Kamijou Touma scratched his cheek as he looked around one more time. But the street was peaceful and no person showed any sign of distress. And in the park to his right kids were laughing merrily.

In other words…

"They didn't come through here," he concluded and sighed exasperated. "Strange… First I followed the trail of malfunctioning security robots, then asked around about an angry girl in the Tokiwadai uniform – which led me here. But now I can't find any traces of Misaka or the thief…"

Well, he had caught some movement on a nearby roof in the corner of his eye but when he looked up there he saw nothing. Honestly, his phone might have been gone for good…

"Such misfortune…" Touma mumbled hanging his head low.

"Why do you look like a lost child on the verge of tears?" asked a voice behind him.

Startled, Touma jumped away. But there was nothing to fear. Only one person spoke to him with that particular brand of annoyance. As if his actual existence pulled some string in her.

And of course, there she was, Misaka Mikoto, the overly energetic girl that shot lightning at him instead of saying hello. Or was she? Touma frowned and peered at her. Usually, it was her sisters who had such an expressionless face. And that slouched back – like something had crushed her spirit.

Did she lose to that thief? He knew full well how much this girl hated losing. But she didn't seem hurt and her uniform was intact. The only odd thing was her hair. Messy, ruffled, as if she had been caught in a hurricane.

Was the thief a wind-manipulating asper?

As he leaned closer, Mikoto's eyes gleamed up and, with her face turning red, she stepped back and barked, "W-what are you looking at, idiot?"

That was the Biribiri he knew.

"Nothing, nothing," Touma quickly said, before lightning could start flying. "It's just that your hair is a bit messy. Here… and here too…"

Before realizing it, he started smoothing the stray locks like it was the natural thing to do. Then it hit him and he froze expecting to get zapped. But no, for once, Mikoto was meek as a kitten. Although it did seem like steam could be coming out of her ears any moment now.

Sweat beaded on his face as if he was handling a bomb. And yet he didn't rush and gently adjusted the flowery hairpin in the end.

"T-there, all done," he said a little weary, expecting a thunderstorm to break out.

But Mikoto simply brushed her fingers over her hair and nodded slowly, "Thank you."

So meek, so quiet, so… de-energized. Touma couldn't help but feel troubled.

"Oh, by the way, here you go," she said and handed him over a phone.

His phone.

"Oh, thank you, thank you! Both me and my wallet would've cried bloody tears if I had to buy a new one. You're my savior, Misaka."

"Umm, don't mention," she mumbled. For some reason, she wouldn't look up at him.

Once more, Touma frowned.

"So, what happened to that bastard? Did you hand him over to Judgement or something?"

"No, sh… khm, khm… he got away. And since I got your phone back, I had no reason to chase h… him. But I'll have my revenge, don't you doubt it…"

"Hm? What was that at the end?"

"Nothing, nothing at all. Ha ha ha…"

He shivered hearing that malicious laugh. Whoever that thief was, he pitied him. This girl rarely pulled her punches.

The thought of payback seemed to cheer her up but in a weird way. Now instead of a meek cat there was a vengeful spirit grinning like a shark out for blood. Both felt off. To bring out the usual Mikoto, Touma had but one choice.

He coughed loudly and opened his phone, then looked at the screen with a serious face

"Let's, let's see."

"What are you doing?"

"Well, I know how zappy-zappy you are. What if one of your zaps messed up my phone? Like, deleted my contacts or sent some weird texts…"

"Hey, I was really careful, you know!"

"…or subscribed me to some paid service. I mean, you Tokiwadai ladies wouldn't even notice a few hundred yen missing. But Kamijou-san is a poor boy. He needs to survive until the next supermarket sale. And it sure doesn't help when a certain someone fries his groceries to a crisp or awakens artificial intelligence in his phone…"

"The groceries thing only happened once, and I apologized! And my power can't create AI, don't just make stuff up, grrr… You sure love picking on me, don't you?"

"Huh? But isn't it you who always picks fights with me? You shock me every time we meet. So unlady-like…"

Mikoto gritted her teeth, "Well, in that case… should I keep to that tradition?"

Sparks started dancing around them as she flashed a bad smile.

"Hey, hey, time out! I have some important things here that you shouldn't damage!" Touma hastily backed away and waved his hands.

When Mikoto saw what he was holding, any and all thought of blasting him got blown away instead. Of course, he had his phone in his right hand. But his left…

His left hand held her bag.

With the chocolate meant for him.

"W-why do you have that?!"

"What do you mean by "why"? You ran after that thief in such a hurry that you didn't pick it up. Should have I just left it lying on the ground?"

So that was when she had dropped it…

"No, thanks for picking it up!" Mikoto babbled and snatched the bag out of his hand, then glanced inside. Both the pouch and the box seemed fine. Thank god…

But the relief didn't last. Together with the bag the anxiousness returned as well. More so, there he was, the boy that made her mind go haywire. Just three steps away, looking at her earnestly, with a small awkward smile.

What should she do? The fear of making a mistake clashed with this strange fuzzy feeling in her chest. Cold feet or not, she couldn't leave anymore. She just didn't want to.

As for the chocolate…

"Did you look inside?" Mikoto asked peering at Touma.

He scratched his cheek. "Well, no…"

She felt a little relieved but also kind of disappointed. As if some part of her wanted to be confronted.

And then…

"…but when the bag fell on the ground the content fell out, so…" the boy smiled apologetically, as if he had actually done something bad.

All of Mikoto's thoughts came to a halt – only to speed right up. Different possibilities rushed in.

Did this idiot figure it out? No, no way, he is as dense as a brick wall… But then… He must think this chocolate is for someone else. Wait… what if he thought I'd give it to a guy?! He is exactly the type of idiot to assume that! Not to mention I have two sets of chocolate… Did he think I'm giving them to two different guys?! Aaaah, this is bad!

As she was agonizing her face was growing ever hotter. Bewildered, Touma half-expected smoke to start coming out of her ears. She was literally overheating.

"Hey, hey, Misaka, what's wrong? Don't tell me you got embarrassed because I saw that you received so few chocolates?"

"Embarrassed? Who, me? No way!" Mikoto shook her head vigorously. "Why would I even…," she trailed off realizing something. She received the chocolate?

"I mean, I also expected you to get more. You are the Ace of Tokiwadai, Level 5, the girls there fawn over you. You should've been buried in chocolate. But that bag is painfully small."

Mikoto couldn't believe what she was hearing. This idiot seriously thought that? She was at a loss. He might have been complimenting her but she honestly felt like a butt of a joke. She was a girl too! She could give someone chocolate.

But if he really thought this chocolate wasn't for anyone but herself… then maybe she shouldn't correct him.

I am such a coward.

"Well, anyway, thanks again for getting my phone back," Touma said and put the phone into his pocket. But before that he gently traced over the string and the strap with his fingers. As if to make sure it was still there.

Mikoto smiled at that small, almost subconscious gesture. Yeah, it was alright. He would keep making fun of her and being this annoying boy that likes pulling girls' pigtails. But when she needs him the most he would appear out of nowhere and lend her a hand. And she would keep zapping him for his jabs but the moment she hears he got into trouble again she would follow him to the ends of the world to make sure he wasn't fighting alone.

Because that was how they were.

An idiot that kept bumping into troubles and a girl that kept bumping into him.

Indeed, nothing should change.

Everything was fine.

Perfectly… fine…

Her smile wavered and she did her best to fight off the assault. But regret squeezed her heart so hard it could burst. Before she knew it that happy image she was sculpting crumbled to dust.

Seeing her all hunched and pained, Touma kneaded his brows.

"You don't look good, Misaka… Are you thirsty? You did have a tough fight, by the sound of it."

Mikoto mumbled something unintelligible with her head hanging low.

Touma scratched his cheek and looked around. Then he spotted a vending machine along the park alley.

"Hey, how about I buy you something? You know, as a thank you."

"Huh? Oh, no need, no need!"

"It's alright. One can of juice won't bankrupt me. Besides, I do owe you."

Having made up his mind, the boy headed to the vending machine.

"Hey, wait…" Mikoto started but realized there was no use arguing and rushed after him.

However, at the vending machine he hesitated.

"Wait, isn't this the one that got faulty after being kicked all the time by Misaka?"

"Hey, that thing always was faulty! First time I used it, it just ate my ten thousand yen. If my senpai didn't teach me the trick I'd have never gotten a drink out of it."

"So, bullying the vending machine to give you drinks is a Tokiwadai tradition? Man, I am getting so disillusioned with the high-class ladies…"

"S-shut up! At least, I am not the idiot that fed it a two thousand yen bill and then got surprised why it didn't give me anything. Seriously, no machine would accept a bill so rare everyone thinks it's a fake."

Touma looked away.

Mikoto flashed a victorious smile.

"Anyway… what do you want?" he asked a little miffed.

"Hm, let's see… Sweet Banana Tea, I guess."

With a deep breath, Touma put his hands together and said, "Oh the Great Law of Probability, please, let this be the one time this particular vending machine works properly and gives me the drink I paid for."

Mikoto watched bewildered as he clapped his hands three times and put the money in.

"Living with a nun has certainly made you weirder..."

He closed his eyes and pressed the button.

Honestly, Mikoto expected the machine to screw them over again. She got ready for the high kick when the springs suddenly moved and the can fell into the opening. Her brows shot up.

The boy grinned. "Haha, see? You just need a little bit of faith. Here you go!"

"Thanks…"

"Surprised it worked, aren't you? Honestly, me too," he ruffled his hair and smiled somewhat bitterly. "Since my rotten luck was really on a roll today. Valentine's, the day of happiness my ass… Say what you will, Misaka, but at least you got some chocolate. Not everyone is so lucky."

Mikoto froze just after opening the can.

"Wait… you got no chocolate?" she asked confused. Hadn't there been some mysterious girl and also that busty classmate? Or had that blue-haired guy lied?

Touma's shoulders dropped.

"No, not really. I mean, what I got can't count as Valentine's chocolate. My friend's sister simply shared some of the extra she made with me and Index. Hm, then there was Fukiyose… but she only gave me that snack bar as an apology."

"Apology?"

"Yeah… Tsuchimikado – that friend with a sister – was bragging that he would get some sweet homemade chocolate from Maika, the sister. So, I said it's nothing special since she gave some to me already. Then Aogami butted in calling us traitors. We scuffled and I tripped and would have fell if I didn't faceplant into Fukiyose's chest. That was one soft landing."

There was a barely audible crack as Mikoto gripped the can tightly.

"You don't say…"

"Naturally, Fukiyose reacted like any girl in such situation would – she sent me flying with an uppercut. Now that landing was rough, ugh."

The grip instantly eased.

"Hm, you know, I think me and this girl can be friends."

"Yeah, one shocks me and the other sweeps me off my feet… Forget mad scientists and magic gods, I'd die to two schoolgirls…"

Sweeps me off my feet… Had Mikoto misunderstood what it meant? To get all worked up over something that didn't even happen – how stupid!

She gulped down her tea to hide the embarrassment.

Touma continued blissfully ignorant, "Well, I guess Fukiyose thought she overreacted, so she apologized and gave me a snack bar. The whole class wouldn't get off my back for the rest of the day though. Seriously, who thinks a health snack counts as Valentine's chocolate?"

"And what exactly is Valentine's chocolate?" Mikoto asked and immediately glared at him as his face practically told her "are you stupid?".

"Come on, Misaka, everyone knows that. At least, everyone with a passionate heart! Are you actually a machine on the inside caring about nothing but calculations? Or do you simply have no sense of romance?"

She growled and almost gave in to the urge to zap that idiot, but then he said, "An extra you want to push off or a snack bar you just happen to have are treats. Those are nice and all but they are not really Valentine's chocolate. Valentine's chocolate is… something you buy or make for a specific person. Be it a friend, a relative or… someone else you care about. You give them chocolate as a sign of your affection. Weren't you happy when you got yours?"

"Y-yeah," she blurted remembering the swarm of girls and their nervous, beaming smiles.

"And that's what every boy wishes for on Valentine's, I think. For a girl to give him chocolate because she sees him, or admires him, or… maybe even likes him. And then spring would come and maybe, just maybe he would find a letter in his shoe locker one day asking him to come to the roof. There that same girl would be waiting and she would confess as the cherry-blossoms bloom. Ah, youth… Why are you passing me by? I get chocolate on Valentine's but it's only an afterthought. I find a letter in my locker but instead of a girl there is a mummy waiting for me on the rooftop… I feel tears in my eyes…"

Touma went on rambling flinging his arms up and deflating. Mikoto wasn't really listening. She simply watched sadness and disappointment having a go at his face. Then she glanced down at her bag and back at him. Her eyes lit up with a certain thought.

"Ugh, why can't Kamijou-san have a happy Valentine's too?" the boy whined and grabbed his head dramatically. He whirled as if his whole existence was agony, but then suddenly stopped and glanced at Mikoto. "Err, Misaka-san? That was your cue. Where is the "who would even admire such an idiot?"? You're leaving me hanging."

But Mikoto didn't seem to notice that. Instead, she asked, "So you say if you got chocolate a girl made specifically for you you'd be happy?"

"Well, yeah. Doesn't have to be homemade though. Or a fancy box. As long as it's for me…"

With a deep breath, Mikoto gulped down the rest of her drink, smashed the can and threw it in the bin.

"You know, you were wrong. I did get a mountain of chocolate," she said to a confused Touma. "I'll probably get sick of sweets before even finishing half of it."

"Ow, way to hit where it hurts, Misaka… Demon!"

"Shut up and let me finish! I need to clear up something. You see, the chocolate in this bag – no one gave me it. I'm gonna give it to someone."

At those words, Touma raised his brows and uttered, "Oh?"

And that was all. No poking, no teasing, no witty remarks. Just a single "oh" and the blankest face possible. With his eyes peering at Mikoto – expecting, waiting for something and not even realizing it himself.

Then he blinked and brushed off the strange focus that had come over him. He scratched his cheek confused, his face asking "what was I just doing?". But one look at the girl before him – and he remembered.

As his lips contorted into some sort of a smile, he chattered off, "Misaka giving out chocolate? What is this hidden route?! Who unlocked it?! They clearly used cheats!"

"Oh, you are really asking for a zap! Use your brain for once. Why would I run around the city with chocolate for someone else while trying to meet up with you? I am not spelling it out. Come on, put two and two together already."

"Eh?" Touma blurted out taken aback. His mind tried to process her words but they seemed to be too much for him. At last, a timid thought popped out. "Could it be… for… me?"

Mikoto looked away flustered and nodded, then glanced back at him, "Don't want it?"

"Wha? No, I do, I do!"

Her lips curled up for a moment, but she immediately schooled them to order. Slipping into the bag, her hand reached for the box – and stopped as dissatisfaction pierced her chest.

"It's not much, so hold your horses," she grumbled taking out the pouch with her star-shaped chocolates.

"Oh, Misaka's homemade chocolate? That's already something out of this world. I'm not even sure I can eat it… Maybe I should give it to a research institute?"

"What's that supposed to mean? Idiot…"

Chuckling, the boy reached out for the chocolate. But then he frowned.

Mikoto looked down and felt her heart crack. What used to be an array of stars now was just a sweet mess. The chocolates were in pieces – missing pieces, broken in half. Must have happened when she had dropped the bag.

Despite that, Touma's hand kept moving fully intending to take those ruins of her efforts.

"No!" she cried pulling the pouch away. "Wait, I have a spare. A boxed one! Should be alright… Here!"

He stared at the blue-and-yellow box, then at Mikoto and back at the box. Disappointment flashed over his face – only to disappear without a trace. As his eyes glinted with mischief, he shrugged and sighed dramatically.

"Well… can't say that I'm not relieved. I mean, Misaka does seem like the kind of girl that would accidently put vinegar in her chocolate. Or switch sugar with salt. Hell, your cooking might actually zap me as well! Kamijou-san isn't picky about his food but he doesn't have an iron stomach. Yeah, this is for the best. For once misfortune passes me by. Oh, it would have truly sucked to get poisoned by my first Valentine's chocolate!"

Pop, pop, pop – vessels lined up over Mikoto's forehead.

"You..! You will eat those words!"

"No, wait, Misaka! Blegh… Don't shove it in my mouth! I can't even taste it in that plastic! Blegh, blegh…"

"Hmph!"

Mikoto turned away crossing her arms. The bag with the box chocolate, still untouched, dangled in the air.

The pouch was now in Touma's hand; he held it close to his chest. Like a dragon protecting its treasures. His whole face was beaming with triumph.

In one brash pull, he untied the string.

"Idiot," Mikoto murmured, her cheeks red with both annoyance and affection.

Glancing over her shoulder, she watched him fish a star out of the pouch. It was almost whole, with only one piece missing. He put the chocolate in his mouth – and for a moment she forgot to breathe. Would he like it? Or wince and spit in disgust? She studied every muscle on his face waiting for a change, a reaction.

A verdict.

But the moment Touma tasted the chocolate his face lit up in delight and that beaming smile showered her with warmth like a sun. Immediately, all her worries were washed away.

"Mmm, yum," he hummed as the chocolate melted in his mouth. "Not too sweet, just perfect."

Quickly, he took another one and then another one, and another one. Before long the pouch was empty, except for some crumbs. Which he shook out in his mouth as well. And once there was nothing left, his face soured with disappointed. He looked at Mikoto, all puppy-eyed, as if asking for more.

Naturally, she quickly glanced away pretending to fume and not to pay any attention to him whatsoever.

The boy sighed, "Alright, alright, Kamijou-san was wrong. You're a master cook and your chocolate was super delicious. The best I've ever had! My deepest apologies for ever doubting you!"

He bowed low several times, like a wind-up toy.

Mikoto huffed still with her back to him. All while trying – and failing – to wipe a grin off her face.

"You better not skimp on me on White Day!"

"Oh, Kamijou-san would reciprocate three times the favor, don't you doubt that!" Touma boasted and laughed – a little dejected. Like someone who was seeing his bank account decrease in real time.

But then he remembered something and the mask actually cracked. His head hung low.

"Well, if you don't need me anymore I gotta run. Need to buy some chocolate for Index…"

With her eyes wide open, Mikoto span around, "W-why are you buying chocolate for that girl?! On Valentine's?!"

"Honestly? Dunno… She just demanded it out of blue while we were walking home. Right after your call, actually. She burst out and started shouting. "Go find Short Hair. Get chocolate!" she told me, then took Othinus and left…"

Mikoto frowned as she picked on something, "But she didn't say "get chocolate for me", did she?"

"Hmm? Now that I think about it… you are right. But Index is crazy about food and sweet stuff. If everyone around her was talking about chocolate she would want some too. Besides, what else could she have meant? Did she want me to get your chocolate? But there is no way she could've known you had something for me."

"True…"

"I bet it's Maika's fault. That girl must have given Index an earful on the Valentine's chocolate while they've been cleaning up that old church."

For a moment, Mikoto forgot to breath, "Old church?"

"Yeah, the one on the outskirts of the district. Accelerator wants some magical experts in the city, so we are fixing the church for them to move in. Well, it's Index that does most of the work, surprisingly. I just help when I can. And Maika is in on it for credits at Ryouran."

"Maika from Ryouran… Tsuchimikado Maika?"

"Yeah. What, you know her?"

"Ugh-huh," Mikoto mumbled as her mind started putting the pieces together.

Old church… cleric with seemingly different personalities… Silver Sister urging the boy to find her and get chocolate…

I guess I owe her for this, Mikoto thought dejected – and then looked at the bag in her hand.

"Here, chocolate for that glutton."

Touma kneaded his brows, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it's just a spare anyway. And it's not Valentine's chocolate but a simple thank-you gift. No need for a White Day present."

"A thank-you gift? What for?"

"Y-you don't need to know! Khm, she will understand. Just… make sure you tell that Silver Sister the chocolate is from me. Got it? Not from you but from me!"

"Ok, ok," he said haphazardly and took the bag. Then looked inside.

A certain thought came to him. A question – and a ridiculous one at that. Honestly, it was almost rhetorical but he couldn't help but wonder.

"By the way, Misaka," he scratched his cheek awkwardly, "the chocolate you gave me – which one was it? Courtesy, friend or…?"

Courtesy, of course! What else? Mikoto almost blurted out but stopped at the last second.

She just couldn't bring herself to tell that lie. Whatever feelings she had put in his chocolate weren't those of courtesy or friendship. Of that she was sure.

She sighed heavily…

Honestly, I am a pain. Can't even speak my feelings properly. Afraid of messing up, afraid of change. And so I am dancing to the tune I know by heart. I overreact to your teases and shock you. Probably, getting you annoyed in return. But you keep teasing and getting zapped… you just don't learn, do you? So stupid… the both of us… dancing the same stupid dance… going in circles… But… maybe… with your help…

In the very next moment, Mikoto shrugged it all off.

"Misaka?"

"Too late," Mikoto smiled wryly. "You already accepted the chocolate. So, I guess that will have to remain a mystery. For now."

She winked taking the boy aback. He felt his cheeks get flushed for some reason. Something tickled the back of his mind – a concept of some sort he couldn't quite comprehend. Like an equation with rules you haven't learnt yet.

For a good while no words would come to him.

Mikoto smiled even wider. Such a priceless expression.

"You know, if you keep thinking you'd figure it out eventually," she said teasingly and waggled her finger. "But if you take too long, I guess I'd have to tell you… And then it's my win."

Touma gave her a confused look, "Why is everything a competition with you?"

But then he remembered the freezing land of Denmark where this very girl had barred his path with an army of robots. She had firmly stood her ground, just like now.

"Because you are not that convenient a girl, huh?"

She smirked, "That's right!"

I am not ready. And there is no guarantee I will get to that stage by White Day. Oh, I know it all too well. But going in circles is getting so nauseating. So, please… I need this time limit, this pressure… this challenge. Help me break out of this loop. Help me break this illusion. For better or worse!

"What kind of chocolate did I give you? If you figure that out by the end of White Day, you win. But you only get one chance, so you better not waste it! No matter how ridiculous or improbable it feels. Just… think hard. Put every variable in."

"What a drag," he sighed exasperated.

"Come on, show some spirit! Don't you want payback for the sports festival?"

"Another punishment game? Whoever loses has to do what the winner wants?"

"S-sure. But don't get your hopes up! You're too dense for this, I bet!"

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Hmph, consider it a hint."

"Such misfortune…"

"Stop making a face like I am dragging you into something troublesome! Are you in or not?"

"If you want me to push you off that high horse so badly…"

"Ha! Keep acting like an overconfident idiot and you will lose again!"

"Idiot, huh? Oh, no, no, Kamijou-san will definitely win. He just thought of a perfect wish and he can't wait for you to do it."

Wah, I don't like the look on his face. What kind of wish did he come up with?! Maybe this wasn't a good idea…

"Wait, wait!" Mikoto waved her hands urgently. "I change my mind. The bet…"

"Too late now!" Touma cut in and grabbed her hand, then gripped it lightly. "It's on!"

"Ugh…"

Well, at least, she got him motivated, for better or worse.

She sighed – and gripped his hand back.