The cold air brushed against Mahiru's skin as she walked beside Sam, the lingering warmth of their earlier conversation still settling in her heart.
Even though she had changed the topic to ice cream, she knew what she really wanted to ask.
Sam's words last night weren't just casual. They carried weight. Meaning.
"You feel it too, don't you?"
Mahiru swallowed.
She did. She felt something. Something that had always been there but had grown stronger, clearer, undeniable.
And yet… she wasn't sure if she had the courage to say it out loud.
As they reached a small park, Sam sat down on one of the benches, stretching his arms behind his head. "You've been weird today."
Mahiru frowned, sitting beside him. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"You're overthinking something," he said simply.
Mahiru stiffened. How does he always know?
"I'm not," she denied, a little too quickly.
Sam turned his head to her, raising an eyebrow. "Liar."
Mahiru puffed her cheeks, looking away. "You always say that."
"Because it's always true," he said with a smirk.
She sighed, hugging her knees. "It's nothing important…"
Sam didn't reply immediately, but when he did, his voice was softer.
"Mahiru."
She flinched slightly but turned to face him.
His brown eyes held a certain patience, like he knew she was holding something back but wasn't going to push her.
But… maybe she wanted to be pushed.
"...About last night," she started hesitantly.
Sam didn't react, but she could tell he was paying attention.
She swallowed. "...What did you mean?"
Sam leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. "You know what I meant."
Mahiru's fingers tightened around the fabric of her sleeves. "I… I think I do."
A small breeze passed between them, silent but heavy.
Sam looked at her, his expression unreadable. "Then why are you asking?"
Mahiru opened her mouth—but nothing came out.
Why was she asking?
Was it because she wanted to hear it directly from him? Because she wanted confirmation?
Or… because she was scared of what it truly meant?
She bit her lip. "I just… wanted to be sure."
Sam let out a soft chuckle. "You're always so careful."
Mahiru glanced at him. "Is that a bad thing?"
"No," he said easily. "It's just very you."
Mahiru sighed. "You're making this difficult."
Sam smirked. "Am I?"
She shot him a look, but this time, she didn't back down.
"...Then say it clearly," she murmured.
Sam's teasing smile faded.
The weight of the moment settled between them, the air thick with something neither of them wanted to ignore anymore.
"...You mean a lot to me, Mahiru," he said finally, his voice steady. "And I know we've never said it outright, but… I think we both know what this is."
Mahiru's heart pounded in her chest.
She had known. She had—but hearing him say it made it feel real.
More real than she had expected.
Because this wasn't just love.
It was something deeper, something terrifying yet comforting at the same time.
It was knowing that no matter what happened, no matter where they went, they would always find their way back to each other.
It was the way Sam always noticed the little things, like how she liked her tea slightly sweeter or how she always hummed when she was nervous.
It was the way Mahiru couldn't imagine a future without him in it.
It was the certainty that her heart had already chosen him, long before she even realized it.
A soft, nervous laugh escaped her lips. "...Yeah. We do, don't we?"
Sam nodded, watching her carefully. "Does that scare you?"
Mahiru hesitated—then shook her head. "Not anymore."
A small, relieved smile tugged at Sam's lips. "Good."
They sat in silence for a moment, just letting the realization sink in.
Then, Mahiru sighed. "...I still can't believe we took this long to talk about it."
Sam chuckled. "We're both kind of dumb, huh?"
Mahiru rolled her eyes, but her lips curled into a smile. "Yeah… but at least we figured it out in the end."
Sam leaned back on the bench, stretching. "So, does this mean I can stop worrying about whether you understand my feelings or not?"
Mahiru blushed. "...I guess."
He smirked. "Good. Because I was getting tired of waiting."
Mahiru nudged him playfully. "You're impossible."
Sam just laughed, the sound warm and light.
And for the first time in a long time, Mahiru felt truly at ease.
They knew now.
That feeling—that unshakable, undeniable bond between them—wasn't just love.
It was something more.
It was forever.
And that was more than enough.
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