The morning sun streamed through the classroom windows of Fukuoka High School, illuminating the chaos that usually accompanied the start of a new school day. Yugo Takashiro sat at his desk, his mind racing as he reviewed the latest events in his life. Just days after Izumi's birthday, he found himself navigating a particularly tricky situation—one he had hoped to avoid.
It all began with Haruka's friend, Aiko Tanaka. Aiko was sweet and bubbly, with an infectious laugh that could brighten anyone's day. But recently, her laughter had turned into lingering glances in Yugo's direction, and it made him uncomfortable. It wasn't that he didn't like Aiko—she was fun and friendly—but he was head over heels for Izumi.
As Yugo absently doodled in his notebook, he overheard Aiko talking animatedly to a group of friends across the room. The sound of her voice made his stomach twist uncomfortably. He had to find a way to handle this situation without hurting anyone's feelings, especially Izumi's.
During lunch, Yugo joined his friends at their usual table. The atmosphere was lively, filled with laughter and teasing as everyone recounted stories from the cultural festival. Yugo attempted to join in, but his mind was elsewhere, constantly circling back to Aiko's increasing attention.
"Hey, Yugo! What's up?" Sonoi nudged him playfully, snapping Yugo back to reality.
"Oh, nothing much," Yugo replied, forcing a smile.
Izumi, sitting beside him, leaned in closer. "You seem a bit off today. Everything okay?"
Yugo hesitated. Should he tell her? Would it worry her more? "Yeah, just a lot on my mind," he said, hoping it was vague enough not to raise suspicion.
Just then, Aiko approached their table, her expression bright and eager. "Hey, everyone! Can I sit here?"
Yugo's heart sank. "Of course!" he said, trying to maintain a neutral tone.
As Aiko settled in, she launched into a story about her latest dance class, but Yugo felt a growing unease. The way she kept glancing at him made it hard to focus on anything else. He could feel Izumi's eyes flicking between him and Aiko, an expression of curiosity mixed with concern.
"Yugo, did you see the new dance routine we're doing for the spring festival?" Aiko asked, her gaze lingering on him. "I think you'd be great at it!"
"Oh, uh, I'm not really into dancing," Yugo replied, his voice lacking conviction.
"Come on! You should totally join us! It'll be fun!" Aiko insisted, her enthusiasm unwavering.
Before he could respond, Izumi interjected, a hint of protectiveness in her tone. "He's more of a martial arts kind of guy, right, Yugo?"
"Exactly!" he said, relief washing over him. "I'll stick to my strengths."
Aiko's smile faltered for a brief moment before she quickly masked it. "Right! Well, let me know if you change your mind!"
After lunch, Yugo found himself walking with Izumi to their next class. She seemed deep in thought, and he knew he had to address the elephant in the room. "Izumi, can we talk about something?"
"Sure! What's on your mind?" she asked, her tone light but her eyes serious.
Yugo swallowed hard. "It's about Aiko. I... I think she might have a crush on me."
Izumi stopped in her tracks, her expression shifting. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, she's been really friendly, and I just don't want you to get the wrong idea," Yugo rushed to explain. "I promise nothing is going on between us. I'm with you, and I don't want that to change."
