_{BOX: [ 1 | 2 | 2.5 | 3 | 3.5 | 4 | 4.5 | 5 ]}

Nezumi introduces himself with a bow, and excuses himself and his companion. However, the rest of the group starts chatting like housewives in the same neighbourhood.

“Wow, we look so much alike!” Sion beams.

“…No wonder we were mixed up,” Allen agrees.

“I’m sorry about the confusion. This chocolate is for someone else, who also looks very much like you two,” Kuroh explains.

“I’d like to meet him,” says Sion, curiously.

Allen says, “You’re almost exactly like someone I know… Except you have a much better personality.”

Great, next thing you know they’re going to be sharing recip—

“Oh, these truffles look amazing!” Allen coos as Kuroh shows him the chocolates he made. “What’s in it? How did you make this?”

Oh, god forbid.

Kuroh rambles on about nutella and tempering and it’s all nuttier in more ways than one, while the two white-haired boys ooh and aah. The conversation topic eventually reaches full dinner courses, and then what boy bands they like. Sion asks for sewing advice about a dress he wants Nezumi to wear. Of course, there’s the gossip: “oh, the thing is, he was with this pretty blonde lady who is now a boy. They’re just friends now, but she—I mean he, wants him back. (Blah blah…) And that’s fine, it’s not like there’s something between that bastard and I… I mean—”

Nezumi isn’t even paying attention and even he knows that last line is bullshit.

“Ah, that’s right… Nezumi!” Sion calls. “I have something for you.”

x o x o———x o

Nezumi and Sion stand across from each other inside an empty classroom.

Nezumi briefly considers escaping. Maybe Sion doesn’t know how Valentine’s is supposed to work. Maybe he should get Safu to explain to him—

Sion holds out a case of chocolate filled tarts. In the center of each was a cherry jam heart.

It reminds him of the cherry pie they had the first time they met, and he realizes that Sion is serious. These are honmei chocolates. Nezumi can’t help but smile.

“Mama showed me how to make them. It was fun to make,” says Sion merrily. “…She responded a bit strangely when I said who they were for, though. Hm…”

He takes one, and bites down on the perfectly crisp tart. It’s a perfect blend of sour and sweet.

Sion looks at him expectantly.

“Heh. Not bad.”

Nezumi’s breath stops when Sion smiles brightly at him. He hears pounding, and with each beat of the chest, there’s less and less distance between them before their lips join, and both boys become breathless.

Sion’s tongue roams the other’s mouth, and he tastes both bitter and sweet. It’s addicting, and he forgets to go back for air.

When they finally stop, their foreheads kiss and it’s quiet for a moment as Sion’s in Nezumi’s lap, the other leaning against the wall.

_{BOX: [ 1 | 2 | 2.5 | 3 | 3.5 | 4 | 4.5 | 5 ]}

“Please accept this,” says the swordsman on one knee, offering a beautifully wrapped box of pink and silver.

Freeze frame.

This is Allen Walker, and he has just been offered a suspicious item from the one he swears to be his sworn arch enemy. Though this is not the first box of chocolates from a guy he’s been offered today—okay, this is like the 87th, not including the other 53 from girls and 3 from… god knows what they were.

It doesn’t really make much sense to him that so many people are into him when he just transferred. (One word: Cross. Damned man got into deep shit with this informant. Now this bartender guy is after them for some reason.) And it makes as much sense as Russian sushi that Kanda would follow him to his new school, Ashinaka High.

When time finally flows again, Allen only stutters.

“Erm, uh…? Is this some sort of convoluted, twisted plan to harass me?” Allen accuses. “Because it’s working,” he admits, embarrassed beyond belief.

“Hm? Of course not. You are my king. It is only natural that I would have this prepared for you,” the other sincerely replies.

“Creepy,” Allen comments, goosebumps rising on his skin.

“And I,” spoke another student from behind. Allen turned towards the new presence, and nearly thought he saw double.

“Of gentleman most deject and wretched, that sucked the honey of his music vows…” he recited as if broken by betrayal, “Now see that noble and most sovereign reason, like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh…”

The white-haired boy turned his gaze back and forth between the newcomer and his supposed vassal.

“Oh, woe is me!” the silver-eyed raven cried, “T’ have seen what I have seen, see what I see!”

“I don’t understand anything anymore,” Allen deadpanned, having given up comprehending the situation.

“Ah, with all the words of devotion, I never thought I’d see the day I’d catch you cheating on me,” says the Kanda with the shorter ponytail, disdainfully.

“Words of… devotion? Is this true? Am I not your only knight?” says the Kanda without a straight-cut fringe.

“You,” Allen points to the one still kneeling at his feet, “as a knight in shining armour is just bloody creepy. And you,” he points to the Shakespearian otaku, “are a total fruitcake.”

The white haired boy proceeds to walk away from this madness.

“Wait!”, the twins exclaim.

As the longer-haired raven gripped Allen’s arm, the other raven spat, “Sorry. He’s belongs to me.” They tug the young British boy at both ends and begin to bicker as they fight over him. Allen couldn’t get a single word in.

“Nezumi, that seems fun. May I join in?” says the grinning featherhead that appears out of nowhere.

Nezumi jumps, startled. He looks to Sion, then to the supposed imposter, and back again as he realizes his mistake. “Oh my,” he says. “Now, whom may I ask, are you?”

Allen looks to his doppelganger, and sighs when he understands the situation.

“My name is Allen Walker,” he says sheepishly.