With the school's annual sports festival around the corner, excitement was at an all-time high. Students were buzzing about the upcoming events, from relay races to soccer matches, and every class was preparing their teams. Despite the growing enthusiasm, Ryo still felt uneasy from Mei's cryptic warning the other day. What did she mean by "consequences" of popularity?
Ryo hoped the festival would be a distraction from all the attention he'd been getting. Unfortunately, fate seemed determined to keep him at the center of it all.
"Ryo!" Hana came bounding up to him during lunch, her face flushed with excitement. "Guess what? I signed us up for the three-legged race!"
Ryo blinked. "Uh, what?"
"The three-legged race! You know, where we tie our legs together and run as a pair? It's gonna be so much fun!" Hana's eyes sparkled as she held up a piece of red rope. "You and me—partners!"
Ryo rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a headache forming. "Hana, I don't think—"
"Too late! It's already official." She grinned, handing him a race sign-up sheet with their names clearly written at the top. "You can't back out now."
Ryo sighed in defeat. "I guess I don't have a choice, huh?"
"Nope!" Hana chirped. "It'll be great! Trust me."
As if things couldn't get worse, Saki appeared next, wearing a mischievous smile. "I hear you're doing the three-legged race with Hana. But don't think you're getting away from me. I signed us up for kendo sparring during the exhibition match."
Ryo's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"
Saki nodded, crossing her arms proudly. "It's tradition. We show off our skills to the whole school. And who better to spar with than my favorite practice dummy?"
Ryo groaned. "Seriously?"
"Don't worry, I'll go easy on you… this time," Saki added with a wink.
"Great," Ryo muttered, rubbing his temples. It seemed like the festival wasn't going to be the escape he had hoped for.
And just when he thought he'd heard it all, Mei approached, holding a clipboard. She was, unsurprisingly, part of the festival planning committee.
"Ryo, I need you to fill in for someone," Mei said, not even bothering with pleasantries.
"Fill in for what?" Ryo asked cautiously.
"The academic decathlon. One of our team members dropped out, and we need a replacement."
Ryo raised an eyebrow. "Why me?"
"Because you're not as dumb as you pretend to be," Mei replied bluntly. "And we can't afford to lose this event."
Ryo sighed. "So, let me get this straight. I'm doing a three-legged race with Hana, a kendo match with Saki, and an academic decathlon with you?"
Mei nodded. "That about sums it up."
"Fantastic," Ryo said dryly.