It was a few days after learning how to make truffles from Amao. In those few days, Ayoshi practiced making truffles. He made so many batches he had a lot of extra, so he just packed a few bags with the extras to give away.
It took him a few days to make truffles up to his standards. His mother said when doing something, it must be done perfectly. The smallest mistake could cost him everything. Even though he was just simply making truffles, he must follow his mother's words.
Since he perfected it yesterday, Ayoshi decided to give him the gift today. He woke up extra early to make the bento and truffles. When he walked into the kitchen, he saw a note from his mother and father saying they would be away for a few days because of work. Being completely unaffected, he just went on to make the gifts. When he finished, he just made himself a quick omelet for breakfast and walked to the park. While he walked, he saw Taro and Osano at the park waiting for him.
"Hey, Ayoshi-kun," Taro said as he waved.
Osano just crossed his arms and said, "Finally! I've been waiting for so long. Don't make me wait so much next time!"
"We both only got here five minutes ago, Osano-kun."
"Shut up, Taro! Five minutes is a long time, ok!" Taro laughed awkwardly and just agreed with him. "Anyways, let's go before you two make me late," he said as he walked off with a pout.
As they were walking, Taro noticed Ayoshi holding a bento and a beautiful box. "What's that Ayoshi-kun?" When Osano heard his words, he turned his head to face Ayoshi and noticed the things in his hands too.
"These are gifts."
"For who?" Osano asked.
"A few days ago, I realized I wanted to thank someone. He has been very kind to me. So I made him a gift: a bento and truffles."
Their hearts sped up, both thinking, 'I hope it's for me!'
"When are you giving it to him?" Osano asked with excitement.
"Lunch."
Osano and Taro both couldn't wait for lunch, both expected to be the lucky guy to get such a special gift from Ayoshi.
***
It's lunch and Kizano slowly paced in front of the door that led to the fountain, where Ayoshi ate his lunch. He had been observing him since that day at his rehearsal. He's been trying to build up the courage to speak to him. He didn't understand why all of a sudden he felt nervous about speaking to him. 'Kizano, get a hold of yourself! Your prince is never going to love a coward.' He finally decided and walked through the doors towards Ayoshi with confidence.
Ayoshi sat with Taro and Osano to his left and right, but he got up to go somewhere.
'Ugh, who are these two? They're always with my prince,' Kizano thought. "Ayoshi-kun, it's me," he said happily as he stood in front of Ayoshi.
"Hello, Sunobu-kun."
Kizano wrapped his arm around Ayoshi's arm and laid his head on his shoulder, "Ayoshi, call me Kizano!"
Taro and Osano looked at Kizano's bold display of affection towards Ayoshi in shock. 'Who is this guy that keeps rubbing himself on Ayoshi,' they both thought in anger.
"Ayoshi-kun, who is this?" Osano asked as he looked at Kizano up and down.
Just as Ayoshi went to open his mouth to respond, Kizano interrupted him, "I am Sunobu Kizano, president of the Drama Club."
"Ayoshi, why didn't you tell us about him?" Taro asked with a saddened voice.
Before Ayoshi could say anything, once again Kizano interrupted, "Oh, after the incident between us, he probably wanted to keep me all to himself." Even though he hadn't interacted with Ayoshi since the day he saved him, he loved the way Taro and Osano's faces twisted with jealousy and anger.
'The incident? What happened between the two of them?' Taro and Osano screamed in their heads.
"Ayoshi, what… what happened between you two?" Taro almost yelled.
"Ayoshi saved me. He caught me in his strong arms, protecting me from getting hurt. It was amazing, magical even," Kizano said as he stared at Ayoshi with dreamy eyes.
Taro and Osano were so upset. They were both rushing to think of a way to get Ayoshi away from Kizano. Then it hit them, 'Ayoshi's gift for me!' They both became cocky in their minds, thinking of how Ayoshi was going to give them a precious gift right in front of Kizano. "Ayoshi, didn't you say you wanted to give someone a gift during lunch?" The two asked in unison.
"What gift?" Kizano asked. As Ayoshi looked through his bag, he explained the reason for his gift. "Oh, how… how nice of you," he said with a strained smile. Taro and Osano looked at him with a smug smirk and he glared at them.
Taro and Osano held out their hands, waiting for the precise gift Ayoshi made for them. Then they noticed the other holding out their hand. Before they could question each other, Ayoshi finished searching.
Ayoshi finally took out the two bags of truffles. "Here you go."
They were both shocked. They weren't handed the bento or the beautifully decorated box Ayoshi held this morning.
"Ayoshi, what about that bento?"
"And the pretty box of chocolates?"
"That is for someone else. These are leftover truffles I had. I wanted to give some to you as a sign of friendship."
Kizano mockingly chuckled at the scene. Taro and Osano saw as he gave them the same smug smirk they had given him and fiercely glared at him. 'Maybe the gift is for me! My prince must have imprinted our special moment in his heart and made the gift as a sign of affection,' he thought with excitement. "Ayoshi, my prince, if the gift isn't for them, who's it for?"
When Kizano asked the question, Ayoshi had just finished counting the bags of truffles he had left over. He grabbed one and handed it to Kizano. Kizano looked at the bag and felt great disappointment. The gift wasn't for him, but it all disappeared when he heard Ayoshi's next words, "Take this, Kizano-kun. A gift to congratulate you for being the lead in the school play."
Even though it wasn't the gift he wanted, his prince remembered something important to him. "Oh, my prince! You're so sweet! I love it, I'm sure the chocolate will be delicious," Kizano said as he wrapped his arms around Ayoshi's neck and gave him a hug.
When Taro and Osano looked at how happy Kizano was at the gift Ayoshi gave him, they felt terrible. He gave them a gift as a sign of their friendship. It showed how much Ayoshi cherished them, but they were being so ungrateful. The two changed their minds and looked at their gifts with happiness.
"Ayoshi, you're so kind. I love my gift. Thank you," Taro said with a smile as he pushed Kizano out of the way. He wrapped his arms around Ayoshi's waist and held him close.
"Hey! Taro, move! I'm giving Ayoshi a hug too!"
Taro didn't want to let go. He loved the way his and Ayoshi's body fit together so perfectly. He loved Ayoshi's warmth, but Osano pried him off of Ayoshi.
Osano stood in front of Ayoshi and awkwardly wrapped his arms around him. Then quickly moved away after giving him a brief hug. His face flushed, "Don't think I wanted to hug you! It was just to show my… gratitude."
Ayoshi just nodded at Osano's words. He actually thought the hugs were nice. His mother never hugged him much. Mostly showing her affection to his father. So he never really felt the warmth of a hug. "I must go now. I have to go give my gift." Before he could walk away, the bell rang, signaling that lunch was over.
"Ayoshi-kun, we're sorry. We wasted your time, now you can't go give your gift," Taro said as the other two nodded along.
"It is ok, I will just give it to him later," Ayoshi said as he walked off.
The other three stayed behind for a few minutes. They looked at each other. All silently agreeing, they must find out who is so special to Ayoshi that he would go through so much trouble to make a gift for him.
***
Ayoshi had just finished club activities and finally changed back into his uniform.
Budo walked over to him with a big smile. "Great match, Aishi-kun! You're getting really good."
"Thank you, Masuta-kun, but before I go, I have something to give you."
"You do?" Budo asked with surprise.
"Yes, I baked truffles and made too many," Ayoshi said as he handed him a bag.
Budo happily grabbed the bag of chocolate. He opened it and ate one. "Wow! These taste great. You're a great baker, Aishi-kun. Thank you."
"You're welcome. I must go now."
"Wait."
"Yes?"
"Well, we've known each other for a while and we are sparring partners. So why don't we call each other by our first names?"
"Ok. Bye, Budo-kun."
"Bye, Ayoshi-kun," Budo said as he stared at Ayoshi's back as he walked away. 'I've never liked someone saying my name so much. He made it sound so nice and he gave me chocolate. Ayoshi, you really are wonderful~.' He finally moved from his spot and started to clean the clubroom as he hummed.
Ren noticed and walked over to Budo, "What's got you so happy, president?"
"Oh, hey, Ren-kun. I just got chocolate. Who wouldn't be happy about chocolate?"
"Oh, really? Why do you have chocolate?" Ren asked.
"Oh, they said there was a lot left over when they were baking. They had too much, so they gave me some."
"Dude," Ren said as he looked at Budo like he was stupid.
"What?" Budo asked, confused.
"I mean, if I had a lot of chocolate, I wouldn't give it to anyone. You could never have too much chocolate."
"You have a point."
"People just say that so they don't look weird when they give chocolate to a guy. The girl who gave you that made that excuse up so they could give you chocolate without you questioning them."
Budo completely missed how Ren said girl, and asked, "Really?"
"Yeah, the girl who gave you chocolate totally likes you."
When Budo heard those words, his mind went blank.
Ren stood there awkwardly for a few minutes as he looked at his president, who had stood there with a dumbfounded expression. Budo has said nothing the whole time. "Well… I'm gonna go, President," he said as he walked away.
Budo continued to stand there with a blank face until he heard someone call out his name.
"Masuta-kun? Are you ok, you've been standing there for a while."
Budo had finally snapped out of it and it finally sunk in. 'Ayoshi likes me,' he thought as his face grew a big, goofy smile. He stared at the chocolate he held gently with dreamy eyes. "I'm great," he whispered lovingly.
Rai had seen the interaction between him and Ayoshi and then heard the conversation between Budo and Ren. So she knew why Budo was so happy. And it hurts. It hurts so bad. 'Why can't it be me?' She asked herself.
Budo suddenly realized he had to go to Ayoshi and tell him he understood. "Rai-chan, I have to go," he said as he gathered his stuff and left to go after Ayoshi.
"I told you to call me Mina. Why do you never listen?" Rai whispered to Budo's retreating back.