Chapter 108: The Choice of the Ice Prince

It is still chaos.

Toujo is being chased by a very angry head caterer. Hiroto's song is still blasting on a loop.

Takahito is red-faced, standing by the stage, barking at his security team who are trying to get up from the glass-covered lawn.

Fuji is still on the stage. He has not moved.

He sees me come back.

He sees the wooden badge in my hand.

His eyes widen. He knows what it is.

I walk right up to the stage.

"Stop right there!" Takahito roars. He points a shaking finger at me. "You are trespassing! You are creating a scene! You are a disgrace!"

I hold up the badge.

Takahito freezes. His face goes from red to pure white.

"That badge, where did you get that?"

"A nice old man by the pond gave it to me," I say. "He said you need to chill."

"IMPOSSIBLE!" Takahito shrieks.

He turns to Fuji.

"Kenji! Tell this delinquent to leave! Do your duty!"

The music stops. Hiroto must have finally been caught.

Silence falls over the lawn.

Everyone is watching Fuji.

He is the Ice Prince. He is the perfect son.

He looks at his father. He looks furious and demanding.

He looks at me.

I am standing in the grass in my armor dress. I am sweaty. I am angry. I am a mess.

Fuji takes a deep breath.

He walks to the edge of the stage.

He looks down at me.

"You are late, Rival," he says softly.

"Traffic was bad," I say.

He smiles. It is the real one. It is the dazzling one.

He jumps off the stage.

It is only four feet, but it feels like he is jumping off a cliff.

He lands next to me.

"KENJI!" his father screams. "If you walk away with her now, do not bother coming back to the Palace tonight!"

It is an ultimatum.

Fuji does not even turn around.

He takes my hand.

In front of everyone. The ambassadors. The nobles. The cameras.

"I have a better offer," Fuji says, loud enough for the microphones to catch.

He looks at me.

"I hear there is a very good omurice place in town that is hiring a new chef."

My heart does the stupid flip thing.

"They only hire people who can beat me at Street Fighter," I say.

"Challenge accepted."

He squeezes my hand.

We walk away.

Together.

We leave the Crown Prince screaming at an empty stage.