A voice cut through the rising tension. "This isn't her fault."
The room collectively turned to see Aoi, Haru's older brother, step forward. He looked calm, but his eyes burned with a quiet intensity as he addressed the crowd—and Mia directly.
"Aoi," Mia snapped, her voice sharp and trembling. "What are you even talking about?"
"I'm saying," Aoi began, his tone deliberate, "that Haru wasn't ready to marry you. And I tried to convince him to cancel the wedding before something like this happened, but he didn't listen. Instead he just ran away."
Gasps rippled through the crowd as Mia's face twisted in disbelief. "You what? You told him to cancel the wedding?" Mia's voice rose in disbelief, her gaze darting between Aoi and Sakura. "You knew? And you just stood there, letting me believe this wedding was real? You're just as bad as her!" Her voice cracked, her anger splintering as she turned back to Sakura. "And you—how could you do this to me?"
Aoi nodded, his expression firm. "I did. Because I know my brother. I've known for years that his heart wasn't fully with you, Mia. He knew too but didn't want to cancel the wedding because he was worried it would bring shame upon the Soma family. But in truth it's always been Sakura he loved." He glanced at Sakura, his voice softening. "And no one can blame her for that."
Mia's fury returned with full force. "How could you do this?" she yelled at Aoi. "You're supposed to be his brother! You're supposed to support this family!"
"I am supporting him," Aoi shot back. "By making sure he doesn't go through with something that would ruin his life—and yours. Would you really want to marry a man who's in love with someone else?"
Mia froze, her lip trembling, but she didn't respond.
Sakura stepped forward, her voice trembling. "Mia, please believe me. I never wanted this. I didn't know Haru felt this way until tonight. I was trying to protect you—"
"Protect me?" Mia interrupted, her voice rising with anger. "You call this protection? You've been lying to me for years!"
Sakura shook her head, tears falling freely. "I thought I was helping you. I thought if I stayed silent, everything would work out. But it didn't. I'm so sorry."
Mia's hand shot out, slapping Sakura across the face. The sound echoed through the hall like a crack of lightning.
The audience collectively gasped, and Aoi immediately stepped between them, holding out a hand to stop Mia from advancing.
Sakura raised a trembling hand to her cheek, tears streaming down her face. Her voice was quiet but resolute as she said, "You're right to hate me, Mia. I should have been honest a long time ago. But I never wanted to hurt you—I thought I was protecting you."
Mia's lip trembled, her anger wavering for a moment before hardening again. "Protecting me?" she spat. "This isn't protection—it's betrayal!"
"That's enough," Aoi said firmly.
Mia glared at him, her tears streaming. "You don't get to tell me what's enough! She destroyed everything!"
"No," Aoi replied, his voice calm but unyielding. "Haru destroyed this when he let it go on for so long. You deserve better than this mess, Mia, but blaming Sakura won't fix anything."
Mia's face crumpled, and she stepped back, sobbing into her hands. Her family rushed to her side, her mother glaring daggers at Aoi and Sakura as she guided Mia away.
The tension in the room was suffocating, the whispers growing louder with every passing second.
Aoi turned to Sakura, his expression softening. "Come on," he said gently. "Let's go."
Sakura nodded weakly, her legs barely carrying her as Aoi guided her toward the exit. The crowd parted silently, their judgment heavy in the air.
As they stepped into the rain, Sakura's guilt and heartbreak felt unbearable. "I destroyed everything," she whispered.
"No," Aoi said firmly. "Haru's choices destroyed this. You just brought the truth to light. And that's not a crime."
Sakura said nothing, but her tears mixed with the rain as Aoi led her to his car, his steady presence the only thing keeping her from crumbling completely.