A Valentine’s Day Nightmare? Is Not Knowing Your Boyfriend’s Secret A Blessing?

Mugetsu Otōto

Episode 1

Looking out the window, it was February and snow was falling lightly. It was lunchtime at Shiroizumi High School.

I, Hana, was walking down the school hallway with my best friend, Lara.

“Fufufu~n ♪ Fufufufu~n ♪”

“What’s up with you, Hana? You’re in a good mood.”

“Huh? Wh, what are you talking about, Lara? I’m totally normal.”

“It doesn’t seem like it. But I guess it’s something to do with Natsume-kun.”

The moment Lara said that name, my heart skipped a beat.

Natsume Yume. He is my childhood friend. And now, he’s my boyfriend, Boy・Fri・End!

We’ve been playing together a lot for a long time, but I’ve come to like Yume, who is kind and good-looking, albeit laid-back but cool. However, I couldn’t express my feelings easily, but I confessed my feelings a while ago.

My wish came true and we became boyfriend and girlfriend.

Lara, who had been cheering for me at the time, was also very happy.

But, you know.

“Wh, why do you think it’s about Yume?”

“You’re easy to understand. Well, Valentine’s Day is coming up, so you were probably thinking, ‘Now that we’re boyfriend and girlfriend, I can give Yume some chocolate without hesitation!’.”

“How do you know that!?”

What Lara said was spot on. I was thinking exactly that, word for word.

For Valentine’s Day. The day after tomorrow, I was thinking of making handmade chocolate and giving it to Yume, but might Lara be a psychic?

But it’s kind of embarrassing to admit it honestly.

“Wh, what? It’s not like I was thinking about that or anything. Valentine’s Day? Oh yeah, there is an event like that. But that’s just a conspiracy by candy manufacturers. I wasn’t even thinking about giving Yume chocolate or anything, not even a little bit.”

“Hana, why are you still acting tsundere even after you’ve started dating? Have you forgotten that it took you so long to get together because you couldn’t be honest with yourself?”

Ugh, that hits a sore spot.

Really. I’ve always liked Yume, and from what I’ve heard, it seems that Yume felt the same way.

It took me a long time to tell him how I felt because I had been pretending that I wasn’t interested in romance and didn’t like Yume at all.

I wonder what I’m doing.

“If you don’t feel like it, then maybe I’ll give Natsume-kun some chocolate instead. It might not be much use if he gets it from me, but I’m sure he’ll be lonely if he doesn’t get any from his girlfriend, so it’ll be some comfort for him.”

“S, stop Lara. Yume is my boyfriend! I’m the one who should be giving him chocolate!”

“I was just kidding. Why couldn’t you just be honest from the start?”

Well, even if you say that.

I know I’m a mess, but it’s not so easy to change the personality I was born with.

But the truth is, I’m really planning on giving him chocolate.

In fact, I had this conversation with Yume at school the other day.

　※※※※※※※※

“H, hey, Yume. U, um, about this Valentine’s Day… S, si, since we’re finally a couple now, I was thinking… if you really want it, maybe I could give you chocolate… or something. Do you… want it?”

“Of course. It’s obvious I do, so why are you even asking?”

“I mean, it’s just that, Yume, you get chocolate from so many girls every year, don’t you? So I thought maybe you wouldn’t need mine.”

“Of course I need it. I need yours the most. I won’t take any from other girls this year. It would be a problem if Hana got jealous.”

“Huh? I, it’s not like I’ll be jealous or anything.”

“You wouldn’t? I would be jealous. Just thinking about Hana receiving chocolate from someone else and eating it happily would break my heart.”

“Waah, don’t come at me with those sad eyes! O, of course I’d get jealous! Stop making me say it, you idiot!”

“Really? I’m glad, I love that about you, Hana.”

“Ughhh! You’re way too straightforward with your words! Stop saying ‘I love you’ so easily, geez! “

　※※※※※※※※

………… Kya, just thinking about it makes my face burn!

But Yume, loves me. He said he loves me!

Even after I got home, I kept rolling around on my bed, remembering everything!

Come to think of it, the people around me at the time were saying, “Argh, this sugar content is too high,” and “You’ll get diabetes of the heart.”

Geez, Yume, you say such embarrassing things in public! But I was happy!

「…… Hana. Hey, Hana. Come back to earth.”

“Ha! Lara, what is it?”

“Well, I just thought you looked so happy and smiling. You two seem to get along so well, I envy you… Hmm? Isn’t that Natsume-kun over there?”

Eh, Yume?

Looking up, I saw a beautiful boy with slicked-back hair, Yume, at the far end of the corridor.

Another thing that caught my attention was the person next to him. Yume was talking to a female student I didn’t know.

Episode 2

Who is that? Is she Yume’s classmate?

Me and Yume are in different classes, so I don’t know all of Yume’s classmates.

But looking closely, I can see that it’s different. Because the color of the ribbon on her chest is different from mine.

At our school, girls wear different ribbons for each grade. She must be a Second Year Senpai.

Yume, what are you talking with Senpai about?

She’s a stylish beauty, but…no way!

Having a bad feeling, I quickly hid behind a nearby staircase.

Then, Lara follows me.

“Hana, what happened all of a sudden?”

“Shh. Be quiet, Yume will notice.”

“No, we’re quite far, so I don’t think they’ll notice if we just talk a little.”

While ignoring Lara’s teasing, I focused my ears intently.

It’s true that Yume and company were quite a distance away, but my sharp hearing managed to catch their conversation.

And the content.

“…… Then, Senpai, I’ll see you tomorrow after school.”

“Okay. Can you still do this without your girlfriend knowing?”

“There’s no way Hana will find out.”

“Hehe, that’s right. Wow, I can really feel the love. Well, I’ll wait for you tomorrow after school.”

Senpai leaves with a big grin on her face.

In contrast, my smile had completely disappeared.

No, I’m sure that’s what they were talking about.

“Yu, Yume is cheating on me!”

I was so shocked that the blood drained from my whole body, and I fell to my knees on the spot.

“Hey Hana, what’s the matter? Natsume-kun cheating on you? Did you hear what they were talking about in the first place?”

“I heard it. Very clearly. So I know. There’s no doubt about it, he’s cheating.”

“I’m impressed by your keen ears. But Natsume-kun is cheating. You must have misunderstood something, right? I think it would be best to ask him and confirm it.”

That may be true.

Yume, let me hear more about what’s going on!

I get up and walk over to Yume.

“Yume!”

“Huh? Hana, what’s wrong?”

Yume looks at me nonchalantly.

If what happened earlier had been cheating, would he still be this calm?

If that’s the case, maybe he isn’t cheating, just like Lara said? No, Yume’s poker face is not to be underestimated. It’s too early to relax.

“Well, not that it’s any of my business, but. Weren’t you talking to someone earlier?”

“No, I was alone.”

Yume shook his head without changing his expression, but that was a complete lie! Because I was watching closely!

What then? Does this mean that Yume was hiding what he talked about with Senpai? Why?!

“Hmm, I see. By the way, Yume, do you want to go out somewhere tomorrow after school?”

Hiding my agitation, I tried to change my approach. And then.

“I’m sorry, I have a part-time job tomorrow. Would the day after be okay?”

This is also a lie!

He just made a promise with Senpai that they would meet after school tomorrow.

But he covered it up by saying it was a part-time job. I guess he feels guilty about it and doesn’t want me to know.

In other words… he’s definitely cheating!

“Yu, Yume! Cheating on me? Are you that unhappy with me!?”

“Huh? What do you mean, cheating?”

“Don’t play dumb! I know. That Senpai you were talking to earlier…… Mugu!”

“Yes, yes. Hana, let’s talk over there for a bit. Natsume-kun, I’m going to borrow your girlfriend.”

Just as I was about to question him, Lara covered my mouth and forcibly dragged me away.

Wait. I still have to talk to Yume!

“Lara, let go! Your best friend is on the verge of a breakup!”

“Well, calm down. I can’t help but think that you’re jumping to conclusions. After all, the other person is that Natsume-kun. Do you really think that he would betray you and cheat on you?”

“Well, Yume and I are a very happy, loving couple, but come on.”

“You say that yourself? Rather than calling you a couple, it would be more accurate to call you a lovey-dovey couple. Anyway, do you believe that Natsume-kun, one half of that happy, lovey-dovey couple, is cheating on you?”

“I, I’d like to think I’m wrong too. But I’m sure that he’s hiding something, and I’m still worried. Ahh, this is the beginning of a tragedy!”

“A tragedy, huh? I’d say it’s more of a comedy. No, I have a feeling that it’s going to be a romantic comedy. But if you’re going to say that, why don’t you watch Natsume-kun after school tomorrow? If he really is cheating, it would be best to catch him in the act.”

That’s true.

If I confronted him now, he’d probably just dodge the question, so it might be better to just catch him flirting with Senpai so that I won’t be deceived.

“Okay. Ah, but that means I have to watch Yume and Senpai flirting? Argh, that old bitch!”

“Calm down. Stop stomping your feet. I find this very funny and hilarious but people are looking at us strangely.”

Lara tried to stop me, but I couldn’t contain my rising emotions.

Yume, do you prefer Senpai to me?

Uwaaaaaah! Valentine’s Day is almost here, but this is like a nightmare!

Episode 3

The day after Yume was suspected of cheating.

As soon as school was over, Lara and I went to Yume’s classroom to stalk him.

“Lara! Yume has already gone somewhere!”

“Today’s homeroom was long. Sorry, maybe this was a mistake.”

Lara bowed her head, but an apology won’t solve the situation.

While we’re doing this, Yume might be having a good time with Senpai.

If they’re already out of school, we have to go after them.

I thought, but when I went to the shoe locker to check, Yume’s shoes were still there.

That means Yume is still inside the school.

“Yume did mention doing something with that Senpai after school today. I wonder if they are meeting inside the school?”

“Maybe. Maybe the two of them are alone in the nurse’s office or the gym’s storage room… Just kidding. Don’t look so sad.”

It’s because Lara said something weird!

Anyway, I have to find Yume.

But even though our school isn’t that big, it’s still difficult to find one person in it.

I took a look around the first-year classrooms, and then the second-year classrooms. I also went to the nurse’s office, gymnasium, and even the library that Lara had mentioned, but I couldn’t find Yume or the Senpai from yesterday.

“Where the hell did Yume go? Ah, I should be at home making chocolate to give Yume by now!”

“Life doesn’t always go according to plan. But where did you really go, Natsume-kun?”

I’ve already been to most of the places where Yume is likely to go.

What should I do? I’m at a loss at this point.

But just when the search was about to hit a dead end…

–BOOM!

Suddenly, I heard a huge explosion.

A loud boom echoed throughout the school, causing everyone walking down the hallway to stop and look around, wondering what was going on.

Of course, I’m no exception.

What the hell happened?

“Lara, what was that sound just now?”

“It sounded like something exploded. Let’s go and check it out.”

I’m worried about Yume, but I don’t know what to do. Maybe Yume will also be drawn to the sound and come over.

So we walked around the school building looking for the source of the sound.

And then, after climbing up a flight of stairs, a strange sight unfolds before me.

“What’s this? Is there a fire?!”

There was black smoke floating around, and the source of the smoke was… the Home Economics room?

This was the special classrooms building, which housed the music room, audiovisual room, etc. This smoke was leaking from one of them, the Home Economics room.

Could there really be a fire? Then….

“Ventilation ventilation!”

“What on earth is going on!?”

Coming out of the Home Economics lab in a panic was… Ahh, it’s the Senpai from yesterday!

Senpai was wearing an apron and choking on the smoke. And further.

“Sorry, Senpai. I put the chocolate in a double boiler and for some reason it just exploded.”

“A double boiler!? I can understand an oven or a microwave, but how do you make something explode in a double boiler!?”

The person who Senpai commented to with wide eyes was…….

“Yu, Yume!?”

“What, Hana? Why are you here?”

Likewise, that person was none other than the childhood friend we had been looking for, Yume.

　🍫🍫🍫🍫

“Um, so this person is the head of the cooking club, and Yume was being taught how to make chocolate, and then he caused an explosion?”

“Yeah… I was just making it the way Senpai taught me, it’s so strange.”

Yume tilts his head. And next to him, Senpai is burning white like the main character of a boxing anime.

This is the Home Economics room where the explosion occurred.

After school, the members of the cooking club make sweets and meals every day, but they all look tired.

It’s understandable, seeing as how they were busy trying to let the smoke out earlier.

I don’t know why they let Yume make chocolate!

Yume is a good student and athletic. Although he does things at her own pace, he’s a perfect superhuman who is caring and friendly to others, but for some reason he’s catastrophically bad at cooking and baking.

An explosion is a phenomenon that would not normally occur.

Lara and I had to help clean up afterward, it was a mess.

“I, I’m sorry Natsume-kun. You’re too much for me.”

“Senpai…… I’m the one who should be sorry. I even asked you to teach me how to make chocolate.”

Yume bows to Senpai.

The reason he met Senpai was to make chocolate. I was relieved to find out that he wasn’t cheating.

And Senpai, I’m sorry for calling you an old bitch, even if it was just in my mind.

“Good for you, Hana. I knew he wouldn’t cheat on you.”

“Hey, wait a second Lara!?”

I panicked when Lara said that with a grin on her face, but don’t say things like that in front of him.

Sure enough, Yume gave me a puzzled look.

“Hey, what do you mean by cheat?”

“Actually, Natsume-kun, Hana noticed you doing something sneaky and suspected you were cheating on her.”

“What’s that? I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. Am I that untrustworthy?”

When he looks at me with those sad eyes, like a scolded puppy, it makes my heart ache.

I’m sorry Yume. I was stupid to doubt you.

“That’s because I’m worried about what I’ll do if a cute girl or a beautiful Senpai approaches you and you end up going with them.”

“I wouldn’t go, I have the cutest girlfriend, why would I go?”

“You have the cutest girlfriend? You mean me?”

“Who else is there?”

Yume, you are still too straightforward with your words.

Do you have any idea how much that one line is making my heart flutter!?

The members of the cooking club in the room were also buzzing, saying things like, “What’s with this atmosphere?!” and “Are those two always like this?”.

Then, the club leader Senpai, who had been completely frozen, finally snapped out of it and came over.

“Don’t worry about your boyfriend. Natsume-kun, you know, he said he didn’t want to just receive chocolates on Valentine’s Day, so he asked the Cooking Club for help.”

“Eh, so you wanted to make chocolate for me!?”

“You just noticed that? How slow. Well, unfortunately, I couldn’t be of any help.”

Senpai looked up at the sky helplessly.

I’m sorry that my boyfriend caused an explosion. Oh well, but then…

“If you want to make chocolate, I’ll teach you how to make it.”

“Hana?”

“That’s right. Actually, why didn’t you rely on me from the beginning!”

But Lara quipped, “Well, you normally wouldn’t learn from the one you’re giving it to.”.

W, well, don’t worry about the details. Come on, Yume, I’ll teach you step by step!

Episode 4

“Senpai, can I borrow the kitchen?”

“Yeah, but if it explodes again…”

“Don’t worry, I won’t let it. Come on, Yume, let’s chop up the chocolate to put in the double boiler first.”

Despite how I look, I’m good at cooking and baking.

While urging Yume, make him stand in the kitchen. But when I saw Yume picking up the knife to chop the chocolate, I screamed.

“Hey, if you spread your hands like that, you’ll cut your fingers off. Make a cat’s paw!”

“Um… like this?”

“Hmm, your movements are a bit awkward.”

I went around Yume’s back, wrapping my arms around him while clinging to him.

Then I put my hand on Yume’s while he was cutting the chocolate.

“Look, it’s like this.”

“It’s true, it’s easy to cut.”

While sticking close together, we move the knife.

His movements are a little awkward, but I’m happy knowing that he’s trying his best for me.

Yume’s hands are warm when stacked with mine. Then, as if he had thought the opposite, Yume says, “Hana’s hands are cold”.

“Hana has always had poor circulation.”

“But this is better for making chocolate. If they are warm, it will melt.”

“That’s true. But aren’t you usually cold?”

“Then Yume, hold it and warm it up for me.”

“Okay, I’ll hold your hand as much as you want.”

I did it. Now we’ll definitely be holding hands on the way home today.

The cooking club members watching us were saying things like, “It’s too hot”, and “It’s like we’ll melt before the chocolate does”.

“But it’s a pity, I wanted to surprise Hana by making it in secret.”

“I was pretty shocked. It just suddenly exploded.”

“I’m sorry about that. And for making you worry that I was cheating on you.”

“Oh, that was just a misunderstanding on my part.”

“It may be inappropriate, but I was a little happy. Because, Hana, you were jealous, right.”

“Huh?! Wh, wh, what are you saying…… Ouch!”

I felt pain in the middle finger of my left hand.

Oh no, Yume said something weird so I cut my finger!

Blood was oozing from the cut, so I hurriedly moved away from Yume and brought my hand to my chest.

“What are you doing? Hana is so clumsy sometimes.”

“Shut up. Who do you think is to blame?!”

“Is it my fault? Oh well. Give me your hand.”

Yume took my left hand and brought the wound to her mouth…and sucked.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

Of course, it must be to stop the bleeding, but Yume, who is sucking the wound, can’t reply.

Ugh, so embarrassing. But at the same time, I want to stay like this a bit longer.

I forget about the pain and feel a warmth deep in my chest.

Meanwhile, the cooking club members…

“Wow, what exactly are we being shown?”

“We need to ventilate. Ventilate. The room is filling up with sugar.”

There was some commotion, and Lara pointed her phone’s camera at me.

Well, that aside.

Soon the bleeding stopped, and we resumed cooking.

This time we placed the chocolate in a double boiler without it exploding (how did he make it explode before anyway?), and after a few more attempts at cooking, the finished product was a chocolate truffle.

Even Yume did not make any mistakes in rolling the chocolate, but rather carefully rounded it out into a perfect circle.

“It’s done. Doesn’t it look delicious?”

“It’s all thanks to Hana. Since we’re here, would you like to try some of the freshly made ones?”

“Eh, are you sure?”

“I was actually planning on giving it to you tomorrow, but you’ve already found out, so I might as well give it to you. Here you go.”

“Aah.”

Mmmm, a happy sweetness spreads throughout my mouth.

Did Yume and I really make this together? It’s so delicious.

Come to think of it, Yume, you once said that the food I made was made by the girl he loved, which made it taste better than anything else.

At the time, I was so embarrassed that I didn’t even think about it, but now I get it.

Yume, who isn’t good at baking, tried his best for me. To me, his baking is the best seasoning.

“Can I have another one?”

“Hana is a glutton. Sure, ahn.”

“Aah.”

The sweetness spreads in my mouth again.

On the contrary, it felt as if the entire space was filled with a happy sweetness.

“And then, from the sugar overdose, I died…. battaeh.”

“Stay strong! It’s only a fatal blow!”

“I definitely have diabetes of the heart. The sweetness of these few minutes exceeds the total sweetness of my life up to now.”

“Lara, if you’re taking a video, send it to me too!”

The Home Economics club members and Lara were making some kind of fuss, but we gracefully ignored them.

Thank you, Yume. At first, I suspected that he was cheating, but Yume was the best boyfriend.

Okay, I can’t lose either.

I’m going to go home and make some chocolate to give to Yume tomorrow!

Oh, but before that, just one more thing.

The third piece of chocolate, Yume, “aaaahhh”, feed it to me.

By the way, the whole thing was recorded on Lara’s smartphone, and when she showed it to me later, I fainted with embarrassment.

End🍫