"Ah—Hanabi-chan, waiting for someone?"
In front of the club building, a passing upperclassman greeted Ichinose warmly. Most of the club members liked Ichinose and Kushida—two angelic faces of the student council.
As for Student Council President Yukio and the ever-standoffish Horikita, they weren't nearly as popular.
"Ah, Ando-senpai," Ichinose smiled, clearly recognizing her.
Ando-senpai was originally just going to greet her and walk away, but suddenly paused like she'd sensed something. She turned back, hand covering her mouth with a playful smirk.
"Hehe… Hanabi-chan, you're waiting for someone, huh?"
Maybe it was that teasing smile of hers—subtle, but mischievous—that made Ichinose blush slightly. Still, she nodded shyly.
"So sweet~"
Ando-senpai noticed Ichinose's flustered look and didn't have the heart to tease her any more. She waved casually and slowly walked into the club building—like nothing was happening.
But once she was sure Ichinose couldn't see her anymore, she suddenly burst into high energy, sprinting up the stairs and charging into her third-floor clubroom.
Practically possessed, she didn't even bother catching her breath before yelling to her clubmates.
"BIG NEWS! BIG NEWS! Hurry, everyone under the window—Hanabi-chan's about to give her true love chocolate to a boy!!"
Ichinose, of course, had no idea her senpai was such a gossip fiend. She just stood there quietly, sometimes bowing her head, nervously fiddling with the hem of her shirt between her thumb and forefinger.
She didn't have to wait long before Yukio showed up, and her whole body tensed. Yes—she was here to wait for him. But she was so nervous. She'd never… given chocolate to a boy before.
Yukio's eyes lit up when he saw her. Ichinose was dressed particularly fresh and lovely today. Beneath her unseen undershirt, she wore a pure white knitted sweater. Because of the cold, she layered it with a cherry blossom pink duffle coat that perfectly matched her golden-pink hair.
A red-and-white plaid scarf was wrapped around her neck, paired with a red pleated mini-skirt and her well-proportioned, graceful legs. In the chill of the season, she looked like a pure cherry blossom blooming in winter.
"Eh? Just you, Yukio-kun? Where's Ryuen-kun?" Ichinose gave a bright smile and stepped forward, cheerfully greeting him and asking after the other student council vice president.
That confident stride forward sent the girls spying from the third floor into a frenzy. Excited beyond words, they eagerly peered out of the windows, eyes shining.
"Don't bring him up." Yukio didn't think much of it and casually walked with Ichinose into the building. As they chatted, he added, "He's off on a date today—with a girl from our class. Took the whole day off."
"Oh, I see… Eh?! Ryuen-kun?! On a date?! With a girl?!" Even Ichinose was surprised by that.
But she quickly accepted it. She wasn't the type to judge people by appearances. Even if Ryuen looked like a smirking delinquent, having a romantic partner wasn't that strange.
Their light chatter continued as they stepped into the club building—much to the dismay of the upperclassmen on the third floor, who could no longer spy on them. None of them dared go downstairs for a closer look.
Just as they were about to take the elevator to the top floor where the student council room was, Ichinose hesitated.
She'd planned to give Yukio her chocolate today.
But now—she was nervous.
Her entire life, under her mother's guidance, she had grown into a gentle, beloved girl who earned trust and admiration. But that shoplifting incident in middle school had ruined everything.
For Ichinose, enrolling in AN High School had felt like an escape.
But she never expected that her dark past would be exposed again.
During that painful time… it was Yukio who had stood by her side. Somehow, miraculously, he had a phone that could still connect with the outside world. And even more miraculously… someone like her had been forgiven.
All of it added up to one thing: a redemption for Ichinose—and deep within her heart, the image of Yukio was engraved, never to fade.
Since then, Ichinose had felt something subtle shift within her. She realized, vaguely… she had fallen for Yukio.
Sure, she'd always had everyone's trust and affection—but she'd never been in love before. She had no clue what to do. Every time her mind wandered there, embarrassment would overwhelm her, like her brain was about to catch fire. She could hardly even let herself think about it.
Yes—Ichinose, who always seemed strong, resilient, and confident, was, when it came to love, nothing more than a clueless little girl. She didn't even know how to convey her feelings to someone.
Fortunately, divine timing gave her a chance: February 14th—Valentine's Day.
If it was just about mustering the courage to give someone chocolate, Ichinose felt she could manage. But… would Yukio-kun truly feel the heart she'd put into it?
"?" Yukio pressed the elevator's open button and looked at her with mild confusion. "Not coming in?"
For some reason, Ichinose had zoned out just outside the elevator.
"Ah!"
Snapping out of it, she turned beet red and rushed inside. As the elevator doors closed and the tiny space held just the two of them, Ichinose bit her lip, summoning all her courage.
"Y-Yukio-kun!" she blurted, opening her bag. Slowly but with unwavering resolve, she pulled out a heart-shaped gift box.
Even Yukio was a little taken aback. Among all the chocolates he'd received yesterday and today—flat boxes, gift bags, envelopes—this was the first heart-shaped one.
In truth, the feelings Ichinose had wondered whether she could convey… had already been spelled out by the shape of the box itself.
"Ah… th-thank you."
Yukio calmed himself and accepted the chocolate, all while considering how to respond. Should he give her an answer right away? Or wait a little?
He wasn't the type to hide things. Just like he'd been upfront with Ibuki, Kushida, Kei, and even Hoshinomiya, he always clarified things when he could.
But… on a day like today, if Ichinose—so full of anticipation—heard the truth too abruptly, wouldn't it hurt her?
Thinking that, Yukio decided he should give her some space—some time to prepare.
"I'll give you my reply on March 14th, Ichinose," he said with a rare solemnity.
"!"
Ichinose flushed a bright red. Yukio-kun… had understood her feelings!
No wonder Japan's merchants were so clever. February's Valentine's Day urged girls to buy and give chocolate—then March's White Day had boys buying sweets in return. Double profit for the sellers.
But for young hearts, White Day wasn't just commercial. A return gift was a symbolic reply to the girl's feelings.
That's why Ichinose's face turned so red.
Would she succeed? That, she didn't know yet. But at the very least, she would wait for his answer in a month's time.
And the fact that Yukio had received her feelings… just that alone made her heart race, her cheeks burn, and made her want to run away immediately.
If she stayed by his side any longer, she was seriously going to catch fire.
...
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