Bitter choco song
Her feet carry her through the hallways of the school at full speed. Her ocean blue eyes scan every single classroom she comes across looking frantically yet fruitlessly for a certain girl, before she lets out a heavy sigh and decides to give up.
She then marches dejectedly towards the lockers to exchange her school shoes for her casual ones to leave school in a rush, travelling around the cold streets at fast pace in hopes she can find the girl she's been so eagerly looking for several minutes ago and catch up with her.
As soon as she turns a corner, her prayers are answered in the form of said girl walking calmly ahead of her.
The raven haired girl sighs in relief before she starts to run, almost throwing herself onto the other girl once she catches up with her.
- What the… – the other girl curses completely startled by the sudden launch.
- I've finally found you – the raven haired girl lets out almost out of breath, still with an arm draped over the other's shoulder, pulling her close.
- Nozomi? What-
- I need your help – Nozomi cuts Natsuki off frantically, confusing her even more.
- My help? For what? Is everything okay? – Natsuki asks her furrowing her brows, starting to get slightly worried.
- For a very special day – Nozomi says, dispelling Natsuki's worries only to confuse her even more if possible – You see, Valentine's Day is just a few days away and I want to give Mizore a bag of chocolates, but I have no idea of how to make them, so you, my friend, are going to help me with it.
Nozomi ends up saying with a wide smile on her face.
- Wait, what? – Natsuki asks out loud as she sees the beaming expression on the raven haired girl's face, sighing before talking again – I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but I have no idea of how to make them either.
Nozomi blinks at Natsuki's unexpected words, but without losing the present smile on her face nevertheless.
- That's okay. We can just learn together, and then you can give yours to Yuuko – she says grinning widely and winking at Natsuki who just groans.
- Why would I want to give them to her? – Natsuki grumbles.
- To win her heart, obviously – Nozomi says rolling her eyes.
- Huh?
- You obviously like her, so you have to give them to her in order to win her heart – Nozomi explains chirpily as if it was the most logical thing in the world while she still grins widely and messes up with her best friend.
- Ugh, sometimes I really don't know why we're best friends – Natsuki grumbles out, earning a laugh from Nozomi as the raven haired girl side-hugs her.
- Because I'm hilarious and you love me. So what, are you going to help me or not?
Natsuki can't help but sigh again with a soft smile on her face while she rolls her eyes playfully.
- Yeah, anything for the sake of Mizore's chocolates – she says teasingly, seeing Nozomi blush slightly yet giggle.
- And also for Yuuko's ones – Nozomi adds grinning again – Then I'll see you tomorrow at mine?
- Sure. Do you need me to bring anything?
- Nah, I have it all covered. Just bring whatever flavor you want to fill the chocolates with.
Natsuki can't help but blink, processing Nozomi's words.
- What? – she asks confused, making Nozomi stop on her walking.
- You know, something you want to put in them. A flavor that Yuuko likes – Nozomi says, being the one now looking at her best friend with her brows knitted in confusion.
- Huh, I thought we'd be making some simple chocolates.
- And what's the fun in doing that? – Nozomi says amused, making Natsuki sigh for the nth time.
- Whatever, just don't complain when everything turns out to be a complete disaster – Natsuki warns Nozomi, much to the raven haired girl's amusement.
- Wow, so optimistic. You won't win Yuuko's heart with that attitude – Nozomi retorts teasingly, earning herself a snort and another roll of eyes.
- Like her heart doesn't already belong to Kaori-senpai – Natsuki says while mimicking Yuuko's voice saying the name of their senpai, making Nozomi laugh.
- I believe it isn't like that, so – Nozomi pauses to punch Natsuki's shoulder lightly – cheer up and bring whatever you choose for the chocolates to win her heart.
Natsuki rolls her eyes again yet grumbles in agreement as they keep walking back home together until they have to part ways.
- See ya tomorrow – Nozomi waves at Natsuki in the distance with a happy smile on her face, getting a wave back from Natsuki before she disappears around the corner.
Natsuki just sighs, resuming her way back home now alone.
- Valentine's chocolates to win Yuuko's heart, huh? – she says out loud thinking about the blonde – I guess I can try even if it's pointless.
And with that, she makes a brief stop to buy some vanilla in the convenience shop for the next day, before going back home to do her homework.
Just like they agreed to, Natsuki finds herself at Nozomi's house front door the next morning, ringing the doorbell twice while waiting with a small bag in hand. Soon enough, she sees the other girl opening the door and greeting her with a wide grin on her face and an apron with cats on it that makes the auburn laugh.
- Hey, don't laugh! Mizore gave it to me in one of my birthdays – Nozomi mumbles and pouts a bit embarrassed before they head to the kitchen, everything they'll need to use already displayed on the counter.
- But it's funny and cute – Natsuki says wiping the corner of her eyes.
- Shut up! – Nozomi squeals, shoving a plain apron into Natsuki's chest, before she punches her shoulder in revenge.
- Oi, be nice, I'm helping you.
- Yeah, yeah, whatever, we don't have the whole day – Nozomi says still with a light blush tinting her cheeks.
Natsuki lets out a quiet laugh, putting the apron on before she looks at the counter, seeing the variety of kitchen utensils and food resting on it.
- So, huh, how do we make the chocolates?
She asks really clueless about what to do while Nozomi puts a piece of paper with instructions right in front of her face.
- I'm glad you asked. I saw this on internet, so I guess we just need to follow what it says – the raven haired girl says shrugging her shoulders while Natsuki takes the paper to read it, humming as she does it.
Even though the instructions make it seem apparently easy, Natsuki has a feeling that it won't be like that. So after taking a deep breath to prepare themselves mentally, they begin to melt the chocolate as the paper says, getting a bit burned as they pull it out.
- You okay there? – Natsuki asks Nozomi, eyeing her concernedly while the other girl just moves her hand to dispel her worries.
- Yeah, don't worry.
Natsuki nods and after their small mishap, they start to carefully pour the melted chocolate into two different molds before they let them rest for a while so it sits on the molds for a moment. Then, they turn the molds so the chocolate falls over the counter.
- Are you sure we have to do this? – Natsuki asks unsure as they keep shaking the molds until they're almost empty of any chocolate, only with a thin layer of chocolate in them.
- I guess? It's what the instructions say we should do if you want them filled with flavors – Nozomi says, furrowing her brows as she looks at Natsuki and sees her shrugging her shoulders.
It's clear at this point that they don't really know what they're doing anymore or if they're doing it correctly.
Once they remove the excess of chocolate, they put some vanilla and lemon cream into different zip lock bags and pipe the creams into the centers of their respective chocolates.
- Now it says we just need to cover them with chocolate again and all done.
Nozomi says as she hands Natsuki more chocolate to cover their homemade sweets with it, and leaves them resting in the refrigerator until the chocolate hardens and they can tip the sweets out of their molds.
- Ready? – Natsuki asks as they hold one of their homemade sweets in hand.
Nozomi nods and they take a bite of their own chocolate flavored sweets at the same time, the both of them grimacing almost at the same time too.
- Ew – Nozomi lets out, scrunching her nose up as she turns to look at Natsuki and sees her sporting the same expression she has on her face – It tastes…
- Bitter.
- Yeah.
They push their homemade sweets aside, looking down at them confusedly as if they had the answers to their questions.
- What did we do wrong? – Natsuki voices their thoughts aloud, seeing Nozomi shrugging her shoulders for the nth time of the day.
- Maybe is it because of their filling?
- Can't be, mine have vanilla in them – Natsuki says furrowing her brows confused.
- Then, huh, the chocolate?
This time is Natsuki the one who shrugs her shoulders.
- We should try to make them again – Natsuki sighs out and Nozomi can only nod helplessly.
They take another deep breath to prepare themselves once again before repeating the same process again, this time without burning themselves.
- Well, time to try them again – Nozomi says hopeful as they take a bite of the sweets, almost puking them out at their taste.
- Ew, it's just me or do they taste even bitter than before? – Natsuki asks, grimacing before she goes to taste Nozomi's one.
- I think we need somebody to help us – Nozomi breathes out dejectedly, and soon, they start to think about somebody that isn't Mizore nor Yuuko who can help them.
Then, they look at one another with a smile on their faces.
- Tomoe! – they exclaim in unison before Nozomi pulls her phone out of her pocket to call the other girl, letting her know that they have an emergency and need her help.
Not many minutes pass from that call before Tomoe finds herself ringing Nozomi's house bell.
- So what's your emergency, girls? And what is this strange... smell... and disaster?
Tomoe trails off as soon as she enters the kitchen and sees chocolate everywhere.
- We, huh, need your help to make some homemade chocolates – Natsuki says as she and Nozomi scratch the back of their heads awkwardly at the same time, making Tomoe giggle.
- For Mizore's and Yuuko's Valentine? – she asks them teasingly as if it was that obvious, taking a chocolate of each flavor to take a bite of them – ugh, they're really bitter. Did you… burn the chocolate?
She asks them, seeing them blinking and looking at one another confusedly then back at her.
- No?
- We did what the instructions said.
They answer to her still clueless and showing her the paper with the infamous instructions written in it.
- Then you both suck at this, good thing you've called me – Tomoe says as she rolls her sleeves up and prepares everything they'll need to use again to start making all together the sweets while following the instructions.
Once they're over, they take a deep breath before the moment of truth.
- Ready? – she asks them cheerfully.
- No.
Natsuki and Nozomi answer in unison, laughing all together before they try the chocolates.
Their reaction is the same as the previous times: grimacing and scrunching their noses up.
- How strange, it shouldn't taste this bitter. I'm pretty sure we didn't burn the chocolate while melting it or anything – Tomoe says out loud, going mentally over every single thing they did and thinking about what could have go wrong while she stares at the chocolates with her hands on her hips – What type of chocolate did we use?
- Huh? What do you mean?
- Does it have a certain percentage of cocoa in it?
Nozomi blinks at her question before she quickly searches for the chocolate's wrapping.
- Um, it says is has, huh, a 90%?
- Damn – Tomoe mutters under her breath before sighing – That's like the most pure and strong amount of cocoa, so no wonder why your chocolates taste so bitter. I don't think I can do much to change that.
- Nozomi, you only had one job – Natsuki says teasingly, making Tomoe giggle.
- Hey! be nice – Nozomi pouts to end up sighing – Then what do we do now?
- Mmh, you can always give them to the girls. I'm sure they will appreciate your efforts – Tomoe says with a soft smile on her face trying to encourage the girls and Natsuki can't help but snort.
- Maybe they do, but nope, Mizore will end up crying and Yuuko will get so mad at us that will end throwing the chocolates to us.
The girls shiver at the mere thought of Yuuko running after them to throw the chocolates to them, before they all sigh dejectedly, thinking about what else they could do.
- What about a song? – Tomoe suggests excitedly.
- A song?
- Yeah! Nat you know how to play the guitar and the both of you have nice voices, so sing them a song. It's also romantic and a very Valentine thingy.
Tomoe says cheerfully while Natsuki and Nozomi shrug their shoulders.
- Sure, we can give it a try – Natsuki says while Nozomi nods and Tomoe's smile widens.
- Good! Now that it's all settled, you two just need to come up with a good song and practice it!
- Wait! Aren't you going to help us choosing the song? – Nozomi asks confused.
- No? Oh come on girls, I know I'm great but you two need to figure this out alone – Tomoe says winking at them and Natsuki can only click her tongue amused at their friend.
- Come on Nozo, we can do this – she says as she pats the raven haired girl's shoulder while Tomoe grins and nods, already heading to the entrance to put her coat on.
- Thanks for your help – Natsuki and Nozomi bid their farewells at Tomoe as they hug her, before she leaves.
- Good luck girls, you can do this! – she shouts encouragingly as she gets out.
- Sooo, what song? – Natsuki asks out loud as she closes the door and turns to look at her best friend, seeing Nozomi deep in thought before a smile takes over her features.
- I have the perfect one – Nozomi answers mysteriously, smiling widely while they go back to the kitchen to clean their disaster.
Natsuki can only chuckle quietly as she follows her. She can't wait to hear about the song they'll be singing.
Days go by between classes, practices with the band, and their own practices for the Valentine's song.
- Hey, girls!
Nozomi calls out for Mizore and Yuuko the previous afternoon to Valentine's day as they go back home after classes. The girls stop on their walking upon hearing her voice and turn around to see a smiling Nozomi dragging an almost looking reluctant Natsuki with her.
Yuuko arches an eyebrow at this while Mizore giggles and smiles softly, making Nozomi's smile widen.
- Can you two stay behind tomorrow after classes? We want to, huh, show you something – Nozomi says almost nervously, seeing Mizore already nodding and tugging on Yuuko's sleeve, giving her puppy eyes. Yuuko can only sigh and smile softly.
- I guess we can – Yuuko sighs out, seeing both Mizore and Nozomi smiling beamingly at one another in their own world and she can't help but click her tongue.
- Cool!
Nozomi yells enthusiastically, staring dazedly at a shy yet smiling Mizore, before Natsuki clears her throat and pulls them out of their little bubble, making the both of them blush.
- Sorry, hehe. I guess we'll see you tomorrow. We need to do something today – Nozomi apologizes with a light blush still dusting her cheeks, much to Natsuki's amusement who can't help but roll her eyes at how obvious is her best friend.
- Come on, Casanova. See ya tomorrow, girls – Natsuki says, lightly shoving Nozomi so they begin to walk back home before the raven haired girl and Mizore could get lost again in their own world staring at one another.
- See you tomorrow – Mizore says quietly, still blushing yet smiling widely at Nozomi.
Natsuki and Yuuko can only chuckle at them before the blonde sighs and takes Mizore by her arm, linking it with hers to start dragging her back home with her.
- See you tomorrow then, be careful – she breathes out as they leave, hearing Natsuki humming as she looks at their backs retreating in the distance.
- You too!
Nozomi yells before she and Natsuki resume their walk towards the auburn girl's house so they can put the final touches to their song.
- You're so obvious – Natsuki teases her, making Nozomi blush.
- Shut up! – Nozomi says pouting before they end up laughing on their way.
Valentine's Day finally arrives and the girls can't help but feel nervous about how it will end.
- Is everything ready? Do you girls need my help with anything? – Tomoe suddenly asks the girls on their way to school, startling them while she drapes her arms around their shoulders to pull them closer between giggles.
- Geez, it's just a song – Natsuki tries to play cool to mask her nerves.
- Oh ho ho, you're wrong my friend, it's more than that. It's your chance to win your ladies' hearts – Tomoe says playfully, making them laugh while she unknowingly helps them to dispel their nerves.
- We need to be perfect – Nozomi whispers with a determined glint in her eyes, making Natsuki and Tomoe smile.
- Don't worry, it'll go well – Tomoe encourages them as they head towards the school's gates – I have to go now, but good luck!
She exclaims, squeezing their shoulders before leaving them to go and talk to Riko and Gotou about something of classes.
- You think it'll go well, right? – Nozomi asks Natsuki insecurely, earning herself a light shove.
- Of course it will. We practiced really hard for this, so don't worry Mizore will love it. Now come on, go and greet her – she says pushing her towards their blue haired friend, seeing how Nozomi's face lights up in the moment she sees her.
After flashing Natsuki a wide smile, Nozomi quickly runs to Mizore's locker.
Natsuki clicks her tongue before she sees Yuuko in her locker, carefully pulling out of her school bag a small yellow bag with a purple ribbon lacing it.
- Are those for Kaori-senpai? – Natsuki whispers in her ear, hearing her squealing and seeing her jumping startled before she quickly hides the bag back into her school bag.
- S-shut up! – Yuuko squeals embarrassed, turning around sulkily to push her lightly and walk towards Mizore and Nozomi, joining them on their way to classes.
Natsuki can only smile bitterly.
- Of course your chocolates are for her – she says quietly to herself before letting out a heavy sigh and put the best smile she can muster on her face to follow the group.
The day goes by slowly and a bit nerve-wracking before classes end and the girls find themselves in the band room: Yuuko and Mizore sat in the front row while Natsuki and Nozomi stand in front of them with a guitar in the former's hands.
- W-we prepared this for Valentine, so I, we! hope you like it – Nozomi stammers nervously, seeing the shy smile on Mizore's face while Yuuko arches an eyebrow curious, finding strange the behavior of their raven haired friend upon noticing her being so nervous.
Natsuki clears her throat, taking a deep breath before she starts to play the guitar and Nozomi begins to sing calmly with the auburn accompanying her in the choruses.
As soon as the song ends, Mizore starts clapping happily, a fond smile adorning her face while Yuuko smiles and claps by her side a bit less enthusiastic compared to the blue haired girl.
- Y-you liked it? – Nozomi asks Mizore directly, approaching her as if she was the only person in the room.
- I-I did – Mizore answers timidly, seeing Nozomi smiling widely at her words before they start to giggle together.
- Happy Valentine – Nozomi says softly, blushing and making Mizore blush too before the blue haired girl smiles shyly and pulls a small blue bag out of her school bag.
- H-happy Valentine, Nozomi – Mizore whispers back as she hands the raven haired girl a bag of homemade chocolates, seeing her face lighting up before timid tears escape her eyes and the both of them end tearing up and giggling goofily.
Natsuki and Yuuko can only look at the scene amused yet with soft smiles on their faces before nodding at one another.
- Well, we'll leave you two alone. Behave love birds – Natsuki says teasingly as she and the blonde head towards the door, hearing more giggles while seeing Nozomi and Mizore talking and eating the chocolates of the latter ignoring them completely.
- They're so disgustingly sweet – Yuuko scoffs yet smiles softly at their friends' happiness as she and the auburn go to the instrument room to leave the guitar inside.
- Yeah, but they're cute – Natsuki says, eliciting a giggle from Yuuko.
- I can't believe you just said that – Yuuko teases her.
- Oi be nice, they're cute and you know it – Natsuki retorts back as they slowly walk out the school, leaving their friends behind.
They walk back home in relative silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts while hearing the birds' trill.
- It was nice of you to help Nozomi with her Valentine's surprise.
Yuuko says after a while, biting her lip.
- Yeah, well, what can I say, I can be nice sometimes – Natsuki says trying to play it cool.
- Was it only for Mizore though? – Yuuko asks her quietly, making Natsuki unsure of what to answer her.
- Y-yeah – Natsuki stammers, avoiding the blonde's gaze.
- I see.
Yuuko can't help but look sad.
An awkward silence settles between them before Natsuki breaks it with a heavy sigh.
- The truth is that it wasn't just for Mizore – Natsuki confesses, making Yuuko stop dead in her tracks and gaze up at her surprised.
- Y-you mean...
- Y-yeah.
Natsuki whispers looking down at the floor slightly embarrassed while Yuuko bites her lip and feels her heart fasten at the other girl's confession. She then takes a shaky breath and bravely pulls a small bag out of her school bag, taking Natsuki's hands to place it in them.
- These are... – Natsuki trails off looking at the yellow bag with a purple ribbon lacing it resting on the palm of her hands.
- H-happy Valentine – Yuuko wishes her shakily, a furious blush adorning her cheeks.
Natsuki can't help but blink clueless of what's going on while she squeezes the chocolates in her hands.
- But… I thought they were for Kaori-senpai – she says still bewildered, seeing Yuuko blushing harder if possible before she shakes her head.
- They were for you, silly. I just... – Yuuko cuts herself off completely ashamed, making Natsuki chuckle and poke her nose.
- Thank you – she says softly but sincerely, giving her a soft smile that helps Yuuko to calm down.
- Y-you're welcome! – Yuuko squeaks, making Natsuki giggle before they resume their walking.
Suddenly, Natsuki stops, making Yuuko collide against her.
- What...
- I-I've made you some chocolates too, but, huh, they… don't taste well.
Natsuki stammers, playing nervously with the small bag in her pocket.
- You did? – Yuuko asks her surprised.
- Yeah, but they taste awful – Natsuki says grimacing upon remembering their taste while scratching the back of her head – not even Tomoe could fix their flavor-
- I want to eat them.
Yuuko interrupts her with a stern expression on her face, looking right into her eyes.
- What!?
- I-I want to taste them – Yuuko says suddenly shy.
- Huh, okay – Natsuki breathes out as she shakily hands her the small bag – but don't say I didn't warn you.
She says as she watches Yuuko carefully opening the bag to take a bite of one the chocolates, grimacing as soon as she does.
- It's...
- Awful – Natsuki ends the sentence for her, making the blonde laugh.
- For the lack of a better word.
The both of them laugh before Natsuki hands Yuuko one of her own chocolates.
- Here, yours will help to take out the bitter taste that mine left.
She says, almost putting the sweet into Yuuko's mouth, making the both of them blush hard.
- T-thanks – Yuuko whispers once she ended chewing it – So, Tomoe eh?
- Yeah, Nozomi's and my first couple of attempts to make them didn't go well, so we had to call her in an emergency.
This only makes Yuuko laugh before she gasps upon realizing what Natsuki just said.
- Please, don't tell me Nozomi made Mizore taste these awful chocolates too – she says wide eyed and appalled, contemplating to go back to school.
- No! no! Don't worry, she didn't want to make her cry – Natsuki says laughing, making Yuuko snort.
- So you wanted to make me cry?
- What? No! In fact, I was certainly sure you'd throw them to me.
They both laugh as they keep walking.
- Thank you, Natsuki.
Yuuko sighs out as she rests her head on the auburn's shoulder, feeling her taking her hand in hers to intertwine them.
- Happy Valentine, Yuuko – Natsuki says softly, kissing the blonde's forehead as they blush and walk back home together with a fond smile adorning their faces.
