Apology

"I'm back..."

Yukina stopped in front of the door, glanced left, then right, and took a deep breath.

No! Chiba wouldn't get angry over something like this.

If anything, he should learn his lesson!

The thought flashed through her mind, and she finally made up her mind and pushed open the door.

Then, the next second...

Th-this was... Chiba? Wh-why... wh-why was Chiba... here? H-he wasn't out shopping?

Why...

Why was he holding flowers, too? And they were my favorite sunflowers...

A-and... Chiba like this...

At that moment, Yukina's eyes widened slightly, and a blush slowly rose across her elegant, pretty face. Whether it was because his appearance had been too sudden or for some other reason, she only felt her heart begin to race and her face grow hot.

Right then, in her line of sight, Chiba stood at an angle, holding a bouquet of small golden sunflowers. Dressed alone in white, the breeze that rushed in when the door opened stirred the slightly long bangs over his forehead. His handsome, steadfast face slowly turned toward her, carrying an indescribably dashing and carefree air. In her eyes, warm-colored bubbles seemed to float all around the boy before her.

Somehow...

Looking at Chiba before her, Yukina's face grew redder and redder, her heart pounding wildly as if it were about to leap from her throat.

"Uh..."

With a startled sound, the boy's ink-black eyes, as deep as a sea of stars, turned toward her, clearly reflecting a snow-white girl whose pretty face had turned scarlet.

In that instant, their gazes met. Yukina only felt her heart miss half a beat, her breath catch, and her whole body nearly spring into the air.

S-so handsome...

And the last half-formed thought in her heart popped out as well. Then her mind went