Chapter 5
This chapter was translated by yuugs, and shizuumi, and proofed by kuririn, yuugs, 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…
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.
―What came to mind was Nagakura-sensei's smiling face.
I smiled to myself as I lined up the aluminium cups I'd use for the cupcakes. I wondered what sort of face he'd make if I brought these chocolates to him. Would it be one of shock? Laughter? Or delight, maybe, like they were all just too delicious...
Even if he made just one of those faces, I wanted to see it so much...
Measuring out larger portions to double my recipe, I set about getting the cupcakes started...
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.
And then, Valentine's Day arrived. The inspections had been going on for a few days and today was no different…
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 play dumb...!
[Minigame Victory]
Chizuru Yukimura: "Haah... Haah..."
Prefect A: "Hold it! This is the disciplinary committee! Submit yourself to the personal effects inspection!"
Male Student A: "Where are you hiding your chocolates!?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I-I don't know anything about any chocolates! Stay away, please!!"
I hugged my bag where I'd hidden my chocolates and started running like crazy down the hallway.
But it wasn't just the disciplinary committee after me. Ordinary students were too, for some reason. It was only a matter of time before they caught me.
Before I knew it, I was cornered in the passageway of a corridor.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Ngh... Can't...run any more..."
My body was close to its limit as the relentless, heavy footfalls behind me grew ever closer.
Chizuru Yukimura: "I gotta hide them somewhere...!" Ugh, how did everything end up like this? I just wanted to give chocolates to the person who had helped me out the most. I felt like crying as my eyes searched everywhere, anywhere for a place to hide.
That was when I heard...
???: "Yukimura-kun!! This way!"
A familiar voice. His voice.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Nagakura-sensei...!"
Shinpachi Nagakura: "You can hide in the bushes over there! Leave the rest to me!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "O-Okay!"
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that the enemy had us completely surrounded. But I trusted in Nagakura-sensei and hid myself in the bushes right away.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Nagakura...sensei."
The moment I finished hiding, Heisuke-kun and Okita-senpai came racing up.
Heisuke Toudou: "Did anyone come by here just now!?"
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Who? Oh, you mean Yukimura-kun?"
Souji Okita: "You seen her?"
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Naaah. Not at all, not a lick. Wouldn't see her in a place like this."
Heisuke Toudou: "......"
Souji Okita: "......"
Shinpachi Nagakura: "W-What's with that look!? You doubting your own teacher here!?"
Souji Okita: "It's nothing to do with you being a teacher...at all."
Heisuke Toudou: "Besides, Shinpachi-sensei, you don't exactly give off a 'teacher' vibe in the first place."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "That's, uh, you know. One of my natural strengths! Means I'm easy to get along with, right?"
Souji Okita: "That's a nice way of putting it. On the other hand, you could also say you don't look like you have any dignity."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "......" He might've been at least a little self-aware, because when they said it, his shoulders drooped like it hit him hard.
Heisuke Toudou: "Anyway, let's get a move on, Souji. We don't got time to concern ourselves with Shinpachi-sensei right now!"
Souji Okita: "You're right. Let's split up and search..."
Shinpachi Nagakura: ".........Phew. Looks like I managed to give 'em the slip. S'alright now."
Chizuru Yukimura: "I’m saved..." I thanked him as I came out of cover, and he gave me a broad grin. Seeing his relief, I cocked my head. "Um, Nagakura-sensei..."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Hm?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "You aren't saying you'll confiscate any chocolates, even though everyone's getting into a frenzy over them today."
‘Could it be he didn’t care either way...?’ I felt a little worried. I made him chocolates hoping he'd want to eat them… But, in the next moment, Nagakura-sensei made a declaration, plain and simple, that blew my worries out of the water:
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Nah. If I’m being honest, I want some! Also, Yukimura-kun! I want them all the more if they're from you!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Eh...?"
Seeing me at a loss for words, Nagakura-sensei suddenly cracked a smile. He made an expression filled with a maturity that no student could show.
Shinpachi Nagakura: "But...confiscation’s not the same, right? I couldn't just chase a girl down and snatch the chocolates she put her heart and soul for someone else into. It's meaningless getting a hold of Valentine's chocolates that don't have any feelings for me in 'em whatsoever. It's not just chocolates that I want, but… heart, y'know?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Speaking in a whisper, Nagakura-sensei was totally unlike his usual self.
My cheeks start to flush red. I was positive that I could say whatever embarrassing things I wanted and he still wouldn't understand...!
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
I took a deep breath to calm myself down before opening my school bag. I carefully took my bag of chocolates out of it. The ones I went through a daring escape for, all so I could keep them safe and they wouldn't go to waste.
Shinpachi Nagakura: "...! That's..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "If it's chocolate that I put my heart and soul into making, you're okay with them, right? ...I made these chocolates while thinking of you, Nagakura-sensei, so. ...I'd like you to have them."
Nagakura-sensei's hand trembled as he reached out to me.
Shinpachi Nagakura: "...For me...? ...Is that really alright? I'm not taking these if you tell me you're doing this outta pity, by the way."
Chizuru Yukimura: "It's not that." A simple debt of gratitude... You could call it that. With a larger-than-life love and care put into it, too.
I took Nagakura-sensei's hand.
Chizuru Yukimura: "I made these wanting to thank you for all the help you've given me in the first year I've spent here at Hakuo Academy. I hope you like them..."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "...Yukimura-kun...! My heart strings quiver at your words!" Nagakura-sensei's eyes went misty as he accepted my chocolates.
But then―
???: "Hold it!"
Chizuru Yukimura: !
At that moment, a resounding voice interrupted us.
I turned around, and there stood...
Kazama-senpai, Amagiri-senpai, Shiranui-senpai, as well as a few other third-year students, all lined up in a row...!
Chikage Kazama: "For you in your position as a teacher to seduce a female student...and my wife no less… I've misjudged you, Shinpachi Nagakura."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Don't go throwin' scandalous accusations my way! All I’m doing is accepting chocolates...!"
Chikage Kazama: "Silence! My wife's chocolates have obviously belonged to me since antiquity!"
Shinpachi Nagakura: "That ain't obvious in the least!"
Kazama-senpai screwed his features up, brandishing that same-old 'me first' reasoning of his...
Nagakura-sensei quickly took hold of my hand.
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Run, Yukimura-kun!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Okay!"
Nagakura-sensei pulled me along by the hand, and rushed us to the rear courtyard where we could be alone again.
The rear courtyard looked out on the staff parking lot, where plenty of cars were parked already. We ducked behind one of the cars there, crouching down to hide ourselves completely from sight.
Shinpachi Nagakura: "I swear... There wasn’t no mood or nothin' in that scene to mouth off about."
Chizuru Yukimura: "With so many people on our tail, it's only a matter of time before they find us."
I squeezed the chocolates I was holding onto tight. Were the chocolates I wanted to give to him going to be confiscated, just like that...?
Gritting his teeth, Nagakura-sensei put his hand on the bag of chocolates, too.
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Yukimura-kun… Would you offer me your chocolates one more time?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "N-Now, you mean?"
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Now's the time. If those guys can’t find any chocolates, they'll hafta give up with their tails between their legs. Besides, they'll stop at nothing to snatch up your chocolates, meaning the only way is for me to hurry and eat 'em now!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "R-Right...!"
I held out the chocolates I failed to give him earlier. Nagakura-sensei's hands trembled as he took them. But then, right at that very second―
3rd Year Boy A: "There they are!"
3rd Year Boy B: "Over here! Behind the car!" Voices echoed to interrupt us once more.
Chizuru Yukimura: !!
Chikage Kazama: "Nagakura. You have some nerve, scheming to keep my wife's chocolates to yourself."
Before I knew it, we were completely surrounded. Standing unabashedly in the center of it all was Kazama-senpai. Anger radiated from every pore in his body.
Kyuuju Amagiri: "Whether her chocolates are indeed for Kazama likely requires a separate discussion altogether… But that is beside the point, Nagakura-sensei. It is decidedly not a teacher's place to steal a march on others at a time like this."
Kyou Shiranui: "Also, Chizuru... You tellin' me you're alright with that schmuck?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "W-What...!? I'd like it if you didn't call him something so rude!"
In the time I'd made my objection, Nagakura-sensei quickly tore the wrapping off my chocolates. With the wrapping gone, a lovely scent gently permeated the air.
Shinpachi Nagakura: "...Whoa. It's all fluffy cupcakes packed fulla chocolate..." Holding the cupcake close, Nagakura-sensei sounded deeply moved as he exhaled.
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Thank you, Yukimura-kun! I'll be having these right away!" Nagakura-sensei opened his mouth up wide, about to eat the cupcakes nestled within his fingertips...
...Or, he was going to.
3rd Year Boy A: "Don't let him eat Yukimura's chocolates!"
Chikage Kazama: "Grab them!"
On Kazama-senpai's orders, all the third-years charged towards Nagakura-sensei at once. The prompt impact of the man-made tidal wave wasn't something a single person could hope to face and win, even if they were a teacher.
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Uwaaaaaghhh―!!" His shriek reverberated like a sonic boom...
Heartless as it was, the crowd of students dog-piled onto him, burying him alive.
Chizuru Yukimura: "Nagakura-sensei!!" I called his name out in a spike of worry, but he didn't respond...
Kyou Shiranui: "Ahh... Did he kick the bucket?"
Realizing they'd maybe gone too far, the other third-years hurriedly stepped back.
Chizuru Yukimura: "N-Nagakura-sensei! Are you alright!?"
Shinpachi Nagakura: "...U...Uuuugh..." Nagakura-sensei was left looking limp and dazed. And with him...
Were the ruins of my cupcakes, which had been completely trampled...
Chizuru Yukimura: "...!!" My hand flew to my mouth, stopping the scream that leaked from it.
The fluffy cupcakes I'd made were already squished to pancakes. The footsteps left on them were clear as day. There was no way they were edible now.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......" I was inconsolable; I couldn't even speak. Seeing the state I was in, the third-years grew restless.
3rd Year Boy A: "...What do we do...?"
3rd Year Boy B: "...We might've overdone it..."
Kyou Shiranui: "Ahhh, uhhhh...Oh! It’s almost time for First Period!"
Kyuuju Amagiri: "Now that you mention it, though, the lesson bell rang a long while ago..."
3rd Year Boy A: "Y-You're right. How about we scram?"
3rd Year Boy B: "First period's classical lit. Hijikata-sensei's gonna blow his top if we don't hurry!"
Shiranui-senpai had read the mood and even Amagiri-senpai had made an appeal… The throng of third-years that had gathered scrambled back to the school building.
Kyuuju Amagiri: "Right, let us hurry as well, Kazama-sama."
Chikage Kazama: "Wait. This conversation is not over yet―" Kazama-senpai muttered his discontent before Amagiri-senpai and Shiranui-senpai each flanked him and hoisted him up by the arms.
Kyou Shiranui: "Classes are important, y'know, Kazama? C'mon, now."
Although Kazama-senpai kept resisting, it was to no avail. They dragged him away.
Soon enough, the only ones left there were me, Nagakura-sensei, and the sorry sight of my cupcakes.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Ungh... W-Where am I...? What did I just...?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Nagakura-sensei! You're awake!"
Nagakura-sensei was tottering on his feet after he got up. It didn't look like he was clearly back to being fully conscious, but...
Shinpachi Nagakura: "...!!" The moment he spotted the miserable, smashed up, dirt-covered cupcakes next to him, it seemed like he understood the situation. "Y-Yukimura-kun...Are these..."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Yes..."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "W-Wait, it's alright! I can still eat th―"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Don’t!" Nagakura-sensei had reached his hand out to the crushed up cupcakes, and I hurriedly stopped him. "Don't eat them. You'll get sick if you do… I didn't want to give you chocolates like these..."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "......"
I’d wanted to give him chocolates. That was all I’d wanted to do, but… but why did things turn out like this? Tears threatened to spill form my eyes, but I stubbornly held them back and pursed my lips.
Nagakura-sensei stared at me as he spoke.
Shinpachi Nagakura: "...You know. I said this before, too, but I don't want just any old chocolates."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Huh...?"
Shinpachi Nagakura: "'Cause, I mean, y’know. If I just wanted some, I could always just go buy them myself, right?" His tone was so kind. More than that, the deep sincerity behind it was clear. "What made me the absolute happiest was that you were thinking of me. You put your feelings into them as you made them for me."
Chizuru Yukimura: "Nagakura-sensei..."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "The fighting spirit in you, the seriousness in you, the kindness in you, the worrier in you―taking these sides to you altogether, I'll always be grateful to you in my heart. See, I...I like the you who can face your feelings so straightforwardly like that. ...So, while it is a shame with the cupcakes… I got all the feelings you had in thinking of me! Every last one! Those feelings alone filled me right up!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Nagakura-sensei..."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "So, um, how about a smile, Yukimura-kun? I hate to see you looking so down."
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Okay..." I found myself moved to tears, and quickly wiped the stray drops off my cheeks. But the reason I started crying was the total opposite of the feelings that threatened to spill just moments before.
It wasn't a sadness that had pierced my heart, but a kind of warmth instead.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...Thank you so much, Nagakura-sensei."
Even though he was a teacher, it was like we were as close as friends. Yet even though we were like friends, sometimes he showed me his more mature side.
Over this past year, Nagakura-sensei really was always there to make me smile. That was why I wanted to take this opportunity on Valentine's to express to him all the gratitude for him that had welled up in me… But in the end, I turned out to be on the receiving end of Nagakura-sensei's ample kindness.
Chizuru Yukimura: "......"
Shinpachi Nagakura: "By the way, Yukimura-kun. I get the feeling you wouldn't be in the mood to sit around trying to focus on class right now, right? Things being how they are, how's about the two of us head somewhere nice!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Whaaat!?"
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Think about it―the people who don't know about this might still be running around like headless chickens trying to take your chocolates from you. Meaning staying around in school would be rough for you, right?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "You have a point, but..." I was bewildered, but Nagakura-sensei went on:
Shinpachi Nagakura: "I'm sayin' that we make a break for it, outta this school, you 'n' me!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "...We can't." I ended up smiling wryly at my own words. I'd told him 'no' in so many ways today. "Though it'd make me really happy to be able to hang out with you… I don't think it's a good thing for a teacher to be saying things like that."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Ugh... I-I see… It would've been a pretty cool scene, though, having a teacher and a student elope somewhere..."
I bit back a smile, watching his shoulders droop in disappointment before I cut in again.
Chizuru Yukimura: "...However. However, if I'm the one asking you, then that might be more acceptable… I feel like that'd work. P-Probably."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Huh? Does that mean...?"
Chizuru Yukimura: "I'm not saying we do this today, but some other time, would you like to come hang out with me? ...Just the two of us."
Shinpachi Nagakura: !!
Seeing his grin spread from ear to ear, and somehow, it felt like… like my heart leapt in excitement too, seeing the way his smile shone so innocently and brightly.
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Then how about this Saturday!? As for where, uh... I'll think about it and text you!"
Chizuru Yukimura: "Sure. I'm looking forward to it."
Shinpachi Nagakura: "Aw, yes! You got it!"
I found myself thinking his child-like happiness was really adorable… My cheeks flushed hotly as I nodded at him.
We were going to meet up this Saturday.
‘I wonder where he'll take me...’
I anxiously awaited his text about where we'd go. I took my phone out of my bag and put it in the pocket of my uniform before heading up to class...