February 14th, 2005
Ryōō High School
Kasukabe City, Saitama Prefecture
It was lunch time at Ryōō. Classmates Konata, Miyuki and Tsukasa sit eating around a table, joined by Kagami, who despite being from another class, always came to eat with her sister. Today was Valentine's Day, and the girls had all handed out chocolate earlier to the males of their respective classes.
"They're unappreciative", pouted Kagami. "You'd think they'd at least thank you for giving them free chocolate, the swine!"
Konata guffawed a little. "Maybe it's your attitude, Kagamin~. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, right?"
Even before finishing her sentence, she saw a look of disdain forming on Kagami's face. "Listen here," she began, "Just because you're happy being some shut-in wizard doesn't mean I have to die alone as well!"
"See, you're getting feisty. Otaku guys like a fiery girl, but most of the normie types you're looking for? They want something more genteel", Konata snapped back.
Kagami looked over to Tsukasa, trying not to let it get to her. "How was your morning, Tsukasa?"
The bubbly younger Hiiragi smiled. "They all seemed pleasant enough. Though I didn't really hear many thank-yous."
Silently and with a malicious grin, Kagami turned to Konata.
"Eh, that's what you get for hyping yourself up all month. You've known these guys how long now? A bag of shop-bought chocolate melted down into kitschy heart shapes isn't going to change that," responded Konata to the twintailed girl's implied statement.
"Perhaps they're just shy?" opined Miyuki. "I noticed a lot of the gentlemen I presented chocolate to seemed somewhat nervous, like they expected me to be unapproachable."
"Well, you are pretty tall for a girl from around here," noted Konata. "Half the guys I gave chocolate to treated me like a kid who walked in when no-one was looking and the other half gave me looks I'm not altogether sure I'm comfortable with. Maybe you should keep an eye on Tsukasa after classes, make sure she gets home oka-"
"That's enough!" exclaimed Kagami. "Don't go scaring my sister off perfectly normal activities like that!"
Tsukasa seemed confused. "I just gave them giri-choco. How would that put me in danger?"
Before Konata could say something troubling, Kagami asserted "It couldn't, never mind her, she's watched too many weird shows late at night."
"And besides," she continued, "me and Tsukasa actually made those ourselves last night. It was hard work, but I'm proud of it!"
Miyuki smiled. "That's impressive! It's always touching hearing you two doing things together. I just made mine with a friend."
Konata pouted exaggeratedly. "Way for you all to rub in that I'm an only child with social difficulties."
Kagami panicked and went to apologise before noticing Konata's creeping smile. "It's always mind games with you, isn't it? I don't know when I've actually offended you and when you're just toying with me. Just be straightforward, damn it!" she cried.
"But then I'd get bored", Konata said dismissively. "And so would you," she added with a sly, faux-demure tone. "But nah, I made some with dad. He's no slouch in the kitchen himself. I'd have just done it myself but he likes to feel as if he's helping."
"Maybe he can teach you how to conduct yourself around the opposite sex," remarked Kagami, only partly in jest.
Konata shrugged. "He'd kill me if I came home with a boy. Besides, if he did, you'd bug me to tell you my secrets."
"WHY, YOU-" Kagami began before stopping herself short and taking a deep breath.
Konata chuckled in a rather unladylike fashion. "But really, what's the point of this holiday anyway? All it really does is make single people feel bad and act as a handout to the chocolate industry. Why do we have to give the guys chocolate when they're the ones who want us, anyway?"
"There was a translation mistake when chocolate companies began exporting the occasion from the west to Japan. Over there, it's men giving chocolate to women to express love, but somehow they mixed it up through unfamiliarity with the language," explained Miyuki with her typical encyclopedic tone.
Everyone else at the table nodded. "We're getting a raw deal here!" said Konata.
"But this was probably a boon for the chocolate industry if anything," Miyuki continued, "because it gave the National Confectionary Industry Association the opportunity to create White Day in 1978, where men would repay women for their kindness by gifting chocolate of their own! So we ended up with a more equitable form of celebration."
Tsukasa smiled. "That's nice! Goes to show how a mistake can end up making something better!"
Kagami laughed nervously. "Yeah, it also made some execs a tidy profit, but I guess you're right."
"You'd know all about mistakes, wou-" Konata cut herself short seeing the look of genuine shock in Kagami's eyes. "Sorry."
"Anyway, it's about time I get going. I have to get back to my class," said Kagami, getting up from her chair.
"Oh, I see. Off to rendezvous with your secret boyfriend. Good luck, you two!" cooed Konata.
"Yeah, I wish," muttered Kagami as she left.
Konata's ears perked up. "What was that, Kagami?" she called out?
"NOTHING! SHUT UP!" she snapped back, quickening her pace out of the class as everyone turned to look at the scene.
Tsukasa giggled. "Sis has a temper sometimes. I feel bad, but it's a little funny."
"I suppose some people really do long for companionship," noted Miyuki. "I've never been terribly drawn to boys, or girls for that matter, but something must draw people together. Or else how would we all be here?"
Konata shrugged. "If everyone was as desperate for love as movies and TV say they are, Ms. Kuroi wouldn't be struggling to find a date. Or maybe Japanese guys just have bad taste in women.
"I think it might be nice to have a boyfriend some day," said Tsukasa wistfully. "Someone who gives you purpose. Someone who cares about you."
Miyuki smiled. "I've heard bonds between lovers can be very close. But you're already cared about by your family, aren't you?"
Tsukasa looks up at Miyuki uncertainly. Konata turns over to Tsukasa when she notices.
"... yeah, I guess," she replied meekly. "Anyway, Ms. Kuroi will be back soon. We should finish up."
Miyuki nodded. "Yes, of course."
The girls set about cleaning their desks and getting ready for the afternoon's lessons, thoughts of confessions by the bike stands and new beginnings firmly behind them.