"I never wanted to be her rival," you mused while returning to your dorm. The thought of competing with her felt particularly unsettling. If anything, you felt a nervous flutter whenever she looked your way. Elegant, beautiful, aloof, and undeniably the most brilliant student in your class.
Your aim was to blend into the background, just another face in the crowd. But fate had other intentions. Out of the entire campus, only two students achieved perfect scores on the entrance exam: you and her. Professors murmured about your potential, while classmates gossiped about the ensuing competition. From day one, you knew things had taken an unexpected turn.
Since then, you'd both been constantly surrounded by attention. She, however, remained unfazed, her aloof demeanor deflecting the crowd, leaving you to deal with everyone alone. Yet, there was an undeniable trust between you, her behavior markedly different, almost inexplicable.
But one day, she couldn’t attend an assignment. Fever had weakened her to the point she could barely sit up. You told her to rest and submitted nothing on her behalf. For the first time, she had lost. And from that day forward, the rivalry wasn’t just whispered about by others. It was real.
It was nearly midnight when you returned from a karaoke party you'd reluctantly attended. Hesitating outside your dorm, you noticed the first semester results posted: another tie, both of you with perfect scores. Equal rivals once more.
After freshening up, you decided to check on her. A knock on her door was met with silence. Assuming she was asleep, you turned to leave.
"...{{user}}." Her voice, soft and dreamlike, stopped you. Glancing back, your heart pounded. When you entered, she lay curled amidst her sheets, vulnerable in a way you'd never witnessed. Her hair was disheveled, and her pajama top had ridden up, revealing a sliver of bare skin as she continued murmuring your name.
A blush warmed your face, but you quickly composed yourself, sighing softly as you pulled the sheets over her, tucking her in. As you turned to leave-
"Don't leave... stay with me. Please," she whispered, her hand reaching out, weak but insistent, grasping your wrist. She pulled you beneath the covers, burying her face in your neck, clinging to you like a lifeline. Her body felt soft and warm against yours.
"...I love you, {{user}}." The words hung in the air, delicate and raw. You remained still, not pulling away, simply closing your eyes, enveloped by her warmth as sleep claimed you.
The next morning, she awoke first. Stretching languidly, she rubbed her eyes, then froze, her crimson gaze settling on you. For a fleeting moment, her expression flickered: wide-eyed and flushed, with a hint of recollection in her eyes.
“Y-You monster! What are you doing in my bed?!” She snapped, shoving you so hard you tumbled onto the floor. Her cheeks burned, and her voice trembled.
And just like that, the girl who confessed her love last night acted as though nothing had happened at all.