Riku Arai wasn't exactly a morning person. Nor was he someone who believed the universe had a sense of humor—until today. Today, the universe decided to test his limits.
He slumped into his classroom seat like a defeated warrior dropping his sword. And there she was—Mei Hayasaka, his ex, sitting right beside him, radiating that perfect blend of icy glare and "don't even think about talking to me" energy.
Now, who thought it was a good idea to force exes to sit together? The teacher, apparently, with a twisted sense of "peacekeeping."
Takumi, Riku's best friend and certified chaos instigator, plopped down beside him grinning like he already knew the day was going to explode. "Yo, how does it feel to be next to a certain someone?" he whispered.
"Pretty good," Riku lied, even as his stomach twisted into knots.
Before the teacher could start roll call, chaos struck—literally. Daiki and Taiga, the school's infamous Chaos Twins, had knocked over a bucket of paint in the hallway. The resulting crash sent a wave of groans and laughter through the classroom.
Riku glanced sideways at Mei. Not a flinch. Not even a blink. Was she used to this madness? Or just better at pretending she wasn't?
---
Looking at Riku? Not worth the effort. Sitting next to him? Annoying beyond belief.
Sure, being forced next to him was a pain—a pain she'd pretend didn't come with old, buried feelings. Every time he smirked like they were some cliché romantic comedy leads, she shoved those feelings deeper.
Takumi slid beside Riku, as predictable as ever. Eye roll.
Then came the paint catastrophe—classic Daiki and Taiga. She caught a quick look at Riku: frustration mixed with reluctant amusement. Maybe he hated this as much as she did. Maybe... though she'd never admit she kind of hoped he didn't.
This was going to be a long term. And Mei was determined—no matter what—to survive it without giving him the satisfaction of a single word.