The week after the "kendo incident," Ryo found himself in yet another uncomfortable situation—this time, it involved books and, of course, Mei Tsukishima.
Despite being the top student in their year, Mei had taken it upon herself to ensure Ryo "improved" his academic performance. Every day after school, she cornered him, determined to drag him into the library for a "study session." In her words, "It's crucial that we all do well on our final exams if we want to leave a lasting impression on future universities."
And so, Ryo found himself seated in a corner of the library on a Thursday afternoon, surrounded by stacks of textbooks and notebooks. The only problem was that he didn't care much for the subjects, nor did he have the motivation to study for hours on end. But Mei? She was relentless.
"Let's review the material for the math exam first," Mei said, adjusting her glasses as she slid a notebook toward him.
Ryo stared at the numbers and formulas. He let out a soft sigh and glanced toward the window. "Do we really need to do this every day?"
Mei's gaze was sharp. "Yes. Otherwise, you'll fail. Don't tell me you plan to get by on the bare minimum."
"I mean… it's worked so far."
Mei's lips thinned into a straight line, clearly unimpressed. "You're smarter than you think, Ryo. You just don't apply yourself."
He shrugged, picking up his pencil. "Maybe I don't want to."
Mei's hand shot out, grabbing the pencil out of his grip and placing it firmly back in his hand. "I won't let you waste your potential."
Ryo gave her a half-hearted smile. "Well, aren't you persistent?"
Mei didn't flinch. "I take academics seriously. If you're around me, you will too."
Ryo couldn't help but chuckle. There was something oddly endearing about her no-nonsense attitude. She wasn't like Hana or Saki, who were more lively and spontaneous. Mei was the quiet force that didn't ask for attention—she just commanded it.
But still, he wasn't entirely sold on spending his afternoons cooped up with math books.
As Ryo's mind began wandering, the library door creaked open, and Hana sauntered in, her ever-present grin lighting up the room.
"Ryo!" she called, not even attempting to be quiet. "I knew I'd find you here."
"Fujimoto-san, we're studying," Mei said coolly, shooting her a pointed look.
"Studying?" Hana raised an eyebrow and plopped down into the seat next to Ryo, completely ignoring Mei's glare. "This doesn't look like much fun. You guys should join us out on the field instead. We're setting up for the sports festival. Come on, Ryo, you can't hide in here forever."
"I'm not hiding," Ryo replied. "I'm just… not interested."
Hana leaned in, grinning mischievously. "Or maybe you're just afraid you'll embarrass yourself in front of me."
Ryo smirked. "I think I'll pass."
"Aw, come on. Don't be so boring. You've got some natural talent; you just need to use it!" Hana nudged him with her elbow. "Mei-chan, what do you think? Shouldn't Ryo get out there and show off a little?"
Mei sighed. "Fujimoto-san, I believe we have more important things to focus on right now than running around a track."
"Lighten up, Mei-chan," Hana teased. "You're always so serious. High school's about more than just studying, you know."
The tension between the two girls was almost palpable, and Ryo suddenly found himself stuck in the middle of their differing personalities. He was used to being ignored, but now, it felt like he couldn't escape their attention. He wasn't sure how he'd become the center of this tug-of-war between two of the most popular girls in school, but one thing was certain: his once-peaceful afternoons were long gone.