The tension that once suffocated the classroom had begun to fade.
Not completely—but enough for me to breathe.
The rumors had died down after Takeda's exposure, and while some students still whispered behind my back, most had moved on. For the first time since everything began, I felt like I could exist without being constantly judged.
Still, peace never lasted long.
"Good morning."
I looked up to see Aizawa Reina standing beside my desk, her soft smile glowing in the morning sunlight.
"Morning," I replied, unable to hide my own smile.
She took her seat next to me as usual, ignoring the curious glances around us.
"You seem happier today," she said gently.
"Do I?"
"Yes," she replied. "It suits you."
Before I could respond, the classroom door slid open and our homeroom teacher walked in, holding a stack of papers.
"Settle down, everyone," he announced.
The chatter faded into silence.
"I have an important announcement. Our annual Cultural Festival will be held next month."
The classroom erupted with excitement.
"A festival? Seriously?"
"This is going to be amazing!"
"Let's do a maid café!"
"No, a haunted house!"
The teacher raised his hand to restore order.
"Each class will choose a theme and work together to prepare. Participation is mandatory."
As the room buzzed with energy, Reina turned to me with sparkling eyes.
"The cultural festival," she said softly. "It sounds wonderful, doesn't it?"
"Yeah," I replied. "It's my first time actually looking forward to one."
She smiled. "Then let's make it memorable."
The Class Decision
After a heated discussion filled with wild ideas, the class finally voted.
The result was announced on the board:
Class Activity: Romantic Café
Cheers erupted across the room.
"Perfect!"
"This will attract tons of visitors!"
"I'm signing up immediately!"
My stomach dropped.
A romantic café?
This couldn't end well.
Before I could process it, the teacher continued.
"To ensure fairness, the main roles will be assigned randomly."
A collective groan filled the room.
The teacher shook a box filled with folded slips of paper.
"Come forward one by one."
One by one, students drew their roles—decorations, kitchen staff, promotions.
Then it was my turn.
I stepped forward, my palms slightly sweaty, and picked a slip.
Unfolding it, I froze.
Lead Host.
"Huh?"
Gasps echoed around the classroom.
"You're kidding!"
"The invisible guy is the lead host?"
"This is going to be interesting…"
My face paled.
This had to be a joke.
"And next," the teacher continued, "the Lead Hostess…"
Reina stepped forward gracefully and selected her slip.
She opened it—and blinked in surprise.
Lead Hostess.
The classroom exploded with excitement.
"No way!"
"They're paired together!"
"This is fate!"
My heart skipped a beat.
Reina turned toward me, her cheeks faintly flushed. Then she smiled—a radiant, gentle smile that made the entire room seem brighter.
"It seems we'll be working together," she said softly.
"I… guess we will," I replied, trying to steady my racing heart.
An Unsettling Gaze
As the excitement continued, I felt a familiar chill run down my spine.
From the front of the classroom, Kurosaki Yuna watched us silently.
Her sharp eyes glimmered with something unreadable.
After class ended, she approached us.
"A romantic café," she said coolly. "How fitting."
Reina met her gaze calmly. "Do you have something to say, Kurosaki-san?"
Yuna's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Only that the spotlight can be unforgiving."
Her eyes shifted to me.
"Let's see if you can handle it."
With that, she turned and walked away.
I exhaled slowly. "She really knows how to ruin a moment."
Reina let out a soft laugh. "Perhaps. But she isn't wrong."
"Huh?"
She looked at me, her eyes warm and determined.
"We'll be the center of attention," she said. "So let's give them something worth watching."
For a moment, I was speechless.
Then I smiled.
"Yeah. Let's do our best."
After School*
As we packed our bags, Reina hesitated before speaking.
"Would you like to stay after school tomorrow?" she asked.
"For festival preparations?"
She nodded. "And… to practice."
My heart skipped a beat.
"Practice?"
Her cheeks turned pink.
"…For our roles," she said shyly.
I grinned.
"I'd be honored, Aizawa-san."
She smiled back, her eyes shining with excitement.
Outside the window, the golden hues of sunset stretched across the sky.
The festival promised new memories, laughter—and perhaps something more.
But deep down, I sensed it.
The spotlight would bring not only romance…
But new challenges waiting in the wings.
End of Chapter 7.
Preview of Chapter 8:
Reina and the protagonist begin their romantic café training
Yuna joins the festival committee with unexpected intentions
A rehearsal leads to a heart-fluttering moment