A Tutor For My Bully

Chapter 26: The Wrong Kind Of Attention

Akira's POV

Monday mornings have always been my least favorite. The hallways were noisy as usual, lockers slammed shut every few seconds, and students hurried from one classroom to another. Somehow, despite all the chaos around me, I still managed to feel... alone. Well, not completely.

"Akira!"

I turned to the unfamiliar voice.

It was Justin, he jogged toward me with an easy smile on his face. His backpack hung over one shoulder, and his brown hair looked slightly messy as though he had rushed out of bed.

"Good morning."

"Morning," I answered with a small smile. "You left before I could say goodbye on Friday."

"Oh... I had tutoring.” He nodded slowly.

"Right." He didn't ask who I tutored, and I silently appreciated that.

"So..." he scratched the back of his neck, "I was wondering if you'd like to have lunch with me today." I blinked.

"Lunch?" I asked in surprise.

"Yeah." His smile remained gentle. "You always eat alone." I immediately looked down. "I don't mind eating alone."

"I know." He shrugged.

"But I'd still like your company."

Before I could answer, Camila suddenly appeared beside me. "Ooooh."

She looked from me to Justin with a teasing grin.

"What's going on here?"

Justin laughed.

"I only asked if she'd have lunch with me."

Camila dramatically gasped. "That's even worse."

My cheeks burned.

"Camila..." "What? I'm only saying."

Justin chuckled.

"So... is that a yes?"

I hesitated.

"...Alright."

His face lit up.

"Great."

"I'll come get you after the third period.” He waved before walking away.

The moment he disappeared into the crowd, Camila grabbed both my shoulders.

"Girl..."

"What?"

"You just agreed to have lunch with one of the cutest boys in school."

"It's only lunch." She narrowed her eyes.

"That's how every romance novel starts." I sighed.

"I don't read those kinds."

"Liar."

"I've seen one inside your bag."

I froze. "...You searched my bag?"

"No."

She laughed.

"It was sticking out." I pouted.

Camila laughed even harder.

"You are so adorable."

"I am not."

"You are."

"I'm really not."

She wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"You'll thank me later."

I had absolutely no idea what she meant.

Lunch break arrived sooner than expected.

Justin was already waiting outside my classroom.

"You actually came." He smiled. "I said I would."

"I know."

"I just wasn't sure you'd believe me." Together we walked toward the cafeteria,something felt strange.

Students kept looking at us, some whispered.

Others simply stared.

I lowered my head. Justin noticed immediately.

"You don't like attention?" I shook my head.

"Not really." He slowed his pace.

"Then let's eat outside."

"There are benches near the garden." I looked at him. "Really?"He smiled.

"It's quieter." Relief spread through me.

"Thank you."

"No problem." We bought our food before walking outside. The breeze felt refreshing.

Birds chirped softly from the nearby trees, It was peaceful. Much better than the noisy cafeteria.

"So..." Justin spoke.

"What do you usually do after school?"

"I tutor." The word skipped out of my head immediately.

"You really like studying."

"I do." He smiled.

"I can tell."

"And you?"

"I play Hockey."

"I know."

"I've watched one of your games."

His eyebrows lifted.

"You did?"

I nodded. "Our school won."

He laughed.

"I almost forgot about that game."

Silence settled between us. It wasn't awkward,

It was... comfortable.

"So..."

Justin leaned back against the bench. "What do you want to become?" I smiled softly.

"A journalist."

His eyes brightened. "Seriously?"

"Yeah." "I love writing."

"I've always wanted to tell stories." He stared at me for a second. "You know..." "What?"

"You smile differently when you talk about writing."

I blinked.

"I do?"

"You do."

His voice softened.

"I think it's beautiful." My heart skipped.

No one had ever noticed something so small about me before. Before I could respond—

"There you are."

My smile vanished instantly.

Kael.

He stood a few feet away with Adrienne beside him. His hockey bag rested over one shoulder.

His sharp blue eyes landed on me before shifting to Justin.

Adrienne looked between all three of us.

"What's going on?"

Kael folded his arms. "Milky." I slowly stood.

"Yes?"

"You forgot."

"Forgot what?"

"My assignment." I frowned.

"What assignment?" "The math questions."

"I submitted them this morning."

"I meant today's."

"You never gave me today's."

"I was about to." I stared at him in confusion. Why was he making this up? Justin looked between us. "You do his homework?"

Before I could answer—

Kael scoffed.

"Unfortunately." He looked directly at me.

"She helps me with homework sometimes."

"Oh." Justin nodded.

"I didn't know." Kael's gaze shifted back to him.

"You seem pretty comfortable with my homework helper." Homework helper? That wasn't exactly a lie… But somehow it sounded insulting. Justin smiled politely. "We were just having lunch."

"I can see that." His voice remained calm.

Too calm.

Adrienne frowned.

"Bro..."

Kael ignored him.

"Milky."

"Come."

I looked from Kael to Justin. "I..." Justin smiled gently. "It's okay."

"You can go."

"I'll see you later." I nodded apologetically.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

As I walked toward Kael, he immediately turned around without waiting for me, I hurried after him.

Only after we were several meters away did I finally ask—

"What was that about?"

"What?"

"You interrupted my lunch."

"So?"

"It was rude." He stopped walking.

"So now you're defending him?"

"I'm not defending anyone."

"You are."

"I only said—"

"You smiled."

"What?"

"You smiled at him." I stared blankly.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Nothing."

"Exactly."

"Then why are you angry?"

"I'm not."

"You look angry."

"I always look like this."

"...That's true." He shot me a glare.

"You have become bold."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"You did."

"I didn't."

"You did."

I sighed.

"Can I go back now?"

"No."

"I wasn't done eating."

"I'll buy you another lunch."

"I don't want another lunch."

"I want the one I already bought." Kael looked away.

For the first time since I had met him… He looked unusually restless.

"You talk too much."

"I barely talk."

"Exactly, you should remain like that," he snapped." He started walking again.

I followed quietly.

Something about him felt… Different.

Meanwhile, from the garden through the cafeteria window...

Justin watched the two of us disappear down the hallway.

His friendly smile slowly faded.

His eyes became cold.

Very cold.

"So..."

he muttered under his breath.

"That's the famous Kael Blackwood."

He slipped both hands into his pockets.

"I finally found your weakness." A slow smile spread across his face.

"And her name..."

He looked toward the hallway where I had disappeared. "...is Akira Owen.”