Ryo had managed to survive another day, but he wasn't naïve enough to think the chaos was over. In fact, as the week wore on, things only seemed to get worse. Everywhere he went, students were whispering. His classmates would glance at him, snicker, and then lean over to their friends to spread whatever rumor they had just heard.
By Thursday, the rumors had reached a boiling point.
"Hey, did you hear? Ryo's dating Hana, Saki, *and* Mei at the same time!"
"No way! I heard Mei confessed to him on the rooftop!"
"I saw Saki dragging him to a cafe over the weekend. They looked pretty close."
Ryo groaned as he walked through the school hallway, his face burning with embarrassment. He could hear bits and pieces of the conversations around him, and none of it sounded good. How had this all spiraled so out of control?
It didn't help that Yuto, his best friend, found the entire situation hilarious.
"Dude, you're like a walking legend now," Yuto said, laughing as he leaned against the lockers. "People are saying you've got your own harem. That's gotta be every guy's dream!"
Ryo glared at him. "It's a nightmare."
Yuto shrugged, still grinning. "Well, if you ever get tired of all the attention, you can always throw some of it my way."
Ryo shook his head, exasperated. "This isn't funny, Yuto. I don't even like being the center of attention, and now the whole school is talking about me."
Yuto chuckled, clapping Ryo on the back. "Relax, man. It'll blow over eventually. Maybe."
Ryo shot him a skeptical look. "That's not comforting."
Before Yuto could respond, Hana suddenly appeared out of nowhere, her usual bright smile on her face.
"Ryo!" she called out, waving cheerfully. "Do you want to have lunch together today?"
Yuto raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two of them with a smirk. "Oh, boy. Here we go."
Ryo sighed. "Hana, you don't have to keep—"
Before he could finish, Saki walked up, cutting him off with her usual teasing grin. "What's this? Having lunch without inviting me? Ryo, I'm hurt."
Ryo's head was starting to spin. This was the last thing he needed—more fuel for the rumor mill.
"I didn't—" he started, but before he could get the words out, Mei appeared at the end of the hallway, her quiet presence instantly shifting the atmosphere.
Without a word, she walked up to the group, her expression as unreadable as ever.
"We should get to class," Mei said simply, her voice soft but firm.
Hana and Saki both exchanged looks, and for a moment, it seemed like the tension between them was about to explode. Ryo could feel the weight of their eyes on him, and he was sure everyone around them was watching, too.
"Uh… yeah, class," Ryo muttered, desperate for an escape.
Thankfully, Mei's suggestion seemed to defuse the situation, and the group slowly made their way to their classroom. But even as they walked, Ryo could feel the stares and hear the whispers following him like a shadow.