CH#297

#297

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The same path, the same scenery, students wearing the same uniform moving in the same direction. However, if there is something different than usual, it would be the restlessness and unease among male students and the tense expressions mixed among the female students.

The reason is simple, yet complicated. Expectations and anxieties about receiving chocolates, worries about whether they can give them or if they will be accepted.

 

Most students are optimistic if they already have a partner or if they simply consider this event irrelevant to them.

Looking at the students of the same school early in the morning, my brain works well, probably because I’ve already consumed an excess of family love and sugar from the early morning. Additionally, I’ve taken in a considerable amount of caffeine, so drowsiness has flown away somewhere around Kyushu. <BBX: The southernmost 3^rd of the 4 largest islands of Japan, context meaning: far away>

On the way to school, I felt like I saw a familiar brown-haired guy surrounded by multiple female students, getting attention. Let’s pretend I didn’t see that, but I won’t forget to leak the information to Miyashita after arriving at school.

It’s good to expose yourself to those freezing eyes.

 

Normally, my childhood friend would be next to me, chatting happily, but today the commute felt especially quiet.

Shizuku had already gone to school, busy with the final preparations with Miura. Considering only today, it’s good that it’s quiet—no jealous looks from boys.

 

Casually, I walk the familiar path for about thirty minutes. As I bring the familiar main gate into view, I simultaneously spot a student standing in front of it.

I can’t help but let out a wry smile at her calmly standing figure. Why hasn’t she changed at all?

As I approach the main gate, she notices and greets me with a gentle smile.

 

“Good morning, Shinra.”

 

“President… Good morning.”

 

The person exchanging greetings with the students in front of the main gate is Hiiragi Akane, the former student council president. There are no armbands on her arms, and since today is not an activity day, there is no sign of the student council next to her.

However, her figure is engraved in the consciousness of not only me but many students as an ordinary part of everyday life.

Even so…

 

“…It feels strangely nostalgic.”

 

About three months have passed since she resigned as the president during the cultural festival. Although everyone thinks it’s a normal sight, it might not be a mistake to feel strangely nostalgic.

The third-year students are already in the free commuting period. Most of the classes have finished, leaving only preparations for the graduation ceremony.

Therefore, seeing third-year students has become rare these days. Yet, she is standing in front of the main gate in the morning as if it were the most natural thing to do.

 

“Oh, really? Well, I did come to greet you this morning while waiting for you.”

 

“Did you, by any chance, send a message or something…?”

 

“No, I didn’t specifically inform you. But you should understand the reason given today, right?”

 

“Ah…”

 

Valentine’s Day.

A slightly embarrassed feeling welled up within me.

Considering I had just experienced what would be presented afterward, it felt a bit awkward.

President picked up her bag placed beside the main gate, turned around, and spoke.

 

“Well then… It’s embarrassing for me too. Come over here for a moment.”

 

“President also experiences embarrassment?”

 

“Even I am just an ordinary girl, you know.”

 

Looking around, she pointed to a spot not too crowded with students and grabbed the sleeve of my uniform, leading me there.

As I unintentionally let out my true feelings, the president blushed slightly and said, “Well…”

 

Ahem Ahem.

Covering her mouth and deliberately letting out a forced cough, the president carefully took out the anticipated item from her bag.

Then, lifting it in front of her chest without blushing this time, she declared.

 

“Now, once again, it’s Valentine’s chocolate. I made it especially for you, so I want you to accept it.”

 

“…But there are two?”

 

“There are two.”

 

The raised arm holds two chocolates—meaning, two in total right in front of me.

It was inevitable for me to ask one thing.

 

“So, you mean I should choose one?”

 

“No, one is for me. So, Shinra, choose which one you want.”

 

“This seems like a difficult question to handle early in the morning…”

 

Naturally, I think it’s okay to accept both if two are offered. However, President said that would be wrong in this case.

One is for herself, and the other is for me.

 

What kind of predicament is this…

It feels like an excessively difficult problem, especially for the morning.

Certainly, having overdosed on sugar and caffeine from early in the morning doesn’t mean I can answer challenging questions.

Or perhaps, is the complexity and intricacy of a maiden’s heart like this?

 

…I’m troubled because I can’t understand President’s intention.

Staring intently at the two chocolates, I was about to ask President, who looked delighted, what she meant.

 

“One is homemade, and the other is a store-bought one chosen considering your taste. Which one would you choose if I said that?”

 

“I think using the same paper bag for both with identical appearances is a bit evil.”

 

“I’m enjoying seeing what kind of reaction and answer you come up with, so it’s not wrong.”

 

Both in identical light blue paper bags.

With President’s words, the answer transformed into something even more challenging and intricate.

The chestnut-colored hair shining in the morning sun, along with that sly smile, irritated me for a moment.

 

…I wanted to change that overly composed expression even just a little.

In the brief moment, numerous choices floated and disappeared in my mind, repeating the process.

All of them seemed within President’s expectations, easily returned like marking answers on an exam sheet.

So, I changed my thinking to a slightly twisted perspective.

 

“…Is any choice acceptable?”

 

“Refusing isn’t an option; even this would hurt.”

 

“Don’t say such things… Then…”

 

In the instant I received the two bags offered by the president with both hands, I felt the temperature of her skin through the touch.

Her fingertips were cold, probably having waited for quite a while in front of the main gate.

Given my irregular commuting time, President must have had no choice but to patiently wait, thinking ahead.

If only she had sent a message…

 

But thinking that I shouldn’t say such things, I refrained from expressing that sentiment.

Holding the handed paper bags, I thought about such things. Then, I offered a bag to President in the same way.

 

“Here.”

 

“…What’s this?”

 

Suppressing a grin that was about to appear, I replied. Obviously, it wasn’t meant as a return gift.

 

“You choose, President. Which one will you give to me?”

 

“Hmm… I see what you’re doing.”

 

“If it comes to being sly, I won’t lose either.”

 

If one is homemade and the other is store-bought, it’s only natural for the maiden’s heart to want to hand over the homemade one.

So, if I throw the choice back to the president, she would naturally keep the store-bought one for herself and give me the homemade one.

 

And then, President would undoubtedly enjoy watching me struggle to decide which one is homemade.

After all, considering her admiration for Kirasaka, who she treats like a real sister, she must possess a similar playful side.

Well, I also want to try the chocolate President has prepared.

 

“Of course, for Shinra—”

 

“Wait, President, you’re not going back on what you said earlier, are you?”

 

“…?”

 

President changed her sly smile to a surprisingly puzzled expression. Finally, she puffed out her cheeks slightly in frustration. She seemed about to correct herself, but I immediately added a provoking remark.

If a younger boy says something like that, cheeks tend to puff up even more.

 

…Well, there’s no need to get that upset.

I don’t want to accept store-bought goods on this occasion either.

Besides, it’s okay if my turn continues a bit longer. After all, these situations rarely occur, given that it’s often the turns of the women around me.

Quietly observing me, President slowly pointed to the paper bag in my right hand, as if resigning herself to something. Then, she muttered in a small voice.

 

“This one…”

 

“…Well then, I’ll gratefully accept it. Since it’s a rare chance, I’d like to try President’s homemade chocolate.”

 

Perfect. Everything went smoothly.

This might be the first time my strategy worked straightforwardly against President.

I’ll savour this chocolate properly and make sure to express my thoughts and give a return gift on White Day.

 

However, since I can only manage something like boiling water and three-minute cooking, the return gift might end up being store-bought. Please overlook that.

As I was about to express my gratitude to the president and put the bag into my bag, she muttered with a slightly sulky tone.

 

“…Both are homemade. You’re so dense.”

 

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<Author-san> : Next is Kirasaka’s turn.

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