The university’s annual "Crown Gala" was less of a dance and more of a social battlefield. Every year, the student body voted for the "Royal Pair." Usually, it was a King and a Queen. But this year, the campus was divided by a singular, heated debate: Who was the true Prince of the University?
The resentment from the men on campus had reached a boiling point. Led by Sora, they began a campaign to force a "showdown" between Ren and Kaito, hoping to embarrass Ren by putting her in direct masculine competition with the school’s golden boy.
The Challenge
Ren was at her locker when Sora and a group of guys cornered her. They were holding a stack of flyers for the Gala.
"Hey, Takagi! The polls are neck-and-neck," Sora sneered, slapping a flyer against the locker next to her head. "The guys are all voting for Kaito, obviously. But the girls? They’re still obsessed with you. It’s embarrassing for the rest of us. So, we’ve made a bet."
Ren didn't flinch. She adjusted her blazer, her "Prince" mask firmly in place. "I don't gamble, Sora."
"This isn't a gamble; it's a reality check," Sora countered. "If Kaito wins the 'Prince' title by a landslide, you have to admit you’re just a girl playing dress-up and wear a suit to the ceremony to hand him the trophy. But if you win... well, that’s not going to happen. Because no matter how cool you look, you’ll never be one of us."
Ren felt the familiar sting. They were trying to use her "handsomeness" as a weapon against her femininity again. They wanted her to "admit" she was a girl as if it were a confession of a crime.
The Counter-Move
Before Ren could respond, the crowd parted. Kaito walked through, his hands in his pockets, looking effortlessly bored. He had heard the whole thing.
"A suit?" Kaito asked, his voice dripping with mock interest. "That’s a bit unoriginal, don't you think, Sora?"
"Kaito! Good timing," Sora grinned. "Tell her. Tell her she doesn't stand a chance against the real deal."
Kaito stepped up next to Ren. Instead of looking at Sora, he looked at the flyer. Then, he looked at Ren. His eyes held a spark of rebellion that she had only seen in the basement with the embroidery.
"You're right about one thing, Sora," Kaito said, his voice carrying across the hallway. "This competition is ridiculous. Because Ren and I aren't rivals."
He reached out and, in front of the entire hallway, took Ren’s hand. He didn't just hold it; he interlaced their fingers, his thumb grazing the back of her hand.
"I’m withdrawing my name from the 'Prince' category," Kaito announced.
A collective gasp echoed through the hall. Sora’s jaw dropped. "What? You can't! You're the favorite!"
"I'm withdrawing," Kaito repeated, "because I’ve decided I’d much rather run for the 'King' title. And I’ve already chosen my 'Queen'."
He turned to Ren, his expression softening into something so genuine it made her breath hitch.
"Ren Takagi isn't your rival Prince," Kaito said, looking back at the stunned crowd. "She’s my date. And if any of you have a problem with that, you can take it up with me."
The Silent Victory
The crowd was stunned into a dead silence. Sora looked like he had been slapped. The plan to humiliate Ren had backfired spectacularly. By claiming her as his "Queen," Kaito hadn't just protected her; he had redefined how the entire school had to look at her.
He wasn't letting her be "one of the guys." He was forcing the world to see her as a woman worthy of the King's side.
As they walked away from the stunned group, still holding hands, Ren felt her heart racing. Once they were around the corner and out of sight, she pulled him into an empty classroom.
"Kaito! Are you crazy?" she whispered, her face flushed. "The Queen? Me? Everyone expects a dress, a crown... I can't do that. I don't even know how to be that."
Kaito leaned against the chalkboard, a small, triumphant smile on his lips. "You don't have to 'be' anything, Ren. You just have to be you. We’re going to that Gala, and we’re going to break every single rule they’ve ever made for us."
He reached out and touched the collar of her blazer.
"You don't need a suit to hand me a trophy. And you don't need a pink dress to be a Queen. You just need to show them the person I see in the basement. The one who isn't afraid of a needle and thread."
Ren looked at their joined hands. The fear was still there, but for the first time, the excitement was stronger. She wasn't fighting for a "Prince" title anymore. She was fighting for the right to be herself.
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