The magazine photo shoot had taken place the previous week, and Aiko was still adjusting to the subtle changes in how people treated her around campus. Word had spread about the upcoming Bella Style feature, and she found herself receiving more attention than she was comfortable with—invitations to study groups she'd never been part of, offers of help she didn't need, and a general level of interest that felt more like celebrity fascination than genuine friendship.
It was this desire to escape the campus buzz that led her to accept Hiroshi's invitation for coffee in the city. They had been texting regularly since their chance meeting, discussing potential collaborations between their programs and sharing observations about their respective fields of study.
"I have to admit," Hiroshi said as they settled into a quiet corner booth at a small café near the station, "I had ulterior motives for suggesting we meet today."
"Oh?" Aiko raised an eyebrow, though she suspected where this conversation might be heading.
"I've really enjoyed our conversations over the past few weeks. You have this way of looking at your work that goes beyond just the technical aspects—you see how appearance affects people's confidence and opportunities. It aligns perfectly with what I'm trying to accomplish in social work."
"Thank you. I feel the same way about your approach to helping people rebuild their lives."
Hiroshi leaned forward slightly, his expression growing more serious. "What I'm trying to say is, I'd like to take you on an actual date. Not a professional collaboration meeting, not a friendly coffee—a real date where I can get to know you better outside of our work contexts."
Before Aiko could respond, her phone buzzed with a text from Professor Martinez: "Emergency student meeting tomorrow at 8 AM regarding Spain program applications. Don't miss it."
"Everything okay?" Hiroshi asked, noticing her distraction.
"Just academy business," she said, then looked back at him. "About your invitation—I'm flattered, really. But my life is incredibly complicated right now with competition preparation, magazine commitments, and international program applications. I'm not sure I have the bandwidth for dating."
"I understand," Hiroshi said, though disappointment flickered across his features. "But would you at least consider it? I'm not asking for a serious relationship—just the chance to spend time together and see where things might lead."
"Can I think about it?"
"Of course."
Their conversation was interrupted by the need to catch their respective trains back to campus. As they walked toward the station, Aiko found herself genuinely torn. Hiroshi was kind, thoughtful, and shared her commitment to helping others. Under different circumstances, she would have been interested in exploring a relationship with him.
But her life felt balanced on a knife's edge of opportunity and obligation. Any additional complexity could derail the carefully constructed plans that were finally bringing her dreams within reach.
The bus ride back to campus was crowded with evening commuters, and Aiko managed to find a seat near the back. She was reviewing notes for the next day's Advanced Technique class when raised voices from the front of the bus caught her attention.
"You people need to learn your place," an obviously intoxicated man was saying loudly to an elderly woman who had apparently bumped into him while boarding. "Coming into our neighborhoods, taking our jobs, acting like you belong here."
The woman, who appeared to be of Korean descent, was trying to ignore the harassment while finding a seat. Other passengers were studiously avoiding eye contact, clearly uncomfortable but unwilling to intervene.
"I'm talking to you," the drunk man continued, his voice growing more aggressive. "Don't pretend you can't understand Japanese."
Aiko felt her anger rising. The woman was obviously just trying to get home from work, and the man's behavior was not only cruel but potentially dangerous as the bus navigated evening traffic.
"Sir," Aiko said, standing up and moving forward, "please leave her alone. She hasn't done anything to you."
The drunk man turned his attention to her, his eyes unfocused and hostile. "Another one," he sneered. "You young people think you can tell your elders what to do."
"I'm not telling you what to do," Aiko said firmly but calmly. "I'm asking you to treat other passengers with basic respect."
"Respect?" The man's voice rose dangerously. "I'll show you respect."
He lunged toward Aiko just as the bus hit a pothole, his momentum carrying him forward in a way that would have sent them both crashing into the seats if strong hands hadn't suddenly grabbed his shoulders and redirected his fall away from her.
"Whoa there," said a young man about Aiko's age, steadying the drunk passenger with casual ease. "Let's keep everyone safe, okay?"
The newcomer was tall and lean, carrying a guitar case and wearing the kind of effortlessly cool clothes that suggested involvement in the music scene. His intervention had been so smooth and confident that it defused the entire situation without escalation.
"Who do you think you are?" the drunk man demanded, though his aggression had notably decreased.
"Just someone who doesn't want anyone getting hurt," the young man replied nonchalantly. "Why don't you sit down and enjoy the rest of your ride?"
Surprisingly, the drunk man complied, settling into a seat and muttering under his breath but no longer threatening other passengers.
"Thank you," Aiko said as the young man moved to stand beside her. "That could have gotten much worse."
"No problem. I saw what was happening from the front of the bus and figured someone should step in." He had an easy smile and the kind of relaxed confidence that suggested he was accustomed to handling difficult situations. "I'm Ryo, by the way."
"Aiko."
"Nice to meet you, Aiko. Though I have to admit, I'm hoping you might be willing to help me with a small favor in return."
Before she could ask what he meant, a young woman near the front of the bus suddenly stood up and began making her way toward them. Even from a distance, Aiko could see the determined expression on her face and the way other passengers shifted uncomfortably as she passed.
"Oh no," Ryo muttered. "She found me."
"Who?"
"Complicated ex-situation. She's been..." He paused as the young woman drew closer. "Look, this is going to sound crazy, but would you mind pretending to be my girlfriend for the next few minutes? Just until I can get off this bus and escape?"
Aiko stared at him. "You want me to lie to help you avoid talking to someone?"
"I know how it sounds," Ryo said quickly, "but she's been stalking me for weeks. Showing up at my recording studio, following me to performances, calling constantly. I've tried being direct, but she won't accept that I'm not interested."
The young woman was now close enough for Aiko to see her face clearly—pretty, but with an intensity that suggested the kind of obsessive behavior Ryo was describing.
"Ryo!" the girl called out brightly. "What a coincidence running into you here!"
Aiko found herself facing a split-second decision that could complicate her life in ways she couldn't predict. But the young woman's approach had an aggressive quality that made Aiko instinctively want to help someone escape an uncomfortable situation.
"Oh, there you are," she said to Ryo, stepping closer and taking his arm in what she hoped appeared to be a natural, girlfriend-like gesture. "I was wondering when you'd make it back here."
The relief on Ryo's face was obvious, but so was the confusion and anger on the other girl's features.
"I'm sorry," the girl said coldly, "but who are you?"
"This is Aiko," Ryo said smoothly, "my girlfriend. Aiko, this is Mika—we work in some of the same recording studios occasionally."
"Girlfriend?" Mika's voice rose slightly. "Since when do you have a girlfriend?"
"Since about three months ago," Aiko found herself saying, surprised by how easily the lie came. "We've been keeping things private because of our busy schedules."
The bus was slowing for the next stop—the one closest to Stellar Academy. Aiko realized this was her chance to escape before the situation became more complicated.
"This is our stop," she said to Ryo. "Ready?"
As they moved toward the exit, Mika followed closely behind, clearly not satisfied with the explanation they'd provided.
"I don't believe this," she said loud enough for other passengers to hear. "Ryo, you know we have something special. Don't let some random girl ruin what we could have together."
"Mika," Ryo said firmly as they stepped off the bus, "I've told you repeatedly that I'm not interested in a relationship with you. Please respect that and stop following me."
The bus doors closed with Mika still inside, her face pressed against the window as she stared at them with obvious fury.
"Thank you," Ryo said once the bus had pulled away. "I know that was weird, but you really saved me from what could have been a very uncomfortable scene."
"Is she really stalking you?"
"For about six weeks now. It started when we worked on a recording project together, and she misinterpreted professional collaboration as romantic interest. I've tried being direct, but she won't take no for an answer."
Aiko studied his face, trying to determine if he was being honest. His relief seemed genuine, and the intensity of Mika's reaction suggested there was more to the story than a simple misunderstanding.
"Well," she said finally, "I hope pretending to be your girlfriend helps solve the problem."
"Actually," Ryo said, looking slightly embarrassed, "it might have made things more complicated. Now she's going to want to know who you are, where you go to school, how long we've been together. She's... persistent."
The implications began to sink in. By helping Ryo escape an awkward situation, Aiko might have inadvertently made herself a target for someone with obsessive tendencies.
"What exactly are you suggesting?"
"Maybe we could occasionally be seen together around the area? Just enough to make the relationship seem convincing? I know it's a lot to ask, especially from someone I just met, but—"
"This is insane," Aiko said, though part of her was already considering the practical implications. "I have a magazine feature coming out, international program applications pending, and apparently I'm already attracting more attention than I'm comfortable with. Pretending to have a boyfriend might actually be useful for keeping other complications at bay."
"So you'll consider it?"
Aiko looked at Ryo—really looked at him. He seemed genuine, if somewhat naive about the potential consequences of their deception. And if she was honest with herself, having a fake boyfriend might provide useful cover for avoiding romantic complications while she focused on her career goals.
"If we did this," she said carefully, "there would have to be clear boundaries. No actual romantic involvement, and we end the charade the moment it becomes more trouble than it's worth."
"Absolutely," Ryo agreed quickly. "Just occasional public appearances to maintain the illusion. Coffee dates, maybe walking around campus together, that sort of thing."
"And what happens when people start asking questions? My friends, your friends, our families?"
"We tell them we're keeping things low-key because of our busy schedules. Which is actually true, in a way."
Against her better judgment, Aiko found herself nodding. "Fine. But this is temporary, and if it interferes with my academic or professional commitments, it ends immediately."
"Deal," Ryo said, extending his hand for a formal handshake. "Thank you again for helping me out. I really owe you one."
As they exchanged contact information and made plans for their first "public appearance" together, Aiko couldn't shake the feeling that she was making a decision that would have unforeseen consequences.
But with the magazine feature about to be published, the Spain program application deadline approaching, and increasing attention from both media and male classmates, perhaps having a fake boyfriend was exactly the kind of strategic complexity her life needed.
The next morning's emergency meeting about the Spain program would determine whether her academic dreams were still on track. Everything else, including whatever complications arose from her new arrangement with Ryo, would have to be managed as it developed.
She was learning that success brought its own challenges—and that sometimes the best solutions were the ones that seemed completely unreasonable at first glance.