Before the third-years graduated, and before Aoi became a third-year herself—
The hallway beside Class 2-B was louder than usual on that February morning.
Some girls whispered to each other while holding small decorated bags. Others hid little boxes behind their backs as they laughed nervously.
The air felt different.
Lighter.
Restless.
Souma walked beside Aoi, watching the commotion around them.
"Everyone seems excited today."
Aoi held her books against her chest as she walked calmly beside him.
Then she smiled faintly.
"Ah, well… tomorrow's going to be an interesting day."
Souma widened his eyes dramatically.
"Aaah… tomorrow's Valentine's Day!"
Aoi tried to hold back a laugh.
"I know you want chocolates."
Souma placed a hand over his chest as if offended.
"Aoi… I'll only accept yours."
Aoi sighed and looked away, trying to hide the tiny smile forming on her lips.
"I don't mind if you get obligatory chocolates…"
She glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
"But you have to make it up to me on White Day."
Souma swallowed immediately.
His face warmed slightly.
"Then… we can eat the obligatory ones together."
Aoi puffed her cheeks.
"Those are only for you. Hmph."
She paused for a moment.
Her eyes narrowed slowly.
"Wait… you already got obligatory chocolates?"
Cold sweat appeared on Souma almost instantly.
"T-They were already in my locker!"
"And do you know who they're from?"
"No… nobody gave them to me directly…"
"With how glued to him you've been this week, Aoi… nobody would dare hand them to him in person, hehe."
Both of them jumped in surprise.
"MISAKI!!"
Misaki laughed while holding her stomach.
"Haha, relax, I'm not a ghost."
At that moment, Matsuda walked past them with his bag hanging over one shoulder.
"Morning."
Everyone answered together.
"Morning."
Matsuda looked at Misaki with a suspicious grin.
"I'll gladly accept donations of obligatory chocolates too, Arai-chan."
Misaki crossed her arms immediately.
"Don't start assuming I'm giving you chocolates, Matsuda. And I already told you not to call me by my last name!"
Matsuda dramatically placed a hand over his chest.
"I won't tell anyone, okay? Thanks."
"WIPE THAT SMUG LOOK OFF YOUR FACE!"
Aoi and Souma ended up laughing together.
And for a few seconds…
That morning felt absurdly normal.
When they arrived in the classroom, Hina was already sitting near the back beside Yamada Riku.
But something felt off.
She was quietly staring at her phone for far too long.
Aoi noticed immediately.
She walked over and sat in front of her.
Souma sat in front of Yamada.
Riku tilted his head slightly.
"You seem different today, Hina…"
Hina kept staring at her phone for a few more seconds before finally looking up.
"Aoi, good morning."
Aoi blinked in confusion.
"Uh… morning, Hina?"
Souma discreetly watched the two of them.
Yamada called out again.
"Hinaa…"
"What is it, Riku?"
"Ah… did I do something?"
Hina finally put her phone away.
She stared at him for a few seconds.
"You tell me."
Then she stood up and opened the classroom window.
The cold February wind swept into the room.
Souma widened his eyes.
"What happened?"
Riku sighed.
"I honestly don't know either…"
Aoi casually asked:
"Who were those girls calling you 'senpai' yesterday, Riku-kun?"
Riku blinked a few times.
"Girls? Oh… the freshmen?"
Souma leaned forward slightly.
"They were freshmen?"
"Some first-years and some second-years… but they were just from the literature club."
Aoi rested her cheek against her hand.
"They looked a little too close to you…"
Yamada Riku fell silent for a moment.
Then his eyes widened.
"Ah…"
He looked toward Hina.
"Was it because of that?"
Souma crossed his arms.
"Maybe. Maybe not. You'll have to ask her."
From farther in the back, Matsuda smirked.
"A girl's never going to directly say what's bothering her, right, Aoi-chan?"
Aoi immediately turned around.
"Huh?"
Misaki let out a deep sigh.
"What do you even know about girls, Matsuda? Real girls are different, you know?"
Matsuda dramatically placed a hand over his chest.
"Oh? Trying to insult me?"
He pointed at her.
"Let me tell you, a lot of 2D girls are better than you!"
Misaki instantly stood up and grabbed him by the collar.
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"
Matsuda turned bright red.
"Y-YOU'RE TOO CLOSE…"
Misaki immediately let go of him.
"Ugh! You're dead, Matsuda!"
Everyone ended up laughing quietly.
At that moment, Mio walked into the classroom.
"Morning!"
Everyone replied together.
"Morning!"
Right behind her, Hanae appeared practically leaning against Mio's back.
"Hiiiii~"
Mio sighed tiredly.
"I miss the days when you barely talked to us."
Hanae smiled with endless energy.
"You can't discourage me, Mio-chan! Tomorrow's the big day!"
Mio tilted her head.
"Tomorrow…? What's tomorrow?"
Aoi answered immediately.
"Valentine's Day."
Souma glanced at Aoi and smiled quietly.
Mio collapsed dramatically into her chair.
"Aaah… chocolates. I'm not in the mood."
Matsuda instantly raised his hand.
"If you don't have anyone to give them to, give them to me."
Without hesitation, Mio pointed at him.
"Or you could buy your own!"
Souma, Aoi, and Hina all laughed together.
"Hehehe…"
Matsuda crossed his arms with exaggerated confidence.
"I didn't get a single one last year… but this year I'm sure I'll get tons, hehe."
At that moment, Takumi appeared at the classroom door.
"Precisely."
Everyone looked at him.
Takumi adjusted his glasses.
"This is your final year. Naturally, the underclassmen will pay more attention to you."
Silence.
Hanae slowly smiled.
"You've been thinking about that a lot, huh, Takumi-kun?"
Takumi froze.
"O-Of course not! I'm simply explaining the situation to Matsuda, who is clearly worried about tomorrow!"
Matsuda pointed at himself.
"I'm not worried."
He smiled.
"To be honest… I'm excited."
The teacher entered the classroom shortly after.
Everyone returned to their seats.
But the light atmosphere remained in the air.
Because even if it was just another Valentine's Day…
Deep down, they all knew.
It would be their last one at that school.
Lunch break came quickly.
Aoi and Souma ate bentō together in the nearly empty classroom.
The afternoon sunlight filtered softly through the windows.
Hina quickly closed her pencil case and stood up.
"I'll be back… heh."
Mio raised an eyebrow.
"You forgot your bentō again?"
Hina laughed awkwardly.
"Yeah…"
Misaki stood up too.
"Hina, I'll come with you."
Hanae immediately got up after her.
"Me too!"
Hina sighed in defeat.
"Okay…"
The three girls walked downstairs together.
As they walked, Hanae commented:
"Do either of you know how to make chocolate? I need to learn before tomorrow."
Hina looked at her with a teasing smile.
"Seriously? And here you were acting all confident, hahaha. You want to give some to Takumi, huh?"
Hanae smiled without the slightest embarrassment.
"We're dating. That's normal, right?"
Hina laughed softly.
"Alright… I'll help you."
Misaki muttered almost inaudibly:
"I wanted to too…"
The other two stopped immediately.
They stared at her in disbelief.
Hina covered her mouth.
"No way… you want to give chocolate to Matsuda?!"
Misaki instantly looked offended.
"OF COURSE NOT!"
She crossed her arms aggressively.
"I wouldn't even give him obligatory chocolate!"
She paused.
Blink.
"Ah… wait. That came out wrong."
Hanae's eyes widened dramatically.
"AAAAH! MISAKI LIKES SOMEONE!"
Misaki instantly covered Hanae's mouth.
"S-STOP SAYING STUPID THINGS!"
She looked around desperately.
"At this rate people are really gonna think I—"
A few girls passing by in the hallway looked toward them.
Misaki noticed immediately.
"What are you looking at?!"
The girls flinched and hurried away.
One of them whispered:
"I think they're dating…"
Misaki nearly exploded.
"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!!"
She pointed at them dramatically.
"I DO NOT LIKE GIRLS, GOT IT?!"
The girls disappeared down the hallway.
Silence.
Misaki slowly turned back toward Hina and Hanae.
Both girls had their hands over their mouths.
Their eyes sparkled with curiosity.
And their smiles looked dangerously mischievous.
"We heard you loud and clear, Misaki…"
Misaki stared at them for three full seconds.
Then she sighed in defeat.
Her shoulders slumped.
"…Fine."
She looked away, slightly red-faced.
"Help me make chocolate… I want to give some to a boy."
The two girls jumped excitedly.
"YEEES!!"
Misaki ended up smiling faintly.
"You two are idiots… hehe."
And for the first time…
She didn't seem annoyed by it at all.
In Class 2-B, Aoi finished her bentō and looked over at Mio.
— Mio... can you help me with something later?
Mio understood immediately.
— Help?
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
— If it's what I think it is... we're going to need Hina.
Aoi tilted her head slightly.
— Hmm... but does Hina even know how to do that?
Mio held back a laugh.
— Hina changed a little after she started dating.
She smiled teasingly.
— Remember Prince John? Haha.
Aoi's eyes widened.
— Aaah, true!
She laughed softly.
— I haven't heard her talk about him in forever.
Mio glanced quietly out the window.
— She got really good at cooking too.
Aoi looked genuinely surprised.
— That Hina...
A small smile formed on her face.
— You noticed things about her that even I hadn't realized yet.
Mio looked at Aoi silently for a moment.
Then answered gently:
— I think you noticed too.
Aoi rested her cheek against her hand.
The wind drifting through the window softly swayed her hair.
She smiled faintly.
— I'm not so sure about that... hehe.
The sweet smell of melting chocolate had already completely taken over the home economics classroom.
The air felt warm.
Comforting.
Small pots lined up across the counters, portable stoves humming quietly, and metal bowls scattered around the room made the classroom feel more like a temporary bakery than a normal school class.
Outside, the February sky was still bright.
But inside...
Everything felt wrapped in that soft, restless atmosphere only Valentine's Day could bring.
The teacher calmly walked between the groups, observing their preparations.
— Today we'll practice simple Valentine recipes. Anyone who wants to try something more elaborate can use the molds.
Some girls cheered excitedly.
Others looked visibly nervous just hearing that.
Near the window, Aoi, Mio, Hina, Hanae, and Misaki had already laid out all their ingredients.
Hina tucked her hair behind her ear while carefully reading the recipe.
Her face looked surprisingly focused.
— First, we need to melt the chocolate using a double boiler.
Misaki immediately raised her hand.
— Wait... a double... what?
Aoi let out a tired sigh instantly.
— Here we go already...
Hanae stared at the pot like it was some overly complicated machine.
— I thought you just... put it on the stove and melt it.
Mio's eyes widened dramatically.
— NO!
She pointed at the pot almost desperately.
— If you put it directly on the heat, it'll burn!
Hanae blinked slowly.
— ...Oh.
Hina held back a laugh.
Then calmly picked up the larger pot.
— Relax, look.
She poured water into the pot and placed the metal bowl on top.
Steam slowly began to rise.
— The chocolate melts from the steam heat. That's how it stays smooth.
Misaki watched in near hypnosis.
— This looks like science.
Aoi crossed her arms.
— It's called basic cooking.
Misaki slowly turned toward her.
— Then why aren't YOU doing it?
Aoi immediately looked away.
— I... I'm supervising.
Mio started laughing quietly.
— "Supervising" means you don't really know how either, right?
Aoi turned red instantly.
— I-I know a little...
Meanwhile, Hina carefully broke apart the chocolate bars.
The sharp snapping sounds mixed with the chatter of the other girls around the room.
Hanae leaned closer to the bowl with genuine curiosity.
Her eyes followed the chocolate as it slowly softened.
— It's already melting...
— Don't stir it yet, — Hina warned calmly.
But it was already too late.
Misaki had already grabbed the spoon.
She stirred once.
And instantly the chocolate clumped horribly onto it.
— Ah.
Silence filled the table.
Aoi slowly rested her face in her hand.
— Impressive.
Mio started laughing under her breath.
— You managed to fail before even starting.
Misaki lifted the spoon covered in ruined chocolate like she was defending her dignity.
— This is still chocolate... right?
Hanae tilted her head, staring at it with deadly seriousness.
— Maybe.
Hina finally couldn't hold back her laughter anymore.
Even so, she took a deep breath and grabbed another spoon.
— Okay... let's do this properly.
She began stirring slowly.
Gentle movements.
Patient ones.
Little by little, the chocolate became smooth and glossy.
The sunlight from the window reflected beautifully across the melted surface.
Misaki immediately leaned closer.
— Wooow...
Even Hanae looked genuinely impressed.
— It looks like store-bought chocolate...
Mio placed several heart-shaped molds on the counter.
— Now you two are going to practice.
Misaki pointed at herself.
— Me?!
— Yes. You.
Hanae also received a ladle full of chocolate.
The two of them stared at the molds.
Then at each other.
Like two people about to commit a crime.
And they poured the chocolate at the exact same time.
The result:
Chocolate overflowing.
Chocolate dripping across the counter.
Chocolate spilling onto the table.
Chocolate basically everywhere... except inside the molds.
Aoi stared at the disaster silently for a few seconds.
Then let out a long sigh.
— You two definitely need more practice before tomorrow.
Misaki raised her chocolate-covered hand.
— But can this still count as handmade?
Hina burst into laughter.
Mio shook her head while trying to stay serious.
But the corner of her mouth twitched.
And then—
Even Aoi ended up laughing out loud.
A real laugh.
Light.
The kind that escaped before she could stop it.
The other four looked at her in surprise.
Mio watched her carefully and said,
— Aoi... I've never heard you laugh like that before...
Because Aoi usually laughed quietly.
But this time...
She truly looked happy.
— Tomorrow, — she said while still smiling, — you two are going to do it properly.
Misaki answered immediately:
— Then today we'll eat the mistakes.
Hanae raised her hand in agreement.
— Approved.
The sweet smell of chocolate still lingered throughout the entire classroom.
Some pots were already being washed.
Other classes were starting to leave through the hallways while chatting excitedly about Valentine's Day tomorrow.
Laughter echoed outside.
Quick footsteps.
Tiny secrets hidden inside decorated bags.
Misaki silently stared at her failed chocolate attempt.
It looked like...
A meteorite.
She slowly frowned.
— This... was supposed to be a heart.
Hanae lifted hers right after.
Hers somehow looked even worse.
— Mine turned into a chemical weapon.
Hina covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
— You two somehow managed to burn chocolate...
She looked at both culinary disasters.
— That's almost impossible.
Mio crossed her arms.
— It's not impossible.
She looked at Hanae and Misaki.
— You just need two clumsy people working together.
— Hey! — Misaki protested immediately.
Aoi put away one of the bowls while staring at the crooked chocolates on the table.
Then she sighed with a small smile.
— If you make these tomorrow... someone might die.
Hanae dramatically placed a hand over her chest.
— Then my Valentine is going to die poisoned...
— It's chocolate! Not poison! — Misaki argued indignantly.
Hina tilted her head slightly.
— But you really do need more practice.
Mio nodded immediately.
— Making chocolate properly requires temperature control.
Misaki looked up at the clock on the wall.
Class was already close to ending.
— But class is already over...
Hanae also looked thoughtful.
— And tomorrow is already Valentine's Day...
The group fell silent for a few seconds.
A comfortable silence.
Filled with that strange "last year" feeling.
Because even during silly moments like this...
Deep down, they all knew.
This might be their last Valentine's Day at this school.
Then Aoi slowly raised her hand.
A little hesitantly.
— You guys can come over to my house.
Everyone looked at her at the same time.
— Huh? — Misaki blinked.
Aoi looked away shyly.
Her fingers quietly played with the sleeve of her uniform.
— My mom bought cooking chocolate last week...
She paused briefly.
— And nobody's used it yet.
Mio smiled immediately.
The smile of someone who had already understood everything.
— So you were already planning something.
Aoi turned red instantly.
— N-NO!
She looked away.
— I just... thought maybe I'd use it...
Hina started laughing softly.
— Aoi...
She smiled warmly.
— You've become way too easy to read lately.
Hanae clasped her hands together excitedly.
Her eyes practically sparkled.
— Wait! Then we can practice until we get it right?!
Aoi ended up smiling too.
A small smile.
But a sincere one.
— Yeah.
Misaki dramatically threw both arms into the air.
— SALVATION!!
Some students in the hallway turned to look at her in shock after the scream.
Misaki noticed immediately.
And slowly lowered her arms, completely embarrassed.
— ...I just don't want to give someone something horrible tomorrow...
Her voice came out quieter this time.
More sincere.
For a second, nobody joked around.
Because they all understood.
It wasn't "just chocolate."
It never was.
It was nervousness.
Expectation.
That strange fear of handing your feelings to someone else.
Mio slowly started putting the utensils back into the box.
— Then let's get going.
Hina carefully folded her apron and placed it inside her bag.
— I agree. The more we practice, the better.
Then Hanae looked at Aoi with genuine curiosity.
— Will your mom allow it?
Aoi thought for a moment.
Then answered softly:
— She likes it when people come over.
Misaki immediately grinned.
— Then it's settled!
She dramatically pointed at everyone.
— Operation Perfect Chocolate starts today!
Mio sighed tiredly.
— First objective: stop you two from burning chocolate again.
Hanae crossed her arms.
— Hey!
Aoi picked up her bag and glanced out the classroom window.
The sky was already slowly getting darker.
Orange evening light stretched across the school hallway.
— Let's go before it gets dark.
The five of them left the classroom together.
And as they walked through the hallway…
The conversation gradually became lighter.
More natural.
Valentine's Day was getting closer.
And none of them wanted to mess up.
Not the chocolate.
Nor the feelings poured into it.
At the Sakamoto House
The Sakamoto house was quiet when they arrived.
The sound of their shoes echoed softly through the entrance hallway.
Aoi opened the door first.
— You can leave your things here.
Misaki was the first to practically invade the kitchen.
Her eyes immediately lit up.
— Woah… this kitchen's huge!
She spread her arms dramatically.
— This increases our chances of NOT causing a disaster!
— Don't count on it, — Mio replied while setting her bag on a chair.
Hina had already started organizing the ingredients automatically.
She brushed her hair behind her ear while sorting the chocolate bars.
— Let's finish quickly. We have to wake up early tomorrow.
Hanae instantly raised her hand.
— Yes, Hina-chan!
Hina looked at her in surprise.
Then started laughing.
— "Hina-chan," Hanae? Haha.
— I'm kidding, hehe.
Hanae opened one of the chocolate boxes.
— I still can't believe we decided to continue after that disaster.
Misaki grabbed a heart-shaped mold.
— Hey, this was Aoi's idea!
Aoi instantly froze.
— I just said it would be easier to do everything today…
Mio glanced sideways at her, a slow smile appearing on her face.
— Sure.
She rested her chin on her hand.
— Souma's going to love your chocolate. It's your first Valentine together, right?
Silence.
Then—
— UUUUUUH~
Everyone started teasing her at once.
Aoi let out a defeated sigh while turning bright red.
— You guys are annoying…
Then she quickly pointed at Hanae and Hina, trying to escape the topic.
— It's your first one too!
Hanae immediately turned red.
Hina looked away.
The three of them ended up laughing together soon after.
And for a moment…
The kitchen felt unbelievably alive.
Hina carefully stirred the melted chocolate.
The sweet smell quickly filled the entire kitchen.
The warm ceiling light reflected off the glossy surface of the chocolate.
Misaki leaned over the table, watching closely.
— This already looks WAY better than the one from class.
— Because nobody's yelling instructions this time, — Hanae replied.
Mio picked up the spatula.
— Just don't spill everything again.
— That was an accident! — Misaki protested immediately.
Aoi was focused on carefully pouring chocolate into the molds when—
The front door opened.
And a familiar voice echoed through the hallway.
— Tadaimaa~
Soft footsteps crossed the entrance.
Then—
— Aoi? What the…?
The voice stopped.
Yukiko appeared at the kitchen doorway still wearing her work clothes.
She looked at the table.
Chocolate everywhere.
Heart-shaped molds.
Five girls frozen in the middle of the kitchen.
Then a slow smile appeared on her face.
A smile full of nostalgia.
— Ah…
Aoi immediately sighed.
— Mom…
Yukiko calmly stepped inside.
Her eyes wandered across every detail of the scene.
And then her smile widened even more.
— Valentine's Day… that's what this is, isn't it?
She let out a soft laugh.
— Aaah… how nostalgic.
Misaki instantly raised her hand.
— We're practicing!
Yukiko looked at the mess on the table.
— Yeah… it definitely looks like practice.
Everyone laughed.
She placed her bag on a chair and looked at the melted chocolate.
Then she fell silent for a few seconds.
A different kind of silence.
More distant.
Hina noticed first.
— What is it?
Yukiko slowly crossed her arms.
Her gaze looked lost in some old memory.
— So this is what it feels like…
She smiled to herself.
— This is how my mother felt watching me make chocolate.
Aoi blinked in surprise.
— Grandma used to watch you?
Yukiko nodded slowly.
— Yes.
She looked at Aoi.
Her eyes were gentle.
Almost emotional.
— She used to watch me with that exact same smile.
A small pause.
— I think I finally understand her now.
For a few seconds…
The kitchen became quiet.
Because it didn't feel like just a memory.
It felt like time passing.
Like feelings being passed down the same way, years later.
Hanae tilted her head.
— Really?
— Yes.
Yukiko started laughing softly.
— I used to stay up late trying to make the perfect chocolate too.
Then she looked directly at Aoi.
A mischievous smile appeared on her face.
— And I used to turn completely red whenever someone asked who it was for.
Aoi immediately turned toward the bowl.
— Mom.
Misaki dramatically widened her eyes.
— Her chocolates are for Souma, Mrs. Sakamoto!
Yukiko immediately brought her hands to her face.
Her eyes practically sparkled.
— AAAAH!
She looked at Aoi, way too emotional.
— Your first chocolate for your first boyfriend…
She placed a hand on her chest.
— That's exactly how I won your father over, Aoi.
Absolute silence.
Everyone froze while staring at Yukiko.
Hina's eyes widened.
— Aaah, seriously?!
Aoi was completely red.
— MOOOM…
Yukiko started laughing.
— Ahh, sorry, sweetheart, hehe.
Aoi buried her face in her hands.
— Did you really have to say that, Misaki…?
Misaki answered immediately:
— Yes.
Yukiko pulled out a chair and sat beside them.
— Go on, go on.
Hina asked curiously:
— Did the chocolate turn out well?
Yukiko thought for a few seconds.
Then started laughing to herself.
— Not really.
— And you still gave it to him? — Hanae asked in surprise.
Yukiko slowly nodded.
She rested her chin on her hand.
Her eyes shimmered with nostalgia.
— I did.
She smiled softly.
— And he ate all of it.
Silence.
A warm, comfortable silence.
Misaki dramatically pointed the spatula forward.
— See?!
She looked at the others.
— So even if it turns out weird—
— What matters is the person receiving it, — Yukiko finished softly.
Aoi stayed quiet while placing the last chocolates into the molds.
But Hina noticed.
She noticed the tiny smile Aoi was trying to hide.
Mio lightly tapped the table.
— Alright. Final batch.
Misaki raised both hands.
— If these turn out good… tomorrow will be legendary.
Hanae crossed her arms.
— Or disastrous.
Yukiko watched the five girls working together.
Laughing.
Cleaning chocolate off the table.
Arguing over which mold looked prettier.
And then she let out a small nostalgic sigh.
— It's been a long time since this kitchen felt this lively…
Nobody answered.
But Aoi heard her.
And the small smile on her face said enough.
Then Aoi looked at Mio and Misaki.
— Who are you two giving your chocolates to?
The two of them froze immediately.
They slowly set down their spatulas.
Misaki narrowed her eyes.
— About that…
She looked away.
— That's none of your business, okay?
Then quickly crossed her arms.
— No hard feelings.
Mio answered calmly:
— I already said it. I just want to give friendship chocolates during my last year.
Hanae dramatically covered her mouth.
Then pointed at Misaki.
— Misaki…
A dangerous smile spread across her face.
— Don't tell me you're giving one to Matsuda?
Misaki turned COMPLETELY red.
— S-SHUT UP, HANAE!!
She pointed at her violently.
— DON'T YOU HAVE YOUR OWN CHOCOLATE TO FINISH?!
Hanae carefully lifted her little box.
— I already finished mine.
Silence.
Then—
— WOOOOW…
— It's so pretty…
— Takumi's going to fall in love all over again.
Hanae crossed her arms proudly.
A determined smile appeared on her face.
— I expect a lot of effort from him on White Day.
Silence.
Everyone looked at Hanae.
Same thought.
"She just wants something in return?"
The silence dragged on long enough for Hanae to blink in confusion.
— …What?
Then everyone burst out laughing at the same time.
— Hahaha!
— Hanae, you…
— Ahh, hahahaha!
Hanae looked completely lost.
— What?! Did I say something weird?!
Even Yukiko started laughing with them.
But while watching those five girls…
Her smile slowly changed.
It became softer.
More emotional.
And silently, she thought:
"Finally, Aoi…"
Her eyes stopped on her daughter laughing together with her friends.
"You really do look like you've moved on from everything."
Later That Evening
One by one, the girls started heading home.
Goodbyes at the entrance.
Quiet laughter.
Promises about the next day.
School — The Next Day
The hallway was WAY louder than usual.
Whispers.
Nervous laughter.
Tiny decorated bags hidden behind backs.
Misaki slowly looked around.
— This feels like a military operation.
Mio sighed.
— And the weapons are chocolate.
Misaki dramatically pointed at the students.
— Just chocolate?!
Her eyes widened.
— Some people look like they're going into war!
Hina carefully held her small box with both hands.
She nervously looked down at it.
— Do you think Riku-kun will like it…?
Hanae smiled, trying to reassure her.
— I think he will, Hina. Yours turned out the best out of all of us.
Then she looked at her own chocolate.
— I'm more worried about the taste of mine… do you think Takumi-kun will like it?
Aoi had been quiet ever since arriving.
She simply held her small white box tightly against her chest.
Misaki noticed immediately.
— You're way too calm.
— I'm normal.
Without even looking at her, Mio replied:
— No, you're not.
Aoi completely ignored that.
Then—
Someone appeared at the end of the hallway.
Souma.
As always, walking calmly like none of the chaos around him existed.
Misaki grinned mischievously.
— Ah…
And shoved Aoi forward.
— Go.
— Misaki—
— Go!
Aoi took a deep breath.
Her heart immediately started racing.
Then she walked toward Souma.
He stopped when she approached him.
And smiled softly.
— Good morning.
— G-Good morning…
A brief silence.
Aoi slowly held out the box.
— This is… for you.
Souma looked at the box.
Then at her.
Then carefully accepted the chocolate.
As if it were something important.
— Thank you.
His smile softened even more.
— Really.
Aoi slightly frowned.
Then stepped a little closer.
— You smell like chocolate…
Souma froze.
— Ahh… there was one in my locker when I got here.
He looked away.
— I ate it.
Aoi immediately narrowed her eyes.
— Who gave it to you…? Hmph.
Souma nervously scratched the back of his head.
— I don't know…
He smiled awkwardly.
— But I didn't want to throw it away.
Aoi crossed her arms.
— Then eat this one later.
She looked away.
— And don't eat any more from anyone else, okay?
Souma immediately started sweating nervously.
— O-Okay…
He held the small box while looking at her fondly.
Aoi quickly looked away.
— I made it yesterday.
Souma smiled.
— I figured.
He carefully placed the box into his bag.
— I'll eat it later.
Misaki suddenly appeared behind them whispering WAY too loudly:
— THAT WAS WAY TOO FAST.
Aoi immediately turned around.
— MISAKI!!
Souma simply sighed.
Already used to it.
A few minutes later…
Hina stood near the classroom door.
Riku was talking with a few classmates.
She took a deep breath.
Then softly called out:
— Riku.
He immediately turned around.
— Hina?
She slowly walked toward him.
And handed him the small package tied with a blue ribbon.
— Happy Valentine's Day.
Riku looked surprised for a second.
Then smiled.
A genuine smile.
— Thank you.
He held the box with extreme care.
— I was waiting for this.
Hina blinked in surprise.
— Waiting?
Riku lightly raised the box.
— Yeah.
Then smiled without hiding anything.
— I'm going to keep this forever, Hina.
Her eyes widened.
Then she started laughing nervously.
— B-But you have to eat it! It'll go bad, hehe…
Riku turned red.
— A-Ah, right! I'll eat it…
He quickly looked away.
— I just… didn't know what to say.
A small pause.
Then he looked directly at her.
— I like you so much.
Hina instantly turned completely red.
— R-Riku-kun… not here…
She made a tiny embarrassed gesture toward the hallway.
And that only made Riku even redder.
On the other side of the hallway…
Hanae stopped in front of the class representative's desk.
Takumi was organizing papers as usual.
She placed the small box on the desk.
— This is for you.
Takumi looked at the box.
— Valentine's chocolate?
— Yes.
He carefully picked it up.
— Thank you.
Silence.
He kept staring at the box.
— You made it?
— I did.
Takumi slowly nodded.
— Then I'll save it.
Hanae tilted her head.
— Save it?
— Until lunch break.
She sighed in defeat.
— You're way too serious.
Takumi immediately replied:
— I'm the class representative.
Hanae crossed her arms and started tapping her foot while staring directly at him.
Takumi sighed.
— Fine.
Hanae blinked.
— Hm?
Takumi walked until he was standing right in front of her.
Then calmly said:
— Thank you very much for your thoughtful gesture.
He held the box against his chest.
— I'll appreciate every bite while thinking about you.
Absolute silence.
Hanae's eyes widened completely.
Her face instantly turned red.
She gasped softly while holding a hand against her chest.
Takumi realized far too late what he had just said.
— Ah…
He looked away.
— I said too much, didn't I?
Hanae slowly leaned closer.
Her eyes sparkling.
— I… liked the way you said that…
She smiled.
— C-Could you say it again?
The girls in the classroom instantly started:
— UUUUUUH~
Takumi covered his face with one hand.
— I'm still not used to this…
Meanwhile…
Mio stood near the window holding a small box.
Misaki appeared beside her.
— Still haven't decided?
— No.
— What do you mean, NO?
Mio looked at the box.
— Maybe I'll just give it as friendship chocolate.
Misaki narrowed her eyes.
— That's cowardly.
— It's not.
— It totally is.
Before they could continue—
A hand suddenly appeared.
And grabbed the box.
Mio's eyes widened immediately.
Matsuda Ren stood there smiling while holding the chocolate.
— Thanks.
Misaki BURST out laughing.
— REN!!
Mio held out her hand.
— Give it back.
— Nope.
— I never said it was for you.
Ren grinned teasingly.
— But you also never said it WASN'T.
Misaki crossed her arms.
— Fair point.
Then Ren grabbed the chocolate from her hand too.
— You girls are so generous.
Misaki looked horrified.
— GIVE THAT BACK!
Mio started quietly laughing.
— But that was fair, hahaha.
Misaki muttered irritably:
— That was practically an accidental confession from Mio…
— Shut up.
Mio slowly cracked her knuckles.
— Ren… you should probably give those back before your body starts hurting.
Ren immediately swallowed nervously.
Then bolted down the hallway.
— COME AND GET MEEEE!!
Misaki started laughing.
— A teacher's definitely gonna catch him running like that, hehe!
On the other side of the hallway, Aoi and Souma watched everything.
Souma commented calmly:
— He's brave.
Aoi immediately replied:
— Or suicidal.
Misaki shouted from the distance:
— MIO'S GONNA KILL HIM!!
The entire hallway burst into laughter.
Then Aoi looked at Misaki.
— But he took yours too.
Souma tilted his head slightly.
— You don't mind?
Misaki stayed silent for a moment.
Then answered in a neutral tone:
— I don't mind.
She watched Matsuda running down the hallway while laughing.
And a tiny smile appeared on her face.
— I already knew nobody else was going to give him chocolate anyway…