Hmmm…I believe I've been on a hiatus for a very long time now… well, sorry people, I've been so busy with school work and this pathetic life I have these pass few months that I never really got the chance to write a new story or update (I think I might discontinue "When He Was Happy"…I just don't feel the story anymore…). I'll probably just write one-shots and drabbles when I have the time. You see, Junior-Senior Prom is fast approaching, my final exams will start in a month and a quarter, and then I'll be graduating a few weeks after that, so my schedule is quit full until the end of March, I think, but I'll make sure to find time. So please forgive me if I never update.
So anyway, since it's almost Valentine's Day, I'll make it up to you guys by a very annoyingly-fluffly-romance fanfic that will surely capture your (if not low) attention and (if not broken) heart, which will make me (if not sick) vomit with my own OC-ness. And because I have an obsession for anything chocolate, I'll base the story on that.
And must I still mention it? You and I both know I can never own this anime ever…
Now here we go…
""""""""
.
.
.
"…life starts sweet, then bitter. Once you moved on, it's sweet again but the bitterness is still there…only in your memories…"
.
"And you're associating this with dark chocolate?"
.
"Why not? It sure taste like life to me…"
.
.
.
Dark Chocolate
.
.
.
""""""""
February fourteenth; this is, according to Satoshi Hiwatari, a very unlucky day.
He woke up, did his early morning routine, and walked his way to school not realizing that his worst day has finally come. His obliviousness to the date made him unprepared of the upcoming threat that will attract to him as soon as he steps on the premises of the school grounds.
Which he will do so…just…right…about…
now…
"HIWATARI-SAN!!! BE MY VALENTINE!!!"
He had no time to look up from the book he was reading, nor time to blink when a sudden swarm of flies (also known as his so-called "fan girls") attacked him; pushing and pulling him in different directions, squealing words and phrases, to many to understand, near his ear making him temporarily deft. They held in their hands boxes covered in red to pink, and they push this to his arms as if he would take them.
He constantly cried for them to move to give him space to breath, but they paid no attention to what he was saying and crowded over him some more.
"HIWATARI-SAN! BE MY VALE– " One female shouted in his ear. That was the last straw. With that, he lost his sense of being a gentleman and threw off his Hikari reserve for a while and gritted his teeth, took in a breath-full of air before crying out like the fearsome cougar that long waited to hunt in his lone wolf mountain.
"NO!"
Then all became silent. Birds suddenly stopped chirping. Spectators turned their heads towards him with a look of fear and anxiety after they heard him became very, very, angry for the first time. The swarm of flies stopped buzzing and stared at him with the same look of anxiety. The silence was suddenly broken when one of the girls gave an audible 'gulp'.
Satoshi breathe in and out, and his left eyebrow slowly stopped twitching in anger. The light red color on his face suddenly faded as he tried to compose himself. And after three minutes, he was now calm.
He coughs. "Please let me pass…"
Then the girls suddenly disperse.
Noticing that he was back to normal, the spectators moved on with what they were previously doing.
All until one of the girls in the crowd spoke up in a squeaky voice…
"Um…Hiwatari-san…"
"WHAT?" Everyone flitch again at the menacing and clearly very annoyed tone he gave out when he turned to face the one who spoke.
The girls huddled together in fear that their beloved cougar will attack them. The same girl mustered enough courage in her still squeaky voice and continued on.
"…um…since…err…well…could you…at least…accept our cho…chocolates?"
Satoshi stopped twitching. He watched the girls slowly held out their boxes of chocolates while looking down on their feet, clearly blushing in embarrassment. He gave out a sigh and near them, taking each their boxes quickly for he suddenly felt sorry for these pitiful and silly girls. He counted 25 boxes of various sizes. He believes there will still be more to come, although not many will be coming near him to give the gift personally after his sudden eruption.
He sighs again and bows politely before walking away. He still heard the girls squealing on his way to the main door. He twitched when he heard that girl with the squeaky voice, although no longer squeaky, announce to the group "He looks so handsome when his angry!" and a long and load "Kyaa!" as a reply after that.
Once again: February fourteenth; this is, according to Satoshi Hiwatari, a very unlucky day.
Scratch that. Let's re-write that phrase, shall we?
February fourteenth; this is, according to Satoshi Hiwatari… Armageddon.
…He was glad he survived this year.
He was already calm when he reached the classroom. He noticed that the girls in his class became awfully quiet as soon as they saw him enter. Looks like the word of him and the girls awhile back spread quickly like wildfire. He ignored them and went to his seat at the very back, near the window. His eyes scanned the classroom. The group of girls where crowded together and were talking about Valentine's Day (he was hoping he wasn't the topic in their conversation). One male classmate was holding a box of chocolate and blushing madly as the other boys teased him and kept on guessing who gave him the chocolate.
He wondered why there are two Valentine's days in Japan. On February, it's the girls who gives the guys chocolate, and a month after that, which is St. White's day, the guys have to give the girls white chocolate. He shakes his head.
He remembered all the chocolate given to him, he realize that he could never possibly consume them all, so he decided to take 8 of the nutty chocolates home, keep four for himself then give two each to a 6 year old boy and his 5 year old sister who lives the next door. The siblings would always like to watch him paint and would compliment his art all the time; he could at least give them something.
On his way to the classroom though, he dumped the ones with the raisins (he hates chocolate with raisins), while he carried the rest with him in his bag.
Satoshi frowns again at how bad his day started. He leans his elbow on his desk and leans his left cheek on his palm.
Just then the Harada Twins, accompanied by his best friend, Daisuke Niwa (who was unusually not late today), entered the classroom. Daisuke was holding hands with his girlfriend, Riku Harada, who just handed him a box of Chocolate, which made him blush almost as red as his hair.
He caught a glimpse of the younger Harada, Risa. They had become close friends after she and her sister learned about his and Niwa's secret.
Risa handed Daisuke also a box of chocolate, only smaller then that of Riku's. A sudden bullet of jealousy hit Satoshi in the chest somehow. Why would she give Daisuke even if he already has a girlfriend? And why isn't Riku angry or something?
'What the hell am I jealous about? I shouldn't be bothered by somethi…'
"Hiwatari-kun?"
Satoshi blinked, and then looked up. He didn't realize that Risa had already walked up to him and had been calling him. He almost felt stupid.
"Yes?"
Risa smiled but had one eyebrow raise. "I greeted you a Good Morning, but you weren't paying attention, so I'll just greet you again. Good Morning!"
How innocent. How very Risa-like.
He sighs. "I'm sorry, I was thinking about something."
"You look like your day started out bad…" she had a worried tone on her voice. Satoshi heard himself sigh for the eleventh time, "You don't know the half of it…"
He watch her tilt her head. "You wanna talk about it?"
"…I don't feel like talking about it now, I'll tell you later…"
Risa suddenly gave a light jump when the laud bell rang to signal the start of first period. She looked back at him and gave him one of her bright smiles that could just turn that frown from your face. "I see… later then. I'll meet you at lunch." Then she went to her seat.
Satoshi couldn't help but smile. At least there was someone to brighten up his bad day.
""""""""
Lunch time. Risa lied on the grass at the back of the school, looking up at the leaves of the tree that towered next to her spot and shaded her from the noonday sun. The breeze was light, but cool. The atmosphere was perfect for the day.
She heard footsteps coming her way. Then her view of the branches and leaves were blocked and she saw Satoshi's blue hair swaying in the wind and those calculating (but now soft) blue eyes staring down at her.
"What's up?" he said nonchalantly, if almost a joke.
"You."
She giggled then pulls herself up until she sat on the grass.
"Where's Niwa-san and your sister?" He asked while looking around the area if ever they were close-by. The four of them always eat lunch together but now they were the only ones around the area.
Satoshi watch her shrug her shoulders then took out her bento box. "I don't know. But we probably wouldn't want to disturb them anyway. They should be together today since its Valentine's."
She heard him sigh…again. Risa realize she just said something that might have been the cause of his bad mood this morning. Then she remembered what Ritsuke told her about what he did to his fan girls when he came to school. 'Well…serves them right anyway…' she thought.
"I heard what happened to you this morning." She said as he sat next to her, taking out his own bento.
"I'm not surprised." He said with a frown.
"It's unlike you to lose your temper."
"They deserve it. I could hardly breathe in that attack and they wouldn't make me move. I hate this day." He stressed out the 'hate' with a tone almost menacing it would make the whole campus silent again just like what happened awhile ago. Although this doesn't seem to have any effect on Risa, who just smiled and sweat drop.
And so she skipped the topic and move on to talking on a different topic as they continue their meal.
But by the time their bento boxes where empty, she brought back the topic, which is for Satoshi, one quality in Risa that annoys him all the time she does that.
"So, how many boxes did you get?" She started.
Satoshi made another frown. Then to Risa's surprise, he suddenly grab his bag, un zip it, then one-by-one took out boxes over boxes of chocolate, in various sizes. When she thought that that was all, Satoshi was still fuddling with his bag until he found the last box…a very small one. Risa was curious at what king of chocolate was inside the smaller one. She picks it up, and flips the top open. She raises an eyebrow.
The box contained 3 kisses.
"I think it was that first year who gave it." Satoshi said with annoyance clearly in his tone.
"You mean the one who used to follow you around?"
"Yes, that one."
"Oh…"
He sighs.
"Can I have one?"
"You can have all three."
"Thanks!"
Satoshi turns his head and watched her unwrap one then pop it in her mouth, and while she munch it down, place the other two in her pink and yellow bag. He watches her fumble through her things, looking for something.
"I know you had a bad start of the day with girls and chocolate…"
Satoshi continue to stare at her.
"…But could you at least accept mine?"
She held out a box of plain chocolate. It was the same size as the one she gave Daisuke. Satoshi looked up at her face which had a smile, then back to the chocolate.
"I gave Niwa-kun one, too. And I'm giving one to you, too. Valentine's Day doesn't necessarily mean you give gifts to someone as a confession of love; you can give some to your friends too. You give gifts to those who became a part of your life."
Risa gave him a bright smile. Satoshi smiled as well. He took the box, his fingers brushing against hers.
"Happy Valentine's Day Hiwatari-kun!"
Satoshi looked down on his gift. "Thank you. This is the first decent Valentine's gift I ever got." He said. A small smile still plastered on his face. Risa gave out a short laugh, mumbling a "Your Welcome" in between.
Then Satoshi noticed another box of chocolate on her lap.
Dark Chocolate was printed in black on the red cover of the box. He looked down at his own box. Only Chocolate was labeled on the box with its glimmering brown-gold font color.
Satoshi couldn't help but be curious and ask. "You still have a box, who're you giving it to?"
Risa stopped giggling and looked down on the box. He notice a frown replacing her smile.
"This was…intended…for Dark." She said slowly and quietly although audible. Satoshi remembered Risa telling him what Dark had told her, and how he broke her heart. She still remembered him. He suddenly felt that bullet of jealousy still in his chest.
"It's been a year, Harada-san. I thought you said you've moved on already." He said, looking away from her and up the sky, his thoughts moving back to the Black Wings incident, his memories of pain, and his memories of Krad.
"I know I said that." She also looks up the sky, her thoughts also about last year. "That's why I bought Dark Chocolate, instead of the plain one."
Satoshi suddenly became confused and looked her way. "What do you mean by that?"
She looked down again at the box on her lap, before turning her head to him with a small smile on her face. "Ne, Hiwatari-kun? Have you ever tried dark chocolate before?"
He nods, although he still doesn't know where this is going.
"Me too." She looks back on the box again. "I was 4 when I first tried it, and I could still remember how it tasted like."
Satoshi just listened.
Risa continued. "Dark chocolate; it looks sweet and very tempting. The first time it touch my tongue, the surface of it was very sweet. Then I gave it one bite and there was this bitter taste, as if dried coffee was added in it. I didn't try to spit it out so I continued on chewing and biting it, all the while tasting the bitterness."
Satoshi nodded. He remembered he had the same reaction the first time he ate a piece.
He continued to listen.
"Then, when it was good enough to swallow, it became sweet again even though I could still taste the bitterness that was still on my mouth." She looked up the sky again, and a breeze passes by. Her hair swayed and Satoshi had the urge to touch her hair.
"It's kind of like what happened to me and Dark. When we first started going out, I was so happy. Then he told me the only reason he loved me was because I only reminded him of my grandmother who he loved dearly. My world came crashing down after that. The pain was unbearable. Then it started to fade away in due time and I move on, but I still remember the pain." She continued. "Or like you, Hiwatari-kun. You were born in this world with an amazing gift and a silver spoon, you had a mother who cared for you, and everything was good until you learned about Krad."
Satoshi looked down on his lap, flitching slightly at the sound of Krad's name.
"Then your mother passed away, and your own world collapsed. Then you had to bare the pain of having Krad and being alone. And then one day, Krad and Dark disappeared, and your opportunity to live life began, you can finally have friends, you can finally fall in love without worrying you'd hurt that person. And yet you still go all jumpy when I say Krad's name."
She noticed. She has a point there. Satoshi wondered where Risa got all this idea. He just saw a different side in her, a side that is most mature. When Risa talks like that, it can somehow lift you up inside.
"Life starts sweet, then bitter. Once you moved on, it's sweet again but the bitterness is still there…only in your memories…" She says, and Satoshi closes his eyes, smiling. Taking in everything that she said as a motto he'd carry throughout his life.
And after a long time of being silent, he finally spoke.
"And you're associating this with dark chocolate?"
She opens the box. "Why not? It sure taste like life to me..."
Satoshi smiles; he totally agrees.
Risa picks one of the 15 bars of dark chocolate and observe all its sides. "Well, I don't think Dark will be coming back anytime soon. I might as well have it for myself."
Just as when she was about to pop it in her mouth, Satoshi spoke up.
"Can I have some?"
Risa paused. Then she turned her head to face him. He was smiling at her. But his smile was different then the usual.
"You see, I like dark chocolate."
It looked genuine. It looked sweet. It looked like it was a smile intended just for her.
She blushed, then smiled. She held out the piece in her hand to his face.
Just when Satoshi raise a hand to try and reach it, she pulled back, and Satoshi looked back at her.
"Nah-ah!" She teased. "Open your mouth. I'll feed you." She giggled.
Satoshi blinked but then gave in. Besides, he wanted dark chocolate so badly.
She held out the piece again, and Satoshi took the whole piece in with his mouth. She blushed when his lips brush her fingers.
For a while they share the dark chocolate and started a conversation about the past, not caring if it is bitter of sweet. Then after awhile, their fingers brush against each other when reaching for a bar. Both of them looked down on the box that was between them.
Only one piece was left.
It occurred to Satoshi that both of them had eaten seven each, and there were originally 15 bars. In any case though, Satoshi wanted the last piece, but his constant reverie made him slow down, and Risa got the last piece and had popped in her mouth.
He frowned. "I wanted that last piece."
She mumbled a "sorry" while munching on the piece.
Then Risa noticed something. He was glaring and his eyes had a dark and sinister look.
And so, Risa saw the cougar in his lone wolf mountain about to attack her for taking something from his territory. She gulped, but at the same time swallowed the chocolate.
Before she knew it, Satoshi leaned closer to her, their faces were mere millimeters apart.
"I said: I wanted that last piece."
She didn't move when Satoshi planted his lips on hers. That was very shocking on her part, but then slowly, she melted like the dark chocolate when she puts it in her mouth.
After a long lip lock, Satoshi broke the kiss. He had completely tasted the remaining taste of the dark chocolate from her mouth which leaved her stunned.
Who knew, Satoshi would go this far as kissing her to have chocolate…most especially dark chocolate.
"Wow…" She whispered. Her face was red.
Satoshi chuckled as he pulled himself away. A blush crept on his own face. "…I told you, I really like Dark chocolate…"
"You…you…You didn't have to do that!" Risa cried, emphasizing the last word while looking down on her lap. Her hands held her cheeks and felt her face was really warm.
"Well…" Satoshi spoke up after a moment of silence. "Half of me…kind of…wanted to do that…"
What's this? Is this some sort of confession? Did the cougar had another intention of his attack? Who knows? It somehow did manage to made Risa smile and kiss him again.
And so, for Satoshi, February fourteenth didn't seem as bad as he thought after all. Like Risa said, life is like Dark Chocolate. He started his day fine and dandy, then he was attacked by a swarm of flies which made his day a living hell, then he had a moment with Risa but he still fears that those flies might be lurking in the bushes watching him kiss the girl he always cared for and love.
And like he said: This is the most decent Valentine's Day gift he ever got.
End
""""""""
And that's it! This is the longest one-shot I ever wrote! WOW 12 PAGES! ACHIEVEMENT!!!!
I hope you all enjoyed this piece. Sorry for some errors if there are any. Don't forget to review guys!
NOTE: I might probably write a sequel about St. White's Day if I have the time. So stay tuned!
And Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Spread the love… I hope I was able to give out a message from my fic.
Again, Please Review!
Until next time,
SaFire-a.k.a-kill-me-before-it's-too-late-Lupe
