Chapter 73: The Festival of Ice

Friday. The Imperial Cherry Blossom Festival.

The Palace grounds are... overwhelming.

They are perfect. Ancient trees, perfect grass, and a million sakura petals falling like pink snow. It smells like money. And history.

And it is crawling with guards.

Dark suits, earpieces, eyes everywhere.

"Okay, crew, look alive!" Hiroto whispers, flashing his press pass. He is in full 'director mode'. "We are shooting a documentary on the beauty of blossoms. Smile. Look bored."

Rika is clutching her boom mic. Toujo is struggling with the tripod. Daiki is filming... everything. His face hidden by the camera.

I just walk. My hands are shoved in my blazer pockets. My heart is pounding so hard it hurts.

We are herded into the "press pen." A roped-off area fifty yards from the main pavilion.

"This is terrible," I hiss at Hiroto. "We are too far away."

"Patience, Angel," he mutters. "The procession will walk right past us. That is our moment."

A hush falls over the crowd.

"They are coming!" Rika whispers.

They appear.

First, the Crown Prince. Fuji's father. He looks exactly like he did on TV. Tall. Cold. Terrifying. He does not smile.

Then, his sister, Princess Akiko. She is smiling. She looks nice.

And then...

Him.

My breath catches.

He is not in his military uniform. He is in a formal, dark blue kimono, embroidered with a silver Imperial crest.

He is the stranger from the TV.

His face is a perfect, beautiful, empty mask.

He is the Ice Prince. The real one.

He walks. He bows. He smiles. It is fake. It does not reach his eyes.

He is a perfect, broken doll.

And he is not alone.

Walking beside him, wearing a kimono that probably costs more than my house, is a girl.

She is beautiful. Stunningly beautiful. Perfect hair. Perfect smile. She looks like a princess.

They look... perfect together.

"Who... who is that?" I whisper. My voice is shaking.

Daiki, filming, zooms in. "That is Lady Mariko Sano. Sano Industries. The engagement from the news articles."

Engagement.

He... he is with her.

He is walking with his fiancée.

My stomach twists.

He... he lied.

The note... "Wait for me"... it was a lie. He moved on. He has a princess now.

I feel... sick.

"Aoi-chan, no," Rika grabs my arm. "Look at his face. Look at his eyes!"

I look. I look past the fake smile. Past the polite bows.

His eyes.

They are dead. He is not there. He is hollow.

He is trapped.

My sickness turns to rage.

That... that is my rival. My Fuji. And they broke him. They put him in a costume and paraded him around.

"He did not lie," I growl.

Daiki focuses the camera. "He is waiting. He is scanning the crowd. He is looking for us."

"Okay," Hiroto whispers, his eyes gleaming. "The procession is stopping at the main platform. The Crown Prince is about to speak. Daiki, get ready. Toujo... it's time to be The Distraction."

Toujo cracks his neck. He drops the tripod.

"I was born for this," he whispers.

"Toujo, what are you..." Rika begins.

"Phase One," I say. "Go."