Yoshiko watches as her two best friends, Hanamaru and Ruby, return to class with their arms linked. They separate only for Ruby to take a box of chocolates from her bag and give it to Hanamaru, who accepts the gift gratefully. Looks like it's official now; those two are finally dating. It's a bit surprising, to be honest. Not the fact that they're with each other, because anyone can see that those two are a perfect match. It's just that Yoshiko didn't expect them to be able to confess to each other. She's happy for them, though.

"I see my two faithful little demons have returned." She says, smirking at them. "Your darkened hearts have begun to resonate with each other. With the blessings of the Fallen Angel Yohane, you have chosen to further train your bond. I congratulate you for such a feat."

Ruby tilts her head, confused, but Hanamaru instead smiles. "Thanks, zura. Good luck for you, too." She pauses, then continues in a teasing tone. "Would Yohane like a divine blessing for good luck?"

Yoshiko scoffs loudly. "Yohane has no need for such things. She can give herself a blessing, but I will require no such things to pursue my goal."

"Oh, that's too bad, zura." Hanamaru shrugs, pretending to look a little disappointed. "Even though I brought a few love charms with me today. Looks like you won't need any..."

"Wait, are you serious?" Yoshiko asks. "I-I changed my mind! I want them, give it to me."

"Nope, sorry. I don't actually have them." Hanamaru giggles as Yoshiko frowns. "You'll be fine!"

"Hmph, whatever. Yohane has no need for such blessings."

"But you just-"

"Silence!" Yoshiko exclaims, much Hanamaru's amusement. "I have no need for that. No mortal, not even the great Watanabe You is immune to Yohane's charms. And lastly, I have this!" She pulls out the box of chocolate from her bag, holding it in the air like some kind of prize. "This item, filled with Yohane's blood, sweat, and tears-"

"That's really gross, zura." Yoshiko glares at her, finally getting her to quiet down.

"...filled with Yohane's dark magic, even more powerful than a concentrated potion of love, will be all I need to recruit her as Yohane's Number One Little Demon!"

"That's all well and good, zura, but you should clean it up before you give it to her. It's kinda dirty."

"Huh?" Yoshiko blinks at the shorter girl. "Dirty? What do you mean dirty?" She had immediately put the box into her bag last morning and never took it out, so there's no way there's any dirt on it.

Hanamaru points at something brown leaking out of the box, dripping onto the floor. Yoshiko tentatively gathers some on her finger before putting it in her mouth, her eyes going wide when she realizes what it is. "Oh shit."

"Huh? What is it?" Ruby asks, panicking; if Yoshiko cursed, that must mean it's something really, really bad, right? Yoshiko ignores her, frantically undoing the ribbon she had tied around the box while praying to Satan as well as every god she knows of (just to be safe). As she opens the lid, her worst fears come to life.

"They melted." She mumbles out.

"..."

The chocolates she made for You melted.

Somehow, despite it being Winter right now, they melted.

"Oh." Hanamaru says as she looks into the box. "That's a whole new level of bad luck, zura."

"..."

"See? The gods got angry at you for rejecting their blessing, and this is your punishment." She glances at Yoshiko, who has tears running down her eyes. "H-hold on, I didn't mean it, I'm sorry Yoshiko-chan! It's just a joke, zura!"

"W-what I do?" She asks, her voice cracking as she stares at her ruined gift. "I can't give this to her now!"

"Don't worry, don't worry," Ruby says, although even she's starting to sound frantic. "It'll be okay. Just think of something to say and she'll definitely forgive you. Just remember that we're supporting you."

Yoshiko sighs. "Thanks..." As she puts the box back in her bag, she's able to see that the melted chocolate had gotten everywhere. Some are starting to soak into the pages of her textbooks.

Fuck. Her. Life.

The final bell rings and Yoshiko only gives her friends a brief wave before running out of class. She keeps running, eventually arriving at the designated meeting spot. She had asked You earlier to meet up with her here after school is over, before she knew everything would become a mess. But things would only get worse if she suddenly canceled, so she decides to get it over with quickly.

"Yoshiko-chan!" There she is. Yoshiko takes a deep breath before turning around as You runs towards her. She seems cheerful, but stops when she sees Yoshiko, her mood dropping as fast as it has risen. "Are you okay?"

"Of course I am," She says, then adds. "It's Yohane!" There. That's much better. You smiles again, moving until she's standing beside her, only a few centimeters apart.

"So, how was your mission?" She asks curiously.

"It was a success, of course. Although I didn't really do much. We were having a conversation and Hanamaru started thanking me, then she went off and when she came back with Ruby, they were already dating." She shrugs. "What about you?"

"Well...both of them were super scared of confessing, but I think everything's going to work out." She laughs. "They're both kinda dense in their own ways, but they really love each other a lot."

"I see..." Yoshiko hums. "Must be nice."

"Yeah." The two stand in awkward silence until the bus comes and they sit down. Then, You continues. "So how are you?"

"Okay, I guess," Yoshiko mutters, opening her bag to make sure all of her stuff is in there. "You?"

"Same as you." Away from Yoshiko's line of sight, You opens her own bag, rummaging around for something. "Doesn't it bother you? You're trying to get Hanamaru and Ruby together, even giving them advice, but you're not dating yourself?"

"Nope. It's the same as you with Chika and Riko."

"Not really," You says, causing Yoshiko to direct her attention towards her. "It bothers me. Not a lot, but enough. I thought about what it'd be like to have a girlfriend, and I thought it'd be nice."

"I see," Yoshiko says, trying desperately to ignore the painful lump in her throat. "I never thought about it," she lies. "But I guess it would be nice."

"Yeah, I agree. Which is why..." She pulls out her gift from her bag, causing Yoshiko's heart to beat loudly. "Yoshiko-chan, this honmei chocolate is for you."

Yoshiko opens her mouth, but no sound comes out. Her throat feels dry, and it's almost like a dream. She checks You's expression to see if she's joking, but nothing that would indicate such is visible. Her eyes are closed, her head lowered, and her cheeks tinged red. If Yoshiko was to be optimistic, she would describe her as looking like a maiden in love.

Slowly, she takes the chocolates from You, but doesn't open it yet. This is honmei chocolate, something she thought she'd never receive in her life. But here she is, receiving a genuine confession from You, one of the most popular girls in school.

"T-thank you." She says, taking out her own chocolates. More of it has spilled out onto her bag, and as she takes it some drip onto her clothes, but she offers it to You nonetheless. "I made this for you, but it kinda..." You slowly takes the box, being careful not to touch any of the melted chocolate.

"What happened?"

"Well...it's truly unfortunate," Yoshiko says, reverting to Yohane. "The gods have realized that I'm too powerful. They realized that the only way they can defeat me is by defying the laws of logic they themselves had created long ago. As such, my offering to you has reverted to their original state, as if they had been placed in the fiery pits of Hell."

"They melted," You says, a nod from Yoshiko confirming her suspicion. "...that sucks. You put a lot of effort into it." She then smiles. "Can I ask you a question?"

"O-of course. What would you like to inquire?"

"These chocolates. What kind are they?"

"Black chocolate. Yohane does not like chocolate mixed wi-"

"That's not what I meant, silly." You chuckles. "I meant are they honmei?"

Oh. Yoshiko's cheeks begin to burn, but she pushes through the embarrassment, and stares directly into the other girl's eyes. "Yes." You's eyes light up with joy.

"So that means we gave each other honmei, right? So I was wondering." She leans closer, whispering into Yoshiko's ear. "Do you...want to go out with me?"

"Yes!" Yoshiko exclaims, her voice attracting the gaze of other passengers. You laughs at her misfortune, only talking again once no one is staring at them.

"I'm glad. I was honestly worried, but now I'm happy that you feel the same way."

"You were nervous? Pretty much everyone in class was talking about the chocolates they're going to give you. I think I got a few heart attacks throughout the day." You laughs again at the joke.

"So, are we dating now?" You asks.

"In case my earlier answer wasn't loud enough, then yes. If you're willing to."

"Don't get cheeky with me." You grins, poking at Yoshiko's cheeks. "I know that you're happy. Trust me, I am too. There's no way today can get any better."

"I mean, I am happy, but..." She regretfully stares at her gift. You follows her gaze, realizing what seems to be bothering her.

"Why don't you come over to my house?" Yoshiko blinks; did she hear that right? "You got time, right?"

"I do, but why?"

"We can make chocolates together!" You says cheerfully. "I got all the stuff we need back home. Let's make some together, just the two of us." Yoshiko blushes at the thought.

"J-just us? Your parents aren't home?" Yoshiko's embarrassment rises when You's smile turns even wider.

"Now why would you ask that? Get your mind out of the gutter, Yoshiko-chan. Don't tell me you're thinking abou-"

"Stop, stop!" She doesn't want to think about that. "But...I won't be a bother."

"We're dating now." You tries to make it sound casual, but it still embarrasses her to think of Yoshiko as her girlfriend, rather than just a friend. "Of course not."

"Really?" You nods. "I have really bad luck."

"Doesn't matter."

"What if bad luck keeps affecting me and we keep ruining our chocolates?"

"That's fine. That means we get to hang out for longer. You can even stay over tonight." Yoshiko nods, trying to keep her emotions under control as excitement and anticipation starts to bubble inside her. You opens the box and dips her finger in some of the chocolate, then puts it in her mouth. "This is really good. I think you have a talent for making chocolate."

"Really?" Yoshiko asks. "Can I have some? I haven't tried it."

You's eyes glint with mischief, as if she had been waiting for Yoshiko to ask that. Without warning, she tugs on Yoshiko's ribbon, pulling her into a kiss. She briefly tastes the chocolate from You's lips before the other girl pulls away, grinning.

"That's enough for now. Don't wanna ruin the main course, after all." You winks, and if Yoshiko's face could get any redder, it would. As it stands, all she can do is stutter out incomprehensible words.

She leans back against the comfortable cushioning of the seat, thinking to herself. I don't know if You is an angel or a devil. She looks at the girl, who catches Yoshiko staring at her and smiles back. She does know one thing.

For the first time in her life, Yoshiko is a lucky girl.