A bit more finesse, please
Happy Valentine's Day! I've just this minute arrived back from my hometown. Thanks for all the condolences, prayers, & good wishes :)
A guy sort of asked me out for Valentine's Day this year, something that has never occurred before and therefore marks a great improvement over previous years :P But I "respectfully declined".
I've always believed that if a guy is interested in a girl, he'll find countless ways to demonstrate his interest and leave her in no doubt of the fact. Women know when they are being pursued (unlike men, whom, as a friend said, "Either have no clue that you like them or live in denial that you don't"). And if a guy has exhibited no pursuing behaviour, he cannot expect a sudden Valentine's invitation to be greeted by anything other than surprise. Whether it be pleasant surprise or unpleasant surprise depends on the nature of the invite and the girl's own feelings towards this particular male.
In a circumstance where there has been no prior pursuing behaviour, a text message out of the blue, saying, "Let's do something on Valentine's Day 14 Feb with your brother and his fiancée" amounts to outright presumption. A girl reads this and notes that it is a statement, not a question. It takes a lot for granted. In fact, one might almost say that it takes too much for granted.
Ordinarily no self-respecting guy would even say, "Let's go see a movie" to a girl, just like that -- at least, not in the absence of an already established friendship where the closeness of friends renders certain words superfluous. Outside of such a friendship, it is wise to observe the courtesies, especially when asking a girl out on a Valentine's date!
Furthermore, why on earth would a guy wish to double-date with the girl's brother and that brother's fiancée on Valentine's Day, of all days? When the guy has never even met the couple before? Let those two lovebirds do their own thing lah ;)
Which brings us to the reason I "respectfully declined" the invite -- if you can call it an invite. I can't see myself in the capacity of lovebird with this particular male and there's no point going on a Valentine's Day date with someone if you intend to remain merely casual friends with the person. Let him save his money, since everything on Valentine's costs triple the usual!