The classroom was quiet now. Streamers drooped from the ceiling, and confetti littered the floor. The energy and joy from the culture festival had faded into silence.
Asahi stood by the window, alone.
She watched as Mei and Riku walked away from the school gates, laughing together under the streetlights.
Her eyes narrowed.
"So... you've become this close already," she murmured, fingers tightening around her phone. "Riku... you've completely forgotten what we had."
She turned and walked to the teacher's desk, pulling open a hidden drawer.
Inside: a notebook filled with names, photos, and timelines. Red lines crisscrossed across pages. At the center of it all: Riku.
Behind her, a girl with dyed purple hair and sharp eyes—Asahi's friend Nari—leaned against the wall, arms crossed.
"You sure about this plan?" Nari asked. "It's a little... much."
"He humiliated me," Asahi replied coldly. "She slapped me in front of everyone. Do you know what that does to a girl's pride?"
She pulled out her phone and tapped it—an image of Mei's old report card appeared. Below it, a private message thread with a fake account pretending to be a teacher.
"I'm going to break their perfect little bond," she said, her voice sharp. "First, I'll ruin Mei's image. Then I'll turn Riku against her."
Nari raised an eyebrow. "And if it doesn't work?"
Asahi smiled darkly. "It will. I know Riku. Deep down, he still doesn't believe he deserves happiness. I'll remind him of that."
She turned to the sunset again, eyes narrowing.
"Let the game begin."
The morning sun lit the corridors with warmth, but a cold tension spread through the air as students huddled in small groups, whispering.
On the bulletin board near the entrance, a printed paper fluttered slightly.
"Top Students List – Tampered?"
A second sheet appeared beneath it: a photo of Mei's past academic record—failing grades—and a forged message suggesting she bribed her way onto the current top 10 list.
Students murmured.
"No way... Mei?"
"She seemed smart though..."
"Riku's probably protecting her."
Mei arrived moments later, confused by the stares. Riku walked beside her, carrying two drinks.
"What's going on...?" Mei asked softly.
Before Riku could respond, Asahi stepped forward, voice loud and clear.
"Looks like someone's pretending to be smart now." She folded her arms. "Care to explain this, Miss Perfect?"
She pointed at the board. Mei froze, her heart skipping.
Riku's expression darkened, but he remained quiet, eyes darting between Mei and the papers.
Asahi saw the hesitation—and smiled inside.
"Oh? You didn't tell Riku about your real grades?" she added sweetly, but her words were poison.
The hallway grew silent.
Mei clenched her fists, struggling to speak, her lips trembling.
Riku finally stepped forward.
"Who posted this?" His voice was calm, but cold.
Asahi tilted her head. "Does it matter? If it's true—"
"It's not," Riku interrupted sharply. He pulled the paper down, crumpled it, and turned to Mei.
"Even if it was, I wouldn't care. We all have a past."
Mei looked up, tears forming.
But Asahi wasn't finished yet. Her eyes narrowed.
This was only Phase One.
Phase Two... would break them from within.
Rooftop – Lunchtime
Asahi leaned against the fence, her eyes fixed on the schoolyard below. She held her phone up to her ear.
"Phase Two begins today. Do it during the committee meeting," she whispered.
On the other end, a boy replied, "You sure this will work?"
"Trust me. Just say you saw Mei and Riku alone in the locker room. Say they were… close."
She ended the call with a smirk.
After-School – Culture Committee Room
Students gathered around the committee table. Mei and Riku sat beside each other, reviewing cleanup duties.
That's when a boy stood up, nervously scratching his head.
"Umm… I don't want to stir drama but…" he began. "I saw Mei and Riku in the storage locker room. They were... hugging. Real close."
A murmur rippled through the room.
"Seriously?"
"That's not allowed, right?"
"Isn't Riku still dating Asahi?"
Mei's eyes widened. "What? That's not true!"
But the damage was done. A seed of doubt had been planted.
Even the teacher gave a long sigh. "We'll investigate. Mei, Riku… until then, step down from the committee."
Asahi watched from outside the window, hands in her pockets.
"Let's see how long your bond lasts… Mei."
Asahi sat at her desk, surrounded by open notebooks and a bulletin board filled with photos—Riku, Mei, the class, even a map of the school.
She crossed out "Phase Two" in red ink.
Then circled "Phase Three."
"Mei… you took everything from me. My place, my pride, him..." Her voice trembled between fury and obsession.
She opened her laptop and began typing:
"Anonymous Tip: Mei is the reason the festival committee collapsed. She manipulates boys to get her way—especially Riku."
She attached edited pictures of Mei and Riku in suspicious poses—taken from innocent moments but angled to look scandalous.
Then she hit send.
Next Morning – School Group Chat Explodes
"Did you see the pictures?!"
"I knew something was off with her!"
"Riku's caught in her trap."
Mei walked into school with her head held high—but the stares were sharp. Whispers followed her. Her smile cracked.
"Riku…" she whispered.
Rooftop – Riku and Asahi
Asahi stood behind Riku, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Still chasing her?" she said sweetly. "Look what she's done to your name."
Riku turned, eyes sharp.
"You did this."
Asahi's smile dropped. But only for a second.
"You think love wins everything? Let's see how far that belief takes you…"
The Truth Behind the Smile
The quiet hum of the breeze echoed behind the school building. Afternoon shadows stretched long across the wall as Riku leaned casually against it, his arms crossed, his gaze steady.
Asahi approached slowly, her steps hesitant but deliberate. Her lips trembled, but she forced out the words.
"I… Riku, I love you," she said softly, her voice cracking near the end.
Riku didn't move. His expression remained unreadable.
"I'm sorry," he replied coldly. "But I know what you did… to Mei."
Asahi froze, her face draining of color.
A soft sound of footsteps interrupted them. Mei stepped into view, calm and composed, her eyes locked onto Asahi's.
"Asahi," she said gently, "you don't have to do this. You're better than this. I've always believed that."
Something in Asahi's eyes shattered. Her fists clenched, and her breath turned erratic. The pain, hidden for so long, surfaced like a violent storm.
"I… DEVOUR YOU!!" Asahi screamed, voice raw with emotion, and lunged toward Mei.
In a flash, Riku stepped between them, catching Asahi by the shoulders.
"Enough," he said firmly.
Asahi dropped to her knees, her body shaking. The strength left her all at once, and the mask she wore for so long crumbled to dust.
Later, behind the gym wall, alone in the silence, Asahi whispered her truth to no one.
"I was always second… Second to Mei in looks, in kindness, in everything. I tried so hard to smile… to be perfect… but no one ever saw me. I just… I just wanted to be someone's first."
She curled into herself, tears slipping down her cheeks, the echo of her heartbreak lost in the fading light of day.
The soft hum of the television filled the cozy living room. Riku lay sprawled on the couch, arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling with a sigh. Mei sat beside him, legs tucked under her, her gaze gentle.
"I know she loved me when I was a bad boy," Riku muttered. "Back then, she called me her boyfriend. But… when I found out about her true personality, everything changed."
His voice was calm, but a flicker of guilt passed through his eyes.
Mei rested her hand lightly on his arm.
"She was hurting. She showed love in the only way she knew," Mei said softly. "But that doesn't mean you were wrong to walk away."
Riku turned his head slightly, meeting Mei's eyes.
"I just… I couldn't pretend anymore."
Mei smiled, a calm warmth in her voice. "Don't worry. Tomorrow, I'll try to become her friend again. No hate. Just peace."
Riku closed his eyes, a small smile forming on his lips.
"Mei… you really are too kind."
"And you're too dramatic," she teased, nudging his shoulder.
For a moment, the weight of Asahi's pain and their tangled past lifted, replaced by the comfort of quiet understanding.