Velithra didn't expect much from Valentine's Day.
She told herself it was just another day. Overhyped. Overdone. Too many red decorations and loud confessions in the hallway.
Still… when she opened her locker that morning, a folded piece of paper slipped out.
Her heart jumped.
It wasn't glittery.It wasn't dramatic.
It was Kai's handwriting.
Meet me after school. Same place.Don't overthink it.
She smiled immediately at the last line.
After school, the campus buzzed with energy—bouquets being passed around, friends teasing each other, couples posing for pictures.
Velithra walked toward their usual quiet spot behind the building.
Kai was already there.
He wasn't holding flowers.
He wasn't holding a giant teddy bear.
He was holding a small brown paper bag.
"You look nervous," she said, stepping closer.
"I am," he admitted.
That made her laugh softly. "Why?"
"Because I didn't want to do something cliché," he said. "But I also didn't want to do nothing."
He handed her the bag.
Inside was a simple bookmark. Handmade. Pressed inside the clear laminate was a small dried flower.
Velithra blinked. "You made this?"
"Yeah," he rubbed the back of his neck. "You're always losing your page."
She stared at it, fingers tracing the edge carefully.
It wasn't expensive.
It wasn't flashy.
It was thoughtful.
"I didn't get you anything," she said quietly.
Kai shook his head. "You don't have to."
She looked up at him then, something steady in her expression.
"I did, actually."
From her sleeve, she pulled out a folded strip of paper.
He unfolded it slowly.
It wasn't a poem.
It wasn't dramatic.
Just a list.
Things I like about you:
1. You don't rush me.
2. You listen fully.
3. You stay.
4. You make ordinary days feel lighter.
5. You don't make me feel like I'm too much or not enough.
Kai read it twice.
His voice came out softer than usual. "You wrote this?"
She nodded. "I didn't want to buy something random."
He looked at her like she'd handed him something fragile and important.
"This is better than anything in a store," he said quietly.
They stood there, the world buzzing somewhere far away.
Velithra tilted her head slightly. "So… no big romantic speech?"
Kai smiled faintly. "No."
He stepped closer instead.
Slowly.
Carefully.
And kissed her.
Gentle. Warm. Certain.
When they pulled back, neither of them felt swept away.
They felt grounded.
"Happy Valentine's Day," he murmured.
Velithra smiled. "Happy nothing-grand day."
And somehow, that made it perfect.