The room was silent.
Izumi sat frozen, eyes locked on the glittering engagement ring displayed at the front of the grand dining hall. His heart pounded in his chest like a war drum. Every sound in the room seemed muffled, drowned under the weight of a single thought:
"Is this it? Is this the end? Will she really marry Haruto?"
He gripped the edge of his seat. The opulence of the Ashford estate, the guests, the lavish chandeliers, the long table filled with food he hadn't even touched—none of it mattered. His eyes were only on her.
Marina.
Sitting there at the far end of the table beside her father, looking as composed as ever, but her eyes... they kept drifting back to him. Quietly. Longingly.
Suddenly, Haruto leaned down beside him, voice low. "Stand up."
Izumi blinked. "W-What?"
Haruto didn't look at him. He just stared ahead, calm, confident, and smiling faintly. "Stand up. You love her, don't you? Then say something."
Izumi's mind reeled.
"Why... why are you telling me to—?"
But then another voice came. A quiet one. One of Marina's bodyguards, standing subtly behind him, whispered, "You care about her, right? Then go. Even I want her to be happy."
And still he sat there, paralyzed.
High above, on a balcony overlooking the hall, Ashford watched with calculating eyes. In his mind: "Come on, boy. Please... do it for my daughter's sake."
Izumi swallowed hard.
Then—
Push.
"Gah?!" Izumi stumbled forward.
Niko stood behind him, arms crossed, whispering sharply, "Hurry up, idiot. Before I push you onto the table."
Gasps filled the room as Izumi stood up abruptly. All eyes turned. Conversations stopped. Forks clinked against plates.
He looked around, panicked.
But then his eyes met Marina's.
And everything else disappeared.
He stepped forward. Step by shaky step. Until he stood just beside her. Haruto stepped back into the crowd, a soft smile on his face, as if satisfied.
Izumi reached out... and gently took Marina's hand.
A murmur spread through the hall.
"I-I..." he stammered. His mouth was dry. His hands were shaking.
But he took a breath.
Deep. Full.
And then he said it.
"I love you, Marina."
A collective inhale.
He held her hand tighter. "I love you. Not because you're beautiful. Not because you're rich. But because... when I'm with you, I feel like I matter. You tease me, you push me, and sometimes you scare me, but... you always make me want to be better."
His voice trembled.
"When I thought I was going to lose you to someone else, it felt like my whole world was collapsing. I don't care who your father is. I don't care about your family or your mansion or your secrets. I just... want to be by your side. Always."
Silence.
Everyone watched.
Marina looked at him. Her mouth opened slightly.
And then—
A single tear rolled down her cheek.
She smiled.
"Yes...you finally did it. Izumi I love you too. I guess I love you more then you did, hahaha"
Izumi smile with pure happiness.
Then-
The whole hall exploded.
Clapping. Cheers. Even Danda, Marina's most stoic bodyguard, stood and began to applaud with all his strength.
"WHAT IS HAPPENING?!" Izumi yelped, stunned by the roaring support.
Marina leaned closer, eyes sparkling. "You idiot. You finally said it."
Suddenly, Ashford stood, wine glass in hand (it's just a grape juice). He raised it high.
"From this day forward, let this moment be known in Ashford family history as... THE DAY OF THE GREAT CONFESSION!"
Everyone gasped. Applauded harder. Some even laughed.
Everyone then said.
"THIS IS THE GREAT CONFECTION WE EVER SEEN IN OUR ENTIRE LIFE!"
"MAY GOD BLESS YOU TWO!!"
Izumi and Marina turned to him.
Then back to each other.
In unison:
"SO THIS WAS ALL ACCORDING TO YOUR PLAN?! YOU AIZEN!!"
Ashford just sipped his grape juice, smiling like a villain from a shounen anime.
"WHAHAHAHA"
Both Fade out by his dramatic laugh