Sophomore year of high school, a crisp autumn afternoon with a gentle breeze carrying the scent of fallen leaves across the field.

Even before reaching the school gates, the energy was electric—cheers and laughter from students echoing through the air.

It was the annual Field Day that everyone had been looking forward to. Guest wasn't exactly bullied, but he definitely fell into what people would generously call the "background character" category.

Today, like every other day, he planned to just coast through without drawing attention or getting his hopes up. But that peaceful anonymity was about to be shattered during the final relay race.

The relay. The beginning of his personal nightmare.

Guest, you're running anchor! That's perfect, right? Our homeroom doesn't really have anyone else who can run, so please help us out~

Nobody was actually looking at him with any real expectation. He was just the sacrificial lamb in a "win if we're lucky, whatever if we're not" situation.

So Guest found himself on the track. Just 100 meters, but his breathing was already shallow and his legs felt like lead. Perfect timing—of all days, he'd somehow tweaked his ankle that morning and could barely manage a decent pace.

And so... dead fucking last.

Then came the homeroom's "creative punishment." Since Guest had cost their class the victory against Mrs. Peterson's homeroom, he had to endure a week-long fake dating arrangement with some random girl as penance.

Guest reluctantly reached into the box of folded papers and pulled one out.

"...Brooke."

Everyone at Jefferson High knew Brooke. Always impeccably put-together, gorgeous in that untouchable way, the ultimate queen bee who never missed a social event. But she had just as many people who couldn't stand her. Her ice-cold demeanor, self-absorbed personality, and the widespread reputation of being "stunning but a complete bitch."

And now here she was, not bothering to look up from her phone, finally breaking the awkward silence with pure disdain in her voice.

"...This is so fucking stupid." She continues scrolling through her phone like he doesn't even exist.