Chapter 12: A Cute Trap

Valentine’s Day — the day when every boy starts feeling restless. Unlike Christmas, it’s the one time of year when the usual social order flips, and those who normally have the upper hand find themselves on shaky ground.

“Time to get up! We’ve got school!”

Without so much as a knock, Sumire bursts into my room, flinging the door open like she owns the place. Her bag looks heavier than usual — a clear giveaway of the season.

Right. It’s that time of year again.

Every year, Sumire hands out chocolates to everyone in our class. I have no idea how she manages the cost, but considering the mountain of gifts she gets in return, she probably turns a profit by the end of it. Even so, her wallet definitely takes a hit up front.

Then, there are the other chocolates — the handmade ones she reserves for the people she’s especially close to. For Sumire, Valentine’s Day is less a holiday and more a carefully coordinated operation.

Luckily for me, I’m on the VIP list.

If I were still stuck in the general acquaintance category after all these years... yeah, I’d probably cry.

Sure, it’s just friendship chocolate — nothing more. But still, getting a handmade chocolate from the most popular girl in school isn’t exactly something to complain about. Receiving obligatory chocolates every year from someone you like might sting a little, but hey — happiness is happiness.

Even as I indulged in a small, guilty sense of superiority over the other guys, the truth was, Valentine’s Day had long since stopped being a nerve-wracking event for me.

“You’ve got your hands full as always, huh?”

“Well, I’ve been doing this forever. Feels weird to just stop now...”

She shrugged, like Valentine’s Day was just another chore she had to get through, and with that, we headed out the door together.

Since Sumire had messaged me on LINE yesterday about heading to school early, I was already up and ready when she arrived.

We walked side by side toward the bus stop, the faint darkness of early morning still lingering in the sky. The quiet stillness made everything feel a little more intimate — like we were the only two people in the world.

At some point, walking to school like this had become second nature. Just last year, I never would have imagined it.

Thinking back, it really felt like the distance between us had shrunk over the past year.

That thought made me happy.

But at the same time... it left a dull ache in my chest.

Because after all this time, this was still as far as we’d come.

When we arrived at school, the silence caught me off guard. I was never one to come this early, and since I wasn’t in any clubs, seeing the school this empty felt strangely unfamiliar.

Inside the classroom, only a trio of girls sat chatting by the window.

“Oooh, looking cozy this early in the morning~”

“You’re here early today.”

“It’s Valentine’s Day. Here, chocolate for you.”

“Wow, thanks! We didn’t prepare anything… sorry about that.”

Without hesitation, Sumire handed them chocolates. I didn’t usually see her talking to these girls, but after a few casual words, she turned and made her way back to me — her face glowing with an even brighter smile than usual.

She already smiled often, but today, there was something different about it. Something softer.

“There’s barely anyone here. Wanna kill time by going over the test material?”

“No way. Studying as a way to kill time? That makes zero sense.”

As more classmates trickled into the room, Sumire kept moving around, handing out chocolates like always. But no matter how many people she talked to, she’d return to my desk every single time.

She wouldn’t say anything in particular — just stood there, beaming at me with that same radiant smile.

And the warm, knowing glances from our classmates? Absolutely unbearable.

Over the past few months, people’s attitudes toward us had shifted dramatically — probably because the distance between Sumire and me had been shrinking at an obvious pace. As a result, the teasing had skyrocketed. At this point, I was basically the class’s favorite plaything.

Every now and then, I’d catch a jealous glare from one of the guys, but thankfully, most of them were easygoing enough that it never turned into anything serious. Honestly, I was lucky to be in this class.

As I sat there, lost in thought, my gaze wandered aimlessly around the room — just in time to see Ichinose-san and Sakuma-san walk in.

Ichinose-san had been by Sumire’s side since middle school, so she left a strong impression. Sakuma-san, on the other hand, had seemingly grown close to her all at once just recently. Lately, the three of them had earned the nickname the Three-Syllable Surname Beauties.

Seriously, the level of attractiveness in that corner of the classroom felt downright unfair.

“Morning! Here, this one's for Kanna-chan. And this one’s for Mahhi.”

“Thanks!”

Watching them exchange chocolates so cheerfully felt like staring directly into the sun. The sheer brightness of the scene practically scorched my retinas. I quickly averted my gaze — only to catch sight of some guy grinning creepily at the chocolate he’d just received from Sumire.

Deciding I valued my sanity, I let out a long sigh and dropped my head onto my desk.

Drowned in the typical morning chatter, I had just begun spacing out when I felt a light poke on my shoulder.

When I looked up, Sumire was standing over me with an odd expression.

Her smile—usually so natural—had something else lurking beneath it. It was the kind of dubious grin you’d see on an archaic statue, frozen in an ambiguous smirk. The corners of her lips twitched ever so slightly, like she was holding something back.

I knew this look. It was the face she made when she was up to something.

Suspicious…

Then, with a smooth, deliberate motion, she pulled a small, hidden object from behind her back and held it out toward me.

“M-Mou, I’ve already given chocolates to everyone else… so this one is for you, Ren.”

With those hurried words, she shoved the package into my hands before abruptly turning away and scurrying off.

It was a rectangular box—fairly large—wrapped in bright red with a golden heart embossed on the front.

For a moment, my mind went completely blank. I stood frozen, clutching the box, while Sumire peeked at me from behind Ichinose and the others, sneaking quick glances my way.

Somewhere nearby, a quiet murmur reached my ears.

"Just go explode already."

That snapped me back to reality.

I glanced toward Sumire, but she was already swallowed up by the group of girls, her expression hidden from view. Not that I had the mental capacity to focus on that right now. Keeping my movements as casual as possible, I slid the box into my desk and turned my gaze toward the window, away from the classroom's chaos.

Moments like this were when having a window seat came in handy. My reflection hovered faintly in the glass—but I deliberately avoided looking at it. Instead, I let out a slow sigh.

…It seems like this year’s Valentine’s Day is going to be a little different.

---

While copying down the notes from the board, I found myself absentmindedly drifting into thought. The teacher preferred using handouts over writing on the board, which meant there wasn’t much to jot down. Since we could always review the materials later, it was no surprise that most students weren’t paying much attention.

I often found myself zoning out during this class as well.

My thoughts drifted back to Sumire’s behavior earlier.

There was an unspoken understanding between us—at school, we kept our distance. Maybe it started with the typical mindset of little boys who thought it was uncool to hang out with girls, or maybe it was a quiet effort to avoid stirring up jealousy among our classmates. I couldn’t quite remember when it began, but one thing was certain: Sumire understood. She never tried to break that silent agreement, never sought me out in public.

That’s why, on previous Valentine’s Days, she always made sure to hand it to me in secret—when no one was watching. And usually, it was placed in a plain, unadorned bag or wrapped so casually that it practically screamed, This is just an obligatory gift.

But this time… it’s different.

I can’t help but wonder if her actions carry a special meaning—a deeper, more personal significance.

No, well… If you asked me whether this wrapping really feels like a confession, I wouldn’t know. But—it’s not the usual. And just that alone should be enough to let me hope a little, right? It’s not like I’ll be punished for it.

I steal a glance at Sumire.

At that exact moment, she’s already looking my way.

Once again—our eyes meet.

Is it just a coincidence? Or… does she also feel that today is different?

With that thought lingering in my mind, I can’t focus on class at all.

What kind of loser gets all restless just because he got some chocolates, huh?!

I scold myself in my head. But still—there’s no helping it. A high school guy is just a simple creature like that.

By the time the chime signals the end of fourth period, I’ve barely registered a word of the lesson. I’m still lost in my thoughts, my fingers absently tapping against my desk.

“What are you spacing out for?”

Before I can react, a pair of hands suddenly grab both my shoulders from behind.

I freeze on the spot, too startled to even let out a sound.

I don’t need to turn around—I already know from the voice that it’s Sumire.

She leaned into me, resting her weight on my shoulders, then whispered softly into my ear.

"Hey, can I stop by your place after school today? Not that it matters—I'll be coming either way."

A shiver ran down my spine.

"O-oh..."

"Great. See you later."

The warmth of her body pressed against my back. The soft tickle of her breath against my ear. My brain completely short-circuited. By the time I processed what had just happened, she was already walking away, blending seamlessly into her usual group.

Lately, Sumire had become more physically affectionate. She’d hug me out of nowhere, cling to me like it was the most natural thing in the world. I thought I was getting used to it.

But this—this was different.

At school, where countless eyes were watching, it felt… special.

And it wasn’t just any eyes—it was our classmates. People we knew. That made it worse.

I hesitantly scanned the room.

Some guys looked bitterly jealous. Others had eyes gleaming with barely concealed murder intent. A few girls blushed, their whispers filling the air like static.

I immediately averted my gaze, pressing a hand against my still-racing heart.

Reaching into my desk, my fingers brushed against the small package inside, as if confirming it was still there. Then, with a quiet sigh, I let my head fall onto my desk—bracing myself for the rest of the day.

---

On the way home, we walked side by side, just like always. As she’d declared, Sumire was coming over, so we headed straight to my house together.

For most of the walk, neither of us spoke. The silence felt a little awkward, yet somehow, the distance between us seemed smaller than usual.

"Ughhh, I'm so tired... I wish all my classes were either music or art."

As soon as we stepped into my room, Sumire stretched with a loud groan before flopping face-down onto my desk.

For the record, we’d both chosen art as our elective. Right now, we were painting a wine bottle — art class mostly just meant endless oil painting, making it one of the more laid-back subjects.

"Math is the absolute worst," she grumbled.

"I get it. It’s so boring, I start dozing off halfway through."

"Honestly, you probably understand math better than our teacher does."

We lay sprawled out in my room, lazily chatting about random things.

It was just our usual routine — the same ordinary, everyday scene.

And yet... today, for some reason, I couldn’t relax.

After all that teasing at school, was nothing really going to happen?

Was I just overthinking it because of my hopeless inexperience?

How embarrassing...

I glanced over at Sumire without thinking — only to catch her staring straight at me. Our eyes met, and she flashed a small, mischievous smirk.

For a moment, neither of us said anything. The silence stretched, heavy and charged, until I panicked and quickly looked away.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her stand up and move closer. My heart thudded as I wondered — what did she see when she looked at me like that?

"Hey, what are you up to?"

She leaned in from the side, peering at my hands.

I had been reading a web novel, and without thinking, I instinctively turned off my phone screen. Honestly, I was a little impressed with my reflexes — my fingers moved before my brain even registered the decision to hide it.

"Oh, come on. I can already guess what it was, so there’s no point in hiding it."

"That’s not the issue. If I don’t want to show it, I’m not showing it."

"Hmm... whatever. I’m gonna grab some tea."

She wandered off to the kitchen like she said she would. Not that she needed to tell me — she could’ve helped herself, like always. We’d known each other since kindergarten. It wasn’t like she needed permission.

Haaah...

I let out a deep sigh, drained by all the unnecessary expectations I’d built up in my head. Lately, Sumire had been acting strangely — flirtatious, even. She kept getting close, whispering in my ear for no reason, and I’d often catch her staring at me.

And then there was today — Valentine’s Day. With the way she’d been acting, how could I not end up hoping for something?

Feeling awkward, I let my gaze wander around the room until it landed on my bag.

Without thinking, I reached for it and pulled out the item inside — a neatly wrapped, bright red box. Even now, a faint ember of hope still flickered in my chest.

I glanced toward the door to make sure I was alone, then carefully peeled away the wrapping. Underneath was a plain brown box. I hesitated for a moment, then slowly opened it.

Inside was an even smaller package.

My hands trembled slightly as I lifted it out.

"...Huh?"

The moment I saw what was inside, the sound escaped my throat involuntarily. For a few seconds, my brain refused to process what I was looking at.

I blinked, trying to make sense of it, until my mind finally caught up.

"What is this...?"

It was a book.

Yes, a book — the kind made from paper, filled with text, images, and photographs, bound and printed.

Definitely not the kind of thing you’d expect to get on Valentine’s Day.

Wrapped in a plain paper cover, the book was about the size of a paperback novel. There was nothing else in the box.

Hesitantly, I removed the cover.

The title on the front of the book came into view:

"The Last Month with My Adorable Childhood Friend and Me"

I froze.

I knew that title. I’d seen it before.

I’d been searching my bookshelf for this very book recently, feeling down when I couldn’t find it, wondering if I’d accidentally lost it.

Memories flooded back, and I vaguely recalled lending it to Sumire. It must’ve been right after summer vacation.

"...That girl...!"

Suddenly —

Pfft.

A muffled laugh echoed through the room. I spun around, and sure enough, the door was half-open. Sumire peeked through the gap, one hand covering her mouth, her eyes sparkling with amusement. She grinned like a kid who’d just pulled off the ultimate prank.

Which, honestly, she had.

"Heh... you’ve been all fidgety, thinking maybe it was from your crush? Pffft."

"You...!"

"Aww, I can't believe you checked it the second I left the room. Were you that desperate to know?"

Sumire kept teasing me, her voice dripping with mischief, and my eye twitched with barely restrained irritation. It was about time I taught her a lesson. I couldn’t let this little brat run wild any longer.

I glared at her as I slowly stood up, my movements deliberate and menacing. Seeing this, Sumire panicked, snatching up her belongings and making a break for the door. She glanced back just once, her eyes gleaming with victory.

"Before the beast attacks, I’ll take my leave. See you at the salad bar."

She stuck out her tongue, then bolted down the stairs, her footsteps echoing as she fled.

I watched her go, already exhausted. There was no point in chasing her — I just slumped back into my chair.

Sigh...

Lately, I’d been sighing a lot more. And most of the time, Sumire was the reason. But honestly... it was the kind of problem I didn’t mind having.

I let out another short breath, rubbing my eyes. Just then, my phone chimed.

‘Post’

I blinked at the single word Sumire had sent me on LINE.

Post?

Was this some kind of code? Feeling puzzled, I dragged myself downstairs to check the mailbox.

It was mounted beside the gate at the entrance. I opened the lid — and inside, I found a small bag.

I carefully took out the pure white paper bag, sealed with a gold sticker. It felt delicate in my hands as I carried it back inside.

Once in my room, I sat down, took a deep breath, and gently peeled off the sticker.

Inside was a dark brown box, tied with a dark orange ribbon. The colors were elegant, mature — a quiet contrast to Sumire’s usual playfulness.

This, without a doubt, was the real chocolate.

A quiet laugh escaped me. Sumire always went out of her way to make giving me chocolate feel like a game, turning even something sweet into a string of teases.

I let out another sigh, but this time, it carried no frustration — only warmth.

---

I pressed my hand against my chest, trying to steady the frantic, relentless beating of my heart. No matter how hard I tried to calm myself, the pounding wouldn’t stop — and eventually, my legs gave out. I sank to the floor.

Something’s been off ever since that Christmas day.

No matter what I do, he’s always in my head. And for the first time in my life, I feel something terrifying coiling in my chest — fear.

What if he starts to dislike me?

The thought slips in like a shadow, again and again.

And yet, even with that fear gnawing at me, I can’t stop myself. I want his attention. I crave his gaze. I keep teasing him, just to make him look at me.

It’s pathetic.

Every night, this contradiction makes my hands tremble.

Seriously... the way he’s got me feeling like this...

One day, I’m definitely going to make him take responsibility for it.

I reached for the white bag resting on my desk. Inside was a pile of extra chocolates I’d made.

I picked one up and took a slow, deliberate bite.

The heart-shaped chocolate melted on my tongue, unbearably sweet.