Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume10 Chapter1 (section)

===Part 3===

February 14 arrived.

"Whew~ What nice tea..."

As usual, Haruaki was sitting in the Yachi home's veranda, his eyes half closed like an old man while drinking tea. After making sure no one else was around, Fear slowly approached him from behind.

"Hey."

"Yeah, what's up?"

A familiar idiotic expression. Fear inexplicably felt her heart racing while she shoved to Haruaki the bag she had been holding behind her back.

"For you. Because it's... Valentine's Day. It's basically a thank you gift for your everyday care."

"Eh? Really? I'm so happy... No way, you made it yourself?"

"That's right, I put my very heart and soul into it."

"Amazing. I'm so touched... Can I eat it?"

"Ch-Chocolate is meant to be eaten, it's not like it's for decoration. Of course you can."

"Haha, but in my view, I'd rather put it up as decoration to commemorate this."

Haruaki took out the chocolate from the paper bag and picked up a piece. Staring at the chocolate, he seemed to take a gulp. Was he worried...? No, it must be because it looks too tasty so he could not wait to let his tongue savor the sweet and wonderful taste. Definitely without a doubt.

"Okay, I'm gonna start."

Haruaki announced carefully and placed the piece of chocolate in his mouth. Fear watched the scene unfold without blinking at all. No problem, it was definitely going to be fine. Because she had worked so hard. And she definitely tasted it.

Suddenly, Haruaki froze. What? Did it taste bad? Impossible...!

Just as Fear's heart raced wildly&mdash;

"D-Delicious! Too delicious&mdash;! So delicious that even a three-star pastry chef would be forced to make a barefooted escape!"

"Nyowow!"

Haruaki abruptly hugged her. Because it was too sudden, Fear made a strange sound.

"Ah... Hey Haruaki, you shameless brat! Let me go now... I-I'll... curse you...!"

"It's super delicious! Really super delicious, Fear! It's way better than what Konoha gave me!"

"R-Really? Good to know&mdash;H-Hey, I got the message, okay, stop rubbing your face in that kind of place..."

"Oh sorry sorry, I got carried away in a moment of excitement. So, I'm giving you a return gift for White Day! Here you go, 30000yen's worth of rice crackers! Eat as much as you want today!"

"Really!?"

With a shameless expression on his face, Haruaki took out a bag of rice crackers from somewhere and handed it reverently to Fear. Only now did she just notice that Haruaki was so touched that tears were streaming all over his face.

The characters bearing 'thirty thousand' were carved on each piece of rice cracker. These rice crackers were not worth 30000yen each, were they? To think one could eat their fill of such high-class rice crackers. Fear sat down on the veranda and opened the bag of rice crackers. Instantly, an intense aroma drifted out. She picked up a piece and took a bite. As though freshly baked, the rice cracker gave off a delightful crunch. Then an indescribably complex and concentrated flavor began to spread from her tongue&mdash;Nothing less expected from 30000yen rice crackers, so delicious, completely out of this world!

Fear kept eating, wolfing them down ravenously, her hands unable to pause for even an instant.

"Oh... Ohoh... So happy... I'm so extremely happy...!"

"Really? That's wonderful, I've very happy too."

She looked at Haruaki beside her, feeling her heart racing even faster. He was smiling as usual, sitting next to her, drinking tea with a gentle smile on his face. After watching for a while, Fear felt a sense of discomfort in the depths of her heart and could not help but shift her gaze away. Before she knew it, she had already picked up the cup before her and was drinking tea in an attempt to calm her emotions. On this calm and peaceful veranda, the two of them were alone, drinking tea together.

"Uh... What should I say, basically..."

Fear was hesitant, unsure of what she should say. At this moment, she suddenly felt bad about hogging these delicious rice crackers all to herself.

"Oh yeah! I-It's all because you're staring at me with such greedy eyes, fine, I'll give you a piece at least. This is... really... very tasty... Munch munch munch."

Fear chewed a rice cracker while shoving another piece towards Haruaki. He smiled gently and said:

"Thank you. However, what delights me the most is seeing you so happy. No need for a whole piece, just giving half will do. ''So&mdash;Here I go''."

"...!"

Fear held her breath. Haruaki's face gradually occupied her entire field of view. Haruaki... Ahhh, Haruaki&mdash;He was currently bringing his lips towards her, ''biting the other end of the rice cracker sticking out her mouth''.

"Nyo, wah...!"

"Ahhh... Truly... so delicious..."

Crunch, crunch.

Separated by nothing but a rice cracker, Haruaki's face was right before her eyes. While chewing the rice cracker, he slowly drew his lips closer to Fear. Her heart raced uncontrollably. Crunch. Halfway point surpassed. Hold it. Wait, Haruaki, if you keep on eating, your lips... Your lips... Will touch with mine&mdash;


At this moment, Fear suddenly regained her senses.


"Nuooooooooooooh!?"

"F-Fear-kun, what's the matter?"

"H-Huff... W-What's going on, what did I just do...?"

Panting, Fear looked all around her. Oddly enough, her memories were in total chaos. This place was&mdash;that's right&mdash;the kitchen at Kirika's home. In order to make chocolate for Valentine's Day, she had asked Kirika to be her coach and instructor. Then making her first visit to Kirika's home, she had decided to start with making something simple&mdash;

"Fear-kun, are you alright...?"

"O-Of course I'm alright. Absolutely alright. I just spaced out for a moment there. Uh, no, I suddenly just felt like screaming out once..."

"...Very well. It's very dangerous if you move carelessly when holding a kitchen knife."

Speaking of which&mdash;Fear looked down at her hands. She was holding a kitchen knife. On the kitchen counter was a cutting board with chocolate bars on top. Under Kirika's tutelage, she was currently performing the step of cutting the chocolate into small pieces. After coughing drily once, Fear focused her attention again.

"I must focus... There's no time for spacing out. Cut cut..."

Fear returned to her original task, producing a drumming sound while she chopped away with the kitchen knife in an unrefined manner. Her movements were unrefined because she was not used to handling a kitchen knife. This could not be helped. Absolutely, this was not because she was venting her anger or trying to hide her embarrassment.

A certain matter suddenly awakened in her mind, one that she had been pondering for a long time now. Fear could feel her cheeks turning red. At the same time, she swung the kitchen knife even more violently.

Strange, this really was too strange.

She was simply giving chocolate to him out of gratitude for taking care of her on a daily basis. She was doing all this out of a very practical wish: giving better chocolate than Cow Tits, making Cow Tits recognize her ability, and while she was at it, receive the best return gift from Haruaki.

That was obviously the situation here.

&mdash;Then why was she having such weird delusions?