Although my sobs were loud, i could still hear that someone is coming towards me. I snapped my head up and when i saw who it was, my heart sank and the pain threatened to suffocate me. Standing up in a hurry, i attempted to walk away but Kai stopped me. There's this pain in his eyes that makes my heart scrunch up in pain but i just can't face him right now. He tried to hug me but i slipped out of his grasp, his hand lingering in the air for a moment before dropping to his side. I've been so stupid, thinking that the Kingkas could so easily become my friends; so stupid in believing that i had a chance to make friends that accept me for the outcast that i am; so stupid to believe, even for a second, that they cared... There are no true friends out there, i'm just kidding myself, i shouldn't have opened up, because when i do, i'm bound to get hurt in one way or another.

"Please Ara, i don't know what Soojin showed you and what she said, but please, don't believe anything that says, it's not ---"

"Not what Kai?! She got you guys recorded, the truth is right there so why are you still lying? Is it to make yourself seem nicer than you actually are? I can't believe this, here you are, lying in my face when i was shown the truth... I thought i was actually worth something to you guys... you were all so nice... but i guess that was just for show, just so i can embarrass and humiliate myself in front everyone... Yongguk oppa was wrong, i'm not someone that's fake and phoney, it's all of you... And especially you Kai, what you said... i thought... you cared about me..."

I couldn't bring myself to say anything else as i pushed past him, unable to stop my tears from flowing and my heart from breaking at the sight of Kai. Before i could run away, my way was once again blocked and this time, the horrified faces of Sehun, Baekhyun, Daehyun and Suho were in front of me. Sehun tried to take a step towards me, panicking as he saw my tears.

"Ara-ah..."

"DON'T! Just don't Sehunnie--- i mean Sehun-shi..."

Sehun's face fell and Suho stepped up. He looked at me softly while i tried to avoid eye contact.

"I know you won't believe anything we say now, in the heat of the moment. But think about it, would we ever say something to hurt you? Do we seem like that kind of people to you? If we are, then... there's no point in being friends with us if you don't even trust us ---"

"HYUNG!"

"Let me finish Kai. Ara, we have all the trust in the world for you, even if you have none for us right now. I especially think that you will eventually distinguish the truth from the lies and come back to us. It's just a matter of time, so we are willing to wait for you to come around. We do care Ara, we do care about you..."

I teared up upon hearing all of that and seeing the sincerity in Suho's eyes, some part of me wanted to believe they are telling the truth, but some part of me doubted them, doubted the recording, doubting everything.

"... so that's what you think, Suho-shi, then i guess we can't be friends."

I then turned to the one guy that meant and still means so much to me, Kai.

"And Kai? You were special... to me... but i guess it wasn't meant to be from the start... I didn't have a chance, these feelings shouldn't have developed but i let them; now i'm paying the price. I know i'm not pretty like Soojin-shi, but i thought you were different to the other guys out there..."

Without looking back at the dumbfounded Kai and the surprised others, i walked away, without looking back, leaving behind everything and everyone that was dear to me...

Kai pov~~~

After she left, i sank to the ground, still shocked and unable to register what she just said. She told me i was special to her... she told me her true feelings but she never gave me a chance to return those feelings. Suho hyung and the others came up to me and Sehun squatted down beside me and gently shook me with tears in his eyes.

"Kai... hyung... you ok?"

I looked over at him with a blank expression.

"Sehun-ah, she just confessed... she think that it's one-sided and that i didn't care... but it's not and... i do care! i care so much! But she will never know now, and she will never give me the chance to return her feelings anymore... what am i going to do Sehun-ah? I hurt her..."

"You didn't Kai, it was Soojin and the others, we will get Ara back, i promise you..."

Suho hyung came up and patted me on the shoulder while i felt tears stinging my eyes, clouding my vision while i tried so hard to blink them back. With the help of Sehun, i got up and we made our way back to music class that was just starting. As we got settled in our seats, my eyes automatically drifted towards the empty seat that belongs to Ara and pain shot through my heart. I sighed and Sehun patted me on the shoulder sympathetically. 

"Ok everyone, today we are going to be practising duets for the end year show, and i've picked your partners for you..."

That day, Ara's seat stayed empty, i had no partner for the duet, and she never came to music, her favourite subject...