Me- Alright, so when Valentines Day came I was tempted to write something... I really wanted to, and then I ended up writing this cheesy one-shot :P Uh...Maybe I shouldn't have posted it :P (huhuhu) Never mind, just please don't hate me. ;)

Julie- Cheesy, cheesy. I love cheese, especially 'this' kind. I'm partial to 'fluff' too.

Shun- Neh Arisu isn't it too late to submit a Valentine's Day story?

Me- You have a complaint there buddy boy? *anime vein* If so, then I'll gladly make Alice give her chocolates to someone else.

Shun- You're too whimsical for your own good.

Me- What's THAT! Ah, I'll just ignore you :P Valentine's day special one-shot...I hope you like it guys.

Summary- Five years, I've been waiting to give him my chocolates for five years... I can't help my timidity, I'm SUCH a coward! If only I could give it to him, this sixth year...If only I had the courage. Can I succeed?

Xxx Valentine's Day Special xxX

crystal-mist

Alice's P.O.V

I am well aware that I am not the sarcastic kind. Sarcasm is something that I don't normally resort to. It's against my nature, don't you know? But then...when Valentine's Day comes- for me it's coated with a thick layer of irony.

Normally, according to Japanese tradition it's the girls giving chocolates to guys. So isn't it sort of strange that I find my desk and locker so excessively full of gift-wrapped chocolaty treats? Well sure, if I were Runo such a reaction was 'expected'. But then, I'm not really tomboyish, am I?

And then, the other bit of irony. Every year I spend the 13th of February baking chocolates of all shapes and sizes- friendship chocolates. Also, I take special care to label each gift with a huge sticker that read 'FRIENDSHIP CHOCOLATE' and had a caption 'for my sweet special friend; a sweet treat not as quite sweet as your friendship.' Specifically, the label was to emphasize that we were 'friends' and that there was no hidden meaning behind the boxes.

But sure, even then guys swoon around complaining that I only give chocolates to Dan, Shun, Marucho, Runo and Julie... I also mail one to Christopher and another to Klaus.

And then...well, I do have a secret...Hm... I wonder if I should disclose it. But hey, what's the point anyway?

The thing is...every year I make this batch of heart shaped chocolates, put them in a heart-shaped box, wrap it in bright red shining paper and put a very girly bow on it. Also, there is no 'friendship chocolate' label on it...Instead there's a note, a secret note for that secret special person. What I do with that box, you ask? Well like any ordinary girl I take it to school, hiding it within the deepest reached of my bag. And then, with my bag I roam around a lot, distributing my friendship chocolates...

I wander around the lockers for a bit but always notice that someone or the other is lurking around that area, so I turn back...

I then give myself pep talks. Like 'Don't worry Alice, this year for sure.' 'Hey, it's not like he could hate you...probably.' 'You could always go back to the friends' path if things don't work out.' And then, guess what I do? That's right, with my bag still in hand I wait at the school gate...my heart beating fast and loud.

Waiting and waiting...I watch everyone as they pass the gate. But when 'he' does finally pass the gate, I chicken out and decide not to give him my chocolates after all...It was too risky, especially when you were in love with someone as cool as him.

And finally, I end up walking to the park. Looking at my shameful heart-shaped chocolate box one last time, I would throw them off the bridge... I never bothered to see what happened to the box afterwards. For all I know, a stray dog may enjoy my chocolates. After all, what was the point?

This particularritual has been going on for five years now... Oh yeah, I'm a tad too persevering.

And then, I feel all disappointed as yet another year unfolds with me being unable to tell him how I feel.

Oops I probably should tell you who this guy is... It's Shun, Shun Kazami... And yes, I am well aware that he is out of my reach...That is why I hesitate...

But then, I can't help it... Who couldn't fall in love with that sort of guy? And as if his perfect face, flowing black hair and golden eyes weren't enough- he's a ninja. Everyone knows that girls are absolute suckers for ninjas.

But in my own mind, I like to believe that I have a better chance with him than most girls because 're both brawlers. 2. He always saves me. 3. I don't think anyone's ever seen his rare smile other than Runo, Julie and I...And well Runo had Dan and Julie had Billy. So who was left? That's right- me.

Five years...Now that I look back at it...it seems really long, so...lonely. And that's why, this sixth year I'm really determined.

Although I may say that- at present I'm standing in front of the school gate again...Waiting for him to pass by. And there he comes, walking so perfectly, not paying any particular attention to those around him.

I gulped and summoned all my strength to approach him. "Hey Shun!" I half-exclaimed but soon regained my composure.

"Hey."

"Nice day, huh?"

He shrugged. So much for me trying to make conversation. That was when I noticed that his backpack seemed so heavy, so stuffed, so over-flowing...And in his hand he had this grocery bag.

I wondered what it was and immediately felt disheartened as I spotted brightly coloured chocolate boxes... The bag was full and so was his backpack. "Wow...you get a lot of chocolates, don't you?" I muttered trying to mask my disappointment.

Shun nodded. "Yeah, my sis loves chocolates so these don't last for as long as you might think...But don't worry though, I eat your friendship chocolates myself." He said, flashing that rare smile of his.

I could feel myself blushing as I tried to divert my attention. "Oh...You get such a lot every year?"

"Hn...I even tried locking my locker's door. But then someone picked the lock. Girls are quite crafty..."

I giggled at the look on his face. "You're quite popular, you know..."

"But then..." he smiles a bit. "There are good things that can happen too..."

"Like?"

He considered for a bit before smiling once more. "For some time now I've been receiving chocolates from the girl I like..."

I blinked at him, camouflaging the heart that was shattering in my chest. "But then...Why is it that you don't have a girl-friend?"

"She's too nervous to tell me how she feels; I guess..." he said. "I've been waiting and waiting now and she still makes the chocolates but says nothing to me...Sometimes it's frustrating really. I want to tell her how I feel...But I also want to see if she has the courage to say it..."

I sighed. I should've guessed that Shun liked someone. But to think he'd been waiting for this girl like this, she's probably way out of my reach...She's probably the epitome of perfection just like Shun. She must be gifted, to make Shun fall for her like this.

"Oh...That's my house...I'll get going then." I muttered as I flashed a forced smile in his direction. I turned around and walked away but froze as I felt his hand grip my wrist, pulling me to a stop.

Reluctantly I turned towards him. Why had he done that? Why had he done something so careless that made my heart race almost to breaking point?

"Shun?"

He extended his hand towards me. "Oh come on Alice...Just give me my chocolates already." He said making a 'give me' gesture.

I stared at him in surprise. "What?"

"Don't tell me you're going to make me say it out loud. You're cruel, you know." he sighed heavily. "You know... the ones in the heart-shaped box that you always end up throwing over the bridge in the park."

"Wait...How...how do you know-"

"Five years ago..." he said. "I sort of accidentally saw that heart-shaped box in your backpack. The entire day at school I couldn't get it out of my mind. I was curious, so I..." he hesitated, a blush on his face. "I ended up tailing you. Wherever you went, I followed... Don't get me wrong, I wasn't stalking you or anything, it was just out of curiosity (jealousy). And then I ended up following you all the way to the park...I was surprised when I saw you throw it away, and then you were sobbing... I felt inclined to comfort you...but...well-"

I looked at Shun in amazement. He never talked 'this' much. You could hardly get a sentence out of him... I just stood there, embarrassed, not knowing what to say or how to react... "I..."

"And then, curiosity once again got the better of me. I ended up searching for that chocolate box...And I finally found it..." he smiled once again. "Imagine my surprise when I saw the attached card with my name on it."

I knew I was blushing, I could feel that I was blushing. I could no longer keep eye-contact with Shun.

"Dear Shun, I know that you're surprised receiving something like this from me. You know that I'm not the courageous type so I had to find refuge in valentine's day to express the way I feel towards you." spoke Shun, quoting the exact words of my letter. "I want to overcome my shyness and tell you how I feel. So, here I go. I really like you... And some day, I hope I'll get the courage to actually 'tell' you that I want to treasure you... I'm sorry; forgive me if this seems too rash. But please feel free to reject this confession... And if so, we can still be friends, right? From Alice."

I was dumbfounded as a tear rolled down my cheek. "You memorized the whole thing?"

He bent down a bit and wiped the lone tear drop away. "Each year I waited to see if you'd finally give it directly to me...But then, I always had to scavenge for it in the park. But it was convenient that you disposed of the chocolates in the same place."

"Shun...I-"

"They're delicious, you know." He spoke placing his hand under my chin and lifting my face up to look at his. "Although that one time, I had to jump into the river to retrieve them."

That really surprised me. He what? And why couldn't I say anything? Why did my lips just refuse to move? Normally it was I who talked while Shun was silent but now...

"So why not make it easier for the both of us?" he asked once again extending his hand to me.

In a daze I shuffled inside my bag. I fumbled as I took the box and handed it to him. In my haste I dropped it on the ground by accident. "I'm sorry!" I exclaimed as I bent down to pick it up again. Was this an omen?

Shun squatted down beside me. Our hands came into contact when we picked it up together. I definitely could NOT ignore my rapidly beating heart. It was so fast, so loud, could he hear it?

"I love you..." he said as we both stood back up again. "I want to treasure you. Will you let me?"

Those words... I couldn't believe that it was Shun saying that to me... Tears of happiness rolled down my cheeks.

And then all logic left my mind as I looked at him timidly. "If I let you, will you let me?" I asked as I looked straight into his golden eyes. I suppressed my urge to take hold of his hand and even to rest my head on his muscular chest.

"Obviously." He muttered as he took the initiative and wrapped his arms around me.

I could feel my face heating up manifolds as I timidly slid my arms around his neck. "Then, yes."

He slowly stroked my hair. "So, I guess that means we're dating then."

I could only nod. I couldn't believe it... We left Shun's overflowing bag at my house and went for a walk in the park.

"Look forward to white day." said Shun as he took hold of my hand, interlacing my fingers with his.

"Shun... Thank you... for waiting this long."

"I'm sorry that I couldn't stop myself from intervening... I just couldn't bear to miss the opportunity to be with you any longer."

"That's alright...I'm really glad that you did, though."

"I wonder how the rest of the brawlers will take this news." He muttered and then the both of us burst into a fit of laughter at the thought of the brawlers' surprised faces.

"They definitely won't see it coming." chuckled Shun.

My mind still couldn't believe it...Was all this real? Was it just a dream? Was it just a farfetched hallucination fabricated by my bewildered heart?

But then, the warmth of his hand that held mine suggested otherwise. I walked closer to Shun, my shoulders brushing against his. He turned to look at me and then I finally cut loose and told him those words that have been aching to leave my lips for so long now. "I love you."

And that my friends, was the context of my first ever kiss.

Fin~~

IMPT NOTE- 'crystal-mist' is planning to go MIA from March till April attributing to finals and college entrance exams :P So please forgive me. I promise to continue all my stories right after April. I sincerely apologize. For those who might want a head's up when I decide to return, tell me. I'll PM you. (I'm expecting too much aren't I? *nervous laugh*)

Please everyone pray for my success!

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