Unedited version

Chapter 6

It’s Valentine Day!!

 

Some time has passed ever since Gumi’s confession and Len’s answer. As promised, Gumi still stays close to Len, as his best friend. And it’s now the Valentine Day…

Gumi P.O.V

Today, the sky is as clear as always. But I think it’s somehow brighter than it should be. I wonder if it’s because today is a Valentine Day, where most people are supposed to be happy—and the universal time for love confession? Although the sky is clear, I still feel a bit cold. I wonder if it’s because the winter hasn’t ended completely yet…

I can see the school now. I hugged my paper bag softly. It’s a chocolate I made for my friends… and special chocolate for Rin…and of course, for Len, if I ever had the courage to hand it to him. Wouldn’t it be too obvious, wouldn’t he know right away that my feeling towards him is still the same? What if he rejects me again? …Well, I have made it. And my title now is his best friend, isn’t it?

I put my shoes in my locker—as I saw Len. Oops, what a coincidence! He’s so close to me!

!?

I was so surprised. It seems I have stared at him for too long—that he noticed me and then—our eyes met!! Awawa… I think I’m melting right now!!!

“Morning, a bit cold although it’s clear, eh?” greeted Len. I quietly nodded. I couldn’t bear looking at him—I’m sure my face is so red right now.

But still, I braced myself to stare at him a little. I want to see his smile, I want to see his expression, more. It’s never enough. I can even see his face for a million years—if I didn’t melt before it!

The moment he opened his locker, I can see some chocolates right away. He seemed to be surprised too. I sighed. Wait—did I just…sigh?

…I guess it can’t be helped. I am so jealous. I know it, Len is popular. He is good at sports, and well—he’s one of the boys that are good-looking here. Moreover, his sense of humour is good, he’s friendly. I think he’s like a magnet that attracts everyone to be his friend. I guess I’ve also been attracted—or trapped by his magnet zone, to be more exact. And I can’t see a way out.

“Huh? Whoa, Len! Look there, that’s quite a lot, you know! You sure have fans, even if not as many as the most popular guy in our school—the student council president!” exclaimed Rin.

“Eh? Why’d you compare me with the prez? It’s not like I want to be like him. Not that I want to have fans, too…,” grumbled Len.

“But you’d not let those chocolates go into a waste, would you?” asked Rin again.

Well, honestly I don’t like it—that he’d eat other girls’ chocolates…

Rin turned around me a bit and winked. Seems like a signal, telling me to also give my chocolate to him. But seriously—RIGHT NOW?! Wait for a minute… I haven’t prepared my heart yet!!

“Uhm well, maybe I’m gonna give it to my little cousins or neighbors. They’d love it better than I would,” Len giggled.

Uh-oh, I’m afraid if I gave him my chocolate, he’d also give it away to someone else… This is not good, isn’t it? I can’t control these feelings anymore…

And thus, for the rest of the day, I couldn’t focus on the lessons, or what my friends told me. All I have in my mind is about how to give my chocolate to him, and about bad possibilities for what would happen if I were to really hand it over to him. But if I didn’t, then I’d feel ashamed of myself. But again, all those bad possibilities you could ever imagined—all of them have been running inside my mind as well. Some of you might think that I’m so foolish—or silly. But this is a virus named love, you know… Where you don’t really know what’s going on, when you can’t even fully control your mind. You’d know it if you’ve ever been in real love.

Also, I lost my signal of time. I really couldn’t believe it when I heard that the last bell has been rung already. And that means, time to go home. I still have one chocolate in my possession. Obviously, it’s my chocolate that were meant for Len.

“ Stupid Gumi! What’re you waiting for? Come on, now is your only chance… or not at all!” Rin realized that I still have that chocolate in my possession—and she encouraged me to give it to him.

“ Er… but I’m not sure yet… What do you think could happen if…,” I murmured.

“ Listen, Gumi,” Rin interrupted, “You’re so negative thinking. Don’t be so pessimistic! You never know til you’ve tried! They even say that they regret what they didn’t do instead of what they have done! Which one are you going to choose? Being regretful for not being able to do it—or be satisfied that you did it, no matter what the result might be?”

“I guess you’re right…,” I smiled, “thank you, Rin, for always encouraging me.”

…is what I say, but really! Do you think I have an idea how to give it to him?!

I can see that Len is preparing to go out from the class as Rin kept pushing me to him.

“ Se-seriously, Rin! What do you think you’re doing?!” I asked as I realized that she has lots of power to be able to push me—much closer to him!

“ You said that you’d do it!” Rin answered.

“ Well yeah, but, uh…,” I sweated.

And there goes, the finishing blow. Rin’s last super strong push.

And I hit him…

“ Len! Sorry! I was just playing around with Rin and–,” I quickly apologized. Geez, Rin!

“ Ahaha, you two are as close as always,” answered Len. He smiled. …Well, if I can see this smile, I guess you can do it as many times as you want, Rin…

I was about to turn over to Rin when Rin spread a terrifying aura that threatens me to do something—that I’ve been wishing I could.

“ Huh? What is with this bag?”

I heard Len’s voice—and then I realized. I must have put the bag there when Rin pushed me to avoid it from being broken!! And it’s right in front of Len!! Oh my, what do I do now???

“ For… Len?” he grabbed it—my chocolate.

“ Uhm, thats’… uh, I intended to give it to you, but since you seem not to like chocolates…,” I couldn’t put my head up—I’m too shy!! Where can I hide my face??! Someone tell me!!

“ Huh? How did you reach that conclusion?” asked Len.

“ Well, since earlier in the morning you said that you’d give the chocolates to your neighbors or little cousins…”

“ Ah, that? Well, what would happen to me and my teeth—also my throat if I were to eat many chocolates?” he giggled.

…He has a point… Silly me.

“ So, since this is for me, I’m going to take it—and devour it!” he took my chocolate and put it in his bag.

Wha-what?! Is this true?! Am I not dreaming?!

“Congrats, Gumi!” said Rin after Len has left the room.

…I’m glad I managed to hand it over to Len—even if it was by an accident. I guess I can keep on my love, as this plain, simple action from him can give me dozens of happiness—enough for many years!

Len accepted Gumi’s chocolate. Does this mean… a green light for Gumi? To be continued…