The weekend was supposed to be a time for Ryo to unwind, to finally escape the madness of school and have a little peace. Instead, he found himself standing outside a cafe, staring at the door with a growing sense of dread.
The problem wasn't the cafe itself. It was a nice spot in the shopping district, tucked away from the main street. Quiet, cozy, and definitely a place where Ryo would have liked to spend an afternoon… alone.
But, unfortunately, he wasn't alone. Standing next to him, tapping her foot impatiently, was Saki.
"What's taking you so long?" Saki asked, her voice full of amusement. "Scared of a little cafe date?"
"It's not a date," Ryo mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets.
Saki smirked. "Sure, sure. Whatever you say."
He had no idea how this had happened. One minute he was minding his own business, and the next, Saki had "invited" him out for what she called "a little fun." Of course, she hadn't exactly given him much of a choice.
As they walked into the cafe, Ryo tried his best to keep his cool. This wasn't a date. This was just… two people hanging out. Right?
Except that everyone else in the cafe didn't seem to see it that way. Ryo could feel the stares as soon as they stepped inside, and it didn't help that Saki was practically glowing with confidence, as if she thrived off the attention.
They found a table by the window, and Saki wasted no time ordering for both of them. She leaned back in her chair, folding her arms behind her head like she didn't have a care in the world.
"So," she said, looking at him with a sly grin, "how are you holding up, Romeo? Surviving the harem life?"
Ryo groaned, resting his forehead on the table. "Can you not call it that?"
"But that's what it is, isn't it?" Saki teased. "You've got Hana, Mei, and me all fighting for your attention. Must be exhausting."
"I'm not… No one's fighting," Ryo muttered, his voice muffled by the table. "And I didn't ask for any of this."
Saki chuckled. "You don't have to ask. It just happens when you're as dense as you are. You didn't even realize it was happening, did you?"
Ryo lifted his head, frowning. "What are you talking about?"
Saki leaned forward, her expression softening just a little. "Hana likes you, you know. Like, really likes you."
Ryo blinked, caught off guard by her sudden seriousness. "What? No, she doesn't. She's just… being friendly."
Saki raised an eyebrow. "Trust me, I know the difference. She's into you. And Mei… well, she's harder to read, but she's definitely paying more attention to you than she does to anyone else."
Ryo opened his mouth to argue but found himself at a loss for words. Was Saki messing with him, or was she actually serious? He had always thought Hana was just naturally bubbly and that Mei was just… Mei. Could there really be more to it?
Before he could dwell on it any further, Saki's smirk returned. "Of course, I could always make a move myself if you're that clueless."
Ryo felt his face heat up. "You're not serious."
Saki winked. "Why not? I've got to keep the competition on their toes."
Ryo's brain was scrambling to make sense of the situation. This was exactly the kind of chaos he had wanted to avoid—three girls, all acting like there was something more going on when all he wanted was a quiet, uneventful life.
But life, it seemed, had other plans for him.