Chapter 22: Clash of Hearts – Aya vs. Rika
The classroom felt like a battlefield.
It was only Monday morning, but everyone sensed it. Even the background noise—the soft hum of chatter, the creak of chairs, the click of chalk on the blackboard—faded beneath the thick tension between two dominant energies.
Aya.
Rika.
They didn't speak. They didn't need to.
Their eyes did all the talking.
Yuu sat at his desk, torn between them—again. But this time… the atmosphere wasn't just playful or teasing.
This was serious.
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Homeroom — The Final Straw
As the teacher walked in, Aya casually dropped her bag next to Yuu's seat and sat in his lap.
"Sorry, sensei~ No more empty desks."
Her arm looped around Yuu's neck as she whispered something hot against his ear. Her perfume? Lethal. Her smile? Pure mischief.
Rika's chair scraped hard against the floor.
She stood. Walked over.
And slammed her hand down on the edge of Yuu's desk.
"I'm getting real tired of your games, Aya."
Aya tilted her head, mock-innocent. "Games? I was just being affectionate to someone I care about."
Rika scoffed. "Affection isn't sitting on someone like a spoiled brat."
"Oh?" Aya leaned forward, lips dangerously close to Yuu's ear. "Then what's your strategy, Rika? Pout until he picks you out of guilt?"
The class went silent.
Even the teacher paused mid-sentence.
Yuu's breath caught. "Girls, maybe we should—"
"No," Rika cut him off, stepping even closer. "We need to clear this now."
Aya stood, finally off his lap, and faced Rika fully. Their bodies nearly touched.
"You want a fight?" Aya said softly. "Fine."
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After School — Gym Storage Room
It wasn't official. It wasn't planned.
But word got around.
Aya and Rika. Alone. In the gym storage room.
Kozue begged Yuu not to go. Misaki simply whispered, "Be careful." Mina looked way too entertained, and Yuzu offered popcorn.
But Yuu had to go.
When he arrived, the door was half-open. Inside—two girls, one standoff.
Aya had pulled her uniform tie loose, her sleeves rolled up. Her stance? Calm. Confident.
Rika leaned against a pile of gym mats, arms crossed, eyes burning.
"You always thought you were better than me," Rika said first.
"No," Aya replied. "I knew I was."
Slap.
Rika's palm cracked across Aya's cheek.
Silence.
Then Aya smiled. Slowly. Wickedly.
"Thank you," she whispered, "for proving I'm living in your head."
Rika tackled her.
The mats flew. The shelves rattled.
But this wasn't a catfight—it was a clash of hearts. Years of rivalry. Years of pretending they didn't want the same thing.
Yuu.
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The Real Fight — Words That Cut
"You think you're the only one who's suffered?" Rika spat. "You left us, Aya. You abandoned him. And now you come back like it's a stage, and he's your prize?"
"I left because I had to!" Aya shot back, panting. "My parents were divorcing! I was being dragged across the country—I didn't even get to say goodbye!"
Rika froze.
Aya's voice broke now. "I came back because I never stopped thinking about him. I came back because… I'm still in love with him."
Rika's lip trembled.
"So am I…" she whispered. "But I stayed. I fought. I protected him. When everyone laughed at him, I was there. When he broke down, I held him. I never left."
They both looked at Yuu now.
He stood there, silent.
Torn.
Two girls. Two different kinds of love.
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A Quiet Ending — For Now
The girls didn't speak as they walked out. Shoulders tense. Faces flushed.
But something had shifted.
This wasn't just rivalry anymore.
It was war—but not of hate.
Of passion. Of love.
Aya and Rika had finally exposed the core of their feelings—and in doing so, made it clear to everyone:
This was no longer a game.
Yuu would have to choose.
Eventually.
But not today.
Today, he just stood in the empty gym storage room...
…heart pounding harder than ever.
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