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Crow Armbrust was not your typical teenager when it comes to love. Yes, he may act all goofy or shamelessly flirt with any charming women within his line of sight. But he never took meant for his attempts to mean anything, it was more of a fun joke, and luckily, most girls would either turn him down or play along with him for a bit. It was all good fun for both parties. In truth, though, he never actually experienced the so-called ‘love at first sight’,
Until now anyways...
Well.
He wasn’t actually sure if it was that.
As soon as he joined Class VII, a certain girl piqued his interest. The usually sleepy yet battle-ready Fie Claussell was on his mind after joining her class. He has met Fie a few times when Rean and his group would bump into him while preparing for their field studies. The slacker would not classify his first encounter with the girl as "love at first sight" but; surprisingly found himself interested in her.
After a few months passed, he was feeling... strange. Every time Fie would enter the classroom, he felt as if he was paralyzed and could not breathe. It was strange, but he didn’t know why. Sometimes their hands would brush against each other, making his heart go pitter-patter.
Now, that was weird.
Yet, he still couldn’t figure out why he was feeling that way towards her.
It has already been a week, and his mind was preoccupied with these strange feelings he was not familiar with. Crow was leaning on his chair with his feet resting on top of his desk, thinking about what was going on with him. His gaze would fall on the silver-haired girl, sleeping on her desk until Machias woke her up to have a chat with her. At least that was what Crow thought anyway.
Fie would reply to him or nod her head as Machias continued to talk to her about something. The bandana-wearing teen did not have any interest in their conversation, but his chest tightened for some reason. Whatever it was made him leave the room and move elsewhere.
And this was not the first time his chest tightened. Elliot, Gaius, and even Laura were the cause of the sudden pain. Wait, did she even swing that way? He never really thought about it since he preferred to put it in the back of his mind. Wait, why would he put something like that back in his mind... he wasn’t even sure anymore. He was friends with the she-devil herself, and he seems fine with it. So what was the difference...?
Crow somehow made his way near the benches at the garden. Not caring that there were other students around him, he laid his back on the bench and closed his eyes, his drowsiness taking over as he fell asleep.
It didn’t take long for him to wake up though; not with the presence of someone standing in front of him. But before he could open his eyes, he felt a handkerchief fall on his face.
“Hey.”
Crow removed the piece of cotton from his face so he could see the person who has disturbed him.
To his surprise, it was none other than Fie.
Thump Thump Thump Thump Thump Thump Thump
There it is again; his heart started to beat at an abnormal pace. A sudden flare was rising from his cheeks, but not wanting to let it show, he put on his best poker face and greeted her.
“Yo.” He got up and moved to the left so she could sit. “Need somethin’?”
“Nope. Just wanted to say, hey.” She plopped herself on the bench. “Was gonna take care of the flowers, but then I saw you sleeping on the bench. You looked comfortable, and that made me wanna take a nap. Figured I should greet you or something before I took one. Her lime-green eyes looked down on her feet before meeting with his red ones. “Was I bothering you?”
Fie had an expression as if she has done something wrong but wasn’t sure until she asked. He really shouldn’t be thinking that it was cute, but he did it anyway.
“Nah, you’re good.” He lazily waved his hand. “I didn’t have anything better to do, so I decided to snooze away till dusk.” It was amazing how he could just lie like that.
She hummed as she closed her eyes before opening them. “Wanna take a nap together?”
Her blunt statement caused the young teen to fall out of his seat, red-colored his cheeks. Her tone didn’t give him any hints if she was being serious or not, adding the fact that Fie was one of the few people he could not read; it made it difficult for him.
“I-I just remembered I needed to help Towa with some paperwork! I’ll catch ya later.” He ran past her and headed towards the Student Union Building.
His stunt left Fie confused, but she thought nothing of it before taking her nap.
“Ha... ha... ha...”
He has never run that fast before in his life, and he prays to the Goddess that he won’t have to. After recovering some of his energy, he entered the Student Union Building. He did tell Fie that he would help Towa with some paperwork; even if it was a lie, he should at least check on his fellow second-year. Whether he would help... is a different story.
He greeted some of his friends from the lower-class dorm as he made his way upstairs.
It didn’t take any detours or check out the other clubs, so he was able to arrive at Towa’s doorstep, but before he could knock, he swore that he could hear someone else’s voice there. He cupped his ear and leaned at the wooden frame, trying to recognize the voice.
A smirk crossed his face upon hearing the stranger’s voice. Instead of knocking at the door, he opened the door as he entered the room unannounced. “What’s up, Reanie? Didn’t know you were on a little date with Towa~.”
“H-huh?! Crow?! That isn’t what we’re doing!” Towa shot up from her seat behind the desk; a crimson tint emerged from her face. “Rean was just helping me with some paperwork!”
“Why do you always assume that whenever I’m alone with a girl...?” Rean sighed as he neatly arranged the documents that were on the table.
“Well, y’know. A boy and a girl in a room. Aloooone.” With a singsong voice, he teased. “If it’s not a date, hormones and shit like that will take the stage!”
That only made Towa’s face redder; she felt like steam was coming out of her by now. And Rean, he couldn’t keep himself from blushing no matter how hard he tried. A cackle slipped past Crow’s slips, amused to see his friends in such a state.
“Anyways, any paperwork I could help you with?”
The two blushing students turned their heads towards him as if he had grown a second head. “What? Sometimes I just wanna lighten the load of the most hardworking student on campus.” Another lie. Even if his life is on the line, he would never tell the truth of why he was here.
The two exchanged looks before looking back at Crow.
“Thanks, Crow. But we just finished not too long ago. I could still serve you some tea if you want.” He was actually disappointed that there wasn’t anything he could help with, and he definitely has no intention of returning to the benches. He couldn’t help but feel his lips curled downwards. Towa took note of his facial expression and asked. “Is there something you want to talk about?”
Rean also noting Crow’s look, he followed up. “Yeah. You look like something is bothering you.”
Did his face give it away? He didn’t even notice the frown he had. But the two were starting to grow suspicious; he can’t just lie his way out of this now. Well, he can, but it probably won’t end well. Taking a deep breath, he nodded.
“I need some advice.” He would take this chance to finally figure out what that strange feeling he keeps having whenever he looks at Fie.
Towa and Rean looked at each other before nodding. The president started to prepare some more tea as Rean gestured Crow to take a seat. The bandana teen sat next to Rean; he placed his hand in his chin, pondering if he should share his troubles with the two.
The petite girl laid down the tray of tea on the table. “So what kind of advice do you need, Crow?” Crow could always count on Towa to get to the point when it comes to delicate matters. If his problem can be considered delicate anyway.
“Um,” Crow bit his inner lip, unsure if he wants to say it. He glanced at his black-haired friend, the concern he had in his eyes was undeniable. “It’s about Fie...”
The words that came out of him made the two raised the brows.
“What? Did you two get into a fight?” Rean asked.
“No, no, it’s nothing like that. She makes me... feel things, okay!” That could literally be taken the wrong way.
Towa was taking a sip of her tea when Crow gave his statement. She spilled and coughed her drink because of the way he phrased his words. Rean immediately grabbed some tissues and wiped the spilled tea. He gently rubbed her back. “Are you okay, Towa?!”
“I’m fine, Rean. Thank... you.” She coughed before turning her attention to Crow. “Crow! What do you mean she makes you feel things?! You know she’s just fifteen, right?”
“Huh!? I don’t get what you’re saying.” Tilting his head with his arms crossed gave them their answer. What Towa thought Crow was thinking of was wrong. Unfortunately for Towa, Crow caught on to that. With a smirk plastered on his face, he gave the president a mischievous look. “My, my, Towa. Never thought our sweet and innocent president would think of something dirty like that~.”
Her face flared up; her cheeks were painted in crimson. “No! That’s not what I meant, okay!” She waved her hands wildly. “Ooh, this is all Angie’s fault! She made me read a book about a topic like that. A-and it’s been bothering me when someone says something similar to the characters of the book!”
And if Towa’s luck wasn’t bad enough, Rean accidentally stumbled upon said book while putting the used tissues in a trash can. A quick peek was all he needed to know why the president would think that. Faking a cough, he returned to his seat with a slight blush. “Let’s put that behind us for now.” Towa internally thanked Rean for the save. “Could you at least describe what you feel towards Fie? The way you said was pretty vague.”
Placing his hand in his chin again, Crow pondered. What did Fie make him feel? Now that he’s being asked that, he wasn’t exactly sure. He knows he has tons of fun when she’s around. But was that really all? He begins counting the times when she made him feel a certain way. The slight brush of her hand, the scent of her shampoo, and just the way she stares at him when he says something stupid. Aidios, he couldn’t keep himself from blushing every time she stares at him.
And every time she would thank him for some reason or—
“Crow!”
Crow was snapped back from his thoughts. “Y-yeah, Rean...?”
“You were starting to space out.”
“I was?” The teen shook his head and lightly slapped his cheeks. If this is what happens when he thinks of Fie, then it’s better if he fixes it now than later.
“So? You figured out what Fie makes you feel?”
“We can’t help if you don’t give us at least a hint,” Towa added.
The teen grabbed his cup of tea; it was already cold because of how much time he pondered about his problem. He needed something to clear his head, even if it was cold tea. “She makes me feel... fuzzy. Warm, I guess?” He said between sips. “Every time she would hang out with the guys from our class, I feel something strange for some reason. I don’t know! Annoyance, maybe?”
The two students widened their eyes as they exchanged looks at each other. Both of them know what that could only mean. Towa took out a piece of paper and pen from her pocket and started writing something. She showed it to Rean, and he nodded to whatever was said on the paper. Only Crow was clueless on the exchange. When he tried to take a peek, the brown-haired president quickly hides it away.
Rean looked towards Crow with a more serious expression. “Crow,” He started, a small smile slowly morphed in place. “It sounds like you have a crush on Fie. It’s even more likely since you make it sound like you were getting jealous of the others.”
At that moment, Crow was about to take another sip of his tea when that fact came to light. He spilled his tea on himself; it didn’t bother him, though. What did bother him was the fact that he was told he has a crush on Fie! And! Rean pointed out he was getting jealous! Out of all of the possibilities, it had to be the one that he didn’t take into account.
Towa got up from her seat and used her handkerchief to dry Crow’s clothes. She fumbled a bit as she tried her best to dry him. She picked up the fallen teacup and placed it back on the tray. She sighed and was planning to give him a lecture when she saw his stunned face.
“You... never thought about it, huh, Crow?” Towa asked as she returned to her seat. “That you like, like Fie?”
“I would have thought you would realize it. You tend to flirt with the girls on campus; either they reject you or play along with your flirting.” Rean opined. “It’s not like you to be clueless when it comes to this.”
He was right. Usually, he has an eye for things related to love. All of his flirting and jabs were always meant to be a joke, and everyone knew it. In truth, he doesn’t know what falling in love feels like. If he knew about it, they wouldn’t be having this conversation in the first place! So did he have feelings for Fie?
“How about we phrase it like this?” An idea popped into Towa’s head and asked. “What do you think of Fie? What do you feel every time you hang out together?”
He already knew the answer. She was fun to be around, they would tease their classmates mercilessly, and her smile...
“She’s amazing. She makes me feel like a kid again if I’m being honest...” A warm smile crossed Crow’s face. “It’s like, I don’t know. I’d be lying if I said she wasn’t like a little sister, but at the same time, she’s more than that.”
“Then there’s your answer.” Rean smiled.
“Eheheh. Tomorrow’s actually Valentine’s Day. If you want, Crow, you could get her something.” Towa suggested with a smile. “I know you’re still sure about how you feel yet, but it’s never too late to figure it out. I’m sure Fie would be glad to receive something from you!”
A blush crept its way in the slacker’s face. “W-whoa! Let’s not get ahead of ourselves! I’m still sorting how I feel about this.”
“Well, you can think about it tonight. It’s fine if you don’t give her something, but if we’re right about you getting jealous, your mood might get sour if someone gives her something.” As much as he hated to admit it, Rean made a fair point.
“Fine, fine! I’ll think about what to do tomorrow this evening.” Crow sighed as he got up from his seat. “...thanks for the advice.”
“It wasn’t a problem, Crow. I’ll be cheering you on!” Towa giggled, starting to clean up the tray and teacups from the table.
“Thanks!” He soon left the room, leaving the two alone once again.
“Speaking of Valentine’s Day,” Rean said as he assisted Towa in putting the tray away. “Do you have any plans for tomorrow, Towa?”
“Hmm? I’ll be helping Instructor Thomas with a few errands, after that I’ll be free.” She answered. “Why do you ask?”
Rean smiled as he scratched his cheek nervously. The words that came out of him managed to fluster the petite girl. She stumbled around a bit, unsure what to say to him, but she nodded with a smile. The two laughed before continuing to finish cleaning up. And with that, the two have plans together for tomorrow.
Fie was sleeping at her desk after Instructor Sara dismissed the class. She remembers the sound of chocolates mixing and the scent of sugar back at the dorm. When she came back to the dorm yesterday, she saw Laura, Alisa, Emma, and Millium making some chocolate.
The other girls asked her if she would like to make some with them but declined. Saying that she might burn her creation or make something inedible for the poor soul who would eat it. The others thought she was exaggerating but didn’t push it. Instead, they asked if she would like to observe and be their taste tester in which she complies.
Their creations varied from being too sweet or too bitter. It was funny how they would mix salt for sugar and vice versa. The chaos in the kitchen was so bad, Sharon had to step in to aid them. Millium’s dish was the most... lethal, for the lack of a better word. It tasted both sweet, salty, and bitter at the same time. Fie even noticed there was a slight sourness to that sweet.
Thankfully, all of their chocolates, including Millium’s, were fixed to be edible. Fie remembered Emma’s being the best out of the four. Because of that, the bespectacled girl gave extras to her.
Fie opened her eyes and took out the bag of sweets from under her desk. She glanced behind her to find no one sitting there. ‘Guess he’s already out.’
She yawned and decided to take a nap on the benches near the garden.
Making her way towards the courtyard, she gave a surprised expression when she saw the boy she was looking for back in the classroom, walking towards the benches as well.
“S-sup, Fie.”
“Sup.” She simply said. “I was looking for you.”
“O-oh? Does someone need my charm or somethin’?”
“Nope.” Crow’s shoulders sagged from hearing that. “Have you receive any chocolates from other girls yet?”
He blinked in surprise. “No. Why? You got some chocolates for me?” He teased.
“Actually,” She took out the bag of sweets from her pocket. “Emma made some extras for me. Figured you wouldn’t get some from anyone else, so I decided to share some.” She smirked at the harsh truth.
“Damn! You don’t mince words, do you?” He took her snicker as a yes. “Anyways, preciate the sweets.”
She nodded as she walked towards the bench. She patted the seat to signal him to seat right next to her. Crow couldn’t help but feel a blush forming. He tried his damndest not to let it show. Sitting down right next to her made his heart beat at a ridiculous pace again. Why can’t he keep his heart from being like this?
“Here.” She gave the bag of sweets to him as soon as she took some from the bag.
“Thanks...” Taking the sweets, he grabbed a piece and took a bite. Sweetness overtook his taste buds, yet there was a subtle bitterness to it. For someone who doesn’t really eat sweets that much, this treat is right up his alley. “This is pretty good! Emma can probably sell this and make a profit.”
“I’ll be sure to let her know.” She chuckled as she took another piece from the bag.
“By the way,” He said between bites. “You didn’t make some of your own?”
“Nope.” She looked down at her feet before gazing at his red-eyes. He swears his heart rate increased again because of that. “I’d just make something inedible, maybe something really bitter at best.”
The words he said next caught the petite girl off guard.
“I don’t think so, Fie.”
“...huh?” Widened eyes as she asked.
“I think any guy would be lucky to get a treat from you. Even if it’s not your typical chocolate.” The grin he possessed had no trace of doubt or that he was joking. The way he said it was completely honest and far from his usual tone. She couldn’t help but feel her heart skip a beat.
She turned away from his red orbs and looked at her feet. Taking interest in them as if they were the most fascinating things she has seen. Though she already knew why she was avoiding his gaze, “...maybe next year then.”
‘Next year...’ He shook his head and shrugged. No point in thinking about that now. He should just enjoy the sweets Fie wanted to share with him today. Besides, he can’t forget about giving her a little something...
The two ate the rest of the sweets in silence.
The sun began to set as evening draws near. The two did not even realize that they were just sitting on the bench after finishing their snack. No words were spoken, but they didn’t feel any awkwardness between them.
“It’s getting kinda late.” Standing up from her seat, she grabbed the empty plastic bag and tucked it away in her pocket. “We should get going.”
“Roger that.” He stood up, stretching his arms around a bit.
“See you back at the dorms.”
Fie began to head towards somewhere but was stopped by Crow. “W-wait, Fie...!”
She stopped and turned. Curiosity filled her mind why he would stop her. “What is it?”
“Um...” Now that he stopped her, he wasn’t sure what he would do next. Better be direct than stall was what he was thinking. He turned around and took something out of his pocket. Fie caught a glimpse of red and tried to take a peek, but Crow’s back was bigger than she thought. He turned back around and presented a single rose. “I... wanted you to have this. If you want, that is.”
Fie eyed the flower before looking back at his crimson optics. Her eyes widen at the blushing Crow. She has never seen him blush like that. She has never seen him blush like that ever! She picks up the flower from his grasp and inspects it. It was a grand rose; she knew about it because of a little prank Vivi pulled on Linde. Pink hues scattered across her face.
“Is this for me?”
“Yeah.” He nodded. “I wanna give you a little somethin’. I guess you could say that’s my thanks for the chocolate. You probably already receive something from the other guys, so you don’t have to take it if you don’t want to.”
Why would he assume the other boys would give her something? She doesn’t get what he’s trying to say, but her lips curled up regardless. “Actually, you’re the first one to give me something.”
“R-really...?”
“Yup.” She smiled.
“Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool.” He was starting to repeat his words. Feeling that things are starting to get awkward and that he’s done with his business. He turned his back. “Catch ya later then, Fie!”
Before he could take a step forward, Fie grabbed the sleeve of his blazer. “Fie—“
He choked on his words as Fie planted a soft kiss on his cheek. He blushed so hard it looked like he had a fever. The moment was so fast that it took some time to register in his mind. Fie, the girl he might have a crush on, kissed him! That should be a blessing for any normal teen, but to Crow, it was a surprise attack. But one that he was glad to receive.
“Thanks for the rose, Crow.” She gave him her warmest smile. “I’ll take good care of it.”
His mind and heart couldn’t keep up with what happened, and the only thing he could do at that moment...
“AlrightythenseeyaatthedormsFie!”
He dashed out, cupping the cheek that was kissed. Crow could hear Fie giggle as he fled away, embarrassed. The blush was still deep as red, and he could still feel her lingering lips on his face. Despite his sudden exit and left things as he did, he was still able to crack a smile.
‘Guess falling in love isn’t so bad.’