Chapter 109: The Attention He Gives

He helped me sit carefully on a bench facing the green peacock enclosure.

“Sit here for now, don’t move too much,” he said flatly, yet his hands felt very protective.

Without waiting for my approval, Kenn crouched down in front of me. He took my right foot and began pressing several points.

“Does it hurt here?”

“Ouch! Yes, it hurts a lot there!” I exclaimed while biting my lower lip. “Slowly, Kenn.”

“Hold on for a moment, this will feel quite painful.” Before I could respond, a sharp surge of pain struck as Kenn gave a small, precise pull on my joint.

I let out a restrained cry.

“Kenn, it hurts!” I whimpered as my hands tightly gripped the bench. “Are you trying to heal me or make me disabled?”

“Sorry. Now try using it to walk.” Kenn looked at me, then stood up. “Move your ankle first.”

I rotated my foot slowly, then stood up and tried to take a step. Strangely, the pain was gone. “How can that be?” I murmured in disbelief.

My smile instantly spread as I turned to him. “Kenn, my foot doesn’t hurt anymore. How did you do that?”

“Thank goodness,” he said with a faint smile. “My uncle once taught me about several reflexology points and emergency treatment for a sprained foot.”

I nodded, still feeling amazed by yet another skill Kenn possessed. “Turns out you have a talent for becoming a professional masseur,” I joked.

“Wait here for a moment. Don’t go anywhere.”

Just as I was about to ask something, he had already walked away without waiting for my answer. “Hey, where are you going?” I called softly, but he did not turn around.

He was always like that.

Reluctantly, I waited alone while occasionally testing my foot by walking back and forth slowly.

A short while later, he returned carrying a bag of ice cubes wrapped in cloth.

“I’ll use this to compress the swelling. Don’t be stubborn and refuse it again,” Kenn explained when he noticed the questioning look on my face.

Once again, I could only nod, unable to say a word.

Why could this guy suddenly become so kind to me?

I watched as he knelt down, gently and carefully compressing the swollen area.

“Thank you. You’re actually very attentive, aren’t you?”

“Only to people I think deserve attention,” he replied ambiguously. “Don’t get a big head yet.”

I snorted in annoyance. Everything that came out of his mouth was still irritating.

“Kenn, do you often take Abel and Reno out like this?” I asked, trying to start a conversation.

Kenn glanced at me briefly, then refocused on what he was doing.

“Only when I have free time. Abel and Reno need a figure they can trust,” he answered softly.

“Why only the two of them? Don’t the other children at the orphanage feel jealous?”

“They all understand. Abel and Reno have deeper wounds. You wouldn’t know how fragile they are,” Kenn explained. “In fact, the children at the orphanage are far more mature in understanding the situation than you are.”

I immediately shot him a sharp glare, but Kenn merely responded with a small chuckle.

“You’re really annoying when you’re being honest,” I muttered.

He looked at me, then smiled faintly.

“Abel and Reno rarely mingle with the others. They are too afraid even just to say hello. They are very vulnerable and need something to hold on to so they can stay strong.”

Maybe Kenn was right. Just as my grandparents had always been my source of strength, Abel and Reno surely needed a support in their lives as well.

I smiled wryly, realizing that Kenn understood them far better than I did.

I fell silent for a moment, gathering the courage to ask what had been bothering me. “Kenn, about the video evidence of the bullying … where did you actually get it from?”

Kenn immediately fell silent. The next second, he stood up and sat down beside me. I heard him clear his throat several times, showing an unusual uneasiness.

“I got it from someone who recorded it accidentally. There was someone else there besides me,” he said quickly, though his tone sounded slightly nervous.

“Who was that person? I want to thank them directly,” I pressed.

We looked at each other for several seconds before Kenn quickly averted his gaze elsewhere.

“There was someone. You don’t need to know who.”

“Why are you being so secretive about this? Was that person you yourself?” I asked suspiciously.

“Not me. That’s enough, don’t bring it up again.” He insisted on not being honest with me.

I let out a soft snort. “At least tell me their characteristics.”

“Can you just be quiet?” He turned and faced me. His voice rose slightly. “What matters is that your problem is already resolved.”

I could only let out a long sigh seeing him dodge the issue again. “It’s always like this. You’re really full of secrets, Kenn.”

“Everyone has the right to have secrets, including about who has always been watching over you from afar,” he murmured softly, almost swallowed by the wind, yet enough to make my heart start pounding again.

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