“We’re not going to see each other again until the exams are over.”

         That was the reasonable, logical suggestion Miyagi had made the other day. And now, with all the exams behind us, she was lounging around like it was nothing.

         Both of us had taken everything we needed to take. The results weren’t out yet, but we’d already done what we had to do, so things should’ve felt easier now.

         But Miyagi didn’t look relaxed at all—she was clearly in a bad mood. Probably because the first thing I did when I saw her was ask how her exams went.

         I knew I shouldn’t have said anything the moment I opened my mouth, but I did it anyway.

         Bringing this was probably a mistake, I thought, glancing down at my bag. Inside were the chocolates I’d debated taking with me right up until the last second after Miyagi invited me over. Now, it felt like I’d completely missed the moment, and I couldn’t think of any reason to pull them out.

         Miyagi was lying in bed, clearly not in the mood to be accepting chocolates.

         Valentine’s Day had already passed, too, since we’d agreed not to see each other until exams were done, so it wasn’t easy to justify giving her chocolates now. On top of that, I didn’t even know if her exams had gone well.

         This year felt so different from last year that just thinking about it made me feel oddly nostalgic. Last year, I’d given her chocolates without thinking twice.

         Not going to school because of the optional attendance days only made it harder to hand them over.

         Last year, I made chocolates for Umina and the others too, and gave Miyagi some as part of that. But this year, it really felt like I’d made them just for her.

         I wasn’t the kind of person who cared much about seasonal stuff like this, but if friends were involved, I usually went along with it—and that’s why I did things like this.

         Today was no different.

         Last year, Miyagi told me she didn’t exchange chocolates with her friends, but I gave her some anyway.

         I’d planned to do the same this year, but without being able to use the excuse that I made them for other friends too, it was hard to find a reason.

         I stood up and walked over to the bookshelf.

         I ran my hand over the black cat plush sitting in front of the manga and glanced through the shelves to see if there were any new volumes. That’s when I heard her voice behind me.

         「Sendai-san, take this.」

         When I turned around, Miyagi had gotten out of bed. She was standing there holding out a small box tied with a ribbon. It wasn’t very big or thick.

         「Wait, is this…?」

         I went back to the table without grabbing any manga, and she handed me the box.

         「It caught my eye when I went shopping the other day.」

         I sat down, staring at the box in my hands.

         No matter how you looked at it, it was wrapped in full-on Valentine’s Day packaging, complete with a brand name printed on it. There was no mistaking that it was Valentine’s chocolate.

         But still—there was no way Miyagi, of all people, would give me something like that.

         「… What’s this for? Niboshi Day?」

         Miyagi had called Valentine’s Day that last year.

         I remembered it clearly.

         With that in mind, I honestly wouldn’t have been surprised if the box really did have dried sardines in it.

         I glanced over at Miyagi, sitting beside me.

         She looked annoyed, like always.

         「Last year, you were the one who told me to stop acting like some bitter, lonely guy. If you don’t want it, then just give it back.」

         Judging from that, it was probably chocolates in the box.

         「No, I’ll take it. Thanks. I brought some for you too.」

         I quickly opened my bag and pulled out the box of chocolates. There was no better time than now.

         「Here you go. It’s a bit late, but here’s your share. They’re homemade.」

         I said as I handed her the box, wrapped in light pink paper. It wasn’t the smoothest way to give it to her, but I didn’t have time to worry about appearances.

         「You made chocolates for Ibaraki-san and the others too, even though you haven’t been going to school?」

         Maybe because I’d made it sound like I’d prepared chocolates for other people, Miyagi responded like it was a given.

         「Well, maybe… But anyway, you can open it now if you want. Can I open this too?」

         I told a lie I didn’t need to.

         For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to admit that I’d made them just for her.

         「Do whatever you want.」

         Miyagi replied flatly as she started peeling the wrapping paper off the box.

         I carefully unwrapped mine too, trying not to tear the paper.

         Inside were six chocolates—

         The same number I’d given her last year.

         Not that I thought Miyagi remembered and tried to match me.

         It was probably just a coincidence, but even so, getting the same amount made me happy—especially since I’d gotten nothing from her for White Day.

         I did wish she’d looked a little happier while giving it to me, but if she had, I probably would’ve thought the world was about to end.

         「Oh, right. Want me to feed them to you like I did last year?」

         I asked, pointing at the chocolates Miyagi was holding.

         They were the same truffles I’d made last year, and I’d even kept the number the same. I’d considered making something different this time, but thought something too elaborate would come off as over-the-top, so I gave up on the idea.

         「No, I can eat it myself just fine.」

         Miyagi said as she picked up a piece of white chocolate dusted with powdered sugar. It was small enough that she ate it in one bite.

         Her expression didn’t change.

         She didn’t say anything either, so I had no way of knowing whether she thought it tasted good or not.

         Her fingers hovered over the box for a moment, as if unsure about picking another one, but then she reached for the back of the crocodile-covered tissue box and pulled out a sheet.

         「Was it good?」

         I asked as she wiped her fingertips, and she quietly replied, “Yes.”

         「… Thank you.」

         She’d thanked me like this last year too, but even so, I felt relieved.

         I would’ve preferred if she’d told me it was delicious outright, but hearing her thank me still made me happy. Technically, she didn’t say it was delicious—she only answered “yes” to my question—but I hadn’t expected such a straightforward reply from Miyagi in the first place.

         「Are you not going to eat any, Sendai-san?」

         「I will.」

         「Then hand that over to me.」

         Miyagi said, pointing to the chocolates in front of me.

         「Is that an order?」

         「It is.」

         「You’re not trying to take them back, are you?」

         I didn’t think that was what she meant, but I asked just in case.

         「I never said that.」

         Relieved by her answer, I handed her the box without protest.

         「Open your mouth.」

         Miyagi said as she picked up a square piece of chocolate.

         「… Uh, what’s happening?」

         I instinctively leaned back.

         She was probably just trying to feed me the chocolate.

         But that alone was weird.

         There was no way it was just that.

         Miyagi was trying to make me eat something.

         She’d done this kind of thing before, and nothing good ever came out of it.

         The fact that she’d even prepared chocolates for me was already a miracle—so there was no way she was trying to feed them to me in a normal, straightforward way.

         She even tried to order me to eat it.

         There had to be something going on.

         It wouldn’t be like Miyagi otherwise.

         「Fine. If you want to eat it yourself, I don’t care.」

         She said flatly, trying to put the chocolate back into the box—but I quickly grabbed her hand.

         「Wait, sorry. Feed it to me.」

         I had no idea what might happen if I let her feed me.

         But in the end, it was an order.

         Even if something unpleasant came out of it, I’d just have to accept it—so there was no point in overthinking it.

         「Okay. Then, your mouth?」

         She hadn’t told me to open it this time, but I did anyway.

         A square piece of chocolate came toward me—then gently entered my mouth, along with her finger.

         Miyagi’s fingertip brushed against my tongue.

         The chocolate, warmed by my body heat, was already starting to melt, and her finger tasted sweet too.

         When I bit into the chocolate—and lightly onto her finger—she pulled her hand away.

         Only the chocolate was left in my mouth.

         It wasn’t too sweet, but not too bitter either.

         I stared at Miyagi.

         She wasn’t doing anything weird.

         She didn’t reach for another chocolate either.

         The order had gone surprisingly smoothly, and nothing strange had happened.

         「Is it good?」

         Miyagi asked, echoing the question I’d asked her earlier, as she wiped her fingers with a tissue.

         「Do you want to try some too?」

         The chocolate tasted great.

         But I didn’t want to use words to tell her that.

         「I gave them to you, Sendai-san. I don’t need any.」

         「You don’t have to worry about that.」

         I grabbed Miyagi’s arm.

         When I gently pulled her toward me, her brows furrowed. But she didn’t say anything, so I brought her closer and pressed my lips to hers.

         The last time we’d kissed was the day she asked me to cast a charm on her.

         That had been over a week ago.

         Maybe because of the time that had passed, she let me kiss her without resistance.

         I slipped my tongue between her lips.

         Miyagi gripped my arm, but didn’t push me away.

         She wasn’t exactly kissing me back, but she allowed my tongue to enter her mouth.

         Normally, Miyagi would’ve gotten annoyed by now, saying I’d gone beyond just letting her have a taste. But today, she was unusually quiet. It made me feel a bit uneasy, but I didn’t want to stop, so I pressed my tongue lightly against hers.

         She didn’t flinch when I touched her tongue, so I pressed in deeper until they twined together.

         Miyagi’s fingers clutched my arm more tightly, and I could feel her body heat through her damp tongue.

         It was warmer than the hand gripping me, and it made my heart race.

         I couldn’t taste the chocolate anymore.

         But I was sure it had been sweet.

         Wanting to feel her even more, I deepened the kiss.

         It was hot, sweet, almost suffocating.

         I couldn’t breathe properly, and finally, I pulled away.

         Rather than her getting a taste of the chocolate, it felt more like I’d gotten a taste of Miyagi instead—so I wouldn’t be surprised if she got mad at me for that.

         「How am I supposed to know how it tastes when you do that?」

         Miyagi said as she pushed me back by the shoulders, putting some space between us.

         「Then let’s keep going until you do know.」

         「It’d be a lot easier if I just ate one myself.」

         She didn’t sound mad, but her voice was quiet as she reached for the box of chocolates meant for me.

         Before she could grab one, I took hold of her wrist and pulled her hand away from the box.

         「Sendai-san.」

         Miyagi sounded exasperated, but she still didn’t tell me to stop.

         So I kissed her again without hesitation.

         Her lips were already slightly parted this time, and I slipped my tongue in more easily.

         I still couldn’t taste the chocolate, but the kiss was undeniably sweet.

         Wanting more, I pushed my tongue deeper into her mouth.

         Miyagi’s hands moved to my shoulders.

         Then, she dug her nails into my skin—hard. It hurt.

         Normally, she would’ve pushed me away by now.

         And the fact that she hadn’t was starting to bother me, so I pulled back.

         「You’re not going to get mad at me today?」

         I asked, and her brows furrowed again.

         「If you already know I’m going to get mad, then don’t do stuff like this in the first place.」

         Miyagi said, sounding irritated.

         But still, she hadn’t gotten mad.

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