The new week is coming soon, because there are annual exams, and the ban on club activities naturally starts on Monday.
After school ended in the afternoon, Naruse and several of his classmates went to study in the air-conditioned library at school just like they did before the final exam last semester. After returning home, they went to Morimi's house for a study meeting.
After half a week of this, it was finally the day before the exam.
"...The annual exam starts tomorrow. The results of this exam are related to future studies. I don't need to emphasize its importance."
Zhongyuan Xue stood on the podium and looked at the students below.
"Then, it's still the same as before. You must not be absent tomorrow and the next two days. If there is a reason to ask for leave, the first thing to do is to inform the teacher..."
After a long time of solemn explanation, the teacher announced that school was over.
Naruse was packing his things. When several boys who were about to leave came to him, they suddenly came over and stared at him silently.
"...What are you doing? It's too late to come to me for tutoring now."
"Tuition? What kind of tutoring... Oh, you said tomorrow's exam, that's not important."
Xiaolin was looking at him, "Naruse should know what day tomorrow is."
"The day when the annual examination begins."
"No - are you a high school student? Can you think less about studying and focus more on youth?"
"..."
Naruse glanced at the teacher who had not left the podium and said nothing.
"Tomorrow is the fourteenth day of February, which is Valentine's Day!"
"I know."
"The school actually arranged the exam on Valentine's Day. The school's intentions are too sinister - no matter whether you receive the chocolate or not, you can't take the exam with peace of mind!" Taiga Tsuchikawa said angrily.
Seeing that Naoko had packed his things and was waiting for him, Naruse felt helpless, "Then do you still want to receive it, or do you not want to receive it?"
"Of course I want to receive it! Giri chocolate is better than no chocolate at all!"
"Then look forward to it."
"You said it so easily... Yes, Naruse will definitely receive a lot of chocolates tomorrow. If I didn't receive them..."
"Give you a piece?"
"No, you hid it so you don't let me see it!"
Naruse shook his head, "Okay."
Before leaving, Kobayashi Masaru asked Naoko again: "This flower will definitely give Naruse his life chocolate."
Shangzi smiled slightly but did not answer.
In Xiao Lin's opinion, her smile was acquiescence, and she left with envy and sadness.
"Let's go to the library." Naruse said.
"Yeah."
Calling Hikaru Takigawa who was chatting at the back door of the classroom, the three of them headed to the library together. Morimi and Haisei from Class E had already gone ahead to occupy their seats.
On the way, Takigawa Hikaru suddenly asked: "Do I want to give Harumi chocolate?"
Naruse glanced at her and said, "Whatever you want."
"Then give it away."
"Yeah."
After a brief silence, Naoko smiled and said, "Last year's Valentine's Day, Hikari received a lot of chocolates."
"There are many."
Takigawa Hikaru also laughed, "Let's compare and see who receives more chocolates tomorrow."
"It must have been a lot of light," Naruse said.
"Why?"
Walking through the corridor, he looked at the library getting closer and closer in front of him.
"Apart from you, the only girls who will give me chocolates are girls from Class C, but Guang's friends are no longer limited to classes and grades."
"Ah, that's right..."
"So work hard and don't fail the exams in the next two days. Jingao is the most popular."
"Haha."
Arriving at the library, Naruse noticed that the atmosphere here was different from the previous few days. Many people's agitation was already written on their faces.
"Go back early today." Morimi spread notes on the table, "The library is not as quiet as the classroom."
There were restless whispers everywhere, and Naruse looked around, expressing his indifference.
Morimi looked at Haixing again. She didn't say anything, but she never calmed down. She kept looking at her and making small movements.
Valentine's Day...
She took a silent breath, spread out her notebook, and pushed it in front of Haixing.
"Five minutes to solve this problem."
"Eh..."
"Four minutes and fifty seconds left."
"..."
Haixing immersed himself in solving the problem, and the others also started today's study session.
Under the guidance or high-pressure management of the two counselors, the constant buzzing and whispering in the library did not have much impact on them.
Only when it was approaching closing time in the library did a few people leave.
"I'm going to the shopping mall over there at the Central Station." Morimi said after walking out of school, "You go and wait for the bus first."
"Do you want to go shopping?" Haixing asked.
"Yeah."
"I also have something to buy...I'll go with you."
"Okay."
"Ah, I want to buy chocolates." Hikaru Takigawa said, "Take me with you."
All three of them had something to buy, so Monk Naruse followed him there.
Near the shopping mall, many shops have been decorated in accordance with the festive atmosphere and have hung signs with Valentine's Day specials.
All three of them wanted to buy chocolate. When they walked into the same store, Naoko and Naruse followed them and walked around.
"So much chocolate."
"Yeah."
"There are still many students."
"After all, this store is the biggest store nearby."
Not only students from Jingao, but students from Nangao, Donggao and even some nearby private schools also crowded in this store, choosing chocolates.
Picking up a box of beautifully packaged chocolates, Mori looked at it before and after, and felt it was okay, so he was about to check out.
Hikaru Takigawa also picked quickly.
"Chunhai, which of these two chocolates do you like?"
"..."
"Huh?"
"Anything is fine."
Taking gifts as gifts for him and for family and friends, Takigawa Hikaru also went to check out.
Starfish hesitated in front of the shelf for a long time, unable to decide.
Seeing that both of them had already gone to the front desk to queue up, she finally hesitated for a while and chose the one she held in her left hand.
"Why did you take so much?" Morimi asked when he saw Hikaru Takigawa coming over with a pile of chocolates.
"This is for Harumi, this is for dad, this is for mom, this is for Yue, this is for Naoko, this is for you, Ichiyo, and this is for Haixing..." She assigned the ownership of each piece of chocolate.
Morimi shook his head, "My family doesn't have the habit of giving chocolates to family members on Valentine's Day."
Takigawa Hikaru smiled, "I just started this year too... So this piece is for Harumi?"
Morimi responded.
"He has spent so much money at my house in the past six months, so I have to give him a piece of Gili chocolate as a thank you."
"Wow, how come this piece of chocolate is full of the flavor of money..."
Both of them smiled.
Starfish also came and lined up.
"For Harumi?" Takigawa Hikaru asked her the same question again.
"Ah... um. It's just giri chocolate." She emphasized.
Takigawa Hikaru smiled, Morimi looked at her without saying anything, and then looked at the long queue in front of him.
"There are so many people..."
It has been fifteen years in the blink of an eye.
May the deceased rest in peace and may the mountains and rivers be well.