A Valentines Whisper

The halls of the school in the Land of the Birds were alive with quiet energy. 

Students carried envelopes in red, pink, and pastel colors, exchanging small gifts and whispers that made the air tingle with anticipation. But for Tatsuchi, none of it mattered. She strode down the corridor, arms crossed, eyes sharp, paying no attention to the fluttering papers and cheerful chatter around her.

“Not interested,” she muttered under her breath. She had already refused several Valentines, some clumsily decorated, some impossibly elaborate, and had no intention of changing her mind.

When she reached her locker at the end of the day, a small envelope slipped out and landed at her feet. Heart-shaped, delicate, faintly scented with winter pale rose, her favorite flower. Tatsuchi tilted her head. This one felt different.

The writing was neat: 

“Play the game. Find the sender, and you’ll find a surprise.”

Normally, she would have ignored such nonsense, but something about the careful fold, the weight of the paper, and the precise handwriting piqued her curiosity.

Her search began immediately. Empty hallways echoed under her steps as she checked behind lockers and peered into deserted classrooms. She wandered into the courtyard, eyes scanning benches and flower beds. A stray paper heart tumbled in the wind past her, teasing her curiosity, but it wasn’t hers.

Frustrated but undeterred, she climbed the narrow staircase to the rooftop. The wind tugged at her hair and fluttered her sleeves as she leaned over the edge, scanning the grounds below. The athletic field was empty, the library steps deserted, even the bell tower cast only its long shadow across the courtyard. A faint breeze carried the scent of cherry blossoms, and Tatsuchi inhaled sharply, almost forgetting her frustration for a moment.

Descending again, she slipped into the cafeteria. The lunch crowd had long gone, leaving only a few stray crumbs on tables and the faint echo of footsteps from the staff cleaning up. She searched under tables, behind chairs, even inside the trash bins. Only discarded napkins and small wrappers greeted her.

Classroom by classroom, stairwell by stairwell, she moved with precise determination. She retraced every step she had taken that day: the library stacks, the music room, the art room with its half-finished canvases, even the empty practice hall where echoes of footsteps lingered long after the students had left. 

Every door closed, every empty room, deepened the mystery. By the time the final bell rang, the sun had dipped low, casting long orange shadows across the school walls. Tatsuchi closed her locker with a snap, letting out a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding. She hadn’t found the sender. The envelope still lay tucked in her hand, mysterious and untouched.

“Hey!” a cheerful voice rang out, breaking the silence.Tatsuchi turned to see a younger Itaka running toward her, eyes bright. “You look glum,” she said. “It’s Valentine’s Day! You can’t look like that!” “I can feel however I want,” Tatsuchi replied, folding her arms.Itaka crouched slightly, smiling warmly. “Come on, let me cheer you up!” She rummaged through her bag and produced a small charm, dangling it teasingly in front of Tatsuchi.

They walked side by side down the quiet hallways, the soft thump of their shoes the only sound that accompanied them. A faint breeze lifted Itaka’s hair, and in that instant, a small heart-shaped envelope slipped from her pocket, fluttering gently to the floor. Tatsuchi didn’t notice it.

Itaka’s cheeks flared pink, and she fidgeted nervously with the charm in her hands. Her gaze lingered on Tatsuchi longer than necessary, lips twitching into a shy, almost imperceptible smile. “Ah…” Itaka said softly, almost to herself, her voice low so only Tatsuchi could hear if she leaned in, though Tatsuchi didn’t. “Looks like my crush didn’t even get a Valentine today. Maybe that’s just how it goes.”

She offered a small shrug, tucking the charm carefully back into her bag, her eyes lingering a moment longer on Tatsuchi before she fell into step beside her. The words were casual enough to pass unnoticed, but the envelope on the floor, the blush on Itaka’s cheeks, and the nervous little smile carried the truth she couldn’t yet say aloud.

"As long as you've got me, you'll never need a stupid crush!" Said Tatsuchi with a bright grin on her face as she held Itaka’s hand.

Tatsuchi remained oblivious, the mystery unsolved. As she held the Valentine in her hand, Itaka blushed as she walked with a quiet smile, her heart tucked behind a playful grin. "Thanks!"