Not the Only One

“Is there a-anything on my face…? Perhaps…?” Ravel’s discomfort with Fantasia’s stare is evident.

Upon sensing his unease, she takes a deep breath and offers him a smile.

“No… you said you would fill me in later. I don’t know what this feeling is but I’ll trust you on that. I apologize for making you uncomfortable.” She redirects her attention back to Leanna, who is still present on the stage.

Leanna turns back to read the last question displayed on the big screen behind her.

Her voice quivers as she speaks, “A-and for the last question… I think appearance doesn’t matter as much as people think. B-beauty is important! But it’s not everything. If it was, m-maybe he would have chosen me back then…”

“Huh?” Diantha lifts her head up, recognizing the story and seeing Leanna clearly for the first time on stage.

“It’s her! Wait, was that an insult?” She mumbles for herself, while Zhang gives her a worried glance.

“I don’t understand why Ravel chose Diantha over Leanna, look at how cute she is,” Seko remarks indignantly.

“Indeed,” Yutaka agrees, comparing the two with his eyes.

“Alright, that’s all we have for now! What do the judges have to say? Let’s start with the Queen… eh… with our one and only, perfect Queen Silveria,” Liko corrects herself before Silveria could attack her again.

“Good girl~. Now, dear Leanna…” Silveria smiles but starts emitting dark, ominous aura the second she picks up a card with a number 1 on it, “What do you think that was, huh?! Do you think this contest is a platform for resolving your personal issues?! Get off the stage!”

“Fucking hell! I like your reaction! 5 out of 5!” Zhang gives out a perfect score being well aware that he is supposed to rate Leanna’s answers and not Silveria’s reaction.

“Fufufu,” Diantha raises a card with a number one. “Guess what, sweetie. Do you know what this card says? It says ‘one’. Because I’m the ‘one’ he chose. Get over it!”

Leanna’s eyes well up with tears upon hearing the verdict of the three judges and runs off the stage. Ravel, ready to comfort her thinks that she would come back to her seat but she runs away from the vestibule instead. Diantha’s insensitive comments must have deeply wounded her. For the second time. And it was all Ravel’s fault.

Fantasia stands up and runs after Leanna outside.

“W-wait, Fantasia, don’t!” Ravel attempts to stop her but she’s already gone.

How is she so fast? I noticed her legs were pretty strong before but this… wow. Ravel calms down and settles back into his seat.

“Did she give her one point just because of their past?” Seko asks Yutaka with raised eyebrows.

“Talk about being petty. She fails to realize she got chosen solely because it was the turn for a ‘Lady D’,” Yutaka explains while accidentally locking eyes with Ares, averting his look immediately.

Ares exuded a powerful presence. His small but very muscular frame, combined with his usual aloof expression, contributed to his commanding aura.

***

Outside the vestibule, Fantasia looks for Leanna. She wanders around the vestibule and finds Leanna crying, sitting on trapdoor that look like they could lead underground.

“It must have been rough, eh?” Fantasia speaks to her, Leanna still sobs and lifts her head up to see Fantasia before her, with sun shining from behind, making it difficult to properly see Fantasia’s face.

“W-well… I just… don’t understand…” She wipes off her tears.

Fantasia sits beside her, allowing Leanna a clear view of her face. She is not that ugly, Leanna thought.

“Why are you here…?” Leanna takes out a handkerchief from her pocket and blows her nose.

“I don’t like when people cry. Your answers back there were very moving. You must have cared about the boy you talked about a lot, right? He must have been very dear to you. Or he perhaps still is.” Fantasia speaks to her in a calm, soothing tone.

“Fantasia, but you know that I was talking about R-“

“Shhh,” Fantasia gently places her finger on her lips, sealing her words inside. “It doesn’t matter who it is. You just need to face the reality. You are beautiful, genuine and sensitive. But there are some things that people can’t have.”

Fantasia’s words struck a chord with Leanna, causing her to burst into tears once again. Fantasia tenderly cradled her head and places it on her chest.

“It’s okay… it’s okay… you’re a wonderful girl, you’ll find somebody else soon enough.” Fantasia closes her eyes and lets Leanna cry her sorrow out. “I’m going to be here with you until the last drop of your tears has been shed.”

***

Meanwhile, in the vestibule, Kanade from class 4.A is already on the stage, having answered all the questions.

“Yeah, yeah, 3 points or whatever,” Diantha is back to her usual state, not paying attention to anything around her.

“I didn’t listen, a new quest on my mobile phone game arrived so take these 5 points and leave me alone for while,” Zhang is brutally honest, not caring about how the people view his childish behavior.

“You two should act more professionally! You’re almost on the same level as your Queen! Kanade, my dear, take these 4 points. As expected, from my biggest rival!” Silveria doesn’t hold back praise.

“Rival?” Ravel asks surprised.

“You don’t know?” Eleona explains to Ravel, “Kanade was always voted as the Vice-Miss, coming close to Silveria every single time.”

“Yeah, those two are not particularly friends but they are classmates and rivals.” Zinia adds, which ticks Eleona off.

“And why are you talking to my friend when the question wasn’t clearly directed at you?!”

“I didn't expect you to have the capability to explain anything properly!” Zinia shot back.

“What did you say, Big Ears?!”

Eleona blurts in the spring of the moment, making Zinia flinch. Ravel, being in the center of this, just sinks further into his chair, fearing for his life. Or at least teeth if they really do go at it.

“Hey you two kittens, cut it out. It’s your turn.” Kanade returns to her seat, nodding her head at Eleona.

“Hmph!” She stands up and heads for the stage.

“Alright, Eleona of class 1.B, this is your premiere! Are you ready?” Liko keeps the show going.

“I wasn’t, but now I’m fired up!” Eleona tilts her head upward, attempting to assert her dominance despite her shorter stature compared to Liko or anybody else on the stage.

Unlike the other contestants, she doesn’t wear a school uniform but rather her pink dress.

“So tell us, Eleona, what is your greatest wish?” Liko inquires.

“I wish for a breakthrough in medical research. I want to see a world where diseases that have plagued humanity for centuries can be cured, and where people can live longer and healthier lives!”

“That is a very deep answer. What do you have to say about the ultimate form of happiness?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Being healthy of course! Having your body in top condition and… ensuring you can fix it so it’s not repulsive anymore...” Her voice trails off, growing softer.

Zinia gives her a concerned look, touching her ears, as if she understood where she was coming from.

“Is there something I am missing here?” Ravel asks not being able to process why both Zinia and Eleona look so saddened all of a sudden.

“You should look around yourself and perceive other people too for once.” Zinia verbally attacks him.

“W-what do you mean?”

“Fantasia is not the only one who needs to bear taunts because of her appearance, you know!” With a strong sense of injustice in her voice, Zinia’s eyes get filled with tears.

CHAPTER 17: END