The silence that followed my "Okay, Yamato-san. I'll do it" stretched out, thick with disbelief. Kenji was still frozen, a single droplet of tea hanging precariously from his chin. The two first-years looked like they'd just witnessed a UFO landing. Even Yuki Nakamura had shifted her gaze from the window back to us, a faint, almost imperceptible flicker of curiosity in her usually blank eyes.
Sakura Yamato, however, looked like a weight the size of Mount Fuji had been lifted off her shoulders. Her genuine smile widened, making her even more radiant than usual.
"Tanaka-kun, you're amazing!" she exclaimed, straightening up. "Thank you! I promise I won't let you regret this!"
My heart was still doing a frantic samba rhythm against my ribs. "Regret" felt like an understatement. "Catapulting myself into the sun" felt more accurate.
Kenji finally unfroze. The teacup dropped from his hand with a clatter, thankfully empty. "Hiroshi?! Did... did I hear that right? You and Yamato-san... a couple? Is this a joke?"
Sakura turned to him, her public persona clicking back into place, but with a hint of the earlier urgency still in her eyes. "It's not a joke, Sato-kun," she said smoothly. "Well, not exactly. We're... entering the School Spirit Project Contest together. As a couple."
Kenji blinked. "As a couple? To save the Classic Literature & Film Society? How... how does that work?"
Sakura stepped back slightly, gesturing towards the center of the room. "The contest rules say the project has to demonstrate wide 'School Spirit' and engagement. We need to get everyone talking about our club. And let's be honest," she sighed, glancing around the dusty room, "discussing classic literature, while wonderful, isn't exactly viral content."
She then looked at me, and back at Kenji, a strategic light in her eyes. "But me, Sakura Yamato... 'dating' Tanaka-kun... the quiet, average Tanaka-kun from the Classic Literature & Film Society? That would get people talking. It's unexpected. It's... dramatic!"
She sounded almost excited by the 'drama' of it. As if my life wasn't dramatic enough right now.
"So, the idea," she continued, launching into plan mode, "is that by being seen together, acting like a couple, we generate buzz. People will get curious about why we're together, especially since I'm from the Drama Club and Student Council, and Tanaka-kun is... well, from the Classic Literature & Film Society. They'll investigate! They'll learn about the club! We can even incorporate club activities into our 'dates' or public appearances to make it seem natural and raise awareness."
Kenji looked skeptical. "So... you're not actually... together?"
Sakura's composure wavered for just a second. "It would be... a mutually beneficial arrangement," she clarified, avoiding the word 'fake.' "A project to boost the club's visibility. Just until the contest voting period ends. Then, we can go our separate ways. No hard feelings."
She smiled reassuringly, but it did little to calm the storm in my stomach. "No hard feelings"? This was a shortcut to the most awkward feelings imaginable.
"But... why Hiroshi?" Kenji pressed, bless his directness. "No offense, Hiroshi, but you're not exactly... dating material... for Sakura Yamato."
I flinched. Thanks, Kenji. Good to know where I stand.
Sakura didn't seem offended. She actually looked thoughtful. "That's exactly why Tanaka-kun is perfect," she explained. "If I dated someone popular, or an athlete, it wouldn't be news. It would just be... expected. But Tanaka-kun... he's kind, he's dedicated to the club, and he's completely unexpected. The contrast is what will make it a sensation. Besides," she added, looking at me with a hint of kindness that made my face feel hot, "Tanaka-kun seems... trustworthy. I need someone reliable for this."
Trustworthy. That was... surprisingly nice to hear. Even if it was just for a fake project.
"Okay," Kenji said slowly, rubbing his chin. "So, fake dating to save the club by generating buzz for the contest. It's... crazy. But maybe crazy enough to work?" He looked at me. "You really want to do this, Hiroshi?"
I swallowed. Did I want to? Every fiber of my being screamed 'no.' The risk, the anxiety, the sheer impossibility of pretending to be dating Sakura Yamato... it was terrifying. But I looked at the dusty books, the quiet corner room, the hope in Sakura's eyes (even if it was for the club, not for me), and I remembered the feeling of belonging this place gave me. And Mr. Yoshida needed his napping spot.
"Yeah," I said, my voice a little steadier this time. "I'll do it. For the club."
A small, grateful smile returned to Sakura's face. "Thank you, Tanaka-kun. We need to plan how to 'debut' as a couple. And decide on the rules. What should we tell people?"
"Shouldn't we tell everyone it's fake?" Kenji suggested.
Sakura shook her head immediately. "No! Absolutely not! If people know it's fake, there's no buzz, no curiosity. The whole point is for them to think it's real! We can't tell anyone. Only... only the people who absolutely have to know."
She looked at me. "Do you... do you have anyone you need to tell?"
My mind went straight to Kenji. He was my best friend. Hiding something this monumental from him felt wrong.
"Kenji," I said, looking at him. "He knows now, anyway."
Sakura hesitated for a moment, looking Kenji up and down. Kenji straightened up, trying to look as trustworthy and non-gossipy as possible.
"...Okay," Sakura conceded. "Sato-kun can know. But that's it! Nobody else. Not your family, not other friends, and definitely not anyone else in the club yet. It has to look natural when it starts. We'll tell the other club members later, maybe, once they see the buzz it's creating."
"What about your friends, Yamato-san?" I asked. The popular group she hung out with. Could she really keep a secret from them?
She paused, a complex expression crossing her face. "My close friends... it might be difficult," she admitted. "But I'll handle it. I'll just... imply things. Make it seem like it happened naturally. We'll figure out a 'how we met' story."
A 'how we met' story. This was getting more complicated by the second.
"So," Sakura clapped her hands together, her energy returning. "Rule number one: Nobody knows it's fake, except Tanaka-kun, me, and Sato-kun. Rule number two: We need to act the part convincingly. Rule number three: The goal is to save the club by winning the contest."
She pulled out a small, perfectly organized notebook and a pen. "Okay, step one: Our 'debut' as a couple. How do we want people to see us together for the first time? It needs to be public, unexpected, and create a stir."
I stared at the notebook, then at her determined face, then at Kenji, who was now miming zipping his lips shut.
My quiet, average life was officially over. It was being replaced by... whatever this was. A high-stakes, highly improbable, potentially disastrous, fake high school romance orchestrated by the most popular girl in school.
What could possibly go wrong? (Everything).
"Maybe... maybe holding hands by the school gate after classes?" I mumbled, the first ridiculous thought that came to mind.
Sakura's eyes lit up. "Perfect! Unexpected, visible, and classic! Okay, Tanaka-kun, let's aim for tomorrow after school. Be ready."
Tomorrow? After school? My stomach flipped again. There was no turning back now.
I had officially entered the Twilight Zone of fake dating.