The second lot of Jenga pieces to slip out of the Ryuu-to-Mei relationship tower was further physical distance.

The scores on Ryuu's exams had placed him into a high class for his second year. Whereas, Mei had landed in average scores. But he was keen to use this as an opportunity to help her. If he couldn't be her hero physically, at least he could be one academically. So, he would pester her with after school studying, intending to help her succeed in her exams.

His heart was on fire when she would accept those times. And they would spend precious study hours together in the library. They were together so much, people grew to accept their "coupling" match as normal. So, Ryuu didn't face further taunts like in his first year. But he felt some invisible wall began to form between them. Her friendship and smiles were the same, but he kept feeling they were being a mask. Something was changing.

Rather than address his feelings. He chose to ignore them and continued to follow her shadow. On Valentine's Day, she casually gave him friendship chocolates.

"Eat them or not, like I care." She had joked when they had stopped to sit at a set of swings.

He loved the way she pouted as she toed the ground with her shoe.

"You're like a kid." He coolly joked on the swing next to her.

When Mei looked up to see his handsome side profile of big round eyes, soft smile and kitten-soft short hair flowing with the wind. A thought crossed her mind that he was hers. For the first time, she saw him as the boy sitting next to her. Her boy.

"Well, we're not old farts." She joked and gulped when his eyes gazed into hers with love and warmth to melt her heart.

"Sorry, Ryuu-kun. Jun's coming home early, so I have to go." She brushed him off with her lame excuse and hurried away from him and the swings without looking back.

Ryuu misunderstood her abrupt exit as rejection. Did she just reject him? But he was holding her chocolates. His hands gripped the small, pristine wrapped, chocolate box so tight the seams were starting to break apart. He stopped himself before that could happen and smoothed down the sides.

No. He still had a chance. Furthermore, he wasn't going to give up on her. Not after all this time chasing her shadow.

"I love you, Mei. I won't stop loving you." He tenderly declared to his precious box of chocolates, he hugged to his chest.

Jun was walking up the path from the station, passing the playground and swing set that Ryuu sat on, hugging a small chocolate box. He sighed with an understanding and recognition of the box, but let the boy be and continued his walk home. His own thoughts, feeling muddled on the situation.

The Valentine's month flew like a fleeting dream, and Ryuu's school life swiftly transitioned into new circles and activities as he continued to chase Mei's shadow. He had changed club life from eSports to Cosplay-HomeEco, where he was being mentored into the importance of fashioning outfits for the club's key impersonators. Naturally, not keen to be one himself, despite the pestering that he would make a perfect Hori-san of Horimiya. However, when the club president had learned he joined because of Mei, he was given a warning and ultimatum.

"Fuck off if you're just chasing her ass. If you wanna be serious and show some real manly traits: get serious and sew me up some award-winning costumes!" The Club President had boldly declared with a push-up of her glasses to the bridge of her nose.

Ryuu couldn't help but thank and respect his Club President for that moment. He was determined to not let the club down, so he could look good before Mei with his actions. Intent to make her and the club proud. He got all books about sewing and downloaded machine manuals to learn the craft. When Jun had heard Ryuu was learning to sew to be in Mei's club, he had Mei point him to a friend with a secondhand machine he could buy and practice on.

At first, Ryuu's father was concerned with his son's new hobby. But he soon saw curtains and mended clothes like they were new, and the savings! Well, he was happy to let it be. Especially, when Ryuu wasn't spending his time hanging out with the bad kids and causing trouble. Rather, he was studying like a demon and sewing up a storm for his club. All for the love of a woman. His father couldn't blame the motivation behind the boy's devotion. It was a cute story to tell his workmates and peers.

White Day entered Ryuu's life like a cherry blossom sailing along a loving breeze. And so his new school chapter began.