[A Demon Slayer Academy AU Story]

The campus courtyard was quiet under the soft blush of sunset. The light stretched across the white gravel paths and the rows of cherry trees, petals drifting lazily in the golden air. Somewhere, a breeze lifted, brushing past the tall windows of the boys’ dormitory where Genya Shinazugawa sat frozen in the middle of his room, staring at the ridiculous mess on the floor.

A fan of crisp ten-thousand yen notes lay neatly arranged beside a golden box of Ferrero Rocher. Two smaller gift boxes—matte black with red ribbon—rested beside them, and behind all of it sat a sheet of paper with the words scrawled across it in bold ink:

Will you be my Valentine? ☑ Yes • ☑ Yes

Genya groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “This is so stupid,” he muttered. “He’s gonna think I’m some kinda creep, or worse—he’s gonna laugh.”

Across from him, sitting on the windowsill with a lollipop in his mouth, Sanemi shrugged, clearly enjoying himself far too much. “He ain’t gonna laugh,” he said around the candy. “He’s too nice for that.”

“That’s what makes it worse!” Genya barked, throwing his arms up. “He’ll feel bad! He’ll pity me or somethin’!”

Sanemi rolled his eyes, kicking his legs idly against the sill. “You’re overthinking it. You said yourself, he’s sweet. He’ll just blush a little, say yes, and then you can stop pacing around every time he walks by.”

“I don’t pace,” Genya said defensively, though his reddening ears betrayed him.

Sanemi grinned, tapping the edge of the note with his finger. “Then prove it. Just do what I said—set this up, kneel down, hand him the pen. Boom. Valentine secured.”

Genya glared at him, expression flat. “You didn’t even give him a ‘no’ box.” He deadpanned.

“That’s confidence, kid,” Sanemi replied, smirking. “Women love confidence.”

“He’s not—!” Genya caught himself, heart skipping. “He’s not a woman!”