Chapter 46 - A warning

"Lovely weather." 

"Yes, I agree very much," Sehun says and nods at Tao. Baekhyun is playing with his rice and Kyungsoo is looking off into the distance. Chen is on his phone, Kai is sitting next to Ara, carefully chewing on his lunch. Ara's jaw clenches in anger and she groans in annoyance.

"Okay, you know what?" She stands up and grabs her bag. Kai, as if on reflex, stands up next to her, and the rest of the boys all snap their heads in their direction. "I'm gonna leave you guys to enjoy the remaining minutes of our lunch break."

"What the hell, Ara?" Kai exclaims, and he grabs her by the elbow and stops her from walking away from the table. Sehun and Tao also stand up, Chen puts away his phone and gives Baekhyun a worried glance, and Kyungsoo slowly gets off his chair and frowns at Ara. 

"Why do you want to go away? What's wrong?" he asks. Ara scoffs and pushes Kai's hand away from her elbow.

"What's wrong? You guys are behaving as if you're all in the principal's office whenever I'm around," she all but shouts, frustration getting the best of her. "Ever since I got back home from the gas station on Sunday, each and every one of you have been walking on egg shells around me as if I'm gonna explode!"

"You are kinda doing it right now," Chen mumbles, and Ara throws him an angry glare, making him quickly avert his gaze.

"It's been five days, and I seriously can't take it anymore, okay, it's too much for me," Ara finishes. 

"Wait, it's been five days already?" Sehun blurts out before covering his mouth with his hand, and Ara narrows her eyes suspiciously. 

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing," Sehun quickly says, but the sound comes out muffled because of his hand, and Tao quickly throws his arm around Sehun's shoulders and gives Ara a dazzling grin.

"Sehun's just talking about the premiere of a new show," he explains, and Ara crosses her arms over her chest and arches an eyebrow. Tao gulps. "It's a very fun show, and it has many celebrities in it, so he's, uh, very excited."

"Sehun, spit out the truth." Sehun still has his hand covering his mouth, and Tao gives him a warning squeeze, but Ara's glare is more frightening, and he groans in defeat.

"It's because you're on your period!" Ara feels her jaw drop, and she quickly looks around to check if the other students in the cafeteria heard anything.

"We don't know how to act around you when you're all... I don't know, moody, I guess."

"I am not moody," Ara snaps, her cheeks on fire, and Kai arches an eyebrow, giving her a small smirk. "Okay, maybe a little, but not to the point of having all of you treating me like a child!"

"No, Ara, it has been really bad," Baekhyun speaks up, a horrified look on his face as his brain recalls the events from the entire week. "You'd snap at us if we didn't hang our coats in the hallway."

"That's normal housekeeping," Ara argues, but Kyungsoo gives her a quick shake of the head. 

"You almost dismembered Luhan's arm because his red vans were placed next Chanyeol's blue sneakers." Ara shuts up and blinks.

"Red and blue don't go well together, everyone knows that," she finally mumbles, her cheeks on fire. She looks over at Kai and arches her eyebrows. "Was it really that bad?" Kai immediately nods and takes a small step back in case Ara decides to take her anger out on him. 

"Let's just say you've left the pack mentally-"

"And physically," Sehun adds, gently clutching his arm, and Ara frowns in sympathy. 

"Yes, and physically scarred," Kai finishes, and Ara shakes her head in disbelief. "But it's okay, we get that it is because of your period, that's why we've been trying not to annoy or rile you up these past few days."

"I can't believe this," Ara mutters and shakes her head, "I've been a horrible Luna, I've taken out my frustrations and emotions on you guys as if you're all my personal toys instead of my fellow pack mates!"

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Kai says, gently pulling Ara close to him so his arm is around her shoulders. Ara sighs and looks up at Kai. 

"I'm sorry for snapping, I think it's best if I go home today and stay there this weekend with mom. We have a lot of catching up to do." Kai nods and gently squeezes Ara's hand. 

"But it's the fifth day today," Sehun says, frowning. "Doesn't it mean that you're done? Why do you have to go now that we get you back?" 

"I'm flattered, Sehun, but also a little creeped out because my period does in fact last five days only," Ara says, and Sehun nods, his eyes wide and eyebrows arched as if to say "yeah, so now what?" 

"You can stay with your mom next week, can't you?" Tao asks, and Baekhyun gives him a reprimanding look. 

"Tao, you insensitive , shut up." Tao pouts but shuts up.

"I feel like I should meet up with mom, just stay with her and make things go back to the way it was," Anna mutters, and Kai gives her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Is it okay if you drop me off after school?"

"Is that even a question?" Kai asks, and Ara smiles. The bel