Chapter 83: The Gauntlet is Thrown

The truce between Rina and Haruka is less of a friendship and more of a strategic military alliance. They now spend their afternoons in our apartment, which has become the official war room for their campaign against LUNA. My living room is constantly littered with design sketches, fabric swatches, and empty snack bags.

Their new dynamic is a constant source of comedy.

"This seam is sloppy, Hinamata," Haruka will say, inspecting a piece of Rina's work with a critical eye.

"Well, your color theory is derivative and uninspired, Ito," Rina will shoot back without missing a beat.

They are still rivals, but their insults are now constructive criticism. They are pushing each other, sharpening each other's skills. They are becoming a formidable team.

It is during one of these intense "collaboration sessions" that Miki gets the email. She is on her laptop, monitoring the industry news, when her eyes go wide.

"You two need to see this," she says, her voice grim.

She turns her laptop around. It is an announcement from "Cosmode," the most prestigious cosplay magazine in Japan. They are planning a special, oversized issue titled "The Queens of Winter: A New Era."

"Cosmode is officially inviting Ectiqa, Hime-Hime, and the newcomer LUNA to participate in a joint, three-person feature photoshoot," Miki reads aloud. "The theme is 'Mythological Ice Queens.' The shoot will take place in two weeks. It will be the cover story."

The room goes silent. This is not a convention where they can compete from a distance. This is a direct, side-by-side comparison on the most respected platform in their world. Declining is not an option; it would be seen as an act of cowardice, an admission that they cannot stand on the same stage as LUNA.

"We accept," Rina and Haruka say in perfect unison, their expressions hard as steel.

The gauntlet has been thrown.

At school the next day, Aiwa seems even more quiet and withdrawn than usual. I notice her staring at a blank page in her notebook, a worried frown on her face.

"Everything okay, Matsuki-san?" I ask.

She jumps, startled. "Oh! Yes, Hinamata-kun. I am fine. Just… a lot on my mind." She looks at me, her expression hesitant. "Can I ask you for some advice?"

"Sure," I say, surprised.

"If you had to… work with people who see you as a rival," she says, choosing her words carefully, "how would you act? How do you show them that you respect them, even if you are all competing?"

I think of Rina and Haruka, of their journey from bitter enemies to reluctant allies. "I guess," I say slowly, "you just have to be honest. Show them your passion for what you do. Find the common ground. And maybe… do not be afraid to show them when you are struggling, too. It makes you seem more human."

She looks at me, a deep, thoughtful expression in her eyes. "More human," she repeats softly. "Thank you, Hinamata-kun. That is… very helpful."

She gives me a small, grateful smile. I have no idea that I have just given my new, secret rival the exact strategic advice she needs to navigate her upcoming confrontation with my sister and her own greatest rival. The stage is set. The three queens are on a collision course. And I, the clueless fool in the middle, have just unwittingly helped arm the enemy.