Gaesha shook her head, her dark hair swaying as she spoke, her voice steady but firm.
"No, Kent. I mean it. Just go back to the karaoke bar. Please, I'm begging you."
Kent stood there, his arms crossed tightly over his chest, his brown eyes fixed on her face.
"I'm not leaving, Gaesha. I'm staying right here. I really, really need to talk to you. This is super important, okay?"
Gaesha's cheeks turned a soft pink, and she quickly looked down at the cracked sidewalk, her voice dropping to a quieter tone.
"You already saw me crying, Kent," she said. "That's way more than enough. Can you just leave it alone? Please?"
"No, it's not enough," Kent replied, taking a small step closer to her. His voice was gentle but strong. "It's not even close to enough. Come back with me to the bar. Let's sit down and figure this whole thing out together. I know we can."
Gaesha frowned. "Why do you keep pushing me like this? I've told you so many times, Kent—I'm a total mess. A complete disaster. I can't handle this right now. I just can't."
Kent's face softened, but his words stayed steady, like he wasn't going to give up. "And I've told you just as many times, Gaesha—you're not a mess. You're so much more than you give yourself credit for. You're amazing, and you don't even see it. Please, just listen to me for a second. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry for what happened with Claire, for all of it. I messed up big time, and I know it."
Gaesha's eyes flicked up to meet his, her voice so soft it was almost a whisper. "It's not about you, Kent. It's me. I'm the one who's not good enough. I've never been good enough, and I don't think I ever will be."
Kent shook his head quickly, his jaw tightening as he spoke. "That's not true at all. You are good enough, Gaesha. You're more than good enough. And I'm going to find a way to prove it to you, I swear."
Her lips parted slightly, and she wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, her voice trembling. "How, Kent? How are you possibly going to prove something like that? I don't even believe it myself. I don't know how to believe it."
Kent took a deep breath, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Let's go back to the karaoke bar. Just for a little while, okay? Come with me, Gaesha. Please, I'm asking you."
Gaesha's shoulders slumped, and she shook her head again, her voice heavy. "No, Kent. I'm done. I can't go back in there. I just can't face everyone right now."
"Please," Kent said, his voice soft but firm, like he wasn't going to take no for an answer. "Give me one minute. Just one single minute. That's all I'm asking for, Gaesha."
Gaesha hesitated, her eyes searching his face for a long moment. She let out a quiet sigh, her voice barely audible. "Fine. One minute. That's it, Kent. Don't push it."
They turned and started walking back toward the karaoke bar, the loud music pouring out into the cool night air.
Inside, the bar was warm and alive, buzzing with laughter and the sound of off-key singing.
Kent didn't pause at the door like Gaesha expected. Instead, he marched straight through the crowd, weaving between tables and people, heading right for the small stage at the front of the room.
Gaesha stopped in her tracks, her brows knitting together as she watched him grab the microphone from its stand.
She turned to Mia, who was leaning casually against a nearby table, sipping a drink. "Mia, what's he doing? Do you have any idea what's going on here?"
Mia shrugged, a playful grin spreading across her face. "No clue, Gaesha. But whatever it is, it's gonna be good. Trust me, you're gonna want to see this. Just watch him."
Kent tapped the microphone, the sharp sound cutting through the noise of the bar.
His face was bright red, and his hands were shaking just a little as he spoke. "Uh, hi, everybody. My name's Kent. And, um, I'm gonna try to sing something tonight. So, yeah, here goes."
The crowd burst into laughter, and a guy near the back of the room shouted, "Go for it, man! You got this, Kent!"
Kent fumbled with the song selector, his fingers clumsy as he scrolled through the options.
He finally picked a song—"Sorry" by some pop singer Gaesha vaguely remembered hearing on the radio.
The music started, fast and upbeat, with a bouncy rhythm that filled the room. Kent opened his mouth and began to sing, "I'm sorry, so sorry…"
His voice was rough, completely off-key, and loud enough to make a few people in the crowd cringe. But he kept going, pouring his heart into every terrible note.
Gaesha's jaw dropped, her eyes wide with shock. "Oh my gosh, he's awful," she said, her voice a mix of surprise and amusement as she turned to Ben, who was standing next to her.
Ben chuckled, shaking his head. "Yeah, Gaesha, he's really, really bad. Like, painfully bad. I don't know how he's still going."
Kent kept singing, his voice cracking as he belted out, "I'm sorry for the mess… I need you, yes, I do…"
He missed every single note, his words stumbling over the melody like he was tripping over his own feet.
A few people in the crowd winced, covering their ears, but others started clapping, caught up in his wild enthusiasm.
Gaesha couldn't hold it in—she giggled, her tears slowing as she watched him make a fool of himself.
"He's completely crazy," she said, shaking her head in disbelief. "Why in the world is he doing this? He's embarrassing himself!"
Lila, who had wandered over to join them, smiled softly. "He's doing it for you, Gaesha. Look at him up there, giving it everything he's got. That's all for you."
Kent flailed his arms, trying to add some kind of awkward dance move to his performance.
"Please forgive me…" he croaked, his voice breaking as he tripped over the microphone cord and nearly fell.
The crowd exploded, some people laughing so hard they were doubled over, others cheering and clapping for his sheer effort.
Gaesha's laughter mixed with her tears, and she covered her mouth with her hands.
"He's so bad at this," she said, her voice trembling with emotion. "Why would he put himself through this? It's like torture for everyone!"
Mia nudged her shoulder, her grin wide and teasing. "To say sorry, Gaesha. He's totally nuts, but come on, it's kind of sweet, right? Look at how hard he's trying."
Kent finally reached the end of the song, panting and out of breath, his face shiny with sweat. He gripped the microphone tightly and looked out at the crowd.
"Gaesha," he said, his voice shaky but clear, cutting through the noise. "I'm sorry. I'm really, really bad at this, I know. But I need you. I mean it with all my heart."
The crowd let out a collective "aww," and a few people clapped, some even whistling.
Gaesha's hands flew to her face, her laughter bubbling up as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.
"Kent!" she called out, her voice breaking with a mix of emotions. "You're awful! That was so, so bad! I can't believe you did that!"
Kent stepped off the stage, his shirt damp with sweat and his grin sheepish as he made his way over to her.
He rubbed the back of his neck, looking embarrassed but hopeful. "So, uh, did it work? Even just a little bit? Tell me I didn't make a total fool of myself for nothing."
Gaesha shook her head, still giggling through her tears. "You're insane, Kent. That was so, so bad. Like, the worst thing I've ever heard. I can't believe you got up there and did that in front of everyone."
"Yeah, I know," Kent said, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "But I did it for you, Gaesha. I meant every single word, even if I sounded like a dying cat up there."
Her laughter grew louder, and she wiped at her cheeks, her tears falling freely now. "I can't believe you, Kent. That was the worst thing I've ever heard in my life. Horrible! Absolutely horrible!"
Kent tilted his head, his smile turning hopeful. "Good horrible, though? Like, maybe a tiny bit charming? Give me something here, Gaesha."
Gaesha's lips twitched, and she nodded, her voice softening. "Maybe. Just a tiny, tiny bit. You're completely nuts, you know that, right?"
"I know," Kent said, his voice gentle and warm. "I'm nuts about you, Gaesha. I miss you so much, and I hate that things got so messed up between us."
She looked at him, her laughter fading into a small, shy smile.
"You really sang for me," she said, her voice quiet. "Even though it was terrible. Like, really terrible."
"Yeah," Kent said, nodding with a grin. "I'd do it again if it'd make you smile like that. That's all I wanted, Gaesha—to see you smile."
"No!" Gaesha said, laughing again, her eyes wide. "Please, never again. Once was more than enough, Kent. I'm begging you, no more singing!"
Kent chuckled, holding up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, deal. No more singing. I promise. So, uh, do you forgive me? For the singing, I mean. That's a start, right?"
Gaesha rolled her eyes, but her smile stayed, bright and genuine. "For the singing? Yeah, I guess I can forgive you for that. It was awful, but it was… kind of cute, I guess."
Kent's face grew serious, and he stepped closer, his voice lowering. "And for Claire. I'm so sorry, Gaesha. I should've done better, and I didn't."
Her laughter faded, and she looked down at her sneakers, her voice quiet and unsure. "It's not your fault, Kent. I keep telling you—it's me. I'm the one who's messed up. I'm the one who's not enough."
"No," Kent said firmly, shaking his head. "You're not messed up. You're enough, Gaesha. You've always been enough, and you always will be. I wish you could see that."
She lifted her eyes to his, her expression softening as she took in his words. "You're too sweet, Kent. Even with that awful, awful voice of yours."
Kent grinned, his cheeks turning pink. "Bad voice, sure. But I've got a good heart, right? That's gotta count for something."
"Yeah," Gaesha said, her voice barely above a whisper, her smile growing. "A really good heart. One of the best."
Mia clapped her hands, breaking the quiet moment with a laugh. "Oh my gosh, you two! You're so cute, I can't even handle it! Look at you, all sweet and mushy!"
Gaesha groaned, but her smile didn't fade. "Shut up, Mia. He's still awful, okay? Don't make this a thing."
Ben laughed, winking at Kent. "Awfully yours, though, right? Come on, Gaesha, admit it."
"Stop it," Kent said, shaking his head with a grin. "She's laughing now. That's all I wanted tonight. That's enough for me."
Gaesha tilted her head, her eyes bright and playful. "For now, Kent. Thanks for… all of that. It was weird, super embarrassing, but kind of sweet in its own way."
"You're welcome," Kent said, his voice warm and full of relief. "So, will you stay? Just for a little while? Hang out with us?"
She hesitated, glancing at the crowd and then back at him. Finally, she nodded. "Maybe. You're so weird, Kent. Like, the weirdest."
"Good weird?" he asked, his grin wide and hopeful.
"Yeah," Gaesha said, her smile growing as she looked at him. "Good weird. Definitely good weird."
They found a spot to sit, Gaesha's tears finally drying as she leaned back in her chair, her heart a little lighter.
Kent's terrible song still echoed in her mind—awful, off-key, and completely, undeniably hers.
She glanced at him, his goofy smile lighting up the dim bar, and for the first time that night, she felt a small spark of hope.
Maybe, just maybe, things could be okay again.