She knew she could be a bit forgetful.

But the fourteenth of February, the day of the newspaper club's "Future Roses' Treasure Hunt," was also the nationwide celebration, Valentine's Day.

So even though she went to school a fair bit earlier than usual, the bus and the school grounds were surprisingly full of students, causing Yumi to groan.

She'd been expecting it, but not this much.

It was particularly busy at the fork in the path by the Maria-sama statue, with groups of surs on standby, waiting for breaks in the flow of students saying their morning prayers, then approaching the statue one group at a time to exchange chocolates.

With that many students around the school, there was no way she'd be able to hide her card in the morning and let it rest until after school. The swift rejection of this idea at their earlier planning meeting had been correct.

Even so, Yumi thought it was amazing that her onee-sama, Ogasawara Sachiko-sama, had done just that last year. How early did she have to arrive at school?

Opening the door of her locker, Yumi saw a small light-brown bundle with a red ribbon around it, and a cute pink floral paper bag quietly sitting there.

Her initial reaction was that she'd mistakenly opened someone else's shoe locker, so she hurriedly closed the door. But for the last ten months, she'd been coming to this same spot day after day, so she should have been able to find her own locker without checking the nametag for confirmation. So how had this happened today?

For the time being, Yumi hid her embarrassment by scratching her head. Luckily, there weren't that many students around, so hiding her embarrassment wasn't actually necessary.

Setting that aside, she read the nametag on the shoe locker door.

"Huh? It says 'Fukuzawa'."

And there was only one Fukuzawa-san in the second-year Pine class.

"So that means."

Naturally, she made the very Fukuzawa Yumi-esque assumption that whoever placed the package and paper bag in there had made a mistake, and wondered what she should do with this lost property.

But then.

"Oh my, you're so popular, Yumi-san."

Yumi turned around when she heard this and found Katsura-san from Wisteria class standing there, grinning as she peeked into Yumi's shoe locker.

"Huh!?"

"Why are you so surprised? Today's Valentine's Day, right?"

Katsura-san pulled a box about the size of two stacked CD cases out of her bag and said, "right?" Presumably, they were chocolates she was going to give to her onee-sama in the tennis club.

"So you're saying?"

That they were both equivalent.

"They're chocolates, for you, Yumi-san."

Yumi hesitated, so Katsura-san reached past her and took the parcel and paper bag out of Yumi's locker and presented them to her, saying, "See."

Indeed. Whether it was because they understood the personality of that shoe-locker's owner or not, both gifts were clearly labeled with the recipient's name: "Fukuzawa Yumi-sama."

She'd been beaten. Yumi cooled her feverish brow with the back of her hand.

"... I never imagined this sort of thing could happen."

Even though she gave out chocolates on Valentine's Day, she never expected to receive any. And, apologies to the senders, but Yumi couldn't recall who they were, even though she'd seen their names.

"Ah, you're still the same natural airhead, Yumi-san."

Katsura-san murmured in astonishment.

"Well, I mean, I don't have a petite sur."

"What are you muttering about? Valentine's Day isn't just for giving chocolates to your sur. You saw that last year, right?"

"Ah, yeah."

She had indeed seen it. The oversized paper bag full of chocolates, given to Rei-sama by way of her petite sur Yoshino-san, and Sachiko-sama's refusal of chocolates from everyone except Yumi. On top of that, there was a certain unnamed graduate who had pestered people other than her petite sur for "Chocolates, please."

But, to think that it could happen to her.

"Anyway, well, good luck."

After patting Yumi on the shoulder, Katsura-san disappeared towards the classroom at a jog, having already changed into her indoor shoes.

As for Yumi, who'd been left behind ... she took off her outdoor shoes, put the (presumably chocolate) gifts into her bag, changed into her indoor shoes, and closed her locker door.

As she walked down the hallway, she thought about what to do with the chocolates.

"Good luck, huh."

If she was going to follow in the footsteps of her beloved onee-sama, then she couldn't accept them. Having said that, she didn't think she had the courage or conviction to send them back.

Naturally, she was happy to receive chocolates as an expression of someone's good will towards her. She wanted to gratefully accept those feelings.

Although, by accepting them, she would have to provide a return gift on White Day. And while it was obviously a pointless concern, what would she do in the incredibly unlikely event that she ended up with a haul like Rei-sama last year? Such were her concerns; even as she was soaring with joy, another part of her was applying the brakes.

"I see. So that's something else I'll need 'good luck' for."

Even though there were already so many things she had to do today.

The number of pressing concerns she had just increased by one.

The second-year Pine classroom was filled with a sweet smell.

That wasn't a metaphor; it really was the smell of chocolate.

There were chocolates, both still-to-be-given and already-received, in the desks, in the bags, and in the lockers. Of course, that's not to ignore those girls secretly snacking on chocolates they'd made for taste-testing, or just happened to make too much.

Students entering their regular old classroom were met by this unusual aroma, reinforcing the fact that, "Ahh, it's Valentine's Day." But that was only at the beginning. Soon enough, they became accustomed to it and didn't notice the smell.

Yumi left her coat and school bag in the classroom and headed out with only her handbag. After a little bit of indecision, she decided to leave the chocolates from her shoe locker in her class locker.

After that she headed towards her onee-sama, so she could give her chocolates. It would have been a mistake to take easily confused packages with her. Yumi hadn't forgotten last year's debacle.

There were a couple of students standing outside the third-year Pine classroom, as though they were waiting for someone.

(What if they're all here to give chocolates to my onee-sama?)

Knowing what happened last year and the year before, only masochistic second and third-years would be so reckless as to think of giving Sachiko-sama chocolates. But the first-years wouldn't know.

It wasn't as though Yumi was jealous, but she didn't want to witness any other students giving Sachiko-sama chocolates. Since not only would they be turned down, they probably wouldn't want her petite sur to see that either.

But those worries were unfounded. Watching from a safe distance, Yumi saw the waiting girls give their chocolates to other third-years, one by one, and then leave.

"Oh, it's Fukuzawa Yumi-chan."

One of the third-years called out to her, after receiving their chocolates.

"Sachiko-san's already here."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Should I get her for you?"

"Please."

"Oka~y."

The girl grinned as she went back into the classroom.

Yumi had been loitering outside her onee-sama's classroom on the morning of February 14. It was pretty obvious why she was there.

"Yumi."

Before long, Sachiko-sama appeared in the hallway.

"Gokigenyou, onee-sama."

She was as beautiful as ever. The dry winter air was having no effect on her at all. Her skin was smooth and her hair was silky.

"Gokigenyou."

"Um."

Yumi was about to pull the chocolates out of her handbag when Sachiko-sama stopped her with a "Wait."

"Let's go some place else."

"Huh?"

"Don't worry."

Sachiko-sama walked off down the hallway, holding Yumi's hand. Yumi had thought she'd just hand over the chocolates and then quickly leave, but now she was thinking that perhaps she should have chosen a more suitable location.

"You may not have noticed, but some of my classmates had come out of the classroom in order to satisfy their curiosity."

"Ah."

"Plus, there were so many people around, I couldn't relax."

But it went without saying that today was Valentine's Day. There would already be people at any of the places Yumi could think of.

"It feels like it's overcapacity everywhere we go."

Of course, in comparison to the trains during rush hour, it was quite empty. Even so, it was hard to ensure there was an adequate separation from other people. It would be inexcusable to have their arrival intrude upon other people that were exchanging chocolates too.

The Rose Mansion came in handy at times like these, but Sachiko-sama seemed to be avoiding it, perhaps because it was being used as the treasure hunt's headquarters. It wasn't as though outsiders were forbidden from entering the Rose Mansion, but Yumi understood that feeling since she'd found it hard to step inside during last year's event too.

In the end, Sachiko-sama finally stopped walking when they were around the back of the Rose Mansion.

"Why were your classmates spying on you, onee-sama?"

Yumi asked the question that she'd been pondering for the entire time they'd been walking. Since there shouldn't be anything that unusual about the Red Rose surs being together at this point.

"Last year, I rejected everyone's chocolates except yours, right? They wanted to see my expression "

"Your expression when you accepted my chocolates? Please show that only to me."

Yumi removed a red package from her handbag and held it out to her onee-sama.

" Is that a demand?"

Sachiko-sama smiled shyly.

"Not at all."

Yumi shook her head, and Sachiko-sama accepted the chocolates with a "Thank you." Then she boldly unfastened the silver ribbon and opened the package.

"Oh my."

What she saw were ten home-made chocolate truffles, each about the size of a pickled plum.

"Are these surprise chocolates?"

Sachiko-sama inquired, their appearance sparking a memory. That was the name Yumi had hastily made up last year, partly out of desperation and partly to cover her embarrassment at the accident. But this year.

"Version two."

"Version two?"

"You'll be surprised how much love is mixed in."

"Hehehe."

Sachiko-sama took one of the chocolates and put it in her mouth.

"It's true."

"Right?"

They looked into each other's eyes and laughed. Such bliss.

"Well then, this is from me."

It was only now that Yumi realized Sachiko-sama was still carrying her handbag, as a small package emerged like magic.

"Wait, are you telling me those are chocolates?"

The package was wrapped in green wrapping paper with dark brown lines and tied with a yellow ribbon.

"Wouldn't that be the most likely conclusion, when receiving a gift on a day like today?"

"I suppose but I wasn't really expecting this either."

"Either?"

"Ah, never mind that."

Back on topic, while she gave her onee-sama chocolates, she never expected to receive any either. Of course, she knew that different surs had different approaches - like Rei-sama and Yoshino-san's tradition. She knew that, but she still couldn't imagine her onee-sama, Ogasawara Sachiko-sama, making chocolates.

"Last year, I was so happy when you gave me chocolates. So I thought I'd do the same this year."

Then she added, "I wanted to convey my feelings."

"Onee-sama."

This was probably why she had wanted to escape the gaze of her classmates. Sachiko-sama was famous for refusing any chocolates given to her, so for her to give chocolates in return would undoubtedly cause an uproar.

"Thank-you very much."

Accepting both the chocolates and Sachiko-sama's feelings, Yumi clasped them to her chest.

"Although I'm afraid they're only store-bought chocolates. I wasn't confident I could make chocolates like you did, but they're still quite good."

Apparently these chocolates had her onee-sama's seal of approval.

"I've got an emotional attachment to those chocolates."

Sachiko-sama said, pointing.

"When I was in kindergarten, I received a box of these chocolates from a classmate on the day she moved away. I've since forgotten that girl's name and face, but I never forgot the taste of those chocolates. As a result, every so often I find myself searching them out."

It was unusual for Sachiko-sama to be reminiscing about her barely remembered time in kindergarten. This episode with her classmate must have left a large impression on her.

"I even looked after the wrapping paper it came in, ironing it out."

"Is this it?"

Yumi asked, looking at the green and dark-brown lined paper.

"No."

The current wrapping paper was Valentine's Day specific, so wouldn't typically be used for an everyday gift. But even if it were just a normal gift, the wrapping paper designs would have changed somewhat over the decade between then and now.

"But the taste should be the same. Try one of them."

At Sachiko-sama's urging, Yumi carefully undid the paper so as not to tear it, opened the box, and ate one of the chocolates.

"It's good."

The taste of Sachiko-sama's memories. They offered each other one of the chocolates they'd received, and also put one of the chocolates they'd brought from home into their mouths. Then they both smiled simultaneously. At that moment, the two flavors were mixing, filling their mouths.

As Sachiko-sama took her second chocolate from the box, and third in total, she quietly asked Yumi:

"Did you make these just for me?"

"Huh?"

"Last year, you gave some to Sei-sama too, didn't you?"

"Ah "

It seemed like she was asking whether Yumi had made chocolates for anyone else.

"They're just for you. That's why they're so full of love."

"A surprising amount."

"Yeah."

Yumi understood that her onee-sama wasn't jealous, she just wanted confirmation. While Yumi hadn't been consciously aware of it at first, now that she'd been asked and had to put it into words, her feelings crystallized.

"I thought I'd keep some distance from Touko-chan for the time being."

"I see."

"There seems to have been some sort of misunderstanding. I want to give Touko-chan some time to compose herself, because it will just deteriorate even further if she's not willing to listen to what I have to say."

"That sounds about right."

After agreeing, Sachiko-sama ate another chocolate truffle.

"It really is a shame, there's so much love in these."

She said.

After that they parted company, and Yumi went into the Rose Mansion by herself.

Yumi had explained that it wouldn't matter if she came inside, but Sachiko-sama still refrained. She may have been worried about causing a needless misunderstanding by being too close to the headquarters when she was a participant in the treasure hunt.

There were already benefits to being the sur of a host. Even though they wouldn't be leaked all the details, Yumi could understand why some people might mistakenly believe that. In reality, knowing their personality and preferences probably made it easier to reason where they would hide their card.

Yumi considered this as she opened the door.

It was probably for this reason that Sachiko-sama had left so quickly after their exchange of chocolates.

The other participants wouldn't begrudge surs exchanging chocolates on Valentine's Day, no matter the circumstances. This brief interlude did not require them to be in the Rose Mansion; neither Sachiko-sama nor Rei-sama.

But, drawing a clear distinction between those two events, Sachiko-sama was full of enthusiasm for the treasure hunt. However, Yumi couldn't imagine her running around with the crowd, checking every nook and cranny.

As Yumi put her hand on the handrail and was about to climb the stairs, she caught a voice seeping out of the room on the ground floor.

(Is that Yoshino-san and the others?)

She removed her foot from the first step and turned towards the room. A while ago, they had discussed tidying it up prior to the treasure hunt, but had been so busy that it hadn't happened yet.

As a result, Yumi casually opened the door, like, "I'll help with the cleanup too."

"Gokige - "

But, the next instant, she was surprised by the scene in front of her and instinctively slammed the door closed.

"P-pardon me!"

Wah wah wah. What was that just now? That dazzling scene had blinded her.

"Yumi-san?"

Shimako-san called out from the other side of the closed door.

"I'm sorry."

She'd seen something she shouldn't have.

"What are you apologizing for?"

Yumi was leaning with her back against the door as it slowly opened.

"Well, you're exchanging chocolates, right?"

"That's true, but it's not really a problem if someone else sees that. If we didn't want to be seen, we would have gone somewhere were no-one would find us, so it's okay."

She'd said it was okay, but even so.

"That reaction was like a middle-school boy who'd stumbled upon a group of girls getting changed."

After the grande sur came the petite sur. Noriko-chan likewise stepped out of the room as though nothing had happened. So, by majority rule, it looked as though it was Yumi's excessive reaction that was out of place.

"Oh, I don't think she'd be that surprised to see us getting changed. We were in the same class in first-year, so we used to get changed for PE together."

It wasn't said as a joke, but that response was kind of absurd, Shimako-san.

But, in a sense, that scene was even more "private" than getting changed; the surs facing each other, with the chocolates between them. The atmosphere in the storage room sparkled brightly only in their immediate vicinity and, since it was somewhere unexpected for them to be, the White Rose surs looked almost like illusions.

It felt like they'd been in their own private world. And, as the name suggested, it was like no-one should intrude upon them.

At any rate, it was beautiful. Too beautiful. That vision of surs exchanging chocolates!

After Yumi's thoughts had raced to this point, they came to a sudden stop as she thought: "Hold on."

From an objective perspective, did she and her onee-sama possibly project the same sort of atmosphere? To test this out, she tried imagining what their exchange of chocolates would have looked like, and her face flushed crimson.

"Yumi-san's - "

"Yeah, it's quite funny to see."

Whispering to each other as they studied her face. My, what an impolite pair of surs.

Then Yumi thought, "I wonder if the White Rose surs' chocolate is sweet and creamy," and Noriko-chan said, "It's just regular milk chocolate." Shimako-san said she made the same marble cake as last year.

Oh, so they also had the onee-sama giving the petite sur chocolate too? - Apparently, this thought also showed up on her face.

"Sorry for flustering you like this, Yumi-san. We probably could have done it after school, but given what happened last year...."

Shimako-san giggled.

"Last year ah."

Yumi nodded, remembering those events. Then Noriko-chan immediately asked:

"What happened last year?"

No matter how close two surs are, they won't know everything about each other's past.

"Shimako-san hid the chocolates she was going to give to her onee-sama ah, wait, it was cake wasn't it? Then, when the treasure hunt was over, it was nowhere to be found."

Yumi pointed to the storage room, indicating that the cake had been hidden in there.

"Wha-!?"

Bravo. She'd elicited the correct reaction from Noriko-chan.

"One of the treasure hunt participants had eaten it."

"But, but that's horrible although it's shocking that a student who could do such a thing would be at Lillian to begin with."

"Oh but there was such a student. Only one."

"Right."

Noriko-chan deduced what had happened from Yumi and Shimako-san's expressions and once more said, "That's horrible."

"I just can't believe it no matter how I try. That person was my onee-sama's onee-sama."

"Oh, but Sei-sama was amazing. She was popular with the younger grades too."

Yumi had a soft spot for Sei-sama, but even ignoring that, she had been held in high regard by the school.

"I get that she was amazing. And popular too. But there's such a disparity. I know I may be turning a blind eye to my own shortcomings, but how did someone like that get involved with Shimako-san?"

Noriko-chan hung her head, her expression showing a mixture of regret, disappointment, and incomprehension.

"You can't say anything about this to Shimako-san or Sachiko-sama."

Yumi stealthily whispered to Noriko-chan, as though she were really about to tell her a secret, but Noriko-chan perked up the moment she heard Shimako-san's name.

"What is it?"

Apparently that was her reaction upon hearing her beloved Shimako-san's name.

"Shimako-san rejected Sachiko-sama's rosary and chose Sei-sama."

"Wha- ... why? They seem way more fitting."

Straightforward Noriko-chan spoke her honest thoughts.

"Hey now, what about me then?"

Yumi faked a scowl at Noriko-chan.

"Ah."

Belatedly realizing what she'd said, Noriko-chan covered her mouth.

"I didn't mean to say that you weren't fitting for Rosa Chinensis."

It was fairly typical for someone who found themselves in deep trouble to try and squirm out of it like this. It was amusing to see the usually cool and collected Noriko-chan frantically try and justify herself, so Yumi thought about stringing her along further, but since they didn't really have the time right now she decided to let her off the hook.

Still climbing the stairs, Shimako-san laughed.

"Sei-sama would definitely cough at a time like this."

Her sweet voice melted those listening.

"You're late."

When they got to the room on the second floor of the Rose Mansion, they were met with a scowl.

"Honestly."

Yoshino-san continued.

"The White and Red Rose families were all so busy this morning exchanging chocolates. But, sadly, the head of the Yellow Rose household is absent today with an entrance exam."

Yumi had a vague memory of this being the sort of line a wife would say when her husband was transferred to a distant city, leaving his family behind.

"Rei-sama's not coming?"

"We'll see. She said she wanted to come once her exam was over, but who knows? She's put an entry in the second-chance draw, so even if she comes she can't participate in the treasure hunt."

So that was it. Yoshino-san was more upset by Rei-sama's absence than she was about chocolates. Last year, the Yellow Rose surs - cousins and next-door neighbors - had exchanged chocolates after they got home from school.

"Relax, Yoshino-san. Everyone made it in time for the 8 o'clock meeting."

Mami-san, the president of the newspaper club and editor-in-chief of the Lillian Kawaraban, tried to pacify Yoshino-san. The eight members of the newspaper club had already arrived.

"I don't want to hear that from someone standing there with her sur."

Mami-san's petite sur, Hidemi-san, was a member of the newspaper club, so naturally she was also present.

"Oh? But we're not exchanging chocolates."

Mami-san responded immediately.

"You're not?"

Yoshino-san asked, arbitrarily deciding that all surs were required to exchange presents on Valentine's Day.

"The newspaper club's focusing all our energy on today's main event. We don't have any spare time for something frivolous like that. Right?"

Mami-san shifted her gaze to her petite sur, looking for confirmation. But, no matter how long she waited, there was no response of "Yes," or "Of course," forthcoming from Hidemi-san.

"Um Hidemi-san, did you?"

Noriko-chan timidly inquired. Then Hidemi-san angrily thrust a cute paper bag at Mami-san. It was undoubtedly a thrust, not just an offer.

"Hidem-"

"So sorry for spending my energy on something as frivolous as this when we don't have any spare time."

"No, it's not like that."

Mami-san was reeling from the unexpected attack. That pair had a relationship more like a boss-and-employee's, rather than surs. Mami-san probably didn't know how to cope with this situation, since she couldn't usually spoil or indulge her petite sur.

(First of all, "thank you.")

Yumi moved around behind Mami-san and whispered in her ear.

"First of all, thank you."

"It's frivolous to say 'first of all'."

(I'm so happy.)

Shimako-san joined in too.

"I-I'm so happy."

She was just saying what she was told. Mami-san was acting like a ventriloquist's dummy.

"That's enough."

Hidemi-san turned her back, like she was sulking.

"My Onee-sama's the newspaper's ogre-in-chief; I wasn't really expecting much."

(An ogre, huh.)

Everyone considered this for a moment, but then:

"Exactly."

The previously deflated Mami-san straightened up and answered heartily.

"I'm the Lillian Kawaraban's ogre. I'm not about to loosen up and have fun even on Valentine's Day."

"Don't say that, Mami-san."

It was like she was verbally trampling all over the gift her petite sur had gone to great efforts to give her.

"My mind is completely filled with today's event. Hidemi wouldn't be my petite sur if she didn't understand something like that."

After saying this, Mami-san turned to her petite sur.

"So? What's this?"

"Ch-chocolate cookies."

"I see. Then I'll eat them after the event, since I usually crave sweet things when I'm tired."

"Okay."

Hidemi-san responded cheerfully.

Wait, wait. Was that okay? Somehow it had all been resolved peacefully. It wasn't just Yumi - Yoshino-san, Shimako-san, Noriko-chan, and all the other newspaper club members were equally bewildered.

Surship was an unfathomable thing. Ten pairs would have ten different ways of doing things, same for one hundred, and none of them would have the same sort of relationship as another.

But it was probably those differences that made it so interesting.

"Well then, let's start our final briefing."

With Mami-san's declaration, everyone took their seats and adopted serious expressions.

"First of all, let's review everyone's movements against this timetable, and then "

Everyone was united in wanting this event to be a success.

Arriving back at the second-year Pine classroom just before the bell, they passed the first-year Naitou Shouko-chan at the door.

(So that means )

"Welcome back, you three."

As expected, when they went inside they found Tsutako-san at the entry. Which meant that, undoubtedly, Shouko-chan had given Tsutako-san

Yumi, Yoshino-san and Mami-san all shared a look and smiled knowingly. In her hand, Tsutako-san gripped a small light-brown gift bag, without a ribbon.

"Is that from Shouko-chan?"

"Uh yeah."

Tsutako-san answered, with an expression that was more bewildered than overjoyed.

"What's the matter? Isn't it chocolates?"

"Mm."

That answer could be taken as either it was chocolates, or it wasn't. Tsutako-san sighed as she returned to her seat, and curiosity compelled Yumi, Yoshino-san and Mami-san to follow her.

"Is it chocolates? Or not?"

"Aren't you happy?"

"Why are you looking like that?"

Crowding around both sides of Tsutako-san's desk, the trio asked this succession of questions. Sitting down in her seat, Tsutako-san set the paper bag in front of her, let out another deep sigh, then raised her head.

"You know...."

"Hm?"

"Even I thought that if she was going to give me something, that it would be chocolates."

"It's not?"

Well, if it wasn't chocolates, there were plenty of other things it could be - like Hidemi-san's cookies, or Shimako-san's marble cake. Of course, it didn't have to be sweets, it could be something like a handmade scarf or a bag. But the bag was a bit small for one of those.

"Is it something troubling?"

It seemed unlikely that Shouko-chan would give Tsutako-san something she didn't want, but Yumi thought she'd at least ask. Everyone had their own hobbies and preferences, after all.

For instance, what if Shouko-chan raised lizards, or giant spiders, and gave Tsutako-san one of those that would definitely be troubling.

But Tsutako-san rejected this.

"No, it's something I'm really happy to get."

"Then, what? Why that expression?"

Yoshino-san blurted out her question, irritated.

"I'm just worried."

"About?"

"If I get film as a present for Valentine's Day, what should I give as a return gift on White Day?"

" Huh?"

Film on Valentine's Day.

That too.

They'd found another Valentine's Day option, unique and interesting.