The hallways were full of pink and red decorations, hearts dangling from every corner, and students buzzing with energy. Valentine's Day was coming, and chocolates were the main topic. For Eli, though, it wasn't about who should I confess to? anymore. He was already dating Kai — secretly. And that made this Valentine's Day feel different.
Of course, Mina already knew. Every time chocolates came up, she threw Eli a teasing glance that made his ears turn red.
During lunch, the group crowded around their table, comparing plans.
"I'm just gonna give chocolates to my seatmate," one of their classmates laughed. "Better than nothing, right?"
Caleb grinned and nudged Leo with his elbow. "So, who are you giving chocolates to?"
Leo shrugged, a little too quickly. "Dunno. Maybe I'll just… buy some for myself."
The table burst out laughing, but Caleb only smirked, leaning closer. "Yeah, right. You'll cave and share with me anyway."
Leo tried to brush it off, but the tips of his ears turned pink, and Mina's knowing smile didn't go unnoticed.
Meanwhile, under the table, Eli nudged his foot gently against Kai's. It was such a small thing, but the secret contact made both of them smile.
Later, walking home together, Kai's voice broke the quiet. "So… are you giving chocolates to anyone this year?" His tone was calm, almost careless, but there was a playful spark in his eyes.
Eli rolled his eyes, though his cheeks warmed instantly. "You're so annoying. You already know the answer."
Kai chuckled. "I just like hearing you say it."
Eli muttered under his breath, "Of course it's for you."
The small confession lingered in the air between them, simple but warm.
That night, Eli sat cross-legged on his bed, staring at the unopened box of chocolates on his desk. His room was a mess of ribbons, colored paper, and wrapping scraps — like a craft shop exploded.
This looks so plain… I can't just hand this to Kai like it's from the convenience store, he thought with a frown.
So, Eli decided to make it more personal. He grabbed some red wrapping paper, tied it with a neat ribbon, and added a handwritten card: "For you. Don't tease me too much." He almost crumpled it three times, embarrassed at how cheesy it was, but in the end, he kept it.
Still, something felt missing. He thought about buying a watch or something more expensive, but then he remembered Kai's words: "I don't care about the gift. I just want something from you."
That memory made him smile. So Eli added one last thing — a small handmade sunflower keychain. It wasn't perfect, but it was honest. It felt like him.
The next morning, Eli tucked the gift carefully into his bag, heart pounding faster than usual. At school, chocolates flew everywhere — friends trading, teasing, laughing. Mina caught Eli clutching his bag like a secret and raised an eyebrow, but she didn't say a word. She only smirked, because she already knew exactly who the gift was for.
And all Eli could think about was the moment he'd finally hand it to Kai.