𝑭𝒂𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆 | 𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪 𝘬.

𝟒

The next morning at school feels different.

It’s not something you can immediately put your finger on—maybe it’s the way people glance in your direction, or how some of your classmates whisper to each other when you walk by. You try not to let it get to you, but the whole atmosphere feels slightly off.

You drop into your seat in math class, feeling a little more self-conscious than usual. Your eyes dart to Nanami, who’s already seated at the back of the room, flipping through his notebook with that same calm, focused expression he always wears.

What is his deal? you wonder for what feels like the hundredth time. Sure, you’ve gotten to know him a little better in the past few days, but you’re no closer to figuring out why he agreed to this charade. Or why he’s being… nice.

Just as you’re lost in your thoughts, the door to the classroom swings open, and a few more students file in. Among them is Yui, your closest friend since middle school. Her wide eyes land on you, and she rushes over, sliding into the seat next to you with a mischievous grin.

"So," she says, leaning in conspiratorially, "you and Nanami Kento, huh?"

You blink, startled by the sudden accusation. "What?"

"Don’t 'what' me!" Yui nudges you with her elbow, waggling her eyebrows. "Word’s already going around. You’ve been seen together—alone, might I add. And rumor has it, he’s tutoring you."

You laugh nervously, not really sure how to respond. Of course, it was only a matter of time before people noticed something. You and Nanami aren’t exactly subtle. But now that it’s out in the open, the whole situation feels a bit more… complicated.

"It’s nothing serious," you finally say, trying to brush it off. "We’re just, you know, helping each other out. That’s all."

Yui leans in closer, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Oh, come on. You’re not fooling anyone. You’ve always been terrible at math, but Nanami? He’s like a robot when it comes to this stuff. Why would he bother helping you unless there was something more going on?"

You freeze, her words hitting a little too close to the truth. For a second, you’re tempted to spill everything—to tell Yui about the deal, about the fake relationship and how it’s all just a front. But you stop yourself. You can’t. The whole point is for people to believe it’s real, even your friends.

Especially your friends.

"It’s… complicated," you say carefully, glancing at Nanami from across the room. His eyes flick up from his notebook for a split second, meeting yours, before returning to whatever problem he’s working on. "But there’s nothing romantic happening, if that’s what you’re asking."

Yui raises an eyebrow, clearly not convinced, but before she can grill you any further, the teacher walks in, calling the class to order. You sigh in relief, grateful for the interruption.

For the next hour, you try to focus on the lesson, but your mind keeps wandering. Every now and then, you catch yourself sneaking glances at Nanami. It’s almost infuriating how effortlessly composed he is. Like none of this bothers him in the slightest. Meanwhile, you’re over here trying not to freak out about how fast rumors are spreading.

When the bell finally rings, you gather your things quickly, hoping to make a quick escape. But before you can slip out of the classroom, you feel a light tap on your shoulder.

"Hey." Nanami’s voice is calm, steady, just like always.

You turn around to face him, feeling a mix of emotions you can’t quite untangle. "Hey," you reply, trying to sound casual.