The week after the festival, life at school was starting to return to normal—or as normal as it could be for Ryo, given his newfound popularity. Everywhere he went, he was greeted by waves, smiles, and the occasional giggle from girls in his class. It was starting to get overwhelming, but at least things had calmed down between Hana, Saki, and Mei.
That is, until he showed up.
It was just another ordinary morning when a commotion rippled through the classroom. Ryo, lost in his half-asleep state at his desk, barely noticed until Hana rushed over, practically vibrating with excitement.
"Ryo, you have to see this!" she exclaimed, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward the door.
"Huh? What's going on?" Ryo grumbled, rubbing his eyes.
Saki, who was leaning against the wall, nodded toward the hallway. "New transfer student. And, apparently, he's already causing a stir."
Ryo peeked out into the hallway to see a tall, good-looking guy with messy dark hair and sharp features surrounded by a group of girls, all fawning over him. He wore the school uniform, but with an air of confidence that made it look like he belonged in a magazine. The girls giggled and blushed as he casually chatted with them, completely at ease.
"Oh great," Ryo muttered, sinking back into the classroom. "Another popular guy. Just what we needed."
"He's not just any guy," Mei said, walking up behind him. Her tone was unusually serious. "His name is Kazuki Kurohara. He transferred here from an elite private school, and rumor has it he's perfect at everything—sports, academics, even cooking."
Ryo raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like a bit of an exaggeration."
Mei shook her head. "It's not. I did some research. He's got awards in almost every area. People are already calling him the 'Prince' of the school."
Ryo groaned. "Great. So now I have to deal with him too?"
As if on cue, Kazuki sauntered into the classroom, his sharp eyes scanning the room before landing on Ryo. The two locked eyes for a brief moment, and Ryo had the unsettling feeling that Kazuki was sizing him up.
"Well, well," Kazuki said with a smirk, walking over to Ryo's desk. "You must be Ryo Tanaka. I've heard a lot about you."
Ryo blinked. "Uh, yeah. And you are…?"
"Kazuki Kurohara," he said smoothly, extending his hand. "It's nice to meet the guy who's supposedly the most popular with the girls around here."
Ryo raised an eyebrow, hesitating before shaking Kazuki's hand. "I don't know about that…"
Kazuki chuckled, his gaze flickering toward Hana, Saki, and Mei, who were watching the interaction with cautious interest. "Looks like I've got some competition. But don't worry, Ryo—I won't steal your spotlight."
Ryo felt a bead of sweat roll down the back of his neck. There was something about Kazuki's tone that didn't sit right with him. He was polite on the surface, but underneath that charm, Ryo could sense a hint of rivalry.
"Uh, yeah, whatever," Ryo muttered, wanting to end the conversation as quickly as possible.
But Kazuki wasn't done. He smiled, his eyes gleaming. "Tell you what—how about a little challenge? The upcoming school trip is next week, right? Let's see who can win over more hearts by the end of it."
Ryo's jaw dropped. "Wait, what?"
Hana gasped. "A challenge? For Ryo's heart?"
Mei's expression darkened. "This is ridiculous."
Saki's grin grew wider. "I like the sound of this. Ryo, you're in for it now."
Ryo buried his face in his hands. "Why does this keep happening to me?"