Ryo sat by the window in the classroom, resting his chin on his hand, staring out into the bright afternoon sun. Another day at school, and nothing seemed to change. He wasn't looking for excitement; in fact, the simpler his school life stayed, the better. But lately, simplicity had become a luxury he could no longer afford.
Since the recent festival—one Hana had practically dragged him to—things had become… complicated. His once small circle of friends had grown larger, and with it came a mix of drama and attention that Ryo had never asked for. Mei, Hana, and Saki were still very much in his life, but now new people were entering the picture, making things even harder to manage.
In the corner of his mind, he could hear Yuto's voice mocking him. "You know, the more you avoid attention, the more you get it, right?" Yuto had told him that right before the festival ended, and Ryo couldn't help but feel he was right.
At that moment, the door to the classroom slid open, and in walked Kazaki, Ryo's self-proclaimed rival. The two of them had crossed paths during the festival, but Kazaki wasn't a bad guy; he was just determined to be the popular one. For Kazaki, popularity was a game, and Ryo was an obstacle, whether Ryo liked it or not.
Kazaki glanced around the room before locking eyes with Ryo. A smirk spread across his face. "There you are, Ryo," Kazaki said as he strode over. "Looks like you're attracting quite the crowd these days."
Ryo rolled his eyes. "I'm not trying to. It just... happened."
Kazaki leaned against the desk in front of him. "That's what makes it worse. You don't try, and people flock to you. It's infuriating, you know?"
Ryo shrugged. "Then stop worrying about it. You're still popular, Kazaki. People like you."
"Yeah, but it's not enough." Kazaki straightened up. "But don't worry, I've got no ill will. It's a friendly rivalry. I just want to make sure I stay ahead."
Ryo sighed. "If that's what makes you happy, go ahead."
Just as Kazaki was about to reply, the door burst open again, and in came Hana, Saki, and Mei, all talking excitedly about something. Hana was the first to notice Ryo and Kazaki, her eyes lighting up as she bounced over to them.
"Ryo!" Hana called out, waving her hand as she practically skipped toward him. "We've been looking for you! We're planning to check out the new café that just opened near the station. You're coming with us, right?"
Before Ryo could even think of an excuse, Saki grinned mischievously, leaning closer to him. "Yeah, you promised last week! You can't back out now. You're stuck with us."
Mei, the quietest of the three, stood by with a soft smile, simply nodding her head in agreement. "It'll be fun, Ryo."
Kazaki raised an eyebrow, watching the scene unfold with clear amusement. "Looks like you're in high demand, Ryo."
Ryo rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess... I have no choice."
Hana, ever the most energetic of the group, immediately grabbed Ryo by the wrist and started pulling him toward the door. "No more excuses. You're coming with us."
Kazaki chuckled and shook his head. "Good luck, Ryo. I'll catch up with you later."
As Ryo was dragged out of the classroom, he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by how quickly things had changed. A few months ago, he had been content with his quiet, uneventful school life. Now, it felt like every day brought new challenges—and new people.
The café near the station was packed when they arrived. It was a trendy spot, filled with students from various schools, most of them enjoying their weekend break. Ryo could already feel the weight of the stares he was getting as he walked in with Hana, Saki, and Mei. The three of them drew attention no matter where they went, and having Ryo with them only made it worse.
They found a booth in the corner, and after placing their orders, the conversation quickly shifted to the festival they had recently attended—one that Hana had excitedly invited them all to.
"So," Saki began, leaning forward with a teasing smile. "What did you think of the festival, Ryo? It was your first time doing something like that, right?"
"It was... interesting," Ryo replied, trying to sound as neutral as possible.
"Interesting?" Hana's eyes widened as she leaned across the table, clearly eager for more. "You were the star of the festival, Ryo! Everyone was talking about you!"
"That's exactly why I didn't want to go," Ryo muttered under his breath, trying to avoid meeting Hana's excited gaze.
Mei, sitting quietly beside them, chuckled softly. "But you did have fun, didn't you, Ryo?"
Ryo paused, thinking back to the festival. Despite the attention and the chaos, there were moments when he had genuinely enjoyed himself. Spending time with his friends, even if it meant being in the spotlight, wasn't all bad.
"Yeah, I guess I did," he admitted.
Saki leaned back, her smirk widening. "See? We knew you'd come around. And don't worry, Ryo, we've got plenty more adventures planned for you."
"More?" Ryo's eyes widened in horror. "I think I've had enough attention for a while."
Before the girls could respond, the sound of someone approaching their table caught their attention. Ryo looked up to see a group of students from the student council standing nearby. At the front of the group was a tall, serious-looking boy with sharp features and an air of authority. Ryo had never met him before, but he recognized the uniform—this was Takashi, the student council president.
"Ryo," Takashi said, his voice firm. "We need to talk."
Hana, Saki, and Mei exchanged curious glances as Ryo stood up to meet Takashi. "What's this about?" Ryo asked cautiously.
Takashi crossed his arms, his expression unreadable. "It's about the student council. I've been hearing a lot about you lately, and I think you could be a valuable addition to our team."
Ryo blinked in surprise. "The student council? Why me? I've never even thought about joining."
"Exactly," Takashi replied, his voice steady. "That's why we need someone like you. You're someone who can make a difference without even trying. We've got a lot of upcoming events, and we could use someone with your influence."
Ryo shook his head almost immediately. "I'm not interested. I've got enough going on."
Takashi raised an eyebrow, clearly not used to being turned down. "You're sure about that? The attention you're getting could be put to good use."
Saki chuckled, nudging Ryo's shoulder. "See, even the student council's noticing you now. Looks like you're not as invisible as you thought."
Ryo sighed. "I'm not the right person for this. I don't want more attention."
Takashi regarded him for a long moment, as if sizing him up. Finally, he nodded. "I understand. But if you change your mind, the door's always open."
With that, Takashi turned and left, leaving Ryo to return to the booth, where Hana, Saki, and Mei were watching him with interest.
"What was that about?" Hana asked, her curiosity barely contained.
"Just the student council trying to recruit me," Ryo replied, sitting back down with a sigh.
"You're not going to join them, are you?" Mei asked quietly, her soft voice filled with concern.
"No way," Ryo said, shaking his head. "I've had enough of the spotlight."
Saki smirked, leaning in with a teasing grin. "Too late for that, Ryo. You're already in the spotlight."
Ryo groaned, burying his face in his hands. No matter how hard he tried to stay out of it, the spotlight seemed to follow him wherever he went. And with his growing circle of friends—and now the student council—it didn't look like things were going to calm down anytime soon.