La Douleur Exquise

♥ Third

『third person's point of view』

"Did you forget all the plans that you made with me?
'Cause baby, I didn't."

『three years ago』

The sky was as blue and clear as you could hardly see any of those puffy white clouds pass by. The breeze was soft and refreshing and often danced with the leaves and flowers that fell from a nearby tree or a nearby beautiful cherry blossom. 

The cherry blossom season will soon peak, and that time will come sooner than later. The month of March has arrived, which is when it is officially the start of the spring season in Japan. 

Even though many people were anticipating the important events that would occur this year for them, they still felt a little anxious now that it was closer and felt more real than ever.

After all, March is also the time for goodbyes in Japan, where the school year ends on the last day.

Once the fateful day comes, it will undoubtedly be quite an emotional day for many students, especially those who are going to graduate and those who will have to part with the people they have considered friends for some time.

The students who studied in the high school section of the Tōtsuki Culinary Academy are proud that they're about to graduate and have every right to be, but they are still not letting their guard down. It wouldn't be a surprise if they got expelled a day or even an hour before the Graduation Ceremony. After all, they are talking about the Tōtsuki Culinary Academy.

As for the students who studied in the middle school section, most of them felt mixed emotions. They're happy and relieved to get out of middle school finally, but at the same time, they're anxious and worried about whether they'll make it to the high school section.

Not all of them, though.

A lad with rainy white medium-length hair glanced at the lass beside him with his icy white eyes. They were sitting in the dining room while eating dishes he cooked. She was enjoying his food which made him smile. Although he is worried about whether she was comfortable with the chair she was sitting on or whether the light was too bright or too dim and whatnot. 

As usual, he didn't voice it out, knowing that the said girl would laugh at him and murmur things before returning to what she was doing. It usually wouldn't reassure him, but whenever it came from her, he didn't feel the urge to doubt her words.

About three more weeks, and they'll graduate from middle school, and thankfully, the lad was able to get back to his parent's home and visit his dear friend since he's staying somewhere else while he's studying at the academy.

The lass quickly finished her dish and was delighted with her full and happy tummy. She started talking about how amazed she was with his food which he ignored since he admired how adorable the girl was while animatedly talking about something she liked.

He knew it was totally out of his character, but he didn't care, or, to be more accurate, he didn't question it as long as it happens when she's around.

"A-chan, do you remember our promise?" he asked when he noticed she had already stopped talking and was staring directly at his eyes. She smiled when she heard his question and asked.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, we're going to... you know. It'll happen soon, and I'm not sure if the dates will overlap, but if it will, then-"

"Don't worry. I already checked. The ceremonies are not going to be on the same day."

"Then we'll get to exchange our buttons?"

"Right. We'll exchange during your graduation!"

"I'll be looking forward to it."

On the day of the middle school students' graduation from the Tōtsuki Culinary Academy, you can hear either boisterous laughter or uncontrollable sniffles and sobs here and there. They were delighted to be out of the middle school section, but thinking about the high school section sure makes them feel mixed emotions.

Most parents and close friends who didn't study in the same school were happy for the students they knew, and they all intended to celebrate together once the graduation ceremony ended.

Well, the majority of them. One female quickly ran away from the area, leaving nothing but a vague message to her parents and his parents. Her fist tightened around the button she was holding, hoping it was his instead of hers.

But his button already belonged to a pretty lady with scarlet hair, glimmering yellow eyes, and cat-like features. And he was missing-

"The second button[1]!"

『ρяєѕєηт тιмє』

The girl gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. It was an unpleasant memory she didn't want to remember, but it was her fault for asking herself that question in the first place. 

Her memories contained a lot of times when she avoided him, and she was successful for a week only since their parents couldn't take the lad's pessimistic attitude, which worsened when she ignored him. Hence, they locked them up together in a room and told them to make up or else.

He asked her about their promise, but she ignored it and talked about other things. Eventually, he let it go, but she didn't miss the disappointment he displayed for a moment. Since then, they didn't talk about the buttons. She seriously didn't want to talk about how he confessed his love to that pretty lady.

Coincidentally, her male friend mentioned the said pretty lady earlier, which irritated her and made her mutter a swear under her breath. Seriously? Will she continue to torture herself like that?

A hundred percent.

Before she could stop, she sent a message to the lad still in her mind.

["Can I still fulfill that promise?"]

[1] In one of my very brief research, it said that in Japan, on the day of the graduation ceremony, giving the second button of your school uniform to someone is equal to a heartfelt confession of your love to the person you gave it to. Giving it to someone conveys the message that you think of them as the person most precious to you.