A/N: I'm taking a break from writing mystery stories, but I can't stop writing so I came up with this "light" story!

If you read my teaser tweet on Saturday, this is a story about "cutthroat campus drama and politics with make-believe relationship." This is going to be a battle of strategies with a touch of romance and drama—the university being the players' chessboard.

I hope you will like #PlayTheQueenWP because I enjoyed writing it. It's a breath of fresh air to me. I finished the draft within three weeks. So if you think this might be one of those stories that I started but didn't get to finish, I assure you it won't be!

I won't delay you any further. Happy reading!

CASTIEL

"TELL ME, what's your ideal woman?"

I repeatedly tapped my pen on the conference table as I stared at a guy who was busy typing on his silver laptop. What followed was silence, and only the dramatic presses of keys broke it. Patuloy ko siyang tinitigan habang naghihintay ng sagot. He had been like that for ten minutes.

"What's your ideal woman?" I repeated my question twice just to check if he heard me or not. He might be focused on his task, but I was a hundred percent sure that he was aware of my presence. Yet he did not respond. Parang kausap ko ang hangin.

"Priam, are you even listening?" I asked impatiently.

Finally, his gray eyes raised their gaze at me. His jetblack fringes were down and his hair was combed neatly. He was wearing the same maroon blazer over a black vest with matching golden necktie, like me. We stared at each other for a few seconds. I gave him the look that I was not happy with his response. Bumalik sa laptop ang tingin niya at nagpatuloy sa pagta-type.

"I heard you, but I'm not interested in answering your question," he replied. "You see that I'm busy. Don't you know how to read the room?"

I let out a long sigh as I snapped my leather notebook shut. "May I remind you that your approval rating at the moment is twenty-seven percent? That's a record low in the past five years! Ikaw na sa ngayon ang pinaka-unpopular na USC president sa history ng Elysian University. And this is just the second month of your presidency."

The guy across the table is Priam Torres, the incumbent president of the University Student Council. One could say that he's the most powerful student on campus, given the tremendous authority of his position. Though currently, he's the most unpopular among all the presidents.

"Paulit-ulit na kitang sinabihan na dapat mas maging approachable ka, 'di ba?" paalala ko sa kanya. How many times did I tell him the same thing since the campaign period last academic year? I had already lost count! "If students see you as an unapproachable leader, how can you expect them to follow you?"

"I'm doing my best to give them the best student life ever." Priam shot an uninterested glance at me. "Hindi ko sila masisisi kung mas binibigyang pansin nila ang image ko kaysa sa effort ko. We can't please everyone, can we?"

"But perception is everything!" I insisted. Hindi ko na rin matandaan kung ilang beses ko na siyang ni-lecture-an sa bagay na ito. "I know that you're a passionate and competent student leader. But if your approval rating continues to drop, you will lose the chance of being reelected next academic year. Gusto mo bang mangyari 'yon?"

Muli na naman siyang huminto at iniangat ang tingin sa akin. Now I got his full attention.

"Luckily, we can still turn things around," I said with slight optimism. "We have to do it before it's too late. The Herald is dying to add fuel to the fire by criticizing our council in their weekly issues. Let's control the narrative before it goes out of hand."

Priam folded his arms and reclined in his seat. "What's your suggestion again? Find me a First Lady? Is that a joke? Because I don't find it funny."

Did I look like a comedian to him?

"We need to rehabilitate your image para tumaas ang approval rating mo," I explained, leaning my body forward. "Since you've been consistently stubborn, hindi na uubra kung ikaw mismo ang mag-isang gagawa n'on. You don't smile when students call you and ask for a picture. You always go off script in your speeches and say some things that aren't nice. You're a sinking ship on your own. Now you need a rescue boat."

"Sorry if I was wired this way."

"Don't say sorry. Say you agree to fix this mess before it blows up."

He stared again at me before he averted his gaze. "Please educate me how this First Lady strategy will work."

"Listen." I moved my swivel chair closer to his seat. "You're a serious man—you rarely smile or laugh in public. You're a workaholic—you stay in the office until eight in the evening. Students might think that you're a heartless robot—"

"Robots don't have hearts. All they have—"

"Can you please let me finish?" I held up my right hand to him. Nanahimik siya't tumango. "What we need to do is to show that you're human too. That you're relatable to the students. Nahihirapan kasi silang c-um-onnect sa 'yo kaya hindi gano'n kaganda ang kanilang impression."

"So you think finding me a First Lady will make me more human, more relatable?" he scoffed. "Let's say that I agree with your plan. Do you think the students will be interested in it?"

"Priam, you're the freaking USC president," I reminded him in case he had forgotten already. "Almost everyone's interested in your every move. Your supporters. Your critics. Your enemies. Paniguradong naghananap ng tsismis sa 'yo ang Herald at iba pang publications. Kapag nalaman nilang may First Lady ka na, they will write articles about you. Students will read them, and they will get to know you more. Malalaman nilang 'Ay, may puso naman pala siya.' Then they will change their opinion of you—from unlikeable to likeable. Consequently, your approval rating will improve. See how the dominos will fall one by one once we execute this plan?"

"Do you think the students will believe that I—someone whom they see as heartless and detached—am capable of being in a relationship?"

"We will plan it carefully so it's going to look natural. Hindi naman puwedeng magically may First Lady ka na. Kaduda-duda talaga 'yon. We will take it slowly."

"And the students will buy that story?" He chuckled with a shake of his head. His tone was consistently skeptical. "You think my critics won't see it as a stunt for me to gain some approval points?"

"That's why we have to make it believable. It doesn't have to be real. It just needs to look real. Again, perception is everything."

Sandali siyang natahimik sa kanyang upuan. I hoped he was seriously considering the idea. Without his cooperation, this operation would fall apart.

"Why should I do to accomplish that?"

"The First Lady is the wife of the president, right?" I explained. "In your case, your pretend girlfriend will be your First Lady. You need to be seen together in public. You two need to act in a way that will be seen as . . . nakakikilig—"

"We have a new rule against public display of affection. Do you want me, the USC president, to break that rule?"

"I'm not asking you to hold hands or shower each other with kisses in public. Ang kailangan lang ay may makitang spark sa inyong dalawa para maniwala ang mga estudyante sa relationship n'yo. You can do it by being a gentleman. Open the door for her, pull the chair for her, sit with her, et cetera. Should I go on?"

"Have you thought that you might be asking too much from me? Alam mo kung gaano tayo ka-busy sa council. 'Tapos dagdagan mo pa ang duties ko? I'm already doing enough for the student body."

"But this is for your future. For your reelection. For our reelection." I could not emphasize it enough. "Lahat ng plano natin ay mababalewala kung hindi ka mare-reelect next academic year. That's why I'm asking you to seriously consider this plan. There's a likely chance that it will work. As your chief-of-staff, I will make sure that it's going to be successful."

Nagkatitigan kami ni Priam. His steady gaze told me that he was entertaining the thought. Kailangan niyang maintindihan na ginagawa ko ito para sa aming lahat sa council, hindi lamang para sa kanya o sa sarili ko. I could let his approval rating drop lower. But I could not. We got some plans and some business to settle in this university until next year.

Kumalas na siya ng tingin mula sa akin. "My ideal woman is . . ."

Finally, he was about to answer my question! Kung saan-saan pa napunta ang discussion namin. Mabilis kong binuksan ang aking notebook at naghandang magsulat.

"Someone who won't annoy me. She will sit in a corner and won't say any word unless I ask for her opinion. She won't also tell me that it's time to eat and go. When I ask her to leave, she will do so without any question."

My eyes shut close for a second. Isinara ko rin muli ang notebook ko kahit hindi pa ako tapos magsulat. "Priam, hindi ideal woman 'yan. Robot yata ang hanap mo."

"You asked me kung ano ang ideal woman ko. Sinagot ko ang tanong mo. Ngayon makikipag-debate ka sa 'kin? Ako ang hahanapan mo ng First Lady, 'di ba? Kung ano ang preference ko, 'yon dapat ang i-take note mo."

Napabuntonghininga ako. I massaged my temple because this conversation was giving me a headache. "Alam kong napag-usapan na natin ito dati, pero gusto ko lang i-confirm—nagka-girlfriend ka na ba? Kung oo, puwede mo ba siyang i-describe sa 'kin? Siya ang gagawin kong basis."

"You know that I've never had a girlfriend," he admitted.

Napakurap ako. Oh, yeah! He was one of those no-girlfriend-since-birth guys, like me. Kaya nga nagkasundo kami. "But you've had a crush before, right? Maybe I can use her—"

He silenced me with a glare. My bad. I should not have brought that up.

"Just tell me kung ano'ng gusto mong makita sa future girlfriend mo?"

"Wala."

Halos itapon ko na ang notebook ko. "Eh, ano'ng gusto mo?"

He raised his laptop carefully. "Magtrabaho. Aren't we done yet? I still need to finish the revisions on the Freedom of Information proposal."

I heaved a sigh. He had already shown signs that he was willing to do it, but he was making it hard for me. This was becoming a hopeless case in every passing second. Pero hindi ako puwedeng sumuko. Kailangan kong ituloy ang plano kahit nahihirapan siyang makipag-cooperate sa akin.

Inabot ko ang aking walking cane sa gilid at ginamit na suporta sa pagtayo ko. "Bago kita iwan dito, gusto kong makuha ang permission mo na ipauubaya mo sa 'kin ang Oplan First Lady at susunod ka sa kung anuman ang mapagdesisyunan ko. There will be no but's, no if's. Understood?"

His left hand gave me a thumbs up without even glancing at me. "Do what you want to do. Whoever you choose, just make sure that I won't be annoyed by her presence. Okay?"

My cane tapped on the floor as I limped my way out of the conference room. I had to drag my left foot as it was no longer working as it used to. Pagkalabas ko, nakaabang sa akin ang tingin ng ibang USC officers na nasa kani-kanilang cubicle. They must be curious on what Priam and I had talked about.

Our office was so big, we had a conference room, individual cubicles, a spacious lounge, a fully-stocked pantry and a comfort room with shower. Pwede na nga kaming mag-overnight dito. The university was so generous to us. Well, we deserved nothing but the best.

"Cas?" A girl with full bangs whose shoulder-length raven hair was tied in a ponytail came to me. Gaya ni Priam at ako, meron siyang naka-pin na brooch ng university logo—ang simbolo ng pagiging student council officers namin—sa lapel ng maroon blazer niya. "Ano'ng sabi niya?"

"He's not yet fully on board with the plan, but he's open to it." I looked back at Priam who could be seen from the outside because of the glass walls surrounding the conference room. We sometimes called that place aquarium. "But he gave me the approval to proceed and do whatever's necessary to make it successful."

"Uhm . . . I know that you're a good strategist, Cas, kaya nga kami nanalo no'ng student council election. But this situation is different. Do you think your plan will work? Wala na bang ibang alternative?"

"Kailangan nating subukan. I've considered all possible strategies that we can employ. This is the only one with a higher success rate."

Valeria Encarnacion, most fondly called as Val, is the incumbent vice president of the University Student Council. She ran under the same ticket with Priam in the last election. She's a junior Medical Technology student whose college base was crucial to our victory.

Just a little background: May pagka-unique ang student council elections dito. In most universities, the president and vice president run separately, along with their slate (secretary, treasure, PRO). But here, the president and vice president run as a tandem, and students vote for them as a tandem. Kung sino ang manalong president, automatic na panalo na rin ang bise niya. The rest of the council would be then appointed by the president.

"We need to hold an emergency meeting this afternoon," I told her. "The others are already getting curious about the plan. Kailangan na rin nating plantsahin kung paano pipiliin ang First Lady ni Priam."

"Isasama ba natin siya sa meeting?" tanong ni Val sabay sulyap sa nag-iisang taong nasa aquarium.

I shook my head slowly. "Baka mas gumulo ang discussion at mag-raise siya ng maraming objections sa ideas natin kung kasama siya."

"Got it. I will free my schedule para mapag-usapan at masimulan na natin 'to."

"I will tell Sabrina to inform the others."

Bumalik na sa kanyang cubicle si Val habang dumeretso ako sa katabing cubicle niya. I walked past my desk and sat on the swivel chair. Ipinatong ko muna sa mesa ang aking walking cane at ini-stretch ang mga binti ko. I also removed my spectacles and placed them carefully on my desk. Sandali kong ipinikit ang aking mga mata.

I'm Castiel Seville, the chief of staff of President Priam's council. What was my role here? Well, I called the shots around here. I ensured that the agenda set by the USC would be carried out and I gave valuable advice to the president and vice president.

The whole Oplan First Lady was my idea. As the council's chief strategist, I would see to it that the plan was going to be a success. If I made the impossible possible in the last election, I could again perform a miracle. Otherwise, what was the point of me being here?

★ ★ ★

If you've enjoyed this update and you have some thoughts to share, let me know by tweeting with the hashtag #PlayTheQueenWP!

Special thanks to raze_dali and imthecentralorgan for Castiel's illustrations!