A Second Chance at Love (Miniminter Fanfic)

3

Sharani's POV

It honestly didn't feel real—me, the rest of the Dream Team, and the Sidemen all in one room, laughing and talking like we'd known each other forever. There was a warmth in the air, a sense of camaraderie that made everything seem so natural, even though we hadn't all been together like this before. But despite the buzz of excitement, I was the one in the kitchen, cooking dinner while everyone else was busy with their tasks—Dream and Sapnap were editing videos, and the Sidemen were unpacking into their rooms.

The Sidemen had decided to share rooms, but since there were seven of them, Simon ended up with a solo room, which was conveniently right next to mine. Josh and Harry were bunking together, Vik and Ethan shared another room, and JJ and Tobi took the last one. As I stood by the stove, I couldn't help but smile at the thought of them all under one roof. It felt like we were on the cusp of something amazing.

I was making salmon, ginger, and soba noodle stir-fry along with a chili chicken stir-fry—Asian cuisine, of course. It reminded me of home, of the times when I'd cook with my mom, who always insisted that nothing could beat the taste of homemade food. As I was finishing up, I suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around me from behind. At first, I thought it was George—he'd always sneak up on me like this—but something felt different. The hug was comforting in a way that reminded me of Theo, my late boyfriend.

I turned around, surprised to see Simon standing there, his arms still around me. He gave me a soft smile, and I couldn't help but smile back. "Hungry?" I asked, my voice light despite the sudden flood of memories.

He nodded, and I told him to get the others. As he left the kitchen, I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the unexpected wave of emotions that had hit me. But I couldn't dwell on it—dinner was ready, and soon everyone would be here, filling the room with chatter and laughter.About ten to fifteen minutes later, the others all came down, gathering around the table as we started eating. The sight of everyone together, enjoying the meal I'd made, made it all feel real. Something that had seemed like a dream just hours ago was now my reality, and I was happy. George, Simon, Sapnap, Vik, Josh, and Tobi were the first to comment on how good the food tasted, and I felt a warm glow of pride.

Ethan, ever the joker, chimed in with, "In a million fucking years, I would have never known this was homemade."Laughter erupted around the table as we kept eating, cracking jokes, and talking about the upcoming collab. The atmosphere was light, full of excitement and anticipation.

 But then, out of nowhere, JJ asked, "How's your boyfriend, by the way?"His question hit me like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, I zoned out. The room seemed to blur around me as I tried to gather my thoughts. I'd never told anyone outside of the Dream Team about Theo's death—not even Simon, who had become so close to me over the past year. Hell, not even my childhood friends from San Francisco knew. But I couldn't avoid it forever. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself before speaking.

"Well, we were good until he died," I said quietly.

The room fell silent, the lighthearted atmosphere vanishing in an instant. The rest of the Dream Team looked down, clearly uncomfortable, while the Sidemen stared at me in shock. I could see their expressions shift from confusion to sympathy as they realized what I had just said. I knew I had to explain, so I started talking about that haunting night—the night I lost Theo.