𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 - TMR AU

𝟥𝟨，𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠

༄ "DAD? Could I talk to you for a second?"

She stood in front of the man after dinner, interrupting his daily read of the paper. But he showed he didn't mind by looking up, immediately closing the paper.

"Yeah, of course, Cheeni. What's up?"

"Well." She took a breath. Looked around. Jeff was watching TV on the couch and her mother was typing on her laptop at the kitchen table. "Could we talk alone, please? Just the two of us?"

"Sure." He got up. "Your room?"

Sam nodded and walked upstairs with her father, nerves tickling her. No way he was going to refuse... but still. Her father was an honest man and he wouldn't want to lie to his wife about helping Minho, yet Sam knew that if she found out, she wouldn't want them to interfere with Minho.

"Alright. So." She sat down next to her father, on her bed, and fidgeted with her hands. "Remember when you said us kids shouldn't have to handle everything alone? And that you would love to help?"

"Still would," he confirmed.

She nodded. "Yesterday... no— after Christmas, I found something out about Minho. The same Mom and I fought about when we came back from the holidays. Minho didn't want anyone else to know. I've helped him through the weeks and it went well, until—" She swallowed, taking another breath. "Yesterday, he relapsed. And we agreed that maybe it would be better to get some help, because I don't think I can help him on my own."

Sahil was silent for a few seconds. Slowly, he nodded, and rubbed his chin. "Alright. Of course I'll help him. And I'm glad you reached out."

Sam pulled her knees up to her chest. "I'll tell him. Do you have time tomorrow? Minho could sleep here again. He's often alone in the weekends."

"Of course," he assured.

"Oh, and also..." She paused. Lowered her voice. "I don't think it's a good idea to tell Mom about this. I know it's untrustworthy toward her, but last time Minho tried to talk to her, she called him an attention seeker."

Her father exhaled. "Okay. We won't tell her. But if she happens to ask, I will say what's going on, Sam."

"Okay." She leaned against his chest, thoughtful. "Dad...?"

"Hm?" He looked down at his daughter, eyebrows raising.

"After the fire," she started, now speaking quieter, "in the car, with Mom... she— well, she told me it was my fault. That I should've stopped the people with the sparkles because if I did, it would've never happened." A short pause in which she took a shaky breath. "She didn't seem to care if I was hurt, but she did care about Jeff."

Sahil was silent, again. He tightened his grip on Sam, frowning as he bit his lip. Then finally, "I'll speak to her about it. And if it doesn't stop, the way she treats you, I will set some boundaries."

"Thanks, Dad," she muttered, and hugged him even firmer.

❤︎︎

When Sam woke up, it was to two voices. Her father's and Minho's.

She couldn't understand what they were saying, but she heard them talking softly as she looked at the clock.

Eleven AM. She'd slept in because last night, she'd spent a lot to time texting with Minho about absolutely nothing useful, after she asked him to come over. Today.

And he was already speaking to her father. That didn't make her upset at all. She didn't mind that they hadn't waited for her to at least great Minho. No, she was happy he voluntarily started the deep conversation.