Chapter Nineteen

"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."

-Charles M. Schulz

Ruri watched Aoko read a little magazine detailing how to make chocolate.

She had this very serious expression on her face that made Ruri almost laugh. The magazine had pictures of chocolates that ranged from simple to pro confectioner level.

After Ruri had arrived from the resort, it was practically Valentine's Day already. The girls had all but disappeared into the Home Ec. classrooms to start working on their chocolates.

"So, are you thinking of making any chocolate, Ruri-chan?" Aoko asked, briefly looking up from the magazine.

"Well, I don't think I'll be making anything other than giri* choco..." Ruri replied.

"That's such a waste! You really don't have anyone to give it to?" Aoko put the magazine down in order to grill her friend better.

Ruri shook her head. "Not really."

"No one? REALLY?"

"Really."

Aoko sat in silence, contemplating something.

"Then how about we make the chocolates at your house?" she suggested.

"Ok, chocolate powder, eggs, flour, water, milk, butter, sugar... did I miss anything?" Ruri looked over the ingredients that were spread out along the kitchen counter.

"Nope! I think we've got it all!" Aoko cheered happily.

"Ooh! Are you girls making chocolate for Valentine's Day?" Aki popped into the kitchen.

"Yup!" Aoko smiled.

"If you need help, just give me a call!" Aki grinned. "Oh, I remember the first time I gave Tomo chocolate!" she laughed as she left.

Ruri picked up the measuring cup. "First we need 16 oz of cocoa powder..."

She poured the bag of powder into the cup and stopped at the appropriate line. She poured the powder into the mixing bowl.

"Next is 3 oz of butter..."

That went into the mix as well.

"Third, put into blender and blend until mixture is a fine paste."

Ruri pulled out the blender and dumped the butter and cocoa powder inside.

She turned it on and watched it blend.

"Next put 8oz of water in a pot along with the paste and heat until hot but not boiling..."

She put the water and paste inside a small pot and turned on the fire.

The two girls waited a while as the mixture started to warm.

Ruri turned the fire off as tiny bubbles started to rise. She took the pot and poured the heated chocolate back into the mixing bowl.

"Put the mixture back into the bowl and add 5 1/2 oz of milk, 2 oz of flour, and 4 oz of sugar."

Aoko poured the ingredients in after Ruri measured them.

They used a spoon to take turns mixing all the ingredients together.

"And then we use our hands to get all the lumps!" Aoko cried, grinning.

The girls plunged their hands into mix and started getting the chocolate all over themselves.

"Done!" Ruri grinned when the chocolate was thoroughly mixed and all the lumps were gone.

"And for the finishing touch, we pour the chocolate into the shapes and pop them into the fridge!" Aoko pulled out little pans in the shape of hearts and doves.

Ruri poured the chocolate into the pans and placed them gently inside the fridge to cool.

"And now for the icing!"

Ruri used the white icing bag to write Kaito and Hakuba on the two of her chocolates shaped like doves.

"You're really only giving them doves?" Aoko asked, decorating her own chocolates.

Ruri nodded. "I don't want to... you know," she shrugged.

Aoko nodded wisely and went back to decorating her chocolate.

Ruri reached for the pink icing bag and began to draw little ribbons around the doves' necks.

"How cute!" Aoko cried, looking over.

Ruri glanced at Aoko's.

Hers were chocolate hearts with little decorations all over surrounding the boys' names.

"Yours are too," Ruri smiled.

"Thanks!"

Ruri leaned back and took a deep breath. "Finally!"

She reached for the little boxes that she had bought earlier on their way to her house. They were a light pink with a cute baby blue ribbon in the corner.

"Here are yours," she set two of the four boxes next to Aoko.

Aoko nodded, still decorating her chocolate.

Ruri gently placed the doves inside the boxes and grabbed the bags. She took two little cards out of the bags and began writing.

"To Kaito," the blue one read.

"To Hakuba," the white one read.

Ruri handed Aoko a similar pair of cards.

She placed the chocolate into the bags and tied the cards to the handles of the bags with pink ribbons. Looking over, Ruri noticed Aoko had started packing away hers as well.

"Done?" she asked once Aoko had finished tying the ribbons.

She shook her head and pulled out some stickers.

"Just to make sure we don't get them mixed up!" Aoko smiled.

Ruri nodded and took the stickers with cats on them. She placed a white Persian on Hakuba's while a blue Russian decorated Kaito's.

Aoko had decorated hers with gems. A sapphire was on Kaito's and a diamond was placed on Hakuba's.

"Now we're done!" Aoko cheered, stretching.

"Here you go, Kuroba-san," Ruri handed Kaito a little red bag.

He took it and peered inside.

"Chocolate!" his eyes lit up and he hugged Ruri.

Hakuba walked over and Ruri took the chance to hand his chocolate to the blond.

"This one's yours," she said, holding out the other red bag.

He took it and smiled. "Thank you, Ruri-san."

Kaito released Ruri finally and bounded off to Aoko who swung her chocolate at him in frustration but the magician caught the bag with practiced ease.

Aoko handed the other bag to Hakuba who once again smiled and thanked her.

Ruri giggled several times as she watched different girls give both Kaito and Hakuba chocolate with blushing faces.

Kaito gave each girl a flower while Hakuba turned his cool guy charm all the way up.

Akako tried on several different occasions to get Kaito to take her chocolate. (All of her attempts ended in him running at the speed of sound in the opposite direction)

"So? Who got more chocolate?" Kaito looked over Hakuba's shoulder.

He didn't answer, simply staring down at his notepad.

"We... got the same... Kuroba," Hakuba finally ground out.

Kaito blinked.

"Why?" he sobbed dramatically, falling onto the floor.

His drama was quickly ended with a mop to the head.

"Hey!" he protested, holding the bump with his hand.

"That's what you get for treating it like a game!" Aoko stuck her tongue out, mop posed for more beatings.

"It's not my fault! Hakuba said he would definitely get more and I told him that was impossible!" Kaito told her.

"You probably would've won had you taken Akako's chocolate," Ruri commented.

Kaito fell silent for a moment before saying, "I'm not touching her chocolate with a ten foot pole."

*Giri chocolate: lit. obligation chocolate. It's given to a guy when a girl doesn't have any romantic feelings for him. I made Ruri's giri chocolate in the shape of doves since I didn't want them to be romantic or anything.

AAAAAAAAND here it is! I hope you enjoyed this VERY early Valentine's Day thing...y. I dunno. I just wanted to make it. The next chapter will be another little filler chapter, followed by another one, and then a DC murder episode! I still haven't figured out which one I want, so all of you can give suggestions! I just need them to be not obviously winter or early spring...seeing as we're already past that part. Also! That chocolate recipe I used is real! You can make actual chocolate with it!

I also recommend listening Tonogata Gomen Asobase (Gentlemen, I'm Sorry) by Shouko Minami (from Urusei Yatsura) for a more fun feel to this. (I'm actually going to recommend listening to that, Hoshizora Cycling, Open Invitation, Pajama Jama Da, and Triangle Love Letter as you read this series. Particularly Triangle Love Letter. That song is just so upbeat and FUN!)

TIME TO GO WATCH SOME MACROSS PLUS! :D

DFTBA EVERYONE!