A large box of chocolate fell out of Ryoma's school bag as he kelt down to pick up the one he had dropped previously.

He sighed impatiently and scooped both of them up, but just as he was about to stand up another heart-shaped box of chocolate fell to the ground.

A few guys passing by in the corridor gave him an envious look and looked at their own piece of chocolate...tiny and barely visible even on their palms.

Valentines Day...such a meaningless existence. Ryoma frowned as he stuffed all the chocolate back into the depth of his bag and securely zipped up the opening.

He swung his tennis bag back over his shoulder just as he caught sight of a flash of the girls' green school uniform moving behind him.

He stopped and couldn't help but heave another sigh. Here we go again.

"Um...Echizen-san...?" A soft nervous voice sounded behind him.

Ryoma turned around and stared down at a small girl with light brown eyes and short hair trimmed to just above her shoulders. She was trembling slightly as she slowly lifted the object in her hands. It was something Ryoma was getting sick of seeing that day.

"Please...accept my chocolate...?" The girl flushed and lowered her head, trying to avoid eye contact with Ryoma.

Ryoma took the colourful package from the girl's unsteady fingers without a word.

The girl spun around and raced down the corridor, obviously still embarrassed as her face still glowed like an overheated lightbulb.

Ryoma stared at the chocolate in his hand and wondred if he had anymore places to store it. His shoe locker was full of chocolate. His locker in the boys' changing room was overflowing with knitted jumpers and scarves, and his school bag was loaded with crumpled cards and flowers. He ruffled his hair with his hand as he pondered over the problem.

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Ryuzaki Sakuno was also pondering over a problem.

She dared not think about giving the hand-made chocolates hidden inside her bag to Ryoma during class, but now it is lunch break, and she'd better give it to him soon if she wants to do it at all. She bit her lip and took out the carefully wrapped chocolate. The rectangular box was elegantly enfolded in a layer of red silk and golden paper, and upon it lay a small heart-shaped card with "Happy Valentines, Ryoma-kun" written in neat handwriting. She tightened her grip on the delicate box and stood up with a firm expression on her face. Having made up her mind, she walked out and began searching around the school grounds for the familiar white cap.

Sakuno found Ryoma under a tree near the tennis courts, but he wasn't alone.

A pretty girl with large dazzling eyes sat beside Ryoma. Her wavy black hair fell around her shoulders as her twinkling laugh dove shrilly into Sakuno's ear. Sakuno gazed in surprise at the velvety black box in Ryoma's hands which seemed to contain something far more valuable than chocolate. But what surprised Sakuno even more was the smile on his face. It was a relaxed smile which clearly symbolised the ease and comfort he felt with this girl. Sakuno gaped as Ryoma chatted with her, occasionally smiling in response to the girl's questions. Sakuno felt her hands trembling and nearly dropped the chocolate from the shock. I've never heard that Ryoma-kun was particularly close to any girls before...but then...why shouldn't he be? It wouldn't be surprising even if he just simply chose one out of his fanclub. Yet despite of her attempts to comfort herself, her throat felt oddly tight and dry. She wanted to leave, but her eyes seemed to have glued itself to the two figures under the tree.

However, the nastiest shock came when the girl suddenly leaned towards Ryoma and kissed him on the cheek.

S-she...kissed him? Sakuno did drop her box of chocolate this time. It landed by her feet with a soft clatter.

What's more, Ryoma did not seem to care. Sakuno watched speechlessly as he smirked and said something which made the girl giggle with apparent delight. Sakuno could no longer sense her surroundings as blood pounded in her ears and her eyes blurred with tears. She leaned back againest the wall so that the two wouldn't see her, then took several deep breaths. Her mind was completely muddled. She could only lean weakly against the concrete for support, feeling the rough coldness seep through the thin material of her uniform. What...should I do? Why do I even care anyway? It's obvious he is popular among the girls...but...but I thought...perhaps... he would finally take more notice of me after the ball...

Sakuno slowly picked up her chocolate and closed her eyes. At that moment, she would do anything to disappear from that spot.Yet she could do nothing but silently walk away. Allowing her legs to carry her to a world without Echizen Ryoma or chocolates, she melted into the shadows of the corridor.

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Ryoma started in the direction of his house after a long tennis club practise session. He was so exhausted from both fighting off girls all day and hitting tennis balls that his arms rippled with a dull pain. Yet something else entered his mind when he saw the deserted school gates. Now that I think of it...where is she? Ryoma casted a brief look over his shoulder at the brick fence where Sakuno would often wait for him and frowned. Havn't seen her all day actually...she wasn't in the first group of girls ambushing me before school this morning...and I don't think she was in the second group by my shoe locker either...he ruffled his hair in frustration as he attempted to remember the day's events. Funny...I never thought I would be expecting her presents... Ryoma chuckled quietly to himself, but could not hold down a slight sense of disappointment when he arrived at his house and did not see her standing before it.

As he entered his room, he threw down his tennis bag and the three plastic bags of chocolates. I should give those to my dad...why do they always give so much? Ryoma sighed and began shuffling through the plastic bags, flipping open every card and scanning the names signed at the bottom. He did not know why he was looking for her name, but somehow he felt annoyed that she had not shown him her support...when she knew he needed it.

Outside, the clouds thickened and a soft drizzle played out the prelude to the night's events.

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The freezing liquid pounded on Sakuno's body as she ran through the silent alleys. The wind was still biting even in late February and it froze her bones as she tore through the night. Her sandles clicked rhythmically on the footpath as she sprinted blindingly into the darkness. Breathing hard, she wiped the water and tears accumulated around her eyes and let out a soft yelp of surprise when her foot got caught in a drain and she crashed onto the concrete. Tiny whimpers escaped from her lips while she struggled to stand up, now with trickles of blood flowing down from her wounded knees. Helplessness enveloped her as she continued her journey, her saturated uniform clung to her skin. She was escaping from the reality which she found impossible to face, and also running away from her own mind which suffocated her with continuous thoughts of Echizen Ryoma. She wanted to forget the scene she witnessed that afternoon, she wanted to throw away the feelings she had grown for the boy over the years. Yet the painful truth came crashing down, worming itself into her conscience. She needed time to gather her thoughts and courage.

She chose to run.

She was to escape to a destination far far away, where quiet weeping and recollection is allowed.

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He couldn't seem to concentrate on his school work, even though it was his favourite subject which lay before him on the desk.

A foreboding feeling swept over Ryoma as large drops of rain beated on his window and the darkness outside seeped through the walls. He flicked his pen restlessly as the simple English sentences swam before his eyes. Why is it that I feel so frustrated today...? Like I don't have enough energy to do anything... Ryoma stood up and paced around his room, still in his sports gear. Is there anything that I've forgotten? Anything I need to do? Anyone I want to see-

His thoughts were soon cut off when his cousin opened the door and handed him the portable phone.

"Hey didn't I tell you to knock-" Ryoma began in a slightly annoyed tone.

"That can wait, this can't." His cousin gestured towards the phone with a serious expression on her face.

"...Echizen Ryoma speaking." Ryoma eyed his cousin curiously and spoke into the phone.

"Ryoma-sama? A-are you Ryoma-sama?" A shrill voice rang out from the phone, so loud as to make Ryoma's eardrum buzz seconds after he hears it.

"...What's going on?" After recognising Tomoka's voice and sensing the panic in it, Ryoma asked with a frown.

"S-sakuno has disappeared...!" Tomoka's voice trembled as she panted into the mouthpiece. "W-we've been searching for hours but no one can find her... would you happen to know where she is?"

"Ryuzaki has...?" Ryoma's voice had finally shown a bit of surprise. "...Details?"

"N-no one has seen her since afterschool...she d-didn't even go to the tennis club..." Tomoka sounded like she was on the point of bursting into tears. "She has been acting weirdly since lunchtime, b-but I didn't think much of it at the time...how stupid of me..."

Lunchtime...? "Where have you looked?" Ryoma questioned calmly, yet his mind was in turmoil just like hers, trying desperately to think of any places that can be associated with Ryuzaki Sakuno.

"I-I've looked over everywhere I can think of...the school, the tennis club, even the sports gear shop where we bought our first two tennis balls...Horio is heading over to all the tennis courts in which...in which you have played..." Tomoka's voice grew quiet in the last sentence but it seemed to be meaningless as Ryoma had obviously not realised the true meaning behind it.

"...Why does everyone else seems to know but me?" He demanded with a twinge of annoyance in his voice.

"B-because we thought you wouldn't care..." Tomoka sobbed.

Ryoma stood speechless. Slowly, he put down the receiver, with Tomoka's sobs still clearly hearble from it. His mind was shocked and confused. Have I...not acted as if I care about her...? Have I..already caused incurable damage to her without realising it?

"...Ryuzaki-sensie's granddaughter has gone missing...I'm going out to find her." He answered his cousin's questioning gaze as he pulled on his Seigaku Regular jacket and stepped out of his room.

Have I...been acting against my heart all this time?