Winter clung stubbornly to the air, the kind that bit softly against one's cheeks and made every breath visible.
Even so, the hallways of Shirokawa High hummed with warmth — not from the heaters, but from the whispers and small laughter that carried through every corridor.
It was the season of confessions.
And no one seemed immune to the tension it brought.
Class 1-F felt unusually quiet that morning. The faint smell of chalk and the rustle of notebooks filled the space, while outside, snowflakes drifted lazily past the window.
Jousuke sat near the middle row, his pencil gliding neatly over his notes as if nothing in the world could disturb his focus.
But from the back of the room, Rika Sakurai wasn't taking notes at all.
Her chin rested on her palm, her pen tapping idly against her notebook, eyes half-focused on the boy sitting two rows ahead.
Jousuke Daikuhara.
Every time he leaned forward slightly to write, every small smile when he caught something amusing in the lecture — her heart thumped a little harder. It wasn't loud, but she could feel it in her fingertips.
He was just... there. Steady. Kind.
The kind of presence she didn't realize she wanted until it became the one she couldn't ignore.
Leah Boutsuki noticed. She always did.
Sitting diagonally across from Rika, Leah's soft brown eyes flicked from her classmate's dreamy expression to Jousuke's calm posture. A quiet sigh slipped from her lips before she forced a smile, tracing her pen across her own notes.
Rika had once told her — awkwardly, cheeks red — that she liked Jousuke.
Leah remembered it clearly. The small laugh Rika tried to use to cover up her embarrassment, and the way she had looked down the whole time, afraid of judgment.
But Leah had only smiled then.
She acknowledged her and meant it.
Only now, with Valentine's a week away, that smile felt heavier than it should.
"Alright, class dismissed!" Daimon called. "Homework on Chapter 5, and remember — exams start after the break!"
Chairs scraped. Voices rose.
Jousuke packed his notebook quietly, slipping his pencil case into his bag.
Behind him, Rika's voice carried, soft but eager. "Daikuhara-san, uhm—did you understand today's physics part about refraction? I kind of got lost again."
He turned, smiling kindly. "Ah, yeah. I can show you the diagram later, if you want."
Her eyes brightened. "Really? Thanks!"
Leah's lips parted as if to say something, but no words came. She simply smiled, stood, and walked ahead before anyone could notice her expression falter.
As the door closed behind her, Rika noticed her absence but said nothing.
Neither did Jousuke.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the building — Class 2-A.
Kaede Miyazaki sat at her desk, chin propped on one hand, a soft hum escaping her lips as her eyes drifted to her open planner. Between pages filled with study schedules and notes, a small doodle of a chocolate box rested in the corner. Next to it: "Valentine's – 7 days left."
Her pen hovered.
"Valentine's... huh."
The words tasted like warmth and anxiety at once.
Her friends noticed her faraway expression.
"Miyazaki, what are you thinking about?"
"Ehh, she's totally thinking about Daikuhara again, isn't she?"
"H-hey! I'm not!" Kaede flinched, sitting up straight, cheeks burning. "I was just—planning the council's finance report!"
"Right." one of them teased, grinning. "Totally unrelated to the name you just wrote."
Kaede glanced down. Her pen had absentmindedly written: Jousuke (城助).
She immediately shut her planner. "S-stop looking!"
Her friends laughed softly, waving her off.
"I'm heading to the office!" she muttered, flustered. "I have, uhm... budget work."
"Budget work, huh? Have fun~"
As she walked out, her pulse still raced.
It wasn't that she disliked the teasing. It was that... it reminded her just how much his name had become a part of her thoughts. Ever since that night with the fireworks — that quiet, sparkling night where her feelings had spilled before she could stop them — she hadn't been able to think straight.
And now, even hearing the word Valentine's made her chest flutter.
By the time the final bell rang, most students were rushing home, laughing about weekend plans or new winter cafés to visit.
Jousuke, however, lingered behind.
He took his time packing his bag, then walked the long hallway alone.
When he stepped out through the front gate, snow had begun to fall again — thin, glittering flakes that caught the fading sunlight.
And there she was.
Kaede stood near the gate, hands in her coat pockets, scarf wrapped snugly around her neck — the same scarf she'd given him on Christmas.
Her breath came out in soft puffs of white, her posture both graceful and hesitant.
When she noticed him, her eyes widened slightly. Then, a nervous smile. "Ahh... Jousuke."
He blinked in surprise, then smiled back. "Kaede? You're still here?"
"Hmm." She nodded, fiddling with the end of her scarf. "I... finished council work late. And it's cold, so I thought I'd walk a bit before heading home."
"By yourself?" he asked. "That's rare for you."
"Y-you make it sound like I always need company." she said, puffing her cheeks slightly.
He chuckled. "You kind of do."
"Ugh, you're impossible." She looked away, smiling faintly despite herself. "But... you're not wrong."
The silence between them was warm, filled with the sound of snow landing softly on the ground.
Then, Kaede glanced up. "Jousuke, can we walk together? Just... for a little?"
He hesitated — not out of reluctance, but because the way she asked made something in his chest tighten unexpectedly.
"...Sure." he said softly. "I'd like that."
The streets beyond the school glowed in faint gold as streetlights flickered on.
They walked side by side, their footsteps slow, their breaths forming faint clouds that drifted and disappeared.
Kaede glanced at him from the corner of her eye, nervous energy bubbling beneath her calm exterior. "Hey, Jousuke."
"Yeah?"
"What kind of chocolate do you like?"
He blinked. "Chocolate?"
She nodded quickly, pretending it was casual. "You know... for Valentine's. Some people like bitter ones, others like really sweet types. I just thought I'd ask."
He smiled, his hands tucked into his pockets. "Hmm. I guess... I'm not picky. But I think I like ones that feel... sincere."
She tilted her head. "Sincere?"
"Yeah. You can tell when something's made with real thought behind it. You can kind of taste it, right? Even if it's not perfect."
Kaede's steps slowed. The faintest blush spread across her cheeks. "You really think so?"
He nodded. "Hmm. Sincerity always shows, I think."
"Then..." she whispered, almost to herself, "if I give you something sincere, would you accept it?"
Jousuke stopped walking. His breath caught slightly, eyes turning toward her.
Kaede stared at the ground, her hand clutching the edge of her scarf as if it anchored her courage. The pink hue on her cheeks deepened with every passing second.
"Kaede." he said softly.
"Don't say anything yet." she interrupted quickly, voice trembling but steady. "Just—let me ask. If I gave you something from the heart... would that be okay?"
Jousuke exhaled slowly, feeling a warmth spread through him that wasn't from the winter air.
Her voice, her words — everything about the way she looked at him in that moment — made the world around them fade.
He smiled gently. "Yeah. I think that'd be more than okay."
Her eyes widened a little, shimmering faintly from the glow of a nearby lamppost.
Then she smiled back — soft, beautiful, real.
They reached the small park near the intersection — the same route Jousuke usually took home.
Snow dusted the benches and the swings, the world around them quiet except for the crunch of their steps.
Kaede stopped walking, turning to face him.
Her hands tightened around her scarf, pulling it closer.
"Then... I'll make sure it's something from the heart." she said, voice barely above a whisper. "So please look forward to it, Jousuke."
He blinked, surprised by the emotion in her tone — half shy, half determined. "Kaede."
She laughed softly, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Don't look at me like that. I'm embarrassed enough already."
He smiled. "You're always honest like this, huh?"
"Only with you." she admitted, her cheeks glowing pink. "Because you make me want to be."
That line lingered — heavier and sweeter than either of them expected.
The snow fell quietly around them, flakes catching on Kaede's hair like faint crystals.
She looked like she belonged in that moment — all warmth and grace and quiet courage.
And Jousuke, for the first time, couldn't quite keep his heartbeat calm.
Kaede took a step back, her expression soft. "See you tomorrow, Jousuke."
"Yeah." he managed, still half-stunned. "See you."
She smiled one last time before walking ahead, her silhouette fading slowly into the falling snow.
Jousuke stood still, watching her go.
Her words replayed in his mind again and again.
Something from the heart please look forward to it.
He touched the scarf around his neck — the one she had given him before — and smiled quietly.
For the first time, the thought of Valentine's made his heartbeat quicken.