My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

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I don't think this is too fast. We've been standing still for a long time, and this is already too slow. So... I should be mentally prepared for that moment to arrive.

I feel both excited and scared, scared and excited at the same time, sob sob sob...!

...I wonder if Mizuto is thinking about this too? You mean... imagining me looking lewd, and then thinking about doing this kind of thing, or that kind of thing... um, what should I do? I don't know anything about those things...! Should I ask my seniors first? Like Akatsuki-san or Asou-senpai...? But how do I bring it up? I'm so shy!

Okay, let's calm down first.

We'll deal with the future later. Anyway, it's not like we've already finalized a specific plan... Right now, we should focus on the things at hand.

The budget committee at the end of the year? -- No.

February 14th.

That's right—Valentine's Day is almost here.

Volume 10: As long as you can reach out, you're there. (A typical girl's confession)

Irito Yui ◆ Confession Expression Championship

When it was just the two of us left at school, I mustered up the courage to speak up.

"Xiaoyue... what are your plans for Valentine's Day?"

Xiaoyue raised her eyebrows and stared at my face, giving me an expression that seemed to say "Hmph~" as if she knew everything.

"Hehe~"

They actually said it.

"I think that's how it is, right? This student wants to make chocolates by hand for Irito-san, and has already looked up recipes online, but is still unsure, so she wants to ask a professional for help... Is that it?"

"I...I didn't say that much..."

However, they were mostly right.

Ever since Xiaoyue discovered that Shuidou and I were dating, she's been very considerate in helping me out, but sometimes her intuition is so sharp it scares me. Although Shuidou's intuition is just as sharp as hers, for some reason, Xiaoyue's intuition makes me feel a little awkward.

"No problem! I was just thinking of doing it too, let's do it together! I'll teach you everything from the water bath method to how to conceal the hair!"

"Uh no, I don't intend to add any inedible ingredients."

Is she joking?

Xiaoyue ignored my slight doubt and said, "Ah, then how about this?" thus starting a new topic.

"How about asking one more person?"

"Are you going to invite someone else too?"

"Yeah, yeah, you know what I mean? It's that girl who, if left unattended, probably wouldn't even prepare a single piece of obligatory chocolate."

"...Valentine's Day chocolate...?"

During our lunch break, we went to the classroom and asked one of the girls in the class to call the girl at the east end. When she came over and heard this, she had a stunned look on her face, as if she had been struck by lightning.

"Yes, that's a cultural phenomenon... I'd almost forgotten about it if you hadn't mentioned it..."

"What kind of day do you consider Valentine's Day?"

"I thought it was the day when cute girl confession illustrations would be retweeted in droves..."

Well, I'm used to it. Girls who aren't very involved in dating usually have this kind of understanding of Valentine's Day. Besides, she probably doesn't even have the chance to exchange chocolates with her friends.

"Doesn't Dongtou usually receive a lot of care from Shuidou?"

That's what I said.

"As a way of expressing my gratitude, I think it wouldn't be too much to try making some chocolate."

"Oh—! Not bad, Yui! That's what you call the demeanor of a first wife!"

"Stop messing with me!"

"Hmm......" Dongtou frowned, looking somewhat troubled.

"My classmate is right, but unfortunately, my deadline is fast approaching..."

"Deadline? What's that?"

"Illustrations to upload for Valentine's Day..."

"To neglect one's own Valentine's Day in order to fabricate one is truly putting the cart before the horse."

Xiaoyue said in a dumbfounded tone, but for Dongtou and Shuidou, this matter was probably much more important than a piece of chocolate.

The student in the east corner tilted his head and said:

"The composition is complete, but I'm not entirely satisfied with the expressions. If I had known this would happen, I should have recorded it when I confessed to Mizuto."

"They completely treated their youth as research data..."

"Why don't you just ask Irito-kun how it is? Can't he see it clearly from the front?"

"Mizuto-kun's argument is that the characters I draw don't resemble me at all, so it's not helpful."

Indeed, the characters in Higashitou's illustrations are often ordinary girls, and anyone who sees them will feel like they are a reflection of themselves. This is the complete opposite of Higashitou herself, who is heading straight down the eccentric path, which is quite incredible.

"...Ah, I've got it."

""Um?""

Suddenly, Dongtou's expression brightened, and he said:

"Please show me the expressions you make when confessing your feelings to someone you like."

“Eh…?”

"That way I can go! To make chocolate!"

Strange, how come it's become something we have to agree to because of Dongtou's condition when we asked her to make the appointment...?

"Hmm—I just can't do anything with you."

Before my perfectly reasonable question could be answered, Xiaoyue readily accepted it, clearing her throat slightly with a "Mmm!"

Under our watchful eyes, Xiaoyue glanced at me quickly, revealing a gentle and adorable expression.

Then, she fiddled with the ends of her ponytail, as if trying desperately to calm her nerves.

"...I actually...like you a lot...would you accept that...?"

My classmate Dongtou and I gasped in shock.

The soft, murmuring voice, coupled with an expression of fragility that was unimaginable from his usual energetic self—even knowing it was acting, it was still enough to make our hearts flutter.

"So cute! Absolutely amazing!"

"Hehe~♪ Sure, sure~"

Upon receiving Dongtou's straightforward praise, Xiaoyue responded shyly. Although she had long thought Dongtou was omnipotent, she hadn't expected her acting skills to be so superb…or was it based on some real-life experience…?

"Then, let's switch to Yui."

Xiaoyue smiled maliciously, her eyes fixed on me.

I said hesitantly:

"Isn't your information enough...?"

"Of course, the more information the better! Right, Dongtou?"

"Definitely!"

"I... I'm not as good as Xiaoyue!"

"What does it matter? Just act out the real experience."

Xiaoyue said it with a sarcastic, sly smile.

"You confessed to him, right? Since you've already started dating..."

So, this is your real purpose...! You want to lure me into showing off my relationship so you can use it to mock me...!

"No, no... I, that..."

"Hmm~?"

After a series of evasive glances, he tried to avoid questioning, then covered his mouth with the back of his hand to hide his expression...

Suppressing my shyness, I said:

"...It was him who told me..."

In junior high school, I also used love letters instead.

I did respond to the confession, but when it comes to taking the initiative to confess, well...

"""

When they came to their senses, they realized that both Xiaoyue and Dongtou were stunned.

Moreover, he was expressionless, appearing completely lost and dejected.

"...Why, why this reaction? What's wrong with you?"

Dongtou said, "N-nothing..." and then, pressing his forehead, added:

"The flutter of excitement I feel for cute things, coupled with the hurt I feel from being flirted with, makes it hard for me to process my emotions all at once..."

"Ah! I'm sorry...! I shouldn't have said that to Dongtou-kun...!"

Ignoring my anxiety, Xiaoyue nodded knowingly and said:

"I understand, Dongtou... that attack just now also hit me..."

"What's wrong with you now!"

In any case, the three of them decided to start their handmade chocolate research group.

Asou Aisha ◆ The One Who Was Abandoned

I stared at Lanlan with a serious expression as she ate chocolate like a cute squirrel.

"……How about it?"

Lanlan swallowed what was in her mouth with a gulp and said:

I'll get straight to the conclusion.

"I'm so nervous."

"I've eaten too much and gotten confused."

The table in the student council room was piled high with the wrappers of the chocolates I had brought, like wreckage.

These are all the results of my hard work—trial versions of handmade Valentine's Day chocolates.

Of course, I tried it myself, but girls' and boys' tastes might be different, so I asked Lanlan, whose tastes might be closer to boys', to try it too. It's definitely not because I don't have other friends.

Lanlan wiped the chocolate off her lips with a tissue as she said:

"They call it handmade chocolate, but it's really just melted and solidified commercially available chocolate. The taste shouldn't be too bad, right? Is it really necessary to try making so many different kinds?"

"Lanlan, you really talk like a boy! You have no idea how difficult a process like melting and solidifying is!"

"In that case, I think if you just emphasize the level of difficulty, Senior Hoshinobe will definitely not dismiss it."

"...That's right, but..."

I rested my chin on my hands, which were propped up on my elbows, and said with a slight pout:

"Look, isn't he about to graduate? Isn't he going to university? Won't he be surrounded by lots of female college girls? What if some pests come and swarm him?"

"That's true, after all, there's already a real example like Senior Sister Ya Shuang."

"You're calling me a pest? How dare you say that to the senior who promoted you to the student council and for whom I owe you so much kindness?"

Okay, forget it.

"In short! To prevent my senior from falling for some weird woman's tricks, I want to make him completely infatuated now! For that, I need the most powerful Valentine's Day chocolate!"

"I see, so it means fighting poison with poison."

"Lanlan?"

It's full of poison and pests, its mouth is very unclean, isn't it, Lanlan?

"I understand what you mean, senior... but can I ask a question?"