By Monday evening, almost closing time, Renji could feel it in the air.

Something was off.

It wasn't the kind of "bad" off....like when exams sneak up or when someone tries a new haircut and pretends it's not a disaster.

No, this was the quiet kind of strange.

The kind that made you feel like the universe was whispering behind your back.

Rika was smiling too much in class.

Reina had suddenly stopped texting him "good morning."

And Mayumi, the one person who never hid anything, couldn't even hold eye contact for more than three seconds.

I was kinda surprised saki wasn't in on whatever was going on.

Renji leaned against the open window after school, watching them through the courtyard. Rika and Reina were talking under the shade of the big camphor tree, laughing like conspirators. Mayumi joined them halfway through, pretending to stretch but clearly checking if he was looking.

He was.

"Yeah…" Renji muttered. "Definitely something's up."

Kai walked up beside him, sipping soda from a can. "You look like a man about to solve a murder."

Renji sighed. "Feels like I'm the victim of one."

Kai grinned. "Rika-sensei giving too much homework again?"

"Worse," Renji said flatly. "She's being nice."

Kai's eyes widened dramatically. "Oh shit, yeah. That is scary."

Renji chuckled but his gaze stayed on them. "Reina's been quiet too. Even Mayumi's pretending to be busy with practice."

Aki appeared behind them, his bag slung over one shoulder. "Or maybe you're just paranoid again."

Renji turned. "You're telling me you don't notice it?"

Aki shrugged. "They're adults. Maybe they're just… talking."

Kai smirked. "Or maybe they're planning to jump him."

Renji shot him a glare. "You think everything ends in bed."

Kai grinned wider. "Because, with you, it usually does."

Aki sighed, adjusting his glasses. "Ignore him. If something's going on, you'll figure it out. You always do."

Renji looked back toward the courtyard. The three women were gone now, leaving only the faint echo of their laughter.

He exhaled slowly. "Yeah. Maybe I will."

The System chimed in faintly, almost teasingly:

[New Subquest: "The Hidden Celebration"] Objective: Uncover what's being planned behind your back. Reward: ???

Renji blinked. "...You've got to be kidding me."

[Nope.]

He rubbed the back of his neck and laughed under his breath. "So even you're in on this?"

> [Not telling.]

"Great," he muttered. "I'm surrounded by traitors."

Kai tilted his head. "You say something?"

"Yeah," Renji said dryly. "The world's out to mess with me."

Kai grinned. "Then relax, Sherlock. Maybe it's your birthday gift....stress."

Renji gave him a deadpan stare. "You're hilarious."

But even as he said it, a small smile tugged at his lips.

Because deep down, something about it, the secrecy, the quiet glances, felt… good.

It meant people cared enough to plot something for him, not against him.

Still, that didn't mean he'd stop digging.

Renji Sakamoto wasn't the kind of man who ignored mysteries, especially when they involved beautiful women acting suspiciously coordinated.

---

Tuesday came with sunshine, gossip, and that weird gut feeling Renji couldn't shake.

He leaned back in his seat as Rika walked into class, all professional poise and radiant calm, except her smile was too calm. That was Renji's first red flag.

Rika Shoku didn't do calm when he was around. She teased, scolded, smirked, not smiled like someone holding state secrets.

She set her books down. "Morning, everyone. Take out your notebooks. We'll begin with!"

Her gaze flicked toward him for half a second. It lingered just long enough for him to notice the faintest grin tug at her lips before she looked away.

Renji narrowed his eyes. Oh, you're hiding something.

When the bell finally rang, he caught her just before she slipped into the staff hallway.

"Sensei," he called, his tone smooth, casual. "Got a sec?"

She turned, brows arched. "For you, Renji? Always. What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He leaned a little closer, voice lowering playfully. "Just feels like everyone's acting strange lately."

She blinked. "Strange how?"

"Like you're all in a club I wasn't invited to."

Her lips curved. "Maybe we finally made a club without you distracting the members."

Renji chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes."

She tilted her head, that teasing glint flashing in her eyes. "Or maybe it's just in your head, Mr. Sakamoto."

Before he could reply, Reina appeared at the end of the hall, carrying a small box of supplies. "Rika, the staff room's waiting....oh, Renji. Good morning."

"Morning, Reina," he greeted with that half-smile that always got her to soften.

And sure enough, it worked.

Her eyes warmed for a second, then flickered with the same hint of nervous composure Rika had.

Renji smirked inwardly. Gotcha.

"I was just checking in on Sensei here," he said. "You two seem busy lately."

Reina and Rika exchanged a quick glance, too quick.

Rika laughed softly. "It's the usual teacher chaos. Nothing you need to worry about."

Reina nodded in agreement, maybe too fast. "Yes, just… school matters."

Renji crossed his arms, feigning thought. "Right. School matters that make you both avoid me like I've got the plague?"

Rika smiled, that dangerous, practiced one. "Renji."

He raised a brow. "Yes, Sensei?"

"Stop investigating."

Reina stifled a laugh. "You sound like a detective in a drama."

Renji grinned. "Hey, maybe I am. And I smell something fishy."

Rika leaned forward, close enough that her perfume brushed against him. "Then maybe it's time you stopped sniffing around."

Her whisper held that tone, part playful, part warning. She straightened with a smile and turned toward Reina. "Come on, nurse. We've got work."

Renji watched them leave, his grin widening. "They're definitely hiding something."

---

Lunch break found him sitting under the courtyard tree with Kai and Aki.

"So," Kai said, mouth full of bread. "You suspect your teachers are plotting?"

"They're not just teachers," Renji muttered.

Kai smirked. "Right. They're your connections."

Renji shot him a look. "You done?"

Aki adjusted his glasses. "So, what's your plan?"

Renji's grin returned. "Simple. I'll keep asking until one of them cracks."

Kai laughed. "You're gonna flirt your way to the truth?"

Renji shrugged. "Worked before."

Aki sighed. "You're going to get caught."

Renji smirked. "That's half the fun."

As the bell rang, Renji looked up at the window where he could see Rika and Reina talking again, Mayumi walking past them, clearly trying to act casual.

He chuckled under his breath.

"Go ahead and keep your secrets," he murmured. "I'll find out soon enough."

---

The evening air was cool and a little lazy, the kind that made the city hum softly instead of roar.

Renji had tossed his bag over his shoulder, headphones in, walking home after a long day of pretending not to be suspicious.

He stopped by a small convenience store near the station.

Just to grab a drink. Nothing else.

But fate, as usual, had other ideas.

He pushed open the glass door, ding! And froze halfway through the entrance.

Down the snack aisle stood three very familiar figures.

Rika. Reina. Mayumi.

Together.

All looking guilty as hell.

Mayumi was holding a small notebook, Rika was scanning the shelves, and Reina, bless her calm heart....looked like she wanted to melt into the instant noodle section.

Renji blinked. Then smiled slowly.

"Well, well… look what we have here."

Three heads turned in unison.

"R–Renji!" Mayumi blurted, nearly dropping the notebook. "W–What are you doing here?"

He held up the canned coffee he'd grabbed.

"Buying caffeine. What about you three? Grocery date?"

Rika recovered first, her smile too quick.

"We were just… picking up some things for the school."

Renji arched a brow. "In the snacks aisle?"

Reina coughed softly, clearly trying to look composed. "Supplies for… a class event."

Mayumi nodded way too eagerly. "Yep! Definitely that!"

Renji crossed his arms, grin widening. "A class event that involves chocolate, ribbons, and!" He glanced at their basket. "Gift wrap?"

Silence.

Even the store's background music felt awkward for a second.

Rika finally sighed and gave a weak chuckle. "You really don't miss a thing, do you?"

Renji leaned against the shelf, voice dropping low and teasing. "Not when my favorite women are sneaking around like spies."

Reina tried to change the subject. "You shouldn't be out this late, Renji. You have class early tomorrow."

He smirked. "You sound like a worried mom."

She gave him that soft, dangerous smile. "Maybe I am."

Mayumi, clearly panicking, whispered to Rika, "He's gonna find out!"

Rika shot her a look. "Mayumi."

Renji heard it, of course and that sealed it.

He stepped forward, grin sharp. "Find out what, exactly?"

The three women exchanged a silent, desperate glance that said everything.

Then, Rika put on her best teacher voice. "Renji, go home."

He raised a brow. "That's not an answer."

"Renji," Reina said gently, "please. Just… pretend you didn't see us."

That made him pause.

Not because of what she said but how she said it.

Soft. Almost pleading.

Something warm flickered behind her eyes, the kind that told him it wasn't bad. Just… secret.

Renji exhaled through a chuckle. "Alright. I'll play along… for now."

Rika eyed him suspiciously. "You mean it?"

He winked. "Cross my heart, Sensei."

Mayumi groaned. "He's definitely going to investigate again."

Renji pointed at her with the coffee can. "You know me too well."

He gave them one last grin before heading out, the bell chiming as the door swung closed behind him.

The moment he was gone, Mayumi exhaled loudly. "We're so bad at this."

Rika pinched the bridge of her nose. "You are bad at this."

Reina smiled faintly. "He'll still be surprised. I can tell."

Meanwhile, outside, Renji stopped on the corner, sipping his drink.

He could still see their silhouettes through the store window, whispering, laughing, panicking.

He smirked to himself.

"Oh yeah. Something's definitely cooking."

---

[...]

Renji strolled home under the orange streetlights, sipping from the can like it was victory fuel.

His grin hadn't faded once since he'd left the store.

"Three MILFs. One convenience store. One notebook full of secrets."

He chuckled softly. "If this isn't suspicious, I don't know what is."

He shoved his free hand into his pocket as the evening breeze rustled past. The city was quiet, too quiet for the storm spinning in his head.

When he got home, he dropped onto his bed, stretched, and stared at the ceiling.

Renji: "Alright, System. Talk to me."

[System Booting…]

System: You seem amused, Renji.

Renji: "Amused? Try curious. Three outta my four favorite women are up to something. And I have a feeling it's got my name written all over it."

System: Your instincts remain sharp. Emotional activity around your name has increased by 64% within the past two days.

Renji: "Wait....what?"

System: Subjects Rika Shoku, Reina Hakari, and Mayumi Takahara have exhibited elevated emotional sync levels correlated to your upcoming date: May 15.

Renji: "May 15… my birthday."

System: Affirmative. Observation: They are planning something significant. Probability of direct emotional event.....97%.

Renji: "Emotional event, huh?"

(He smirked, folding one arm behind his head.) "That's one way to say 'surprise party.' Or maybe something even better."

System: Your curiosity level is spiking. Recommend patience.

Renji: "Patience isn't really my thing, sweetheart. But fine. I'll wait… just to see how deep this goes."

A soft ding echoed, the System pulsing faintly in his vision before fading out.

Renji closed his eyes, the ghost of a smirk on his lips.

Between the whispers, the stares, and now this secret late-night meeting… he knew something was coming.

And he could already feel it, that warm anticipation in his chest.

"Let's see what you're planning for me, ladies."

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