Ryo stared at his desk, quietly twirling his pen as the day's lesson slipped past him like a gentle breeze. He couldn't concentrate—his thoughts were all over the place. Takashi had given him a taste of the student council life, and though he tried to keep his distance from it, he found himself increasingly roped into their activities.
Rina, the vice president, had been persistent in asking for his help. Even though he hadn't officially joined the council, the number of favors he'd been asked to do was growing by the day. The student council always needed a hand, and since Ryo seemed to be constantly within their sight, he was the perfect candidate.
Takashi's casual charm and Rina's persistent nature were making it harder and harder for Ryo to say no. Not to mention Amelia, the foreign exchange student from America, who had recently joined the student council. She seemed to fit in naturally with the group, her energy blending well with Rina's leadership and Takashi's laid-back demeanor.
But even though Ryo often found himself caught up in their affairs, his mind kept drifting to other things. Things outside of school.
"Oi, Ryo," a voice broke his reverie. He turned to see Hana, her usual friendly grin plastered across her face. "Earth to Ryo? You've been zoning out all day. What's up?"
He blinked. "Oh, nothing… just thinking."
"Thinking about what?" Saki chimed in, leaning her elbows on Ryo's desk. "The council? Or… maybe someone special?" Her voice dropped into a teasing tone as her eyes sparkled mischievously.
Ryo shot her a flat look. "It's not like that."
Saki shrugged, clearly enjoying herself. "If you say so."
Mei sat quietly at her desk next to them, but she glanced at Ryo from the corner of her eye. Unlike the others, she rarely spoke up in conversations like these, but her presence was always felt. She had an air of calm around her, the kind that made it easy for her to stay out of the chaos while still keeping an eye on things.
Ryo sighed. "Seriously, it's just been a lot lately. The council keeps dragging me into things. I think Takashi just likes messing with me."
Hana chuckled, nudging him. "Well, you did kind of walk right into it. But hey, at least you're not bored anymore, right?"
Bored? Hardly. Between helping out the council, navigating the growing attention from his classmates, and managing his friendships with Hana, Saki, and Mei, his life was anything but boring. Not to mention the recent addition of Amelia, who had taken a curious interest in him ever since they crossed paths during one of the council's projects.
As if on cue, the door to the classroom slid open, and Amelia stepped in with a confident stride. She waved at a few students before locking eyes with Ryo. "Hey, Ryo! You free after class? I was hoping you could help me with something."
Saki smirked, elbowing Ryo slightly. "Here we go again."
Ryo groaned inwardly but managed a smile. "Sure, what do you need?"
Amelia approached, her American accent standing out amid the usual conversations. "Well, there's this council project I'm working on, and I could use a second opinion. I thought maybe you'd be able to help me come up with some ideas."
Before he could respond, Takashi strolled into the room as well, his usual carefree expression on his face. "Oh, you're roping Ryo into more council stuff? Looks like I've trained you well, Amelia."
Amelia laughed, shaking her head. "Not everything's about the council, Takashi. I just thought Ryo would have some good suggestions, that's all."
"Yeah, sure," Takashi replied with a wink. "Just don't overwork him. He's not part of the council yet, remember?"
Ryo raised an eyebrow. "Not part of the council, and not planning to be, either."
Takashi clapped a hand on his shoulder. "We'll see about that."
The banter flowed easily, but Ryo couldn't shake the feeling that no matter how much he tried to avoid it, he was being slowly pulled deeper into the student council's orbit. The attention he was trying to dodge only seemed to grow stronger, and the group of people around him kept expanding.
Once class ended, Ryo found himself walking down the hallway with Hana, Saki, and Mei trailing close behind. Amelia had gone off to prepare something for her project, promising to meet up with him later to go over her ideas. As they made their way through the school, Hana stretched her arms above her head, letting out a content sigh.
"So, what's the plan after school today?" she asked, her eyes glinting with excitement. "We could stop by the arcade or maybe grab something to eat?"
Saki raised an eyebrow. "Or we could all just head to Ryo's place and crash there. I'm sure his parents wouldn't mind."
Ryo almost choked. "My place? Why mine?"
"Because you have the best snacks," Saki teased, sticking her tongue out at him.
Mei finally spoke up, her voice soft but steady. "I wouldn't mind going to the arcade."
Hana grinned. "Arcade it is, then! Let's see if Ryo can beat me in one of those games."
Ryo sighed but couldn't help but smile. This was his life now—pulled in all directions by his friends, roped into the student council's plans, and somehow managing to find balance amid the chaos.
But in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder what would happen next. As his circle of friends continued to grow, and with more people like Amelia entering his life, the once quiet and unnoticed existence he'd enjoyed was slipping further and further away.
Still, a small part of him didn't entirely mind. It wasn't so bad, after all.