Alright, explain it to me again. At a distance this time.

ROGER THAT, BOSS!! I’M IN DESPERATE NEED OF MONEY AT THE MOMENT, SO CAN YOU INTRODUCE ME TO A JOB, PRETTY PLEASE WITH A CHERRY ON TOP?!?

…Lower your voice to about 20% while you’re at it.

I…want…money. So…please…gimme…work…

…What about your HAMA Tours salary?

Oh, yeah, about that, I give pretty much all my pay to my uncle, since he takes care of my tuition for me.

Oh, my uncle is my foster parent!

…I see.

But the thing is, I have some goods I gotta prepare before Valentine’s.

Which are?

…Heheheh.

Stop grinning to yourself and just tell me.

Can I have a drumroll pleeeeeease! ‘Tis none other than 10,000 pieces of Tiril chocolate¹ for allllllll the students in Asu High!

……

What?

A piece of Tiril chocolate costs, like, 23 yen, aaand I’ll need enough for 10,000 people, so I need me a good 23,000 yen! ASAS!

…If you’re trying to say “as soon as possible”, the proper abbreviation is ASAP.

Y’see, I wanna give lots of chocolate to everyone, like, like, for real, I’m so hyped up right now, I think my heart is gonna burst! I can feel the fireworks about to shoot outta me!

Oh, wait, but I guess everyone is only getting a piece, so…? Wait, but if you put pieces together, they’ll end up making a whole… There’s a hole?

Alright… Stop right there.

Gotcha, red light, roger that.

Regardless of your intent, I don’t believe it’s realistic to expect to have enough chocolates for the entire student body.

Hm? Y’mean no one’s ever given chocolates to this many people?! Hell yeah, I’m the first!!

…Have you considered the sundry expenses in addition to the cost of the chocolate?

Sun…dry?

For instance, the cost of transportation. One piece of chocolate may be small, but that won’t mean much if you plan to buy enough for 10,000 people.

Oh, if it’s that, I was gonna attach a pull car to the back of my bike, so we a-okay!

Labor costs: 0, gas money: 0, we ball. ♪

*sigh…*

(A young boy with a simplistic way of thinking and a body that moves faster than his brain. Eyes lit with a fiery passion and a conviction that he’s positively invincible…)

…What shockingly youthful innocence.

Sir, yes sir! I’ve got that glass skin, I love eating fried foods, and any muscle pain I get is gone by tomorrow!

I do have a job for you.

Wait, for real?! Like, you’re not kidding?! Really?!

I told you to keep your distance. Stay.

Woof!

Hm…? Pretty rare to see you two together.

Kinouchi.

Wassup! You want in too, Tao-san? Ready to learn the ins and outs of tuna?

Tuna…? Are the two of you gonna go work in a fishery…?

No, of course not. He’s just looking for a short-term job.

Ohh, that so? Short-term…

Um, actually, could I ask you to refer me to that job too? I’m a little low on cash right now after I splurged on a bunch of games during New Year’s sales.

Well… If you’re joining, then I suppose that job is fine.

That job?

I’ll refer the both of you to a job from a company that’s connected to my family.

W-Wait, do you mean…?

Straight into danger from the get-go?!

And thus began…our spectacular journey down the dangerous path of obtaining 23,000 yen…!

If by “dangerous”, you mean working retail at a department store event pop-up, then sure.

Tao-san, my man, you gotta understand that this place is practically a war zone around this time of the year.

Yeah, everyone looks like they’re going into battle.

By the way, what was that, uh…plan name you had?

“PLAN: Y’Gotta Give Some to Get Some”, AKA “PLAN: Give ‘n’ Get.”

Yeah, that one. I’m not really sure how you came up with that after just watching Kamina-san’s commercial.

Aww, shucks.

I wasn’t trying to compliment you…

Erm… Well, y’see, I got my first piece of chocolate back in first grade from a classmate.

It was only one piece, so I finished it in seconds, but I still can’t forget the taste and happiness I felt at that moment, even to this day. Like, I think you’ll definitely be happier if you get something rather than not.

That’s why I thought that this year, I wanna make sure that everyone in Asu High gets to experience that feeling, and thus, my Happy Valentine’s fool-proof plan was created… Kinda vibe?

And yeah, that kinda thing just suddenly hit me like lightning! And it was all thanks to Yukikaze-san!

Oh, I see. Yeah, anyone would be happy to get Tiril chocolate, even if it’s just one piece.

Heheh, right? You get it, Tao-san.

Yeah. Y’know, I still remember… My kindergarten teacher used to give us these little chocolates.

I thought it was so cool how the wrappers made them look like gold medals. I walked home clutching mine in my hand, so it melted just a bit, and my right hand ended up smelling like milk chocolate for a while.

Having your hand reek of that chocolatey goodness is the best!

True that.

Uhm… And, well…

There was actually another reason…behind Plan Give ‘n’ Get too…

What’s up? Why’re you fidgeting all of a sudden?

If you can’t believe in yourself, then…

Can you believe in us? Because we believe in you.

Be brave. Keep going. Don’t lose. I know it’s hard right now, but that just means you have the chance to change how this story ends.

I, like, wanted to give chocolates to Teach! Or, like, yeah.

Teach? Oh, you mean the chief?

Like, the thought may or may not have, like, maybe crossed or did not cross my mind or not maybe before.

So which is it…? Well, either way, I think it’s a nice idea.

I’m pretty sure the chief already deals with enough having to keep you high-energy, troublemaking high schoolers in check… Nah, I’m kidding!

Your words, not mine. Alright, time to get back to work. Let’s do this!

Aye aye, sir! Work-man Akuta Isotake is raring to go, ready for take off!!!