Chapter 84: Valentine’s Day Tale

In the blink of an eye, winter passed. And with winter gone, spring quietly arrived. February 14th — Valentine's Day. On this day, Teikō Middle School was especially lively. Boys and girls alike were hoping to receive chocolates from someone special. In Japan, Valentine's Day chocolate falls into a few different categories, each with its own meaning: Honmei choco (true love chocolate): Given to someone you genuinely like. Giri choco (obligation chocolate): A polite gesture of thanks. Tomo choco (friendship chocolate): Shared between girls to express close friendship. On this day, you'd see students — usually lazy as cats — arriving at school early, sneaking around nervously, checking if anyone was watching before slipping chocolate into their crush's shoe locker. You'd see people boldly confessing under the influence of this special day's atmosphere, crowds gathering to watch, cheering them on. You'd see many girls... becoming women. Every year on this day, countless teens lose their innocence in one way or another. Tendou, for one, had no plans of losing anything today. He came to school as usual with Riko. Opening his shoe locker, he immediately noticed a beautifully wrapped box of chocolates inside. Riko peeked over his shoulder with a "just as expected" expression. Tendou, already ridiculously good-looking, now had the added glow of a model and star athlete. At this point, he was undoubtedly Teikō's most famous student. No contest. There were enough girls crushing on him to form a conga line from the classroom to the school gates. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Tendou said, looking defensive. "I didn't do anything!" "I didn't say anything. Why are you so nervous?" Riko replied casually, changing into her indoor shoes. Back in class, students were buzzing about who had received chocolate. Those who hadn't were envious. Those who had were showing off. Ah, youth. So dumb. So pure. But that's just how it is. Most of them were only teenagers — what did they know about love? They probably thought love was sacred. Dreaming of building a future and a happy home with their crush. Then when they grow up, they'd realize that same "sacred love" turns into the grave of their free time. The sweet couple becomes bitter over daily arguments, divorce on the horizon. Riko, watching Tendou's indifference, knew he didn't care about this kind of day. He genuinely didn't like the kind of forced affection that came with ritualized holidays. Last Christmas, when she suggested decorating a tree, he went straight to his room to nap. She sighed. It was exhausting. But... she touched the homemade chocolate in her bag and made a decision. Today, I'm giving it to him. It's just giri choco, she told herself. A thank-you for all his help lately. No other meaning. None! During break, Riko followed Tendou as he stepped out. She knew where he liked to hang out — the classic protagonist rooftop! She psyched herself up on the way there. But at the stairs, she heard other girls whispering: "I can't! If I give chocolate to Shouto, he'll think I'm confessing!" "If he rejects me, I'll be too ashamed to live!" Seriously? Riko paused, wavering again. But Tendou wasn't like that. And this was just giri choco! Then she heard: "Just say it's obligation chocolate, then it's not a confession!" Smart friend. Riko was relieved — until that girl said: "But... it's handmade chocolate. That excuse won't work!" Snap! Riko froze. Hers was also handmade. To avoid suspicion, she even told Tendou it was store-bought... Would he think it was a love confession? No! It's just giri. Logic! Hold onto logic! Back in class, Riko curled up in her seat, frustrated. "Wait... I can just sneak it into his desk when no one's around!" So she waited for morning exercises when the class was empty, and quietly slipped back in... Only to see several other girls doing the exact same thing. "Riko? Wh-what are you doing here?" "Me? I-I forgot something! Haha..." She ran off in embarrassment. So... she wasn't the only coward. Every path she could think of was blocked. Clutching the chocolate, Riko stared out the window, conflicted. She didn't have much time left. She never forgot — she had only a year and six months left in this world. If she was going to live again, she wanted to fix all her regrets from her past life. Like... falling in love. Just once, an ordinary, genuine romance. From the start, she never disliked Tendou. That ridiculous hair and those annoying sunglasses — somehow, he became one of the few people that really mattered. She remembered chasing dramas with him, sharing snacks and drinks. Even when they bickered, she felt happy. Eventually, Gojo Satoru's image faded from her mind, leaving only Tendou Kageyoshi. But... She didn't have time. The failed attempts, the fear of rejection — it all built up and broke her down. She started thinking dark thoughts again. She didn't want to curse Tendou by dragging him down with her. So she made a decision. With tears in her eyes, she threw the carefully prepared chocolate out the window. "That's enough. I'm just a tool to help him farm popularity points anyway." The chocolate — soaked in her tears — flew out the window as Riko turned and walked away. But what she didn't see... Down below, Tendou looked up, annoyed by the barrage of bullet comments. Then, as the chocolate fell, he casually raised a hand and caught it mid-air. "Yare yare..." And in that moment... The world shimmered.