Valentine's Day had arrived, and the dorm was bustling with excitement. The air smelled of chocolates and fresh roses as the group gathered in the common area. Lumine and Scaramouche, as expected, sat together on the couch. Lumine was busy tying a pink ribbon around a small gift box, while Scaramouche lounged beside her, pretending to read but stealing glances at her every chance he got.
The others had other plans.
"Alright, everyone," Amber whispered, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she leaned closer to Ayaka, Kazuha, and Venti. "Hereâs the plan: we call them 'Mom and Dad' today. Just to mess with them."
"Are you sure Scaramouche wonât try to kill us?" Ayaka asked, looking mildly concerned.
"Totally worth it," Venti chimed in, grinning. "Besides, heâs all bark and no bite."
"Famous last words," Kazuha muttered, but he didnât seem too opposed to the idea.
Amber clapped her hands together. "Alright, let's do this."
The chaos began almost immediately.
"Hey, Mom, can you pass me a drink?" Venti called out to Lumine, making her freeze mid-tie.
"Excuse me?" Lumine asked, blinking at him.
"Yeah, Mom," Amber added, smirking as she plopped onto the couch beside her. "Weâre really thirsty, and Dad isnât doing his job."
"Who are you calling Dad?" Scaramoucheâs voice was dangerously low as he glared at Amber, his book now forgotten.
"You, duh," Amber replied, feigning innocence. "I mean, who else would it be? Youâre always glued to Lumineâs side."
Ayaka tried to stifle her laughter, while Kazuha coughed into his hand to hide his smirk. Even Aether, who had been silently observing, raised an eyebrow in amusement.
Scaramouche crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing. "Do you want to get smacked, Amber? Because youâre really asking for it."
"Oh, come on, Dad," Venti chimed in, leaning on the back of the couch. "Donât be so grumpy. Itâs Valentineâs Day! Show Mom some love!"
Lumineâs face turned bright red. "Venti! Amber! Stop calling us that!"
"Why not, Mom?" Amber teased, leaning her head on Lumineâs shoulder. "You and Dad make such a cute couple!"
Before anyone could blink, Scaramouche reached for a nearby throw pillow and smacked Amber square in the face.
"Ow!" Amber cried, holding her cheek as she laughed. "See? Totally a Dad move!"
"Keep talking, and Iâll make sure you regret it," Scaramouche warned, his tone sharp but his expression betraying a hint of embarrassment.
Lumine groaned, burying her face in her hands. "This is so embarrassing..."
"Donât worry, Mom," Kazuha said, his voice calm but teasing. "We all appreciate the love you and Dad have for each other."
"Thatâs it!" Scaramouche snapped, standing up with the pillow in hand. "Whoâs next?!"
The room erupted into chaos. Amber shrieked as she ran behind the couch, Venti cackled while dodging Scaramoucheâs swings, and Ayaka tried to shield herself with a cushion. Aether simply shook his head, clearly used to the madness.
In the middle of it all, Lumine grabbed Scaramoucheâs arm, tugging him back down onto the couch. "Kuni, stop!" she said between giggles.
He sighed, tossing the pillow aside and crossing his arms. "Theyâre insufferable," he muttered, glaring at the others, who were still laughing.
"Maybe," Lumine said softly, placing a hand on his. "But theyâre our friends."
Scaramouche glanced at her, his expression softening slightly. "Youâre too nice," he mumbled, leaning back against the couch.
Amber peeked out from behind the couch, a mischievous grin still on her face. "Aw, look at Mom and Dad having a moment."
This time, it was Lumine who grabbed the pillow and threw it at Amber, hitting her squarely in the face.
"Serves you right!" she said, laughing.
The group eventually settled down, but the teasing continued for the rest of the day. Despite the chaos, Lumine couldnât help but feel grateful for her friendsâand for the boy beside her who, despite his grumbling, never let go of her hand.