Mstar0780

This charming romcom follows Sam, an engineering student, who has a tendency to overthink everything in his life. One evening, he meets Mahiru, a book-loving girl at a cozy café, and they strike up a conversation that turns into a series of unexpected "coincidental" meetings. As they grow closer, Sam finds himself falling for her, but his fear of ruining their budding friendship holds him back from confessing his feelings.

Through their time together, Sam learns to open up about his uncertainties, while Mahiru encourages him to embrace life's spontaneity. Eventually, Sam gathers the courage to confess his love, and Mahiru, with a playful grin, reveals that she feels the same way. Their relationship blossoms, filled with laughter, teasing, and shared moments of joy.

Their love story is simple yet real, marked by the little things that make their bond unique. It’s a tale of learning to let go, embrace imperfections, and cherish the moments that make life meaningful.

A love written in cafe and Coincidences

Mahiru and Anna sat down on a bench near the shopping center, the playful atmosphere from before slowly fading into a quiet, somber air.

Anna fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve, her usual mischievous expression replaced with something more vulnerable. She took a deep breath before speaking.

"You know, Sam wasn't always like this," she began softly.

Mahiru tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

Anna looked down at her hands. "He used to be really outgoing. Loud, fun, always dragging me into stupid little adventures. He had a lot of friends, and he was always smiling. But… everything changed because of one girl."

Mahiru's heart clenched slightly. "A girl?"

Anna nodded, her voice quieter now. "Her name was Charoline. She and Sam were really close. Best friends since childhood. But for Sam… it was more than that."

Mahiru swallowed. She could already tell where this story was going, and it hurt to hear.

"Sam was in love with her," Anna continued, her voice laced with sadness. "But he never told her. He thought if he did, he might ruin their friendship. So he kept it to himself, watching from the sidelines, always supporting her no matter what. He probably thought that if he just stayed close enough, maybe… maybe one day she'd see him the same way."

Mahiru felt a sharp pang in her chest.

"But then…" Anna's hands curled into fists. "One day, she told him she was dating someone else."

Anna's voice wavered. "I remember the way he smiled when she told him. It was the fakest, most painful smile I'd ever seen on his face. He congratulated her, acted like it was fine, like it didn't crush him. But I saw it. I saw the way his hands trembled when he thought no one was looking. I heard him crying alone at night."

Mahiru's fingers tightened on the bench.

Anna sniffled, rubbing at her eyes. "After that, he changed. He stopped going out as much. He stopped talking about his feelings. He just… shut himself off. He started acting like nothing ever affected him, like he didn't care about anything anymore. He became the 'loner' I always tease him about. But the truth is… I tease him because I hate seeing him like that. I hate that he lost himself because of her."

Mahiru's chest ached. She had never seen this side of Sam—this broken, hurting part of him that he had buried so deeply.

Anna took a shaky breath, forcing a small smile. "That's why I'm always on guard. I don't want him to go through that again. I don't want him to get attached to someone just to get his heart shattered all over again."

Anna turned to her with red-rimmed eyes, her expression serious. "Mahiru… I like you. I think you're good for him. But I have to ask you… are you going to hurt him too?"

Mahiru's breath caught in her throat.

She looked at Anna, at the raw emotion in her eyes, and she knew—this wasn't just about protecting Sam. Anna had been hurting too, all these years, watching her brother fade into someone he wasn't.

Mahiru reached out and gently wiped away a tear from Anna's cheek. "I won't," she promised softly.

Mahiru smiled, her own heart heavy yet determined. "I don't know what the future holds, but I care about Sam. I don't ever want to see him hurt like that again either."

Anna stared at her for a moment before suddenly throwing her arms around Mahiru in a tight hug. "Good," she mumbled against her shoulder. "Then I trust you."

Mahiru hugged her back, feeling warmth spread through her chest.

Maybe this was the moment that truly sealed it—Mahiru wasn't just someone who cared about Sam. She was someone who was slowly becoming a part of his world.

And for the first time, Anna was ready to let that happen.

The Wounds of the Past