A student was found groaning on the ground, having just fallen victim to a prank pulled by one of his peers. He collapsed after dodging what appeared to be a baseball hurled down the hall, which struck him in the face.
His friend, who was beside him, approached and asked, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. It's nothing," he replied as he slowly rose from his fall. Meanwhile, the individual responsible for his mishap was seen laughing, peering from near the stairs.
"Rei-ah, don't you think you're taking your pranks too far on him?"
"He deserves it. I suggest you also keep your distance from him, Kazuha, for your own good."
She then left, as Kazuha scoffed at the bully's behavior towards her friend.
"Y/N, are you okay?" Kazuha asked, concern evident in her voice as she took a good look at him.
"I'm alright, Kazuha. But are you okay? She just threatened you," Y/N replied, feeling apologetic for the trouble caused.
“She didn’t mean anything by that threat. We’ve been friends since we were children, so I’m sure she’s just saying things. But I don’t understand why she’s acting like this towards you…”
“I guess I did something earlier for her to pull this prank on me.”
“Aren’t you mad? I can tell her off for you if you want me to.”
“No, you don’t have to do that. I wouldn’t want your long friendship with her to be ruined just because of me.”
“But doesn’t it- oh no.” Kazuha took his right hand after noticing blood dripping, possibly from a scar due to the fall.
“Let’s get you to the nurse’s office,” she said, holding his hand firmly and leading him towards the infirmary. Other students couldn’t help but stare in envy, with some even gritting their teeth or biting their thumbs. Y/N couldn’t help but let out a small grin, feeling as if he was the luckiest student, forgetting the whole ordeal that had occurred.
“Excuse me,” Kazuha called out, but there was no answer.
“Looks like the nurse isn’t here. Sit down, let me stitch you up.”
He sat in the chair in the middle of the room, as Kazuha rummaged through the cabinet.
“Zuha-ya, you know you don’t have to do this, right? I can do it on my own.”
“It’s my fault that you ended up like this, Y/N. If only I were more straightforward in telling her to stop.”
“I’m telling you it’s okay, Kazuha. Really.”
Kazuha had her head hung low, while dripping a small amount of alcohol onto a piece of cotton.
“Zuha-ya. Are you-“ He looked at her with teary eyes before wiping her tears away.
“Ya, don’t be like this, Zuha-ya.” He helped her wipe her eyes.
“Let’s talk about something else. Oh, Valentine’s is coming up.”
“That’s right,” she said as she applied pressure to the bleeding area to stop the bleeding.
“And I’ve been taking classes.”
“Classes? What do you mean?”
“A chocolate making class. The local bakery near my place opened up a short class specifically on making chocolates.”
“Yup. I won’t say who though,” she giggled. He let out a small chuckle, feeling a bit down that she might have someone she was interested in.
“I hope he’ll like the chocolate I make. I’m gonna put my heart into it.”
“I’ll be cheering for you then,” he replied, as Kazuha put the finishing touches on his bandage.
“Thank you, Kazuha. Tell you the truth, I've actually known her longer than I have known you.”
Her eyes widened, shocked at the fact.
"Ain’t this nice. Greeted by a fellow rival on my way home," Rei muttered to herself.
Caught up in a conflict with students from a rival school, Rei found herself outnumbered and outmatched. The altercation escalated quickly, and as tension mounted, Y/N happened to pass by the area and noticed the brewing confrontation.
“I’m fine. Just leave,” Rei snapped, her pride initially resisting Y/N's intervention.
“Doesn’t seem like it,” He replied calmly, refusing to back down.
Grateful yet prideful, Rei hesitated but eventually accepted his assistance as a means to escape the confrontation unscathed.
After reasoning with the confronting students, they eventually dispersed without further trouble. The presence of a nearby police station and the outnumbered situation worked in their favor, discouraging any further aggression.
As Rei prepared to leave, he noticed the injuries left by the altercation and took her by the hand, leading her to a nearby convenience store. Rei attempted to break free from his hold but found herself unable to resist. She watched him closely, intrigued by his unexpected kindness.
“Stay still,” he instructed gently, applying band-aids to her hand and cheek.
“Thanks… I guess. I’ll be on my way then,” Rei mumbled, feeling a mix of gratitude and confusion.
"Are you sure? What if they come back for more?" He asked, genuine concern evident in his voice.
“My place is just around the corner. I’ll be fine,” Rei assured him, grateful for his concern.
Despite their brief interaction, Rei never learned his name or much about him. However, the encounter left a lasting impression on her, sparking a curiosity and admiration for the mysterious student who came to her aid.
“That’s the whole story. I haven’t talked to her since then, and once I did, well… you know how it is from that point on. Would’ve never guessed that she’d be the violent type. But I suppose I might’ve done something for her to be like this.”
She stood still, looking far out of the window, pondering to herself.
“It’s nothing.” She chuckled. “Your story just reminded me of how we first talked to each other before.
“Yeah… can we not talk about that, please?”
“Oh, so you’re saying it was an unpleasant first meeting?” She scoffed.
“No no no, it’s not like that, it was just embarrassing for me, you know?”
“I’m joking~. Besides, I find it cute actually. I remembered you asking me whether I mind sharing a book with you or not, but as it turns out…”
“But you’re actually happy, right? The fact that I was trying to make a move on you?”
“Wha-? Oh, trying to get back at me for teasing you is it? Let me take off the bandages I put on you.”
He immediately pulled his hand away from her reach, as the two giggled at their first interaction.
“Looks like you’re all good to go. If you’ll excuse me, I will go and have a word with Rei first.”
“Wait, Zuha. Promise me you won’t be so hard on her?”
“I wouldn’t.” She let out a weak smile, before going out the door.
And in a flash, Valentine’s day had arrived.
A/N: Which ending do you guys prefer? Kazuha’s, or Rei’s ending?
