The food was nearly finished when the doorbell rang. White Fox went to answer it.

There was a girl who nearly looks like Ayako with curly hair, exhaustion evident in her asian dark-brown eyes.

"Sakex! You look terrible!" said White Fox.

"Yeah," sighed the girl stepping in, "I was busy doing something."

"What was that?"

"Something involving a lawn-mower, a crazy cat, a pizza and a washing machine."

"I...see..." White Fox looked at her funnily, "I think..."
"So what do you want to do now? Help serve the food or help Olivia guard the bar?"

Sakex looked around until she saw a couch in the left portion of the room.
"Sleep," she replied.

Without another word Sakex went towards the couch and plopped herself on it, dropping her head on Fujima's lap and went to sleep. The Shoyo player blinked before he shrugged and let himself be used as a pillow.

Hanamichi went out on the front porch and he took a deep breath at the cold night February wind, trying to sort out his muddled senses of that incident in the kitchen with Sendoh and that accidental kiss with his gentle sempai.

"Hey, Hanamichi."

The redhead turned around and sees Yohei sitting on a swing alone. He walked over to his best-friend and sat down beside the boy.

"Why aren't you in there?" asked Hanamichi.

"I was," said Yohei. "Came out here to get a breather. Those girls can be very aggressive."

Hanamichi chuckled, "They sure can."

"So," asked Yohei, "How are you and Rukawa?"

Hanamichi, surprised at the sudden question on his relationship, mumbled, "Fine... I guess."

"You guess?" Yohei asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I dunno," Hanamichi sighed, "It feels like it's getting nowhere."

Yohei leaned back, "Then go one step ahead."

"It's not as easy as that, Yohei," Hanamichi grumbled.

"If you feel strongly about Rukawa, then it is," said Yohei easily.

Hanamichi humphed, making Yohei smile. Then the black-haired boy said, "Hey, Hanamichi. Can I ask you two favours?"

Hanamichi turned towards his friend in curiousity, "Yeah, sure."

Yohei grinned. To the redhead's surprise, Yohei placed his cold hands against his warm cheek tenderly, bringing Hanamichi's head close and pressed their lips together. It was a sweet and lingering kiss, making Hanamichi speechless at the gentleness of it that he let the kiss carry on before Yohei stopped.

"That was the first favour," said Yohei, his breathing a bit quicker.

Then he pulled away, letting Hanamichi recover himself, both blushing.

"Yohei," Hanamichi started, trying to find the words that would not hurt his friend, "I..."

"And the second favour," continued Yohei smiling, already maintaining his cool and easy-going attitude, "is that you talk to Rukawa. You'll find that it'll be easier than you expect."

Before Hanamichi could say anything he stood up said, "I gotta go. Say bye to the people inside for me, ok?"

"Yeah," said Hanamichi also getting up, "sure."

Seeing the redhead's still awkward expression Yohei extended his hand out and said, "Friends?"

Hanamichi looked at Yohei and when he finally understood he nodded, smiling warmly as he took the boy's hand to give it a hearty shake, "Friends."

After he watched Yohei walk away, he turned to enter the house again when the door opened and he was face to face with Rukawa.

~~~~~~~~~

Haruko held the box of chocolates in her hand and althought her strides were full confidence, she couldn't help but feel anxious at how she would confront the handsome fox-eyed boy and express how she feels about him. She has practiced many times and now she wondered if she had practiced enough.
Is it the best approach? I mean, I give the chocolates to him and then say that I like him... but isn't that a bit too sudden? Should I just give the chocolates to him and let him understand himself? But the only reason a girl gives a boy chocolates during Valentine's Day is to...

Suddenly Haruko stopped in her tracks when she saw a scene that made her eyes widen and her heart stop.

There on the front porch on the swing was her crush kissing Hanamichi.

It was an earth-shattering scene for a young innocent girl to be thrust upon so suddenly and her mind was awash with thoughts at how she should feel. She knew she should feel betrayed but this is Hanamichi. Another guy.

Confused? Most definitely.

Disgusted? Probably.

But looking at Rukawa who was leaning comfortably against Hanamichi's broader frame, his fingers grazing the redhead's hair at the back of the neck lovingly as they kissed, Haruko thought they looked wonderful together.

Then the two stopped and Rukawa said something that made the redhead looked surprise and then definitely happiness as the redhead enveloped Rukawa in a joyful hug.

Witnessing that touching scene made Haruko feel embarressed than seeing them kiss because it had felt more intimate that she felt like a terrible voyeur.

She quietly turned around and walked away from the house with the box of chocolate still in her hand.

~~~~~~~~~

Mitsui was scanning the room and seeing Kogure beside the music booth, he happily walked towards him. When he reached his boyfriend, Mitsui pulled the spectacled boy towards a relatively lonely space by the corner before he took out something from his pocket and placed it on Kogure's hand, "Here."

Kogure's eyes grew misty when he saw the object he was given. On his palm was a small porcelain heart, peach in colour with the words 'I Love You Forever' in gold.

"Hisashi," murmured Kogure, "Thank you. I didn't get you anything."

"Nah," said Mitsui shuffling his foot, "I don't mind. Anyway, Noor said that you were looking for me."

Kogure grinned before he leaned forward and whispered in Mitsui's ear.

When Kogure pulled away, Mitsui was smiling widely, "Now that's the greatest Valentine gift anyone has ever given me."

With that he quickly said his goodbyes to the hosts and left with Kogure gripped tightly in his hand. This person he has no intention of letting go.

Hanagata was troubled. Fujima was still giving him the cold shoulder and sitting close to Maki and with the girl lying on his lap he was feeling quite jealous, but what can he do?

Suddenly he felt a tug on his sleeve and he looked down to see a girl with grey pants and a sweater looking up at him.

"What's the matter?" Olivia asked.

"Ummm... it's nothing," said Hanagata.

"It's about Fujima-kun, isn't it?" guessed the girl.

"Iie," denied Hanagata, "It's.. it's..."

Olivia sighed, "Let me guess he's not talking to you much, is he?"

Hanagata stayed silent.

"I bet it's because that you didn't give him anything for Valentine's."

Hanagata looked at the girl in surprise, "Do you think that's the problem?"

"Of course," huffed Olivia, "Mou, you guys are helpless..."

"But it's already too late to buy a present for him," Hanagata said trying to keep his distress hidden in his low voice.

Olivia thought for a moment before she went to Miss Fufuru to ask for a pen and paper. Scribbling something on the paper she handed it to Hanagata to read.

"Give that to him from you," said Olivia.

The tall Shoyo player smile, "Thanks."

"My pleasure," said the girl pleased, "It's my job to make people happy."

Hanagata walked towards where Fujima was sitting. He nodded his head when he caught Fujima's eye and mentioned his captain to follow him towards the kitchen. Fujima arched an eyebrow but obliged after setting Sakex comfortably on the couch. When Fujima was gone, Sakex woke up groggily unhappy that her pillow has walked away. Shifting the other way, she made Maki's lap as the subsitute and continued sleeping.

Maki looked at the girl in disbelief.

"She kind of reminds me of someone," Akagi commented.

~~~~~~~

In the kitchen Fujima confronted Hanagata with a displeased look.
"What is it?"

Hanagata handed him the paper nervously, "For you."

Fujima unfolded the paper and read it, "For a Valentine's night I will do whatever you want me to do. That is my present to you."

"Whoah!"

The two boys turned in surprise to see Luv Angel in her white shirt and a picture of a pink heart in the front, looking at them in wonder. They didn't realise she was there since she was rummaging for her hidden arrows behind the counter when they walked in.
"Looks like I don't really don't need my arrows tonight!"

Fujima ignored the girl with wings and turned towards Hanagata with hopeful (and eager) eyes.
"Honto ni?" he asked.

"Aa," replied Hanagata, "I'll do whatever you want; dishes, laundry, homework - anything."

"Doh," Luv Angel said slapping her forehead in exasperation.

Fujima gave Luv Angel an annoyed look, "Do you mind?"

Luv Angel waved her hand in a careless manner, "Not at all."

Fujima sweatdropped, "I mean that I'd like it if you would leave us alone for a moment."

"Oh,"said Luv Angel, "Okey dokey."

When the angel-girl was gone, Fujima turned back towards Hanagata with a sly grin, "About you doing anything I want tonight... I have other things in mind..."

~~~~~~~

At Danny's, Haruko was on the phone talking to Noor.

"Yes, I'm sorry to that I can't come. Yes, I will. Thank you," said Haruko.
Then she put the phone down and she was suddenly at a loss on what to do next.

Home? Haruko sighed. There's nothing to do there. Her brother will still be at the party and her parents are out for a Valentine's dinner themselves so that would leave her all alone at the house.

Then she saw a familiar person sitting at the counter by himself and Haruko felt her spirits liften.

Haruko walked up to the boy and greeted him, "Hello, Yohei."

The dark-haired boy turned around and smiled when he saw who it was, "Haruko-san. Why aren't you at the party?"

"I did go there but..." she stopped and trying to put up a smile herself, "I left."

"Something to do with the heart?"

Haruko felt like crying at Yohei's bluntness but with that type of situation she felt like she wanted to giggle out loud but deciding against it, afraid that Yohei would think that she has lost it.

"Something like that," Haruko answered, "How about you? You left as well?"

"Yeah. 'Left the same reason you did," Yohei answered non-chalantly that Haruko was taken aback for a moment.

Both were silent for a while as Haruko stared at the counter top and Yohei twisting his warm cup of tea around. Then Haruko remembered the untouched box of chocolates and beamed.

She unwrapped the box and offered it to the boy next to her, "Hey, do you want to help me finish this? I don't want it to go to waste."

Yohei grinned taking a chocolate twirl with the hazlenut filling and asked, "You're not trying to use me to get rid of all of 'em, are you? I mean, girls are always finding ways to go on a diet."

"No! That's not it at all!" Haruko protested, not yet used to Yohei's teasing.

Yohei laughed. "I was just kidding! Besides," he said as he popped the chocolate twirl in his mouth, "you don't need any dieting. You look perfect already."

Haruko blushed and Yohei nearly choked when he realised what he had just said.

"I mean..."

"Eh, it's ok, Yohei-san. Thank you," said the girl, smiling shyly.

Then another person came in and sat down beside Yohei, ordering a cup of warm coffee.

"Hi," said Victor to Yohei and Haruko, "Happy Valentine's Day"

"Hi," Yohei greeted back, while Haruko smiled.

"Happy Valentines Day to you too."

~The End~




previous