"Alright, everyone, settle down!" the teacher called over the low roar of groans and chatter. "We're doing a seat reshuffle. Time to mix things up."
A collective sigh rippled through the class. Riko, halfway through packing up her notebook, blinked and looked up. She had been perfectly content in her current spot—by the window, where the light hit just right and she could quietly zone out without anyone noticing. It was the unofficial throne of the introspective student, and by some miracle, when the lots were drawn and names randomly assigned, she still ended up there.
Luck, maybe. Or fate just being unusually kind.
She settled back into the seat, letting the natural breeze from the cracked window brush against her hair. It would be fine. No matter who sat around her, she could keep her walls up. She always did.
But then...
"...Seat B5: Hoshina Soshiro."
She froze.
From across the room came the groan—loud, theatrical, and unmistakably dramatic.
"You've got to be kidding me," Hoshina announced, slouching as he dragged his feet toward the row. "This has to be some kind of cruel joke. Who did I piss off in a past life?"
Snickers bubbled up around the class. A few girls whispered with undisguised envy, casting dagger-eyed glances at Riko, while others sighed dreamily.
"Man, lucky..."
"She gets everything, huh?"
"She's literally the main character."
Riko kept her gaze on the window, pretending she didn't hear any of it, even as her face threatened to twitch. She could already feel the weight of Hoshina's gaze before he even sat down.
When he finally dropped into the seat in front of her with an exaggerated thud, he spun slightly to glance back at her, resting his elbow on the desk.
"You pulled strings, didn't you?" he said in a stage whisper. "Don't lie. You bribed someone."
"I think the universe is just punishing you for being annoying," she replied, calm as ever.
He grinned. "Touché."
The teacher continued down the list, assigning the rest of the class, but Riko could already feel the way the room shifted. The weight of attention now fell on her—not just because she was the flawless student, the school's golden girl—but because he was the only one who treated her like a regular person. Like she wasn't some untouchable idol on a pedestal.
And now, he sat right in front of her.
Within flicking distance.
Great.
As the students settled into their new spots, she could hear more muttering, more whispered questions.
"Do you think they're dating?"
"No way. That guy? With her?"
"Still... they do walk home together sometimes, right?"
She closed her eyes for a second and let the wind kiss her face. None of it mattered.
At least... she tried to tell herself that.
Hoshina peeked over his shoulder again.
"Hey," he murmured, dropping his voice low so only she could hear. "If I catch you staring at the back of my head, I'm charging a fee."
She shot him a blank look. "If you're talking that much, I might request a transfer."
He smirked. "Tsk. And here I thought you were thrilled to see me."
She didn't respond—just leaned on her hand, looking out the window with the faintest twitch of a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
The scraping of chairs and rising chatter filled the room again as the teacher clapped his hands.
"Alright, now that you're all seated, here's the next bit of fun." His grin was far too pleased for what came next. "The person seated behind you will be your partner for the end-of-semester project."
A pause. A heartbeat of realization.
Riko blinked. Slowly. Deliberately.
The person behind her?
Which meant—
"Oh, come on!" Hoshina groaned again, louder this time, slumping over his desk like the news had physically wounded him. "This is harassment at this point."
A few students laughed, some gasped, and someone near the back whispered a breathless "No fair..."
Riko didn't say anything. She simply stared at the back of his head, already calculating how many more weeks of this she had to survive.
The teacher raised an eyebrow. "You two are both top students in your own ways—use this time well. The project's worth thirty percent of your final grade."
Hoshina tilted his head back just enough to glance at her upside down. "You didn't actually bribe someone, did you?"
She sighed, folding her hands on the desk. "I'd never waste money on something this exhausting."
He grinned. "So it's fate, huh?"
"More like divine punishment."
The teacher waved toward the board. "You've got the rest of the period to get started—pick your topic and start outlining. I'll check in before the bell."
Chairs shuffled. Conversations sparked around the room. Riko tapped her pen against her notebook once before opening it to a clean page.
She felt, rather than saw, Hoshina turn his chair halfway toward her.
"Well," he said, stretching lazily and flashing that same easy smile, "what's the class angel's vision for this project? Should we go with something classic? Or should I let you micromanage until you burn yourself out again?"
She raised a brow, deadpan. "I was thinking I'd do the whole thing and leave your name off it."
"Oof. Cold." He held a hand to his heart in mock injury. "And here I thought we were bonding."
She glanced sideways at him, lips twitching despite herself. "Focus, Hoshina. If I'm stuck with you, we're going to do it right."
"Oh? Not even a little group chemistry-building banter first?"
"We don't have chemistry."
"You're right," he said, leaning closer, resting his chin on his palm with an infuriating sparkle in his eye. "We have physics. Much more chaotic."
She stared at him for a beat.
He grinned.
She sighed again—and started writing anyway.
He didn't say anything for a moment after that. But when he finally did, it was quieter.
"...I'm good with whatever topic you pick, Riko. Just don't forget—if you're tired, you don't have to carry it all by yourself."
She didn't respond. Not with words, anyway.
But she didn't roll her eyes this time.