Chapter 4: Valentines

Valentines Day

A month has passed since the start of the school year. February, the month of love and also known as the ‘Mating Season’. That’s right, two days from now would be Valentine’s Day.

“Should I make some chocolate for…”

Sakura blink while thinking. “Argh!” Scratch her head out of frustration. “What’s wrong with you Sakura, You’re already 17 yet still love ******?” Can’t you find a decent boyfriend for yourself? A love ****** for 17 years, amazing huh. Oh well I can just make some and give to my family and friends. One for Mama, one for Papa, one for big brother and another one for Akane.

Should I give some to the prince and the knight? Would they want it? Usually they would get a lot of chocolates on that day. Let’s google some recipes and head to the grocery store first.”

At the nearest supermarket downtown.“Hmm… lets see, I need 100g of dark bittersweet chocolate, 50ml heavy cream and cocoa powder”. It should be at the baking section. “Ah here it is. Wow, the racks are almost empty”. Thankfully I got the last chocolate bar.

“Hei did you see that guy? So handsome. Too bad he's already taken. What a cute couple they are \~”, two ladies giggle behind me. Me being curious like a cat took a peek at the couple they were talking about.

“Huh, isn’t that Akane and Kirigaya-kun?. What are they doing here?” I decide to spy on them for a while. “They look like they are having a fun time together.” Saw Kirigaya putting his hand behind Akane. “Hmm, they're intimate too”. Are both of them actually going out? Look, they are entering a chocolate shop...

A person's hand touched my shoulder, startled me at the same time. “Hei! What are you doing, Sakura?, He whispered to my ear.

“Kyaaa!” I screamed.

“Shhh! Calm down, it's me, Eiji.”

Fuwh, it's just you Eiji-san,”I sigh . “P-please don't do that again Eiji-san, you gave me a heart attack there.”

“Sorry, it's my fault,'' he said with both hands in the air. “So why are you hiding behind the tree Sakura. Are you spying on someone?” Eiji looked around trying to find what I was looking at.

I can't let him know what I’m doing. What if their secret is out. But what if he already knows. No, I need to prevent this.

“No! No! It’s n-nothing! N-nothing at all. I was just a-admiring the texture of this t-tree. Haha. This tree sure is strong. It’s been here s-since I was little. Haha”, I replied.

What a lame excuse you got there, smacking myself internally. No reply from him. I looked up and saw him looking behind me. Not blinking, staring straight ahead. I guess he saw them. I turned around and saw both of them.It seems that Akane and Kirigaya-kun are about to leave the shop. We both stood in silence and fell lost in thought.

“U-umm are you okay Eiji-san”, no reply. “Eiji-san! Eiji-san!”, i said while waving my hand in front of him.” EIJI-SAN!”I scream louder.

“Huh, yes what was you asking again?”, he said.

“I said, are you okay, Eiji-san?”. “What makes you think I am not okay. I’m alright. I’m fine\~, Why would I not be fine”, he replied with cheeky grins .

But he doesn’t seem alright to me. I have known about his feelings towards Akane for some time. He tried to mask it, but I can see it, he really likes Akane. He always builds a wall around himself so that he won't hurt her trying to protect their friendship. I looked at him with pity eyes.

“Ouch! It hurts”, placing my hand on my chest not knowing, myself falls in the same situation.

2 days later… Good morning mama and papa!, kissed them on the cheek. “Here for both of you”, I handed out a box of homemade chocolate I made myself last night.

“Thank you darling!”, my parents were happy to receive mine.

My brother came down yawning. “Here’s yours brother,” I threw the box at him. “Can’t you be a little bit more nicer sis. Geez no wonder your single”, he said

“What did you just say!”, I said

“Want to challenge me, fat cat?”, he replied.

“What was that stupid giraffe!”, we start to bicker.

“I bet it doesn’t even taste good”, he said.

Brother opens the box, “wow it doesn’t even look edible sis, I pray for the guy that accepts your chocolate hope not be poisoned”, while shaking his head.

Smack!, brother was hit by mom in the head. “Stop bullying your sister, now go to school.” Serves him right, haha.

I was almost in front of the school gate when Akane greeted me from behind.

“Sakura, Wait for me!”, Akane rushed to me.

” Good morning Akane”, I smiled.

Suddenly flashback images of Akane and Kirigaya-kun together inside a chocolate shop that day crossed my mind.

“Sakura? Sakura-chan? SAKURA-CHAN!”, Akane called me.

“Huh? Y-yes? What were you saying?”

“Geez pay attention will you? she said, “did you bring any chocolates today?”.

“Ah, yes I did. Here for you Akane”, I handed a box of chocolate to her.

“Aww thank you my baby\~ Here one for you too”.

“Thank you Akane”.

“Eh there’s another three boxes inside your bag. Who is it for Sakura\~?”, she wink at me.

“W-What is up with that face, Akane. I m-made too much so I b-brought it with me”.

“Come on\~ tell me please\~”, Akane begged .

“Fine. One is for me, the second is for…, Woah!”

Before I got to the end of my sentence, I was falling down because someone pushed me to the side by the shoulder. Luckily someone was there to support me. I’m sorry and thank you, I said to my saviour.

“You’re welcome. Be Careful next time”, he said and left.

I notice A cherry blossom keychain on the ground and pick it up. Did he drop this? “Hey w-wait!”, but he was already gone.

“Kyaa! Kirigaya-sama! Takeshi-sama! My Prince! Knight-san! Kyaaa!”, fangirls screaming.

“Take mine please”A-girl said.

“No. Take mine”,B-girl said.

“I love you”, C-girl,said.

Wow the girls are at war today, huh, both of us looking at them bewildered. I don't think I'll be able to give mine to them.

“Yosh! I will definitely give my chocolate to him today!”, said Akane enthusiastically.

So she’s going to confess to Kirigaya-kun today,I thought. “ Goodluck Akane-chan”, I said.

Let’s head inside. We both take a deep breath, hold each other's hands and prepare ourselves. We both give each other nodding signs it means let’s go. We march together step by step, hand in hand, passing through the obstacle into the swarm of people. I can barely make out the figure of the prince and the knight as we walk through the crazy fangirls. Boy, they are going to have a rough day today.

Finally we reach our class. “Fuwh, I felt like we were having a marathon”. I walked to my seat and I saw a bunch of chocolates on my seatmate's desk. The power of the prince. No surprises there. It happens every year. How on earth he will finish eating all these chocolates.

BAAM! Someone slammed the door. It’s the prince and the knight. Kirigaya walked to his seat in a bad mood with Eiji following happily behind.

“Come on Haru-chan be a man, don't be so grumpy. Look at all the chocolates you have, you should be happy and thankful,”Eiji said.

“You’re the one to talk”, said Haru, seeing the chocolates piled up on Eiji’s desk too but just a tad bit less than his .

“Help me get rid of these”, Haru commands Eiji in a cold tone.

“Yes sir!”, Eiji helped to put all the chocolates inside a bag.

Seeing his dark aura and his cold voice sends shivers down my spine. There is no way I’m giving him mine now bringing a box of chocolates with me that I made myself last night. I stand up to help Eiji carry the bags of chocolates to their locker.

I also shyly hand out a box of chocolates to Eiji at the same time wishing him happy Valentine’s Day with a smile. Eiji smiled brightly and gave me a big friendly hug, lifting me up in the air.

“You’re an angel Sakura-chan, thank you!”, he said.

It was so embarrassing that I had to cover my face with the bags of chocolates. I hurriedly left the place and ran towards the locker room. How can he be so carefree, what if people misunderstood us. But I’m glad he is not feeling down.

When I reached back to my seat, Kirigaya-san aura looked 10 times worse than before. Seeing there are still a lot of fangirls waiting outside, it must be because of them, I thought.

I quietly walk to my seat and face myself away from him. He is too scary to look at right now. Please pass the time faster, I plead in my heart. I don't think I can concentrate in this kind of environment and my neck is killing me. Trying hard not to look at her right. The fangirls are glaring at her because she’s seating beside the prince.

Ring!, the school bell rang signalling recess time. I heard him stand up and walk out from the class. I told Akane that I won't be having lunch with her today because I need to find that guy from this morning to return back his keychain.

As I climb up the stairs, someone blocks my way. It is Mirei Yuki, the princess of the school, ranked 2nd place next to Kirigaya-san.

“You’re Kiritani-san right?”, she asked with a sweet voice.

“Y-Yes that is me. Is there anything y-you want from me?” I asked.

“Can you help me with something, Sakura-chan?. I really need your help and you’re the only one who can do it”, she asked.

“S-Sure what is it?”, i asked.

“Well can you help me give my chocolate to Haru? He seems to be in a pretty bad mood and I don't want to make it worse. Since you are sitting right next to him can you pass this for me please? Pretty please?”, she begged.

“Umm... I don't know what to say. I'm scared of him too. I don't think I can do it”, I said.

“But you are friends with him right? Or does he hate you like his fangirls?”, Mirei said.

“I-i don't think he hates me that much but we're not that close either, we are…?”, I was pondering what kind of relationship we have.

“So you’re just a seatmate? Like an acquaintance or like a stranger to him?”, Mirei said innocently. Ouch! She has a pretty face but bad mouth.

“Something like that, ha ha”, I replied.

“Oh come on just this once please, do me a favour as a friend?”,Mirei uses her secret weapon, The Doey Eyes technique.

Me being a pushover as always I agreed. “Okay, I will hand it to him”.

“Thank you very much, bestie! Oh and don't forget to tell him it's Honmei chocolate, not obligatory chocolate, okay”. “Thanks, see you!”

As she waved me goodbye leaving only a box of chocolate wrap in a red glitter paper sealed with golden satin ribbon.

I was walking down the hallway, on the way back to the classroom when suddenly I accidentally bump into something hard but soft?

“Ouch!”, my butt hurt from falling onto the ground.

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention”, he said.

He help me stand up and apologise again.

“Oh, it’s you?. I remember, you are the girl who bump into me this morning am i right?” He asked.

“Y-yes that is me. T-thank you and s-sorry for bumping into you this morning and again”, I said.

I can't see it but I am pretty sure my face is glowing red right now. Somehow it feels very hot over here.

“Oh right I forgot. Here I think this is yours”, I said, showing him the sakura keychain.

“That is mine, I’ve been looking for it all over the place. Thank you”, he said with a sweet smile.

“Your welcome”, I smiled.

I noticed that he was not wearing any tie. “So which year are you from?” I asked him.

Side note: Each student tier was identified by the colour stripes of their neckties. Yellow for the first year,green for second year, followed by purple, blue,red and black accordingly.

“Oh that’s right I haven’t introduced myself, my name is Matsunaga Shiro, an interim teacher. Nice to meet you and you are?”, he asked while extending his hand for a hand shake.

“My name is Kiritani Sakura, final year student. Nice to meet you Matsunaga sensei”, I shake his hand as well.

Such a lovely child he thought. Remembering that she needs to give Kirigaya the red box of chocolate from Mirei just now.

“Umm, I have some matters to do sensei. I am sorry but I need to leave now. Here for you sensei as an apology for today”. I gave him a box of chocolate that I made myself. Goodbye sensei!

A shadow figure can be seen standing by the hallway spying at their conversation secretly. Tch, clenching his fist tight.

Reaching the classroom I head to my seat. “Eh, Kirigaya-kun is not in yet?”. He must be hiding from his fangirls. I will wait for him to come back.

Unfortunately, until the end of school day he did not show up. “What kind of a president skips classes until the end of school day?”. I asked Eiji-san if he knew where his whereabouts were.

“Hmm... let’s see the last time I saw him is at the student council meeting room. We were given a lot of orders and reports from him. He is torturing us until we cannot feel our limbs anymore!”. Showing his trembling hands like Parkinson’s disease with fake tears falling down his face, him being dramatic as always.

I slowly glide myself out from the classroom as I leave Eiji-san in Akane-chan's hands. “I will try checking the student council room just in case if he is still in there”.

I knock the door before coming in. No one answered. I opened the door slowly and peeked inside. The room was quite dim because the curtains were closed.

“Hmm… it's quiet in here but the air conditioning is on. Did someone forget to switch it off?”.

So I walked into the room to find the remote console.

“Who’s there?” A hoarse muffled voice coming from behind the sofa.

A figure stirred under the blanket on the sofa.

“Huh, its you”, he said with a hoarse voice while moaning.

“I am sorry for disturbing your sleep, Kirigaya-kun. I h-have something to give you”.

“Hn”, he nodded.

“H-here for you”, I handed him the red box of chocolates from Mirei.

“For me?”, he asked.

“Y-yes”, I said with a nervous voice. He grab it.

“Obligatory or honmei?”, he said while looking at me straight in the eyes.

“S-she said it is h-honmei chocolates”, I answered.

“She? Who’s she?”, he asked.

“M-mirei Yuki-san from the class n-next door, s-she wants me to h-hand in these chocolates to you”, I stuttered.

“Tch, so you are giving me chocolate from someone else?!”, he was so pissed.

My feet were rooted on the ground as I trembled in fear.

“I...I was just doing a f-favour for her,'' I said, bowing my head, too afraid to face him.

“So you would just do anything that people ask you to do? Even if they ask you to crawl on the ground to not get themselves dirty? Or are you the type who really likes to give chocolates to every guy in school?!, he growled at me.

My eyebrow lowered and knitted together in anger.

“W-what?”, I said.

“Yes that’s right I saw you just now giving him chocolates and a keychain to that guy at the staircase”, he said enraged. “What a playgirl”, he said.

Slap! My hand gave his cheeks a big fat high 5 leaving a red mark on his face. Shortened breath due to anger and the sudden use of adrenaline, my hands shaking from the event that happened. That’s right, I Kiritani Sakura just slapped Kirigaya Haru, the prince, On-The-Face.

My sight was blurred by my tears.

“How can you say that?”, I said while trying to control tears from falling down.

“I thought I wanted to give it to you today but I guessed I was wrong. You’re not worthy of it. I HATE YOU!

I threw my last box of chocolate on his face and ran out heading back home. Such a stupid jerk. Who does he think he is? Just because he was in a bad mood he wants to throw his anger on me. After all this time, how could he treat me like that.

“I HATE HIM!

Don’t cry Sakura, trying to calm myself down”. “Your tears are not worth it for him”, wiping hay tears away.

On the other side of the road, Akane and Eiji saw Sakura crying while coming out from the school gate. “What happened?”, they both ask each other. Akane called Sakura for her attention but unfortunately she was too far away to hear her. “It’s okay, let's talk to her tomorrow”, Eiji said trying to comfort Akane not to be worried.

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