The buzz around me and Sakura-san didn't die down; it evolved. Now that our 'relationship' seemed confirmed in the eyes of the school, the whispers took on new forms. Some were standard high school gossip, speculating on how it happened, what we did on dates. Others were less kind.
I started hearing whispers that questioned why Sakura Yamato, the school idol, would be with me. Was she doing it as a dare? Was it a temporary phase? Was there something wrong with her? These weren't just curious murmurs; they had an edge of judgment to them, targeting both me (for being so average) and her (for being with someone so average).
Walking through the hallways felt different. Some people who used to be neutral now gave me subtly negative looks. It was like daring to 'date' Sakura-san had made me a target. It wasn't outright bullying, just a constant, low-level hostility from certain corners.
It bothered me more than I expected. My old invisibility had been comfortable. This new visibility, especially coupled with negativity, was not. It made the 'fake' part of our relationship feel painfully real in its consequences.
One afternoon, I overheard a group of students near my classroom talking. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but their voices were loud enough, and the topic immediately grabbed my attention.
"...I still don't get it," one girl said. "Sakura Yamato? With Tanaka? There has to be a reason. Maybe he has dirt on her?"
"Or maybe he's just really pushy?" another suggested. "Like he cornered her or something."
My blood ran cold. Pushy? Cornered her? The absurdity of it would have been funny if it didn't sound so malicious.
"Nah," a third voice chimed in, sounding more confident. "My cousin in the year above heard from someone in the Student Council. It's for the School Spirit Contest. To make the Classic Literature & Film Society look good. They're just pretending."
A collective gasp followed. "Pretending?!"
"Seriously? That's crazy! Why would Yamato-san do that?"
"See? I told you something was up! Poor Yamato-san, having to pretend to date him."
My hands clenched into fists. They knew. Or at least, the rumor that it was fake was spreading. And the narrative was already twisting it into me somehow forcing Sakura-san into this.
I wanted to step out, deny it, yell at them. But what could I say? "Actually, yes, it's fake, but she asked me to do it, and it's to save a dusty club"? That sounded even more pathetic.
Just as I was frozen in indecision, wanting to disappear, a calm, clear voice cut through their gossip.
"Excuse me."
It was Sakura-san. She had walked up to the group, her expression perfectly serene, but her eyes held a definite sharpness.
The students talking about us froze, their faces paling.
"Are you discussing the School Spirit Project Contest?" Sakura-san asked, her voice polite but firm. "The deadline is approaching, so it's a good topic to be aware of. My club, the Classic Literature & Film Society, is entering this year."
She didn't directly address their gossip about me. She redirected the conversation to the contest and the club. It was brilliant. It both acknowledged the reason for the 'buzz' (the contest) without confirming the fake nature, and subtly steered them towards the club itself.
The students stammered, trying to backtrack. "Oh, uh, Yamato-san! We were just... curious."
Sakura-san smiled, a practiced, public smile. "Curiosity is the first step to learning! Perhaps you'd be interested in checking out our presentation once it's ready? We're focusing on 'Love Stories in Classic Film and Literature' - it's quite interesting."
She then turned slightly, her gaze sweeping over them, before landing directly on me. Her smile softened almost imperceptibly.
"Oh, Tanaka-kun," she said, her voice taking on a warmer, more familiar tone that wasn't present when she was talking to the others. "There you are. I was looking for you. Did you finish reviewing those book excerpts for the project?"
She walked over to me, her public gaze still subtly on the group she'd just interrupted. She stopped beside me, close enough that I could feel the faint warmth radiating from her.
"Uh, yeah, Yamato-san," I managed, trying to follow her lead. "Almost done. Just a few more pages."
"Good," she said, her voice low, meant just for me (and the listening audience). She then did something completely unexpected. She reached out and gently adjusted the collar of my uniform jacket, which probably didn't even need adjusting.
It was a small, domestic, incredibly couple-y gesture. One that wasn't in the plan. One that felt surprisingly… real.
The group of gossiping students was completely silent now, staring at the interaction. Akane Sato's friend saying it was fake for the contest was one thing. Seeing Sakura Yamato publicly, casually adjusting my collar with that soft tone was another. It contradicted the 'fake' rumor with a simple, personal action.
Sakura-san stepped back, her public smile returning as she glanced back at the group. "Well, we have work to do. See you around!"
She then linked her arm through mine – another unscripted, highly visible 'couple' gesture – and started walking away, pulling me along with her.
I stumbled beside her, my mind reeling. She hadn't just shut down the gossip; she'd actively countered the 'fake' rumor with performance that felt... dangerously convincing.
"Yamato-san," I whispered as we walked away, acutely aware of her arm linked with mine. "That was... wow."
"They were spreading rumors," she said, her voice low and serious, the public smile gone. "Saying it was fake. And making it sound like you were... harassing me. I couldn't let that stand."
She tightened her grip on my arm slightly. "We're doing this for the club, yes. And it's... an arrangement. But I won't let them turn it into something ugly that hurts either of us, Tanaka-kun."
Her unexpected defense, her clear statement that she wouldn't let them hurt me, resonated deeply. It wasn't just about the club anymore. It felt like... she was defending me.
We walked in silence for a bit, her arm still linked with mine. The weight of her arm, the feeling of her presence beside me, the memory of her adjusting my collar... it was confusing. It felt like acting, but my reaction wasn't acting. My racing heart, my flushed face, the unexpected warmth spreading through my chest... that was real.
We reached the corner, and she let go of my arm. The sudden absence was almost disappointing.
"Okay," she said, turning to me. "We should probably work on the presentation script today. In the clubroom?"
"Yeah," I nodded, still processing what had just happened. "The clubroom."
As we walked towards the clubroom, the air felt different again. The fake relationship was public now, facing scrutiny and rumors. But in the face of that, Sakura-san had done something unexpected. She had drawn a line. She had defended our 'relationship', and implicitly, defended me.
And in doing so, she had just made this fake dating thing feel a whole lot more complicated. And perhaps, a little bit less fake.