It didn't even occur to Sena to do something for Valentine's Day.

He didn't see why it should have. Valentine's Day was a girl's holiday. And Sena was not a girl, despite what some people who will remain anonymous, let's call them Shingomachimonjikyushira-kojitanirukomatosaki, seemed to think.

However, he did like chocolate. And since he didn't think much of his chances of getting chocolates from any girls other than Mamo-nee this year (...or any year...), when Mamo-nee asked him to come to the Home Ec room to help her and a few of her friends make chocolate, Sena wasn't prepared to say no.

"Just me and a few friends, Sena," said Mamo-nee, smiling. "A couple of us are beginners, though, so we'd appreciate another pair of hands that knows what to do in the kitchen."

Sena felt the sharp, stabbing pain of another blow to his manly pride. He felt it was completely unfair of Mamo-nee to imply what a good wife he was, seeing as how it had been her who had spent all that time teaching him how to bake pastries in elementary. But, hey, free chocolate. And people who needed his help! How could he lose? "Sure, Mamo-nee, I have time."

Ten minutes later, he was losing.

These girls. They wouldn't stop giggling. Every time he said Mamo-nee, they'd giggle. Senpai, and they'd giggle. And the touching! Ruffling his hair, rubbing his cheeks, "helping" him with his apron. Offering to taste his chocolate batter (only one managed to offer this with a straight face. The rest dissolved into smothered hysterics), asking So who are you confessing to, Sena-chan? Is he cute?, elbowing Mamo-nee in the side and saying in a really loud whisper, Hey, my brother's really nice and good-looking, we should totally set them up.

"Oh," said Mamo-nee, seeming alarmed. Sena felt a brief surge of gratitude. "Your brother goes to Housen, right? No offense, Tsukimoto-san, but I really don't think they'd suit. Sena needs someone gentle."

"Whaaat? Come on, Anezaki, Masa's a good match! Look at Sena-chan! I know his type. He needs someone nice enough to take care of him but scary enough to chase all the pervs away. Masa-nii is perfect!"

Mamo-nee—looked thoughtful. Like she was seriously considering it.

Sena scowled down into the bowl he was mixing.

"Look! He's upset!"

"Kyaaa, Sena-chan, let Ki-chan comfort you in her arms—"

The only thing that made up for it all was the chocolate. Sena ended up making way too much, as he'd gone through several batches showing the girls, who seemed to be spending more time brushing his hair and putting ribbons and clips and other shiny things in it than actually paying attention, the chocolate-making process. There turned out to be at least thirteen bags too many when it was all over, and the girls didn't want any of it since they had their own batches to wrap.

"All yours, Sena-chan!"

"Sena-chan, please don't get fat!"

"Don't let your boyfriend eat too much, Sena-chan. If he gets fat you'll have to dump him."

"Sena-chaaan." A girl—Tsuki-something-san?—put her hands on his shoulders. "I'll let Masa-nii know you're saving a bag for him, OK?"

"Senpai, that's really not—"

"And if you have a boyfriend, break up with him now." Tsuki-something-san's face became serious. "It's better if it's just his heart that gets broken and not his legs."

Sena backed away slowly.

They cooed and giggled and patted his hair—from which he'd removed all accessories, much to their disappointment—and then Sena threw down his apron and rushed out the door with his thirteen bags of chocolate before Mamo-nee could catch him.

Walking down the hall toward the shoe lockers with thirteen bags of Valentine's chocolates in his arms was weird. Class had long since let out, but there were still some people at school and they all seemed to find the sight of him with all those chocolates really funny. At least, they were all smiling, and one girl called after him, "Go you, Sena-chan!"

Seriously. What was wrong with these people?

At the lockers, he met Monta, who'd stayed back for cleaning duties.

"Oh, Se—" Monta blinked at the chocolates Sena was holding. Then he nodded. "Shin's gonna be stoked MAX. You're an awesome girlfriend."

"Monta." Sena tried to look as if he were offended and not as if he were about to cry. "I am not anyone's girlfriend and these are not for Shin-san. They aren't for anyone."

"Yeah?" Monta pulled a face. "Poor Shin. He's gonna be bummed MAX when he doesn't get any."

Sena tried to imagine Shin-san looking bummed, MAX or otherwise. He couldn't. "I really don't think he cares who I give chocolates to—if I gave chocolates to anybody, which I'm not."

"Uh-huh." Since when had Monta learned how to look skeptical? "Well, a'right, but when Shin gets mad at you for not givin' him any, don't come cryin' to me."

For the second time in their friendship, Sena felt the urge to hit Monta. In the face. He immediately felt sorry, so instead of yelling I'm not a girl, Monta!, Sena sighed and gestured with his arms full of chocolate. "Want some?"

"No," said Monta, eyes wide and horrified.

("No offense, Sena," he explained later. "I mean, I'm flattered and everythin', but Shin's a big guy, you know?")