"Happy birthday, Yosuke!" Chie sang with a grin. Her arms were outstretched, presenting him with a plastic bag clad with a bright orange Junes logo. "Sorry, I know it's not much…" A hint of embarrassment shone through her otherwise cheerful features.

Yosuke returned the somewhat bashful smile and removed the bag from her possession. "Hah, it's alright, Chie. Thanks."

His date of birth had fallen on a Friday this year. It was just his luck that all his friends happened to be busy that day except for Chie, who was abandoning her studies to celebrate with him. However, sarcasm aside, in a way he was happy to be alone with that cute little brunette that had grown on him over the past few years.

Yet, inwardly he groaned. "What a way to spend your eighteenth birthday, Yosuke… celebrating with that hot chick whose pants you could never quite get into." It almost made him chuckle out of sheer acerbity. Though this was simply a watered-down substitute for what he really felt, because somewhere deep inside the thought continued. "Or rather, with that girl you've been in love with for about two years but just aren't man enough to tell her. "

Despite feeling rather ambivalent about the matter, Yosuke was eager and determined to enjoy his birthday.

"Wait!" Chie chirped, breaking his train of though. She grabbed hold of his wrist and dragged him hurriedly to the kitchen.

Excitement shone in her eyes. "Okay, go for it."

With a swift movement of his hands and the momentary crinkling of plastic, Yosuke's birthday gift was revealed – a tub of slightly melted cookie dough ice cream and a bottle of chocolate syrup. Simple, but cute.

"Your favorite, riiight?" Chie asked. "Sorry for the, err… cheapness, once again. I didn't have enough for that CD…"

"No worries, Chie. This is awesome!" Though his choice of words may have seemed fairly excessive for the small gift, he wished to express that he was genuinely grateful to be the topic of her thoughts, even if only for a second.

"So, umm..." She fidgeted. "Can we have some now?"

Yosuke narrowed his eyes at her. "Aha! You bought this for yourself, didn't you…?" he joked in an overly accusative tone.

'Wh-what? No! C'mon Yosuke… I walked to your house, you have a bike! And it's summer!" She was whining now, just as Yosuke had hoped.

He snickered. "Suuuuure, whatever, Chie. Watch out, do this too often and you'll become a fattie. Y'know, when you're old and can't exercise as much, you are gonna be soooo-"

His laugher was stopped abruptly by a load of thick, sticky chocolate in his mouth and all over his shirt. Had she moved not at the speed of light he might've shut the fuck up and been able to stop her. He guessed she wasn't seriously pissed seeing as he wasn't rolling on the floor after a swift kick to the groin. However, he was well aware that he was being an ass. Maybe that's why he couldn't get a girlfriend… or, well, Chie.

But her expression was a playful one, albeit a tad annoyed.

After a moment's shock and a quick survey of the situation Yosuke promptly swiped the bottle of syrup from her and squirted her right back in the face, sporting a triumphant smirk. He hoped this shit wouldn't stain.

After a moment, Chie's expression changed from utter shock to outright devilish "Oh… Oh, Yosuke Hanamura, you have no idea what you just started."

With that, she tackled him to the ground, wrestling for the chocolate syrup. Each gave the bottle a hard squeeze when they deemed it angled enough towards the other. The creamy, delightful substance was sprayed all about, landing not only on the two teens but also innocent bystanders, such as his mother's new stove.

Chie had the unique ability to make Yosuke feel as if he were the woman in the relationship. She fought hard, and she was tough. Yosuke had to give it everything he got to fight back. But, at the same time, she also had the power to make him feel more like a man than ever. Such as moments like these, when the two had become out of breathe after a few minutes and Yosuke topped her. She struggled, wiggling about, but she was no match for his simply larger body. He could not be moved.

Her incessant wiggling was starting to get to him. They were close, closer than she realized. Her crotch was rubbing against his. As small a movement it was, it stirred a great sensation within him. Friction, sweet sweet friction. Oh God, how he had longed for this. Practically straddling her, looking into her eyes as she giggled and squirmed about… it was too much for him. He had to stop himself from getting too aroused.

So what did he do? He licked her. In a desperate and frantic attempt to cease her grinding he had licked the chocolate sauce right off of her arm. He was expecting a slap, maybe a glare… anything was better than this constant rubbing that made him want to ravage her right then.

But, no, she continued. In fact, he had somehow re-energized her, and her wiggling persisted with new-found vigor.

"Eeeeew, Yosuke! Keep your spit to yourself!"

He wanted her to stay there underneath him so badly, yet at the same time he didn't. Had he been able to think straight, he would have simply gotten off of her.

Perhaps, he thought, this was a birthday gift from the heavens. Maybe, somehow… after all that kicking and punching and name calling and dominating… maybe… she would accept his advances. Maybe, just maybe… she would return his feelings.

Well, okay, so that was a little bit far-fetched. Well, it was really far-fetched, but today was his eighteenth birthday. He was a man now. And men took beautiful opportunities when they were given them.

Besides, high school would be ending soon. They'd all go their separate ways, do their separate things. What if this was his last chance? His last chance to say those simple words. Even if she could never say them back, he wanted her to know. He wanted to be liberated of the tight feeling in his stomach.

But not now! Not when she's…

Suddenly, like an animal in a frantic rush of lust, he licked the chocolate syrup off her lips.

She stopped moving. Her brown eyes were large in amazement, staring into his. Though most of her face was covered in chocolate, he could tell she was blushing a cherry red color.

"Y-Yosuke…" she trailed off, removing her gaze from his and suddenly looking everywhere but at him.

He could feel his own face becoming extremely hot. He hadn't at first realized the action to be so... well, to be something that people more than friends would do. The embarrassment was killing him, he had to fix this; he had to do this right.

He leaned down to kiss her on the lips, but was greeted by the bridge of her nose instead as she propped herself up to give him just what he had intended to give her. She fell back and rubbed her nose a bit, giving a sweet little laugh he had never heard before.

Yosuke smiled. "C-can I uh, try that again…?"

'S-sure."

He pressed his lips to hers, barely able to contain himself. They were so soft, and warm… better than he had imagined, even. He lingered for a moment, taking in her presence.

His heart was beating faster than he had believed it could, and a warm feeling washed over him, far superior to any heat the sun could give him.

"I… I love you, Chie." He managed to whisper, after the two had parted.

"Oh God, Y-Yosuke… I love you too…"

Their lips returned to each other's, but this time their tongues came out to play as well. He wasn't sure if she always tasted this sweet, or if it was just the chocolate syrup.

"Hah, so does this mean I get a girlfriend for my birthday? I'm thinking this is the best gift ever." Though his face was flushed and eyes half-lidded, he wore the biggest toothy grin she had ever seen.