Chapter 5
This chapter was translated by yuugs and shizuumi, and proofed by kururin, yuugs, kittensparkles, and dei-hime!
One day...
The moment I opened the classroom door that morning, the students inside stopped talking all at once and turned to look in my direction. Even when I just stood up from my seat and started walking, I could feel everyone's gazes following me.
...Now that I thought about it… The atmosphere at Hakuo Academy had been sort of weird since this morning.
We were well into the new semester. The unforgiving chill of winter was finally beginning to let up. Since the start of February, I'd grown used to rubbing my shaking hands together while walking to and from school.
After completing the most arduous class of the week― Monday first period―I frowned, thinking about the odd feeling that had been growing since that morning.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Classmate A: "......"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Um... Do you have a minute?"
Classmate A: ‘!! W-What is it, Yukimura? Oh, do you wanna tell me something? Whatever it is, you can tell me!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "...No. Sorry. It's nothing, actually."
Seeing the jumpy, nervous state my classmates were in made me frown even more deeply. And it wasn't just my classmates, either. Everyone I passed by in the hallways, all the senior students...absolutely everyone had been acting downright strange since that morning.
Classmate B: "......"
I'd lock eyes with people, and they'd quickly look away.
Classmate C: "......"
The opposite happened, too. People would shoot me an earnest look whenever I said something inconsequential. Honestly, just what in the world was going on with everyone...?
And then, during the lunch break after morning classes, I just couldn't stand how everyone was staring at me anymore. I rushed out into the hallway as soon as the bell rang. When I first enrolled, I got a lot of stares as the only female student, but even so...
Chizuru Yukimura: "I feel like people are staring at me even more than they did back then..."
In the courtyard. In the corridor outdoors. I grabbed my bento and walked off, hoping to get away from all the stares. I looked for anywhere I could go where no one else would be around. The place I finally settled on was the quietest room in the school.
Chizuru Yukimura: "―Excuse me."
Keisuke Sannan: "Oh? What an unexpected guest to have."
Susumu Yamazaki: "Yukimura-kun? What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "No, I feel fine, thank you. Actually..."
[time skip as she explains]
Keisuke Sannan: "...I see. You feel as though you're drawing even more attention than usual."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes. I may just be being overly self-conscious, but I feel like there's always someone who's looking at me. Is there anything...strange about me today? Like my appearance, or..."
Maybe I had bed-head, for example. Or maybe my jacket was buttoned wrong. As I spun once in place to show them how I looked, Yamazaki-senpai quickly averted his eyes.
Susumu Yamazaki: "......"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Oh, something must be out of place then, huh? Is it my clothes? Or my face...?"
Susumu Yamazaki: "No, there's nothing wrong with your face. You look as good as you alw― um, you look like you always do!" Yamazaki-senpai hurriedly shook his head for some reason.
Sannan-sensei smiled wryly and said:
Keisuke Sannan: "I haven't seen the situation firsthand, so this may be mere conjecture, but… could it be that all the students in your vicinity look restless and agitated?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Ah, yes. Now that you put it that way, I think that's right. Someone nearly jumped out of their skin earlier when I called out to them. I wonder if I did something wrong without noticing, somehow...?"
Keisuke Sannan: "I suppose. You may be correct, in a certain sense."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Huh...?"
Keisuke Sannan: "Hehe, in short, you are at fault for being too attractive."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Whaaat...!?"
Keisuke Sannan: "I think you will come to understand what I mean soon enough. Isn't that right, Yamazaki-kun?"
Susumu Yamazaki: "...I do not understand why you're trying to drag me into this."
Sensei had called me 'attractive'... Could it be that he was teasing me...? I reflexively shot him a reproachful glare, but he showed no signs of noticing. He gave me a sweet smile and spoke again.
Keisuke Sannan: "Ah, more importantly, it seems as though you have yet to eat your lunch."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes. I couldn't stand to stay in the classroom any longer, so I didn't eat there."
Keisuke Sannan: "Well, then, why don't you eat here? It seems you brought along your bento."
I felt that he had deftly dodged my questions somehow, but… I decided that I'd take him up on his offer for now and gave a little nod. I ended up staying much longer than I'd intended to. By the time I left the infirmary, I had very little of my lunch break remaining.
Chizuru Yukimura: "I'm pretty sure that my first afternoon class is math with Nagakura-sensei..." Maybe it was because I had had a good meal, or because I had talked with those two, but I felt a little less anxious. "...But, for the time being, I need to find somewhere to kill a little more time."
Then, as I walked off, away from where math would take place, a huge obstacle blocked my path and my vision.
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Whoops! Where are you off to, Yukimura-kun? Don't you have math in just a bit? If you wanna skip my class, then I don't wanna hear about it!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "No, I wasn't intending to do that..."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Hm? Well, where are you going then? Toilet?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "......" Nagakura-sensei sometimes was a little...lacking in tact. "No, that's not it. Actually..."
[time skip as she explains]
Shinpachi Nagakura: "So your classmates are acting kinda weird, huh? I see."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Do you know something about it?"
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, that's, you know… It's just that time of year." He folded his arms, nodding sagely to himself as he replied. "The day that men both dream of and dread… Valentine's Day!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Oh..."
I hadn't been consciously aware of it because there were still a couple of days left before the 14th, but now that I thought about it, it was already February. Valentine's ads usually flooded the city around now. That would more or less explain all the attention I had been getting since that morning. It was actually a bigger mystery that I hadn't noticed sooner...
Shinpachi Nagakura: "You're the only one in the whole school who can do something for Valentine's Day, Yukimura-kun. Who does the school idol's heart belong to? Anyone would be interested in finding that out."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Please stop. This is so embarrassing… Incidentally, how about you, Nagakura-sensei? You sound like you're excited for Valentine's Day."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Of course. This year, I'm definitely going to get chocolate from some beautiful ladies for once!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "'For once,' huh..." I was sort of wondering if he'd ever gotten any before, but I decided not to ask for the moment.
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Well, I think that there are tons of guys who are hoping to get chocolate from you, but… If you feel obligated to go around and give some to every one of 'em...no matter how much you have, it'll never be enough. It'll at least be peaceful around here until the 14th, so just forget about it for now! C'mon, let's head to class!"
After he had explained what was going on, Nagakura-sensei started walking, leading the way to the classroom.
Would it be easier for me to go back in if he was there with me...? I decided to follow after him.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Valentine's Day, hmm..."
Now that he’d mentioned it, I realized I really did need to start thinking about it. The holiday was inching closer and closer.
‘What should I make this year...?’
My afternoon classes felt like they'd lasted longer than usual, but they were finally over. A feeling of freedom came over me as the final bell rang. School had finished for today. The moment homeroom ended, I left the classroom.
Thanks to the chats I had during lunch break, I knew the reason why everyone was acting like that, but that didn't change how uncomfortable it made me. On the contrary, now that I knew what everyone was expecting from me, I felt more and more like I couldn't stand to stay there a second longer.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Phew..."
As the sun began to set, the shadow of all those chocolatey expectations caused my face to fall. Soon enough, the day that gave women the courage to confess their love would roll around. A day where girls gave both chocolate and their hearts to the object of their desires, hoping to start something.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Who in the world should I give―" I was shaken from my thoughts by some sort of commotion going on right in front of me. "What's with this crowd...?"
There was a throng of people, all crowded around some sort of notice board affixed to the hallway wall. I spotted some people I recognized amidst the crowd and called out to them.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Amagiri-senpai, Shiranui-senpai!"
Kyuuju Amagiri: "Oh, it's Yukimura-kun. Are you on your way home?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I was, but… What's going on over here?"
Kyou Shiranui: "Don'tcha think it'd be faster just to see it? Hey, you―move it or lose it!"
I stepped into the space Shiranui-senpai had made for me and began to read the bulletin aloud.
Chizuru Yukimura: "'Announcement― Beginning tomorrow, students will undergo random personal effects inspections for a week. Entertainment and gaming systems, as well as unnecessary food and drink, will be confiscated’...!?"
Kyuuju Amagiri: "Starting tomorrow and lasting for one week. In other words, until Valentine's day. The perfect plan to eliminate any potential chocolate-giving."
Kyou Shiranui: "And the only person nasty enough to think this up… Well, you can take a guess, yeah?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Don't tell me...it's Kazama-senpai?"
Kyou Shiranui: "Naw, it ain't our boss. He's aiming for the opposite, actually."
Kyuuju Amagiri: "Yes. Contrary to this announcement, Kazama-sama is impatiently awaiting his chocolates."
Chizuru Yukimura: "So, if it's not him, then it's..."
???: "It hurts to be called ‘nasty,’ you know?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Kaoru...!"
Pushing his way through the crowd, Kaoru strode swiftly up to where we were standing.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Kaoru, what does this mean? Is this notice from the disciplinary committee?"
Kaoru Nagumo "Of course. It's our job to correct any disruptions to order within the school."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Why are you doing such a thing...?"
Kaoru Nagumo: "Why? Isn't it obvious? If we take no preventative measures, the riffraff won't have a shred of shame coming to pester you for obligation chocolates. But if it's banned from the school grounds entirely, everyone will have to give up, right? You should be grateful to have such a kind older brother."
Chizuru Yukimura: "But, if things are like this now, if I happen to bring romantic chocolates, won't they end up being confiscated, too...?"
Kaoru Nagumo: “! ...R-...Romantic chocolate, you say? Hmph, well, say whatever you like. If I recall… You don't have anyone you want confess to in the first place, right?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Well..."
Kaoru Nagumo: "Or...don't tell me you intend to confess to someone like Toudou or Okita, or even Saitou...!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I-I didn't say anything like that...!"
Kaoru continued to rattle off a rapid-fire stream of questions while completely ignoring my objections. How should I put this...? I had had no idea he was even capable of looking as frustrated as he did now.
Kaoru Nagumo: "Anyway, you're still too young! You absolutely can't bring any chocolate! Got it? You absolutely cannot!" Kaoru went to the trouble of reminding me twice before he briskly marched away. I was left dumbfounded in his wake and turned around to face Amagiri-senpai and Shiranui-senpai.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Amagiri-senpai, Shiranui-senpai. I'm sorry you had to see such a shameful display."
Kyou Shiranui: "I mean, I don't mind, but… What even was that?"
Kyuuju Amagiri: "It seems that the inner workings of an older brother's mind are just as mysterious as those of a woman's..."
After that, I parted ways with Amagiri-senpai and Shiranui-senpai and passed through the front gate on my way home. Even if I set aside the random inspections for now, I couldn't escape the fact that Valentine's Day was fast approaching.
Chizuru Yukimura: "I really don't have a choice. I need to start thinking about what chocolates to make… And the person I want to give chocolates to, huh?" My mumbled words turned to white fog as they left my mouth, floating up out of anyone’s reach in the pink sky.
Just one week left until Valentine's Day.
I wondered whether anyone would accept these sweet, aching feelings in my heart…
Chizuru Yukimura: "―Hey, Heisuke-kun."
Heisuke Toudou: "Hm?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "What kind of chocolates do you want for Valentine's Day this year?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Ohh, s'that time of year again, huh? Then, this year, I..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Heisuke Toudou: "Hmmmmm..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Heisuke Toudou: "...Right, I'll leave it to you, actually! Make me your best chocolate!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Come on... Heisuke-kun, didn't you say that last year and the year before that, too?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Heheh, sorry, sorry. But you're making chocolates, right? Obviously, that means they'll be tasty no matter what―"
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Mm......A dream...?"
I squinted at the morning light streaming into my room. After getting up, I took my time stretching. The sky looked like it'd clear up through my window. I saw a few clouds mixed into the wintry blue skies. And to the side… Heisuke-kun's house.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Was my dream just now...from Valentine's last year?"
While I vaguely recalled what went on in my dream, I noticed my breath turned white even in my own room.
It was just yesterday after school that I heard about the personal effects inspections. I was surprised when I'd heard it initially… But when I really thought about it, I wanted to give chocolates to Heisuke-kun, and he did live right next door. In which case I wouldn't really need to go to the trouble of bringing chocolates to school, so it was a non-issue for me.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Alright, then. What kind of chocolate should I make for Heisuke-kun this year?"
There was chocolate cake, or mousse. Last year's was chocolate truffles. I lost myself in a daze as I recalled all the chocolates I'd given him up until now.
Chizuru Yukimura: "He really enjoyed the truffles last year. I guess I could make them again."
―However.
Heisuke Toudou: "At least, for me... I feel differently now than when I was a kid. Chizuru. Do you...feel the same as when you were a kid?"
Chizuru Yukimura: ".........Would it really be okay to make him the same chocolates I've been giving him up until now...?"
When I remembered what I'd heard around New Year's, my heart throbbed painfully. Those words… What did he mean by them...? I sat down on my bed, the faint throb in my chest leaving me confused.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Anyway, I should try asking Heisuke-kun himself."
―Then, one hour later.
Heisuke Toudou: "Craaap, I overslept―!!"
As usual, we were barely going to make it on time to school, and were running full-tilt on the way there.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Seriously, I kept telling you to wake up so many times and for so long...!"
Heisuke Toudou: "I-I woke up and got up on time today! I did! But, like, the futon's so warm during winter, and I just accidentally fell back asleep again..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "That's not ‘getting up on time’!" I scolded him for his poor excuse, and we slowed down to catch our breath. "...Whew..."
Heisuke Toudou: "Doesn't seem like we're too bad on time now, so we should be fine if we walk from here. You alright?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "You know... I'm glad I don't have P.E. first thing."
With some time on our hands, we evened out our breathing as we walked and talked about silly things. Like what was on TV yesterday, or how far he'd gotten in the game he was playing. What stuff was going on at school. The things we talked about on the way to school was like any other morning, with all the same old scenery. But, halfway through, I suddenly remembered what I'd been mulling over earlier, and asked about it.
Chizuru Yukimura: "―By the way, Heisuke-kun. What kind of chocolates do you want for Valentine's Day this year?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Ohh right, it's time for all that again. Then, this year........."
Chizuru Yukimura: "This year...?"
Heisuke Toudou: "...Nah, I mean… Is it gonna be the same kind of chocolate as always?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Of course. It's something I've given you every year, including last year, and the year before that. If there was anyone I'd give chocolates to first, there couldn't be anyone but you, Heisuke-kun." When I gave him a grin, Heisuke-kun stopped in his tracks and looked at me.
Heisuke Toudou: "...First off, I’m sorry." Just then, the reserved look on his face made him almost seem like a different person from the Heisuke-kun from just a moment ago. "If the chocolates you give me this year are gonna carry the same feelings as before, the same meaning as the ones you've given me up until last year… Then I can't accept them this year." After a pause, he continued, "...I don't think I'd be qualified to."
Chizuru Yukimura: "What...!? W-Why...!?"
Heisuke Toudou: "......"
A gust of wind whipped up a flurry of fallen leaves, sending them shooting between us as if to rip us apart. Without breaking eye contact, Heisuke-kun spoke softly into the wind:
Heisuke Toudou: "―Because I like you."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...!?"
Heisuke Toudou: "...What would you do, if I said that?" Heisuke-kun acted like he was kidding, smiling as he always did. But, seeing him like that, I said…
[I like you, too]
[......]
Chizuru Yukimura: "I-I also...like you a lot, Heisuke-kun." I somehow got the words out, hiding how my voice trembled with the words. "I mean, we're childhood friends, and I have fun when I'm with you..."
Heisuke Toudou: "...That's not it, Chizuru. The way you mean it when you say you like me is definitely just a little different from what I do, I think."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Different...?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Yep. That's why I'm sure that it'd only hurt if I accepted your chocolates now," Heisuke-kun looked somewhat lonely as he spoke.
I couldn't say anything more to him. I liked him. It was easy to say I liked him back, and it wasn't like I was lying either… But I felt that what Heisuke-kun was asking for definitely wasn't that. I swallowed whatever I was going to say, and only gave him silence in return.
I couldn't hear any of the students around me. All I could hear was the sound of our footsteps. Before long, we could see the school coming into eyeshot. Neither of us had said another word. We were in different grades, so we parted ways after passing through the entrance gate. But, before that… I wanted to ask him what he really meant earlier, and I started doing just that.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Heisuke-kun, can I talk to you for a bit? It's just about what you said earlier―"
???: "―Well, well. It would appear that my wife is here."
Chikage Kazama: "For us to meet so early in the morning must mean that fate brought us together."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Kazama-senpai...!"
Chikage Kazama: "It seems you are with a pesky little worm. But such is a mere worm; it is not worth one's breath to speak to. My wife, Valentine's Day is near. Have you already prepared chocolates to bestow upon me?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Hey, you listen here...! I've been telling you for ages now, she is absolutely, definitely not your wife in the least! She's not making you any chocolates either! Get a makeover for your personality if you want any!"
Chikage Kazama: "What drivel you spew. My wife's love exists to be entirely devoted to me. Which means it is a fact that her chocolates unmistakably belong to me."
I hurriedly chased after Heisuke-kun and Kazama-senpai while the two of them walked into school bickering. Kazama-senpai's appearance wasn't really here nor there to me, and I barely caught a word he said. What Heisuke-kun had declared to me earlier kept running around in my mind…
'Like.'
Heisuke-kun had said he liked me so many times since we were kids in grade school. And even I couldn't count the number of times I'd told him the same. But, the words I heard this time―
Heisuke Toudou: "―Because I like you."
Chizuru Yukimura: ...!
They were the same words. They were supposed to have the same meaning. But the way he had said them pricked at my chest and melted my heart. Even when classes started and finished, his voice just filled my head completely.
I couldn't concentrate in class at all because of that, and before I realized it, the school day was over... Even when my classmates had left I didn't feel like going home, elbows planted on my desk in a daze.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Sanosuke Harada: "Hm? What, Yukimura? You're still here?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Oh... Harada-sensei..."
Sanosuke Harada: "It's already pretty late. Aren't you heading home?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Right..."
But in the end I still didn't feel like going home, and contrary to what I'd said, I made no effort to move. Harada-sensei came over with his brows slightly knitted, and muttered deliberately.
Sanosuke Harada: "...You know, you've been acting strange all day."
Chizuru Yukimura: "R-Really? I don't think I..."
Sanosuke Harada: "You don't have to play innocent. It's just not something you usually do. I mean, you couldn't even concentrate in class. I'm not coming over to put on airs as your first-year homeroom teacher. I can tell that something happened just by looking at you."
Harada-sensei's kind eyes pressured me out of my silence. Giving into that kindness, I started telling him what had happened, bit by bit.
Chizuru Yukimura: "The truth is..."
Sanosuke Harada: "...I see now. Chocolates, huh? And then there’s what Heisuke said to you."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yes. I've given him chocolates every year. This is the first time he's ever told me he couldn't accept them. Just what is going on with Heisuke-kun...?"
After I finished telling him about the situation, Harada-kun let out a little sigh.
Sanosuke Harada: "Right, before I answer you on that, lemme ask you one thing. How do you feel about Heisuke?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "How... I feel?"
Sanosuke Harada "You can just say what comes to mind."
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Who was Heisuke-kun to me? The question seemed so obvious. Yet I couldn't think of anything. The answer was somehow hard to find. I pulled up each memory I had with him, one by one, so I could string my words together with care. Throughout that, Harada-sensei didn't interject once, and just quietly listened to what I had to say.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Heisuke-kun is my childhood friend who I was raised with since we were little."
Sanosuke Harada: "......"
Chizuru Yukimura: "He's obviously the one I'm closest to out of all the students in the school."
Sanosuke Harada: "......"
Chizuru Yukimura: "It's fun when we're together, and we always chat for ages."
Sanosuke Harada: "......"
Chizuru Yukimura: "...So, then........."
Seeing that I'd cut myself short halfway through, Harada-sensei broke the silence.
Sanosuke Harada: "...So, then? Do you like Heisuke?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Of course I like him."
Sanosuke Harada: "You mean that as a friend?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "That's..."
Did I mean that...as a friend...? Something didn’t quite feel right. I picked up on that much. I fell silent again. As I did, Harada-sensei summarized my words with a broad grin.
Sanosuke Harada: "'The one I'm closest to.' 'It's fun when we're together.' 'We always chat for ages.' Yeah, I can tell that you like him. But everything you said just now could fall under ‘friendship.’ But it's like they say, right? There's a difference between 'like' and 'love'. That's the answer that Heisuke wants."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...The answer?"
Sanosuke Harada: "Do you like Heisuke as a friend? Or do you like him more than that?"
...More than that. The moment I heard those words, I'd stopped breathing and moving. That had to be because, up until now, I hadn't come face-to-face with even a guess to that question.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...I don't understand. I mean, Heisuke-kun has always been, just, Heisuke-kun..."
Sanosuke Harada: "You don't have to think about it that hard. Here, try thinking about it simply like this. Let's imagine for a moment that Heisuke found someone who was more important to him than you. How would you feel if that happened?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "If he found someone important to him?"
Next year, and the year after that, Valentine's Day would roll around again. I imagined if by then, it wasn't me who stood next to Heisuke-kun, but some other girl instead. If the first person who gave Heisuke-kun chocolates was that girl...
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Ngh," a throbbing pain pierced my chest. It was like I was drowning underwater. My chest hurt so much that breathing was unbearable.
Sanosuke Harada: "...Now this is just what I think, but… If you're able to smile and give him your blessing, then that's friendship you feel for him. But, if you hate it and want to keep him to yourself..."
He didn't even have to finish saying it. I already had the answer in my heart.
Chizuru Yukimura: "When I think about Heisuke-kun, my chest hurts, and it gets painful to do so. This is...love, isn't it?"
Sanosuke Harada: "I can't answer that for you. I'm a third party in all this."
Chizuru Yukimura: "That makes sense..."
Sanosuke Harada: "Well, if you're worried, how about you try thinking about it and giving him those chocolates?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Huh?"
Sanosuke Harada: "If he's got the nerve to say he can't accept them normally, then you'd better make a show out of giving him some. Not that this is something I can encourage as a teacher… but, maybe you could go so far as to bring some to school and give them to him here?"
The fearless smile on Harada-sensei's face as he turned on his heel looked exactly like Heisuke-kun's roguish one.
Sanosuke Harada: "Right, I'll be taking my leave then. You better head home quick yourself."
I bowed my head to him, filled with gratitude for my teacher as he left. There was only one way I could make sure of these feelings. Clenching my fists with determination, I picked up my bag and went home.
I wanted just a little more time.
But time still marched on regardless, and the days couldn’t very well get longer just because I wanted them to…
Before I even knew it, the calendar already read mid-February.
I spent my Saturday afternoon preparing for Valentine's Day, which was fast approaching…
I visited the Hakuo Academy cafeteria with Osen-chan and Kosuzu-chan over the weekend.
Sen Suzuka: "This is Hakuo Academy's cafeteria? I saw a little bit of it during the cultural festival, but it really is spacious."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "Ours is a little bit smaller. Lots of people bring bento lunches anyway."
Usually, I was the only girl here, so it felt really strange seeing other girls in school like this. The two of them looked at the unfamiliar menu and grinned.
Sen Suzuka: "Look, Kosuzu! Doesn't this pudding sound delicious?"
Kosuzu Suzuka: "Osen-san, we're not here to eat or anything..."
Well, Kosuzu-chan was right. We didn't come here today to eat...
Genzaburou Inoue: "I hope you three weren't waiting long. Everything's ready now."
Chizuru Yukimura: "That must have been a lot of work, Inoue-san. Thank you so much."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "But is it really alright? For people who aren't students here to borrow your kitchen like this?"
Genzaburou Inoue: "You've already gotten permission, haven't you? Besides, you're from Shimabara Girls' High School. There's no need to be shy."
Sen Suzuka: "Well, we'll take you up on your offer, then… So? How about we get started? Time to make chocolates!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yeah!"
Genzaburou Inoue: "Now, I don't want to get in the way of you girls, so I'll stay in the back and leave you to it. You're free to use whatever equipment you need in the kitchen. Just be careful with the stove."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Sure thing! Thank you so much!" After thanking him, we first lined up all the ingredients we had brought in a row.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Fresh cream. Unsalted butter. Cocoa powder..."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "Wheat flour, eggs, baking powder..."
Sen Suzuka: "Chocolate to use, more chocolate to use. Oh, and some chocolate to use."
......
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Um, Osen-chan? Are you making a life-sized chocolate statue?"
Sen Suzuka: "Huh? What, Chizuru-chan, would you be the model for it?"
Kosuzu Suzuka: "It's surreal to imagine that being eaten..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Absolutely not!"
Sen Suzuka: "Oh, boo... Well, we're not even making one big chocolate in the first place anyway. We'll be making lots of smaller ones."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "Osen-san has a large circle of friends. She also needs to prepare some for her relatives."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Ohh, I see..."
Sen Suzuka: "It must be nice for you two. You look like you're making chocolates to give to your special someone."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Huh!?"
Sen Suzuka: "Well, I don't know if you have anyone like that to give chocolates to, Chizuru-chan… But lately, Kosuzu's gotten close with that Ibuki-kun guy we met at the pool, see."
Chizuru Yukimura: "S-Since when...!?"
Kosuzu Suzuka: "I-It's not really like that… These chocolates are just friendly ones..." With her ingredients cradled in hand, Kosuzu-chan's expression softened tenderly, her muttered protests weak. I felt a bit jealous seeing that, but I also found myself making a similarly fond face.
Sen Suzuka: "Now, then, how about we make those chocolates?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yeah! Let's do this!"
I wondered if I'd ever make such a tender face as I put my heart into what I made. But either way, I had to do my best making them...!
Before anything else, our first step was to warm things up. The chocolate we heated inside the bowl slowly started to melt.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Now, next is..."
With the chocolate's sweet-smelling fragrance, it was only natural that I was reminded of someone.
(CG get!°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°)
As I gently heated up the fresh cream, I idly thought about the past. I made Heisuke-kun chocolates like this every year. Out of all those chocolates, the ones that made him happiest were these multicolored truffles. There were a lot of them, and each one had a different flavor so you’d never get tired of them… I was pretty sure that when I gave him those, he ate them all on the spot.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Hehe."
I laughed just a little, and cast my eyes down. I didn't know if I was imagining it, but it felt like Heisuke-kun had been avoiding me lately. Even though I had made chocolates for him plenty of times in the past, my worries this year were growing worse and worse…
Quashing my anxiety, I got back to work and put my chocolates in the fridge to chill them.
While I thought about that, at the end of the day… Even with the tasty chocolates prepared, I wasn't even sure that I could bring them to school in the first place...
Chizuru Yukimura: "Hmmm..." Maybe I could trick the Disciplinary Committee one way or the other during the inspections...
Osen-chan and Kosuzu-chan cocked their heads a little at me. Maybe because they realized that I'd stopped working at some point.
Sen Suzuka: "What's wrong, Chizuru-chan?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Nothing, I just don't know if I can bring these to school, even though I've made them."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "...What do you mean?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "The truth is..."
[Transition while she explains]
Sen Suzuka: "That's what the inspections are for...? What the heck!? That's so mean of them!"
Kosuzu Suzuka: "The fact they're doing it now means they're totally targeting Valentine's Day."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yeah..."
Hearing the situation, the two were infuriated. They stopped making their chocolates and looked ready to run over and give the Disciplinary Committee a beating right this second. I shook my head in a hurry at them.
Chizuru Yukimura: "C-Calm down, you two. It's already been decided anyway..."
Sen Suzuka: "But, isn't that just totally tyrannical!? Maybe if I go and give them a complaint or two..."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "Osen-san. You'd be sure to cause havoc if you did that, so try and bear with it. ...Although, even though it's definitely unfair, I feel like there is some point to it. Speaking practically, you have fewer boys to worry about wanting chocolates from you thanks to that notice."
Chizuru Yukimura: "You...have a point, but..."
Sen Suzuka: "Mm..."
Kosuzu Suzuka: "You can't really do much seeing as it's already been decided, and if there's someone you want to give chocolates to, you could just do it on your way home, right?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Yeah..." Honestly, Kosuzu-chan might've been right. Even if I wanted to give chocolates to someone, there wasn't any reason I had to bring them to school...
Sen Suzuka: "...I think that’d be a waste. I mean, Valentine's Day alone is a whole page in this chapter of our lives as high schoolers, right? There's meaning in giving chocolates to the person who you want at school, plus you'll make memories that way, too."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Y-Yeah... I guess that’s true too..."
Sen Suzuka: "If there's someone you wanna give them to no matter what, then this is the one chance you get this year! You can't give in to the rules!!"
Kosuzu Suzuka: "But I think it'd be really sad if you got your chocolates confiscated as a result."
Sen Suzuka: "...Well, whatever you end up doing, it’s all up to you, Chizuru-chan."
What was the right thing to do? I thought about that in the back of my mind as I finished preparing my chocolate dessert.
Between the cracks of the cold, leaden winter clouds, the occasional glimpse of the vivid blue sky broke through. The refreshing and perfectly vivid blueness of it somehow reminded me about how close spring was. The sky on Valentine's Day was just a little bit brighter than usual.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Now then..."
Just a little more until I got to school. Since I'd been walking to school by myself up until this point, I snuck a glance at my bag.
―In it were my feelings given shape.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Will I be able to give them to him at all...?"
If I just wanted to give him some chocolate, there were plenty of other ways I could do it. I could go home and bring them after school like Kosuzu-chan said, and that would work. Or I could bring them tomorrow. But…
"There's meaning in giving them to the person who you want to at school,
plus you'll make memories that way, too."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Osen-chan's right." If I was going to express how I felt with my chocolates, I wanted to do it this Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day was a magical occasion that gifted bravery to girls.
Chizuru Yukimura: "But to do that, I have to get through the personal effects inspections first."
I’d thought up all sorts of schemes to hide my chocolates, but I wondered if it would really fool them… I worried over that as I set foot onto the school grounds.
Isami Kondou: "Ohh, morning! I'm happy you're looking well today, as ever."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Good morning, Kondou-sensei. Are you greeting people this morning? That must be hard work."
Isami Kondou: "Not at all. I feel energized just by seeing all of my students doing well!" After he said that with a hearty laugh, Kondou-sensei suddenly lowered his voice and fixed his gaze on me.
Isami Kondou: "Incidentally, Yukimura-kun… You didn't do anything like bring chocolates with you today, did you?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Huh...!? N-No, I, uh..."
Isami Kondou: "Oh, no, please don't get the wrong idea! I don’t suspect you or anything. I just wanted to check if the rumor I heard was true. That the inspections are just a pretext to stop people from pestering you for chocolate. Setting aside whether you actually brought any chocolates with you… You'll likely have your belongings inspected many times over today. Be careful."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...I-I will."
Everywhere I went, I could see students from the disciplinary committee around me. It made me nervous as I walked down the hallways. I was more keyed in to my surroundings than I needed to be, and the way I gripped my bag probably looked really suspicious.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Male Student A: "Yukimura."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Y-Yes!"
Male Student A: "Morning... Hey, what're you so jumpy for?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "N-Nothing―it's nothing."
I kept glancing at my bag that had my chocolates in it and walked down the corridor.
Prefect A: "Yukimura, I'm from the disciplinary committee. Please open your bag for inspecti―"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I-I don't know about any chocolates!"
Prefect A: "Huh? Um, no one said anything about chocolates..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "I don't know anything!" I walked off in a hurry. Even if people started talking to me, I had to pretend I never heard them...!
[Minigame Victory]
I gently stroked the bag I was carrying as I ran down the corridor. Inside it were the feelings I wanted to express to Heisuke-kun. It carried my thoughts and feelings, ones that were different from all the Valentine's Days up until now―
Chizuru Yukimura: "...That's why I can't let them confiscate it, no matter what."
I raced down the hallways to escape the disciplinary committee members. If I went into my own classroom, I wouldn't have anywhere to run…
There were so many of them on my tail that outrunning them would be impossible. If there was no way I could get away from them...! Steeling my resolve, I dashed toward the second-year classrooms. Then, I saw―
Heisuke Toudou: "Huh...? Chizuru!? Why're you here? Haven't classes already started?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
The moment I saw Heisuke-kun's face, all the words I'd come up with vanished. Like how I came with something I wanted to give him. Or how I wanted him to tell me what he meant by what he said back then. Even though there was so much I wanted to say, I couldn't muster up the words. That was why―
Chizuru Yukimura: "Here..."
I wasn't able to string two words together. So, instead, I quietly took his hand. Then I gently placed my feelings, bundled up in cutely decorated wrapping paper, into his palm. A wrapped present of chocolate, chock-full of my feelings.
Heisuke Toudou: "...! This is..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "I put my feelings into them....The ones I want you to know, Heisuke-kun," my words were like a switch, and everyone around us broke out into a commotion all at once.
Male Student A: "Hey, did you hear that just now? There's no way that's..."
Male Student B: "Goddammiiit! Curse childhood friends!"
The boys’ gazes were smothering. Seeing them looking pretty murderous surrounding us, Heisuke-kun hurriedly turned to me while looking panicked.
Heisuke Toudou: "That's, uhh... Right! Th-These are friendly chocolates, yeah? C'mon, it's the same thing you give me every year! It's not like there's any deeper meaning to it or...!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Nuh-uh." I lightly shook my head. I knew Heisuke-kun had said that on purpose to restore the peace in the room. This was where I was supposed to answer that these were friend chocolates, too. But I didn't want to say they were, even as a lie… Met Heisuke-kun’s eyes levelly, and smiled softly at him.
Chizuru Yukimura: "My feelings aren't the same as they were last year. ―These chocolates are for how I really feel about you. I'm sure that now... I like you as more than a friend, Heisuke-kun."
Heisuke Toudou: "...Hngh..."
The stir around us was growing louder by the second, but, incredibly, I didn't worry about it in the least. After Heisuke-kun had gotten flustered, he pursed his lips like he'd accepted everything, and―
Heisuke Toudou: "Ahh, dammit―" He grabbed my hand and started running. "Chizuru! Time for a change of scene!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "R-Right!"
Heisuke-kun looked pretty flustered as he grabbed onto my hand tight… But at the same time, he looked like he was enjoying himself, too, with that hint of a smile etched onto his lips―
We dashed past the classrooms, and arrived on the rooftop of our school― It had never been a popular location, and it was especially deserted in winter. Only a cold gust blew past us. It was just before homeroom, too, so it made sense that there wasn’t anyone else there. Not a soul was on the rooftop, and I sighed in relief. We sank down to the floor and looked at each other.
Heisuke Toudou: "Just saying, Chizuru... Why in the world would you give chocolates to someone with that kinda timing...!?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I-I'm sorry."
Now that I'd thought about it, why did I make such a grandiose statement in front of a whole audience like that? It was like I'd declared we were sweethearts in front of everyone else… My cheeks burned bright red, and it wasn't anything to do with how hard we had run.
Heisuke Toudou "That was real embarrassing earlier, y'know!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Same for me..."
I glanced at his face as I mumbled my response. If Heisuke-kun were to go back to class now, I was sure he'd be bowled over with a barrage of questions. I’d caused him a lot of trouble, and there was no way he wasn’t mad at me…
...However.
Heisuke Toudou: "......"
For some reason, Heisuke-kun was beaming instead.
Heisuke Toudou: "I know I said I wouldn't be able to accept your chocolates if they were the same as last year's… But I'm sure it's different now. The way you gave them to me definitely left a hell of an impression."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Y-Yeah..."
Heisuke Toudou: "...You surprised me, but I had to accept them. You said your feelings now are different from before… Which means it's my turn to spill my guts now, huh?"
Heisuke-kun gently brushed the wrapped chocolates before he fixed his eyes intently on me. I anxiously awaited for him to go on, but I was scared to ask. I saw his face every day, without fail, up until now. And yet, I could barely recognise him, the way he was looking at me now.
Heisuke Toudou: "I―"
I saw Heisuke-kun’s lips part to speak, and my heartbeat quickened in my chest. But then...
Chizuru Yukimura: !?
Just then, as if to specifically cut Heisuke-kun off, the chime for the start of homeroom rang throughout the school.
Heisuke Toudou: "......"
I started in surprise, but it honestly might've helped relieve some of the tension just now. I mean, if he had kept talking like that… My heart would've exploded then and there, for sure.
Chizuru Yukimura: "L-Look at the time. We'll be late at this rate...! We can pick up where we left off again next time, so let's hurry back to class?"
The instant I turned on my heel―
(CG get!°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°)
Chizuru Yukimura: !?
Heisuke Toudou: "......"
His hands gently reached out from behind me. Almost like he had taken hold of my impulse to run and sealed it away… Gently, but firmly, those hands turned me around. I blurted out in my surprise:
Chizuru Yukimura: "H-Hei...suke...kun...?"
Heisuke Toudou: "...Don't go yet."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Won't we be late...?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Still... You still haven't...heard my answer."
We'd exchanged words countless times as friends. Yet today, Heisuke-kun’s voice was completely different from the one I knew… The tone of his voice was heart-wrenching. I couldn't turn him down after hearing it.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......We'll both be late, then."
Heisuke Toudou: "Yeah."
The last traces of the bell signalling the start of classes still remained in my ears. I couldn't escape from this warmth even if I wanted to.
Heisuke Toudou: "...It's weird. When we were small, I'd cling to you like this without a care in the world… But now, my cheeks get all hot, and my chest feels like it'll burst with how hard my heart’s thumping inside it."
Chizuru Yukimura: "If you're calling yourself weird, then so am I. Mine too...My heart just beats wildly in my chest, and I can't calm down either."
This close, we could feel each other's hearts beating like mad. Heisuke-kun's laugh brushed against my ear.
Heisuke Toudou: "...You know, it's been about a year since I started feeling like this around you."
Chizuru Yukimura: "When I entered Hakuo Academy?"
Heisuke Toudou: "Yep. I was the one who invited you, but in the beginning, I worried whether you could make it in what was really still an all-boys' school. But you worked your butt off, and eventually became the heart and soul of the school… I was relieved when I saw you like that. I was happy for you, like I should've been...But."
Heisuke-kun said that one word, then stopped. I felt the arm that he had wrapped around my shoulders squeeze me tightly.
Heisuke Toudou: "Seeing you at the center of the crowd, knowing you weren't only mine anymore gave me such mixed feelings… I'm your childhood friend who knows you best, after all. But then I worried about how long I'd be the person closest to you. When I thought about how there could be some guy standing by your side at the end―somebody who wasn't me― my chest suddenly hurt so much… And I couldn't deny it by saying you were just my childhood friend any longer. I wanted proof that I'd always be the one closest to you..."
As Heisuke-kun's confession slipped out, his breath tickled the back of my neck. Even though I couldn't see his face from here… I was sure it was so desperate it would break my heart if I saw it...
Chizuru Yukimura: "Heisuke-kun..."
Heisuke Toudou: "I like you, Chizuru. I love you. Not as your childhood friend… but as more than that," he finally said it, and just as he did, he released me and faced me head-on.
Chizuru Yukimura: "I'll say it one more time, too. No, actually, I'll say it as many times as you want. I'd been thinking non-stop about how you said you liked me since you told me."
When I thought about him leaving me, the way my chest hurt felt the same as how he’d described. There were feelings I had towards him as almost family, and as childhood friends, that would never change, but...
Chizuru Yukimura: "That's all part of my love for you, Heisuke."
Grinning as I told him, Heisuke-kun gently held me close. We both smiled at each other, before feelings of embarrassment struck us again.
Heisuke Toudou: "You know, Chizuru... You've changed since you entered Hakuo Academy."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Maybe… But you've changed too, Heisuke-kun....You've gotten more handsome."
I had burst through the gates of Hakuo Academy on a spring day when the cherry blossoms bloomed. And then, I went through the summer, fall, and winter seasons and made many memories along the way… But in all of those memories, Heisuke-kun was always there by my side. The fact that we were childhood friends would never change…but we were no longer just that anymore. Our relationship changed, opening up a wonderful new path for us.
As I thought about that...
I smiled as Heisuke-kun's face came closer to mine, and I gently closed my eyes...