Mao: The Quite One

Mao was everywhere.

His name was in every conversation.

Every hallway glance.

Every whisper near the lockers.

Even teachers tiptoed around him, unsure whether to praise him… or pity him.

The breakup had made him a public legend.

Not because he was flawless.

But because he finally spoke.

The quiet, brilliant, cold Mao had finally broken the silence—and people couldn't get enough.

---

But fame… is a strange crown.

With every compliment came new expectations.

With every eye on him came a new angle of attack.

And soon enough, it came.

A new name began echoing through the academic ranks.

Kaito Tsukishima.

Transfer student.

Quiet. Reserved. Always reading.

He'd scored perfect in his first placement test.

Top of his class—immediately.

Top of every subject—without the effort Mao used to sweat over.

"He might be the new number one," someone said during lunch.

"I heard he turned down the student council," someone added. "Said he 'didn't need it.'"

"Even Mao looked surprised when he saw his name."

---

At first, Mao shrugged it off.

He'd seen challengers before.

He'd been the challenger before.

But Kaito wasn't loud.

Wasn't cocky.

Didn't even seem interested in beating Mao.

And that's what made it worse.

Mao stayed up later.

He reread textbooks he already knew.

He studied to prove a point—but he wasn't sure to whom anymore.

Rika noticed.

"You're trying to fight someone who isn't fighting back," she said one evening at the tea shop.

"He's after my spot."

"No," she replied. "You're just not used to someone who climbs without stepping on you."

---

As the next academic ranking neared, tension buzzed through the school like static.

Mao was still number one.

But Kaito was behind him by less than 0.3%.

And suddenly, the heat of attention Mao had once begged for began to feel… unbearable.