Kamijou Touma had the worst luck. He would give a wide berth to a banana peel – only to trip over an empty can that just happened to roll under his foot.

So, it was only natural his Valentine's wouldn't be ordinary.

Seriously, that dreadful day was already ridiculous on its own, leaving boys either delighted or miserable. Depending on something so silly like a piece of chocolate. Only that simple treat carried feelings of girls… a special message…

"I see you"

No matter if it was courtesy, friendship or… something else… what boy wouldn't be happy to know a girl noticed him?

What boy wouldn't be sad to know no one noticed him?

For Touma, Valentine's was strange. He did get some chocolate, mostly as a courtesy. Which was still nice, of course… But then, a certain girl shoved her chocolate in his face and challenged him to figure out what kind it was.

Misaka Mikoto.

The loud, brash girl that called him an idiot every chance she got.

The strong, reliable girl that would be there to catch him when he fell.

God, he just couldn't understand her…

Who even turns her Valentine's chocolate into a challenge? That girl was just impossible.

Not convenient at all…

The question wasn't even that difficult. And there were three options to choose from. Well, two, with the third one being more of a joke.

So, courtesy or friend?

Honestly speaking, they weren't really friends, were they? They were on friendly terms, somewhat, but that was about it. They never called or texted each other for simple chitchat, never really hung out together. And if by some strange coincidence they happened to meet, some kind of disaster would soon follow.

Always – or so often that he couldn't even remember the normal times. He had to admit this fact, no matter how bad it made him feel.

And that left only courtesy… which was a fair guess. They really were just two people that kept bumping into each other. Just a pair of acquaintances, getting into trouble together.

Right then, he could have called it his win and finally retired for the night. And yet he wasn't satisfied with this answer. Like a puzzle piece that fit into the spot but didn't have quite the right picture. It was off.

And he didn't know why.

He tossed and turned that question in his mind, looking at it at every angle. But he only ended up tossing and turning himself all night, haunted by the mystery that was a girl's heart.

When the alarm rang, he growled and almost smashed his phone to pieces. Muttering all sorts of curses, he crawled out of the bath and got to the mirror. Dark circles, crimpled face, slouched back… What looked back appeared to be a depressed middle-aged salary man, rather than a high school boy.

The muttering intensified.

There was a small ruckus outside the bathroom, and a gentle voice whispered, "Oh, what's this dark presence? Did an evil spirit creep in at night when I let my guard down?"

"If by evil spirit you mean adolescence, it was there the entire time," replied another, dignified voice.

"Eh?! No way! Touma, Touma!" A quick knock came, and then the handle started moving. "Are you alright? You didn't get possessed, did you?"

Touma rubbed his temples. He could feel a headache coming. A low, menacing growl escaped his mouth.

Immediately, the handle became still.

"Oh no, it's too late… But I can still save him! I just need a cross… some holy water…" the voice muttered, as the steps echoed through the room.

There was a sound of water running, filling something, followed by monotone chanting.

Touma frowned. Hey, hey, don't tell me…

"Are you planning to sprinkle that everywhere?" the second voice asked, sighing exasperated.

"If the room is sanctified, it'd be easier to exorcise the spirit!" the first voice said confidently.

"Don't you dare!" he groaned and stormed out of the bathroom. "The room is still damp from the flood, it doesn't need any more water!"

He rushed to the sink, where a silver-haired girl, still in her pajamas, was filling a small basin. On the counter sat a 15-centimeter figure in a witch hat and a cloak and a calico cat. Usually enemies, for once they set that aside and watched the scene with great attention.

Startled, the girl turned and her emerald eyes widened at the sight of the boy stomping her way. Was it the dark circles? The face distorted by insomnia? It mattered little, as she shrieked and splashed water all over him.

Touma froze in place but a few steps away. For a few moments there was complete silence, only water dripping down on the floor. Then he sighed and wiped his face. – only for more water drip down over it.

At least, I got a wash…

"Good morning, Index," he said.

"Morning, Touma," she replied, still peering at him, cross in hand. "Did the evil spirit leave?"

The desire to growl was strong, but he managed to turn it into a sigh – a long, exasperated one.

"It just did."

"Yay!" Index cheered with a dazzling smile.

And Touma couldn't help but smile back.

Getting wet wasn't all bad if he got to see that, he supposed.

"Still, Touma, you have to be careful. If the spirit possessed you once, it might do it again," Index said in a serious voice. She looked over the room, then glanced at the tap. "Perhaps, I really should…"

"No!" He crossed his arms in the air, as if blocking the idea. "The room had enough of water, forget it!"

"But…" she muttered, eyes overwhelmed with concern, only then to pout surrendering. "Fine… but take this, at least."

She took off her cross and handed it to him.

His right hand instinctively went for it, but he quickly hid it behind his back. Imagine Breaker residing in it had the power to cancel any supernatural phenomenon, be it magic or esper ability. If the cross was a protective charm of some sort, one touch would turn it into a useless trinket.

"You should know better than give me magical stuff," Touma grumbled.

"But it's not magical," Index said simply.

"Then why…"

"While this cross doesn't have the Walking Church protection, it's still no ordinary piece of silver. It's a symbol – which in itself gives it power. It wouldn't stop bullets but it would ward off evil."

Touma looked at the cross, then back at Index, in her earnest eyes… Ha wavered.

"It's… not necessary. This… spirit… it wouldn't have returned anyway," the boy mumbled. "I am not haunted or anything."

Othinus, the ex-god turned into a 15 centimeter fairy, huffed. "But you are, human. Only in a different way."

He glared at her. What was she implying? But then she stared back and her single eye cut deep into him.

"And when the night comes, and you are left alone with your thoughts… I wonder if you will get a wink of sleep as you are haunted by a certain something… or rather, someone. A certain electric girl, perhaps?"

"Misaka wasn't…!" Touma trailed off as the words jumbled in his mouth.

Othinus raised an eyebrow. "She wasn't… what?"

He groaned but said nothing.

"So, she wasn't what kept you up all night? Hers wasn't the images that were filling your mind? Firing up your neurons all on their own, without any need for her power?"

"Don't put it like that!"

Index frowned, looking from one to the other. Then her eyes fixed on Touma, darkening ever so slightly.

"So… while I was concerned over your wellbeing… thinking you were haunted by evil spirits… you were… having indecent thoughts… for that Short Hair?"

Her voice, that seemingly calm tone, set off an alarm in his head.

"Wait! You got it all wrong, Index-san!"

"Time to repent, heathen!" she said. Her mouth opened, canines glinting in the light.

It was too late, no words would reach her now. His instincts kicked in, and just when she was starting to move, he was already turning around to run.

But no reflexes could beat the curse of his rotten luck. He slipped and face-planted the wet floor.

"Oww… such…"

Chomp!

"Guhh…! Such misfortune!"

Even with cleaning and breakfast, Touma had plenty of time to get to school. Although his head was pulsating with pain all the way there.

Ugh, one day Index will bite it off. Like a damn popsicle, he grumbled to himself. And what was with Othinus? Cutting in like that… So what if I was thinking about Misaka… all night… But it wasn't in the way they were thinking! I just wanna win this stupid bet.

Yes, it was all because of the bet, and nothing else. He even had the perfect wish. Mikoto would probably hate it, but that's what she gets for challenging him! He pictured her face every time she'd have to do it and cackled quietly, making the passersby uneasy.

Perfect indeed!

Of course, he had to win first, and for that he needed to figure out the answer. But…

"Yawwwn…"

His brain wasn't in shape for it.

Thankfully, he had a whole month, so for now he better focus on school. Or else he really would get held back. The prospect of being called "senpai" by your own classmates… he shuddered.

"School first, bet second!" he vowed and hurried up.

The classroom was buzzing with chatter and laughs but when Touma walked in, it got quiet all of a sudden. More so, everyone began whispering while sneaking a glance his way. Did he look that bad?

"Morning, Kami-yan!" Tsuchimikado approached with his usual grin, which then turned into a pitiful grimace. "Yikes! Rough night?"

So, he did…

Touma sighed heavily and collapsed on his chair. "Don't ask…"

"Were you running for your life all night?"

"No, no… Just couldn't sleep," he muttered and yawned loudly, mouth opened so wide it hurt.

At that moment, Tsuchimikado's eyes all but shined through his shades. "Oh? Then was it your girlfriend who didn't let you sleep?"

"Huh?!" Touma let out almost dislocating his jaw.

"So, the rumors were true. I see, I see."

"What rumors?! I don't have a girlfriend. Stop messing around!"

"No use denying it, Kamijou," said one of the girls grouping in the front row. "She came to the school yesterday. I heard her talk to Komoe-sensei. She was looking for you!"

"I saw her too! Short chestnut hair, Tokiwadai uniform. Rings a bell?" another girl asked.

"Misaka?! No, no, she is definitely not my girlfriend!" he protested.

This was bad. If Mikoto caught wind of this, she would fry him – and no Imagine Breaker would stop her. But seriously, what was that girl thinking? Coming to his school, on Valentine's no less. Of course, people would start talking.

"Oh, come on, don't give us that! She was all feisty and flustered, really determined to give you the chocolate."

"Feisty? Sure. But flustered… no way. Misaka is only ever red with anger. Probably got annoyed she didn't catch me at school."

"Still, that's too much energy for simple courtesy. They are obviously dating."

"Well, you obviously don't know Misaka like I do! She takes everything way too seriously."

Even before he finished talking he realized he had made a mistake. But it was too late, the fire got its oil and flared up.

His classmates grinned and went on chirping.

"Obviously, we don't know her!"

"Nope, not like you!"

"Damn you, Kamijou, you lucky bastard."

"How did you even manage to score a girlfriend from Tokiwadai? Not fair."

"Wait, wait, short chestnut hair… Wasn't he dancing with a girl like that at the end of the Daihasei Festival?"

"That's right! And then another girl dropkicked him. Can't forget that."

"She must've seen him in the first event and that sparked something. We were all fired up, put up such a fight. But then he disappeared for the whole day… Maybe that's when…?

Touma wanted to cry. They were already making up the origin of his love story – when there was no love story to begin with!

"Damn it, listen to me! Misaka and I aren't like that!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure!" someone immediately retorted.

"You ain't fooling us, Kamijou!"

"What's with sleepless look then?"

"Ugh, that's…" He mumbled. He didn't really want to talk about the bet. And if he just said he had been thinking about Mikoto all night they'd definitely take it the wrong way. "I was… trying to solve this… this equation!" he finally said. "Yeah, it was very difficult… and I had to stay up late…"

The room shook from the laughter.

"Good one, Kamijou!" someone managed to say through it.

Touma glared at them. Now that was uncalled for. He did study… when he wasn't halfway across the world running for his life.

Then, as the chatter was dying down, Tsuchimikado asked nonchalantly, "If you were really studying, why did that nun scream about sin and punishment?"

And just like that, everyone went for it again, with even bigger force.

Growling, Touma tried kicking Tsuchimikado but the damn traitor dodged.

"I bet he was out with his girlfriend all night," one girl said in a dreamy voice. "Strolling around the city, reminiscing about how they met and all the fun times they had. Watching the sunrise. Ah, so romantic."

What was romantic about freezing your ass off dead at night while running away from Anti-Skill patrols and backalley thugs?! Not to mention, what fun was there in reminiscing about all the tragedies he and Mikoto had been part of? Of course, his classmates couldn't know that.

All they knew was the dance…

The crackling bonfire, pairs circling around it – some with confidence, some stiff as wood. The moves were slow and simple, and yet he kept glancing at the others in fear of fumbling. All because one certain girl grabbed his hand and pulled him in there.

Still, it was… nice. For once, no Imagine Breaker or Railgun, no crazy magicians or mad scientists. Just two kids dancing at a bonfire. Wasn't that how their school life supposed to be? Ordinary.

The memory was flourishing in his mind. Then Touma chuckled remembering how that respite got cut short. Damn that teleporting girl… For someone who talked with such dignity, she was quite barbaric.

But, thinking back, wasn't there something just before that dropkick? He focused and Mikoto's red face flashed before his eyes. Now, what was that about?

Immediately, the words emerged from his memory.

Despite everything that happened, all the darkness and tragedy, I am glad I came to this city. I treasure meeting all these people.

Oh, so you treasure meeting me too? I see, I see. Didn't know you feel like that about me.

Ah, right… he teased her, just like usual. But she didn't retort in her usual way. No "you idiot", no zaps. She just froze and… turned red. But not with anger. If anything, it looked more like she was…

Flustered.

No, no, I must be remembering wrong, Touma thought shaking his head. The joke was just so stupid it left Misaka speechless. There really wasn't anything to get flustered about… was there?

But the more he thought about it the brighter the image of Mikoto got. Soon his own face started to feel hot.

Someone laughed, bringing him back to reality. "Hehe, look at him blush."

"Daydreaming about his girlfriend, no doubt."

He was about to snap, more on reflex, when a few girls swarmed his disk.

"Hey, Kamijou-kun, about this girlfriend of yours…"

"She is not…!"

"You must have been to the School Garden lots of times. Is it as beautiful as they say?"

"Well… it is… I guess? Really fancy…" He grumbled thinking back and then shuddered. "I didn't have time to look around."

The girls giggled.

"But it's off-limits to boys."

"He sneaked in to see her…"

"Y-you got it wro…"

No, it was useless. They weren't listening anymore, chirping and laughing on their own. And that damn bastard Tsuchimikado snickering a safe distance away.

"Our plain Kamijou-kun and a lady from Tokiwadai… Like a fairy tale…"

Misaka is anything but a lady, Touma wanted to say. If anything, she would fit right in here, with all these normal boys and girls messing around for fun. He pictured running into Mikoto in a hallway. Her wearing a simple sailor uniform. Grabbing his arm and pulling him along to get lunch.

His lips curled up.

"And he is off into his little word again," a girl said, and they all giggled.

Touma blinked. "W-what? No!"

His face got hot again, which amused them even more. He hung his head defeated. No matter what he said he would only make things worse.

"Alright, you had your fun, now give Kamijou a break before he overheats," Fukiyose said coming up behind the girls, with her usual fierce expression.

They sighed and scurried away. But not without giggling some more. Seriously, what was it about girls' giggles that just made you burn?

Touma sprawled in his chair. "Thanks, Fukiyose. You just prevented my self-combustion."

"Don't think it's over yet."

"What do you… agh?!"

Before he could finish someone got him in a chokehold.

"Damn you, traitor!" A voice roared at his ear, full of rage and sadness. "I thought we would be in the losers' team together forever. But you went and got yourself a girlfriend, you bastard. From Tokiwadai, no less!"

"Gh… A-aogami… l-let gho…" Touma pleaded tapping on his arm.

"No chance! I won't let you get any further in life before me!"

Fukiyose sighed exasperated. "Calm down, idiots!" she growled – and brought her first down on Aogami's head.

He plumped on the floor. "Oww… damn you, demon woman…"

Freed, Touma gasped loudly sucking in so much air his chest hurt.

"I a-am… te-llin'… you… damn it…" he uttered. "She is… not… my girlfriend!"

Aogami pointed an accusing finger at him. "Liar! The way that girl stormed off to your dorm, no way that was just courtesy chocolate."

"Wait… you saw her?"

"Yep! A girl with brown hair and eyes, in Tokiwadai uniform. She had a flowery pin."

"Sounds like Misaka…"

"She tried to bully Komoe-sensei into giving up where you live…"

Touma hanged his head. "That's definitely Misaka…"

"Kamijou…" Fukiyose scowled at him. "So, even your girlfriend is causing troubles for sensei…"

"Listen to me already!"

"You should've seen her, Fukiyose," Aogami said standing up. "So determined to get to Kami-yan, wouldn't back down no matter what. Sparks were flying everywhere. If I hadn't ratted him out…"

"You did what?!" Touma groaned, head jerking up so fast it was a miracle it didn't tear off.

"Judging from the ruckus I heard she was ready to break through your door," Tsuchimikado chimed in. "Shouting, demanding "an idiot" to come out and face her."

"Sounds more like a challenge than a Valentine's confession," Himegami pointed out. Like a ghost, she silently appeared, no idea how long she had been there.

Tsuchimikado smirked. "Well, you know what they say, love is war, and sometimes you need to be a bit aggressive to win."

"Kami-yan disease hit a new level, now girls are practically chasing after him." Aogami grinded his teeth. "Seriously, how are you this lucky? And why not of that luck rubbed off on me? Grr… so not fair…"

"You think things will calm down now that he has a girlfriend?" Fukiyose asked.

"Neah, if anything, it's a sign that Kami-yan is starting to build his harem," Tsuchimikado said.

Aogami was all but crying bloody tears. "Don't you dare, Kami-yan!"

"Oh, enough already!" Touma shouted.

As everyone's eyes were drawing to him, he got up on the chair and said, "For the last time, I don't have a girlfriend! Misaka is just an acquaintance, someone I see on occasion. There is no way she gave me love chocolate, got it? I'm still same old loser, just like Aogami and Tsuchimikado!"

"Hey, don't lump me into this," Tsuchimikado said with the same old grin.

But Aogami only scowled, clearly unconvinced.

Their classmates gave Touma puzzled looks.

"Settle down, Kamijou. It's all good you are happy with the lack of a love life but no need to shout about it."

"So, it was just a misunderstanding? How boring…"

"Yeah, no way he could woe a girl from Tokiwadai…"

Rumor mill got into motion again shaping and morphing the story into something else. Touma was fine with that. As long as it put a stop to the ridiculous notion of Mikoto having feelings for him…

So what that she had gotten a bit aggressive? She was quite a brash girl. No way it was the love chocolate. Courtesy… friend, maybe…

But not love…

It just couldn't be…

The bell rang and Komoe walked into the classroom.

"Good morning, every… oh?" She stopped noticing Touma standing on his chair. "Kamijou-chan, that is not how you take your seat."

Feeling his ears burn, he quickly came down. "Sorry, sensei."

"It's alright. I understand that some of you boys are a bit agitated after Valentine's. Especially when you get chocolate from a Tokiwadai girl." A knowing smile crossed her face, making him burn even more for some reason. "However brash she might be."

Touma sighed slumping. He was done.

Thankfully, Komoe didn't dwell on the subject and began the lesson.

Along with everyone, Touma sat down, his face a little broody. The day had just started and he was already exhausted. And all because of that stupid bet.

Damn you, Misaka! You just had to make a scene everywhere you went, didn't you?

He glanced down on his notebook and turned a few pages, then drew lines making three columns. One was titled Courtesy, the second one – Friend and… the last one was left blank.

What did she say? "Put every variable in and maybe then you'll get it"? Alright then!

The pen started scribbling down.