Disclaimer: GrimGrave does not own the characters in this story; the characters and Hyakko belongs to the creator Haruaki Katō. GrimGrave does not earn money for writing fiction.
Valentine Feline
Valentine's Day. That one day a year in February when girls and women give away a token out of social obligation, courtesy, or love in the form a chocolate to those closest to them. It's both a token of friendship and a token of love depending on the chocolate and the feelings of the person who gives them. It's a social event that occurs all over Japan, and Kamizono High School was no exception.
The school were filled with students that mingled in every room and corridor, girls of all ages trying to find a private area for them to hand their handmade, sometimes store-bought, chocolate to that one guy they felt something for. Other girls felt comfortable in handing over chocolate to friends in the open, girl or boy, and just wanted show a sign of their friendship.
And then, in Kamizono High School, there were three particular types that all hailed form the same class. The first type was the girl who would actively pursue any other girl of her class and beyond for chocolate that was supposedly for her – in her eyes, girls were just too shy to admit it was for her – and hunted down anyone who even smelled faintly of the sweet aroma. While trying to get a kiss or a hug out of it in the process, which would lead to the second type.
The second type of girl on Valentine's Day was those who were pursued. The girl who dreaded this one day a year when they had to run for their lives in order to avoid the hunter's forced-kisses attempts and the too-intimate hugs. Having to share the same class as her, it resulted often in subtle shenanigans in the form of small notes being passed their way whenever the teacher was lecturing.
And lastly, the third type which plainly didn't care about Valentine's Day, or White Day(1) for that matter, and just treated February 14th as any other regular day. They saw it as a waste of time and effort and simply didn't bat an eye when the date showed up on the calendar.
This year, Torako, Ayumi, Suzu and Tatsuki all ran for dear life as the love-smitten class president, Nene Andou, dashed after them in complete joy.
"Come back my fair maidens!" The redhead called out. "No need to be shy! I happily accept your tributes of love in a more private area if you so desire!"
"We don't want to give anything to you!" Torako yelled back in panic. "Just leave us alone already you pervert!"
"And to think this is only after first period…!" Tatsuki chimed in. "I dread to think what she does on the lunch break!"
"I'm scared…!" Ayumi whined.
"Udon…" Suzu said to herself.
"We just have to see this as an excuse to lose weight! An exercise!" Torako shot back. "Let's pretend is P.E class! Everyone, run as if you were paid for it!"
"Oh that's helpful!" Tatsuki growled back. In her midst of rage against her trouble-making friend, the raven-haired girl spotted a certain classmate walking the opposite direction. She had not seen them yet in her solemnness, which to Tatsuki's own surprise, formed an idea that she acted on without thought.
"Makunouchi-san! Forgive me for this!"
The spiky-haired "delinquent" looked back up at her charging classmate just as she was grabbed by the shoulders. "What the-"
She was pushed aside in their wake, confused and unprepared for what had happened, and what was about to take place. As her classmates all ran away down the corridor, the tomboyish "delinquent" was met by the equally unprepared class president. Simultaneously, they fell to the hard floor with a crash that would probably leave a bruise or two, with a mild but lingering headache.
Groaning, the two girls slowly got up while clutching their heads in the mild pain. "Owh… I'll get you for this Iizuka…" Ushio growled out. She instantly recognized Nene who was still trying to get back up on her feet. "What's with you people and running rampage through the corridor?!"
"They're just being shy…" Nene said weakly. "Oh, looks like I lost them… What a shame." As if on cue, her eyes darted over to Ushio, a small smirk forming on her lips as she did. "But at least I have a very nice consolation prize! Ushio-kun, you don't need to be shy, you can just give it to me like a good girl."
Ushio knitted her eyebrows in annoyance. "Excuse me? What are you on about now, pervert?" Their heated gazes, one of anger and the other of lust clashed out as the rising tension thickened in the air around them. Nene grinned as she got up.
"No need to play hard to get Ushio-kun." She flicked her red locks over her shoulder. "It's just chocolate. Don't you want me to return your affections times three on White Day?" She winked at the tomboy, expecting her to be swooned and hand over chocolate, and affections, to her at that moment.
Instead, Ushio growled at her with a glare that sent chills down her spine. "Chocolate? You think too highly of yourself pervert. I don't give a shit about Valentine's Day and even if I did I would never hand you over any kind of chocolate! And for the record, I don't want anything from you."
The class president was taken aback by the comments. She stared at Ushio in sheer disbelief. "You… Ushio-kun, you don't care about Valentine's Day or even White Day?! Something is not right! You're a fair maiden with a heart that yearns for the love of another, how can you look pass the beauty of this day that only comes once a year?!"
Ushio sighed deeply and prolonged. "Do you really need a certain day a year to show someone else you like them? It's just a waste of both effort and time. Besides, I never get any chocolate so why should I even care about White Day to begin with?"
"Ushio-kun…" Nene replied solemnly. "Don't you worry about a thing! I'll patiently wait for you to hurry and buy some chocolate for some last-minute confession, Andou-style!"
"You only hear what you want to hear don't you?!" Ushio yelled back. "Go find someone else to bother, I'm out!" Ushio turned back around and continued to walk away, leaving a flabbergasted Nene behind in contemplation.
´What a shame on such a feisty maiden, to not even participate in the ritual of love… And who am I to turn a blind eye to such an attractive opportunity?´ Nene thought to herself with glee. Her eyes, fixating on the rear hidden underneath the skirt, kept her occupied on the outside as she contemplated with a perverted smirk on her face. ´Yes… Why should I let such a golden opportunity go to waste? Torako, Ayumi Tatsuki and Suzu are all wonderful in their own way, but Ushio… How you tempt me so with your wild nature. I'm so going to tame you, you unknowing little minx!´
The redhead laughed softly to herself. Forget about her usual targets – she would make Ushio fall for her, and it would be glorious!
::::::
Two periods later, the bell chimed with its signal for lunch. Amagasa-sensei had just begun to clear the blackboard as Torako, Suzu, Tatsuki and Ayumi hurriedly grouped up and began to make their way out of the classroom as quickly as possible. Pushing other students out of the way, they didn't even notice that their class president wasn't even looking in their direction. Her eyes were glued on the tomboy, absorbing her visage, her attractiveness.
As the other students made their way out for lunch, Ushio was remaining on her seat, no doubt waiting for the others to clear out before she went and bought her usual lunch. Another golden opportunity for Nene as she pounced over to the tomboy's desk, sitting on its edge in front of Ushio with a seductive pose that garnered her attention, for better or worse.
"Can't you take a hint?" Ushio spat at the redhead with a scowl. "I'm not interested in your Valentine nonsense."
"I understand that you may want to scare me off since you don't have any chocolate at the moment…" Nene replied with a feigned sigh. "But you can still come clean Ushio… How about I help you ease the way for your heart to open for me?" And with that, the class president fished something up from her schoolbag and handed it over to her classmate; forced to take it, Ushio glanced at it with a deeper scowl when she realized it was a special edition chocolate made just for Valentine's Day. Nene had probably went and bought it in-between the periods.
"Chocolate for my love." Nene said with a wink. "Now when you know that your feelings are returned, perhaps now you can confess those slumbering affections you have towards me, my darling Ushio-kun."
"…Is this some kind of sick joke? You expect me to believe you all of a sudden have fallen for me for Kami knows what reason, and that I would be swooned by you giving me chocolate? Are you daft or something?" Nene stared in disbelief at her classmate, once again taken aback by her remarks.
"But… Ushio-kun, I just gave you chocolate! On Valentine's Day! Don't you realize what that means?"
"What I realize – " Ushio's glare sent chills down Nene's spine. "- is that you think yourself as being in love with me when you clearly just want to grope me or whatever you always try to do! And that you think I harbour feelings for you when I clearly do not!" Roughly, she shoved the chocolate back at Nene. "I don't care about these special days Nene. Thanks but no thanks, I don't want ANYTHING from a pervert like you." She quickly got up and walked out of the classroom without a second glance or hesitation, mimicking their earlier encounter.
"Damn it…" Nene muttered under her breath. "There has to be a way to reach out to her… Wait a minute!"
She smiled. "That's right, Kageyama-kun told me of Ushio's…. Oh, that will definitely work. But I have to get going as soon as possible."
With a new plan already in motion, Nene rushed out of the classroom. She would have to skip lunch, but if this worked, it would be worth it.
::::::
Hours later, in the Makunouchi residence, Ushio threw herself into her bed in her exhausted state. The day had been painfully slow in her eyes, and to boot she was in a bitter mood. Nene's behaviour and words were still flashing by in her head, further annoying the tomboy even when she tried to calm down.
It was so infuriating, still! It didn't make any sense as to why Nene had suddenly taken such an interest in her – it was impossible. Nene was most likely disguising it as love in order to molest her.
It made Ushio sick to her stomach just thinking about it. Still, she couldn't deny the fact that she had been given chocolate on Valentine's Day. Even if it was from a shady pervert.
Her doorbell suddenly chimed through her house. Knowing that her bother was still out, there was nobody else home besides her. With a grunt, she got up and headed towards the door, still in a foul mood. The doorbell chimed increasingly the whole way even as Ushio fumbled with the lock.
"Alright already! I'm opening the - ….door…" The dirty-blonde teen was struck flabbergasted into silence the moment the image in front of her sunk in.
"Meow…" The class president mewled out with a small grin. Striking the familiar pose of a cat statuette, Nene sported a white paw on her risen hand and the other one, while white, fluffy protruding ears crowned her head. Thin, but noticeable whiskers were drawn on her face and a long, black fake-tail was hanging from the jeans she was wearing. Lastly, a collar with a light bell was strapped around her neck.
"Nya, nya! Chocolate for my darling!" Nene purred out with another grin, handing over the same chocolate she had given to Ushio earlier. "Meow… Won't you reconsider? Meow!"
Ushio remained silent, but her eyes betrayed her. They beamed with a rare joy, and a small but noticeable smile crept over her lips the longer she stared as she suddenly grabbed Nene by the collar, its bell ringing in the motions, and pulled her inside.
::::::
The next day, back in Kamizono High School, after having managed to avoid an unusually absent class president, the group of girls calmly entered their classroom just as the bell chimed, knowing that Nene would be less forward now when Valentine's Day was over.
But once they stepped inside the classroom, they were struck with shock and appalled. Seemingly their classmates were feeling the same way when they witnessed Nene sitting on Ushio's lap, being petted on the neck.
The redhead grinned. "Want another piece of chocolate, my sweet?"
Ushio scowled at her. "I've had enough already. Eat it yourself-"
"Purr-lease?" Nene then purred out into the moaning Ushio's ear, meowing softly as the tomboy scratched Nene's neck, accepting the piece of chocolate with a finger licking finish to the class president's delight.
"See? Wasn't Valentine's Day just the best day of the year?" Nene said with a small laughter. "I can't wait till White Day…"
Ushio would have retaliated with another rant about the idiocy of the holiday, but Nene's purring kept her in the dreamlike state of feline sounds. Nene felt so proud of herself over her accomplishment.
She certainly couldn't wait till White Day, one month from now. Plenty of time to spend with Ushio now that she knew what made her tick.
(1) White Day is celebrated in Japan on the 14th of March. While Valentine's Day in Japan serves as the day for girls/women to hand over chocolate to the boy/man they like, White Day is the respective day for men to hand something back to the women in the form of white chocolate, jewelry, cookies or even white lingerie. But Nene skips that little detail and just wants somehting given back to her from Ushio.
