Annoyance

Hikarigaoka High School, Tokyo

The next morning, Miku waltzed into class with her trademark sway, her eyes immediately locking onto Ryu at his desk. A grin formed at her lips as she tiptoed up behind him and wrapped her arms around his solid shoulders.

“Ohayou, champ~” she murmured, resting her cheek against the warmth of his back.

Ryu glanced over his shoulder, his smile effortless the moment he saw her. “Ohayou.” He leaned into her hold as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Ryu Isagi. A boxing athlete. Heartthrob. With his sharp jawline, broad shoulders, and jet-black hair slicked neatly back, he carried himself like he’d stepped straight out of a sports magazine. His eyes were bright blue, gleaming under the classroom's morning sun. To Miku, he was the balance of tough and handsome, and the fact that he was hers made it even better.

“You’re extra clingy this morning, you're not making any trouble, right?” he teased, turning in his chair to tug her into a proper hug.

Miku puffed out her cheeks and stuck out her tongue. “Shut up. I know you love me when I'm clingy~”

He chuckled softly, brushing a hand through her hair before letting her go. She slipped into the seat beside him with a smug little smile. Miku leaned back in her chair, arms folded beneath her chest, the faintest smirk forming on her pink lips as she caught Ryu sneaking a glance at her.

“What is it, Ryu-kun? Are you enjoying my view?” she whispered seductively, tugging at the edge of her blazer to show her cleavage even more, with surrounding male students eyeing her body like hungry wolves.

Ryu clicked his tongue and leaned closer, his voice a low murmur meant only for her. “You're such a baka, do you even realize how many eyes are on you right now?”

Before she could retort, he reached out, pinching the lapels of her uniform jacket as he tugged the fabric together, covering the gap she’d left teasingly wide.

Miku blinked, caught between surprise and a sudden rush of blush spreading across her cheeks. “H-hey… what do you think you’re doing?”

“Saving you from yourself,” Ryu replied coolly, though the faint curve of his lips betrayed the laugh he was holding back. “Unless you want every guy in this room drooling over you. ”

Miku leaned in until her breath nearly touched his ear, her tone dripping with mock sweetness. “Jealous?”

His eyes met hers, steady and unflinching. “Maybe I am.”

Moments later, the school bell rang, its sharp and insistent tone putting the class to order. Chairs scraped, voices dimmed, and the teacher barged in with his usual brisk steps.

“Sit down, class,” he called out, adjusting his glasses.

The chatter went silent as everyone settled. The teacher cleared his throat, gaze sweeping across the room before finalizing it on the classroom door.

“Before we begin today’s lesson,” he announced, “we have a new student joining us.”

Every head turned. Miku and Ryu exchanged a glance, curiosity tugging at their expressions, before their eyes drifted toward the doorway. The air shifted, a current of excitement filling the room.

It was her.

The girl who had bumped into Miku last night.

Now, in the full light of day, her presence spilled into the classroom like sunlight through an open window. A soft, warm, and yet demanding presence that blessed every gaze it touched and said, "Look at me" to everyone. Her uniform swayed with each graceful step, a white sailor and a dark navy pleated skirt brushing against her slender legs.

Her hair, long and black, cascaded down her back like a midnight river, each strand gleaming under the classroom lights. At the crown of it, a delicate pink ribbon held her locks in place, the single detail adding a fragile, girlish innocence to the picture.

Then there were her eyes--shimmering crimson color with a strange elegance. They caught the light in a way that made them glow, as if something mysterious lingered behind her eyes. The girl didn’t just stand there. She belonged there, as if the room had been waiting for her all along. Like a spotlight in a theater.

She turned with a flashing, radiant smile that seemed to pour light into every corner of the room.

“My name is Chisa Nagahara. Nice to meet you! I'm still new here, yoroshiku onegaishimasu!”

For a heartbeat, silence. And then a collective gasp can be heard.

The classroom erupted all at once: the screech of chairs as boys lurched forward to see her better. One voice cut through the frenzy, trembling with disbelief.

“Wait, aren’t you Chisa-chan from Love & Partie?! Who will debut next month???”

Miku’s eyes narrowed. The name hit the air, igniting the room. Suddenly, everything made sense: the porcelain skin, the too-perfect smile, the aura of an 'innocent' girl.

"Of course she's an idol," Miku muttered to herself.

And of course, every boy in class was staring at her like she had descended from heaven straight into their boring little lives.

Even Ryu.

Miku’s jaw tightened as she caught him staring, lips slightly parted, his expression unguarded. She hated it, hated the way he looked at her like that. She didn’t like sharing. Not with anyone.

The teacher cleared his throat, a brittle attempt to steady the storm. “Alright, thank you, Chisa. You can sit beside Ryu Isagi-san, near the window.”

Of all the places.

Miku felt her stomach twist as the idol floated past, every step deliberate and soundless, her ribbon swaying like a final flourish. Miku’s eyes flicked toward the desk in question, her desk. The girl who used to sit there, a quiet little girl named Haruna with the soft voice and second-hand bag, had lasted only two months before vanishing without a word.

The rumor was she’d “transferred.”

The truth was uglier.

She hated Haruna.

The way the boys in class were staring, eyes wide and glittering. She hated the way Ryu’s gaze lingered too long on her, as if he’d forgotten she was right there beside him.

She remembered everything she had done, the mocking giggles in the bathroom stalls, the mysteriously “lost” homework that always seemed to go missing when Haruna needed it most. It was all part of her "plan". The day Haruna walked out of class for the last time, head bowed, her eyes half-dead like a fish caught inside a net. Miku hadn’t even bothered to wave goodbye. "It's not my fault she's that annoying", Miku thought to herself.

That's why she got rid of her. She vanished. And now another one came to play.

“Great,” Miku muttered under her breath, scowling at the vision in ribbons and flawless smiles. “Another perfect princess. Just what I need.”

Whether Chisa didn’t hear her or pretended not to, Miku couldn’t tell. Either way, the idol moved with unshakable grace, lowering herself into the seat beside her. Then, with a practiced flick of her wrist, she extended her hand toward Ryu.

“Yoroshiku onegaishimasu, Ryuu-kun~” she said, her voice as sweet and light as spun sugar.

Ryu blinked, caught completely off guard by Chisa calling him by his front name. His posture stiffened, his hand darting out to meet hers.

“Yoroshiku, Chisa-san.”

Miku rolled her eyes so hard, annoyed.

Of course. The sweet voice. The innocent smile. The flawless timing. The front name callings instead of the family name.

It was all a "cutesy" act.

No one this perfect could be real.

Not in 'her classroom'.

Miku leaned back in her chair, arms crossing over her chest like armor, nails drumming against her sleeves. Her glare lingered on Chisa, sharp enough to cut through silk.

Then Chisa turned, her gaze landing squarely on Miku's eyes. That same radiant smile lit her face as she extended a hand across the narrow gap between their desks.

“Yoroshiku!” Her tone was warm, sincere, and almost disarming.

Miku stared at the hand. Pale, delicate fingers hovered in the air, steady and patient. Her nail was exceptionally clean and pinkish. To the rest of the class, it was nothing but an innocent gesture of friendship. To Miku, it felt venomous, like a serpent offering peace with a hidden fang.

Her chest tightened. The whole classroom was still watching, waiting, the air thick with expectation. Refusing would make her look petty. Accepting felt like swallowing poison.

Slowly, Miku raised her hand and clasped Chisa’s hand.

“Yoroshiku,” she said, her voice flat. No smile. Only her eyes spoke, sharp, hostile, drilling into Chisa’s flawless eyes as if daring them to crack. The same glare she used to many girls who sat on that hot spot.

A beat passed. But Chisa didn’t flinch. Her smile didn’t falter. If anything, it softened, a quiet warmth that suggested she saw the hostility blazing in Miku’s gaze and welcomed it.

She knew Miku hated her. And she didn’t care.

Miku was the one to let go first.

When the bell rang for lunch, Chisa didn’t even make it halfway down the aisle before the crowd closed in. Curious classmates swarmed her desk, firing off various questions about her group, about her favorite food, and about her debut next month.

It was suffocating. Even Miku could see that.

Chisa laughed politely at first, answering here and there, but soon her smile began to strain. She was cornered, penned in by eager hands and shining eyes, her desk buried under the weight of too much attention.

Then Ryu stepped in.

“Alright, folks, give her some space, she just got here,” he said, his voice calm but firm, cutting clean through the chatter.

The crowd hesitated, glancing at him, then slowly peeled back, still whispering but retreating enough to let the girl breathe.

Chisa looked up at him, her eyes wide, relief spilling across her face. Then came that bright, flawless, heart-melting smile.

“Arigatou nee, Ryu-kun! I was starting to feel like a zoo exhibit.” She was scratching her head while smiling.

Ryu rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling coolly. “No need to say thanks, I know some fans can be like that.”

“Hate those hungry fans. Am I right?” Miku cut in, her tone sharp enough to slice. She leaned against her desk, arms folded under her chest, scowling like a sulking princess.

Ryu shot her a quick look, half warning and half pleading. He knew that look on her face. Miku was jealous, and when she got jealous, sparks tended to fly.

Chisa noticed too. Of course she did.

But instead of faltering, her smile only widened..

“I’m sure I’ll get used to it,” she said sweetly.

Miku heard the sting. Patronizing, effortless, as if the debuting idol was already comfortable on her throne. Miku’s nails dug into her arms.

"Ugh. This bitch is a pain!" Miku muttered in her thoughts.

“And you,” Chisa said softly, almost like an afterthought, though her gaze held steady. “What’s your name?”

The silence was instant.

Miku tilted her chin, uncrossing her arms with deliberate slowness. The weight of all those eyes pressed down, waiting, hanging on her reply.

“Miku,” she said at last, voice low but firm. “Takasawa Miku.”

Chisa’s lips curved, that flawless smile never faltering. “Miku-chan~” she repeated, savoring the syllables like a melody. “A very cute name. It suits you!”

Miku, however, only narrowed her eyes. Compliment or not, the way Chisa said it didn’t feel like praise. She felt like she mocked her.

Hate.

Hate.

Hate.

Miku hated everything about her.

“I’m so confused, who should I eat with, and I don't bring any bento too…Do you guys borrow a bento from home?” Chisa asked, tugging the conversation into her side.

Ryu quickly leaned in, eager to respond, trying to ignore the daggers in Miku’s stare.

“We usually get bentos from the cafeteria,” he said casually.

Miku let out a quiet scoff, her lips curling into a scowl.

“I get mine from a café down the street,” she cut in, her words sharp, deliberate. Her gaze never wavered from Chisa. “It’s way better than school food.”

Chisa’s eyes lit up. In a flash, she reached across the narrow space and seized Miku’s hands.

“Ehhh? Really? Aaaah~, can you show me, Miku-chan? Pleaseee?” she pleaded, her voice dipping into a sweet, soothing melody that drew giggles from Ryu himself.

Miku was stunned as Chisa’s fingers wrapped around hers, those impossibly big, pleading eyes locking on like a spell. The warmth of Chisa’s skin, that soft honeyed voice…

“Ugh…” she shot a glance at Ryu as if begging for a lifeline. But his lips were twitching like he was holding back a laugh.

She whipped her gaze back to Chisa. Double damn it. That wide, innocent smile was still there.

“Fine,” Miku huffed at last, yanking her hand free. Not too rough. Just enough to remind Chisa she wasn’t that easy to win over. “But don’t slow me down.”

Ryu arched an eyebrow, his voice dripping with playful disbelief. “…Wait, you’re letting someone tag along to our secret spot?”

"Our Secret spot? Why the hell did he mention that in front of her?" Miku’s blood ran hot. Her head snapped toward him, eyes blazing.

“Shut. Up.”

Ryu just smirked faintly, hands slipping into his pockets as if he’d just kicked over a bee’s nest for fun.

Chisa, meanwhile, clasped her hands together in pure delight.

“Yaaay! Thank you, Miku! I’ll keep up with you guys, I promise!”

Miku groaned, dragging a palm down her face.

This girl…

The little café down the street smelled like freshly steamed rice, its windows glowing warm against the midday sun. Chisa lingered at the counter like a child in a candy shop, eyes darting between the bentos until she finally clasped one to her chest with a triumphant smile. Miku and Ryu did the same as they settled with their usual bentos.

By the time they climbed to the top of the school, the city spread beneath them in a lazy shimmer of heat. The rooftop was quiet, a place that felt like Miku’s territory. This is the place she usually had 'lunch' with Ryu, privately.

"This is such a good place to eat!" Chisa chirped.

Until she came.

Miku plopped down on her usual spot, unwrapping her bento with the grace of someone who’d done this a hundred times. Ryu settled beside her, while Chisa, almost too eager, sat across them, her legs tucked neatly beneath her.

Miku tried to act unfazed. Cool. In control. But every so often, she caught Chisa sneaking glances at her. A soft and curious glance, like she was trying to read something written between Miku’s expressions. It was annoying. And then silence. Awkwardness for a minute, until Miku stabbed her salmon with more force than necessary and forced the words out.

“So… you’re a school idol?”

Chisa’s face brightened instantly.

“Yes, I am!”

Miku chewed slowly, pretending to find her fish fascinating. “Sounds boring to me.”

“It is,” Chisa admitted with a weak laugh, scratching the back of her head. “The training is so tiring… but I do it to support myself. I don’t want my parents to spend money on me.”

Her tone was light, but there was something honest beneath it, something that made Miku’s chopsticks hesitate mid-bite.

Ryu leaned in, eyes warm with admiration.

“Wow… you’re quite independent, Chisa-san.”

Chisa’s cheeks flushed at the praise. She ducked her head slightly, tweaking her chopsticks. “Ahaha… I just do what I can.”

Miku rolled her eyes, swallowing down the sudden tightness in her chest. Miku glanced at Ryu, who was watching Chisa with an intrigued expression.

She clenched her teeth. Independent, hardworking, beautiful....perfect. The more Chisa talked, the more Ryu fell under her spell.

Miku was beginning to hate her even more. No. She despises her. Instinctively, she needed to sway the attention really quickly.

“Ryu… aaaaaan~” Miku sang, holding a piece of karaage between her chopsticks and driving it to Ryu's mouth.

Ryu blinked, caught off guard, but instinct won over hesitation. He leaned forward and opened his mouth.

“Aaaan…” The bite disappeared between his lips, and Miku smirked triumphantly. She leaned closer, letting her shoulder brush against his.

And then, Chisa’s voice chimed in, light and airy. “Are you guys dating? Oww, that’s so adorable!”

She clapped her hands together, her eyes sparkling like she’d just witnessed the finale of a romance drama.

“Obviously,” she purred, voice honeyed in a sweet tone. “Ryu’s all mine. Right, babe?”

Still chewing, Ryu nodded quickly. His chest tightened, caught between the warmth of Miku’s closeness and the sting of the jealousy fueling it. 

Miku narrowed her eyes at the girl across from her, her smirk faltering.

Why wasn’t Chisa rattled? Why wasn’t she annoyed by her manner? Even a flicker of unease would’ve been satisfying. But no, her reaction was pure delight, as if Miku had handed her the sweetest news in the world. 

Miku’s blood is pumping. This girl was untouchable to her usual tricks. And somehow… she felt like this annoyance would linger inside her for a long, long time.