"This is the last stop for today."
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Yukio walked toward the school infirmary. By this time, the campus was deserted.
Couples were either out spending money at Keyaki Mall, taking advantage of Valentine's Day sales and enjoying their romantic dates—or they had found some secluded corner of the school for… well, we all know what.
As for the singles? Naturally, they'd retreated to the safety of their dorms. Days like this, heading to the mall only meant getting emotionally steamrolled by couples. Staying in was the smarter option.
Yukio's reason for coming to the infirmary after his student council duties was simple: to receive one final piece of chocolate.
Compared to surprises like Ichinose's, chocolates from people like Shiina or Ibuki were the ones Yukio had actually expected. And of course, he couldn't leave out Hoshinomiya.
Without knocking, he pushed open the infirmary door—and there she was, sprawled out like a dried fish on the desk, head turned sideways as she binge-watched drama on her phone.
Yukio chuckled. "Still the same as ever, Hoshinomiya-sensei."
"Hmm?" Hoshinomiya glanced over and immediately made a strange face. Why was this brat here? Could it be… he really came to ask me for Valentine's chocolate?
She voiced the thought immediately. Ever since the special training camp, Hoshinomiya had been feeling oddly off inside. She wanted to see more of Yukio—but knew it wasn't appropriate, so she kept those feelings buried deep and refused to indulge them.
But now that he was suddenly in front of her again, her expression softened, blooming like a lotus bathed in pure water—graceful and fragrant, gently swaying in the pond breeze. "What's wrong? Sick again?"
"Can't I come if I'm not sick?" Yukio asked playfully, pulling up a chair without hesitation and sitting beside her.
The abrupt closeness flustered Hoshinomiya. She didn't even know why. She was supposed to be the one in control—the adult. The one with the upper hand.
But in front of this boy ten years her junior, she suddenly felt like she couldn't take the lead at all.
The proximity made her heart beat wildly. Blood surged to her cheeks. What the hell is this?! Getting this close all of a sudden? Isn't that way too direct?!
Maybe because she was frustrated at losing her usual control, she puffed out her cheeks in an uncharacteristically girlish pout. "Of course you don't need to be in the infirmary if you're not sick! What's there to treat if you're perfectly fine?!"
Yukio didn't mind her little rant one bit, nor did he want to waste time on such a boring topic. He cut straight to the point.
"So, where's my chocolate?"
"Huh?" Hoshinomiya's eyes widened instantly. This brat really did come to demand Valentine's chocolate?
Wait—didn't that mean… he'd been thinking about me all along?
Hehe… but of course!
She knew it! How could a little brat like him possibly resist her big-sister charm? What now? She was even kind of delighted deep down!
Recovering quickly from her surprise, she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, exuding the calm elegance of an experienced older woman.
"Ahem… don't get the wrong idea, Yukio-kun," she said coolly. "That chocolate from the special training camp? That was just a reward because you crushed Class D so thoroughly."
"After that reward, there's no connection between us anymore. So don't go thinking there's going to be more rewards or chocolates!"
"Of course, I'm not some heartless woman either. If you keep hammering down Sae-chan and going after Class D with that same energy, I might reserve a few more rewards for you in the future."
"Oh? Really nothing?" Yukio leaned in with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "That's odd… I made a point to ask around and heard Hoshinomiya-sensei was still hanging around the infirmary. That's why I came."
"..." Instantly, Hoshinomiya realized she'd slipped.
Her words had sounded clear enough… but wasn't she, deep down, hoping Yukio would actually show up?
If not, why else would she still be here?
She, of all people—Hoshinomiya the slacker, the fish-out-of-water who watched shows at work—was still in the infirmary long after classes and club activities had ended?
Yukio had seen right through her, and that's exactly why his gaze held so much mischief—it was like her words were saying "no," but her actions were being very honest.
Hoshinomiya blushed deeply but wasn't about to concede so easily. She pouted in mock girlish defiance. "Yukio-kun, you're overthinking. I just thought the drama I was watching was too good to stop, so I wanted to finish the episode before heading back to the staff dorm."
"Pffft." Yukio couldn't help but chuckle.
A slacker like her? Even if she loved dramas, she'd be far more comfortable watching them at home after work. No way she'd stay behind in her office just to binge-watch.
It's not like she was playing games on the school's computer and had to stay late to avoid getting caught.
Of course, Hoshinomiya herself knew her excuse wouldn't fool anyone. Like a sulky girl who'd been caught red-handed, she pouted and muttered under her breath, "Fine, fine. It's not like anything's ever gonna happen between us anyway, so stop thinking weird stuff, Yukio-kun!"
"And why not?" Yukio's eyes still danced with teasing light, like a hunter slowly tightening the noose on prey that had fallen into his trap, step by step pressing toward the heart of Hoshinomiya's denial.
"Do I really have to say it?" she snapped, no longer bothering to play coy. "Age. Status. Public perception. All of it. These things matter, okay?"
Yes, ever since the special training camp, Hoshinomiya had frequently found herself wanting to see Yukio more, to talk and laugh with him, even imagining what it'd be like to be pinned under his bod—but she always held herself back.
Because real life wasn't so simple. There were things you had to face—tons of annoying, complicated realities. It wasn't just about what you wanted.
Her age, their roles, how society would never accept such a relationship—these were all reasons she couldn't take even a single step forward.
As an adult already immersed in the real world, she understood better than any student how resistant society could be to such things.
But Yukio?
To him, none of those problems actually were problems. He wasn't your average high school student. "You should trust me, Hoshinomiya-sensei. I can handle all of that easily."
"…"
Outwardly, Hoshinomiya gave no response—but inside, her heart wavered.
Why did this damn brat sound so convincing when he said stuff like that? And why was it so… attractive?
Still, reason kicked in. No matter how charming Yukio was, he couldn't change the way society worked.
"Yukio-kun… have you ever heard the saying?" she asked, looking at him seriously. "You can't hold onto sand. It'll only slip through your fingers."
It was a metaphor for fated separation—some people simply weren't meant to be together.
Yukio raised an eyebrow, amused. Wasn't that one of those ancient status messages people used to put on their profiles?
"'If you can't hold the sand, might as well scatter it to the wind?" he replied, quoting the old phrase.
"Exactly!" Hoshinomiya beamed as if glad he understood, but her smile lacked sincerity.
Seriously? Scatter me?Am I really that insignificant? Not even worth holding onto? Damn brat… I was just being metaphorical! You're not seriously going to toss me aside like a handful of sand, are you?
"But I don't see it that way," Yukio said firmly, leaning in again. "Other people might scatter sand, sure. But me? If I want to hold onto sand, I'll just add some water to it—clump it up into a lump. That way, I can hold it as long as I want, and it won't slip away."
Just as Hoshinomiya was reflecting on the oddly poetic logic of his words, she realized something was creeping up her thighs—
"Wait, THIS is how you're 'wetting' it?! You call this not slipping away?! I'm practically going numb over here, you know?!"
In the end, Yukio still got what he came for.
The handmade chocolate Hoshinomiya had secretly prepared long ago ended up in his hands, just as he'd planned.
...
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