Chocolate Hearts for a Boy

Valentine's Day is a well-known event celebrated around the world, where women and girls often expect flowers and chocolates as symbols of love from their significant others. However, in countries like Japan and Korea, the tradition is different: it's the ladies who give chocolates to the guys they like.

On a Thursday morning, the day before Valentine’s Day, one of my male students, Ryota, asked me if I could give him some chocolates. I asked, "Why?" in a way that made it seem unusual for a woman—twice his age—to give such a gift on this particular day. Ryota looked embarrassed and saddened, and some of his classmates teased him. But what he didn’t know was that my real answer was, “Sure, why not?”

After my English class, I headed to the faculty room, grabbed some chocolates from my locker, and placed them in a heart-shaped case that I’d kept for years. I wrapped it beautifully, and later, when I got home from work, I added another pack of chocolates I had in my pantry to the gift bag.

The next day, on Valentine’s Day, I went upstairs to my 2nd Grade Middle School class and found Ryota. I greeted him with a smile and handed him the gift. His surprise and happiness were priceless as he opened the pink package, revealing the chocolate hearts. His classmates gasped in awe and envy. The moment felt like something out of a mushy sitcom! Ryota hugged me and thanked me with a smile, still clearly surprised. It was the first time I had ever done something like this in my ten years of teaching in Japan, and it felt like one of the sweetest moments I’ve had with a student.

I wouldn’t be surprised if more boys ask me for chocolates next Valentine’s Day! 😆