By the time Myraa recovered from her champagne-induced embarrassment, the news of the gala had already spread like wildfire. Naturally, the focus wasn't on the charity auction or the amount of money raised—it was on the infamous "Knight and Princess" pair, Kyra and Myraa.
The spiked champagne incident, the mysterious exit, and Myraa's growing reputation as the school's favorite heiress all became fuel for Camellia Academy's gossip mill.
"Did you hear? Kyra carried Miss Myraa out of the gala in her arms like some kind of knight in shining armor!"
"I heard they disappeared into a private suite for hours."
"They're so perfect together, it's practically a romance novel!"
Myraa groaned as she read the latest batch of gossip posts on the school forum. "Why does this keep happening to me?"
"Because you're a magnet for chaos," Kyra replied, glancing over her shoulder.
"I wasn't asking you!" Myraa snapped, glaring at her cousin, who looked as calm and unbothered as ever.
"You're overthinking it," Kyra said, smirking. "Enjoy the attention."
"Enjoy it?!" Myraa exclaimed. "People think you carried me out of the gala like some kind of dramatic hero!"
"Well, technically I did escort you," Kyra replied, leaning back in her chair.
"Not the same thing!" Myraa groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I can't deal with this."
---
Hajime's Reaction
If Myraa thought the student body's gossip was bad, Hajime's reaction was worse.
"You let your guard down," he said, his sharp gaze boring into her during breakfast the next morning.
"Let my guard down?" Myraa repeated, bristling. "I was poisoned!"
"Exactly," Hajime said coldly. "And you allowed it to happen. If Kyra hadn't intervened, the situation could have been far worse."
Kyra, who was seated across from Myraa, tensed slightly at her uncle's words. "It wasn't her fault," she said, her voice calm but firm.
"It doesn't matter whose fault it was," Hajime replied, his tone clipped. "What matters is how it reflects on the Reizei name."
Camellia, who had been quietly sipping her tea, finally spoke up. "Hajime, don't be so harsh. Myraa handled herself well, all things considered."
Hajime didn't respond, but his expression remained tense. Myraa, feeling both defensive and exhausted, decided to speak up.
"I'm trying," she said, meeting Hajime's gaze. "I didn't ask for any of this, but I'm doing my best. Isn't that enough?"
For a moment, the room was silent. Then Hajime leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "We'll see."
---
Reina's Next Move
While Myraa was busy dealing with the fallout from the gala, Reina was plotting her next move.
"She's more popular than ever," Reina said, pacing her dorm room. "Every time I try to take her down, she just bounces back stronger. It's infuriating!"
"What are we going to do?" one of her minions asked timidly.
Reina paused, a wicked smile spreading across her face. "If we can't break her, we'll break the person she depends on the most."
Her minions exchanged nervous glances.
"You mean… Kyra?" one of them whispered.
"Exactly," Reina said, her eyes gleaming with malice. "If I can make Kyra look weak or unreliable, Myraa will have no one left to lean on. And then? She'll fall."
---
The School Assembly
A week later, Camellia Academy held a special assembly to recognize the success of the charity gala. Myraa had been dreading it all week, knowing she'd be expected to stand on stage in front of the entire student body.
"Why do I have to be up there?" she muttered to Kyra as they waited backstage.
"Because you're the face of the Reizei family now," Kyra replied.
"That's the worst idea I've ever heard," Myraa said, fidgeting with the hem of her blazer.
"You'll survive," Kyra said, smirking.
"Stop saying that!" Myraa snapped. "You keep jinxing me!"
Before Kyra could respond, the student council president stepped up to the microphone to announce the start of the assembly.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Miss Myraa Reizei to the stage!"
The audience erupted into applause as Myraa reluctantly stepped out from behind the curtain. She felt every eye in the room on her as she walked to the podium, her palms sweating.
Don't trip. Don't trip. Don't trip, she repeated in her head like a mantra.
To her relief, she made it to the podium without incident. But just as she began her speech, something unexpected happened.
---
Reina's Sabotage
A loud pop echoed through the auditorium, followed by a sudden downpour of glitter and confetti from the ceiling. Myraa froze mid-sentence, her mouth hanging open as she was covered in a shower of sparkling chaos.
The audience erupted into laughter and cheers, assuming it was part of the presentation.
Myraa, however, knew better. She glanced toward the back of the room and immediately spotted Reina smirking from the shadows.
"Of course," Myraa muttered under her breath, brushing glitter out of her hair.
---
Kyra to the Rescue (Again)
Before Myraa could fully process what had happened, Kyra stepped onto the stage, a calm smile on her face.
"Let's give a round of applause for Myraa Reizei," she said, addressing the crowd as if nothing was out of the ordinary. "It's not every day we get a glitter storm with our speeches."
The audience laughed and clapped, and Myraa shot Kyra a grateful look.
"Thanks," she muttered as Kyra escorted her offstage.
"Don't mention it," Kyra replied, smirking. "You handle glitter surprisingly well."
"Shut up," Myraa grumbled, though she couldn't help but smile.
---
A Quiet Moment
Later that afternoon, Myraa found herself on the rooftop again, trying to shake off the embarrassment of the assembly.
Kyra joined her, as usual, leaning against the railing with her typical air of quiet confidence.
"Still upset about the glitter?" Kyra asked.
"No," Myraa replied, though her tone said otherwise.
"You know, you handled it pretty well," Kyra said. "Most people would have panicked."
"Most people wouldn't have been glitter-bombed during a speech," Myraa muttered.
Kyra chuckled. "Fair point."
For a moment, they sat in comfortable silence, the breeze ruffling their hair. Then Myraa glanced at Kyra, her expression thoughtful.
"Hey, Kyra?"
"Yes?"
"Why do you always… show up for me?" Myraa asked, her voice quieter now.
Kyra didn't respond immediately, her gaze fixed on the horizon. "Because you matter to me," she said finally.
Myraa blinked, startled by the honesty in her tone. "Oh."
Kyra glanced at her, a faint smile on her lips. "Don't overthink it."
"Too late," Myraa muttered, but her chest felt lighter somehow.