[Scene: The School Courtyard – Morning]
The school bell rang, signaling the start of another chaotic day. Ryo, still recovering from the previous day's embarrassment, walked toward his classroom with Aoi by his side. The whispers of their classmates followed them like a shadow.
"I swear, it feels like the whole school is watching us," Ryo muttered, rubbing his temples.
Aoi flashed a mischievous grin. "Maybe that's because they are watching us."
Ryo groaned. "This is torture."
As they approached the school gates, a new voice interrupted their banter.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Ryo and Aoi."
Ryo froze. His heart skipped a beat when he recognized the voice.
Turning around, he saw a tall, elegant girl with long, flowing black hair and sharp features. Miyu Kanzaki.
Aoi's eyes narrowed. "What's she doing here?"
Miyu smirked, looking at them both with a mix of amusement and disdain. "I've been hearing some interesting rumors about you two."
Ryo felt his stomach drop. Not her…
Miyu was a childhood acquaintance—though, unlike Aoi, she was a former rival. She'd always acted like she had some sort of claim over Ryo, even though they had no romantic history whatsoever.
Ryo hesitated. "What do you want, Miyu?"
Miyu's gaze shifted to Aoi, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I wanted to congratulate you, Aoi. I didn't think you had it in you to steal my Ryo."
Aoi raised an eyebrow. "Steal? Ryo's not a thing to be stolen."
Miyu smirked. "Oh, but you see, in my world, he is. Ryo was always the perfect gentleman, always so thoughtful… and now, you've come along and ruined everything. This engagement? It's nothing more than a childish game."
Ryo felt his chest tighten. He'd never seen Miyu so openly hostile before.
"Aoi," Miyu continued, her voice sweet but cutting, "you should know that Ryo has always been the one I've had my eyes on. So don't think you can just waltz in and claim him."
Aoi stood tall, her arms crossing in front of her. "I'm not here to fight over him. Ryo's not some prize to be won."
Miyu's smile turned sharp. "We'll see about that, won't we?"
She turned and walked away, her presence like a storm that left tension hanging in the air.
Ryo exhaled, realizing he'd been holding his breath. "That was… unsettling."
Aoi smirked. "I wouldn't worry about her. She's all talk."
"Yeah, but…" Ryo trailed off, clearly uneasy. "She's still dangerous."
Aoi glanced at him, her usual playful expression softening. "You're not worried, are you?"
"Me? Worried?" Ryo laughed nervously. "No, of course not. Just… just wondering if this fake engagement is going to get even messier."
---
[Scene: Classroom 2-B – Afternoon]
The entire class was buzzing with excitement. As soon as the bell rang for the end of the day, everyone crowded around Ryo and Aoi.
"So, are you two really going to get married after graduation?" one student asked eagerly.
"Yeah, tell us how you're going to have a wedding! Is it going to be a grand affair?!" another chimed in.
Ryo felt overwhelmed. He could practically feel his social life being dissected in front of him.
"Guys, guys! It's not like that!" Ryo protested. "We're just pretending, okay?"
But no one listened. They were too busy making plans for the fake wedding they'd created in their minds.
Aoi, looking unfazed, just leaned back in her chair and smiled.
"What if we had the wedding on the rooftop? It would be cute, don't you think?" one of the girls asked.
"Ryo, what kind of ring would you get her? A diamond, right?"
The bombardment of questions continued until the door to the classroom opened, and in walked Miyu Kanzaki again—this time with her usual air of superiority.
She glanced at Ryo and Aoi, her gaze cold. "I thought I'd come see what all the fuss was about."
Ryo stiffened, but before he could say anything, Miyu strode forward and took a seat directly next to him, much to Aoi's annoyance.
Miyu didn't even glance at Aoi. "So, how's the fake engagement going, Ryo? Do you think Aoi will keep up the act?"
Aoi stood up, crossing her arms. "What's your deal, Miyu? You can't just walk in here and cause trouble."
Miyu turned her gaze to Aoi, her eyes narrowing. "You're just jealous. You know that, right? You know I'm the one who belongs by his side."
Aoi smirked, unfazed. "Really? Because last time I checked, Ryo and I were childhood friends, not fake lovers. But sure, keep telling yourself that."
Miyu's lips curled into a smile, though it wasn't one of kindness. "You'll see. I'll make sure of it. No one will take what's mine."
Ryo's heart raced. This was escalating far beyond what he'd ever expected. Aoi glanced at him, and for a brief moment, he saw the serious side of her—something he rarely got to witness.
"I wouldn't worry about her, Ryo," Aoi said quietly, but with conviction. "She doesn't have what it takes to beat us."
Ryo wasn't so sure. But he had to admit, Aoi's calmness in the face of Miyu's hostility gave him a little comfort.