Scene: Gym Practice – Day 1
Coach: "Alright! You'll be training with your assigned pair every day this week!"
Aika:
"I'm quitting school."
Ren (smugly stretching beside her):
"Aw, giving up already, wifey?"
Aika:
"Call me that again and I swear I'll replace your water bottle with vinegar."
From across the gym, Kaito was helping another classmate stretch. Aika waved dramatically to him.
Aika:
"Kaito~ Save me! Switch with Ren!"
Coach (reading the clipboard):
"No switching. The list has been… locked."
Ren (tilting his head):
"Oops. I might've bribed Tomo with imported pickles to 'secure' our pairing."
Aika:
"You actual devil."
---
Scene: Day 2 – Sabotage Training
They were supposed to practice passing the baton. Ren kept holding her hand for way too long.
Aika:
"Just hand it over!"
Ren (whispers):
"Is that what you'll say on our wedding night?"
Aika (throws the baton at his head):
"SHUT UUUUUUUUP!"
Nearby, Kaito watched them with crossed arms and a faint pout.
Yumi (watching like a drama critic):
"I smell tension."
Tomo (eating pickles):
"Or maybe that's just gym socks."
---
Scene: Day 3 – The Great Escape Attempt
Aika went to Coach before class.
Aika:
"Please let me change partners. Ren's toxic. I deserve better."
Coach:
"Sorry. Ren's grades are finally improving because of you."
Aika:
"What does that have to do with a relay race?!"
Coach:
"I said what I said."
---
Scene: Rooftop – After School
Kaito and Aika sat sharing juice boxes in silence.
Kaito:
"Still stuck with him, huh?"
Aika (groaning):
"It's like fate glued me to that idiot."
Kaito (quietly):
"You really hate it that much?"
Aika looked at him.
Aika:
"…No. I hate how he always gets to me."
Just then, Ren kicked the rooftop door open.
Ren (mock shocked):
"Wow. Juice boxes? You didn't even bring me one? Aika, I'm heartbroken."
Aika:
"Wanna choke on a straw?"
Ren:
"Only if it's yours."
Kaito (rolling eyes):
"Can't we have one peaceful moment?"
Ren:
"Nope. Especially not with my girlfriend and her secret boyfriend hanging out alone."
Aika + Kaito:
"NOT DATING."
---
Scene: End of Week – School Festival Rehearsal
The announcer tested the mic on the field.
Announcer:
"Up next: our star Couple Relay team from 2-B… Ren and Aika!"
Classmates cheered. Yumi released flower petals.
Ren (grabbing the baton):
"Ready, wife?"
Aika:
"Trip and die, husband."
They lined up at the start. Ren leaned close.
Ren (low):
"If we win, I want a kiss in front of the school."
Aika (deadpan):
"If I win, I'm putting you in detention myself."
Scene: The Couples Relay – Festival Day
The crowd was screaming.
Banners waved. Confetti flew. Students from every class gathered on the field for the biggest event of the day.
Announcer:
"From Class 2-B, the infamous duo—Ren and Aika!"
Aika stood at the starting line, tying her hair with a ribbon. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, not from nerves—but from the man standing beside her with the most annoyingly perfect bedhead ever.
Ren (stretching dramatically):
"You sure you can keep up, short legs?"
Aika (cracking her knuckles):
"I hope you fall flat on your smug face."
Ren (grinning):
"If I trip, will you catch me, babe?"
Aika:
"Not unless it's with a shovel."
BANG! The whistle blew.
Aika blasted off. She was fast—shockingly so.
Half the school gasped.
Ren (behind her, catching up):
"Damn, you're actually trying."
Aika:
"I want to beat you so badly they make it a national holiday."
She passed him the baton mid-turn, nearly smacking him in the chest. He caught it, but not without spinning dramatically and—tripping.
Crowd: "WHOA!"
Ren (groaning on the ground):
"Ow. My ankle. I might… not survive."
Aika (deadpan):
"You faker."
Ren (grabbing her wrist):
"Carry me, princess. I believe in you."
Aika (yanking him up):
"You better run or I'll make your fake injury real."
Somehow, they still won—barely.
Crowd ERUPTS.
Class 2-B screams in victory.
Yumi throws a frog plushie in the air. Tomo eats celebratory pickles. Haru cries for no reason.
---
Scene: After the Race – Changing Area, Behind the Gym
Ren was wiping his face with a towel. Aika sat on the bench beside him, sipping water.
Aika:
"You totally faked that injury."
Ren:
"Maybe. But admit it—you touched me willingly."
Aika (flustered):
"It was assisted violence!"
Ren (smirking):
"Same thing in romance."
---
Scene: Evening – Festival Stage
A soft tune started playing.
Aika walked through the crowd with her friends when—
Announcer:
"Special performance from Class 2-B… Kaito!"
She froze.
Up on stage, Kaito adjusted the mic, then strummed the guitar slung across his shoulder. The lights cast a soft glow over him.
Kaito (smiling softly):
"This one's… for someone who makes chaos worth it."
Aika blinked. Everyone turned to her.
Ren (behind her, arms crossed):
"You've got to be kidding."
Aika (blushing):
"What is he doing?!"
Kaito (singing):
🎵 If she'd just turn around, I'd say it plain.
Even if she throws pencils at me again.
Her anger makes thunder sound shy—
And I think that's the reason I try… 🎵
Yumi (sniffles):
"This is better than my horoscope said."
Ren (through clenched teeth):
"Oh. We're writing love songs now. That's cool. That's fine."
Aika (whispering):
"Kaito's voice is actually kind of… good…"
Ren (grumbling):
"Next time I'll bring backup dancers and fog machines."
---
Scene: Backstage, After the Song
Kaito walked off the stage, towel around his neck.
Aika (still blushing):
"…What was that?"
Kaito (grinning):
"A performance. Did you like it?"
Ren (snorting):
"Nice confession. You gonna propose too?"
Kaito (smirking back):
"If I do, you'll be the flower girl."
Ren:
"Keep dreaming, guitar boy."
Scene: Haunted House – Festival Night
The gym had been transformed into a haunted maze.
Fog machines. Fake cobwebs. Students dressed as zombies. Screams echoed from every corner.
Aika clung to Rin's arm, trembling.
Aika:
"I hate haunted houses. I hate haunted houses. I HATE—"
Rin (calmly):
"Then why did you agree to come?"
Aika (panicking):
"Because I didn't know Tomo would pop out dressed as a headless pickle monster!!"
Just then—BOOM!—a chainsaw buzzed.
Aika:
"AAAARGH—"
She bolted blindly down the hall… right into someone.
Ren (grinning):
"Yo."
Aika (screaming):
"NOOOOOO—oh wait. Just you."
Ren:
"Aw. Don't act that relieved."
He held out a glowstick like a knight with a sword.
Ren:
"I shall protect thee, scaredy-cat."
Aika:
"Get lost, I already have Rin—"
But Rin had wandered off after a cursed tarot booth.
And Kaito? Missing.
---
Scene: Middle of the Maze
Aika stomped ahead, Ren behind her.
Aika:
"Ugh. You're not even scared."
Ren (smug):
"Why would I be? Ghosts fear me."
Aika:
"Maybe because you are one."
Ren (leaning close):
"Then why are you blushing, huh?"
Aika (eyes wide):
"I'm not—!"
Suddenly—
SLAM!
The trap door shut behind them with a deep, final clunk.
Darkness.
Fog still lingering from the maze outside.
Aika:
"…Did we just get locked in?!"
She jiggled the knob.
Nothing.
Ren (calmly):
"Looks like we're trapped. You really have a gift for chaos."
Aika (whirling around):
"Me?! I was just trying to get away from a zombie ballerina!"
Ren (smirking):
"And ended up locked in a dark room with me. Sounds like fate."
He tapped his chin.
Ren:
"Or maybe… your subconscious wanted this."
Aika:
"More like my subconscious wants to punch you."
She kicked the door—once, twice. Still nothing.
The room was barely lit—only the flickering red glow of a fake electric candle in the corner, casting Ren's face in shifting shadows.
He stepped forward.
Ren:
"You scared?"
Aika:
"No."
Ren (softly teasing):
"You're trembling."
Aika (glaring):
"I'm shivering because it's cold!"
But her voice cracked slightly. He noticed.
He leaned closer.
Ren:
"Then stay close. I'll protect you."
Aika:
"I'd rather take my chances with the ghosts."
She turned fast—and tripped.
Falling—straight into him.
Aika:
"Ah—!"
Ren instinctively caught her—
And they both lost balance—crashing against the back wall.
It happened in an instant.
Aika presses back against the wall, breath short. Ren's hand is braced beside her head, leaning just enough to trap her.
His voice drops. "You really did it again."
Aika: "Did what?"
Ren smirks. "Tempted me."
Aika: "Y-You're insane."
He leans closer, his nose brushing against her bangs. Their lips are inches apart. The tension is thick enough to snap.
Ren murmurs, "Are you scared?"
Aika: "No. Why would I be?"
Ren: "Then don't look away."
She doesn't.
And he doesn't either.
…Until the door suddenly creaks.
They both jump apart.
Janitor: "What are you two doing in here?!"
Ren immediately: "Fighting."
Aika: "Exactly. Obviously. He was about to punch me!"
Ren (grinning): "In the heart."
Aika: "Shut up!"
—
💭 Aftermath
Now both of them are still on edge. Aika can't stop remembering how close he got. Ren keeps smirking every time she looks at him — but only when no one else is watching.
Chapter 11: Balls, Boys, and Breakdown-Level Drama
The school felt… alive again. The heavy mystery fog had lifted—for now—and in its place came something arguably more dangerous.
Hormones.
Ren had just finished basketball practice, sweat glistening along his neck, shirt halfway tucked in, and a smug look like he owned the damn world. The second he stepped out of the gym—
Screams.
"Oh my GOD he's so hot—"
"Did you see that dunk?!"
"I bet he smells like victory and bad decisions."
Aika sat on the bench, water bottle halfway to her lips, watching the chaos unfold with the cold, dead eyes of a survivor.
"This is what I get for coming early to science club," she muttered.
Next to her, Rin just hummed. "To be fair… he is kind of hot."
"Don't betray me like this," Aika hissed.
Meanwhile, across the field, Kaito walked out in his baseball uniform, cap tilted slightly, chewing gum with infuriating calm.
Cue round two of chaos.
"Oh no, him too?"
"WHY ARE THE BOYS SO ATTRACTIVE TODAY?!"
Aika covered her ears. "I didn't ask for this anime protagonist high school energy!"
---
Later – Hallway Chaos
Ren passed Aika on his way to the locker room, wiping his neck with a towel. "Yo."
Aika didn't even look at him. "No."
Ren stopped. "What?"
"Whatever you're about to say. No."
He leaned in, towel draped over one shoulder. "Scared you'll say yes?"
"Scared I'll punch you and get suspended."
Kaito walked by with a popsicle, raising his brows. "You two flirting again?"
"Flirting?!" Aika barked.
Ren grinned. "Admit it, babe. You missed this."
Aika's brain blue-screened for a second.
Rin grabbed her arm. "C'mon, let's leave these glittering male protagonists before you combust."
---
Scene Cut – Cafeteria Chaos
Yumi had declared today was "Witch Hat Wednesday," so she wore a crooked party hat with glitter and cursed anyone who spilled soup.
Tomo brought pickles again and was now bartering them for pudding.
Ren sat with his usual entourage of girls, casually peeling an orange while looking entirely too smug.
Aika walked past like he was invisible.
Kaito, lounging beside him, nudged Ren. "She's ignoring you. Again."
Ren smirked. "And yet she's always in my line of sight. Funny, huh?"
Then—
Aika tripped.
Ren shot up instinctively, but before he could help her, Kaito was already there, catching her elbow.
"You okay?" Kaito asked, smiling gently.
Aika nodded, red-faced. "Stupid floor…"
Ren sat back down, chewing the inside of his cheek.
Kaito looked at Ren and grinned just a little too smugly.
Oh, the silent competition had begun.
---
Final Scene – After School Basketball Court
Aika stayed behind for library duties, but while passing the gym, she peeked in.
Ren was still practicing, alone now. Sweat soaked his shirt as he made another clean shot.
Then he noticed her.
He didn't smile. Just walked over, bouncing the ball lazily.
"Wanna shoot one?"
Aika blinked. "No?"
Ren spun the ball on one finger. "Come on. If you get it in, I'll stop flirting for a week."
That caught her attention.
"…seriously?"
Ren smirked. "Dead serious. One shot."
She took the ball. Stared at the hoop.
And completely missed.
Ren grinned like a devil.
"Guess I'm back on duty, babe."
Aika groaned. "You're the worst."
"Still your favorite."