章 18: Chapter 18: "Exam Week Is Hell Week!"
"That's it! I'm done!" I threw the pen away on the table and shoved my face on the bed.
"Why am I even doing this?" I left my study materials on the table and took my phone out.
A message pop out from my screen. It's from Luke and Chet. I opened the chat head to see what are they chatting about.
Chet: Studying is for losers.
Luke: Don't forget what I thought you.
Chet: Ah! Give me a break, man!
Chet: Oho~ Look who's here.
Chet noticed me as soon as I viewed the group chat.
Jian: What do you want?
Chet: Hehe. How is it being tutored by the top student?
Jian: Ugh... Don't get me started. It was hell!!
Jian: He kept giving me a stack of books and notes! And he's making me answer endless questions after!
He's more strict than the teacher!
Luke: Sounds fun.
Jian: Where the hell is fun with that?!
These two just want to tease me.
Chet: This looks fun.
Chet suddenly sent a photo of me and Zen Liang in the library. I was holding his pinky on that photo, and from the angle it was taken, we looked like the typical teen romance couple in a cliche library scene.
"WHAT THE HELL?!!" I stood up and threw my phone on the bed.
"JIAN! WATCH YOUR MOUTH, PUNK!" My mom shouted from the other room.
I quickly picked my phone up and regretted my action.
"My dear phone... You can't give up on me yet, I don't have a budget for a new one." I weep and caress my phone.
I went back to the group chat and read the messages.
Chet: We passed by and caught you flirting with Zen Liang.
Luke: Now I understand why you don't want me to tutor you. It's fine, I support you.
What the hell are they saying?!
Jian: I'm not freaking into him!
Chet: lol
Luke: No need to be shy.
"Damn these guys!!" I turned off my phone and got back on my study table.
"I was just being friendly with him!" I thought to myself, remembering how I acted around him.
"I'm a hundred percent straight." I claimed as I nod my head.
"I'm doing this for Miya!" Right! No one else, but her.
"I promise that I'll make you proud."
What I said yesterday suddenly came into my mind. It made me stop for a moment. I can feel my heart beating fast.
"I-I guess... I'll study first." I mumbled and picked the pen I threw awhile ago.
"I-I'm going crazy." I sighed as I started answering the sample questionnaires Zen Liang had given me.
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"Here! I did great, right?" I proudly showed him my answers.
He checked my work as we sat on the table in the school library.
"Hey, what's your social media account?" I leaned my cheek on my palm while staring at Zen Liang.
"I have none." He answered, still checking on the papers.
"What?! Are you serious? Bro, even kids nowadays already have one!" I was quite shocked by his answer.
"I don't need it." He shortly replied.
"You've got to be kidding... Then, how do people contact you?"
"Phone number."
"What the hell? Who uses phone number in this day and age?" I complained, "You can't even send stickers there." I mumbled.
Is this guy an alien or what?!
"Stop talking nonsense and correct these." He gently slammed my head with the papers he's holding.
"Ow! How could you be so cruel?" I took the papers and did what he asked while pouting.
We studies for the whole weekdays together. He's so serious in teaching me that my quiz scores are miraculously improving.
"Woah! I can't believe you actually passed, man." Chet commented.
"Hehe. I know. Wait— what does that have to mean huh?!"
"Nothing. Haha." Chet shrugged.
"You might actually pass the exam next week." Luke stated as he flip my quiz result.
"Yeah. But, I might just got lucky today. I just got a passing score." I sighed. "It's better than before though."
"Keep fighting, man." Chet tapped my shoulder.
"It's weekend tomorrow, so I still got time to relax. Hehe." I sighed in relief.
"Aren't you supposed to be studying?"
"Look who's talking. You don't even study."
"Haah! Of course, I do. I'll be staying at Luke's place so he can tutor me." Chet replied as he grabbed Luke on his side.
"Yeah, right. You'll only disturb him."
"Of course not!"
"Jian, someone's looking for you."
As Chet and I were bickering, our class president called me out.
"Coming!" I replied and went out.
She pulled me to the side and whispered, "What did you get yourself into this time?"
"Huh? I did nothing."
"Then, why is he looking for you?" She whispered and pointed her fingers on Zen Liang, who's now standing on the corner at the hallway, with his hands on his pocket.
"What is he doing here?"
Every students who passes by can't help but look at him. Most especially the girls. He's a real eyecatcher. It's not a surprise though, he got that attractiveness to the next level.
"Don't worry, Pres. I got this from here." I assured her and went up to Zen Liang.
"What are you doing here?" I asked him.
He turned his gaze on me and answered, "Your account..."
"My what?" I couldn't understand what he's referring to.
"What's your social media account?" He cleared his question this time.
"Why? You don't even have a social media."
"Stop being stubborn and just tell me." He softly flicked my forehead.
"Ow! Hey!" I covered my forehead and hissed.
What is he up to now?
"Fine. It's Jianthecoolest. No space, and only the first letter is in capital."
"That's the most ridiculous username I've ever heard." He coldly commented.
"That's none of your business! A-at least I have an account!" I exclaimed as my cheeks turns red.
"Whatever." He replied and left.
"What the hell is his problem?" I mumbled as he disappear from my sight.
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It's finally the weekend. I initially planned to study but I was caught up in playing games on my phone.
"Aren't you supposed to be with your books?" Jia asked while getting herself ready.
"I'll do it later." I replied, still playing on my phone. "Where are you going anyway?"
"We're having a group study." She replied and put on her shoes. "I'm going."
"Alright, be careful. No boys! Got it?"
"Yeah." She went out and shut the door.
"I'm pretty sure I'll get a scolding if Zen Liang sees me like this. That guy is as terror as the teachers!" I thought to myself without taking my eyes off my game.
As I was playing, my phone suddenly notified me.
I ignored it at first, but it keeps on notifying.
"What the hell is this?!" I quit my game and opened the notification.
User2390: XX Street now.
User2390: We're not yet finished.
User2390: Ghj
User2390: That was an error.
User2390: 10 minutes left. Faster up.
It was a message request from User2390, I don't even know who the heck is that.
On the other hand, I got a gut feeling who it is.
Before I could even reply to his message, he suddenly called me.
I hesitantly picked up the call.
"Hello?" I greeted.
"What time is it?" Zen Liang's voice answered from the other line.
"Oh! Zen Liang? When did you made an account?" I couldn't believe that a hermit like him will actually make a social media account.
"Don't change the topic and come here. You still have a lot of things to review."/
"But it's weekend—"
He didn't let me finished my sentence and ended the call.
"Jerk!"
----------------
"I'm going to study on a weekend..." I sighed as I walk on my way to the place Zen Liang sent me to meet him.
As I was walking, I came across Miya. She's wearing a pretty pink dress that suits well with her blonde hair and black cute purse.
She looks like she'd been on a date...
"Hi, Jian." She greeted me with a smile.
"H-hello..." I greeted her back awkwardly.
"Where are you going?" She asked.
"Uh... S-somewhere. Haha." I awkwardly laughed.
"Oh, alright. Have a nice day." She smiled at me once more.
"W-wait..." I unconsciously stopped her.
"Hm?"
What am I doing?? What am I supposed to ask her?
"W-well... Are you perhaps free after e-exam?" I nervously asked her.
She looked at me in confusion.
"Damn! What did I do?!"
"Hmm... I guess so. Why?" She innocently answered.
I am hesitant to ask her out, but it's now or never.
"I-I know a new cafe opening up. S-so, maybe... If you want..." I can't even look at her on the eyes as I am fidgeting.
"Sure! Let's go together." She smiled brightly.
I can feel my face turning red.
"R-really?!"
"Mhm!" She nodded. "I need to go now, see you soon." She bid her farewell and left.
"D-did she just agree to go out with me?!!" I thought to myself as my heart jumps out of happiness.
"I did it!!" I screamed, causing the people around to turn their heads on me.
I looked like a madman, but I couldn't care less. My crush agreed to go on a date with me.
I went to the place that Zen Liang asked with a bright and big plastered smile on my face.
He's standing there with his arms cross.
"Oh! Hey there pal." I happily greeted him.
"What's with the weird face?" He asked as he raised his eyebrows on me.
"Calm down! I'm in a good mood today, let's not let this jerk ruin my mood." I repeated on my mind as I kept the plastered smile.
"Can't I be just happy? Ah, it's so beautiful to be alive!"
"That's enough. Let's get going." He walked out and proceeded on his way.
"Hey! Wait up!"
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"If you add this to the left side it will double the number. And that's wrong, therefore—"
"Ack! Nothing's going in my head!" I covered my ears as I hear Zen Liang's endless explanation.
He sighed, "Of course. Listen carefully with your ear and don't let it come out."
We ended up in a bookstore cafe nearby. Yes, it is a bookstore and a cafe at the same time. Pretty convenient, right?
"How come you have a social media account now?" I asked him as I pointed his phone. "And what's with the weird username? Haha." I teased him a bit.
"The username is in default."
"Then change it. Here let me do it." I took his phone and opened it.
Surprisingly, it doesn't have a password at all. This guy is an alien!
"There you go!" After typing his new username, I gave him back his phone.
"ZenIsMean?" he read the username is set.
"Yep! No space. That's your new username." I winked at him to tease him even more.
"This is stupid." He answered.
"At least, it's better than User2390!"
"Alright, that's enough." He sighed in exhaustion.
"Let's start again." he continued and proceeded on tutoring me.
"Ahh! My brain is hurting. I'll never get it." I pouted.
"Just try it." He looked at me with those sincere eyes.
I can feel his sincerity and willingness to teach me. I felt moved by this guy's dedication.
"F-fine..." I looked away as I felt my cheeks heating up.
After an hour, I finally got what he taught me.
"And multiply the exponent by this one." He patiently explained.
"Oh! I kinda get it now."
"Alright, that's good. Try it on your own." He handed me a paper to solve on.
I eventually answered his question.
"This is right." He checked my paper and nodded.
"Yes!" I exclaimed out of happiness.
"This one is wrong though." He added and pointed the wrong part of my answer.
"Argh..." I sighed.
"I'll explain it to you again, okay?" He moved closer to me.
I can smell his lavender scent.
"Put this one on the other side to get the denominator, and then—"
Instead of listening on his explanation, I can't help but look at him instead. We were just an inch apart from one another. I can feel my heart jumping out. And I can't figure out why.
"Why is he so patient with me?" I thought to myself as I stare at him, seriously teaching me our math lesson.
"Do you get it now?" He raised his head and looked at me. Our face close to each other.
"H-huh?" I was too stunned to answer properly.
"Y-yeah! Haha. Gotcha!" I nervously answered and moved a bit farther from him.
He just looked at me without a flinch.
"Good." He turned his gaze away from me and put down his pen as he stood up.
"W-where you going?"
"I'll be looking for additional study materials." He answered and went on.
"O-oh?"
I decided to follow him too.
"Do you really want to study on a freaking weekend?" I complained as I follow him around at the bookstore's shelves, looking for additional study materials.
"You can skip if you want to fail." He nonchalantly replied as he scan through the shelf of books.
"You're so boring..." I mumbled.
I was tired of walking behind him. I went to the other side of the shelf. The shelf was not that tall, there fire we can still clearly see each other's face.
"There aren't any comic books here." I whined, scanning through the shelf.
"We're not here to read comics."
"Hmph... Whatever..." I glared at him badly for being a bummer.
What does this guy enjoy doing beside from being a boring old man?
"Hey, Zen Liang." I called him out.
He still didn't looked at me as he continued on walking and scanning through every book on the shelf.
"W-what do you think about...Miya?" I hesitantly asked him, not sure what I wanted to hear.
"What should I think about her?" He replied without bulging an inch.
"Are you serious?! Dude, she's perfect!" I exclaimed and looked at him intently.
"There's no such thing as a perfect person." He emotionlessly replied.
"You're a real kill joy huh..." I sighed and turned my head away from him. "What's your type then?" I added.
"I don't know." He simply replied.
"Dude, you're so heartless..." What do I expect from him? Of course he doesn't have a type!
"Well, mine will be Miya. She's the dream girl a guy could ask for! Miya is the prettiest! She's cute, kind, smart, you name it!" I truly admire her a lot.
"That's superficial." He replied, not interested at all.
"What do you know?!" I reacted.
"I bet you haven't even liked someone—" As I was about to face him, he is already facing me.
We are now staring at each others' eyes, not too far away from one another with only the tiny bookshelf in between us.
I was too stunned to continue what I was talking about.
I can hear every beat of my heart as the world around me turns in a slow motion. I can see nothing else but his eyes and face, locked into mine.
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