Author's Note: Sorry of the very late update guys.. our periodical exam just ended and during that time, I absolutely have no time to write. But worry no more guys cuz now I have all the time to write! Thanks to the sem-break that is.. hehe.. well then, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter guys, and oh yeah, this isn't the last chapter okay? Arigato and please don't forget to leave your precious reviews!

The Dare

Chapter 19:

Truth

Everyone in the crowd stood up and stared at the running lady, whispers could be heard all over, at last, Yumi's father walked out of the crowd and to the middle, to the aisle that is. But he didn't speak a word, he just stood there and looked at what's gonna happen.

"What are you doing here?" Asked Yumi angrily, her voice in its loudest.

Natsume clenched his fist, ready to punch Yumi for what she's doing to Mikan but of course, he couldn't do that infront of the crowd, but he blurted out, "Shut up you slutty bitch!"

Everyone turned wide-eyed and stared excitingly at what's happening infront.

"Mikan, what are you doing here!" Yumi again repeated.

Mikan fell to her knees and cried all her heart, she crawled up to Yumi's toes and hugged Yumi's legs, "I beg you.. pity me, don't marry Natsume, pity Youichi.. we have a family, we love each other.. please.."

Yumi gritted her teeth and kicked Mikan away, "Don't touch me! Me and Natsume are already engaged and are about to marry so don't you dare disturb- "

"What's going on!?" Asked a loud voice from the aisle, everybody turned to look at the person who just shouted. It was Yumi's father. "WHAT'S GOING ON??"

Yumi ran to her father and embraced him tightly, "That girl" She pointed to Mikan, "She wants to steal Natsume away from me, she's saying senseless words right now… she wants Natsume daddy"

Mikan stood their and stared at the father-and-daughter-commotion infront of her innocently, "N- No.. that's not true…"

Natsume walked to Mikan and kissed her on the forehead, more whispers came from the crowd. Yumi's father stared at Natsume angrily, "What does this mean..?"

Natsume grabbed Mikan's hands and went to Yumi's father, "Uncle, I never told you this before because I don't want to hurt you, I don't want to disappoint you, but now… i must say, I can't marry your daughter… I don't love her.. I never did… I've been loving this girl" He put an arm around Mikan, "This is the girl I've been loving for the past years, and yes, what she said a while ago was true, we have a family"

The crowd's jaw dropped, but then, the church door opened, revealing friends of the true couple inside the church, "Hotaru-chan… Ruka-pyon… Koko-chan… Youichi!" Mikan ran to them and hugged them.

Now, Yumi's mother was the one who walked to Natsume, "So you mean.."

"What I meant was, Auntie, that I never loved your daughter…"

Yumi got embarrassed and closed her eyes, she covered her face with her hands and ran out of the church, crying. Why is this happening to me?? I loved Natsume with all my heart… I gave him everything… everythi- FREEDOM .. Yumi opened her eyes widely, she just realized something… she started to cry harder, I gave him everything yet… I didn't give him what he needed the most.. freedom…. Yumi fell to the floor and she kneeled, I can't understand… no… But she stopped thinking when she felt a hand touch her shoulders.

"What do you- " She stopped asking when she saw the one who just touched her, "H- Hotaru.. "

Hotaru gave Yumi a hand and lead her to a chair nearby, "Sit down.."

Yumi didn't have a choice but to follow what Hotaru said. "Wh- Why are you here?" Yumi asked, sniffing and sobbing after each word she says.

"You felt embarrassed right?"

Yumi nodded, crying again.

"Don't cry.. don't think it's Mikan's fault nor Natsume's fault, don't think it were their mistakes when you yourself was the one who did it. You might be asking now why this is happening to you… you gave him everything yet hell is coming to like.. hell.. "

"You can read minds?"

"No, I know what you're thinking because … because I know what you're feeling right now, and I know it feels bad. Yumi-chan, you gave him everything yet you didn't give him what he wanted most, which is Freedom. You were selfish, and being selfish, which is a venial sin, turned into a mortal sin already because of what you just did, you hurt both of them, and especially their son, Youichi…"

"What are you trying to say..?"

"What I'm trying to say is.. maybe you can stop being selfish and start to be giving, you're feeling guilty right now..?"

"I don't know Hotaru, I really don't know, my mind is at mess.. I feel like my heart won't pump any blood anymore, its like its caged in a strong metal cage without any opening. I feel like I want to die now, I felt embarrassed, hurt, mixed up emotions … I don't know what to do..I have sinned against them, against everyone, against God… " Yumi cried, she clenched Hotaru's shirt and she cried on Hotaru.

Hotaru patted Yumi on the back, "Shhh… they will all forgive you, I'm sure of it.. but that'll only happen if you're going to get all your strength and heart to apologize to them.. and I know, I know that you're feeling guilty now, that guilt will disappear if only you'll forgive yourself and if you learn to be unselfish, just be happy to them.. "

Yumi looked at Hotaru, "I want to say sorry.. but I don't think I can, with all the things- "

"No, they're going to accept your apology, I promise you… you know what Yumi-chan, in this world, there are two main feelings of love, the unselfish love and selfish love… unselfish love is the kind of love when you're ready to give everything, to be unselfish… and you'll do anything just to make that person you love to be happy, and that counts setting him free… and the other, the selfish love, is the kind of love when you're being too selfish that you're not caring for your loved one anymore, all you think about is yourself… "

Yumi smiled a little and held Hotaru's hand tightly, "And I'm going to start with you.. gomen Hotaru, for all the things I've done…"

To be continued…

End of chapter

Author's Note: That's chapter 19, stay tuned to the upcoming chapter 20 and please, don't forget to leave your review 'kay?"