The Festival Showdown!

The school buzzed with excitement as the competition to win Ryo's partnership kicked off.

Ryo (muttering): "Why am I the prize?! I just wanted free food…"

But Haruka, Misaki, Ayane, and Reika were dead serious.

Haruka (determined): "Ryo's my childhood friend! I should be his partner!"Misaki (confident): "Hah! Money wins everything. Ryo should go with me!"Ayane (smirking): "He already lives with me. I might as well keep him."Reika (elegantly): "Ara~ I think Ryo-kun wants to choose me, don't you?"

Ryo sweated bullets.

Ryo (internally screaming): I WANT TO CHOOSE NO ONE!

The teacher announced that the festival partner competition would have three rounds.

Teacher: "Round 1: Obstacle Course!"Teacher: "Round 2: Food-Eating Challenge!"Teacher: "Final Round: Mystery Event!"

Ryo prayed for a miracle.

It never came.

The girls had to race through obstacles, with the first to finish earning a huge advantage.

🚩 Haruka: Used brute force to break through the obstacles.🚩 Misaki: Paid off some students to "clear the way" for her.🚩 Ayane: Effortlessly dodged everything using ninja skills.🚩 Reika: Gracefully walked through untouched, like a ghost.

In the end, Ayane and Reika finished at the same time.

Ayane (grinning): "Not bad."Reika (smiling): "Likewise~"

Haruka and Misaki crashed into each other at the finish line.

Haruka & Misaki (groaning): "Damn it!"

The girls had to eat as much festival food as possible.

🍜 Haruka: Struggled but pushed through.🍛 Misaki: Tried fine dining techniques but was too slow.🍣 Ayane: Ate calmly, focused, like a trained assassin.🍰 Reika: Didn't eat at all.

Ryo (squinting): "Wait… why is she not eating?"

Reika just smiled mysteriously.

The winner? Ayane again!

Haruka & Misaki: "SHE'S A MONSTER."

The final event was revealed:

Teacher: "The last round… is a Couples Quiz!"

Ryo choked on air.

Ryo: "COUPLES?! WHO MADE THIS?!"Teacher (cheerfully): "The student council! Good luck!"

Ayane, Haruka, Misaki, and Reika turned bright red.

Ayane (grinning but nervous): "Well, well… this just got interesting."Haruka (face burning): "W-Who cares?! We're gonna win!"Misaki (embarrassed but determined): "I won't lose here!"Reika (smiling): "Oh my, how intimate~"

Meanwhile, Ryo was praying for the ground to swallow him.

Tomorrow, the final battle would begin.

And Ryo was doomed.