Chapter 17: The Idols

The recess bell finally rang. The students immediately rushed out of the classroom before Mr. Mamat, the staff member responsible for locking the classrooms, arrived.

Not even five minutes after Mr. Joko left the class, the atmosphere had already turned noisy. From various corners of the corridor, female students came flocking and crowding in front of our classroom door, repeatedly shouting the same two names.

Kenn and Tomi.

When the two of them stepped closer to the door, the girls suddenly split into two groups. They competed to get closer, forming two circles that surrounded Kenn and Tomi as if the two of them were the center of attention.

Dara and I stayed seated at our desks. We just looked at each other, then watched the scene from a distance.

“Look, Frel. Kenn has more fans than Tomi. He’s losing the competition,” Dara whispered with a chuckle.

I laughed softly along with her.

To be honest, it was true. The number of girls crowding around Kenn did seem greater than those approaching Tomi.

“Kenn’s charm is unbeatable. His handsomeness is already god level,” Dara continued, her eyes sparkling, clearly making no effort to hide her admiration.

I chose to stay silent.

However, upon closer observation, Dara’s words were not entirely wrong. Kenn had a sharp jawline, a tall build, a straight nose, thick eyebrows, and a piercing gaze. He also looked fragrant, with an athletic body that caught attention. It was hard not to notice him, even though I was reluctant to admit it.

Tomi was no less attractive. He was also handsome, neat, and fragrant. His smile came easily, making people feel comfortable around him. The aura of a well-off kid clung to him strongly, without him needing to show it off.

The most striking difference between them lay in their height. Tomi was indeed tall, with the typical height of a basketball player. However, Kenn still towered over him.

And somehow, that just made him stand out even more in the crowd.

By my estimate, Tomi was about one hundred seventy-five centimeters tall, while Kenn reached around one hundred eighty-five centimeters. His height was almost on par with Kevan.

Their attitudes were complete opposites as well. Kenn tended to be indifferent and cold, while Tomi always glanced around whenever an attractive girl passed by near him. Tomi’s body looked slimmer, different from Kenn’s proportional and athletic build. Tomi was friendly and quick to smile, whereas Kenn came across as rough and intimidating.

And sure enough.

“Move.”

Kenn’s voice sounded loud and cold.

I let out a soft sigh. Here we go again, I thought.

“But I want to give you a cake, Kenn,” said a wavy-haired girl in a coquettish voice.

“I also want to give you chocolate, Kenn,” another girl chimed in.

“Me too.”

“Just take mine, Kenn. It’s guaranteed to be delicious.”

“That’s a lie. My lunch is tastier. I cooked it especially for you.”

“Take this one, Kenn.”

“No. Take mine.”

The voices overlapped without pause. Too many, too noisy. My head throbbed from the din that filled the classroom.

Suddenly, the atmosphere fell silent. Kenn stared at them one by one with a sharp, icy gaze. That look alone was enough to make anyone back down. The girls’ courage instantly crumbled.

“Was I not clear enough?” Kenn said in a low but threatening voice. His gaze swept across every face in front of him. “Move before my patience runs out. I said move!”

The tone of his voice made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

Oh my God. This guy truly had no equal when it came to being scary.

The girls immediately turned pale and hurriedly made way. Kenn walked off without looking back even once.

Unlike Tomi.

He was already grinning widely as he accepted each offering handed to him, one by one. Cakes, chocolates, and various lunch boxes changed hands without a single refusal.

Since long ago, Tomi had never rejected gifts from female students. He said he couldn’t bear to see the look of disappointment on their faces.

I snorted softly. A classic excuse.

In fact, every time Tomi decided to end a relationship unilaterally, there were always girls who cried and wailed, begging him to come back.

But that was none of my business. I had a far more important mission than watching desperate faces caused by Kenn’s cold attitude.

I ran toward Tomi. “Tom, pray for me, okay? Hopefully Kevan won’t yell at me like the crazy guy in our class,” I said sarcastically while glancing at the annoying guy standing beside him.

Kenn didn’t react at all. He remained silent and indifferent, as if my sarcasm had never reached his ears.

Instead, Tomi grabbed my arm. “Why are you going there? Just come with me. Let’s go to the canteen together. My treat.”

My eyes immediately lit up upon hearing that sacred word.

Tomi really knew my weakness. When it came to anything free, my enthusiasm always doubled. “Hmm, I’d like to, but.…”

“Enough, no more buts. Let’s just go, Frel. Since it’s free,” Dara cut in quickly.

I glanced at her briefly. It was clearly not just about it being free. There had to be another factor.

“So, how is it?” Tomi asked again.

“If she doesn’t want to, don’t force her, Tom. She’ll just get spoiled,” Kenn cut in, his tone flat but piercing.

I shot him a sharp look.

Be patient, Frel. Don’t take the bait.

I turned back to Tomi. “Sorry, Tom. I don’t think I can right now. Maybe next time, okay?”

For now, Kevan was far more important.

Even so, turning down the offer felt heavy. It was a shame to miss the chance to save some pocket money.

“How about tomorrow?” I asked quickly. “You will, right?”

I blinked slowly while clasping my hands together, putting on my sweetest smile along with my dimples, hoping it would be enough to soften his heart.

Usually, when I did this, no one could refuse me, including Tomi.

“All right, go on then. I’ll treat you again tomorrow,” Tomi said with a gentle smile.

I immediately raised both hands into the air, holding back the surge of excitement. I was too happy. So happy that I pulled Tomi’s neck down slightly and quickly kissed his right cheek. Kenn stared in disbelief, while Tomi just laughed on the spot.

Don’t think anything strange. When I’m extremely happy, this has always been my habit. If I don’t hug, I kiss the people closest to me. Of course, not just anyone, but those who make me feel comfortable and whom I truly know.

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