Chapter 25: The Breaking Point

The morning sun filtered through the Sato household's kitchen window, casting a warm glow over the breakfast table. Riku shoveled rice into his mouth, trying to focus on anything but the memory of Aiko's lips on his cheek from the night before. It had been soft, fleeting, and maddeningly ambiguous—was it part of the act, or something more? He stabbed his chopsticks into a piece of grilled fish, frustration bubbling under his skin.

Aiko breezed into the room, her uniform pristine and her smile suspiciously bright. "Morning, Riku-poo!" she chirped, loud enough to make their mother, Hana, glance up from her tea with a raised eyebrow.

Riku nearly choked. "Aiko, can we not—"

"Oh, hush, sweetie," she interrupted, plopping into the chair beside him and snagging a piece of tamagoyaki from his plate. She popped it into her mouth, grinning. "Gotta keep the practice up. We're crushing it at school."

Hana sipped her tea, her eyes narrowing. "You two have been awfully… cozy lately. Is there something I should know?"

"No!" Riku blurted, his face flaming. "It's just—"

"A little game," Aiko cut in smoothly, resting her chin on her hand. "People keep spreading dumb rumors, so we're making them too ridiculous to believe. Right, babe?"

Riku forced a nod, his jaw tight. "Right. Totally fake."

Hana hummed, unconvinced, but let it drop as she returned to her newspaper. Aiko nudged Riku under the table with her foot, her toes brushing his shin in a way that sent an involuntary shiver up his spine. "Relax, knight," she whispered. "You're too tense."

He shot her a glare, muttering, "Maybe because this is insane."

She just laughed, light and carefree, but there was a flicker in her eyes—something uncertain that Riku couldn't quite place.

---

At Yamato High, Plan C hit overdrive. The moment they stepped through the gates, Aiko latched onto Riku's arm, pressing herself against him as they walked. "Smile, darling!" she sang, loud enough for the gaggle of first-years nearby to start giggling. "Show the world how much you adore me!"

Riku's smile was more of a grimace, but he played along, his voice flat. "Oh, I adore you so much, honeybun."

The sarcasm flew over most heads, and whispers erupted like wildfire. Phones came out, snapping pictures as Aiko leaned up and planted another exaggerated kiss on his cheek, leaving a faint pink smudge. "That's my Riku-poo!" she declared, and Riku prayed for the ground to swallow him whole.

By the time they reached Class 2-B, the rumor mill was in chaos. Taro greeted them with a whistle, "You two are goals, man!" while Kenji muttered, "I still don't get it." Haruka sat at her desk, arms crossed, her usual brightness replaced by a stormy frown. Mika hadn't even opened her book today—she just stared at her hands, her fingers twisting nervously.

Aiko dragged Riku to his seat, plopping into the chair beside him and crossing her legs with a flourish. "See?" she whispered, her breath tickling his ear. "They're starting to crack. Some of them think it's a joke now."

Riku wasn't so sure. The air felt heavier today, like the weight of their lie was pressing down on everyone—including him.

---

The breaking point came at lunch. Riku had barely unwrapped his bento when Aiko slid onto the bench beside him, her hip bumping his as she draped an arm around his shoulders. "Hey, cutie," she cooed, snatching his chopsticks and feeding him a piece of octopus sausage. "Open wide!"

Riku obeyed, cheeks burning as a chorus of "awws" rose from nearby tables. A few students had started doodling cartoon hearts around their names on napkins—apparently, the "RikuAiko" fan club was now a thing. He swallowed the sausage, muttering, "This is getting out of hand."

Before Aiko could respond, Haruka marched over, her bento slamming onto the table with a thud. "Okay, enough," she snapped, her voice trembling. "What's going on with you two? Are you really dating, or is this some sick prank?"

Riku froze, his mouth dry. Aiko's arm tightened around him, but her smile didn't waver. "Oh, Haruka, don't be jealous! Riku's mine, and—"

"Stop it!" Haruka cut her off, her eyes glistening. "Just… stop. If it's a joke, it's not funny anymore." She spun on her heel and stormed out of the cafeteria, leaving a stunned silence in her wake.

Aiko's grin faded, her hand slipping from Riku's shoulder. "Well," she said softly, "that was… dramatic."

"She's right," Riku said, his voice low. "This is hurting people, Aiko. I told you it would."

She flinched, just barely, but didn't argue. For once, she didn't have a quip ready.

Yuna chose that moment to swoop in, her grin as sharp as ever. "Trouble in paradise, huh? Guess the honeymoon's over." She leaned against the table, twirling a strand of hair. "Or maybe it was never real to begin with?"

Riku's stomach twisted. "It's—uh—"

"Super real," Aiko finished, her tone defiant as she grabbed Riku's hand and squeezed it. "Right, babe?"

He nodded weakly, but Yuna's knowing smirk said she wasn't fooled. She sauntered off, leaving them with a parting, "Good luck, lovebirds."

Aiko let go of his hand, her fingers lingering for a second before pulling away. "She's onto us," she muttered.

"Yeah," Riku said, staring at his bento. "And I'm starting to think everyone else is too."

---

The drama club rehearsal that afternoon was the final straw. Hiro had them run the rescue scene again, insisting they "nail the chemistry" this time. Riku stood on the stage, plastic sword in hand, as Aiko swooned into his arms once more. Her tiara slipped slightly, and she giggled—a real giggle, not her usual staged one. It threw him off, his grip tightening on her waist.

"Kiss her already!" Hiro barked, tapping his script impatiently.

Riku's heart thudded. Aiko's face was close, too close, her hazel eyes locked on his. "Just do it, knight," she whispered, her voice soft, almost daring. "Make it quick."

He leaned in, his lips brushing hers—just the lightest touch, a whisper of contact—when the stage curtain suddenly dropped, tangling them in heavy red fabric. Aiko yelped, Riku flailed, and they crashed to the floor in a heap, limbs entwined and faces inches apart.

Laughter erupted from the club members. Yuna's voice cut through the chaos: "Now *that's* a romance scene!"

Riku scrambled to untangle himself, his uniform shirt riding up as Aiko's skirt hiked dangerously high. "S-sorry!" he stammered, pulling the curtain off her as she sat up, her face flushed.

"Don't be," she said, brushing hair from her eyes. "That was hilarious." But her laugh was shaky, and she wouldn't meet his gaze.

Hiro called it a day, grumbling about "amateurs," and the club dispersed. Riku lingered on the stage, catching his breath, while Aiko adjusted her tiara in silence.

"We can't keep this up," he said finally, his voice quiet. "It's falling apart."

Aiko's hands stilled. "Maybe," she admitted, her tone unusually subdued. "But it's working, isn't it? The rumors are dying."

"Are they?" Riku asked, turning to her. "Or are we just making a bigger mess?"

She didn't answer, just stared at the crumpled curtain, her lips pressed into a thin line.

---

That night, they walked home under a sky streaked with orange and pink. Aiko was quieter than usual, her hands stuffed in her pockets instead of clinging to him. Riku matched her pace, the silence heavy between them.

At the front door, she stopped, turning to face him. "Riku," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "What if… what if it wasn't all fake?"

His breath caught. "What?"

She looked away, her cheeks pink in the fading light. "Forget it. Dumb question." She pushed past him into the house, leaving him standing there, his mind racing.

Inside, he heard her footsteps climb the stairs, quick and uneven. Riku leaned against the doorframe, his heart pounding. Plan C was crumbling—but what was left underneath? A joke? A lie? Or something he wasn't ready to name?

---