Omg this is an Uihai tsunami and I love it.
“Sooooo. What are your plans for Valentine’s Day?” Hirako sits on Ui’s desk – the nerve – and grins at Ui.
“What’s with your cheeky face?” he asks sourly.
“So grumpy. Pining away, are we?”
“What?” Ui gasps. “For who? You’re crazy!”
“Methinks thou doth protest too much.” Kiyoko Aura breezes past.
Ui turns scarlet as all the Squad 0 kids giggle. “Who?”
Arima strolls towards them, and Shio waves him over. “Arima, Arima! Do you think Ui should buy Hairu chocolates or roses for Valentine’s Day?”
Yusa and Rikai dissolve into giggles again, and even Hirako seems taken aback.
“What?” Arima frowns. Koori and Hairu? Hairu and Koori? “Hmm, yes, I can see that.” Honestly, he rather likes the idea. “Buy her what you think she’d want.”
“How do I know?” Ui whispers.
“Ask her or her friends,” Hirako whispers back.
“What’s everyone doing here? Is there a mission to prepare for?” Hairu skips over to them. “Ui, you look red, are you okay?”
Ui gurgles.
“Hypothetically,” begins Hirako.
“The kids are wondering what to buy others for Valentine’s Day,” Arima interrupts. They threw Ui, he can throw them. It’s a life lesson.
“Ooh. Roses and chocolate and candlelit dinners are nice. But you know what’s best? Telling someone they like you. I think.” Hairu imagines her perfect Valentine’s Day.
When she waltzes away, the rest of Arima Squad stares at Ui.
“Better practice that confession.” Arima turns around. “Kids, it’s practice time.”
They all stand.
“You’re welcome,” Hirako says to a mortified Ui.
The day dawns, the day Ui’s feared since he learned what love was.
Valentine’s Day.
If he doesn’t tell Hairu, Arima will be disappointed and Hirako will think him a coward.
He has a bouquet of chocolate roses and candlelit dinner reservations. How Arima managed to get him such pricey reservations, he wasn’t sure; all Arima said was that he had ‘a friend’ who ‘knew their way around’ Tokyo.
“It might all be for nothing,” Ui reminded him.
“It won’t,” Arima assures him.
But now Ui doubts Arima Kishou. He arrives at CCG soaked in sweat. He can feel everyone’s eyes on the chocolate bouquet in his hands. That slimy Rank 1 Furuta barely covers his laughter.
Hairu rounds the corner and smacks into him. “Koori! I didn’t see you behind – this thing.”
Her eyes widen. “Who’s this for?”
She’ll kill the girl. Just kidding. But she was not counting on losing Ui on Valentine’s Day. Unless…
“You!” Ui thrusts the bouquet in her face. “Chocolate roses, and I have dinner reservations at a fancy restaurant downtown. If you want. If you don’t, I understand, but please keep the chocolate -”
“Koori,” Hairu interrupts. She’s beaming from ear-to-ear. He remembered that entire conversation? Koori is sweeter than chocolate. “Yes, but only if you help me finish the candy.”
He breaks into a smile. “Really?”
“You’re amazing. Why wouldn’t I like you?” Hairu shivers. “I just – I thought you didn’t – you are so focused on work -”
“Chocolate!” Shio races in.
“He did it!” Rikai cheers, and Yusa hurries over. “Can we have some chocolate, too?”
Hairu blinks. “Um, okay.”
“Please make sure you have some,” says Ui.
“Not to worry.” She winks. “Tonight?”
“Tonight.”
Mercy and Magic 