Chapter 7: Senpai’s Surprise

By the time school ended, Riku was ready to bolt home and hide in his room. Aiko's library ambush had left him rattled, and he couldn't shake the feeling she was watching him more closely than before. He grabbed his bag, intent on a quick escape, when a voice stopped him cold.

"Hey, cutie! Don't run off yet!"

He turned to see Yuna Ono striding toward him, a third-year with a reputation for chaos. She was tall, with short-cropped hair dyed a rebellious shade of blonde, and a grin that spelled trouble. Her uniform skirt was hiked up just enough to push the dress code, and her tie hung loose like an afterthought. Riku had seen her around—usually surrounded by a gaggle of admirers—but they'd never spoken.

"Me?" he said, pointing to himself like an idiot.

"Yeah, you!" Yuna stopped in front of him, hands on her hips. "Saw you fixing that chair in the hall earlier. You're handy, huh?"

He'd forgotten about that—some wobbly chair he'd tightened during a break because it kept squeaking. "Uh, I guess? It wasn't a big deal."

"Wrong," she said, poking his chest with a manicured finger. "It's a big deal to me. I need help with something, and you're perfect."

Riku stepped back, flustered by the contact. "Help? With what?"

She grinned wider, grabbing his wrist and tugging him toward the courtyard. "You'll see. Come on!"

He stumbled after her, too stunned to resist. She led him to a busted vending machine near the gym, its coin slot jammed and its lights flickering. "This thing ate my money yesterday," she said, kicking it lightly. "Fix it, and I'll owe you one."

"I'm not a mechanic," he protested, but she just patted his head like he was a puppy.

"You'll figure it out. You've got that helpful vibe."

Sighing, Riku crouched down, peering at the machine. He spotted a bent coin wedged in the slot and fished it out with a pencil from his bag. A few jiggles later, the lights steadied, and a can of soda clunked into the tray. Yuna whooped, clapping him on the back.

"See? Told you! You're my hero now." She leaned down, her face inches from his, and ruffled his hair. "So cute when you blush."

"I—I'm not blushing!" he lied, jerking away. His cheeks were definitely red, and her closeness wasn't helping. She smelled like bubblegum and trouble.

"Sure you're not," she teased, straightening up. "I'm Yuna, by the way. Third-year. You're Riku, right? The second-year everyone's talking about?"

"Talking about?" he echoed, horrified. "Who's talking about me?"

"Oh, you know. Word gets around when a guy's nice to every girl he meets." She winked, popping open the soda and taking a sip. "Stick with me, and I'll keep you out of trouble. Or get you into some. Your pick."

Before he could respond, Aiko appeared around the corner, her bag slung over her shoulder. She stopped short, eyes narrowing as they landed on Yuna's hand still hovering near Riku's head. "What's this?" she asked, her voice deceptively calm.

"Cousin!" Yuna said, unfazed. "Just borrowing your boy here. He fixed my vending machine. Isn't he great?"

"He's not my boy," Aiko snapped, then caught herself, softening her tone. "I mean, he's my cousin. And yeah, he's… helpful."

Riku stood, brushing off his pants. "I was just—"

"Being a saint, I know," Aiko cut in, grabbing his arm. "Come on, we're going home. Bye, senpai."

Yuna waved lazily as Aiko dragged Riku away, her grip tighter than necessary. "She's fun," he muttered, rubbing his wrist once they were out of earshot.

"She's a flirt," Aiko said, not looking at him. "Watch out for her."

"Why?" he asked, genuinely confused.

Aiko didn't answer, just kept walking, her pace brisk. Riku trailed behind, wondering why every girl in his life seemed determined to turn his quiet existence upside down.