Chapter 103: Senior, help! I've been targeted by Han!
"Her?"
Upon hearing this character pronounced completely differently from his own name, Ren couldn't help but feel a surge of respect.
"Yeah, please don't spread this around, seniors. Actually, Mai confessed to me yesterday. Isn't that strange?"
Renako lay slumped over the desk, speaking listlessly—this was the real reason she needed to confide in someone.
Everyone was supposed to be here to make friends, so why would Mai confess to her?
Renako pondered—she didn't think she had acted particularly like a tomboy, nor had she ever been overly intimate with any girls. Yet before any boy's confession could arrive, a girl's came first.
"Is this meeting someone with different sexual preferences? How terrifying..."
Even just thinking about it gave Hitori goosebumps. That feeling was no less frightening than if Ren had asked her to be his girlfriend just to cover up being gay.
"Isn't this proof that Renako's charm can even captivate girls? So you should be more confident."
Karen blinked, then offered encouragement from an unexpected angle.
"Senior, please don't tease me. I'm still worrying about how to reject her. Mai is the most popular girl in our freshman year. If I turn her down, I probably won't be able to survive the next three years at Toyosaki, right?"
Renako's expression was bitter. She had never imagined she'd be discovered not for pretending to be outgoing, but for receiving a confession from a girl.
Her sexual orientation was quite normal, really. She just didn't dare approach boys because she was shy. But in this situation, getting a confession from a girl left her completely at a loss.
She was pretending to be outgoing to make friends, not to get a girlfriend.
"Is she some kind of bully? If it wasn't a public confession, couldn't you just reject her privately?"
"I'm part of her social circle..."
"Unwritten rules?!"
After saying "unwritten rules," Hitori first glanced sheepishly at Ren—their own situation wasn't much different, already treating Renako as one of their own.
"It probably isn't that extreme. But if you're part of her inner circle, you might not fit in anymore after rejecting her. But if you accept... do you think you're a tomboy?"
Ren already had a new idea forming, but before voicing it, he needed to ask Renako's opinion and thoughts.
"Of course not! Shouldn't making friends be enough? Why do we need to become lovers?"
Renako said, utterly perplexed. She still couldn't understand why Mai would confess to her. She was just ordinary, wasn't she? There wasn't anyone in their circle who wasn't pretty.
"Then just reject her. As for how to do it... Renako, have you told them why you come to see us during lunch breaks?"
Having confirmed Renako's feelings, Ren smoothly continued the conversation.
"No, I just said I was coming to hang out with my seniors."
Renako shook her head. To maintain some mystery and earn her classmates' admiration, and for a little bragging rights, she had only mentioned becoming friends with her seniors.
"That makes things easier. Aren't you struggling with how to reject her without being ostracized from your social circle? I have an idea—what if I pretend to be your boyfriend? That way, you'll have a reasonable excuse to turn her down without making it unacceptable to her."
"Afterward, you can show understanding. She probably won't keep pressuring you then, since revealing her preference for girls could harm her reputation to some extent and might even make others dislike her."
"So, what do you think, Renako?"
Ren smiled faintly as he shared his idea. He had been planning to find a way to spend time alone with Renako to deepen their bond, and just as he was racking his brain, she handed him the perfect opportunity.
"...But wouldn't this sacrifice your reputation, Senpai? I... I don't think I'm worthy of that..."
After a stunned silence, Renako frantically waved her hands in refusal.
Upon reflection, the plan did seem like a relatively smooth way to turn down Mai—after all, if she already had a boyfriend, how could she possibly accept someone else's confession?
The problem was that the one pretending to be her boyfriend was Ren. For Renako, the pressure was immense. Ren was practically a public figure, a superstar with millions of fans, and he had no scandals or rumors online. The thought of him acting as her boyfriend was something Renako wouldn't even dare to dream of.
This wasn't just flattering—it made her suspicious that Ren might have ulterior motives.
But given her circumstances, what could Ren possibly want to deceive her for?
Renako couldn't make sense of it.
"If it's just among the few of us, what reputation is at stake? Even if Mai spreads it, do you think anyone would believe it? Online, there are plenty of people claiming to be my wife or husband, so there's no need to worry about that."
"Exactly, Renako and Ren are friends, aren't they? Friends help each other out—it's only natural. So, there's no such thing as being 'worthy' or not."
Just as Ren expressed that he didn't mind the potential fallout, Karen, who had caught on to his intentions, joined in persuading Renako. This was a chance to potentially advance their relationship with Renako, and she wasn't about to let it slip away.
"Ugh~ Senpai, Karen-senpai~"
Under their combined persuasion, Renako was so moved she didn't know what to say. Her eyes welled up with grateful tears.
"These are just small matters, right, Ren? As long as it helps resolve the trouble you're facing, Renako, feel free to rely on us."
Karen handed her a tissue with a smile, comforting Renako until she was nearly reduced to a puddle of emotion.
"Then... I'll trouble you, Senpai. I'll prepare a proper thank-you."
Hearing that neither of them minded and unable to come up with a better solution herself, Renako finally accepted Ren's proposal. She looked at him, both touched and shy.
"No trouble at all. When do you plan to meet her and clear things up?"
Ren smiled gently in response. He felt no guilt about deceiving the girl—he genuinely intended to help, though his motives weren't entirely selfless.
After all, when it comes to pretending to be lovers, how often does the act turn into reality?
"I'll ask Mai if she's free today. If I don't settle this soon, I'll keep feeling uneasy about it."
Renako decided there was no time to waste and immediately took out her phone to contact Mai.
"Before that, let's exchange some information first, Renako. Would you mind telling me about any hobbies or interests you have that your friends don't know about? That could add some credibility and make the other person give up."
Using the pretense of acting as her boyfriend, Ren began to learn more about Renako.
Most of the various hobbies and interests Renako displayed at school, including during their shopping trips together, were just an act. Only by understanding her truest self, or rather, by having her reveal a more genuine side, could their relationship truly be considered real.