"i like you, kai."
though no words were being spoken, the silence between the two teenagers was deafening enough. looking down at her shoes, sora used all her strength to swallow the dry lump stuck within her throat.
"i don't like you. i'm sorry."
despite how uncomfortable the silence had made her, she much more preferred uncertainty compared to it's counteragent. at least then she still would have hope; because, as they say, ignorance is bliss. but now with the knowledge that kai didn't return her feelings, she could only admit defeat and give into the unwelcoming hold of unrequited love.
sora struggled to blink back her tears as the lump in her throat rose higher and higher. nodding to acknowledge his answer, she turned away just in time for the dry flower petals to tumble from her mouth.
"i don't like you because you're sick. it makes you seem desperate."
sora attempted to talk over the countless petals climbing up her throat, however her words came out muffled and smothered, "it's- not my- fault-"
kai didn't say anything else; yet, to sora, his receding foot steps said everything that he needed to.
"it's.... not my..." her eyes, which burned with tears, turned to look at kai's retreating figure.
"it's not my fault!" sora suddenly sat up in bed, her eyes springing open. shakily bringing her hands to touch her face, she realized that it was only just a dream. but looking down at the petals that covered her bed, she saw that the worst part of her dream had been true.
quickly getting up, sora began to clean, the fear of her mother seeing the mess being her driving force.
though it had now been around two weeks that sora had known about her sickness, she still hadn't seen a doctor for it, nor had she told her mom. it's not that she wanted to keep it a secret, but that she didn't want her mother to worry. especially when her husband was away from home, and she was already taking care of her elderly father.
once the mess was cleaned, she realized the time and that she would be late if she didn't leave in ten minutes. with another wave of motivation, sora quickly began getting ready.
-
rushing out her front door, sora's steps halted once she noticed kai on the front path of her house, kicking at the loose gravel with his hands tucked in his pockets.
silently cursing her luck, sora walked down the steps toward him, making sure to keep her eyes on the ground.
"good morning," kai greeted, but his cheeriness trailed off as he watched sora walk past him. did i do something wrong? shrugging, he followed after her.
the walk to school was silent, as it usually was; however, today felt different. the usually comfortable atmosphere was now almost choking, and filled with tension.
only by the time they reached school did kai finally muster up the courage to speak again, as when his first words were shot down his confidence plummeted.
but before he could even start the conversation, sora scurried off.
from the entrance of the school, yuna watched the interaction, her eyes narrowed in irritation. sighing, she turned to go back to class before sora could see her, as the last thing yuna wanted to do at the moment was any sort of interaction with her.