Chapter 22 – “Are They Dating?!”

The morning after the cultural festival felt… different.

Normally, Riko walked into school with sleepy eyes and zero expectations. But today, the moment she stepped through the gates, every single head turned. Whispers erupted like wildfire.

> “That’s her—Riko Tanabe from Class 2-B!”

“You saw it, right? He kissed her on stage!”

“They’re totally dating!”

Riko froze mid-step. Her brain short-circuited.

“Oh no. Oh no, no, no…”

Her cheeks flared crimson as she hurried down the hall. Every corridor buzzed with giggles and phone screens flashing her mortifying moment on replay — Daichi leaning in, her eyes wide, the kiss that stopped time.

“Hey, Princess Riko!” someone called out. “Where’s your Prince Charming?”

Her fist clenched. “I’m going to kill Mina.”

Sure enough, Mina was waiting inside the classroom with a proud grin and her phone open. “Good morning, lovebirds~!”

Riko lunged. “DELETE IT!”

Mina dodged expertly, holding up the screen like a trophy. “No can do. This is school history, Riko-chan! Do you know how many likes my post got overnight? Three hundred!”

“MINA!”

Daichi, meanwhile, slouched into the room a few minutes later, hands in pockets, looking way too calm for someone whose entire reputation had just imploded. He nodded at Riko like nothing had happened.

“Yo.”

She glared. “Don’t you yo me!”

He blinked innocently. “What?”

Mina leaned in between them, gleeful. “Aww, couple quarrel already?”

Daichi frowned. “We’re not—”

But before he could finish, the entire class broke into dramatic gasps and teasing comments.

> “He said we’re, not I’m—confirmed!”

“She totally blushed just now!”

“They’re perfect together!”

Riko’s soul left her body. She slammed her forehead against her desk. “Please let me disappear…”

Across the room, Rei Aizawa chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair. “Guess I should’ve fought harder for her,” he said lightly, his tone half-joking, half-provocative.

Daichi’s head snapped up. “What was that supposed to mean?”

Rei smiled lazily. “Relax, man. Just saying she’s the kind of girl worth losing to.”

The class erupted again — “Oooooh!” — fanning imaginary flames as Daichi’s jaw tightened. Riko could practically see the steam coming out of his ears.

“Rei!” she hissed, glaring at him. “You’re not helping!”

He raised his hands in surrender, amused. “Just observing, Princess.”

---

By lunch, the rumor had officially evolved into legend.

The school’s social media page featured a full post titled “The Festival Kiss: Riko & Daichi—New Power Couple of Class 2-B?!” with multiple blurry screenshots and exaggerated captions.

Daichi scrolled through it at his desk, facepalming. “This is insane…”

Riko peeked over his shoulder. “They called me ‘princess of the soccer field’?! What does that even mean?!”

Mina popped up beside them, holding a straw in her juice box. “Marketing, my dear! Embrace your brand!”

“I’m going to brand you with my shoe,” Riko muttered darkly.

Even their homeroom teacher joined the teasing. During attendance, she looked straight at them and said, “Ah, the royal couple is present. Wonderful teamwork yesterday, you two.”

The class burst into laughter. Riko wanted to crawl under her desk. Daichi groaned audibly, burying his face in his hands. “This is never going to end, is it?”

---

Later that day, during soccer practice, Riko thought she might finally escape the madness. No such luck.

Half the team gathered around her before warm-up.

“Senpai, is it true you’re dating Daichi-senpai?” “Do you guys hold hands?” “Will he come cheer for you today?”

Riko kicked the nearest soccer ball so hard it hit the far fence with a loud clang.

“DO I LOOK LIKE I’M DATING ANYONE?!”

The girls scattered like pigeons. Mina, watching from the bleachers, gave a satisfied nod. “Yup. She’s definitely in love.”

---

After practice, Riko dragged her exhausted body toward the shoe lockers. She spotted Daichi leaning there, scrolling his phone again. His hair was damp with sweat, his tie loosened, his expression unreadable.

When she approached, he glanced up.

“Crazy day, huh?”

Riko puffed her cheeks. “You think?!”

He chuckled. “You didn’t have to kick that ball like you were trying to kill it.”

“It was symbolic,” she muttered. “My will to live died the moment that video got uploaded.”

He smiled a little — the kind that made her stomach do weird flips. “You worry too much.”

“Oh, right,” she said sarcastically. “Because having everyone say we’re a couple is totally fine.”

Daichi shrugged, looking away. “Could be worse.”

Riko blinked. “Worse? How?”

He hesitated a second, scratching the back of his neck. “…Could be someone else.”

She froze.

Before she could answer, Mina appeared out of nowhere, waving her phone again. “Smile for the official couple photo!”

“MINA!”

---

That night, Riko collapsed onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her phone buzzed nonstop with messages — friends teasing, classmates congratulating, even her brother texting, “So, you and Daichi finally a thing?”

She groaned into her pillow. “We’re not dating…”

But then she remembered Daichi’s quiet words at the lockers.

“Could be worse.”

Her chest tightened for some reason she couldn’t explain.