Shota was not at all in his right state of mind. He was somewhat dizzy, unable to understand the situation surrounding him. Or perhaps he could and he could not accept it. Yes, that was likely it. Sitting down in a chair outside, the male took in a deep breath, gathering the fresh air in his lungs. It was as if doing so would push out the residual fears he could not contain, but continued to occupy.

Once again, he was presented with the choice of alcohol. He despised the bitter taste it brought as well as the consequences he woke up to out of its stupor. So he simply looked over at the ballroom past the painted pillars and stained glass of the balcony. There, a young woman with an elf-like disposition twirled and spun by herself. She always seemed to shimmer when she was far from her. How it hurt. Beautiful in freedom and withered in captivity, he could never have that which he desired.

He once imagined himself the driver responsible for that beautiful smile. But the more he tried to attain that fantasy, the more it scampered away from him, becoming more and more fictitious with his efforts. If only he had been born with the ability to become a perfect prince. Perhaps then he would be adored and loved as he knew they were. Oftentimes, he grew green with envy over such a biased fate. The descendant of a goddess he was not. Wealthy though he was, it was all he would ever be. He, himself, was not blessed with a higher being's love. That explained why it was that (Y/n) pushed him away ever so much.

He wondered. In the past, had his family committed something to anger celestial beings? Or, perhaps, was the karma brought upon by his ancestors catching up to him, specifically? For Nami, she was gifted with the adoration of her peers and maturity that did not come with resentment or anger. And for his grandfather, he was given wisdom but not arrogance. Yet for him, he was bestowed with an inferiority complex, countless years of unrequited love, and a surplus of jealousy. And what else? His wife-to-be was auctioning herself for charity.

There was little he loved more than her kindness, except for her entirely. However, he was none too fond of the former coming before the latter. Rather, he despised it how she sought to give herself to others when she received nothing in return. He was also discontent over her ignoring his wishes. It wasn't that he desired her to live solely for him, but he wished he was more valuable to her than others.

"May I please have our noble guests gather on the terrace at this time?" the host clapped, a swarm of wealthy and privileged individuals flooding around the red-haired male.

He held his breath as the (h/c) haired girl seated herself next to him, his features contorting with guilt. Nonetheless, her pure self allowed her to smile gently at him if not just for pleasantries. The male replied with much the same, though he suspected his was more genuine than hers. He didn't and wouldn't blame her for it. On the contrary, he didn't deserve such treatment, to begin with. So, bitterly, he resigned himself to being temporarily complacent, not that such a feeling sat well with him.

He ignored the auction happening in front of him, only dread building up within his dizzy head. The sensation stirred within him, giving a chain reaction to the rest of his body. Fingertips ablaze and cheeks nipped at by the combination of the frigid air and the proximity to the young lady he so adored. She focused on the goings-on of the event, her curious eyes always stirring something special in his heart. He wasn't certain why it was he was so captivated by the orbs she peered through, but they were alike in the way they both wrestled to get to the answer.

The red-haired male raised his paddle every now and then, fighting especially hard for a jewelry set that Nami was interested in. She sat with the newly acquired tiara on her head, using perfect posture to establish herself as a Yasojiro princess. The sight brought a somber grin to her older brother's face, the young girl holding onto his hand. It was inherently too obvious he was in a foul mood of some sort. The mature yet small thing held her head up high. It was in the hopes of inspiring the same thoughts in her brother. How irritating it was that she could do so.

He held tightly onto her hand, the tiny heiress peering up at him. She then turned her attention to the (h/c) haired girl who was more focused on the proceedings than her brother. Nami frowned. Leaning her head on his arm - not quite tall enough to reach his shoulder - the girl pushed her tongue to the side of her cheek. Every time she watched the two, the girl couldn't help but imagine the fairy tales her brother would read to her. Yet it couldn't have been further from the truth. It looked far more to her like Shota was a damsel in distress. Suddenly, the one-sided romance didn't seem as magical to her. Not that it would prevent her from adoring "Prince Kazuki".

The auction continued on and on, a few ladies and gentlemen auctioning themselves for a date. There were far more of the latter, the former perhaps too reserved to give their time away to a stranger. However, the prospect was a bit exciting to (Y/n). Not only would it bring in more income for the neighborhoods that needed it but she could make connections as well. Perhaps it would help bring useful conversation between one company and the Yasojiro's. It was naive, she knew, but it was fun to imagine it.

"And, imagine this, a one-way ticket to forming a connection with the almighty Yasojiro family," the host chuckled, interest in the noble crowd perking up, "A half-day with Lady (Y/n), the fiancee of Lord Shota Yasojiro. How exciting. Would you please join me up here, my lady?"

Making her way up to the podium where the host stood, the (h/c) haired girl took the hand extended to her. She attempted to utilize everything she had learned in her etiquette classes, straightening her posture and giving a quaint smile. She hoped to make a graceful first impression. Doing anything else would have tarnished Shota's reputation, after all, not that he was at all concerned with it. Nonetheless, it gave her a bit of pride to be able to stand in such a regal and noble manner.

"We will start the bidding at 100,000 sich."

Paddles began raising at a multiplying rate, more than a handful of individuals wanting nothing more than to gain a foothold in the noble empire. It was understandable. In the eyes of Shota Yasojiro, however, it was a waste of their money. He wouldn't have let them get even close to him through her. It was insulting. Not to mention the fact that they could have behaved inappropriately in her presence. No doubt if they did such a thought, she would have simply accepted it. He gave a shivering sigh, realizing she couldn't deny someone under the guise of a payment. She abhorred "scamming" people out of money.

The price steadily rose, people becoming more desperate to grab that chance at quick money. That being said, only the most wealthy could afford it, the price going further than 1 million sich especially quickly. What Shota couldn't have dismissed was that he noted the second Akiyama son bidding on it as well. The countless number of reasons he could have been bidding weighed on his mind, the red-haired male gritting his teeth at the sight. Nami followed suit as well, wondering why it was that people always wanted to steal (Y/n) away from her older brother. It didn't seem fair.

The Yasojiro family weren't the only ones that stared at the Akiyama with hostility. Many of the nobles who were not as wealthy glared at him. They assigned him the reason for their loss of such a promising chance. Losing to one like him due to a lack of monetary funds was especially insulting. There were many that looked to him for blame as opposed to others that outbid them. Like always, he was the only one there that was considered to be an eyesore; a stain on their perfect lineage. Though many others in his situation were invited, it would be the polite thing to refuse such an undeserving offer. Yet he had accepted. Even so, though they glared and scowled at him, muttering things under their breath about him, he nonetheless ignored them.

"2 million sich," he offered, his eyes darting to lock eyes with Shota's baby sister.

He attempted to give a smile, but he was not at all surprised when he was given the contrary. Nami practically snarled at him like a rabid dog. To her confusion, however, the young man chuckled, holding his hand in front of his mouth. She was at a loss for the reasoning behind such a response. It would have pleased her more if he responded with a glare as well. Her eyes widened at the thought that he could have misunderstood her. She wouldn't want him to think that she desired to be on friendly terms with him. Rather, she wanted to make it known that he was unwelcome. Still, he smiled only to turn his attention back to the bidding.

"Once! Twice! Congratulations to the Akiyama family! We thank you for your donation to this cause. Please do come see me later to establish the time and date for your winnings!"

The green-haired male nodded in satisfaction and placed his paddle down. It was at that moment that the other young man stood up abruptly and left the area. He did so in a manner that didn't cause too much commotion, most focused on the next item of interest. Jewels and pieces of land were up for offer, hearty (or haughty as the Akiyama male would have had it) chuckles rang through the nippy winter air. Nonetheless, it was a common sight, so getting agitated over the sound akin to seagulls hacking was nothing much.

Much later on in the evening, (Y/n) was thanked by the host of the ball. Stood beside them was the very male who had purchased the privilege of her time. He possessed an almost pitying look, but it looked far more patronizing to her. It wasn't at all a pleasure to have him be the one she would have had to mingle with. At the very least, he did pay a hefty amount for a better cause, yet she was beginning to think he believed it was cheap. Then again, she knew practically nothing about him or his family's business, only knowing Shota was none too fond of him and he was a prick to Hotaka.

"If you would be so kind, please discuss the details of your meeting," the host hummed, handing both of them a glass of champagne, "I'll be back to finalize the process and accept the payment from Mr. Akiyama."

"Of course."

The woman left promptly, tending to the other guests in which had purchased something from the auction. This left the two unfamiliar strangers to linger in one another's presence. It was a strange feeling that enveloped them, the two darting eyes away rapidly and putting space between them. Staring down at the champagne, the (h/c) haired girl was also quick to place her drink on a nearby servant's tray. Curious, the male tilted his head, taking a sip of the drink lightly. From the looks of it, he had about the equivalent to the eye of a needle. Trying to calculate the time it would take him to finish the glass at that rate, she heard a cough from across from her.

"Not a fan of alcohol, Ms. Yasojiro?" he inquired pretentiously, the tone of his words coming out as a bit brash and judgemental.

"Ah, underage is all."

"Is that right? Then, if I'm permitted to say, you must have been in Afrua for under a year. How odd. Most everyone else your age is drinking, I mean to say."

"Is there a point you'd like to make or do you have a hobby of encroaching on people's privacy?"

"Yes, so much so that I know you're lying to me. After all, you did go out drinking with Ishikawa, yet you tell me that you're underage. How very noble of you. Just like the Yasojiro's you will soon be a part of."

The green-haired male gave a scoff and turned his head away just slightly. He was averse to mentioning that name, even disgusted by it to the point where he needed to take another precocious sip of the champagne. The girl watched him carefully. However, she must have been rather obvious, the male lifting an eyebrow though not showing any more interest. The reason for his purchasing the date was obvious. He wanted to hold something over Shota, but perhaps he didn't think it through. To really do that, he would have to engage with her, something he obviously was against.

"So what date would you like to see me? I assume you'd like to hold it over Shota for as long as you can. Or would it be too cruel to you having it dangling over your head like a pointed sword?"

"I can manage. How is next week? I'll have someone pick you up at around 3 to bring you to my mansion."

"Sounds...Well, let's call it lovely for the sake of pleasantries, shall we, Mr. Akiyama?"

The male gave a curious look, followed by a quick overwash of disinterest. To her, it was as if the callous individual was composed primarily of two things; sarcasm and arrogance. As such, as she walked away, she wasn't especially torn up about leaving his "lovely" form. Instead, she was more than relieved to tour about the ballroom, gazing at every intricate detail placed there. No doubt the host put months of preparation in order to make such a beautiful area of festivity.

Somewhere along the way, the girl ran into Nami who was dancing with a boy around her age. If she hadn't known any better, she would have suspected the two had a small crush on one another. But it was painfully obvious she wanted no one other than the eldest Vethelan royal son - of whom was far too old for her. Her aspirations of becoming a princess were well highlighted by the way she carried herself. Every movement in her dance was exact and graceful. Compared to that, the inexperienced noble boy dancing with her looked as though he was fending off geese with his feet on fire. She chuckled, the redhead gazing up at her with a smile.

The girl quickly finished up her dance, giving a respective bow to the boy before her. The boy gave one as well though it was rather hasty as though he had forgotten dances were intended to finish. He rushed off to his mother and hid behind her whereas Nami walked slowly toward her future sister-in-law. She held her hand out with hopeful eyes, far more interested than when she had been swaying elegantly.

"Would you care for a dance?"

Nodding, (Y/n) held the hands of the younger girl and swayed back and forth with her. Nami attempted to hold back her smile as she danced, especially when the older girl spun her around or picked her up. It was a beautiful sight to her older brother, the two intertwining together as though they were naturally connected. He remained to the side, watching from afar, but it felt as though he was as close as he could have been at that moment. Was it some kind of sign he was being given? That she was destined to become part of his family?

He blushed as he saw his little sister give him a wink. Or, she attempted to. Really, she just ended up blinking, but he just saw her intention regardless of the execution. For some reason, his younger sister had always been supportive of his wish to take her for his wife. It was her need for a woman in her life that likely encouraged this behavior, their mother selfish and uncaring with no blood-related individuals looking to take care of them aside from their grandfather. Still, he enjoyed her attempts to help him become happy with her.

The ball had been a lackluster experience for the red-haired male, but it was worth helping the (h/c) haired girl have a bit of fun. Even if he wasn't the cause for her smile, it was alright, wasn't it? He shivered as the nippy winter air caressed past his attire and froze him. The thought bothered him more than he had wanted it to. It was already moving him, but to think it was getting under his skin every time he looked at her...it was not a good sign.

The next few mornings proved no better for him. Rather, he was filled with dread as the day to when her "date" became closer and closer. Every day, he looked nervously at the calendar, having circled the day frantically. Of all people, an Akiyama had gone ahead and stolen his precious darling's time. Or, what he had hoped would be his time. And, still, she had just gone ahead and continued with her life as though nothing were different.

In fact, (Y/n)'s attitude had been nothing less than ecstatic. She was overjoyed to have made such a contribution to a charity close to her. And though Hotaka had yet to get word of it, Kenko had not ceased making eyes at the purple-haired male. Teasing him in a way, the brunette looked between her and his friend, enjoying the confused expressions the latter gave him. At lunch was when he decided to make his teasing even more prominent.

"What would you do if you had a million sich?" he questioned, munching on rice and lentils, "I mean, no catch or anything, just the money straight-up, yours to do with it as you will."

"I love this question," Kara snickered, twirling her hair boredly around her finger, "I'd buy a robot that only speaks in movie quotes. But he'd also be able to make his own jam. If it's a he, anyway."

"I feel...like you're messing with me."

"No, no, really. I mean, a million is a lot and everything, but...a jam-making robot is all I want."

"Couldn't you just buy a machine that does that?"

"No, it has to be a robot."

"And the difference is...? I mean, whatever. Kara is...still Kara. Good to know. But, what would you do with it, Hotaka? The million dollars."

The purple-haired male didn't give much of a reaction to the question. Rather, he seemed confused by why it was being brought up. Perhaps it was because the brunette had been talking about money the entire day, but he felt as though something was flying over his head. Even Sitri gave a concerned glance to the overly enthusiastic brunette. In her mind, however, the male had just finally lost it.

"Probably give it away? I told you I don't really have much need for that kind of money."

"What a coincidence," the brunette snickered, tilting his head at the (h/c) haired girl across from him.

"Do you...need money? I can always spare some for you, and if it's about academy expenses, I would be happy to - "

Hotaka's words were drowned out by Kara's continuing rant about her wish for a robot that makes jam. Kenko was incredibly amused by his disorientation, watching as he looked from the brunette to the (h/c) haired girl, trying to determine the connection. Sitri was also incredibly stumped but said nothing, just watched from afar with a silent gaze at the blabbering dirty blonde.

"What would you do with it, (Y/n)?" the older male asked quietly in a tone that was somewhat sinister.

"I don't like that question," she chuckled awkwardly, shying away from associating herself with such a "scenario" when it related more directly to her than any of the others, "Can I pass?"

"Nope! No passing! So, what's it gonna be? Buying a nice necklace? Or some kind of technology? Maybe a jelly-making robot?"

"That's an abomination!" Kara shouted, stopped by another tirade by Sitri, who calmly passed her a funny cat video to disarm her.

"Everything's on the table, (Y/n). You just gotta pick. Except...it would be best not to say what anyone else has. Kinda boring, right?"

The younger girl looked around with a bewildered expression. She, like Hotaka, had little desire to possess money. However, she wasn't certain if it was because she was used to the luxury Shota had provided her with or if it had something to do with her life before. Rather, she only knew that she was more prone to conserving and saving money than impulsively spending it on non-necessities.

"Then I'd have to say something really boring like saving it for an emergency fund. It's not very entertaining, I know, but, what else can I really say?"

Kenko paused for a moment as he processed her words. He then burst out into quite a bit of heavy laughter as if he had expected such a response all along. Giving a knowing glance to the purple-haired male to his right, his eyes sparkled with a bit of curiosity. The male then stood up from the table, delivering his and Sitri's now empty lunch trays to the kitchen. He then returned and nudged his clueless companion in the bicep, giving a playful smile.

"Well, I'm off," he announced, holding up his phone, "Gotta make a call, but I'll see you after classes, 'kay?"

Walking away from the conversation that ensued between the remaining individuals, the brunette made his way to his locker. Fiddling with the lock while he held his phone between his ear and his shoulder, he heard the phone being picked up. Giving an amused grin at the impatient and somewhat frantic voice on the other end, he delivered the news with a smart-ass attitude. It was never in the job description to be respectful or professional, after all.

"Afraid it's a no-go," he shrugged, hearing a groan from the other side of the phone, "She doesn't care about money, but we both knew that a while ago. You're going to have to find some other way to get her birthday gift."

"Can't you get anything out of her at all?"

"From what I can tell - if you're asking my humble opinion - is that she would be happy with something personal or something kind. Make some kind of display of your generosity, I mean. She's a real sweet girl."

"...I know. I just hoped she could be a little selfish."

"Eh, maybe she's actually super greedy, but is playing it off like she's some kind of saint."

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't speak about her like that, sarcasm or otherwise."

"Yeah, got it. Actually, maybe you could lay off the whole bodyguard thing? She's got Hotaka around, and even without him, you've got me watching her just in case. I think she'd like that way more than some stupid ring."

"I'll think on it."

"Sure. I gotta go, but I'll report to you later. Have a good one, Yasojiro."

"Hah, we're doing that now? Fine, I wish the same to you...Akahito."

Hanging up on the call, the brunette rolled his eyes. Even if the red-haired male was trying to make a point about titles, he could have at least used his correct name. Or perhaps that was how Shota saw him. It was just a little flattering to note that he was thought of as honorable enough to belong to such a powerful family. Then again, when he was part of the far-out extended family, it felt a bit wrong at the same time. After all, he hadn't ever met the head of the family or its ever-the-genius heir. Either way, he wasn't complaining about helping a friend out. At least, he wasn't when it put no one in danger. Still, the brunette had a feeling that would change...and rather quickly at that.