Chapter 12 — Betrayal
343 Words
Mia
The morning of the final tournament felt wrong.
I knew it the moment I walked into the hall.
Everyone was too quiet.
People were looking at me.
Not with curiosity.
With suspicion.
Aiko rushed toward me.
“Mia.”
Her face was pale.
“What happened?”
She hesitated.
Then handed me her phone.
My heart dropped.
───
A video.
A conversation.
My voice.
Kai’s voice.
Edited.
Cut together.
Made to look like we were planning something.
A way to help my team win.
A way to sabotage Kai’s.
“No.”
My hands shook.
“This isn’t real.”
Aiko nodded.
“I know.”
But everyone else didn’t.
───
The judges were already discussing it.
My coach looked disappointed.
Ren stood nearby.
Silent.
Then Kai arrived.
The moment he saw the screen…
his expression changed.
Not anger.
Not jealousy.
Something worse.
Betrayal.
───
“Mia.”
I looked at him.
“Kai, I swear—”
He stepped closer.
“I know.”
The words shocked me.
“You believe me?”
His eyes darkened.
“Yes.”
Relief hit me.
Then confusion.
“Then why do you look like that?”
His voice was quiet.
“Because whoever did this…”
A pause.
“They knew exactly how to hurt us.”
───
The hall doors opened.
The officials entered.
“Mia Hayashi and Kai Nakamura…”
Everyone turned.
“You are both suspended from the tournament pending investigation.”
My heart sank.
The biggest competition of my life.
My chance to prove myself.
Gone.
───
As everyone stared…
Kai moved closer.
Standing beside me.
Not in front.
Not protecting me.
Beside me.
And quietly said:
“We find who did this.”
I looked at him.
“How?”
His expression hardened.
“Because this wasn’t about winning.”
A pause.
“This was a warning.”
───
And somewhere in that crowd…
someone smiled.
Because the truth was finally close.
And they were willing to destroy both of us to keep it buried.
End of Chapter 12
- Writer
