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It was almost laughable - besides being blatantly insulting to her as a person - that any of the other students believed she would ever lower herself to the level of making chocolate for someone on Valentine’s Day. Like seriously? Were they truly that birdbrained? Why should she - she!? - waste even a second of her time, her effort, her skill, on them? They were beneath her, every single one of them, clinging to her presence like parasites feasting on the illusion that their association with her somehow made them more valuable. Not a single one of them was worthy of her time, let alone something as intimate as handmade chocolate.
Some of them, however, seemed incapable of taking a hint. More than a few had dared to give her Reverse Chocolate - as if that was supposed to impress her. As if she should be flattered by their desperate, grasping attempts at her attention. She had smiled, of course. Had fluttered her lashes, thanked them sweetly, played her role to perfection. And they had eaten it up, their dull little minds probably treasuring that moment for the rest of their pathetic lives. It almost made her laugh. As if she would actually keep any of their gifts. Please . She’d dispose of them later, each one finding its rightful place in the trash where they belonged. Because what were the chances that any of these monkeys could produce something even remotely edible? She had no intention of suffering food poisoning just to soothe the egos of men who were too blinded by their own arrogance to see reality. No. The chocolate had a date with the trash can. And that was that.
One of the more persistent rashes had been Hiroshi. Somehow, in that feeble, underdeveloped brain of his, he had come to the conclusion that she would gift him chocolate. What a fool. And, as a result of this ridiculous assumption, he had taken it upon himself to present her with some first. As if that would pressure her into returning the favor. The very idea was infuriating.
Even worse, he hadn’t even made the chocolate himself. Store-bought. Cheaply wrapped. Insulting in every possible way. And yet, he had still dared to pretend otherwise, thinking she wouldn’t notice, thinking she was dumb enough to fall for something so obvious. She had wanted to make him eat every last piece of it, to shove it down his throat and watch him choke on his own arrogance. Let him see what she truly thought of him. But they had been in public, and she had an image to uphold. After all, angels didn’t strangle humans to death. Very un-angelic.
Maybe she could get Yumi to do it for her, though. She had proven such a loyal little minion, hadn’t she? Always eager to please. Maybe she’d buy her a muffin later - just as a reward. Mei chuckled at the thought. It was almost adorable, how easily entertained people like Yumi were. So easily pleased, so pathetically desperate for scraps of affection.
Though, truth be told, Yumi remained something of an enigma. What was her end goal? Mei’s heart, perhaps? She had denied it, of course, but humans were fraudulent creatures. Deceitful by nature. No one was truly kind - not without a reason. No one cared without motive. Everything was a transaction, a performance, a game played with insincere smiles and well-timed words. People called it kindness, called it love, but it was all just manipulation wearing a prettier mask. And Yumi… well, she was simply human. That meant she wanted something. The only question was what.
And the moment Mei figured that out, she could dangle it in front of her, keep her around for a little while longer. Because once Yumi got what she wanted, she would leave. That was inevitable. Mei knew that better than anyone. So why not enjoy the loyalty while it lasted?
Not that she had many other options. It wasn’t as if she could ask Kaori to be her guard dog. Especially since, in some weird twisted way, she had become hers instead.
The thought made her scowl. For it was almost ridiculous.
Kaori had been nothing. Or rather, she had been less than nothing. Too unimportant to even register. But then Mei had come along, had taken her under her wing, had made something out of her. Shaped her into… something. Something Mei herself still hadn’t fully deciphered.
It wasn’t unpleasant , whatever it was. Unlike Yumi, who only thought she saw, Kaori actually did . She was, in fact, the only one who did. Not scared to call Mei out, not scared to challenge her, to see through the bullshit. To see - well - her. Not the version of herself she had carefully constructed—the perfect, untouchable Mei Kawa—but the girl beneath it. Who that girl was, Mei didn’t know. Or maybe she’d just forgotten. That still didn’t stop Kaori from seeing. From making her feel like one day, she might remember as well.
Kaori was a contradiction. Bold and fragile, reckless and timid, cruel and kind. Someone who should have been crushed by the world but still stood tall. Someone who refused to cower, even when everyone hated her for it. Even when Mei had hated her for it.
(Or perhaps Mei hadn’t hated her at all. Perhaps that was the problem.)
But enough of that. She still had a whole day to go through and it wouldn’t be at all productive if she spent it thinking about Kaori!
ʕ•ᴥ•ʔっ♡🌵🌵🌵🌵🌵🌵🌵🌵🌵♡ ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ
Most of her lunch had been exhausting. Between dodging hopeful suitors, thanking fools for their misguided devotion, and assuring Yumi—her ever-loyal minion—that yes, she was very special and yes, she was so very dear to Mei’s heart, she could barely stomach another second of it.
She exhaled dramatically as she finally escaped behind the dumpsters, where Kaori had been sitting, sketchbook in hand. “It’s not always easy being the most beautiful person in this school,” she sighed, stretching as if she carried the weight of the entire student body's affections on her back.
Kaori barely glanced up before handing her a cushion.
“Good thing I’m not as pretty as you, then,” she said, casual as ever.
Mei scoffed, sinking onto the cushion. Took her long enough. Mei had only lamented the lack of proper seating for what—two weeks now? Honestly, she was starting to suspect Kaori enjoyed making her suffer. Though, no, that wasn’t Kaori’s style. Some might assume she was too oblivious to pick up on Mei’s hints, but Mei knew better. Perhaps she’d simply been waiting for Mei to ask outright. Either way, it didn’t matter now.
“Oh, don’t go fishing for compliments, dear,” she drawled, flicking a stray leaf off her pristine sleeve. “We both know you’re plenty pretty. The male species is just too simple-minded to multitask and appreciate more than one beauty at a time.”
Kaori huffed a quiet laugh, shaking her head.
Mei smirked. “But if need be,” she added, with great theatrical emphasis, “I suppose I could lower myself to elaborate on some of your better qualities.”
That earned her a chuckle—and a pencil thrown straight at her head. She dodged it effortlessly, grinning.
This was… nice.
Kaori didn’t fawn over her like everyone else. Didn’t treat her like some unattainable prize. Mei knew Kaori found her beautiful - because, well, she was. Obviously. - but that wasn’t why she stuck around. Or at least, Mei didn’t think that was the reason. When they’d met Kaori had been lonely and sad and wanting. Wanting, wanting, wanting. For a bread crumb of something. And just like with Yumi, she’d offered it, willing to add another dog to her collection. Just for Kaori to… throw the crumb back. She hadn’t wanted a stone painted like bread, smelling like bread, but noticeably breadless. She’d wanted the real deal, unwilling to swallow Mei’s rocks, even if it meant she’d stay starving. Maybe that was why she took her to a whole bakery instead, willing to watch as she ate and smiled and thrived. It was a foolish thing. Kaori, just like Yumi, was just as human after all. So she’d waited and waited and waited, for her to prove her right. To show her cards and to demand her price. Because there had to be one. There always was. And trust was a fools substitute for intelligence. Meaning, when Kaori asked for ‘friendship’ , what she actually meant was not that. She’d learn about her true motivations eventually. But for now, and only until she’d unmasked Kaori for the liar that she was, she’d enjoy whatever this was.
“It’s fine,” Kaori murmured, retreating into her sketchbook. “I don’t particularly care what the boys think anyway.”
Oh? Mei’s interest sharpened. She leaned in, a teasing smirk playing on her lips.
“If it’s a girl’s attention you want, I’m sure I could convince someone to ask you out,” she said, voice dripping with amusement. And oh, there it was—the telltale flush creeping up Kaori’s cheeks. Adorable.
“I’m sure Yumi would even gift you some Valentine’s Chocolate if—”
“Mei!”
Another pencil flew at her, and she laughed, batting it away.
Kaori’s glare lacked real heat—it wasn’t anger that fueled it, but embarrassment. Mei found herself grinning, pleased with the reaction. Kaori could be so fun to provoke.
“Sooo… is that a yes?” she teased, watching as Kaori stubbornly buried her face back in her book.
Perhaps one of these days, she’d convince Kaori to relocate somewhere more pleasant. The library, maybe. Somewhere without the ever-present stench of rotting food and wasted potential.
But even if the price of spending time with Kaori remained this dreadful backdrop, she’d return. Because this - this something - was worth it. This feeling she couldn’t quite name. This ease she couldn’t find with her adoring classmates, nor with Yumi.
Nor with—
Her fingers curled slightly against her knee.
‘Do you really think you deserve a hug, Mei? Were you good enough for one?’
The echo of her parents' voices wasn’t loud. No, it never was. That was the thing about their words—they didn’t need to be. They settled in the spaces between breaths, in the pauses between sentences. Woven so seamlessly into her thoughts that she couldn’t always tell where they ended and she began.
Mei forced a slow exhale, rolling her shoulders as if she could shake it off. She lifted her chin, let the world settle back into its proper order. Let herself *decide* what mattered.
And this - Kaori, the teasing, the laughter - this mattered.
“In all seriousness though, have you made anyone chocolate?” she asked, her voice just a little too light, too measured.
Kaori hesitated. Just long enough for Mei to notice. Which meant that -
“Have you?”
She was avoiding the question. Interesting. Mei made a note of it. She’d press her later, but for now - she had something else to say, not letting the opportunity to rant go to waste.
“Don’t even start,” she groaned, leaning back against the wall, pressing herself into the solid weight of it.
‘You’d be lucky if he looked at you.’
“See, my oldest sister is dating this lawyer. I might have mentioned him, not sure. If not, you’re not missing out. He’s got the face of an eel and the personality of a wet sock. But he’s rich. Anyway, he has a younger brother who’s in law school, and my parents decided it would be ‘influential’ for me to secure a connection with him.”
Her tone was light, airy. Practiced. Untouchable .
She flicked a strand of hair over her shoulder. “As if I would ever entertain such a thing. Who even knows if he’ll manage to graduate? And also—he’s * ugly . Like, oh my god, you don’t understand how ugly.”
‘Don’t ruin this for us, Mei.’
The words slithered through her ribs, winding tight around her lungs.
So she laughed. Tipped her head back and let it spill from her lips like it wasn’t forced. Like there wasn’t something acidic lodged beneath her sternum.
“So yes. I made chocolate,” she said breezily, stretching out her legs. “But I didn’t put any effort into it. And if I - by sheer accident, of course - got the salt and sugar mixed up, then oh my, I’m sooo very clumsy.”
Her smile was sharp. A performance, but a dazzling one. The kind that made people lean in, laugh along, believe in whatever version of herself she was willing to sell.
Kaori snorted. And just like that, the weight coiled in her chest loosened. At least …for now.
“So, now that we’ve established who will have the honor of receiving my chocolate, I’d like to return to the far more pressing matter at hand.” Mei leaned in, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “For it is terribly rude to withhold chocolate truths from your bestest friend in the entire world.”
Kaori huffed a quiet laugh, shaking her head. “Is that what we are?”
Mei’s grin sharpened. Ah. There it is. The deflection. The subtle, practiced shift of conversation - so casual, so effortless. And yet so very predictable. Still, Mei decided to bite. Because why not? If Kaori thought she could slip away that easily, she clearly had yet to learn the full extent of Mei’s persistence. And besides, she’d love to hear Kaoris thoughts on the matter.
“What would you call us then, oh dearest, most beloved friend of mine?” Mei propped her chin on her hand, feigning rapt interest.
Kaori parted her lips—
And then the bell rang. Mei scowled. Oh, come on. How tragically unfortunate. Or was it annoying? One of those two for sure. That’s what she got for being an angel and wasting most of her lunch with useless footfolk. Perhaps she should consider falling—Lucifer certainly wouldn’t have suffered fools or entertained their expectations of civility. He would have told his suitors to leave him be without the slightest hint of remorse. And wasn’t that a tempting thought…
But alas, she hadn’t. And now she wouldn’t even get to hear Kaori’s answer, which—of course—certainly would have managed to make her smile at last. Not that she hadn’t done so plenty today. They just hadn’t been any of those mattering ones.
“Tell you what,” Kaori said as she slung her bag over her shoulder. “Give me five minutes of your time after the last bell has rung. Unless, of course, you don’t actually care about my answer. Or are too busy. Which is also valid.”
Mei watched as Kaori turned on her heel, casually gathering her things and strolling away like she hadn’t just dropped that infuriatingly vague offer into Mei’s lap.
Mei was busy. Appointments, photoshoots, obligations—her entire life was a schedule carefully crafted by others, dictating where she should be and who she should entertain. It would be utterly preposterous to let all that be disrupted for the sake of a single conversation.
…And yet.
Mei exhaled, rolling her shoulders as if that would somehow ease the tiny, nagging thread of curiosity winding its way around her ribs. She supposed she could allow herself to be fashionably late.
Just this once.
ʕ•ᴥ•ʔっ♡🌵🌵🌵🌵🌵🌵🌵🌵🌵♡ ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ
“So,” Mei said, her voice slicing through the quiet that had settled over the empty classroom. The last student had scurried out, and even the teacher had left, leaving only the two of them behind. “I believe someone promised me an answer.”
“You guessed right. I made chocolate for someone”, she said instead, which wasn’t what she had thought Kaori was going to say, but it wasn’t like it hadn’t been a topic she had also been interested in. Still.
She smirked. “So you admit defeat then, yes? I am clearly the light of your life, the beacon of happiness, the bestest friend any soul could ask for in this or any other life.”
Kaori simply smiled. Soft. Quiet. Not a single word of protest, which… didn’t really sit right with Mei. She couldn’t say what kind of answer she’d wanted, but she knew silence hadn’t been one of the options. Truth be told, she’d obviously been lying when she’d called them ‘best pals’ and she was sure Kaori knew that too since, well, Mei didn’t really have friends. Let alone a best one.
People were fickle, self-serving creatures, driven by desire, by greed, by the relentless need to take and take and take until there was nothing left of you but jagged, hollowed-out pieces. And trust? Simply put, it was a fairytale. A myth spun for naïve children before the weight of the world crushed their illusions. In her experience, people loved you right up until the moment you became inconvenient. Until you became too difficult. Too exhausting. Too much.
So no, they weren’t best friends. Because friendships were -
“And that someone was you.”
Kaori said, fingers tightening around the small box of chocolate in her hands.
What the fuck???
And Mei was—She didn’t know.
Her body felt disconnected from her mind, her limbs slow and useless as she stared, unblinking, at the delicate package in Kaori’s hands. It didn’t change, no matter how hard she tried to force the image away.
She made chocolate. For her.
“I’m not really a skilled baker,” Kaori admitted, shifting her weight. “So they probably won’t taste very good, but… I wanted you to have them anyway. Because you -” Her fingers curled tighter around the edges of the box, as if she feared Mei might swat it away. “You kinda mean a lot to me. And I know that’s… one-sided. And I know you don’t really see me as a friend either, but… I’m really glad we met.”
Mei’s mind went blank.
A single, viciously loud heartbeat rattled her ribcage, and then another, and then another - until they blurred together into a deafening roar that drowned out everything else. Her tongue felt like lead, her lips parted, but no words - no sound - came out. Say something , her brain screamed, but nothing, nothing , was forming.
“Kaori - ” she began, but even she didn’t know how to finish.
Kaori shook her head, cutting her off. “I had, like… a whole cheesy speech prepared, but I think I’ve embarrassed myself enough for one day.” She gave a smile - thin, uncertain, hesitant, as if she truly believed she had just doomed herself. As if this was the part where Mei turned cold, sharp-edged and unkind . “So… see you Monday?”
Mei watched her collect her things. Watched her stand, watched her approach the door and then ... .And then Mei panicked.
“You’re very stupid!” she blurted, the words bursting out like a gunshot, sharp and sudden.
Kaori stopped. And then—she chuckled.
“I know.”
That would not do.
“Shut up!” Mei inhaled sharply, her entire body tensing like she was bracing for impact. “You’re very stupid if you think I don’t care about you! So utterly fucking silly if you actually believe I’d waste my precious time on someone I found unworthy!”
Her heart was a hammer against her ribs, her hands curling into fists at her sides, her entire body vibrating with something she couldn’t name - couldn’t control .
Hell, she should say more. Was certain she needed to say more. But her own thoughts were a whirlwind, a mess of tangled emotions that made it impossible to string together anything coherent.
“I’m going to eat this chocolate, and I’m going to think of you so hard! And then I’m going to tell you, in excruciating detail , how absolutely dreadful they were!” She huffed, crossing her arms as if that would steady the trembling beneath her skin. “So you better wait for me by the dumpsters on Monday, Kaori Kruz! So I can give you a piece of my mind! You go that?”
A beat of silence.
Then—
“…Okay.”
Kaori smiled - softer this time, less uncertain. And then she turned, leaving Mei standing alone in the now-empty classroom, her words still lingering in the air like ghosts.
As the silence threatened to swallow her whole, Mei inhaled sharply. And then… then all of the Kaori-shaped somethings that had lived inside her for so long—shapeless, maddening—suddenly formed . Became solid. Became recognizable .
Want.
She wanted Kaori to mean it. Needed her to. Needed this to be real, to be hers. Not an illusion. Not something that would be ripped away the moment she reached for it. Wanted someone to care for her simply because. Someone, like Kaori.
And she wanted to eat the chocolate simply because she could. Simply because she meant it, too.
When they had first met, Kaori had been lonely and sad and wanting . Wanting, wanting, wanting. For a single breadcrumb of something.
And now, at last - Mei realized she had been waiting for the same.