My stepmother's burden is my ex-girlfriend.

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"Hmm? What's the problem?"

"Does Senior Sister Ya Shuang not trust Senior Brother Xing Bian?"

"Don't say things like that when a guy can't stand his girlfriend being too controlling!"

I collapsed onto the table, my cheeks bulging out.

"...I can't help it, I just worry. I always feel like my senior is getting further and further away from me..."

"It must be tough being worried about and bothered by you, Senior Hoshino."

"Keep stabbing me! Lanlan, every word you've said since just now has hurt me!"

It's practically an enemy that reflects damage when it encounters physical attacks!

"Wishing you the best of luck, senior."

After Lanlan finished speaking calmly, she took out her textbooks and notebooks from her schoolbag. She spread them out on the table and began to write notes to review her lessons.

I looked up at her, who always looked the same, and said:

"Lanlan, don't you have anyone you want to give chocolates to?"

Do you think so?

"It doesn't necessarily have to be someone you like, like some boy in your class~"

"Is it because this senior girl flirts with everyone that she attracts the girls' dislike?"

"You're trying to stab me to death! Lanlan, your words are practically stabbing me repeatedly!"

Lanlan calmly began writing as she spoke:

"This kind of holiday has nothing to do with me."

Yui Irito ◆ This is what it's like to be single when you're alone

"Listen up, Dongtou? Although all the boys in the world say, 'It's called handmade chocolate, but it's just melting and solidifying commercially available chocolate. How can it be handmade?' -- But this 'melting and solidifying' part is actually made up of the blood and tears of all the girls in the world."

"I don't think it's a good idea for foreign objects to get mixed in."

"This isn't a foreign object! Valentine's Day chocolate is acceptable!"

We met in Xiaoyue's kitchen, having made thorough preparations.

We laid out the materials one by one, put on aprons, and became virtuous girls who wouldn't be ashamed anywhere... Although, apart from Xiaoyue, Dongtou and I were a bit like paper tigers.

However, I'm much more skilled at cooking now than I was a year ago. I can now easily find simple recipes on my phone and cook delicious meals. I even tried making omelets last time! (Whether it was successful or not is not disclosed.)

Following Xiaoyue's instructions, we began the production process.

It seems that Dongtou is really unfamiliar with cooking. When we asked her what kind of dishes she was good at, her answer was: "MARU sauce, I guess." If she is really good at making that, we suggest she go to work for a company.

So we didn't let Dongtou touch the knife; Xiaoyue and I were in charge of chopping the chocolate. We couldn't let the painter get hurt.

At first, I was quite flustered, but after getting familiar with the steps, I gradually became more proficient.

While carefully measuring the temperature of the hot water used for the double boiler, Xiaoyue said:

"Hey, let me ask you something... how are you guys doing now?"

I don't quite understand this overly vague question.

"How is it going?"

"You and Irito-kun! You're even making chocolates for him, so I thought things were going really well between you two. But you see, we don't usually get to hear about these things, do we?"

My relationship with Mizuto was basically a secret at school.

The only people who know are Higashi-tou, Xiaoyue-san and Kawanami-san (who were discovered by them last time), and then President Kurenai. But maybe Haba-senpai knows too... Asou-senpai only knows I have a boyfriend, but doesn't know who he is.

"I'm curious too!"

Dongtou's eyes also lit up, and he said:

"It's been a month already, hasn't it? And we've been living under the same roof... It's been so long..."

"Right? Dongtou-kun?"

"Right? Nan-kun?"

The two women looked at each other, revealing lewd and wicked smiles. I could roughly guess what they were thinking. If our positions were reversed, I'd probably make the same wild guesses. I just wouldn't necessarily ask them directly.

As I solemnly continued with my work, I said:

"How could there be anything? Even though we live under the same roof, Mom and Dad will see."

"Really? But we can still sneak in, you see... we can always do something, right?"

"I feel like it would actually make me even more aroused!"

Xiaoyue had a mischievous look on her face, while Dongtou was breathing heavily through his nose. I poked each of their foreheads.

Of course, we occasionally sneak away from our parents' watchful eyes and do things that couples do. But the constant fear of being caught makes us feel anxious... We also arrange to meet outside, but it's inconvenient in public places...

"Yume and Irito are both so well-behaved."

"Mizuto is the embodiment of rationality; if he feels something is wrong, he really won't do anything."

Having Dongtou say this with her ample bosom really makes it convincing.

"That's great. It proves that Mizuto is seriously thinking about me."

"That's true, but sometimes you might still crave being forcefully pushed around, right? That's a common desire among girls!"

"But, but, the more you suppress your feelings normally, the more powerful you must be when you release them, right? I think Mizuto is that type!"

"Wow, awesome! I might get so horny I'll lose all control, and all that coolness I usually show will seem fake!"

"Hehe, hehehe. I'm into this kind, sexy and cute."

"Please don't make vulgar remarks about other people's boyfriends!"

Boys like Shuidou get thirsty... Waaaaah, waaaah!

As I was busy cooling down my burning face, "Mmm~" Dongtou classmate put on a serious expression and looked at me—or rather, stared at my body.

"Hey girl, it's Valentine's Day, let's do... you know!"

"Ah—that's the one!"

Xiaoyue clapped her hands with a "just what I wanted" reaction, but I didn't understand at all.

"Which one is that?"

"That's it, the one where you tie ribbons around yourself~"

"Get some chocolate on yourself~"

Dongtou and Xiaoyue held each other's hands, looked at me with seductive expressions, and said:

"Eat me, okay?"

"…………I'm not falling for that."

"So cute!"

"That's so erotic!"

"Why is it that the ideas you two come up with are basically the same as those of teenage boys?"

Hong Lingli: Is she at her wit's end?

After taking a bite of the sample chocolate, the young man nodded.

"That's about it."

We found out what flavors Uncle likes last year. Giving him the same thing as last year would make it seem like obligatory chocolate, so we made a slight change, but it should still suit his taste.

It will absolutely not fail. Uncle will surely accept it obediently, with the utmost seriousness that it is only right.

Is that really enough?

For example, as I saw in the references, maybe I should wrap myself in ribbons in Valentine's Day colors—but no, I'd be so embarrassed if I got completely ignored.

Otherwise, you could try to hold the heart-shaped chocolate between your breasts—but that's impossible; it's not big enough.

Looking out from the brightly lit kitchen at the dark dining room, Xiao Sheng sighed.

I've tried those kinds of actions that appeal to male desire countless times. I've pushed him down while wearing only my underwear, hugged him and blew air into his ear, and even casually pressed my breasts against him.

No matter how I imagine it, I don't think that trying these tactics again now would be able to move Ah Zhang.

I've tried everything, what else can I do now...? Is it because I'm too young that I can't think of any good ideas? If I were a more experienced adult, would I be able to attract you more intelligently without relying on these physical advances...?

I... can't think of any ideas.

If there are any other methods left to use, then only—

Mizuto Irito ◆ The Third Valentine's Day

"Here you go, you boys! One for each of you!"

Yui's friend (I think her surname is Sakamizu?) is handing out 10-yen chocolates like feeding pigeons. Some of the boys complain, some thank her, and some are too proud to admit it, but in the end, they all rush forward to receive the chocolates like pigeons swarming towards feed.

Not just in the classrooms, but also in the hallways, you can see girls exchanging friendship chocolates. When did this culture of friendship chocolates begin? Now chocolates aren't just for romance; candy companies must be laughing all the way to the bank.

February 14th.

Valentine's Day, a day that has nothing to celebrate or commemorate, was something I never paid attention to until I was in the first year of junior high school.

Things changed two years ago when I was dating someone and celebrating this date. To this day, I can still recall it clearly. I remember meeting her on the way to school that morning, and she gave me a chocolate; I put it in my schoolbag and spent the whole day in my junior high classroom.

I felt superior to the boys in my class who were whining about not receiving chocolates, and I was also a little surprised by my own reaction. When I got home, I secretly ate some without telling my dad, and it took a lot of effort to get rid of the empty box.

A year later—a completely empty day told me that the relationship was over, and then another year passed—and today, that day has come again.

I don't know what happened, but I'm dating the same woman I dated two years ago again.

If I told my past self this, I wonder what his expression would be? Would he be so happy he'd cry, or would he laugh at my pathetic state? But for me, who knows what happened this year, this kind of future seems to be what I expected.

Perhaps it's because I can say with great confidence that it wasn't a coincidence, but a decision I made with unwavering determination.

...However, I haven't received the chocolate yet.

Two years ago, I received it at the place where we agreed to meet on my way to school. I can't very well give it to my dad and his family in front of them this time. Besides, it seems the student council had something to do today, so my friend arrived at school much earlier than me.

Judging from Jie's personality, she probably won't decide not to deliver it. Will it be during lunch break? Or after school? Spending the whole day knowing full well that she'll receive chocolate is quite unsettling. However, it would be too pathetic of me to get agitated over such a small matter. I must be mentally prepared so that I can calmly respond whenever I'm called upon.

Then, after school.

Jie Nu never called me over—maybe she planned to secretly give it to me after we got home, before my dad and the others returned?

As I packed my bag, thinking about this, my phone popped up a notification.

Please come to the usual spot in the library.

It was Isana who contacted me. What's up? Why are you making such a big deal out of it—when we first met, we used to hang out in that corner of the library every day, but haven't we stopped going lately?

Let's go check it out then. Anyway, Yui is going to the student council, so her home time won't be the same as mine.

I took my schoolbag and left the classroom, heading towards the library.

Although final exams are in a month, students mostly go to the study room to study, and there are hardly any people in the library yet. I walked past the students reading hardcover books in the reading area and went to the area by the window.

Izana was there, leaning against the edge of the air conditioner window, waiting for me.

Winter days are short, and the view outside the window is already dyed red by the sunset. Izana's figure is also divided into two colors: a burning red and a cold black.

"It's been a long time since we met here."

Izana said, "Yes." She moved her buttocks away from the air conditioner by the window.

It was then that I noticed that she was holding a box with a pink ribbon in her hand, which was in a sweater with sleeves that were a little too long.

"Mizuto-kun."

The red of the setting sun warmly illuminated Izana's cheeks.

"Please... accept this."

Seeing her shyly and reservedly hand me a box of chocolates reminded me of what happened back then.

I remember the scene when Isana confessed to me—

"What are you daydreaming about, Mizuto? Hurry up and take a picture."

The serious atmosphere unique to confessions vanished instantly, and Izana stared at me with half-open eyes.