"Ryosuke, could you come up to the roof at noon? By: Nishimiya Shōko"
Noon, the school rooftop.
The February spring breeze was gentle, bringing a hint of warmth and making everything comfortable. Nishimiya Shōko stood alone by the metal fence on the rooftop, watching the distant gate. Soon, the figure she was waiting for appeared, and the joy in her bright eyes was unconcealed.
Ryosuke stopped in front of Shōko and asked curiously, "Shōko, why did you ask me to come up here at noon?"
The thought of turning her holiday practice into real-life action made Shōko's heart pound rapidly.
"Ryosuke, this is chocolate I made myself. I hope you like it."
She held out a box of chocolates with both arms, speaking in a soft, low voice. At this moment, the girl's face was as red as a ripe tomato in a field.
"Thank you, Shōko."
Ryosuke smiled faintly, thinking about the day, and accepted the gift. He used to receive chocolates from unfamiliar girls often, but they were always eaten entirely by Nibutani Shinka. This was only the second time in his life he had received chocolate directly from a girl his age.
He opened the packaging right there. The chocolates in the box had been crafted by the girl into various adorable little animal shapes. These were all a reflection of the girl's sincerity. He took a piece of chocolate and put it in his mouth.
It was slightly firm at first contact. Gradually, a rich, non-sticky aroma spread, with a slight bitterness. The chocolate began to soften inside his mouth, becoming a little mellow, a little lingering. The thick, sweet liquid slowly flowed down his throat. Sipping gently and swallowing slowly, the mesmerizing taste made him reluctant to finish it quickly.
Hehe, Ryosuke seems to really like the chocolate I made. I wish he would feed me. Nishimiya Shōko's eyes subtly showed anticipation.
Hiratsuka Ryosuke picked up a piece and offered it to her, saying gently, "Shōko, ah~"
How could this be? Can he read minds?
Ryosuke's action caused Shōko to widen her eyes and unconsciously open her mouth without defense. His movement was slow as he fed the chocolate into Shōko's mouth. As he fed her, the boy's finger unintentionally brushed against her soft, pink lips.
Nishimiya Shōko felt the warmth on her lips, and her whole body reacted as if she had been shocked, her pupils slightly dilating. She even forgot to chew. Only one thought dominated her mind: Ryosuke's hand touched his lips when he ate the chocolate just now, right? And now it touched mine. Doesn't that mean, doesn't that mean...
The temperature in early spring wasn't high, but a faint stream of white steam seemed to rise from the girl's head. She unconsciously licked her lips and looked at Ryosuke with expectant eyes.
"Do you want another one?" Ryosuke asked softly.
Nishimiya Shōko looked around. They were completely alone, so the little quail grew bolder. She nodded, her voice barely a whisper, "Mm-hmm!" Then she closed her eyes and actively opened her mouth, waiting for Ryosuke's feeding.
Hiratsuka Ryosuke continued to feed her chocolate. When his finger left her mouth, Shōko instinctively stuck out her pink tongue to lick it. Realizing her action was overstepping, Nishimiya Shōko's body stiffened. She secretly opened her eyes slightly to observe his reaction. Seeing Ryosuke's expression was unchanged, she breathed a sigh of relief.
When Ryosuke tried to feed her again, Shōko quickly waved her hands in refusal. The reason was simple: she felt that if the feeding continued, she might suffer cardiac arrest.
Nishimiya Shōko picked up the bento box from the bench and smiled sweetly. She spoke while using sign language, "Ryosuke, this is the bento I made. You haven't eaten yet, have you?" She opened the bento box. The everyday food, arranged meticulously by the girl, looked very exquisite.
Ryosuke nodded and prepared to take the bento box, but Shōko suddenly pulled it back. With only the two of them on the rooftop, Nishimiya Shōko's eyes held not only shyness but also a hint of excitement. She spoke haltingly, "Ryo... Ryosuke, you fed me chocolate just now, so how about I feed you the bento now?"
She had practiced this sentence countless times by the river. Yet, speaking it aloud now seemed to drain all her courage.
Ryosuke nodded silently. Shōko's heart fluttered, like she had won the lottery jackpot. She fed, and Ryosuke ate. Seeing the person she liked eat the food she had painstakingly prepared filled her with immense satisfaction. She gazed at Ryosuke with watery eyes, thinking silently, Thank you, Ryosuke. Ever since I met you, Shōko has become very lucky.
Afternoon, Kendo Club.
"See you tomorrow, President!"
Since Takemachi Kyoya was graduating in March, the position of Kendo Club President naturally passed to Hiratsuka Ryosuke, the Vice President. The club president's duties were more numerous than expected, and he was the last one to leave the Kendo clubroom today.
Just outside the door, Ryosuke saw a blond, twin-tailed girl with her hands behind her back, leaning against the outside wall.
"Eri? Are you waiting for me?" Ryosuke asked curiously. He had very few interactions with Eri at school. Today, the class's "Princess" had uncharacteristically come to the clubroom to wait for him.
"Here, chocolate."
Eri was blushing, her gaze directed elsewhere, as she handed a beautifully wrapped box to Ryosuke. This was something she had made herself a few days ago. Handmade chocolate in Japan is often just store-bought finished chocolate melted and reformed into desired shapes, so the difficulty isn't high. Anyone, even those who don't cook, can do it if they have a mold.
Ryosuke took the girl's gift, a little surprised. This was mainly because Eri was acting very unusually, her behavior sharply contrasting with her usual self. The girl's eyes held shyness and awkwardness. The normal Eri would have likely said, "Hmph, idiot Ryosuke, I only bought too much chocolate, so this isn't specifically for you." Not just those few words.
Eri noticed Ryosuke's surprised look, and her elegant eyebrows furrowed as she asked, "Ryosuke, what's with that look?"
"Nothing. Thank you, Eri," Ryosuke quickly shook off the strange thoughts and sincerely thanked her.
Eri smiled faintly, revealing her clean little canines, as Ryosuke put her chocolate into his backpack. She quickly reverted to her usual demeanor, putting her hands on her hips and saying smugly, "Hmph, eat it gratefully! I made this myself."
The two walked along the tree-lined path under the setting sun. The path was deserted. Eri walked with her hands clasped behind her back, her footsteps slightly light, and her two smooth twin-tails swung back and forth in the air. The path was long, but it seemed short to Eri at that moment.
When they were about to exit the path, she stopped. Her sapphire eyes showed a hint of reluctance. "Tell me what you think after you eat it. I'm going now. See you tomorrow." Before Ryosuke could respond, she quickly scurried away, her white-stockinged legs moving quickly as if she were fleeing. As she ran, she silently thanked her mother: Mom, I did it this time!
After the club activities, Ryosuke returned home alone. He opened the front door and habitually shouted, "I'm home!"
As soon as Ryosuke entered the house, he saw a large table set with an elaborate meal. His gaze went back and forth between Shizuka-nee and Shinka sitting at the table, his face showing confusion. That's strange. Neither of them should be able to cook.
The sounds coming from the kitchen made Ryosuke realize there was a third person in the house. Before he could go look in the kitchen, the girl, wearing an apron, walked out carrying a dish. She looked like a wife waiting for her husband to return home. Seeing Ryosuke enter the house, her eyes curved, revealing her teeth in a smile, and she spoke in a clear, pleasant voice, "Welcome home, Ryosuke."
Hiratsuka Ryosuke narrowed his eyes and asked suspiciously, "Fairy-sensei, what's the meaning of this spectacle at my house?" There is an old saying: Flattery for no reason is a sign of ill intent. It was February 14th; he had seen chocolate given, but he had never seen someone show up and cook an entire meal.
Yamada Elf placed the dish on the table, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Then she opened her eyes, knelt down on the floor, and performed a perfect dogeza (deep bow).
She let out a heartfelt cry from the depths of her soul.
"Ryosuke-sama, please save me!"