again, and Mahiru's frown deepened. "No way. That's not just rain—it's a storm! You can't go out in this."
"I have an umbrella—"
"Had an umbrella," Mahiru corrected. "If you step outside now, the wind will turn it inside out, and you'll be drenched in seconds."
Sam hesitated, glancing at the downpour. "…It is pretty bad," he admitted.
Mahiru crossed her arms. "Exactly. So you're staying here."
Sam scratched his cheek. "Well, I should at least call home first. If I suddenly don't come back, my mom's gonna freak out."
Mahiru nodded. "Go ahead. But I doubt she'd want you walking home in this either."
Pulling out his phone, Sam dialed his mother's number. It rang only once before she picked up, her worried voice coming through immediately.
"Sam? Where are you? It's storming outside!"
"Yeah, I know," he said sheepishly. "I was about to leave Mahiru's place, but the rain hit before I could. I think I should stay until it calms down."
There was a pause. Then—
"Stay? Sam, absolutely not. Come home."
Sam blinked. "Uh… did you not hear me say it's storming?"
"I heard you just fine. But you're not staying over at a girl's place overnight—"
"Mom," Sam groaned, running a hand through his hair. "It's just for the night. I'll leave first thing in the morning."
"No, Sam. You'll take a cab home."
"There are no cabs in this weather," Sam pointed out. "And even if there were, they'd be booked for hours."
"Then find a way—"
Mahiru, who had been listening, sighed and took the phone from his hand. "Aunty, it's Mahiru," she said, her tone gentle but firm. "I promise I'll take care of him. I won't let him do anything reckless, and I won't let him leave until it's safe."
There was a pause on the other end.
"Mahiru, dear… I trust you, but you two being alone together—"
"We've been alone together before, Aunty," Mahiru reminded her. "Like when I was sick, and you let him stay to take care of me."
"That was different. You needed help."
Mahiru hesitated, then said softly, "And right now, he needs safety. Please… I'd never let anything happen to him."
Another pause. Then finally, Sam's mother let out a long sigh.
"Fine. But only for the night. And you two better behave."
Sam groaned. "Mom, come on—"
"I mean it, Sam," she said, though there was amusement in her voice.
Mahiru, flustered, quickly handed the phone back to him. "A-Anyway! Thank you, Aunty. I promise I'll make sure he's okay."
"I know you will, sweetheart," his mother chuckled. "Goodnight, you two."
Sam sighed as he hung up. "Well… that was embarrassing."
Mahiru, her face still warm, crossed her arms. "At least she agreed."
Sam gave her a look. "She agreed because of you."
Mahiru blinked. "So?"
He exhaled a laugh, shaking his head. "Nothing. Just… you really are something else, Mahiru."
She tilted her head. "Is that a compliment?"
Sam smirked. "Take it however you want."
Mahiru rolled her eyes but smiled. "Whatever. You're staying, so deal with it."
He held up his hands in surrender. "Yeah, yeah. Guess I'm sleeping on the couch."
"Obviously."
Mahiru disappeared into her room and returned a minute later, tossing a blanket onto the couch. "There. Now, be quiet—I need to sleep."
Sam chuckled, shaking his head as he took the blanket. "You're the one bossing me around in my own storm-related crisis, and I'm the one who needs to be quiet?"
Mahiru didn't respond—she was already making herself comfortable under her own blanket on the other end of the couch.
Sam sighed, settling in.
This wasn't exactly how he expected his night to go…
But honestly?
He didn't mind at all.
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