[Scene: Classroom – Everyone Awaits Ryo's Decision]
The classroom was buzzing with anticipation. Students whispered among themselves, eager to know who Ryo would choose. Miyu sat confidently in her seat, arms crossed, while Aoi leaned back, looking relaxed but observant.
Hina, the instigator of this whole mess, smirked. "Alright, Ryo, it's time. Who's it going to be?"
Ryo sighed, scratching the back of his head as he stood up. He slowly walked toward Miyu, who raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
"You're amazing, Miyu," Ryo said sincerely. "You're strong, confident, and you always know what you want."
Miyu smirked. "So that means I win?"
Ryo shook his head. "No… because while you're great, Aoi is perfect."
Aoi, who had been quietly watching, blinked in surprise. "Wait… What?"
The classroom erupted into gasps and whispers. Some students looked excited, others disappointed. Miyu simply stared at Ryo, unreadable for a moment, before chuckling.
"Well, I can't say I didn't see this coming," Miyu said, standing up. She placed a hand on Ryo's shoulder and smirked. "I'll admit, I wanted to win, but if it's Aoi… I guess it's fine."
Ryo smiled awkwardly, while Aoi, still shocked, sat there processing everything.
As the bell rang, signaling the end of the day, students slowly dispersed, but Aoi remained seated, still thinking.
[Scene: Rooftop – Aoi Seeks Answers]
The sun was setting, casting an orange glow over the school rooftop. Ryo stood alone, leaning against the railing, staring at the sky.
He heard the soft creak of the rooftop door opening and turned to see Aoi approaching him.
She crossed her arms, looking at him seriously. "Alright, spill it. Why did you choose me?"
Ryo sighed. "Miyu deserves someone better than me."
Aoi frowned. "That's not an answer. What does that even mean?"
Ryo looked away. "Miyu is confident, independent, and knows exactly what she wants. I feel like… if she's with me, I'd just be holding her back."
Aoi raised an eyebrow. "And me? You think I wouldn't outgrow you?"
Ryo turned back to her, his eyes softer. "No. Because no matter what, you've always been beside me. You're not just my childhood friend, Aoi. You're… my safe place."
Aoi's breath hitched. She wasn't expecting that.
For a moment, silence filled the air between them.
Then Aoi's expression shifted into something unreadable. "What if I was never faking being your fiancée? What if I was just your friend all along?"
Ryo was silent for a moment before answering, gently but firmly.
"I'd still choose you."
Aoi's eyes widened. "Even if I was just a friend?"
Ryo nodded. "Yeah. Because you matter to me. More than just some competition."
Aoi took a deep breath, trying to calm her suddenly racing heart. "You're so unfair, Ryo."
He chuckled. "I get that a lot."
Ryo turned to leave, but as he took a step forward—
[Scene: The Unexpected Fall – Aoi and Ryo's Close Moment]
His foot slipped.
Before he could react, he lost his balance and fell forward—straight into Aoi.
"Ah—!"
Aoi yelped as both of them crashed onto the rooftop floor, tangled together in an embarrassingly close position.
Ryo was now on top of Aoi, their faces inches apart. He could feel the warmth of her breath against his skin, and for the first time, he realized just how close they really were.
Aoi's cheeks turned red, her usual confident demeanor completely shattered. "Ryo… w-what are you doing?"
Ryo's mind went blank. Oh no.
His hands were planted on the floor on either side of Aoi's head, trapping her beneath him. He could see every detail of her expression—her wide eyes, the faint blush on her cheeks, the way she swallowed nervously.
They locked eyes.
The world around them seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them in this moment.
Aoi's voice was barely a whisper. "Y-You're seriously close right now…"
Ryo gulped. "Y-Yeah. I noticed."
Neither of them moved.
Aoi's eyes flickered down to his lips for a split second before she quickly turned her head away, flustered. "G-Get off me, idiot!"
Ryo quickly scrambled to his feet, his own face burning. "S-Sorry! That was an accident!"
Aoi sat up, holding her chest as if trying to calm her racing heart. "Jeez… you really scared me for a second."
Ryo rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh… yeah. Me too."
Aoi glanced at him through her lashes, her face still slightly pink. "D-Don't think too much about this, okay? It was just an accident."
Ryo nodded quickly. "R-Right. Just an accident."
But even as they both stood there, awkwardly avoiding each other's eyes, they both knew.
Something had definitely changed between them.
[To Be Continued…]