Chapter 17

 

♫ “Chokorēto, chokorēto, chokorēto ga hoshī ni,” ♫

 

“Oh!”

 

♫ “Chokorēto, chokorēto, chokorēto ga hoshī ni,” ♫

 

“Woah!”

 

♫ “Chokorēto, chokorēto, chokorēto ga hoshī ni,” ♫

 

With the exception of Ryu and Reiko, the members of Class 3D had been singing the song repeatedly, with Hayato taking the lead. Reiko observed them with a nonchalant expression. It was February, the month of Valentine's Day, and along with it came the dreaded song. Reiko heard her cousin sigh and glanced at her.

 

"What are you going to do this time?" Ryu muttered, while Reiko absentmindedly examined her nails, her other hand resting on her cheek. She responded with a shrug, silently keeping a secret from everyone - Reiko wasn't skilled in cooking, nor had she ever attempted it. Her meals typically consisted of fast food, dining out at restaurants, or relying on Euna's culinary skills.

 

“You’ll break your man’s heart knowing you won’t give something...”

 

“Welp, I’ll just buy him a chocolate,”

 

“He likes it home-made.” Her cousin answered as Reiko rolled her eyes.

 

“Are you his girlfriend?”

 

“Shut it.” Ryu could only answer back as they heard the door opening and the song ended.

 

“Ara, you guys like chocolate that much?” Yamaguchi initiated, amused at her students as they all looked at her bewildered.

 

“Huh?!”

 

The students regained their composure while Tsuchiya let out a sigh and glanced at their homeroom teacher. "It's undeniable, we all like girls," Tsuchiya stated. Everyone nodded in agreement, while Hyuga absentmindedly played with a black plastic tube.

 

“Yea, it’s almost the 14th.”

 

Yamaguchi just know what her students are saying, “Oh, Valentine’s Day…”

 

Hyuga walks in the front, the plastic stick turns into a mic, “This year, I’ll get chocolates no matter what.”

 

Another student agrees and stands up, “I want memories of high school!”

 

“I definitely want to get some.”

 

“It doesn’t matter if it’s out of obligation or compassion… I just want some!” another student said from the back as Tsuchiya nodded and flicks his fan.

 

“Yosh, let’s do our best to get those chocolates!”

 

“YEAHHH!”

 

Reiko sighed, rolling her eyes as she saw Hayato also screaming in approval as Yamaguchi just smiles at the simple thought of her students. “You guys really are simple-minded.”

 

All of them suddenly looked at her stupidly as Yamaguchi explains her opinion, “Getting carried away with kiddy games like Valentine’s Day.”

 

Hayato who was sitting across Tsuchiya stoods up and look at Yamaguchi threateningly as everyone surrounds the homeroom teacher. “Kiddy games?” Hayato quipped.

 

“Don’t make fun of us,” Tsuchiya seconded,

 

“Do you know how important that day is to us men?!” even Takeda reasoned as Yamaguchi looks at them still not getting their thoughts out of the Valentine’s Day.

 

“Ah, ah, come one, don’t get so hot-headed.” Yamaguchi says.

 

“Do you have someone to give chocolates to?” Ryu suddenly asks as Reiko even looks at him bewildered.

 

“Don’t be stupid. There’s no one,” Hayato answered coldly as Yamaguchi look at him in the verge of breaking as everyone agrees at Hayato.

 

“I have one or two potential lovers,” Yamaguchi answers stutteringly as Reiko still looks at her cousin.

 

"What do you think you're doing? Expecting me to give you chocolate too?" she asked, teasing her cousin who scoffed in response. "Cut it out. I'll let Hayato know that you can't cook," Ryu muttered, irritated by Reiko's taunting. "I'll tell him myself... no need for you to do it," Reiko retorted.

 

“I see,” Tsuchiya started as he looks at Yamaguchi, “You can’t even participate in this battle for love.”

 

“Battle?”

 

“This is a serious event for men and women. Every year, we’re all counting on this day.” Hyuga expresses as Yamaguchi acknowledges his point, capturing the essence of his words as she steps forward and leans on the student table, uttering something quietly. The students observe her with curiosity and intrigue.

 

Even Reiko looks at the teacher stupidly but amusedly, “Don’t tell me she gives in at these stupid charades?”

 

Yamaguchi suddenly quips as she stands up on the chair and raises her fist, “Alright, all of you, we will definitely win!”

 

“What?”

 

Yamaguchi looks back at them, “Not ‘what?’, come on, you guys all together.”

 

“Fight-o, oh!”

 

The students gaze at her in confusion as she chants, while the others glance down at their fists and softly utter an "Oh." Ryu and Reiko exchange glances, sensing a connection between their classmate and their teacher, before diverting their gaze elsewhere. They can feel the energy emanating from their peer aligning with that of their instructor.

 

“Fight-o, oh!”

 

“Oh~”

 

“Fight-o, oh!” as Yamaguchi raises both her fists up. Her students all stand and raises their fists as well, except for the two relatives.

 

“OH!!!”

 

 

Café de Rovne

 

After school, Reiko, Mizuo, Euna, Shuriko, and Daisuke gather at a designated spot and engage in conversation. Reiko suggests that the boys trail Takeda, who appears unusually cheerful and sets off towards an unknown destination, raising suspicions among the group.

 

As Reiko entertains everyone with a humorous tale about their classmates, the rest of the group, including Shuriko, Mizuo, Euna, and Daisuke, burst into laughter.

 

“That means, Yabuki-kun will be expecting chocolates from you?” Shuriko asks as Reiko rolls her eyes.

 

“Without a doubt!” Euna quipped happily as Daisuke just grins.

 

“A home-made chocolate probably... expecting his girlfriend to make it by herself... which you will not do so. You don’t cook.” He straightforwardly says as Reiko rolled her eyes.

 

“Well, I don’t do that, so I’ll just buy it,” she retorts back as Mizuo was just behind Euna listening to them.

 

“Why don’t you make an effort? Even Hideaki-sensei didn’t receive anything to you previously,” Daisuke answers back as Euna and Shuriko agrees back.

 

Reiko sighs and leaned at the couch, shrugging her shoulders. “Well, he’ll expect it every year... and I don’t do that,”

 

“Oh, so you’re expecting your relation with him will last?” Mizuo retorts back as everyone fell silent and looks at their Queen also surprise at what she says.

 

The other three teases her as she covers her face with her hands, trying to die down her blushing face. “Enough of that already...”

 

“Our Queen is finally growing, so cute.”

 

“Well, come on, let’s help Reiko-chan cooks. We’ll buy the ingredients!” Euna initiated as Reiko look at her surprised. Everyone agrees as Mizuo and Daisuke only does it for entertainment, seeing their Queen doing something unusual.

 

Reiko’s House

 

Reiko casts a grumpy glance at her friends. Euna and Shuriko are deeply engrossed in conversation, unpacking their recently purchased ingredients as they make their way to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Daisuke and Mizuo sit at the dining table, both absorbed in their respective activities. Mizuo initiates the coffee-brewing process, neatly arranging coffee mugs in anticipation.

 

Observing Reiko's mood, Euna notices and gestures for her to join them. "Come on, Euna, don't be so cranky. Why don't you create a gift for Mizuo while I watch?" she suggests with a friendly smile. Reiko responds dismissively, indicating that she doesn't see the point, prompting Euna to shake her head.

 

"Well, Mizuo won't be receiving handmade chocolates," she remarks.

 

"Exactly! So why go through the trouble of making them?" Reiko retorts as Mizuo lets out a low chuckle. She pauses to look at Euna and Mizuo.

 

"I have something special in mind for him, silly."

 

"Since Yabuki-kun is technically your first official boyfriend, we should make it a memorable occasion," Euna says. Reiko continues to regard Euna with suspicion before shifting her gaze to Mizuo, closely observing his behavior. Despite sensing that something might be amiss with Mizuo, she opts to overlook it and concentrates on her own affairs.

 

Nevertheless, the prospect of crafting handmade chocolates for someone feels intimidating to Reiko. She struggles even to contemplate making something for her friends, so why should she bother for Hayato?

 

Reiko lets out a resigned sigh and goes along with the flow. She allows Shuriko and Euna to lead her through the process of crafting handmade chocolates, hoping to learn and conquer her initial hesitations.

 

 

1 hour later

 

Mizuo and Daisuke visibly cringe, feeling displeased that they have been roped into participating in the girls' activities. Their role is to act as taste testers for Reiko's creations, and they already regret it immensely. Their stomachs grumble uncomfortably, aching from the unpleasant experience.

 

Euna and Shuriko exchange incredulous glances as they examine the chocolates. Reiko watches them nervously, her gaze shifting between her friends and the wooden spoon she's holding, frustrated by the outcome of her efforts.

 

"I don't think I can handle any more of the Queen's cooking. I might not even be able to make it to school tomorrow," Daisuke groans, clutching his stomach in discomfort.

 

Mizuo, grimacing with pain, shoots a glare at Reiko and mutters, "What on earth did you do with the food? Are you intentionally trying to poison us?"

 

"It's really strange. We've been observing her doing everything on her own," Shuriko remarks, glancing at Euna, who nods in agreement.

 

"The measurements and ingredients were all correct... so what could be the issue?" Euna adds, perplexed.

 

"Euna, please stop teaching her. She has attempted cooking five times, following the same steps and ingredients you and Shuriko provided... but the outcome is still terrible. Have mercy on us!" Daisuke pleads, urging Euna to reconsider her efforts in guiding Reiko.

 

"I give up!" Reiko blurts out, her gaze still fixed on the wooden spoon, as she hurls it into the sink. "Hayato can deal with this, whether he likes it or not," she grumbles before making her way to the living room.

 

Reiko's friends now come to the realization that their beloved Queen, Misaki Reiko, is simply not skilled in the art of cooking.