The Best Day of the Year

# This Might Be Love!

## Chapter 1 - The Best Day of the Year

    Nothing about today has been exceptionally impressive, or possessed even a single quality that you could call exceptional in any capacity. The sky is clear, which I guess is nice, and the sun has warmed the city to just a hair above what it usually is this time of year - a robust 55°, give or take - but it's still just a typical day. I went to my typical classes, ate my typical lunch - plain brown rice, steamed fish, and similarly steamed vegetables - went to more classes, took the usual subway route I've been taking when the weather isn't too annoying - instead of calling a car like I usually do - and now find myself walking toward the same old I MY ME building with the same old company as usual, who is herself almost exactly as she always is, save for a little extra spring in her step and sway in her walk. Like I said, this is just another completely normal, average day, with not a single thing to make it stand out except for the most minute, inconsequential, pointless little detail.

    "Ms. Inagawa! Isn't today just lovely?" My companion brushed her hand across a tree's trunk as we walked down the sidewalk. It's still mostly barren, nothing but a mess of twigs and branches, but she seems to be in awe of absolutely everything today.

    Regardless of how unimpressive it actually is.

    "I suppose so, *Ms. Aihara.* The same as the last five times you've said that."

    "My apologies, Ms. Inagawa. There's just something about today that's making everything positively…"

    "Lovely?"

    "Why thank you, Eimi. You're quite lovely today yourself."

    "Hah hah hah." I droned dryly. "Someone's in a good mood today."

    "Of course I am! Today is my favorite day, and this year is especially meaningful to me."

    "And why may that be?" I asked, as if I didn't know, but playing dumb makes up a significant part of the relationship between Megumi and I. The bulk of our conversations are made up of things that we both already know. It can't really be helped. We're two pretty smart cookies, and so the usual "did you know that…" and "you won't believe what I heard…" only stretches so far before it devolves into a back and forth of various facts and figures that we either both already knew or can't bring ourselves to care about. And if we're going to do that we may as well save ourselves the effort and just stick to trying to talk like normal people.

    Well…

    Our version of normal, at least, which to an outside observer would probably still be anything but.

    That's entirely Megumi's fault.

    A lot of things tend to be Megumi's fault.

    "It's Valentine's Day!" Megumi shouted, highly uncharacteristic given her usual demeanor. "The best day of the entire year."

    "*Ms. Aihara*, I'm afraid you're wildly mistaken. Today is nothing but a made-up holiday to con people into buying candy and greeting cards."

    "Ms. Inagawa!" She was taken aback by my honest appraisal of the holiday. "I can't believe you could say such a thing."

    "Well, it's true. Every year I have to sign a hundred Valentine's cards to send to my biggest supporters with a little box of chocolate so they don't feel taken for granted. And then there's all the mail. I get hundreds of boxes of chocolates. I'll be getting them for weeks! And there's the gawdy cards, the awful poetry, the stupid letters doused in gross aftershave or full of red glitter… And that's not even the worst part!" I explained my position passionately - the only kind of passion I'd be experiencing today.

    "What is the worst part, Ms. inagawa?"

    "I can't eat any of it! I don't even open the homemade stuff in case some crazy did who knows what to it. That goes straight in the trash. Then the store bought stuff is still against my diet. It all goes right to my hips."

    "To your hips?" Megumi gave me the look. You know… the look. The one you make when you're saying something that sounds normal but is definitely not normal. The one Megumi makes a lot, and which for some reason I'm the only one who notices. "Perhaps I should try indulging in more chocolate then."

    "Yes, to my hips! Which is why I dump it all in the kitchens or around the offices. Nobody cares if a producer gets fat, and if the other girls are too weak to resist temptation then that's their fault."

    "I'm sure they appreciate your generosity. It isn't every idol who gives chocolates to their entire dorm. That's very kind of you."

    "Hah! I like your spin on it. If anyone catches me dumping boxes of chocolates around the dorm that's going to be my new explanation."

    "That just further proves why this is the best day of the year. Even Ms. Inagawa is overcome with the spirit of generosity."

    The implication in Megumi's statement was a little mean, so I punished her with a pinch on the arm. She let out a small yelp and slapped my hand away.

    "I know it's Valentine's Day, but please keep your hands to yourself, Ms. Inagawa. You haven't even given me chocolates yet."

    "And why would I do that, *Ms. Aihara?* If you love the holiday so much then I'm sure you're aware that it's traditional for girls to give chocolates to boys. And the last I checked you are very obviously not a boy."

    "Ah, but you have checked. Thank you very much for noticing, and I'm very sorry to have disappointed you on that front."

    "Oh, shut up. Geeze, you *must* be in a great mood. You're not letting anything go today. Hey! Ow!" Megumi reached over and pinched my shoulder through my uniform. Even our winter jackets proved no match for her long, annoyingly bony fingers. I think it's the calluses from playing her koto. "What happened to chocolates first, huh?"

    "That was rude Ms. Inagawa, and you know better. Besides, you're even more obviously not a boy than I am thanks to your ample *hips*, so as you said, there's no possible way my chocolates could be for you."

    "Ok, ok! Just- Hey wait, did you actually buy someone chocolates?"

    "No, Ms. Inagawa, I did not. I made someone chocolates. I assume you gave out some of your own as well, popular as you are. Other than to your adoring supporters, I mean."

    "Well, yeah, but it was just Hayate. Ever since we've both been at I MY ME he's been trying to rekindle our old friendship, so I felt kind of obligated, you know? He even asked me to have dinner tonight…"

    "I see…" A calm, serene smile encroached on Megumi's face. Her usual, non-Valentine's look. "Mr. Sumiyoshi is quite handsome. I'm sure you'll have a lovely evening together."

    "What?" Of all the stupid things for Megumi to say. "Even if I wanted to, you know idols can't date. It'd ruin my career if people even suspected I had a boyfriend. Wait! You're not dating the boy you made chocolates for, are you? How could you do that without telling me?!"

    "Ms. Inagawa, I can't believe you'd accuse me of such a thing! I haven't even given away my chocolates yet. It's far too early to consider dating."

    "Well… good. Don't go doing anything stupid." Because I'll kill you if you get yourself fired. "Why're you so excited then? It's just chocolate."

    "My entire life I've watched as my mother spoiled my father rotten every year. She always planned the most splendid surprises, even when we had an inn full of guests. Maybe most of all when we had guests. Dinner was always all of my father's favorites, dessert was always chocolate, and even our most curmudgeonly guests couldn't help but feel the love in the air. And this year…" Megumi looked unusually pensive as she hesitated. "I've never been in a position to give chocolates myself. I've always merely spectated as others exchanged tokens of their affection. It's embarrassing to admit, but I don't actually know how I'm supposed to go about it."

    "That's easy. You just walk up to them and give them the chocolate. If they like you they'll tell you, or else you'll know next month when you get anything back or not. Who're they for, anyway? Maybe we could double date if they like you back. We could probably spin that into something cute as long as there's lots of witnesses and the cameras see us going back to our dorm right after. Maybe at the bakery… I bet the papers would eat it up."

    "I'd much rather keep that a secret until afterward. I have no reason to believe they'll react favorably, and it would be far too embarrassing to have it be common knowledge."

    "Aww, come on. Friends are supposed to talk about boys and stuff. It's tradition! And I know how much you like that stuff. I tell you when I see a cute boy, riiight?"

    "True as that may be, Ms. Inagawa, you do seem to notice attractive young men far more readily than most. And not-so-young men, if memory serves me correctly."

    "Do not. I'm just more honest about it than most girls. And I said I was sorry for saying your dad was hot! Geeze, I meant it as a compliment."

    "Did you ever apologize to Ms. Junko for that?"

    "I did not, and I will not, *Ms. Aihara*." I said indignantly, then muttered just loud enough to be sure she would hear, "I'm not going to apologize just because I'm going to be her future stepmother."

    Megumi laughed, because it was a hilarious half-joke. "Eimi! You're terrible sometimes!"

    "So how about it? If your mystery man likes you then we can try a nice, media friendly double date. Something like… shopping at the mall, or getting a table in the window of that new sushi place downtown."

    "I'm afraid that would be quite impossible."

    "Why? It'd be fun." What possible reason could she have for not wanting to try a double date? The most Megumi-esque answer was probably something like "But Ms. Inagawa, I've never been on a date before. I wouldn't know even the slightest how to go on one! It would be far too embarrassing." The only other reason that comes to mind would be if the boy Megumi likes is actually… "No way!"

    She stopped walking and looked at me, tilting her head in confusion. "Ms. Inagawa?"

    "You made chocolates for Hayate?!"

    "Did I?"

    "You tell me."

    Not that she isn't allowed to do something like that, but for some reason the thought of my old best friend and my new becoming involved like that made me feel quite a few things I never would have expected, almost entirely less than pleasant. I planted my hands on my hips and leered at her until she did just what I demanded.

    "He is quite good looking, isn't he?" She placed her thumb and forefinger on her chin and acted as though she were thinking about it for the first time. "I do find blonde hair quite fetching, and I must admit his eyes are particularly lovely. Do you think Mr. Sumiyoshi would respond favorably if I gave him chocolates?"

    "He would be extremely flattered, I'm sure, just as any boy would be. But… I don't think you're really his type."

    "My, how disappointing." Megumi gave me an overexaggerated frown. "Perhaps if I dyed my hair blonde as well…" She resumed our walk, leaving me to catch up a few steps as I pursued her.

    "Don't you dare! That's my thing, and your hair is way too pretty to mess up like that…"

    She flipped her hair as if to say thanks and continued on in relative silence, only breaking it now and then to comment on how lovely she found this or that until we reached the lobby of our building. We were nearly at the elevator before she spoke up again.

    "I suppose giving chocolates to Mr. Sumiyoshi would be a poor idea. Thank you for preventing me from making a terrible mistake."

    "I didn't say you can't! I'm just saying…"

    "Ms. Inagawa…" A wry smirk formed on Megumi's thin lips. "I'm touched by your concern for my feelings, but I have to confess something to you. Mr. Sumiyoshi was never the intended recipient."

    "Wha? I can't believe you led me on like that!"

    Wearing an insufferable grin, Megumi opened her handbag and withdrew a smallish pink box, tied neatly shut with a large green ribbon not too different from the color of her eyes. She held it out at arm's length with both hands, bowing her head gently. What weird thing is she doing now?

    "Eimi, I want you to have these. Please accept them."

    "What are you doing, you weirdo?" What is she doing? And right here in the lobby of our dorm! Does she know what people will think?

    "Ms. Hanazawa mentioned how she exchanges chocolates every year with Ms. Junko and how much she looks forward to it. You're the first friend I've felt close enough to do such a thing with, and that's why this year is special to me. It's my first Valentine's as an idol, and my first with such a wonderful friend, and I hope to remember it as something special."

    "I… O-Ok. Thank you…" I accepted her token of friendly affection. I knew she would try something like this. It's pretty much the most Megumi thing to happen, right down to doing it in the lobby of our dorm, but even being prepared for her to pull something it was impossible not to be a little flustered now that it was actually happening.

    "I know you won't eat them, but I hope you can tell I followed my mother's recipe to the letter."

    "Why can't I eat them? What's wrong with your mom's recipe?" Chocolates I can't eat? What good is that as a gift?

    "I can assure you they're quite delicious. Mother always says that her secret ingredient is her love. I made sure to add as much as possible for you." She ruined what was otherwise a perfectly beautiful sentiment with a large wink. "I would feel terrible, however, if your diet was ruined on my account."

    "Megumin…" This is completely unfair. Megumi flirts better when she doesn't even mean it than most people can when they're actually in love. Doesn't she know that she's setting the bar too high for anyone who actually likes me like that? "Don't say weird stuff like that! Of course I'm going to eat them if they're from you, you big weirdo…"

    I opened my own bag and yanked out a similar package, though it was black with a lacy pink bow and store bought. They're expensive, yes. Probably the best chocolates you can buy anywhere in the prefecture, if we're quibbling. But if hers are as good as she claims - and, it would later turn out, they actually were - then they were still the inferior gift.

    Not that it's a competition or anything…

    I thrust them toward her with my eyes closed, wanting to get this embarrassing exchange over with.

    "These are for you! Just take them already." Which, she annoyingly didn't.

    "Thank you for the sentiment, but I'm sure whoever purchased those for you wanted very much for you to enjoy them. I'm familiar with the crest on the box. They're far too expensive to pass on so carelessly."

    "Wha?!" Of all the nerve! "Read the card if you don't believe me!"

    Too smart for her own good, Megumi carefully plucked the card - and only the card - from underneath the ribbon, leaving me holding two boxes like an idiot. As she read it she turned a pale shade of pink. I bought the chocolates last weekend on a shopping trip specifically for her, because… she already said why! I don't need to repeat it. The card - which I couldn't have written right here in the lobby, now could I? - was my proof.

    "To Megumin. Happy Valentine's Day. Eimi." Written in English so most nosy voyeurs wouldn't understand it, and with a small, hand drawn heart in front of my name.

    If I have to give stupid gifts today to a bunch of fans I don't even know to reward them for their support, I may as well get something for my actual biggest supporter. Don't make a big deal out of it like she did, hugging me right here in the lobby - probably with all sorts of people staring at us - until I could pry her off of me. At which point she was all smiles and said something else weird, because she's Megumi, and that's what Megumi always does.

    "Eimi Inagawa, will you be my valentine?", complete with another annoying wink.

    "You're impossible sometimes, you know that?" I rolled my eyes, unable to believe she had said something so dumb and cliche.

    "Please? I'll buy you dinner."

    "Sigh. Why not? But you're paying! And I am not a cheap date. Especially on Valentine's Day! I guess we can go to the new sushi place downtown, since your chocolates are already going to ruin my diet. And you'd better behave yourself! Don't forget that my other offer was cuter."

    "Yes, but this way you'll be the cutest one there. Surely that counts for something?" As always, Megumi sold herself short. Waitaminute…

    "Are you saying that Hayate is cuter than me?!"

    "Of course not, Eimi! You would pinch me again if I actually *said* it…"

    I managed to glare at her for about two seconds before I started laughing. I hate when she makes a good point.

    "He is really cute, isn't he?"

    "Of course he is." Megumi sighed like the heroine in a romantic movie, then fluttered her eyelashes. "There's just something special about blondes, isn't there?" I pushed her away from the elevator, ordering her to stop messing around and go change for dinner, at which point she loudly announced to everyone within earshot, "I can't believe I'm going on a Valentine's date with ***the*** Eimi Inagawa!“

    That did earn her another pinch on the wrist, which she repaid with one on the back of my hand before scanning herself through the doors to her hall.

    I can't believe I just agreed to a whole evening of this…

    It's going to be so much fun.

—————

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