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Valentine's Day at the JCC arrived with the force of a storm, sweeping through the halls like a whirl of emotions. Some students were showered with chocolates, while others faced the bitter sting of rejection, their hearts heavy with disappointment. In this chaotic storm of love and heartbreak, Joichiro braced himself for yet another year of loneliness, convinced that he would receive nothing.
Sure, there had been occasions when a box of chocolates had been gifted to him by the few friends he kept, and he could faintly recall being confessed to once back in elementary school—an awkward memory buried in time. Still, those moments didn’t hold much weight against the chasm of unrequited feelings he held deep inside.
If anyone gave him chocolate, it was you. You had been his best friend for as long as he could remember, the one constant in his life. Each year, Joichiro dreaded the arrival of Valentine’s Day, secretly wishing that maybe—just maybe—this would be the year that the chocolate would represent something other than pity. You were accustomed to receiving confessions and a handful of chocolates, and you always made it a point to include him in that tradition, sharing a treat to ward off his feelings of exclusion. Even if those chocolates were intended for you. Joichiro was never bitter about it—you deserved it—you were the prettiest person he’s ever seen. Still sometimes, Joichiro secretly yearned for something more—for you to be the one to confess your feelings and offer him chocolate, not out of obligation, but from a genuine place in your heart.
As you strolled to his locker together for lunch, Joichiro was unusually quiet, the weight of his thoughts heavy in the air. He opened his own locker without really looking, too engrossed in conversation with you to pay attention to his surroundings. He diverted his thoughts to you, unwilling to let any awkwardness creep between you two. Just then, a box of chocolates tumbled from the top of his locker and landed in his arms. He blinked in surprise, caught off guard, as you flashed a grin, your laughter ringing through the air like church bells. Obviously excited for your best friend, though Joichiro couldn't feel the same. Awkward. He hated rejecting people. Even people saying they like him as a joke or prank. He hated it.
Pasted onto the box was a note, adorned in girlish, glittering pink writing that read, "I really like you! Meet me outside after school XX." Joichiro didn’t catch the full message, lost in the haze of his surprise and embarrassment, but he remembered your teasing laugh as you nudged him, urging him to meet the girl behind the note. You took off for your last class, your footsteps a rhythm of urgency in the bustling hallway, promising to meet him by his classroom later for moral support.
Joichiro pulled down his ushanka, an instinctive gesture of comfort as he stepped outside. By the gate stood the girl you had assumed wrote the note—short hair framing her anxious face, her nervous, flickering eyes scanning the crowd as if willing him to appear. And the moment she spotted Joichiro, recognition flooded her features, a mix of hope and dread. You shoved him towards her and ran away. Joichiro stumbled, glaring at you as you ran off.
You couldn’t quite hear their conversation from your distance, but you watched Joichiro’s body language shift dramatically. He looked sheepish, beads of sweat forming on his brow as he exhaled heavily, rubbing the back of his neck in a display of unease. The girl’s expressions morphed, and after a moment of awkward silence, she nodded slowly and walked away, leaving Joichiro staring after her, a mixture of regret and confusion etched on his face.
What she didn’t realize was that Joichiro’s heart already belonged to someone—one person who had always filled his thoughts, whose laughter resonated like a melody in his mind. That someone was you. There wasn’t room in his heart for a passing crush when his feelings remained anchored to your friendship. He felt bad for her, he really, really did. He hated doing that. But he wasn't cruel enough to lead someone on when someone else already owned that spot in his heart.
You approached him, hands raised in a playful gesture of surrender, a lightness in your step that belittled his discomfort. But Joichiro kept his gaze fixed downward, pulling his collar up as if to hide himself from the world.
"I hate you..." he mumbled, the words tinged with feigned annoyance. Yet, it was false. The day he hated you was the day his heart stopped.
"She looked bummed. What'd you say to her?" You said, hands on your hips.
Joichiro looked away boyishly, and shrugged. "Just...that I appreciated it but I liked someone else."
He couldn't meet your eyes because he already knew the face you were making.
"You know, I could definitely work something out if you'd just tell me who she is."
"Not happening."
"Why?"
Joichiro was already walking. You, of course, followed. You were next door neighbors. The chances were originally funny. Your foster parents lived right next to him. Being friends, you guys always walked home together.
"Seriously, I don't get why you won't just tell me. I ain't going to tell nobody."
"Because..." Joichiro's brows furrowed. He really couldn't formulate a proper excuse without saying...that it was you. Joichiro went quiet as he walked, and so did you. It wasn't awkward, necessarily. Still, after a long enough walk, you guys were close to home.
"Hey, Joichiro. I should spend the night tonight."
Joichiro mentally grimaced. He didn't mind it, necessarily. Yes, it was very hard for him to function when you slept next to him on his bed or when you fell asleep while watching movies on the couch and his mom would walk away and your head would fall on his shoulder... Joichiro absolutely adored his mom, don't get him wrong. She was absolutely amazing...but damn did he want to kill her sometimes. Especially when it involved you.
"I...Sure. My mom won't mind."
You shrugged. "Cool. I'm gonna' run my bag inside." You turned to your own path, unhooking the gate to your house. Joichiro waited until you shut the gate behind you before nervously rushing into his own home. He quickly ditched his shoes mid-hallway, throwing his bag down.
"Mom! She's-" He painted, hands on his knees as he slid into the kitchen on his socks. "She's coming over."
"That's fine." His mom said and Joichiro straightened.
"Can I please have 3500 Yen so we can go buy dinner? Please?"
His mom looked at him but shrugged. "Yeah. I didn't feel like cooking anyway. You know where my purse is. You go take an extra 3500 and go buy her something nice, you understand?"
Joichiro awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck but slid off to go grab the money from his mom's bag. He dug through it when the door shifted open. You stood there as radiant as you always were and Joichiro caught himself staring.
"Mom said we can go buy something for dinner." He said, avoiding your gaze.
You shrugged haphazardly."Fine with me."
Joichiro managed to snag the money and shoved it in his pockets. He adjusted his ushanka before sliding his shoes back on. "C'mon." He said, vaguely gesturing you to come with his hand.
It looked like you’d reached out to grab your hand but Joichiro doubted it and pulled his hand away. What if that wasn’t your intention? What if he’d grabbed your hand and you got upset?
The pair of you stepped out the door, walking down the street. You walked in silence before making it to downtown. There was a big crowd with people cheering.
“What’s going on?” You asked, tapping someone’s shoulder.
“Kids from Aoba fighting.” A man said.
You grabbed Joichiro’s sleeve and pulled him forward. He bumped into a few people and his desperate “sorry”s were drowned out.
“I can’t see.” You said.
Joichiro awkwardly lingered right behind you. He was just a bit taller. Big for someone freshly 15.
“Joichiro, let me on your shoulders.”
What?
Joichiro swore his heart stopped there. Nope. Nada. Not happening.
He felt your hands on his shoulders and he couldn’t say no. He crouched and stood when your weight landed on his shoulders. Your hands sat on his hat. His hands hovered just over your thighs. Making sure you wouldn’t fall but too afraid to touch.
“Oh, that’s got to hurt!” You cheered, wiggling slightly. Joichiro panicked and his hands fell on your thighs to make sure neither of you fell. He felt his face flush when he realized…but you didn’t mention it so he didn’t move his hand.
*
Eventually, the fight broke up. Joichiro put you down. The sun had begun setting. You and Joichiro had stopped for street food. Something nice. You’d both walked to the park. Sat by the lake and skipped rocks before heading back to his house for a movie night.
*
You skipped inside and took off your shoes. Kaji picked up your shoes and put them on the rack with his boots. You were already up the stairs and in his room. Joichiro followed in and tried not to look too hard at you thrown over his bed.
“Uh…I think I’m going to go shower real quick.” Joichiro said, using his thumb to gesture to the bathroom down the hall.
You shrugged.
He quickly gathered a shirt and boxers and pants as quick as possible and disappeared into the hallway. He shut the door behind him and twisted the lock. He leaned back against the door. The bathroom was simple. His toothbrush, some towels. Deodorant, cologne. This was really jut Joichiro’s bathroom. Nobody was upstairs unless guests stayed. Joichiro didn’t intend to shower but he couldn’t handle the thought of you today.
Joichiro turned on the water fast and quickly rinsed off his short hair with some cheap two-in-one he’d had for decades. The only good quality of it was that it smelled good. He washed his body fast too with his good smelling expensive soap his mom got him for his birthday. Joichiro rushed to dry himself off. Got dressed fast. He wore a sweatshirt you bought him awhile ago. Sprayed himself with cologne you bought him for his last birthday because you thought it smelled good. He was scared to run out of it. It was sacred to him. Anyway, he pretty much soaked himself in it. Towel dried his hair and quickly brushed it out. Hung his towel up and slowly walked down the dark hallway.
He took a breath.
In….
Out….
His fist enclosed around the doorknob and twisted. He slowly pushed the door open and he thought he died right then. He felt his stomach drop and his heart lurch. You leaned over his desk, the drawer where he kept ever failed confession and letter he’s ever written for you. His throat when dry and he figured you might have been choking him right there.
Joichiro was across the room in seconds. Pushed you away and slammed the drawer shut. His cheeks were dusted in a light pink and his eyes couldn’t meet yours.
“Don’t—“ he stuttered, “—why are you digging in ny stuff?” It didn’t take him any more than five seconds to see the sticky note between your fingers.
You frowned. Joichiro couldn’t help but think his life was over. He was dead! Like, dead—dead. Really, really dead. He felt the mortification like lemon, bitter in his throat.
“Do you think I’m stupid?” You said.
Joichiro’s posture straightened. He tried to speak but swallowed his words soon after.
Joichiro’s posture straightened. He tried to speak but swallowed his words soon after. “N-no..?” He said.
“Well clearly,” you began, “you think so.”
“I don’t…”
“You do, Joichiro.” You said in an exhale. “I’ll be honest, Joichiro. I know. I’ve always known.” You spoke and crossed your arms. Angled your back. “Even if I didn’t know, your mom told me.” You said.
Joichiro was ready to curse his mom right there.
“You are just about the worst at taking hints.” You sighed dramatically.
Joichiro swallowed with an audible gulp. He sure wished he had his ushanka.
“What?" Joichiro said. It's all he could. He could feel the sweat come down his brow.
He watched you groan and rub a hand over your face.
"Joichiro," you huffed, "I...I like you too."
Joichiro honestly thought he might've died in an accident. Yeah, seriously. He must've hit his head. Heat stroke? Possible. It was spring. "I..?" He muttered. Emphasis on the mutter. His eyes were glued to the ground.
Your hand came forward.
Grabbed his sleeve.
Pulled him closer.
Yep. Yep. He was dead. This was heaven.
He felt his hip bump into the desk as you leaned closer. Your warm hand sat on the back of his neck, spread in the short fuzz of his hair. He could feel the warmth of your breath dust his face like warm summer wind. He smiled half-sweetly like he didn't quite realize what was happening. Though he definitely did when you leaned forward and actually kissed him. His hands hovered awkwardly and maybe you did have to reach down and set his hands on your waist but what's it matter? You'd finally gotten what you've been waiting for, even if this is what it had to take.
You didn't take too long before you leaned back. Joichiro made a stunned, and sort-of unpleasant face before he grinned. "Did you-?" He asked.
"I did."
"Seriously?"
"Yep."
Joichiro almost jumped in joy. He smiled abruptly, hands on your shoulders. "Uhm...h-hold on. I'll be right back." he barely wiggled by you, rushing out of his room. You could hear him rush down the stairs in what you can assume was desperately telling his mom.
You sat on his bed boredly, waiting for him to come back.
After a few seconds, the door opened. He peeped his head through. He had his ushanka back. Paired with his usual hat was an unusual grin. Stepped in the room. Sat down beside you. His dark eyes locked onto the ground. "So..." he began, though he couldn't bring himself to finish the thought.
"So?"
"So...does that make us..." Joichiro continued, waving his hands along like he was struggling to form the thought. "Uh...y'know, a...a thing? L-like..." he kept going, audibly cringing. "Y'know..." he finished the thought with.
"I guess," you grinned playfully.
"Cool," Joichiro said, rubbing his palm against his knee. The corner of his lips curled and he just barely looked at you. He reached a hand up and rubbed the back of his neck. When he realized he was slightly slouching, he fixed his posture immediately. "Thanks...I...I guess I love you." he murmured.