Haruki lay sprawled on his bed, face buried in the pillow, trying to ignore the hollow ache in his chest.
A sudden knock rattled the door.
"Hey, little boy, open the damn door!" Kenta's voice called from outside.
"Don't wanna," Haruki mumbled.
"Come on, don't cry all night in there. We gotta do something about your broken heart, hahaha."
"Just leave me alone. I'm not in the mood."
A loud *click* echoed, followed by the creak of hinges—then a crash.
"Ow…"
Haruki sat up. "What was that??"
Kenta stood there, rubbing his hand with a sheepish grin. "It was already like this when I touched it."
"That's the thirteenth time you've destroyed my doorknob."
"Sorry, I guess? Hehe?"
Haruki sighed. "What do you want?"
"Let's take a walk. I'll tell you something."
---
They strolled under the cool night air, ending up at a convenience store.
"So," Haruki said as they browsed the aisles, "what is it you're gonna say?"
"It's about Ayla—"
"Don't wanna hear it."
"You sure?"
"Let's just buy our food before it gets cold outside. You know I didn't bring a jacket."
As Haruki passed by the shelves, his eyes lingered on the rows of Valentine chocolates.
"I can buy you one for tomorrow if nobody gives you," Kenta teased.
"Save it for yourself. I know nobody's gonna give you one either."
They both laughed.
---
The door chimed, and two girls walked in. Haruki's eyes narrowed slightly—one of them was his project partner from before.
She glanced at Kenta, then at Haruki. "Who's that with you?"
Kenta smirked. "Guess it's your first time seeing him without his uniform and… *autistic personality*. Meet my boy Haruki—*tenennnn*!"
Both girls froze, eyes widening as if they'd just spotted a celebrity. Without his uniform, clumsy smiles, and awkward quirks, Haruki's barefaced seriousness gave off a quiet, striking charm.
They both blushed.
"Do you already have a date for tomorrow?" one of them teased.
Haruki blinked. A joke? Or are they just rubbing it in?
His mood dipped again, lips pressing into a straight line—making him look even cooler.
Kenta, watching the scene, barely held in his laughter. *This guy's accidentally seducing people by being depressed… unbelievable.*
---
Still no reply. Ayla stared at the string of unread messages on her phone. She'd been texting Haruki for hours without knowing he'd left his phone at home.
"But why am I doing this? Why do I even feel the need to explain myself…?" she murmured, frowning at the screen.
A sudden screeching sound made her jump. She looked up—
—her maid was crawling across the floor like some horror movie monster.
"Yumi! What are you doing?!" Ayla blurted, clutching her chest. "I told you not to enter my room without knocking!"
"I'm sorry, milady," Yumi said, standing stiffly and slipping into her robotic *perfect servant* act.
Ayla narrowed her eyes. "You didn't mean to? Then why—"
"I just happened to notice," Yumi interrupted, her tone suspiciously casual, "that you were… messaging someone. And judging by your panicked face and frantic movements, I'd guess there's some sort of misunderstanding going on. That person—perhaps a *guy*—might even be your crush?"
Ayla's eyes widened. Can I even tell her?
Yumi smiled knowingly. "Don't worry, I won't tell Master Hanami. I'm the one serving you directly, after all."
Ayla thought for a moment. Yumi *was* the only one who didn't believe the rumors about her seeing someone before. Unlike everyone else, she'd never judged or spread gossip. She was… trustworthy.
"Well…" Ayla sighed. "I don't really know what's going on. I just… had a misunderstanding with a friend. But I can't stop thinking about it. I mean, I don't even know why I'm trying so hard to explain myself to him—"
"Him?" Yumi cut in, eyes gleaming. "So I was right. He's a guy. Tell me—do you find yourself nervous around him? You don't know why, but your heart beats faster when you think of him? And when you see him with other girls, there's this unrecognizable ache in your chest?"
Ayla stared. "How did you…?"
"I knew it, Master Ayla," Yumi said smugly. "You're experiencing… L-O-V-E."
"What?!" Ayla sputtered. "That's impossible! There's no way I could fall for that stupid-looking nerd who only knows how to—" She froze mid-sentence, her cheeks burning. The image of Haruki popped into her mind, completely uninvited.
Yumi chuckled. "See? That's exactly what I'm talking about. Love can strike without warning, like an invisible spear."
Ayla's heart skipped a beat. No… it can't be. I… I like Haruki?
"Anyway," Yumi continued, "back to your problem—I think I know how to fix it."
"Really?" Ayla asked.
"Tomorrow's Valentine's Day, right?"
Ayla's eyes widened. "Wha—?! I totally forgot!"
Yumi grinned mischievously. "Then it's settled. Let's make some chocolate for him."
---
The kitchen lights cast a warm glow over the counters as Ayla and Yumi worked side by side, melting chocolate over a small pot. Ayla carefully stirred, her hands steady but her heart racing.
"It's my first time making one," she admitted quietly. "I… want it to be special. Especially for Haruki."
Yumi smiled. "Then let's make sure it's perfect."
The sweet aroma filled the air. Ayla found herself actually enjoying the process—mixing, pouring, decorating. She never thought she'd be doing something like this for someone.
Just as she leaned in to pour the last batch into the molds, a deep voice cut through the air.
"What are you doing so late at night?"
The spatula nearly slipped from her hand. Slowly, she turned. "F-Father…"
Aoto Hanami's sharp gaze swept over the scene.
Yumi stepped forward calmly. "Master Hanami, we're just making chocolates for Valentine's Day."
"For who?" His voice was even, but the weight behind it was crushing.
Yumi didn't hesitate. "They're just mandatory chocolates for everyone, of course. As the top student, Master Ayla should set an example—generous, approachable, untouchable by rumors."
Aoto's expression softened slightly. "If that's so… Ayla."
"Yes?" Her voice was thin.
"How's your study?"
"Everything is fine," she answered quickly.
"Good." He turned toward the door. "Be quick, and clean up when you're done."
The moment he left, Ayla let out a shaky breath, her knees nearly giving out.
"That was close," Yumi murmured, gently rubbing her back.
---
**Later that night…**
Haruki parted ways with Kenta and trudged up to his apartment. Inside, he noticed his phone lying on the table—dead. He plugged it in, then his eyes wandered to the framed photo of his parents and grandfather.
He picked it up, his thumb brushing over the glass. "I miss Grandpa… even his scolding. I hope he's doing fine."
He pictured the old man—gruff, loud, but somehow comforting. "Yeah… I guess he's fine."
His gaze shifted to his parents. "I don't know much about you, Mom and Dad… but Grandpa always said you were kind people. For some reason… I kinda wish I could get scolded by you too."
He set the frame back gently, lay down, and let the weight of the day pull him toward sleep.