Bitter Chocolate (Valentine's Special)

"Hey, Yoru!" Yuki waved as I saw heading out.

"Come on!" He grabbed my hand and made our way to the market, where we once again, arrived at that same cake shop.

"Welcome!" A woman by the counter greeted.

"Good afternoon." Yuki politely greeted back and went inside before me. He began looking at each cake and other sweets from every corner of the room while I stand next to the door, waiting for him to finish.

"Yoru? What are you doing there? Come with me." he held on to my back and pushed me to where the chocolate sections are.

There are a lot of variations to choose from. I am not a chocolate or any sweets fan but they sure do looked appetizing.

"Why don't you choose what you like? I don't really know your taste."

"...Why?" I asked him in a subtle tone.

"Do you even have to ask? Of course I'm buying them for you. Just a little gift since it's Valentine's."

I stared at him for a while and went back to the chocolates. Do I really have to?

"I'm also gonna some for the others so wait for me there." He said before leaving me.

Now...what should I do? It'll be rude not to get one since he said it himself, but I don't fancy this at all. Maybe the bitter one? The one he gave me back then was quite good, maybe I should find one like that...

.

"Good thing we managed to get some. If I knew that there were that much people inside then I would have just surprised you with a gift." Couldn't agree more. "But it's still a good thing to go along with you. This way, I get to buy a gift you like."

A lot of people kept pushing us and I almost tripped to a woman. It was lucky that I managed to held on to the wall before falling down.

It's been a long day and my legs are burning. I want to sit down on a chair.

"Say Yoru, don't schools always make chocolates for valentines?" He asked.

I answered with a nod. We did baked one a while back in home economics and one of the students almost burned himself in the oven.

"So you made chocolates?" I nod again in response.

"Sweet! I'll get to et another one of your cooking. Last time I didn't get to each much because Yumeko-san finished it all...." He goes on with his self-conversation until were finally close to our destination.

"Oh, I forgot." He checked on each bag before handing one to me. "Here. Be sure to give me something back on white day, alright? I'll be waiting."

I forgot about that chocolate. I didn't get to find that same product, but there was one that I found. It wasn't a chocolate but a sponge cupcake. It looked normal so I picked it out.

I mean it was my choice so he can't complain. He did say to buy something I like.

When my hands were only a few inches from the bag, a stray cat suddenly appeared to us and took the bag with it.

"Hey!" Yuki shouted as he tries to catch up with the cat. "Get back here! That's not for you!"

He ran towards the cat who was running as the same pace as him. I couldn't see them from where I was standing . After a few minutes, Yuki came back with a gloom look written in his face. Guessing by his reaction, it's clear that he didn't catch the cat.

"Sorry Yoru... I couldn't catch the cat." He said while lowering his head to me. It wasn't a big deal to be honest, although I felt guilty on the effort he spent to get it. "But that's okay, we can just buy another one!" His mood quickly changed and grabbed my hand as we head back to the shop. Seriously, my legs are so tired...

.

"CLOSED!?" Yuki's jaw was so wide open a bug might enter it. The shop was already closed and looking at the inside, everything was sold out in a snap. When it really comes to Valentine's, people are one heck fast to buy.

"What are we gonna do now? There are no other store here to buy to." It was like he lost his most valuable treasure in his kingdom. I can tell he badly wanted to give it to me but now in this current situation, fate declines him.

We arrived at the hospital where grandma, Yumeko-san and Shigeo are waiting in the room. Grandma was styling Shigeo's hair while he was reading a book with Yumeko-san.

"Yoru!" Shigeo run towards me and gave me a hug in my leg. "Yoru, Yoru, Here!" He said, handing me a bar of chocolate. "I bought it with Fujiko-obasan in the store."

"Her mother allowed me to take him out since this little boy said he wanted to give you something for Valentine's. We also bought something for his mother after buying that chocolate." Grandma explained. I took the bar from his tiny hands and thanked him before he goes back to Yumeko-san's bed and continues reading the book.

"Looks like you two went on a little stroll." Yumeko-san commented. I looked at her then to Yuki who had just entered the room. She must have saw the bags that Yuki was holding. He gave the bag to each of them and went on his bed and sat.

"What's the matter, Yuki?" Grandma asked. Yuki has been acting like that ever since I said to let the bag go. It seems like he really wanted to get it back from that cat but I refused. Who knows whete it went?

He breathed out in dismay before explaining to them what happened earlier. "So you lost your gift to Yoruko because a cat took it?" Yumeko-san said.

"And then when we decided to buy another, the shop was closed. That was the only cake shop on that street so I was in dismay. It was for Yoru after all." He laid on his back while complaining about how hateful he is to the stray cat.

For real, he get's really childish. I know it's just a cupcake, it's not like I haven't tasted it.

But since it was because of me that he was like this, I was thinking of giving him something in exchange of my gift. But what? I don't have enough money in me and it's getting late. Most sweet shops don't really stay too late that's why it's a challenge to find one so late in the night.

Without saying anything, I reached out my hand to Yuki to which alerted him. He removed his arm that was covering his face and sat up. When he saw what was in my hand, his eyes widen. "This..."

"Have it." I said straightaway. Since I made too much in home economics earlier, I was anxious whether I should throw the extras or just give this to some random people. Seeing this now, I guess it was a good thing that I didn't threw it away.

.

Yuki's eyes sparkle as he gently held the bag of chocolates and soon, his frown completely disappeared.

"T-Thank you..." he said, looking at the bag like it's a diamond. "T-this..."

"Hey Yoru, why did Yuki only got your chocolate? I want yours too!" Shigeo quickly went to Yoruko, begging for the same chocolates as the one he gave to Yuki. He then gave each for everyone and kept the last bag to himself.

As the others were in their own world, Yuki can't stop staring at the tiny bag in his hands.

'Me...How about me?'

'Why can't I have it?'

He opened the bag and examined the chocolate. He smiled at the craftiness the pieces are. It was as if it was done by a professional. He took a bite of the chocolate and felt a rush coming from his mouth. It wasn't too sweet, and it wasn't too bland. It was at its perfect balance, which made Yuki praise the gift.

He looked at where the rest is held and swallowed the chocolate in his mouth before jumping out of bed and running to the others.

'How sweet for my first time?'

-AR PHANTOM