"...Huh?"
It was so sudden that she unconsciously made an odd sound.
Iroha blinked slowly, as if just waking up. Her face gradually flushed red, and she frantically waved her hands.
"Eh... No, that's... Actually..."
Yuu looked at her, nodding hesitantly. "Actually..." That wasn't what she meant?
After a brief hesitation, Iroha slowly lowered her hands. Her soft, pink lips pouted slightly. She murmured, as if resigned.
"Actually... I really like Senpai. So much that I want to be your girlfriend."
Yuu fell silent. "...This is really sudden."
"What else can I do?! When I want to say it, I can't hold it back. It's Senpai's fault for being so slow!" Iroha slapped his arm in annoyance, unconsciously tugging at his sleeve.
"...Even if it's sudden, I'm serious, you stupid Senpai."
Yuu remained silent.
He stared blankly at the little girl with her head bowed. The blush on her pale ears—like red plum blossoms blooming in snow—was so beautiful it dried his throat.
"Senpai... What are you thinking?" After waiting so long without an answer, her gentle voice grew slightly fragile. Iroha asked, trembling slightly.
Snapping out of his daze, Yuu answered seriously, without hesitation: "I'll make you happy!"
"Eh?"
This time, it was Iroha who was shocked. Her cute, blushing face tilted upward.
"You agreed right away? And saying 'happy' is too heavy!"
"Why? What's wrong with that?" Yuu raised an eyebrow, laughing at her panicked expression.
"It's not... I just thought, someone as popular as Senpai would at least think about it first..."
"We've been holding hands and hugging. What else is there to think about? Isn't it just a matter of waiting for one of us to confess first?" Yuu rolled his eyes. He forcibly grabbed her small hand and tightly clasped it in his palm. "I didn't expect you to confess first... If you're not satisfied, let's go to the Ferris wheel—how about I confess to you again?"
"Hah..."
Iroha opened her small mouth in shock. After staring at him in confusion for several seconds, her beautiful face turned even redder, as if dusted with blush.
Quickly turning her embarrassed face away, Iroha's heart pounded wildly, her whole body burning up as if melting. Yet she stubbornly tried not to look defeated.
"What is this?! Senpai is way too skilled at flirting! Are you some kind of heart-thief criminal? This is my first love, yet I'm facing an experienced opponent. Isn't that way too unfair?!"
"Hey, who said I was experienced..."
"Don't argue! Listen to your girlfriend!"
"...Okay." After a pause, Yuu couldn't help but laugh. "I'll listen to Iroha."
He pressed his forehead against hers. Their warm skin touched. Their gentle gazes sheltered each other at such close range, as if the world belonged only to them.
"Wah, this is bad. Seems like Senpai likes me too much—will we hit boredom faster?"
Iroha said it sadly, but a sweet smile bloomed on her apple-red face.
It was a smile unique to Iroha—one that could fill the deepest corners of his heart.
"Well, as long as I like Senpai more, there won't be any problems, right?"
Having casually reached this conclusion, she suddenly stretched out her slender arms and wrapped them around Yuu's neck.
Then, tilting her face, she exhaled warm breath and gently bit his earlobe with a sweet, secret sound.
"I'll love you more than you love me... Please prepare yourself for dating your kouhai, Sen-pai~"
Playful and relaxed, sweet and pure, sometimes a little cunning.
She was like candy, spice, and everything wonderful—this was the existence known as Isshiki Iroha.
From now on, she would be the one girlfriend Yuu would never let go.
"Iroha, I love you."
"Yeah, I know."
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Unaware, they had played at the amusement park until sunset.
Hand in hand, they walked toward the top of the scenic hill. Around them, many loving couples had gathered to watch the evening glow. The sweet atmosphere was almost suffocating for single people.
"So beautiful~"
Now officially his girlfriend, Iroha hugged his arm tighter than usual, as if proudly showing off how happy she was. She bounced excitedly, her face full of satisfied smiles.
"Next time we come here, we must bring our phones. It's such a shame not to take photos at such a beautiful view!"
Yuu smiled. "Don't worry. We can come here many times. We have a lifetime to take pictures."
Iroha glanced at him. "Senpai, you're exaggerating—just got together and already saying things like that."
"Can't I express my true feelings?"
"It's not that you can't, but if you say that now, what will you say when we're old?" Iroha sighed resignedly, as if scolding him. But the curve on her lips couldn't be hidden.
Her ash-blonde hair shimmered under the beautiful sunset light. Yuu watched her soft lips open and close. Suddenly, he froze. He simply stared deeply into her.
Iroha quickly realized something was off. Instinctively avoiding his intense gaze, her face turned even redder, as if burned by the twilight.
"...Senpai?"
Gathering courage, she looked back into his deep, gentle eyes.
"May I, Iroha?"
"...Yes. If it's Senpai, I'd be very willing." Iroha smiled shyly. She closed her eyes and tilted up her small face.
She looked nervous. Her pink, glossy lips trembled slightly. Her breathing quickened. Her body stiffened. Her movements and the sound of swallowing were unusually clear.
Yuu didn't keep her waiting long. One hand touched her warm, soft cheek; the other held her slender shoulder. In this warm, bright golden world, as he leaned down to kiss her—
"Excuse me, could you move aside a bit?"
Someone tapped his shoulder from behind.
Yuu reflexively turned. It was a woman wearing a baseball cap, head lowered so her face wasn't clearly visible. She waved her hand, gesturing for them to step aside.
There was plenty of space beside them. Even if they wanted to take a photo at sunset, there were better spots. Yet she, as if looking for trouble, pretended not to see the empty spaces and insisted on passing through exactly where they stood.
"What's going on..." Iroha looked over in confusion. Yuu frowned in displeasure.
Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly widened his eyes and fell silent. The woman before him slowly merged with someone from his memory.
"Wait, no—"
But by the time he realized, it was already too late.
The baseball-cap woman was ready. She pulled out a chocolate bar and took a bite. Then, roughly grabbing Yuu's collar, she stood on tiptoe.
*SLAP!*
What reacted faster than Yuu was Iroha's palm.
She immediately covered Yuu's mouth. The back of her hand struck the hard chocolate, making her wince in pain. Yet she had no intention of letting go. Instead, she pulled Yuu backward, distancing him from the baseball-cap woman.
"...Tch, why are flirtatious women nowadays so fast to react?"
An annoyed voice sounded. The baseball-cap woman spat the chocolate onto the ground. She lifted her cap with her fingers. A pair of cold eyes stared at them both from the shadows.
"But even so, don't dream of stealing Yuu-kun."
Iroha murmured, slightly surprised—but not overly shocked:
"Kasumigaoka-senpai..."
"Oh, flirtatious women—that includes you too, you know."
A cheerful, pleasant voice—yet devoid of warmth—sounded from the side.
"Haruno-san..."
Kasumigaoka Utaha, removing her baseball cap to reveal straight black hair, looked warily toward Haruno.
"Everyone has their own methods. Don't blame me if I get serious because you two aren't acting."
"Ah, then I misunderstood you." Haruno narrowed her dull eyes. She spoke casually. "If seriousness means forced kissing, turns out you're still a child."
"What did you say—"
"Saying things about Yuu-kun to yourself—I hope people like that just disappear on their own." A soft sigh cut through their argument. A brown-haired girl approached, carrying a long package.
"Valentine's Day is just a day to give gifts. There's no need to make the atmosphere this harsh, right? It'll only worry Yuu-kun."
Though she said that, she slowly unwrapped the package and pulled out a slender sword.
"Your killing intent is worse than ours, okay? You're the thief crying 'thief'." A silver-haired girl emerged from the crowd. Holding a short knife, she glared sharply at the completely expressionless brown-haired girl. "Yuuki Asuna, what do you plan to do with that sword?"
"Of course, to feed Yuu-kun chocolate? This is a chocolate sword." Asuna tapped the blade, dark brown like chocolate, and countered, "Natsukawa-san, that short knife in your hand..."
"Is also chocolate. I want that cheating man to feel what I felt."
Yukino folded her arms across her chest. Standing not far away, she sighed. "Regarding betrayal, it's hard to say who betrayed whom first."
"Compared to all of you, I came earliest." Haruno stepped forward. She waved her hand, motioning for them to back off. Her tone was casual yet dominant. "Except for Yuuki-chan, I won't allow any other flirtatious woman near him—especially on this important Valentine's Day..."
"I can yield to others, but within six hours tonight, I will have him." Masuzu tightened her grip on the chocolate short knife, resisting pressure, and finally compromised.
"Six hours? Any special meaning?" Yukino frowned, confused.
Asuna cleared her throat and kindly explained, "She probably means six hours of intimacy? Rumor says it starts at midnight on Christmas..."
"Hey, still have time to explain? He's almost running away." Utaha pointed ahead.
They all looked—and realized Iroha was pulling Yuu, already starting to run down the stairs.
Masuzu had silently followed from behind, chasing them. The chocolate short knife in her hand seemed aimed at his back.
"In that case, don't think too much. First come, first served." Haruno pulled a whip from her waist—also coated in chocolate. "After all, Valentine's Day is a day like this."
"Winning a competition doesn't win someone's heart. If only life were that simple." Asuna sighed, yet didn't hesitate. Stepping forward with her slender sword, she swiftly gave chase.
Yukino and Utaha, unarmed, exchanged glances. Their faces were expressionless, yet intense sparks seemed to clash in the air.
"Yukinoshita, was it you who told them I tampered with the drink?" Utaha asked coldly, arms folded.
Yukino, also folding her arms, glanced at the prominent chest in front of her, then calmly released her hands as if nothing happened. "Senpai, although I don't know what substance you added, my sense of justice wouldn't allow such actions."
Utaha widened her eyes in disbelief. "I just melted my handmade chocolate and put it in the water. Do you think I committed a crime?"
Yukino paused briefly.
"Sorry, I misunderstood... But even so, that doesn't mean you can tamper with someone else's drink."
"Tch, meddling busybody."
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Meanwhile, Yuu, being dragged by Iroha.
"Sorry... Problems like this will happen if you date me..."
"I know! Senpai, check yourself—why are there five beautiful girls?! You're too popular, aren't you?!"
Panting, Iroha complained bitterly. "I thought at most three or four. Never expected five! Could practically form a baseball team, you know!"
Yuu sighed and prepared to slow down. "I'll go back and talk to them. If we talk openly, they shouldn't cause trouble."
But Iroha hesitated. "Senpai, if you go back now, won't you get captured or beaten up on the spot?"
Yuu paused briefly.
"...Probably not. My physical strength far exceeds theirs. I could incapacitate ten people at once."
"Are you planning to fight?! Senpai, this is Valentine's Day, not a martial arts tournament!"
After grumbling, Iroha took a deep breath, slowly stopped, turned, held his face, and kissed him.
Her lips were soft—just as sweet and warm as he imagined.
"...If we run, we run together. Either way, we won't be alone."
She whispered softly.
They kissed. The girl's face was flushed red. Her usual mischievous, playful smirk was there—but also filled with gentle determination.
"But if Senpai wants to face them, I'll stand by you too—I've had this resolve since we left today."
"Because... I'm your girlfriend!"
Those firm words fell to the ground. Her ash-blonde hair swayed gently in the wind.
Yuu looked at Iroha.
Behind him, the suffering of past Valentine's Days slowly approached.
Before him, the present Valentine's Day had already entered his heart.
He gripped her hand and gave a faint smile. There was no more doubt in his eyes.
Together, they turned to face the threatening, surrounding girls. Side by side, they waited as the sun set and night enveloped the world—
And then, waited for whatever tomorrow might bring.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Tenkuji Residence.
Sora frowned, watching the scene on the screen from a remotely controlled amusement park camera—seeming like it could have "THE END" written beneath it.
"What's Yuu doing? Filming a movie? Why hasn't he come home yet..."
As she thought that, Yuigahama's voice called from downstairs: "Sora, the hotpot's ready~"
"I'm coming—" She turned off the screen and rose from the bed.
Walking down, Sora sniffed the air. Her face instantly changed. "This spicy smell… Wait, does the hotpot have chili?"
"It's mapo broth. I know you can't handle spice, so I asked Mizuhara-san to separate it."
Chizuru stepped out of the bathroom. She naturally combed her messy hair, then gently patted Sora's back. "Come on, let's eat… Where are Yuu and the others?"
"Still outside. Who knows what they're up to." Sora huffed irritably, trudging heavily into the living room. "Who cares—we'll eat first!"
"Alright, I'll call later to check."
Chizuru shrugged resignedly and followed her into the lively, bustling living room.
As for what happened after the hotpot party, no one knows.
(Extra Ends)