"Alright, Partners!"
The announcer's voice boomed over the field, decorated with heart-shaped flags and floating pink balloons.
"Today's challenge: Trust Run! One partner wears a blindfold. The other guides them through an obstacle course… using only their voice!"
Ren, already sweating, was handed a blindfold.
Asuka took it. Grinned.
"Oh? Want me to tie it on you gently or aggressively?"
Ren backed away. "You can just… hand it to me."
"No fun in that."
She stepped forward and tied it for him — slow, dramatic, almost wrapping him like a present. Her fingers brushed his jaw.
"You nervous, Takahashi-kun?"
"Yes. Deeply."
"Good."
From the sidelines, the other girls watched.
Yui, with arms crossed: "If she touches him one more time, I'm throwing a cone."
Haruka, adjusting her ribbon: "I will assist."
Emi, sighing: "Should we be this angry when we're not his girlfriend?"
Mei, flatly: "Yes."
Rika, chewing gum: "I bribed a squirrel to steal her shoelaces later. Just saying."
The event began.
Asuka walked him through the course:
"Step right—no, your right.""Now duck. Duck harder.""Good boy."
"I feel like a trained puppy," Ren muttered.
"Don't tempt me," Asuka whispered back.
From the sidelines, girls were fuming.
But the crowd?
Loving it.
"Are they dating?""She's so bold!""They look good together…"
Emi's hand clenched her juice box. It exploded.
Meanwhile, Yui × Haruka were up next.
It did not go well.
Yui: "Why didn't you tell me there was a pole?"
Haruka: "I thought you'd sense it."
Yui: "I'm blindfolded!"
Haruka: "And dramatic."
They tripped. Twice.
Then came Emi × Mei — the quietest pair.
Emi, blindfolded, smiled softly as Mei guided her gently.
"Three steps forward. There's a step. Trust me."
No jokes. No flirtation. Just two girls moving together like they'd done this in silence a thousand times before.
Even the crowd went quiet.
At the end of the day…
Ren sat under the sakura tree props, sipping cold water.
Asuka leaned beside him.
"Fun, wasn't it?"
"Define 'fun'."
"Watching four girls react to me clinging to you all day? That was better than fireworks."
She looked at him, serious now.
"Still pretending you don't feel anything for them?"
Ren didn't reply.
Asuka smiled. Not teasing, not cruel.
"Figure it out, Ren. Or someone else might choose for you."
She stood, stretched, and walked away.
Behind the tree, someone was watching.
Mei.
She turned. And disappeared before Ren saw her.