  We apply a large-scale shell model to the study of proton-rich odd-mass
nuclei with $N \approx Z$. Calculations predict unexpected structure in the
$^{69}$As nucleus for which a detailed experiment was recently performed. In
this odd-proton nucleus, one neutron competes with one proton for occupying the
high-$j$ intruder orbit $g_{9/2}$ in the $9/2_1^+$ state and almost solely
occupies the $g_{9/2}$ orbit in other low-lying positive-parity states. The
T=0, J=9 one-proton-one-neutron alignment takes place in the negative-parity
states with medium-high spins. A unique coexistence of two lowest bands with
positive and negative signs of spectroscopic quadrupole moments is predicted.
