Cleanup duty.
Of all the rotten luck, Ren had been assigned after-school cleaning with every single girl in his orbit—Emi, Yui, Rika, Haruka, Mei… and Asuka, who volunteered for no reason other than "it looked fun."
The classroom was suffocating. The golden light of sunset cast long shadows across the desks, the faint smell of chalk mixing with floor detergent.
Ren swept slowly, praying no one would start.
Naturally, Yui started.
"So, Takahashi-kun," she said, voice sharp as the broom bristles scratching tile. "How long have you been leading random girls on now?"
Ren choked. "I—I wasn't—"
"Oh please," she cut in, slamming the dustpan onto the floor. "Don't tell me you didn't notice her staring at you during gym last month."
Rika laughed from the back, smirking as she stacked chairs. "Wow, Yui. You sound jealous."
"I'm not jealous!" Yui snapped, cheeks red. "I'm just… annoyed!"
Emi quietly wiped the blackboard, but her shoulders were stiff, betraying tension. Haruka stood by the windows, staring out, silent as ice. Mei, expression unreadable, calmly mopped the floor like none of this concerned her—yet every flick of her gaze landed on Ren.
Asuka, of course, thrived in chaos. She leaned against the teacher's desk, watching the storm build. "This is fascinating. Should I grab popcorn?"
"Shut up, Asuka," Yui and Rika said in unison.
Ren wanted to dig a hole in the chalkboard and bury himself in it. "Guys, listen, I didn't do anything. She just confessed out of nowhere. I don't even know her that well!"
"That's the problem," Haruka finally spoke, her tone quiet but firm. "You don't do anything, and yet… people still fall for you. And while you're busy pretending it doesn't matter, the rest of us—" She stopped herself, biting down the rest of her words.
The silence that followed was heavier than any shouting.
Mei's voice broke it, calm and cutting. "At some point, Ren, you'll have to stop saying 'I didn't do anything.' Because doing nothing… hurts just as much."
Ren froze. Her eyes, normally soft and distant, pinned him harder than anyone else's.
Even Rika, usually ready with a sarcastic quip, looked away.
The classroom felt too small. Too hot. Every heartbeat echoed like a drum.
Finally, Emi spoke, voice soft but trembling. "You don't have to choose right now. But… please don't keep running. Because we're the ones being left behind."
Ren's throat closed. He wanted to say something—anything—but no words came.
Asuka chuckled lowly, stepping toward him. "See, Ren? The harem you never asked for… is finally demanding answers."
Her words lingered like thunder rolling over the horizon.
And Ren knew—this fragile balance couldn't last much longer.