Chapter Fourteen: Mixed Signals and Rising Tensions
By the next morning, Myraa still couldn't get Kyra's words out of her head.
"You're important to me, Myraa."
What did that even mean? Of course, Kyra cared about her—they were cousins, after all—but something about the way she said it, with that rare softness in her voice, felt… different.
"Maybe I'm overthinking it," Myraa muttered as she fumbled with her uniform tie in the mirror. "Yeah. That's it. I'm just reading too much into things. No big deal."
But no matter how much she tried to brush it off, the memory of Kyra's gaze lingered.
---
Awkward Interactions
When Myraa arrived at the breakfast table, Kyra was already there, sitting as calm and composed as ever. She sipped her tea without so much as glancing at Myraa, which should have been normal. But somehow, that felt weird, too.
"Good morning," Camellia said, glancing between them with a knowing smile.
"Morning," Myraa mumbled, sliding into her seat.
Kyra gave her a polite nod. "Sleep well?"
"Uh, yeah," Myraa said, fidgeting with her napkin. "You?"
Kyra raised an eyebrow, clearly noticing her unusual awkwardness. "Fine, thank you."
Camellia's smile widened ever so slightly as she sipped her tea. "You two seem… tense this morning."
"We're not tense!" Myraa blurted out, her voice louder than she intended.
Kyra raised her teacup to hide a smirk, while Camellia chuckled softly. "Of course not, dear."
---
School Gossip Gone Wild
Things only got worse once Myraa and Kyra arrived at school.
Apparently, word of the gym class "incident" had spread like wildfire, and now the entire student body was buzzing with speculation.
"They're so close, it's almost romantic!"
"Did you see the way Kyra saved her? It was like something out of a drama!"
"Do you think they're more than cousins?"
Myraa nearly choked on her water when she overheard that last comment.
"Why does this keep happening?!" she hissed to Kyra as they walked down the hall.
"Because people like drama," Kyra replied coolly.
"Yeah, well, I don't!" Myraa snapped, glaring at a group of students who were openly staring at them.
"Relax," Kyra said, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder. "It'll blow over eventually."
Myraa felt her face heat up at the contact, which only made her more flustered. "You keep saying that, but it never does!"
---
Reina's Next Move
Reina, of course, saw an opportunity in the growing rumors.
"If people already think there's something going on between them," she told her minions, "then all I have to do is fan the flames. A little well-placed 'evidence,' and Kyra will be the talk of the school—for all the wrong reasons."
"What kind of evidence?" one of her minions asked nervously.
Reina smirked, holding up her phone. "You'll see."
---
The Sabotage Unfolds
During lunch, Myraa was just starting to relax when a group of students suddenly swarmed her table, shoving their phones in her face.
"Miss Myraa! Is this true?!"
"Are you and Kyra secretly dating?!"
"Your love story is so inspiring!"
"Wait, what?!" Myraa exclaimed, snatching one of the phones.
On the screen was a photo of her and Kyra on the rooftop the previous evening. In the image, Kyra's hand was on her shoulder, and the angle made it look… well… a lot more intimate than it actually was.
"What the—who took this?!" Myraa demanded, her face burning.
Kyra, who had just arrived at the table, leaned over to glance at the screen. Her expression darkened immediately. "Reina."
"Of course it was Reina!" Myraa groaned, burying her face in her hands.
"Look at the caption!" one of the students said excitedly.
Myraa reluctantly read the text below the photo: "The Reizei Princess and her Knight: True Love or Forbidden Affair?"
"Oh my GOD," Myraa groaned, slamming the phone onto the table. "Why is everyone in this school INSANE?!"
Kyra's jaw tightened as she glanced around the cafeteria, her sharp gaze silencing some of the whispers. "Ignore it. It's just a distraction."
"How am I supposed to ignore this?!" Myraa hissed, gesturing wildly at the group of students still buzzing around them.
Kyra turned to face her fully, her expression steady. "Because you know the truth. That's all that matters."
Myraa stared at her, caught off guard by the intensity in her voice. For a moment, she forgot about the photo, the rumors, and even Reina's scheming.
"Right," she said finally, her voice quieter. "The truth."
---
Confrontation with Reina
By the end of the day, Myraa had had enough. She stormed into the courtyard, where Reina was lounging under a cherry blossom tree with her minions.
"Reina!" Myraa shouted, marching up to her.
Reina looked up, feigning surprise. "Oh, Myraa. What brings you here?"
"You know exactly why I'm here!" Myraa snapped. "That photo—you set me up!"
Reina gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her heart. "Set you up? Why, I have no idea what you're talking about."
"You're not fooling anyone!" Myraa shouted, glaring at her. "You're the only person here sneaky enough to pull something like this!"
Reina's smirk widened. "Well, if you insist on blaming me, I can't stop you. But honestly, Myraa, I think you should be flattered. The whole school is rooting for you and Kyra. It's practically romantic."
"That's not—" Myraa started, but before she could finish, Kyra appeared beside her.
"She's not worth it," Kyra said calmly, placing a hand on Myraa's arm.
Reina's smirk faltered ever so slightly. "Oh, Kyra. Always swooping in to play the hero, aren't you?"
Kyra's gaze was cold as ice. "And you're always playing the fool. Find something better to do, Reina."
Reina's face flushed with anger, but before she could respond, Kyra gently steered Myraa away.
---
A Moment of Clarity
As they walked back to the Reizei estate, Myraa let out a heavy sigh. "Why does she hate me so much? I didn't ask for any of this!"
"She doesn't hate you," Kyra said quietly. "She envies you."
"Envy?" Myraa repeated, blinking up at her. "What is there to envy? I'm just… me."
Kyra stopped walking, turning to face her. "Exactly. You're real, Myraa. People are drawn to you because of that. Reina can't stand it because no matter how hard she tries, she can't make people care about her the way they care about you."
Myraa stared at her, speechless. For once, Kyra wasn't smirking or teasing. Her expression was open, honest, and—dare she say it—almost vulnerable.
"Kyra…" Myraa began, her voice soft.
Before she could say anything else, Kyra looked away, her usual calm mask sliding back into place. "Come on. Dinner's waiting."
As Kyra walked ahead, Myraa couldn't help but wonder if there was more to her cousin's protectiveness than she realized.