Even though it’s not Valentine’s, I received chocolate 'luxury' and cookies 'homemade' from two girls.

Has my popular phase finally arrived!?

…Not really, I just got them as a thank-you.

After school, like a hormonal teenage boy sneaking in adult magazines, I carefully carried the sweets I received from the two girls in my backpack and headed to my room.

If my older sister finds this kind of thing, she’ll definitely tease me, so I’ll just quietly eat them in my room.

I locked my door and spread out the chocolate and cookies on my desk.

‘…Mm! The Godiva is obviously delicious, but Ayase’s cookies are insanely good too.’

Not only is the texture nicely crisp, but the rich butter flavor stands out without being too heavy, making them really easy to eat.

More than anything, the fact that they’re homemade is great.

How long has it been since I last ate something handmade by a girl?

‘Let’s see… probably since Valentine’s when I was a kid?’

If I remember right, that was back when I was still in kindergarten.

The Valentine’s chocolate I received from my first love, a cute girl, ended up being both my first and last Valentine’s chocolate.

It was a big heart-shaped chocolate she apparently made with her mother, slightly misshapen but delicious, and I still vaguely remember it.

Because it was the first and last Valentine’s chocolate I ever got, I remember it somewhat, but I don’t even remember her name anymore.

And a few weeks after Valentine’s, before White Day, she moved overseas, so I don’t think I ever even got to return the favor.

‘I wonder… she’s probably grown into a really beautiful girl by now.’

We were just kindergarteners, so we didn’t really understand things, and she probably doesn’t remember my name either.

And since she went overseas, she’s probably doing all sorts of things with some huge buff boyfriend by now… gah! My brain’s getting wrecked!!

While thinking about things that I absolutely shouldn’t be thinking about while eating a girl’s gift, I chewed on the cookies while indulging in NTR fantasies.

‘Man… I want a girlfriend too… but in my class, all the girls like Ayase, the Prince.’

Then maybe I should aim for another class?

Ask Hayato from the neighboring class to introduce me to some girls?

No, no, relying on Hayato would hurt my pride.

While I was thinking about all that, my phone suddenly rang.

‘Hm? A call?’

I stopped eating the chocolate and cookies, wiped my hands with a wet tissue, and picked up my phone.

Looking at the screen, the call was from Ayase.

‘Oh yeah, she did say something about calling me tonight.’

It’s still evening though… well, whatever.

“Hello?”

“Ah… Saijou-kun?”

“Oh, hey. It’s only been a little while, Ayase.”

“Yeah. I thought you might be home by now, so I called. Is it a bad time?”

“I’m already home, so it’s fine. I was just eating the cookies you gave me.”

“R-really!? But Saijou-kun, it’s already 6:30, so it’s almost dinner time, so maybe you should eat my cookies after your meal—”

“Don’t say things like a mom when you’re supposed to be a Prince.”

“A-a mom!? Me!?”

Ayase raised her voice in surprise over the phone.

You don’t have to react that strongly.

“Well, anyway—”

“You’re just brushing it off!?”

“How were my cookies? I usually give them out to everyone on White Day, so I’m pretty confident in them.”

“I see. That explains why they were so good.”

“They were good? Really?”

“Yeah. The sweetness and texture were just right, very carefully made, and more than anything, they tasted gentle… very ‘you,’ Ayase.”

“…”

As soon as I said that, Ayase suddenly went completely silent, like the call had dropped.

“Uh, Ayase?”

“S-sorry, I muted myself.”

“Why!?”

Ayase sometimes has these weird reactions out of nowhere.

She’s always so composed and princely in front of everyone, so why is it only when she talks to me… well, whatever.

“By the way, Ayase, why did you want to call me anyway? You’re super popular, so you probably have tons of girls to talk to on the phone, right?”

“It’s not like there’s some deep reason. And we’re friends now, Saijou-kun. Do I need a reason to call you?”

“You do.”

“You do!?”

She said that in a slightly princely tone, and it annoyed me enough to firmly say, “You do.”

“E-eh… but a reason…”

“Well, if there really isn’t one, then it’s fine.”

“…Actually, to be honest, when I talk to you, Saijou-kun, it feels different from talking to my friends from the girls’ school. It’s like… I feel all light and fluffy inside.”

“Fluffy? Uh, is that… okay?”

I hope that doesn’t mean I’m just gross and making her uncomfortable.

“You’re my first male friend, so maybe that’s why? When I talk to you, it’s like… the inside of my stomach feels warm.”

“Your stomach feels warm? What am I, a hot water bottle or something?”

“I don’t really understand it either, but it’s probably something like that!”

“So I am a hot water bottle!?”

Fluffy, warm, hot water bottle… I have no idea what she’s talking about.

“Wait a second. I’m your first male friend?”

“Yeah. I’ve been going to all-girls schools since elementary school because of my family’s policy. From ages four to six, I moved around a lot to different places and countries because of my parents’ work, but I was too young to really remember much.”

Being surrounded by girls since elementary school and treated like a Prince in a yuri harem… I’m so jealous I could lose my mind.

“Man… hey Ayase, let’s make an equivalent exchange. I’ll give you half of my creepiness, so give me half of your charm.”

“That sounds like a terrible deal.”

Even over the phone, Ayase sounded put off.

Seems like my creepiness is definitely getting through to her.

“But from my perspective, Saijou-kun… I think you’re cool.”

“Huh? Me, cool?”

“…N-never mind! Forget I said that!”

“Forget it!?”

So that means I’m not cool!?

“Ugh… why can’t I act the same with you as I do in front of everyone…”

“I don’t really get it, but I think I like you better when you’re being natural, Ayase. Sure, you’re cool as the Prince, but when your reactions are cute, it makes you feel more like a girl, which is nice.”

“…”

“H-hey, Ayase?”

“Sorry, I muted again!”

“Why do you keep muting yourself!?”

After that, she muted herself about seven more times during the call.