I remember it happened years ago, a memory that clings like smoke after a fire, too frightening to wash away.
...
Night slipped down like a silk curtain—the eve of Valentine’s Day.
"Littlesky? What’s up with you today?" I asked, as pages whispered like leaves. "You’re actually studying hard."
She looked up, a peach-blossom smile opening on her lips. "Hehe, it’s a secret. You’ll know tomorrow, brother."
Her eyes settled back on the cookbook, still as a lake, while her pen scratched like a cricket in grass.
I didn’t have the heart to interrupt; the thought drifted like mist. I grabbed a manga and flopped on the bed like a cat on a warm tile.
"Tomorrow I’ll give brother a surprise, hehe," her whisper bubbled like spring water in the quiet room. Let her be happy—my mind settled like falling snow.
By past ten, she set the book down, a candle guttering to rest. She ran to wash, water chiming like beads, then slid under the quilt like a small bird, curling beside me.
"Brother, good night," she breathed, soft as moth wings.
"Mm, good night," I answered, closing the light like a lid on a moon jar.
Warmth unfurled like tea steam; I pinched her soft cheek, cloud-light and sweet, and let my eyes drift shut like shutters.
...
The night held its tongue. The moon sank like a silver coin; the sun climbed like a torch through mist. A first beam cut our window like a blade of gold, and birds rang like little bells—the day began.
Seven in the morning, cool light pooling like water in a bowl.
"Hmm? Where’s Littlesky?" Her side of the bed was cool as a river stone, and my chest gave a small thump like a startled sparrow.
I sat up, dressed, and combed, every motion crisp as folded paper, then headed to wash.
Fifteen minutes later, steam fading like haze, I was ready.
Armor light as cotton, I stepped out to find her.
"Ahh, waking up to our pretty, cute Emperor is pure bliss! Hug!" Serenemoon’s voice swooped like a kite on a bright wind.
My head sank into something soft and sweet-smelling, like cotton candy—obviously her arms, close as silk.
"Serenemoon, why do you hug me every time we meet?" I sighed, a ripple across a pond.
She only laughed, sunlight bright through leaves. "Who could help it? Emperor’s too cute to not hold!"
"Again with that... Fine. Serenemoon, do you know where Littlesky went?" I asked, slipping aside like a fish in clear water to dodge her second hug.
"Honestly! Emperor dodging his sister is so sad," she puffed, cheeks ballooning like little buns.
Serenemoon was a handful—my patience thinned like stretched sugar. Older than me by years, but her mood puffed and sulked like a child’s red kite.
"Head pats, head pats," I murmured, palm landing on her pink hair, smooth as petals. "Don’t pout, be good."
"Mmm—so comfy," she purred, catlike, eyes narrowing to crescents, a soft sound rising like milk warming.
After a few minutes, I drew back, the spell dissolving like dew. "Serenemoon, that’s enough."
"I’d love more, but I’ll let you off this time," she teased, a bell-tinkle of a laugh. "Littlesky? I saw her running to the kitchen this morning, bright-eyed like a sparrow."
"Oh, got it. See you later."
"See you later~"
I headed toward the kitchen, thoughts rippling like wind on rice fields. Littlesky had never cooked—what was she up to?
I reached the doorway, breath steady as a drawn bow—and then—
BOOM!!!
A blast jumped through the walls like thunder, and black smoke curled out like burnt incense.
My heart dropped like a stone into a well. "Hey—what happened?! Littlesky, are you okay?" I rushed in, feet skimming like arrows.
Inside, I froze, words stalled like a cart stuck in mud. She was at the stove, clearly cooking; the pot in front of her belched black smoke like a tiny volcano.
"Eh? Brother! What are you doing here? Out, out!" Her face flared red like a peony, and she pushed me out, firm as a gate shutting. "No stepping in until I’m done!"
Time stretched, slow as molasses, the hallway quiet like snow.
"Leihua, any idea what’s going on?" I rubbed my forehead, a headache pulsing like a drum.
She gave a wry smile, gentle as willow shade. "Hehe, young master, it’s probably about today’s holiday."
"Today’s holiday? Right... Valentine’s Day," I said, the word landing like a soft pebble. "So what?"
Neither of us had dated; love felt far away, like a distant lighthouse.
"Young master, do you know what Valentine’s Day actually means?" Leihua’s gaze went serious, steady as a drawn line.
"No clue. What is it?" I shook my head, a leaf turning in wind.
"In short, girls give chocolate to the boys they like," she said, voice smooth as silk. "This is mine—please accept it."
She drew a heart-shaped box from her apron, red as a ripe berry, and handed it to me—inside, chocolate gleamed like a dark river.
"Oh... thank you!" The box weighed warm in my hands like a small sun.
"Hehe, you’re welcome. As long as you don’t dislike it," she murmured, her smile soft as rain.
"Dislike it? No way! I’m happy," I said, joy ringing like chimes.
"Really? Then I’m relieved." Her cheeks bloomed pink like cherry petals.
Just then, Littlesky dashed out of the kitchen, clutching something, steps quick as sparrow hops.
"Here, brother—happy Valentine’s Day!" She held out a box, smile bright as morning.
"Littlesky..." Warmth surged, sweet as honey. She’d never cooked, but got up early to make chocolate for me; yesterday’s studying had been for this—shame pricked me like needles. I’d missed her heart.
I opened the box—
...
Forgive me, but I shouldn’t have let myself get carried away so fast—my soul recoiled like a cat from cold water.
"Littlesky, your heart is—" I began, voice thin as thread.
"Brother, taste it! I worked so hard!" Her eyes shone, full of sunrise.
"Young master..." Leihua’s face went pale, color draining like tide.
"Mm? Emperor, and Littlesky, Leihua—why are you standing there... ah! What’s that harsh smell?" Serenemoon drifted in, then froze like a statue.
Their reactions were better than I feared—no one fainted—but inside the box lay—
An amorphous, uncanny pool of black goo, pulsing like tar; worse, it wore a pixelated mosaic, like a censored horror movie caught mid-scream.
...
Sorry, little sister—your love is too heavy, a mountain on a sparrow’s back. This useless brother can’t swallow it—please forgive me.
...
From that day on, whenever anyone mentioned Littlesky’s cooking, everyone in the Mizumi Clan went pale, faces blanching like paper.
Valentine’s Special — End
