In honor of Valentine's day
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ne, Kotoha... is your special project finished yet?"
Hanaori Kotoha blushed as she looked over towards her friend, Shiraishi Mako, who was looking at her with a wide smile. It was one of the few times that the two girls would be able to be alone before they would be joined by their other friends. Kotoha shook her head as she clutched the paper bag she was holding closer against her chest.
"But Kotoha! Today's Valentine's day!" Mako reminded her.
"I know that, but I haven't finished it still..." Kotoha opened the bag and saw her project underneath the giri -choco that she was going to give out today. "It's mostly done I think."
"Okay then," Mako nodded as she turned her gaze forward.
"What about you, Mako-chan?" Kotoha asked the other girl.
Mako focused her gaze even more forward if it was possible. "What do you mean?"
"I'm asking about your chocolate for Takeru," Kotoha said with an innocent look on her face.
Mako looked at her own hands, which were holding a red and pink wrapped box which held her chocolates for Shiba Takeru. Having grown up together, Mako had always known him best, and it wasn't until recently that the two had come clean with their feelings for each other.
"It's done," she said firmly, casting aside her self-doubt. "I'm sure that it'd edible at least," she added as an afterthought, recalling her previous disasters with cooking.
"All your food is edible, Mako-chan!" Kotoha assured her.
"Oii!" A trio of boys waited at the corner, with the youngest looking of them waving energetically towards them. "Nee-san! Kotoha!"
Mako leaned over to Kotoha, "I hope you can find some way to give it to Chiaki today," she whispered to the younger girl.
"I'll be fine," Kotoha nodded, burying her face in her scarf. "I think."
She braved herself and followed Mako over to the boys, "Good morning," she greeted them.
"Morning, Kotoha!" The one who was waving, Tani Chiaki, answered back immediately. "What's in the bag?" he asked her.
"Oh, right!" Kotoha stopped and opened her bag quickly, snatching out the three chocolates that she had bought the day before. As she did so, a sleeve of her unfinished project flopped out. Embarrassed, she tucked it back in quickly before she turned back towards the boys. "Here you go! Happy Valentine's day!" she said as she passed out the chocolates to each of the boys.
"Thanks," mumbled Chiaki as he looked at the giri-choco, slightly crestfallen. Kotoha didn't notice anything as she walked merrily along the path to their school, leading the way. Chiaki and the other boy walked at a moderate pace in the middle, while Mako and Takeru brought up the rear.
"Ryuunosuke," Chiaki whispered to the other boy walking with him. "Did you see what Kotoha had in her bag?"
Ikenami Ryuunosuke sighed as he buried his hands in his pocket, "Are you talking about the sleeve that dropped out?"
"Yeah that," Chiaki scanned the area around nervously. "Do you know who it's for?"
Ryuunosuke shrugged, "Probably for the guy that she likes."
"EH?!" Chiaki's jaw dropped, but recovered in time to hiss at Ryuunosuke, "Kotoha likes someone?"
"Well she is popular in your grade, and I'm sure she probably has plans for today..." Ryuunosuke stopped as he noticed Chiaki's face becoming slowly saddened. "Sorry about that, Chiaki."
