Valentine's Day, third-year of high school, one month before graduation.

"Tacky. Unbelievably, absolutely, 100% tacky. Seriously, don't these girls have any shame?"

"I concur. While romantic aspirations are a time-honored aspect of high school culture, there is a point at which it crosses a line into...pathetic."

Tohru tried to smile, honestly appreciating what her friends were trying to do. She didn't doubt the sentiments were real; the expressions on Uotani and Hanajima's faces backed up the disgust in their voices, and she took comfort in the way they supported her. But it was hard to be cheerful as she looked down the hall, watching yet another girl stand in front of Kyo with a little bag of Valentine's chocolate.

Logically, she knew she shouldn't be surprised. He'd always been handsome, and always attracted attention from his very first days at Kaibara High. This was their third Valentine's Day and he'd gotten chocolate every year, more than one. Why would this year be any different, just because they were dating?

It had started when he'd opened his shoe locker that morning to find three small gift bags. He'd been taken aback, turning red and stammering an apology to Tohru. It had stung a bit, but she'd smiled and played it off.

"Of course you got chocolate, Kyo! Honestly, I'd be surprised if you didn't." She wasn't even lying; in the months since the Curse had broken, as he had started smiling more and stopped being so defensive and prickly all the time, Kyo had become even more popular. Of course he'd get chocolate.

It wasn't like he already had a girlfriend or anything.

"I'm gonna chuck this stuff in the trash, Tohru, don't worry about it."

She'd been scandalized. "No, don't do that! Someone probably worked hard on it!"

Kyo hadn't cared, but in the end and at Tohru's urging, he'd kept the chocolate and just given it to Hanajima.

"I told you, Tohru, I don't want it."

That, at least, had been nice to hear.

There had been another bag of chocolate sitting on his desk when they got to homeroom, and Tohru tried not to look bothered as some of their classmates looked at her, teasing Kyo about his mystery admirers.

That time it had been harder.

And it had really been hard to look normal when they, along with some of their friends, had been on their way out to the courtyard at lunch and a girl had actually come up to Kyo while he was right next to her to offer him some chocolate.

Once again, Kyo had turned red, and he'd started to brush the girl off. But even when she was hurting, Tohru couldn't bear the idea of seeing someone else hurt, and she'd quickly jumped in with a falsely cheerful smile.

"Oh, how sweet! I'm sure this chocolate will be delicious, don't you think, Kyo?"

He didn't quite know what to do then, other than agree with her. "Oh. Sure." He looked at the girl, squaring his jaw. "Thanks. I'll be sure to share it with my girlfriend here."

The other girl had glanced at Tohru, and Tohru had instantly felt her hackles raise. But she kept smiling, even after the other girl had walked away and they were all once more on their way. Kyo was holding her hand and that had felt nice.

She just wished it could drive away the sting.

After eating, she, Hanajima, and Uotani had stopped by the restroom on their way back to class. But when they walked out, that's when they all saw it: another girl, standing in front of Kyo with chocolate.

Giving chocolate to Tohru's own boyfriend, while he stood in the hallway waiting for her.

Uotani and Hanajima had leapt straight to Tohru's defense, and she loved them for it. But even with their support, even knowing the Kyo wasn't encouraging it, it still hurt. They'd been together for months now; the fact that they were a couple was well-known about the school. And she knew she had no reason to feel threatened. Kyo had never given her a moment's worry on that front, no matter how insecure she herself might feel.

But it still hurt, knowing that other girls were still willing to make a move on him. She already knew just how lucky she was to be with him; she didn't need anyone else to point that out, too.

"Hey, Tohru!"

Tohru looked up in surprise as Kyo suddenly called out to her, and she and several other people in the busy hallway looked down towards him in surprise. He was holding a bag of chocolate in one hand and gesturing for her with the other, and after exchanging a curious look with her friends Tohru promptly hurried down the hall towards him.

"What is it, Ky-"

She didn't even finish saying his name before he took her chin in his free hand and tilted it up, catching her in kiss that made her toes curl. Immediately they were surrounded by wolf whistles, cat calls, and comments, and as he let her go they were both blushing.

Tohru was staring at Kyo with round eyes. He'd never kissed her at school before, not really. Maybe a peck on the cheek, if that. Never on the lips, never like that, and certainly never in front of people!

Kyo was blushing, but his expression was defiant. And he looked around at the other people in the hallway, that defiance never leaving his face.

"What, a guy can't kiss his girlfriend on Valentine's Day?"

A warm feeling spread over Tohru that had nothing to do with the kiss.

His girlfriend.

No...there really wasn't anything to be threatened about.

Author's note: Hello and welcome to my shorts collection! This "story" is basically going to be a collection of moments in life after the Curse breaks, primarily focusing on Tohru and Kyo. Each chapter will be independent from the rest, though they are all in the same universe, and I'll update as and when I feel like it.