Yumeiro Patissiere

Chapter 19 Happy Valentine

Miya Koshiro was spying on Makato like usual; her crush on Makato was so big she would spy on him like a stalker. "This valentine's day I will make you some chocolate that will prove my love to you Makato-Kun" she said. Last year her chocolate cake didn't turn out good; she hadn't baked the cake properly and she made the sauce too thick. So this time Miya was determined to make perfect chocolate. At that moment she saw Ichigo walking up to Makato. She was still jealous of Ichigo being in the same group as Makato. "Amano Ichigo, I will not lose to the likes of you," she said.

That day Ichigo and Rumi were shopping for ingredients to make chocolate for Valentine's Day. Rumi had a boy named Takuya and it was a long-distance relationship because he lived far away from St Marie Academy. Ichigo was going to make chocolate for her dad; Shigeru got chocolate from Ichigo ever since she five and he loved it when she gave him chocolate. Ichigo had also decided to make chocolate for Satsuki, Sennosuke and Makato. They had been good friends of hers ever since she attended the school and they had helped her learn new things too, so her chocolate would be thank you gifts for them.

Just then Miya, along with Satou and Shiyotani, showed up and they too were buying ingredients to make chocolate. "Oh so you are going to use the discounted couverture chocolate to make your valentine's chocolate?" Miya asked. "Why?" said Ichigo "are you buying high-quality expensive stuff like usual?" "Of course," replied Miya "I'm going to buy the highest quality couverture chocolate directly from France. You get high-quality love like that, while you get cheap loved from the discounted couverture chocolate". Ichigo was not happy with Miya's answer. "Cheap stuff or high-quality stuff doesn't matter when it comes to love," said Ichigo "what matters is the feelings you put into while making chocolate for your friends and loved ones. It is like when you're buying a present for someone; it doesn't matter on the cost and it is the thought that counts. And anyway you can make good chocolate and any other sweets without using any high-quality ingredients".

Miya wasn't satisfied with Ichigo's words. "Is that so?" she said, "then why don't you and I challenge each other to a chocolate making competition". "What?" asked Ichigo. "Chateau Seika is holding a party on Valentine's Day," said Miya "so you and I can hold our valentine's chocolate competition there. The guests can pick out which chocolate is better. And as this is a competition between us girls, you are forbidden to have help from the sweets princes, especially Makato-Kun". "All right I accept your challenge, and I can make my own chocolates myself" said Ichigo. "I look forward to Valentine's Day then Amano" said Miya, and then she, Satou and Shiyotani left.

That evening, Ichigo was thinking about what chocolate she should make for the party. "That Miya Koshiro gets on my nerves sometimes," she said to Rumi "I mean she keeps on going about the high-quality ingredients being the most important. But I've had sweets that weren't even made from high-quality ingredients before and they are still delicious". "I know," said Rumi "but she's one of those shows off the type of people who believe that bigger is better. But anyway are you going to be all right with this competition Ichigo?" "Don't you worry Rumi, I'll beat Koshiro and show her that the low-quality stuff is just as good as high-quality stuff" said Ichigo. "That's the spirit" said Rumi, and then she went to sleep.

Vanilla asked Ichigo if she had a dress to wear at the party. "Actually I do have one, but it might be a bit plain" said Ichigo. She got out a pretty pink and white dress, which had a ribbon around it, from her wardrobe. "Mum got me this for my birthday last year, what do you think?" "That does look nice, but it needs some adjustments to it" said Vanilla. "I think so too, but I don't have the time to do that," said Ichigo "I need to think about the chocolate I'll be making for Valentine's Day". "Okay Ichigo" said Vanilla. 'You leave the dress to me'.