"Hello?" I answered the call as an unfamiliar voice replied.

"Is this Kinomoto-San?"

"Yes."

"I'm calling from Sakura Restaurant. You had a reservation here tonight at 7.30pm, am I right?"

Somehow it felt like something had pierced into my heart. I looked at the hanging clock in my room, it was 5 minutes to 8pm. I sniffed and answered," Y-yes. I did."

"So, are you still coming?"

"I don't think so."

"This might be inappropriate but it's our duty to inform you that there is a gift delivered to our restaurant for you. Will you want us to get rid of it or will you want to come down and get it."

I sat there, holding my phone to my ear, unable to speak as tears flowed down my cheeks continuously. Ni-chan's gift for me. Ni-chan's valentine day's gift for me.

"Hello? Are you there?"

I wiped away my tears and tried to keep my voice as normal as possible," Y-yes. I will go down and get it. Thank you."

"Noted. Thank you."

I changed out of my uniform, washed my face and headed to the restaurant. Standing in front of the door was a man, holding to a long box. "Kinomoto-San?"

"That's me."

"Here you go."

"Arigatou."

I took the box from him and headed back home. Deep inside, I knew what was in the box. However, I couldn't bring myself to open it. Up in the sky, the storm clouds were gathering and soon it began to rain heavily. Drenched, I started to run in the direction of my house. I ran and ran, hugging the box tightly, hoping that it would not be too wet. My vision was blurry as rain continued to fall and I didn't notice the rock in front of me. So I tripped and fell forward. Splash. I had lost my grip of the box when I fell so it flew out from my hand and landed in the puddle in front of me. It had opened on its own and the gift inside dropped out. It was a rose folded using a strip of blue ribbon.

Ni-chan always gave me a rose folded with a ribbon for every special occasion. It started off with me requesting for it one day and he promised that he would give me one for every occasion until I found someone else, someone I love, who can fulfil this promise in his place.

Tears flowed down my cheeks uncontrollably as I crawled towards the rose, I picked it up and tried to wipe the water off. Of course it didn't work, it was raining after all. However, at that moment, I lost all sense of logic and I continued to wipe the water as I cried and cried. Then I couldn't take it anymore as I sat on the ground, hugged the stalk of rose and cried out loud.

On the day of the burial, I took the Valentine's day chocolate I've made and put it on ni-chan's coffin. I had wanted to throw it away but oka-san told me to burn it together with ni-chan. "Ni-chan, here's my Valentine's day chocolate for you. It's a pity you can't eat it. I hope you like it though." I blinked back my tears and bowed.

As I watched the coffin being lowered into the hole, I told myself that I will only bake for ni-chan alone for Valentine's day because if he didn't get to receive mine, no one else should.
ー

"It has been a few years but that's how strong her love is for Kinomoto ni-chan" Yuto-rin said after I shared my story.

The other three looked at their food in silent. "Please! Don't give that expression! I can still receive chocolates from you" I laughed and continued "I do return on white day, although it's not chocolate."

"I hope that I can receive Mei-chan's chocolate one day." Hitomi-chan pouted
ー

That night, I sat at my table and started writing cards for my friends. One by one, I wrote a short message and drew a small picture which hid an inside joke or a message which only the recipient will understand. Two hours later, I was done and took out a paper, wondering if I should write one for my ni-chan.

"dear ni-chan," I read the words aloud as I wrote them down. "How are you? It's Valentine's day again tomorrow and it's your death anniversary too. I hope you are having fun at wherever you are. My life has changed a lot without you around." Drip. Drip drip. "Are? Water?" a few drops of water dripped onto my card and I wiped them off. Drip drip. "No, this will destroy the card! Where is this coming from?" Drip.

I moved my hand up and touched my cheeks. They were wet. "Tears? But why? I should have gotten used to it by now, no?" More tears flowed down my cheeks uncontrollably as I tried to wipe them away. "Ni-chan. " I sniffed as I looked at the case of blue ribbon rose. "ni-chan." I cried as I pulled my knees closer to my chest. "It still hurts Ni-chan. I still miss you." The words were muffled as bent my head down and cried.

"Didididi" It was morning and I had fallen asleep at my desk. I stretched myself and went to wash up before going down to make the chocolate. It was heart shaped and Happy Valentine's Day Ni-chan was written on it using cream.

"Ohayou gozaimasu, Mei-chan." My oka-San walked to the kitchen as she rubbed her eyes.

"Ohayou, oka-San. I've made breakfast."

"Wa. It smells delicious! Itadakimasu!"

"Itadakimasu!"
ー

"Ohayou gozaimasu!" I greeted my friends as I walked into the class.

"Ohayou! Happy Valentine's Day!" Hitomi-chan replied as she gave me a hug. "Here's your chocolate." She handed me a pink package with a blue ribbon. "Kawaii. Arigatou!" I thanked her and walked to my desk.

"Look at Kinomoto-san's table! It's filled with chocolates and gifts!" A classmate of mine pointed to her friend. "Can't blame her, she's one of the famous five after all."

I looked around and noticed that my friends, too, have many gifts. "Ano, Kinomoto-San?" A girl from the next class tapped me on my shoulder.

"Hai?"

"This is. This is for you!" She bowed and passed me a box of chocolates.

"Arigatou!"

"Why does it seem that Mei-chan has more than us." Hitomi-chan pouted as she looked at my table . I laughed and defended myself," No, look at Yama-chan's table. I guess there are charming points for being a soccer star. Speaking of which, here he is."

Yama-chan walked into the class with the other two boys. He smiled at us before turning to look at his table in horror," Ano, anyone has a bag so that I can store this? I can't write anywhere if these gifts are left there." The four of us pretended to ignore him as we gathered at my desk to chat.

"Ano, Yamada-kun, here is a bag, I brought extra." a classmate of ours passed Yama-chan a bag before returning to her seat. "Ah, what a waste." Yuto-rin said as we laughed.
￣
"Yabu senpai! Ari senpai! Happy Valentine's Day! Here are your cards!" It was break time and we set off to find the recipients of our gifts.

"Ara, Mei-chan! Arigatou! Here is your chocolate!" Ari senpai smiled as we exchanged gifts.

"What did Yabu senpai give you?"

"Ah?" Yabu senpai eyes widened at my question as Ari senpai giggled. She then led me into her class and next to her table was a huge helium balloon with the words "Ari! I love you!"

"Awwww! That is so sweet!" I grinned at Yabu senpai who was blushing from embarrassment.

"Ari said that she wanted a helium balloon this year." He mumbled softly before continuing," Mei-chan is going to visit him today ne?"

"Hai. Is Yabu senpai going too?"

"Yes, Ari is too. We'll meet you at the gate after school."

"Okay!"
-

"We are here." Yabu senpai said as we stopped at ni-chan's tomb. Yabu senpai and yuto-rin have been coming with me to visit ni-chan every year. Ari senpai joined us when she and Yabu senpai got together in year one. She said that it was necessary for Yabu senpai and ni-chan were as closed as brothers. She would not want Yabu senpai to miss ni-chan's death anniversary just to celebrate Valentine's day with her. It is hard, after all, to celebrate on the day when your best buddy died. I really love how thoughtful Ari senpai is and happy for Yabu senpai as he had found such a wonderful girl.

"Ah, oka-San was here" I pointed to the vase of flowers placed on the ground as I placed the chocolate I had made beside it. Yabu senpai and Ari senpai had brought a bouquet of flowers while yuto-rin brought some fruits.

"Hey buddy, how are you?" Yabu senpai placed his palms together and closed his eyes. "It has been quite a few years, it is still weird without you around. I'm graduating soon and once again, it'll be without you. But hey," Yabu senpai reached for his wallet, opened it and pointed it towards the sky." Our photo, I still have it. It'll be with me until I join you someday. It makes me feel that you're here with me. Watch over your family yea? I will help you look after them in your place, as usual." After speaking, Yabu senpai looked up and smiled before praying once more

I walked closer to the tomb and kneeled down. Wiping tears from my eyes, I whispered,"Ni-chan. Happy Valentine's Day. Here's your chocolate, you'll receive it later. I hope it is good. I love you." I stood up and threw the chocolate into the small fire that was being built by yuto-rin in a small tin can. A small breeze blew past us as we closed our eyes and prayed once more before leaving.

When we were about to leave, a boy in his middle school uniform was walking towards us with his mother. "Konnichiwa" He said as he bowed.

"Konnichiwa" We returned his greetings.

It was the little boy Ni-chan had saved years ago and like us, he visits him every year. "Thank you for coming." I smiled before we parted ways and he went to pay his respects to ni-chan.

"Ja ne." I waved goodbye to yuto-rin, Yabu senpai and Ari senpai as I headed home. Raindrops started to fall and I began to quicken my pace. By the time I reached my house, it was raining cats and dogs and I was drenched from head to toes. Wiping the water off, I walked into the kitchen when my parents were. "Okaeri." My father looked up from his newspaper and smiled.

"Tadaima."

"Mei-chan, there is a parcel for you in your room" Oka-San said as she washed the dishes.

"Arigatou."

I walked up to my room and pushed the door open. Right on my bed was a long rectangular box tied with a pink ribbon. I sat on my bed and examined the box. A card was attached to it, a card that said "Happy Valentine's Day."

I pulled the end of the ribbon and it came loose. Slowly, I lifted the cover to take a peek. Thud! The cover fell onto the floor as I gasped in stock.

Right in the box was a blue ribbon rose.

-To be continued-