White, Black, and the Flash of War

The big day had arrived. All of Shibuya was talking about nothing else but the Annual Gala. The night was clear, but in front of Shibuya's Grand Hall, it looked like there was a thunderstorm. Hundreds of professional photographers were firing their flashes nonstop, creating a wall of white light. Businesspeople, actors, and royalty from Japanese society paraded down the red carpet.

Amidst all the commotion, a pearl white limousine pulled up in front of the entrance. Inside, the air was perfumed and air-conditioned, but the tension was palpable. Kaguya, Mio, and Tanaka sat in the leather seats. All three were dressed with lethal elegance. Kaguya wore a gold dress that screamed power; Tanaka wore an impeccable masculine-cut suit.

But Mio, on the other hand, was a different story. She wore an ethereal pale pink silk dress that seemed to float around her. Her makeup was soft, highlighting her large eyes. Of the three, she was the one who shone the brightest, an exotic flower in the middle of the concrete.

On the outside, they seemed calm, chatting amongst themselves. “ The traffic was terrible. ” Tanaka remarked, checking his watch. But it was a facade.

Mio was in the midst of an internal struggle. Her hands, hidden beneath the fabric of her dress, trembled. "What am I doing here?" she wondered, on the verge of panic. " I'm not ready for this yet. There are too many people. I'm going to trip. I'm going to throw up. I'm going to ruin everything." Her breathing quickened. Kaguya, with her keen instinct, noticed.

The president leaned forward and, with unusual gentleness, raised her hand and lightly smoothed a strand of pink hair that had come loose. “ Mio ” Kaguya said softly, forcing her to look her in the eyes. Take a deep breath. “ I'm scared, Miss Kaguya. ”,  “ I know. ” Kaguya replied with a warm smile. “ But you don't have to be. You're not alone. I'm here to take care of you. Nothing will happen to you while I'm by your side. ”

Those words were a relief to her. Mio felt the knot in her chest loosen. Kaguya wasn't just her boss; at that moment, she was her shield. “ Thank you. ” Mio whispered. With a deep sigh.

And with that, the door opened.

Mio stepped out of the limousine. The noise was instantaneous. “ IT'S HER! THE BUNNY GIRL! IT'S MIO, OVER HERE! ” All the cameramen's attention was fixed on her, ignoring the lesser celebrities. They took dozens of photos instantly. Mio kept her chin up. She looked the picture of serenity, but inside, her mind clung to the only thing that gave her peace. In her head, she began to sing the melody of an ECLIPSE song. (“In the glass cage, I'll break the silence...”) The imaginary beat of the drums gave her strength. She walked down the red carpet, untouchable.

As soon as the three girls entered the building, the atmosphere outside changed. A matte black car, long and sinister like a predator, parked right where the white car had been. The contrast was striking.

The door opened, revealing them, the Shinomiya family. First down came Ryōma Shinomiya, exuding authority. Next, Akira Takashima, wearing a blood-red dress and an icy expression. And finally, Ren.

Ren stepped down, adjusting the cufflinks on his black suit. He looked devastatingly handsome, the very definition of elegance and prestige expected of one of Japan's most prominent families. The flashes went off again. “ REN!, AKIRA! IS THERE A DATE FOR THE WEDDING?! ”

Ren ignored the questions. His sharp, alert eyes did not look at the cameras. They scanned the entrance. They scanned the hallway. He was looking for a specific color, a pink color.

“ Smile. ” Akira whispered in his ear, taking him by the arm. Once inside, Ren put his prince mask back on, but his heart was beating wildly. The Shinomiya family was finally inside the building.

The main hall was an ocean of chandeliers and champagne glasses. When the Shinomiya family entered, there was a momentary silence. People stepped aside, making way for the kings of the event. And then, it happened.

Across the room, surrounded by admirers, stood Kaguya Minamoto, raising a toast with a triumphant smile. And beside her, shining with her own light, stood Mio.

Ren stopped immediately. Akira felt his arm tense beneath her hand.

Mio, on the other hand, feeling a heavy gaze upon her, an electric sensation at the back of her neck that she knew all too well, turned slowly.

Their eyes met across the crowd. Time seemed to stand still. The orchestra's music, the fake laughter, the distant flashes... everything disappeared. It was just the boy in the mask and the girl with the hamburgers, seeing each other for the first time in a long time without disguises, in the middle of the battlefield their families had created.

Ryōma Shinomiya, noticing where his son was looking, let out a low, cruel laugh. Kaguya, on the other side, raised her glass slightly toward them in a gesture of defiance. The war had begun, but for Ren and Mio, the world had just shrunk to a single glance.