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Sequel 4A

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It has been a little over a month since the New Year, and the morning air is still getting colder——.

“Good Morning, Yuuma!”

As always, Yuuma came to pick Ryou up at her apartment and was welcomed by her lovely smile.

Thin and soft hair, fine-textured white skin.

Her normally sharp and dignified eyes are relaxed when in front of Yuuma, and even the corners of her eyes were drooping in an adorable way.

Her lips swayed with sensuality, and the faintly drawn lip balm gave off a vibrant luster.

(...No, that’s not good.)

It made him want to say, how can you put this out into the world as a boy and expect it to work?

No matter where you look from, she's a beautiful girl who makes you want to hug her right away.

Far from being her lover, he is her fiance approved by her parents. To put it bluntly, it’s a situation where he used up all his whole life’s worth of luck.

“O—i, Yuuma—?”

“...My bad, I was being thankful to God.”

Yuuma hated his weakness of not being able to honestly say that he was fascinated by her cuteness.

At Yuuma's words, Ryou let out a reproachful ‘Umm…’ but immediately realized something and raised her voice.

“I got it, so you're thanking St. Valentinus! Were you looking forward to it that much?, you sure are cute, Yuuma♪”

“...You’re cuter.”

While replying with a whisper, the word ‘Saint something’ remained in Yuuma's head.

“So——I don't really get it, but, who is that ‘Saint something’?”

“Eh—? Didn’t you just thank him?”

While tilting her head, she begins to explain, saying ‘it can't be helped’.

“Valentinus, in other words, Saint Valentine. If I were to give you a brief description, it would be that it was because of his work that today's Valentine's Day was born.”

So that’s how it is, it's just a problem of reading the language.

The saint in his head is a believer who was recognized as having a reasonable amount of faith.

“...Wait, so he isn’t a god?”

“Well, that's true… but let’s not discuss the details!”

And so on and so forth, since she explained quite irresponsibly, it seems she’s the one who was in high spirits.

Of course, if you ask whether Yuuma is also excited, he is not.

“Well then, it's about the chocolate you've been waiting for——”

“O-oh”

Having the topic brought up like that, Yuuma pretended to be calm even though he was nervous, but somehow it felt like he was being seen through.

She giggled——but didn't show any signs of taking anything out.

“After school, let's go to my house. I've made sure everything is ready so that we can have tea and eat together.”

“——I see. Then, shall I look forward to it?”

Yuuma felt like he had been let down, but if he can go to his girlfriend's house and have a relaxing time there, that’s something to look forward to.

In that case, let's go to school as soon as possible——he thought as he rotated the bicycle.

“Haaaaa~~~~~~...Really, I don’t know what to say.”

“...Good morning, Reiko-san.”

Appearing before they knew it, Ryou’s sister sighed deeply behind her and shook her head in exasperation.

“Did something happen?”

“It’s not ‘something happen?’. It's just that when it comes to you, Ojou-sama, it's as if you don't understand a gentleman’s feelings.”

“...You said it yesterday as well, what does that mean?”

Apparently, there was some kind of exchange between them.

In Reiko-san's hand, was one of those cute paper bags.

“Do you understand, Ojou-sama?”

As she spoke, she took out a beautifully decorated package from it.

“At an event like this, it's more satisfying to be hit with exactly what you're expecting than receiving an invitation with the long-awaited expectation!”

Just like this——Reiko-san said as she held out the package.

It was a heart-shaped wrapping paper with flowers made of lace.

It was a package that embodied the expectations that Yuuma had had since this morning——or rather, since last night.

“Happy Valentine's Day, Yuuma-sama. Please accept my 120% pure love ❤”

“Wait, what are you doing!?”

Right in front of Yuuma, who was about to extend his hand unconsciously, Ryou's hand snatched it away.

“And what's with the extra 20%?”

“...it's a pure ulterior motive.”

“Impurities!”

The 120% got knocked back into the sack like a slam dunk.

“...but this is reality, Ojou-sama.”

Without any particular response, Reiko-san took out a chocolate and played with it with one hand.

“If I don't give it to him right now, some sketchy woman from who knows where will surely give Yuuma-sama his first chocolate at school.”

“T-that’s… I don’t want that, but…”

Yuuma pondered whether there is such a peculiar human being, and while Ryou was confused, her theory developed further.

“I can't stand that——so if Ojou-sama doesn't give it to him, I'll drink my tears and give him his first chocolate. Well then, here you go ❤”

“That’s not the attitude of someone who drinks their tears!”

As Ryou pointed out, the way she stretched her arms with a big smile, emphasizing her voluptuous breasts as she handed over the chocolates showed that she was truly enjoying the event.

Moreover, the chocolate packaging was seamless too.

Surely the inside will be delicious too.

Thinking about it makes Yuuma want to take it, but he just stretches out his hand and pushes it back towards her.

“I'm sorry, but I'd like the first chocolate to be from Ryou. They won't give it to me at school, and even if they do, I promise not to accept it.”

“!!! See―!”

Glancing at Ryou flashing her a triumphant face, Reiko-san exhaled lightly, closed her eyes, nodded, and returned the chocolate to the bag.

“If Yuuma-sama says so, then I will trust you. After you taste Ojou-sama's chocolate, I will be giving it to you.”

“Yes… I'm sorry, even though you went out of your way to give it to me.”

“No no, I don’t mind.”

While saying that, Reiko-san grinned.

“In this kind of cooking showdown, you have a higher winning rate if it’s eaten later.”

“We’re not in a contest though!”

◇

After such a heart-warming exchange——they headed to school as usual, but there were more students than usual even on the school route and at the entrance.

Their percentage is, of course, overwhelmingly girls.

“This is… I see, so that’s how it is.”

Everyone was aiming for the first chocolate and was trying to go to school first thing in the morning.

“Well, we’ll have to think about how to not be seen―”

As they were talking, Ryou opened her shoe locker defenselessly——.

“Uwaaa!?”

Ryou raised her voice wildly.

And shortly after, the sound of something falling can be heard.

“Why… wait, uwaa——”

The shoebox wasn't overflowing, but it was filled with plenty of packages, some of which was propped up against the door and spilled out.

(...Come to think of it, I forgot about it but——)

Before that incident happened, he was the school's prince.

(T/N: it said ‘he’ not ‘her’, but maybe it’s a typo, or maybe talking about how she’s seen as a he.)

No, this number of chocolates is proof that some people still think she is.

“This can’t be… What to do, Yuumaa…”

For the time being, Ryou changed her shoes, slowly picked up the packages, and looked at him with a face that looked like it’s about to cry.

“And the option of taking it?”

“No, I definitely don’t want it.”

“I guess so…”

If that’s the case, there will be no choice but to not touch it.

However, he can’t bring himself to leave the food as it is.

With a small sigh, Yuuma took out the eco bag he usually uses and urged her to put them in it.

“If you send it as a lost item, they will handle it from there.”

“Ok… Thank you, Yuuma.”

Ryou carelessly stuffed the bag, and turned towards the office to deliver the lost items, as Yuuma followed her.

“... Last year was also like this, wasn't it?”

“That’s——it did, but I didn’t think this would happen this year.”

After all that had happened, and all that was done to her, Ryou coldly rejected the people around her.

And yet, they still seek her——him out.

Or maybe, they’re begging for forgiveness.

Ryou's face was contorted as if she was about to cry, either from anger or disappointment at having one-sided feelings turned toward her.

“...Are you ok, Ryou?”

“Yeah… sorry, Yuuma.”

At the unexpected reply, he tilted his head with an ‘Oh?’.

“It’s not something Ryou should apologize for. Or rather, I didn’t do——”

“Because——even though I made Yuuma make such a promise. To think that I would be the one to receive it… well, it’s not like I was trying to receive it, but——”

She must have felt like she was being unfaithful to her feelings for Yuuma.

Giving a wry smile at the strangely serious girl, Yuuma gently stroked her head.

“…it’s not like you received it, so don’t worry about it. If you part with this, it’ll have nothing to do with Ryou anymore.”

“Nn… Okay, that’s true.”

After delivering it as a lost item, she let out a sigh as she had finally calmed down.

“Sorry Yuuma, I made you go with me.”

“It’s fine, if it’s just this. Then, let’s just go to the classroom quickly.”

They headed back to the classroom again, before encountering any more unwanted things——for example, a confession from an ambush.

Without knowing that even more evil clutches awaited them there——.

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