" You better work harder if you don't want to be completely useless. " Kris tilted his head to the side and informed Ara coldly. The guardians have resumed their training session now that Ara was completely fine but for some reason, the leader have been treating Ara as if she was an insignificant figure. Chen shot the girl a comforting look. He himself had no idea as to why Kris was behaving this way. After all, Kris had been one of the most worried about Ara previously aside from Kai.

Ara frowned while trying her best to keep up with everyone. Her shoulders dropped as she glanced at the feather hanging on her wrist. Why was he being so different right now? Had she done something wrong to make him like this?

Kris felt his heart sank as he caught a glimpse of Ara's hurt face. Her disappointment at his sudden change in attitude was pretty apparent but he was trying his very best to not let this affect him. How could he dare to like her? He knew that someone with a past like him did not have the right to be with a girl like Ara. Naeyong had once been his everything but Ara's presence just seem to wash away all that. For now, Kris had decided. He would not allow himself to fall any deeper. The only way to let that happen was to stay as far away as he could from Ara.

" We're done for the day guys. Go wash up and rest. " He finally commanded after the group collapsed on the grass groaning in exhaustion. The boys quickly hi-fived each other and sprinted towards the mansion. Ara however, trailed behind. She wanted to confront the leader. If there had been anything that she had done to make him feel so upset at her, she wanted to find out what it was.

" Did I do something wrong? " The confusion in Ara's voice had gotten to Kris. He glanced down at the girl who was staring at him in utter determination.

" If I have, please tell me instead of treating me like this. " Ara continued when Kris ignored her. She stepped closer to him and looked straight into his eye.

Kris could feel his heart rate rising rapidly when Ara stared at him the way she did. He wanted to blurt out all his feelings and thoughts to the girl right before him but that was not a possibility. 

" You didn't do anything. This is just who I really am. " He stated as a matter of fact and left to join his boys leaving Ara standing alone.

Kris shook his head to clear his mind as he strutted towards the mansion. The absence of footsteps behind meant that Ara hadn't followed him. He started to get worried. It was a chilly day and today's training had definitely taken a toll on Ara. It had taken all of his might for Kris to not turn back to check on Ara.

Ara looked down at her feet. She knew that Kris wasn't being himself but who was she to care? The girl stood still for a moment before slowly heading back to join the rest in defeat.

-

" Aren't you hungry? " Kai questioned when he noticed Ara's untouched rice bowl.

She shook her head and attempted a small smile at the man beside her causing him to frown disapprovingly.

" You must have overworked yourself today. Rest early alright? " he muttered softly while returning her smile. 

The dinner table was buzzing with commotion as usual. Ara hadn't failed to notice Naeyong's empty seat. Kris once said that Naeyong had been busy with certain stuff for the past few days thus explaining her absence. Nobody had questioned what he said as Naeyong frequently did that from time to time. Ara felt relieved that she wouldn't have to put up with Naeyong's glares and judgmental stares.

" You're enjoying Naeyong's absence huh? " Kai smirked, guessing her thoughts easily.

" A little... I feel more comfortable actually. " Ara admitted to Kai guiltily. 

" Hey hey, no need to feel bad about it. I know that Naeyong had been giving you a hard time ever since you came. "

Ara lifted her head to meet Kai's assuring eyes. She felt lucky to have a friend like him in such a complex environment.

" Come on, let's get some fresh air. "

Ara halted and looked towards Kris. He appeared to be deep in conversation with Luhan. Either way, Kris had been ignoring Ara as much as he could currently. Ara was sure that he wouldn't care about her absence. She nodded and took Kai's hand, letting him lead her outside away from all the chatter.

" This is so beautiful " Ara sighed, beaming as she took in the night scene. Someone had strung fairy lights around the surrounding oak trees beside the house and their colorful lights casted beautiful shadows on the solid ground.

 " So are you. "

Ara whipped her head around, expecting Kai to laugh and say that it was a joke. He didn't. Kai was looking at her in a way that made Ara blush. His magnetic gaze caught Ara's eyes and she couldn't turn away. Under the evening sky, Ara studied Kai's features closely. Slightly tousled chestnut brown hair, intense hard eyes, plump lips and a strong jaw completed with a tall and lean muscled body were definitely the factors that contributed to Kai gaining admiring stares everywhere he went.

Kai held on to Ara's eyes, willing her not to look away. As her eyes scanned his face, he himself got lost in Ara's beauty. Kai have had his share of beautiful women just like his brothers but Ara was different. Her aura seemed to shine through making everyone dull beside her in comparison. 

" Tell me everything about your life before you came here. I want to know more about you. " Kai suddenly demanded, breaking the silence.

Ara widened her eyes at the sudden question but Kai just stared at her seriously. " My life is pretty boring, to be honest. "

" Let me be the judge of that. " He answered, his eyes crinkling into a tender smile.

The girl began telling Kai all about her life as Park Ara, a normal high school student.

" And that is pretty much all. " Ara laughed awkwardly as she finished. Kai had been listening attentively to her, not uttering a single word since she started. He just closed his eyes and became a statue while drowning in her voice. 

" Seems really boring to me " Kai chuckled while Ara snorted. " I told you so. "

" But it's obvious how happy you were previously. " He lowered his voice and turned to face her.

Ara nodded in agreement. She had always been contented with her life. Of course, that life hadn't belonged to her rightfully. She was an adopted child after all.

The girl blanked out as she reminisced about all the good times she had shared with her family. Kai studied Ara's expression knowing that she must have been thinking about her parents again. His heart ached for her. Who knows how many times she must have cried herself to sleep while missing her family.  Kai had never known such feelings as he had never once seen his birth parents but he could sense the pain in Ara. She shivered slighly as the temperature dropped when the sky darkened. Kai's sharp eyes picked up on that and he quickly shrugged off his deep blue pullover and wrapped it firmly around the girl. 

" Thanks " Ara turned to smile gratefully at him. 

" Anything for you. " 

-

Kris nodded vacantly as Luhan droned on and on beside him. He had noticed Ara leaving the kitchen with Kai and he couldn't help wondering what they were up to.

" You know, it's rude to think about someone else when a person is talking to you. " Luhan sighed in the middle of his sentence.

" You're not planning on letting Ara know of your feelings, aren't you? "

Kris turned away. He was not in the mood to discuss the matter right now. 

" I guess it's entirely up to you. " Luhan lifted his palms up in defeat as Kris clenched his jaw.

The guys were lazing cozily in the living room laughing their asses off at a comedy on screen. Kai and Ara were nowhere to be found. Kris stood up and headed towards his room. His mind was going crazy with the thoughts of what Kai and Ara were up to. Passing Naeyong's room, he stopped. Saying that Naeyong was busy had just been an excuse. Kris knew that Naeyong was sulking over his attitude towards her. Unwelcome guilt surged through him once again as he slowly lifted his hand to knock on her door.

There was no answer but Kris turned the doorknob anyway. 

" I don't want to see you. " Naeyong hissed as she noticed his presence. 

Kris made his way towards her. " I know that I haven't been treating you fairly the past few days and I apologize for it. "

" Who is Ara to you anyway? Why are you always so caught up in her business? "

The man sighed as he flinched against the venom and accusation in her words. " Ara... Ara is just a member of the guardians that I have been forced to accept. That is all she is to me. You have no reason at all to be jealous, I promise Nae. " He swallowed hard as the words came out. This was definitely the blackest lie of all.

" Are you saying the truth? " Naeyong looked up at him beseechingly. Kris nodded, his eyes hard. Sorry Naeyong. Even though I wasn't being honest, I mean it when I say that nothing is going to happen between me and Ara.

Naeyong's face brightened as she bounced towards Kris and buried her head in his chest. He stiffened but slowly moved his hand up to embrace her.

-

" Ara... Ara is just a member of the guardians that I have been forced to accept. That is all she is to me "

The words rang repeatedly in Ara's head. All these while when she had been foolishly harboring hopes that he might have liked her back, it was all her imagination. So that was how he truly felt. She was nothing but an unnecessary addition to his pack. The girl wished that she hadn't heard what she just did. Ara had wanted to apologize to Naeyong as she knew that she was part of the reason why Naeyong had been skipping dinner. Never in her life had she been prepared for such a scene.

Ara tried to control her emotions as she felt the back of her eyes starting to burn. No way was she going to allow herself to cry over a man like Kris. Since he hadn't sincerely cared about her at all, she was determined to remain unwavering towards him from now on.

Comments are highly loved and appreciated. Feel free to feedback on this chapter as well~!! <333