For a sweets lover like myself, Valentine's Day is a blissful occasion where I can eat chocolate to my heart's content, absolutely guilt-free.
The sweet aroma of chocolate wafts through the living room, filling me with a sense of pure bliss. …Though, I have to admit, this feels a little detached from the holiday's original romantic purpose here in Japan.
"──Yuu-chin, could you grab the heavy cream from the fridge? The milk and butter, too."
"Oka~ay."
I adore eating, but when it comes to making sweets… well, I'm hopeless, so I'm just here to assist my friend. Recipes make it all look so simple, but it's a different story when you're the one doing it. It's become a yearly tradition for our friend group to get together and bake for Valentine's, but our results are always a toss-up—some years are a success, others a complete disaster.
Of course, that doesn't just apply to me; my best friend beside me is currently wrestling with her own creation.
"Mmmgh… This is… this is just not right…" she muttered in frustration.
"? Really? It smells absolutely divine, though. Hey, can I try a piece?"
"I don't mind, but it's really not that great. …Here you go."
"Ehehe, thanks! …Nom."
She let me have a bite of the freshly baked chocolate cake. It was a little bitter… or rather, it had a sharp, bitter aftertaste. Not that I minded, but judging from Umi's expression, it was far from the masterpiece she was aiming for.
After all, this cake wasn't for us; it was a gift for the boy who had recently become her boyfriend.
"Let's see, let me try some too…" a friend chimed in, taking a bite. "Hmm~ I think it's pretty good for a first attempt. Is the Class Rep that particular about flavors?"
"Oh, I'm curious about that too. What kind of things does Maki-kun normally eat?" I asked.
"Are you two talking about my boyfriend like he's some kind of pet?" Umi sighed. "Then again, from a distance, I guess he does have the aura of a small, timid animal."
I can't quite see it myself, but Maki-kun is a skilled cook who also excels at making sweets. I never got the impression that he was a picky eater, but he does seem like the type to have his own specific tastes.
"Maki-kun surprisingly has a huge sweet tooth," Umi explained. "He's always so reserved and modest in front of everyone, but when it's just the two of us, he drowns everything in honey and cream. He's not very athletic, so I wish he'd be more mindful of what he eats, but the moment I take my eyes off him, he starts indulging…"
"Hmm~ so he's just like me, then."
"In the sense that you're both a handful? Yes."
I had to concede that point. Umi's kindness just makes me want to lean on her.
"Still, Asanagi," our other friend pointed out, "you were pouring a ton of sugar into that cake. I bet that's why it burned and turned out bitter."
"Ah, that was a sugar substitute," Umi clarified. "The kind that's healthier. …I just wanted him to be able to eat what he likes, just for today, so I went a little off-recipe."
I'll just bite back the retort that she's not following the recipe at all…
"…Hey, Umi, can I say something?"
"? What is it, Yuu? More complaints?"
"Ah, no, not at all. It's just… right now, Umi… you look exactly like a young bride, fussing over what to feed your husband."
"......Hmph."
Whether she hadn't realized it herself until now or was simply caught off guard, Umi's face instantly flushed a deep shade of crimson.
…Man, my best friend is just too cute, isn't she?