You And I

Chapter 33: Valentines

Mei sat at her desk, resting her chin on her hand as the teacher droned on at the front of the class. Her mind, however, was far from the lesson. Valentine’s Day is almost here, she thought, biting her lip. Since Levi’s birthday already passed, I should give him something for Valentine's...

Her thoughts quickly drifted to the idea of chocolates. Maybe chocolates would be perfect. I know a bit about making chocolates, so it should be easy. She glanced over at Levi, who was sitting a few rows away, completely focused on the class—or at least it seemed that way.

Does this guy even like chocolate? Mei frowned slightly, realizing how little she actually knew about Levi’s preferences. I don’t know him that well yet… but he doesn’t seem picky. She shook her head, pushing the thoughts aside for now. Whatever. I’ll just think about it when I get home.

The bell rang, snapping Mei out of her thoughts. As everyone started packing their bags for lunch, she stole another quick glance at Levi, who was chatting with Ryan and Jane. I hope he likes it... she thought, feeling her cheeks warm slightly as she imagined his reaction.

"Ready to go?" Yvonne’s voice cut through Mei’s daydream, and she nodded quickly, trying to push away her flustered thoughts as they headed to the cafeteria. But in the back of her mind, the idea of Valentine's Day—and her secret plan—lingered.

Mei and Yvonne sat in the clubroom, enjoying their lunch together. The atmosphere was calm, but Mei was still lost in thought about Valentine's Day. Yvonne, as sharp as ever, noticed her friend's distant expression.

“So, what’s your plan for Valentine’s?” Yvonne asked casually, taking a bite of her sandwich.

Mei nearly choked on her food, startled by the sudden question. “W-Well…” she stammered, feeling a little flustered. “I really don’t know what he likes. I was thinking about giving him chocolate, but what if he doesn’t like it?”

Yvonne smirked, waving off Mei’s concerns. “Oh, trust me, he’ll like whatever you give him. Guys are desperate for a gift from a girl, especially on Valentine’s.”

Mei hesitated, her voice a bit unsure. “So… you think Levi will accept what I give him?”

Before Yvonne could respond, the door to the clubroom swung open, and Levi, Ryan, and Jane walked in. Mei froze, her heart skipping a beat.

Levi’s POV

I stepped into the clubroom, catching the tail end of their conversation. “Were you guys talking about me?” I asked, half-jokingly. “I could’ve sworn I heard my name.”

Mei’s face flushed as she quickly waved off my suspicion. “Uhh, no! You might’ve misheard it.”

I raised an eyebrow, but let it slide. "Alright, if you say so." Ryan and Jane took their usual spots as we all settled in for lunch. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was up, though. Mei seemed more nervous than usual. But then again, maybe it was just me overthinking things.

I shrugged and joined in the conversation with the others, while Mei sat quietly, sneaking glances my way.

Mei’s POV

After class, I rushed home, determined to get started on my Valentine’s plan. I stopped by the store to pick up ingredients—flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and some extras for flavor. The whole walk home, my mind was racing. Would Levi like what I make for him?

As soon as I got home, I headed straight to the kitchen and started working on the cupcakes. I decided on making three of them, symbolizing “I love you,” hoping Levi would somehow pick up on the meaning. The kitchen filled with the sweet aroma of chocolate as they baked, and when they were done, I couldn’t help but smile at how perfect they looked. They tasted amazing too, just the right balance of sweetness.