The Encyclopedia of Love / The First Glance on Valentine's Day

As a legendary observer who has studied Kitagawa Ryo for so long, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka is now able to understand the current situation with ease.

Ultimately, it is his own value, or rather, his value in the eyes of others, that has been enhanced.

So even if it was a misunderstanding, Yoshiko felt shy but also a sense of superiority. She had heard that some girls seemed to care a lot about this, as if conquering such a high-value guy would improve their reputation in the circle.

Really.

The premise for starting a relationship should be self-improvement; attraction is more important than pursuit.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka nodded and began to integrate theory with practice.

Ahead of him, Kitagawa Ryo had already begun introducing the layout and some of the event arrangements to Ichinose Honami.

"The first and second floors of the Gymnasium will be open for this Valentine's Day event. The third floor and the rooftop will be locked and students will not be allowed to enter. There will also be booths and other outdoor activities outside the Gymnasium. The school will notify the students inside before the final fireworks display begins."

When mentioning the words "fireworks display," Kitagawa Ryo deliberately paused for a moment.

It feels like a long time has passed, yet it also feels like only a moment has gone by.

"This is what I'm Supply Honami."

He leaned closer and whispered in the other person's ear.

"So, back then, Honami owed me."

"We need to make up for it."

Chapter 462: The Encyclopedia of Love

"I always felt that the two of them had a really good relationship."

It has to be said that from Chikako's perspective, who was slightly behind Kitagawa Ryo and Ichinose Honami by two Yoshiko, the two who suddenly snuggled together and started whispering in each other's ears looked like the male and female leads in some kind of youth idol romance drama. Just watching them made one unconsciously feel a strong desire to fall in love.

"Yes, they have a very good relationship."

Unlike Yoshiko, who simply made a casual remark based on her feelings, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka took a more rational and objective perspective.

As everyone knows, due to the sheer number of girls involved and the ever-increasing number, the table of contents of Kitagawa Ryo's Encyclopedia of Love is terrifyingly long. However, in Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's eyes, there are no filler entries or padding. Each name is enough to support a story, which is what makes the book so extraordinary.

And Ichinose Honami is the second name, or rather, chapter, that Ayanokoji Kiyotaka followed after Ayanokoji Kiyotaka Karuizawa Kei.

It's no exaggeration to say that if Ichinose Honami's extravagant spending of Twenty Million Personal Points to transfer classes had happened a little earlier, he probably would have immediately prioritized her to the highest level. Girls with such determination and drive are extremely rare, making people eager to see what happened between the two and the origin of their relationship.

In Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's view, Ichinose Honami and Karuizawa Kei were capable of joining the Student Council, but they both ultimately chose the Drama Club where Kitagawa Ryo was, which is quite noteworthy in itself.

In addition, he also hoped to use Ichinose Honami, a popular girl who also stood at the top of the social circle in her grade, to understand and control Kushida Kikyo.

Unlike Totsuka Yahiko and Hashimoto Masayoshi, who were excluded from the class from the beginning, Kushida Kikyo Ayanokoji Kiyotaka to make use of Kushida Kikyo. Otherwise, he wouldn't have had Yamamura Miki secretly investigate her, and finally, during the last Mixed Training Camp Special Exam, he took action directly with Katsuragi Kohei.

Although Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was well aware that there was a fundamental difference Ichinose Honami and Kushida Kikyo in their personalities, he also believed that these two queens of popular life must have some similarities, which was the answer he wanted to find.

"Sorry, sorry, I was just talking about some personal things with Honami."

It's fortunate that they suddenly remembered there were other people present besides them, otherwise Kitagawa Ryo felt that the atmosphere just now was enough for a passionate kiss. Anyway, he did this kind of thing quite often when he was with Suzune.

"It's alright, it's alright, we can actually just wander around on our own."

Yoshiko waved her hand, then pulled Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and walked to a nearby stall, casually asking him:

"What do they sell here? The location is so out of the way, and it's all covered up completely, not a bit of skin is showing."

As Student Council member, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had naturally seen the layout of the venue beforehand. After a brief recollection, he calmly replied:

"Condoms."

"... glug."

Almost choked by Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's reply, Yoshiko swallowed hard and quickly looked away.

"Is this kind of thing allowed to be sold openly?"

"It seems the school thinks that selling it publicly will actually attract the attention of couples. After all, it would be more troublesome if any other accidents happened, and besides, there are also faculty and staff members who come here for dates."

Kitagawa Ryo, holding Ichinose Honami's hand, walked over and casually explained that if you were to count the sales of this thing, he would probably be the biggest customer. Not only does he always buy the best quality and most expensive kind, but he also checks it very carefully before using it, making sure the safety measures are top-notch.

Incidentally, Kitagawa Ryo had even prepared to be more cautious after Yuki enrolled, since he couldn't guarantee that given Yuki's mental state, she wouldn't do something to prematurely expose his tricks, which would inevitably lead to a complete breakdown.

Kitagawa Ryo hoped that his three years at Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School would be smooth and uneventful.

"Faculty and staff... I think there was a matchmaking event for them too, right?"

"Yes, the venue is set up outside. I guess a lot of students will come to watch the fun. After all, many familiar teachers will be participating, so it should be quite interesting. It seems like all four of our First Year homeroom teachers will be there."

"Hey--that makes me want to go see it too."

Hearing this, Yoshiko also drew out the last syllable with interest, then turned to look at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka:

What do you think Ayanokoji?

"You can come and see tomorrow."

"Oh yeah, I think Chabashira's homeroom teacher will be quite popular, and so will your class's Hoshinomiya teacher. They're probably the two prettiest teachers in the school."

"Yes, I also wish them all the best in finding a partner soon, just like you, Yoshiko."

Ichinose Honami with a beaming smile, but unfortunately, considering her true motives, she didn't seem like an archangel.

However, Yoshiko was clearly unaware of this. After hearing Ichinose Honami's words, she immediately scratched her cheek shyly and unconsciously looked up at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

"Thank you for your kind words."

The four of them walked and chatted, quickly exploring all the booths in the Gymnasium. Kitagawa Ryo even thoughtfully provided an exclusive tip about which booths offered special small prizes for the first few purchases, which made Yoshiko's eyes light up.

That's all for today, see you tomorrow.

After waving goodbye to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka Yoshiko, Kitagawa Ryo, arm in arm with Ichinose Honami, left first. Halfway there, he smugly gestured with his chin towards them.

"See? I was right, wasn't I? Their relationship will probably end by tomorrow."

"... Sigh, Ayanokoji sees absolutely no response. If that's the case, maybe it's better not to agree in the first place. Is this a case of giving the other person hope first and then letting them despair?"

Ichinose Honami shook her head in frustration. Although she had tried her best to act as a wingman and give the other party a lot of help during their double date, the more she did so, the more she realized that it was a completely one-sided love between the two of them. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka didn't seem to have any feelings for Motodoi Chikako at all.

"I already told you, Honami, just treat this as Ayanokoji's social experiment."

"A social experiment involving the manipulation of girls' feelings?"

"That's Ayanokoji's business; I was just objectively defining it."

At this point, Kitagawa Ryo also gave Ichinose Honami a somewhat strange look:

"But why is Honami suddenly so interested in Ayanokoji's love life?"

"Because I feel that if he doesn't have a normal relationship soon, he'll start to become interested in Liang and you."

Ichinose Honami responded with a curt "that," then reached out and poked Kitagawa Ryo's cheek with her finger.

"He grew up in White Room, so he probably only knows about physiological differences between men and women. His emotions are like a blank sheet of paper, making him more prone to going astray. I'm just thinking of Liang's best interests here."

"It's not that dramatic, is it? He's just learning to start a normal relationship."

It felt like this wasn't the first time this topic had been brought up, but Kitagawa Ryo genuinely felt a bit wronged. He felt like if it happened a couple more times, he'd transform into a Kunlun warrior.

"I'll keep my distance from him from now on, is that alright?"

That's more like it.

Compared to her previous personality, Ichinose Honami is now more outspoken and no longer hides her feelings. As soon as Kitagawa Ryo spoke, she nodded in satisfaction and even leaned over to gently kiss his neck. She was quite tender, which was very different from Ms. Yuki, whose mental state was not very good on the day of the Cultural Festival, and Ms. Alice also had a special fondness for this area.

According to current online parlance, his simulation could eventually be renamed the "Major Illness Ward."

See you tomorrow.

Before they knew it, the two had walked back to the dormitory building.

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

"Remember to spend the whole day with me."

Ichinose Honami waved to him with a bright smile:

"A day isn't complete if it's even an hour, a minute, or a second less."

As the last night before Valentine's Day, it's easy to imagine that many students were tossing and turning, unable to sleep, their minds filled with thoughts of tomorrow. Many probably got out of bed and grabbed a bouquet of flowers from a specially bought bouquet, muttering "accept me, reject me" as they started tearing off the petals. And quite a few were probably busy trying on outfit after outfit in front of the mirror.

Some people are reciting their Confessions for the hundredth time, some are mustering the courage to send that invitation they've never dared to say before the last minute, and some are staring blankly at something.

However, none of this currently concerns Kitagawa Ryo.

Because he was completely absorbed in the busy work of baking and packaging and couldn't get away, if Hotaru hadn't been so incapable, he probably would have already grabbed her and used her as a laborer.

As a renowned dessert and baking expert in the entire school, Kitagawa Ryo naturally wouldn't think of just buying chocolates from a store like ordinary students, or going through the trouble of melting and reshaping the chocolates to pretend they were his own hard work. He genuinely baked each and every Valentine's Day chocolate he was going to give away that day, some out of obligation and some because of his own love.

If Ayanokoji Kiyotaka is currently experiencing a scenario where "there are too many female leads who are destined to lose," then Kitagawa Ryo's situation could probably be described as "there are too many female leads who are his favorites," which doesn't seem out of place at all.

Although Ying said she would not take any responsibility for the matter, she did have something to say. Originally, she had set up four female protagonists and four chapters, but someone's subjective initiative was too strong, and she turned it into a super version with more content but no increase in price.

Looking at the mountain of chocolate gift boxes piled up on the table, the kitten simply hopped away lightly, licked its front paws, and showed no remorse for being the instigator.

It has to be said that Kitagawa Ryo did a more serious job in this matter than she had imagined. Just like the principle of "what suits one's taste is precious" that he taught Horikita Suzune, Kitagawa Ryo made chocolates for each girl in batches, in different quantities and flavors, and even included a handwritten note in each gift box, which was full of emotional value.

The result is what it is now.

However, what Hotaru felt a little disappointed about was that, as a cat, she couldn't taste Kitagawa Ryo's chocolate.

Meanwhile, Hotaru, the other person who could taste the other's chocolate, was far away off-campus. Although they both made their own to give to each other, neither of them could deliver them to the other, which was quite disheartening.

Unfortunately, after becoming the acting Student Council President, Kitagawa Ryo couldn't leave school as frequently as before as a member of the Drama Club. Moreover, there was a recent uproar, similar to last Christmas, which probably wouldn't be repeated until he earned his next Protection Point.

Kitagawa Ryo had no idea what the little cat lying lazily on the sofa was thinking. He was completely immersed in the rhythm of his work, or rather, enjoying it.

Although it sounds unbelievable, this job, which Hotaru considers extremely demanding, wasn't too difficult for him.

Just as every gift is different, each baking process is like a beautiful recollection of people and things in Kitagawa Ryo's eyes. Those beautiful things are melted into the chocolate along with the sugar and spices, and each process is a joyful enjoyment.

At the same time, he also knew.

At this very moment, in this very minute, she is doing the same thing he is doing.

Love can only reach its optimal state when the amount of love received and the amount of love given are equal.

The night before Valentine's Day.

Kitagawa Ryo finished wrapping the last gift.

He held Ying in his arms and gazed out the window into the distance. The night was deep, the moonlight was bright, and his mind had already begun to naturally hold expectations and fantasies about tomorrow.

However, happy love may itself be a kind of existence that constantly arouses fantasy and expectation, and is constantly transformed by the fantasy and expectation it arouses.

Written request for leave

My daughter went to attend a relative's wedding today, so she's taking a day off.

Chapter 463: First Glance on Valentine's Day

This year, Valentine's Day fell on a weekend when there was no school, making it even more lively. With the celebrations organized by the Student Council, students from First Year and second-year students, as well as third-year students who were fully focused on preparing for their graduation exams, all showed amazing enthusiasm. Forum posts were being refreshed at lightning speed starting from midnight, indicating that many students had barely slept all night.

However, Kitagawa Ryo slept soundly and peacefully.

That's how it should have been.

Kitagawa Ryo was awakened by some kind of pressure coming from his abdomen.

To be honest, his first thought was whether Hotaru had learned to transform into a human, since she had fallen asleep on his stomach last night.

His second thought was whether Amasawa Ichika had sneaked into his bed again, a classic tactic of hers. He had experienced this several times during the recent winter break.

Before his third reaction even began, Kitagawa Ryo had already opened his eyes, and sitting on his lower abdomen through the blanket was a certain Miss Alice.

It was both unexpected and yet reasonable. Although it happened very rarely, Sakayanagi Arisu had been woken up by Kitagawa Ryo before.

However, unlike before, today's posture is a bit special.

Hotaru, who had been pushed aside, hunched over and bristled, looking rather grumpy. After all, Sakayanagi Arisu, who was currently riding on Kitagawa Ryo's lower abdomen, was seriously invading her private territory, and right in front of her.

Moreover, this scene and this posture should belong to a younger sister type character, right? In that instant, Hotaru felt the figures of many characters such as Itsuka Kotori, Suo Yuki, and even Kasugano Sora appear behind her, as if reminding her that she was not fighting alone at this moment.

But the next second, Sakayanagi Arisu found her in the way, easily grabbed her by the scruff of the Fate and tossed her back a little further.

There's nothing I can do about it. As a seasoned Pooper Scooper has physically raised or trained kittens for several years in the second simulation, Sakayanagi Arisu is indeed a natural match for Hotaru.

Of course, this refers specifically to the cat form.

How did you feel when you first saw me on Valentine's Day morning?