Shiina Kisaragi's POV:

"Okay, I lost him."

Hunching over, a hand to my chest, I inhaled and exhaled deep breaths.

Because of Rin, we didn't have a serious class. Mrs. Reiki kept asking him questions. The crowd got bigger and bigger. Eventually, the principal showed up to save the day. He sent those who didn't belong back to their classes, gave Mrs. Reiki a warning about professionalism, called the police to get the news crews off the property. Later, he reminded everyone over the school intercom that during Rin's stay, we were to treat him like any other student at school, else there would be punishments.

Of course, not everyone abided by the rules. While Mrs. Reiki taught, girls stared dreamily at Rin, all the while Rin stared dreamily at me. In turn, the girls grilled me with vicious glares that left me a puddle of nerves. Between breaks, they bombarded him at his desk without allowing him the chance to chat with me. Now, at lunch, Rin asked me to tour him around the school. Their dark looks told me everything: that if I so tried, they would end me.

So, they volunteered in my stead. Meanwhile, I made a pathetic escape.

Either Rin was oblivious or he sincerely didn't care about anyone else. Of course, I knew it was the latter. The guilt of leaving him hanging ate at me, especially when he was excited to tour the school with me as he was, but what could I do under these circumstances? If I could get rid of those girls, I would. But, they outnumbered me.

I lost Tsumugi and Kiharu to them, too. My so-called friends.

I didn't blame them. The number one pop sensation was attending our high school. Obviously, they wanted an excuse to take a bunch of pictures with him, get his autograph, converse, and hear him sing. Sticking beside him was their best bet at all of that.

Still, couldn't they show a little restraint? They saw Rin how many times a year? I invited them to his concerts, they had his number, they'd taken a bunch of photos together, talked to him.

I gnawed the inside of my cheek.

Well, this was nothing new. I hope they realized he was my boyfriend.

"So? Why are you here?"

I looked Kamakiri dead in the eye. On my knees in his secret room in the library, which had merely grown more impressive over the years, I gave it to him straight: "This was the only place I could hide."

His eyebrow twitched. He slammed his novel closed.

"Leave."

Within seconds, I was up on my feet, and he was shepherding me out the door.

"Wait! Wait!" I cried, digging my heels into the carpet. "I brought a peace offering!"

Before he could successfully open the door and shove me out, I managed to slip away. Kamakiri's eyes narrowed at me.

"Stop being mean, Dai! Shiina, you're welcome here any time," Hachi interjected.

Up and on his feet, he separated the both of us, his outstretched arms serving as a divider.

Kamakiri gritted his teeth.

"Why are you here, too? And who the hell gave you the authority to decide that?"

"What are you talking about, Dai? What's wrong with visiting my friend?"

"We're not friends."

"D'oh!"

Hachi took a critical hit.

"More importantly, Shiina!" He recovered quickly. I'd seen the two of them interact frequently, whether in the halls or here. Kamakiri was always against it but Hachi never took no for an answer. "What's this peace offering?" he asked, eyes sparkling. "Is it edible? Can I eat it?"

I laughed. He would never change. Manoeuvring around to my bag, I unveiled a container. "I baked muffins last night. Have as many as you'd like."

"Yay! Yay! Chocolate chip? Is it chocolate chip?" Without even waiting for my response, he devoured the one he'd received, humming in delight. "Mhmm! It's so good!"

"I'm happy to hear that." A smile crossed my face. "Next time, I'll try baking some other flavours. Do you have any requests?"

"Um! Um! Double chocolate! No, wait. Blueberry with lemons! Actually—"

As Hachi rambled excitedly, Kamakiri scrubbed a hand down his face. He returned to his original spot, picked up his book, and tuned us out to the best of his ability.

Hachi shook his shoulders. "Dai! You have to try it! Try it! Here!"

"No."

"I'll eat all of it!"

"Good. I hope you choke."

"Shiina!" Hachi complained. "Dai's being a meanie!"

Kamakiri was visibly irritated—seconds away from detonating. The signals he shot me was clear: keep Hachi from bothering him, and I could stay. So, clearing my throat, I readied myself.

Hachi was one step ahead of me.

"Shiina, do you think your band could perform for an upcoming school event?"

Stunned, I eyed him in disbelief. "My. . . band?"

Stuffing a third muffin into his cheeks, storing it there as a squirrel would, he nodded. "I talked to Rumi. You know how there's an important game next week? We planned a fun ceremony this Friday with a dance routine as the centrepiece. But, the lead dancer got into an accident, and it'll take a while for them to perfect a new routine without her. I don't really get the details but Rumi was suuuper stressed. If you filled in the spot, it'll be problem solved!"

Perform in front of the entire school?

"You guys have songs to choose from and they all sound super-duper awesome!" Hachi added. "A bunch of students are fans so arguably it's the best choice! You'll do it, right? Right? Right?"

If Hachi was anything, it was persistent.

I forced a chuckle. "Um. I don't see why we can't. I'll talk to Toru and the others about it."

"Yay!" Hachi threw his arms around me, squeezing me in a sideways hug. "You're the best, Shiina! The best!"

"Are you sure, though?"

"Totally! Totally! I can't wait to hear you sing again! Right, Dai?"

Kamakiri glanced long and hard at us—at me.

"You better watch your back."

My shoulders stiffened. Hachi, all the same, stared in confusion.

He flicked to the next page of his book. A gruelling pause ensued.

"That childhood friend of yours," he started, his thumb restlessly stroking the edge of the page, "he's causing all sorts of trouble. I don't know what he was thinking when he enrolled—knowing that idiot Rin, he wasn't thinking, period. But there's no way you aren't going to be dragged into the drama he's caused."

I blinked.

"Are you worried about me?"

"Dai is so shy." Hachi tsked.

He chucked a pillow at Hachi's head. Hachi yelped.

"They're not only talking about him," he enunciated, scowling at me now. "They're talking about you too. I've heard nasty rumours."

My lips met. I balled my fists on my lap.

"It's okay," I said. "I'm used to it."

Being approached by fake people, bad-mouthed behind my back or in person, on TV, and all over the internet. It sucked a lot. I stopped looking at social media ages ago because I couldn't handle strangers talking badly about me when they didn't even know me. Because Rin enrolled, it was sure to get worse. I didn't even want to know what had been posted about me today.

"Rin is popular," I excused. "People can talk about me all they want. They can make assumptions and hate me if they want. Those who know me are already aware the lies that are spread about me aren't true. I don't care enough to impress internet trolls who make it their sole purpose to ruin me. Because, I'm not doing anything wrong by loving him."

I was a hypocrite. As badly as I wanted to believe all that, here I was avoiding him because I couldn't bear the negative energy after all.

"I've known him my whole life." My nails dug crescent moon shaped marks into my palms. "They've known him just a few years—through a screen or on a faraway stage—and seem to think that somehow makes them superior. If anyone has the right to stand beside him—be with him—it should be me."

That was right. Instead of running away or cowering in the shadows, I wanted to one day hold my head up high beside him. I wanted the world to recognize that I belonged with him. I didn't know how to do it, or what it would take, but I would find a way.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

In a rush, I left Hachi and Kamakiri behind. I roamed the halls, zooming past chitchatting students. Where was he? It couldn't be that hard to locate a huge, screaming crowd.

Due to my distraction, I was defenceless when I crashed into a brick wall. Wincing, I rubbed my forehead. When I craned my neck back, however, what greeted me was not a brick wall. Rather, an unfriendly face.

"What's the big idea?" grunted the boy.

"Sorry," I apologized. "I was in a rush."

Instead of backing away and leaving it at that, he closed in.

"Wait a second." He lifted a finger. "Aren't you that celebrity's girlfriend?"

A pit formed in my stomach.

He whistled. "So you're the talk of the school. Your face could be better but it's decent, I guess. Since he's rolling in cash, he must buy you a bunch of nice presents. Takes you out to expensive restaurants. On luxurious trips." He leaned way too close, donning a wolffish grin. "Why don't you do a poor guy like me a favour and share some of that wealth?"

My knees wobbled.

"Leave me alone," I said, raising my shaky voice.

"Or what?" he snorted. "The reason you approached him was because you wanted a taste of his fame. Run him for all his money. Stop acting all high and mighty, then. How did you even manage to seduce him?" He looked down at my chest, then lower, his haughtiness filling me with rage. "Was it that?" He simpered. "Sexual favours—"

I smacked him across his face.

He froze, bug-eyed. His right cheek flared red.

Grounding my molars, I hissed, "You piece of shit."

In retrospect, it was a bad idea. I was overpowered. Defenceless. Regardless, his comments angered me beyond compare.

Not that it mattered when the boy huffed in unparalleled fury and swung his fist swifter than my eyes could follow. Squeaking, I flinched.

The impact didn't follow.

When I peeled apart my eyelids, I realized why.

Rin stopped it. Squeezing the boy's wrist—which lay inches from my nose. The veins in his forearm bulged—proof that it'd taken all his strength to stop the collision. A huge swarm of students surrounded us, drenched in complete and utter shock.

Since becoming an idol, Rin had to watch every word he said, the expressions he displayed, his body language. He'd learned to let most things roll off him. After all, the slightest scandal could cost him his career. Idols were supposed to be carefree. They were supposed to smile and laugh—be perfect role models—in the presence of their fans.

Right now, that was the last thing on his mind.

Bared teeth, twitching jaw, a fiery exclamation of wrath and disdain. Rin fumed at the mouth.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"Returning a favour," scoffed the boy. "There's no way this bitch thinks she can slap me and get away with it. Now, let go of me before I snap your arm in half."

"Rin," I whispered, newfound guilt compressing my airways. "I shouldn't have—"

"Shiina, be quiet."

My heart jumped. Clearly, it didn't matter to him what the situation was, or who was at fault. From his perspective, this guy insulted me and tried to punch me, and was dead set on injuring me. That was all that mattered.

Rin tucked me behind his large body frame. His black hair cast dark shadows across his eyes and nose.

"As if I'd be scared of some pretty boy who hasn't been in a fight in his life," taunted the boy. "Go put on a frilly costume and makeup and dance across some sparkly stage. Better yet, why don't you phone an ambulance? You're gonna need one after I'm done with the both of you."

Rin bit his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood.

"I'll make sure one is called."

The boy's mouth upturned smugly.

In the same moment, Rin's balled fists connected with his jaw. The ferocious force knocked him right off his feet, and straight to the ground.

He was out cold in a matter of seconds.

"For you." Eyes cold and merciless, Rin cracked his knuckles. "Keep my girlfriend out of your filthy mouth."