Sakurayashiki Kaoru, resident pretty boy high school heartthrob, didn’t give Valentine’s Day gifts. No, he was the one that received them– every single year. Without fail his locker would be piled with heartfelt letters, chocolates, and the singular Dollar Store spoof present from Kojiro. He thought this streak would keep on cruising forward, but oh, how foolish he was to hope. Because in his senior year, where he was so close to getting away from it all, something finally happened.

Or rather, you finally happened.

Technically you’d been by his side since the start of the year as his seatmate; Kojiro had left him, that stupid gorilla (well, no, he was technically assigned to another homeroom), and Kaoru was stranded all alone in a class full of people he hadn’t really bothered to memorize the names of. He got over it. He couldn't deny that it did get static, though.

Then you’d wormed your way into his heart– concerningly quickly. Almost too quickly for him to have processed it. You bickered with him in class and never gave up a fight every time he faced you, your radiant presence lighting up the classroom whenever you took a seat next to him and threw your books onto the desk.

He couldn’t tell you how he admired the warm light glance off your profile when class dismissed late in the afternoon, when everything felt slower than usual. Slow enough to ruminate over. The classroom was always lit with a warm yellow glow that had everyone tired. Like the very air itself muffled the whistle of the wind, the chatter from other classes. It was always a degree too neat for this school. A kind of warmth that felt like laundry straight from the drying machine. A little damp, but Kaoru liked watching the cloth dry under his hands.

He liked watching you, too. Liked when you rested your head on his shoulder and pointed to a passage in whatever he was reading that day. When you shared your bento with him and gave him all the things you didn’t like, which was most of what you’d packed. Then you’d ask him to switch with you every time and he did– you always came back the next day with the box you forgot to give back, and he would take it. Put it safely in a high shelf on his cabinet so he could pack your favorite food next time he had the chance to bring lunch.

In other words, yes. Kaoru was absolutely smitten. Maybe to a fault.

His hands shook behind his back as you approached that secret alcove under the east wing staircase that he’d found a few years before, so nervous he swore the box of gourmet chocolates he’d bought yesterday had spilled all over the linoleum.

“Finally. I didn’t know you could be early," he jabbed the moment he saw you peek curiously around the corner, backpack dragging on the floor. Your sneakers scuffed. He wordlessly held out his valentine to you; his slender fingers were visibly trembling, rattling the contents of his chocolate box. A soft, uncharacteristically nervous smile played on his dry lips– it was too late to lick them now, but he did anyway.

“Look. I’ve spent too long thinking about this. About us. But I’d rather be meticulous than careless, especially now. So I won’t mince words and get straight to the point– you’ve been on my mind for longer than you know. Longer than I’d anticipated, maybe. I don’t know– but I like you. As more than a passing thought, as more than just admiration. If I wanted to spend my life with someone, it would be you, no second guessing.”

A beat passed. He scratched hard at the back of his neck. Fiddled with his earrings. Felt the flush bloom on his cheeks.

“...Just take the chocolates, you dimwit. And be grateful.”