Time Skip (1) - Valentine's Day
During lunch, most of the students fidgeted in place in anticipation.
Specifically, the male students. Most of the female students were nervous for an entirely different reason.
Daisuke and Saehara were two such students.
"Do you think Miss Harada's going to give you any chocolate," Saehara asked? "I mean, not the romantic ones. But maybe she'll give you some as friends."
"I dunno," Daisuke hesitantly replied. The last memory he had of Risa's cooking skills ended up with Nagi having to put out the spreading fire with the nearby extinguisher. "I doubt she's going to make anything homemade."
Saehara gave him a teasing grin and nudged him with his elbow. "Well then, what about the other Miss Harada?"
"W-What?" Daisuke's face exploded in a pink flush. "What are you talking about?!"
"Don't play coy with me," his face turned to that of an old man looking for gossip. "Nagi told me everything about how the two of you went on a little date together window shopping the pet store."
"T-That's because my pet rabbit had a crush on one of the bunnies."
"Is that her new nickname for you?"
"SAEHARA~"
The other boy just laughed at Daisuke's reaction. "Well, I'll give you a little something juicy. On my way to school today, I saw both Harada sisters bringing little bags with them. So they're definitely giving chocolate to someone."
Daisuke's heart started to beat faster. Could it be…
The door suddenly opened, and Nagi walked in with a cheer on his face.
"Happy Valentine's everyone!"
"Wow, somebody looks happy." Saehara looked up as Nagi got closer to them. "What? Did you get some chocolate from somebody?"
"Huh?" Nagi gave him a confused look. "Who would give me chocolate? I mean, maybe Mari might give me some of her practice prototypes. And I doubt Risa and Riku will give me any at all since other people might misunderstand."
Saehara winced. "Wow, tone down the self-depreciation will ya?"
"But then what's with the bags in your hands?" Daisuke asked, pointing to said bags in question.
Nagi laughed and held them out. "These are for the two of you."
"Hah?" "What?!"
For a moment, both of them suddenly wondered if maybe Nagi was sending them a hidden message.
Nagi laughed again. "Don't overthink it. Valentine's day isn't really a big deal in my family compared to the rest of Japan. Normally, we just give chocolate out to those that we're thankful for in our lives."
Setting the two bags onto the table, Nagi allowed the two to take a look at their gifts. Each pulled out a small transparent bag of chocolate.
"Are these handmade?"
"Yup," Nagi answered. "But I didn't make enough for the whole class. Just enough for the people I know. Oh, and Daisuke. I've already sent your family's portion through the mail, just letting you know."
"I'll make sure to send you their thanks tomorrow then."
"Wait a minute," Saehara suddenly exclaimed. "I recognize this bag design! Did you also give these to the Harada sisters?"
"Huh? Yeah, what about it?"
The two boys suddenly slumped in their seats and groaned out loud.
"Guess I was wrong after all, sorry Daisuke."
"I-It's no problem. I wasn't expecting to get anything today anyway. At least Nagi was kind enough to give us something."
The two boys stared at the ceiling with a dead look in their eyes, to Nagi's confusion.
}-{
"Mari Ishii, today will be the day where we decide who is the number one amongst our group."
"Oh, Takuto." The young girl shook her head from side to side. "You're delusional if you think that position belonged to anybody other than me."
Nagi sweatdropped. "Hey there, aren't you two forgetting about somebody here? What am I, chopped liver?"
The rest of the class watched as the three students continued to glare at each other. Today was a special class in Home Economics, aligning with the romantic holiday today. A special lesson on how to make chocolate was being taught to anyone willing to participate after class.
"Nagi, you're not a part of this today. You've already made us chocolate, so you're exempt from the competition."
"I didn't know that we were going to compete today," Nagi grumbled. "I would've saved your two's portions for last if I knew."
Takuto pushed up his glasses, causing the lenses to gleam. "Regardless, today we'll decide who amongst the two of us is the better baker. And I intend to win no matter what."
"You do, huh?" A fire seemed to light in Mari's eyes. "But can you back that talk of yours?"
Nagi just sighed from the side. "Looks like I'm not needed here. Tell me when you two lovebirds are done so that I can judge the results."
It said something about how into their contest they were that they didn't even respond to his lovebirds comment. Nagi walked over to where the two Harada sisters were.
"Hey, how's it going?"
Riku's face flushed, and she quickly hid whatever she was doing behind her back. "Nothing!"
Nagi only raised an eyebrow at that.
"She's just embarrassed that she wants to make something for Niwa."
Riku immediately attacked the tattletale her sister was. "Risa! Don't tell him, what if he tells Daisuke?!"
"Hey, I'll keep quiet if you want."
"See, Nagi knows better."
"What about you, Risa?" Nagi took a look at what she was doing and lurched back in surprise. "What the heck is that?!"
"It's my gift for Mr. Dark of course," she beamed happily. "I'm planning on placing it on top of the Central Church's Bell Tower so that Phantom Dark can find my gift to him there. Oh, I hope he loves it."
Nagi turned his head away from Risa's view and began to gag. God, that smells worse than the time Nagi slipped into a pool of blood during the Dark Hour.
"I-I don't know if Dark is going to notice that there's something there."
"He will, as long as I believe in the power of my love!"
Well, at the very least, Dark will probably notice the smell coming from the tower.
Riku sighed, sensing that talking to her sister in this state wouldn't amount to anything. Instead, she turned to Nagi. "So, did you get any special chocolates from anyone today?"
He shook his head. "Nope, I doubt I'm getting any later either. Unless you count the ones I'm going to get from Takuto and Mari."
The two's voice carried over from the table across the room. "Hah, you're decorating skills are no match for me."
"Grr, the taste is all that matters in the end!"
"Keep telling yourself that buddy."
Riku squinted her eyes. "Hey, do you think they're like that…?"
"Honestly, it's a coin toss. But I do have 500 yen going on them at least sharing a kiss by the end of the year?"
"Wait, people are gambling on their relationship status?"
"Just me, Daisuke, Saehara, and Risa." He gave her a look. "Why, you wanna get in on it?"
She thought about it for a moment. "1000 on the two being dense until we graduate."
"Deal."
}-{
Midnight was a time for Nagi to relieve his stress by beating up the wandering Shadows walking through the city.
"I'm so glad I've been getting magic lessons from Gramps," he muttered as he sent another energy attack at the wailing Shadow. "I'm way better at this now that I have some practice under my belt."
As the Shadow dissipated, Nagi blinked in surprise at the drop item he got.
"Is… that chocolate?"
Yup, for some reason, the Shadow had dropped a piece of chocolate.
Nagi had conflicted thoughts over the fact that the only chocolate he got today came from his Home Ec groupmate's competition and the remains of the Shadows he slain.
"Oh, wait. I almost forgot."
Nagi quickly made his way back to his home and found himself walking through his uncle's courtyard. Standing to the side was a glowing, ethereal blue door.
He pulled out the key in his pocket and pressed it against the door, causing his surroundings to flash with light.
A voice greeted him upon opening his eyes. "Welcome to the Velvet Room."
"Hey Igor," Nagi replied. "I'm not here for any fusions today. I'm just here to give you something."
"Oh?" Igor's eyes widened when Nagi passed a small bag over to him. "My, this is a first."
"I don't really know if you can eat food from the human world, but I wanted to give this to you as thanks for all the help you've given me." Nagi smiled at him. "Thank you for always aiding me in this journey of mine."
Igor was silent for a moment before his ever kind face smiled with delight. "And thank you, for being such a considerate guest."
"I have some more in a bag here if Elizabeth or any of her siblings come later." He passed it over to Igor as well. "Well, I guess that's it for now. I'll see you another time."
"Goodbye, dear guest."
Nagi left the Velvet Room and quickly made his way inside his house. Entering his room, Nagi paused as he felt like he forgot something.
But what was it? He gave chocolate to everyone he knew. His friends at school, the Niwa family, Igor and some for the other attendants, his Uncle...
Smiling sadly, he went to his dresser and pulled out a small picture frame of Misaki. Placing his final bag of chocolate in front of it, he closed his eyes.
"Happy Valentine's Misaki."
There, now he gave everyone he cared about something.
This is considered canon to the main story. I'll make a note of whether something is canon or not. Happy Valentine's day!