Chapter 18

Chantria

I'm so bored listening to our adviser and the rules to be followed in class. He just kept saying it over and over as if we were elementary students who couldn't understand right away.

Not to mention, what he says is what we as his students are really expected to do, so why do we need to repeat it again and again? I couldn't do anything other than sit down at my desk and stare into nothingness.

"Listen," Iwatani whispered.

"I already know what he's saying. Aren't you bored? We should have started class. Time is wasted."

Iwatani just sighed and said nothing. He was the only one who listened for the two of us even though I know he's heard it over and over before. I don't understand the need to listen to this all the time. Almost all the following subjects said this.

I turned my attention to the man whose name I just learned. Since the two transferees and I introduced ourselves in front, I found out that he was Gab Guanzon.

I just raised an eyebrow at him because I noticed that he had been looking at me for a while. I just didn't pay attention because he might be killing me in his brain because of what Chanel did to him.

I almost jumped for joy when I heard the bell that signaled it was lunchtime. I almost dragged Iwatani out of our room because my stomach was already boiling. Even though I secretly ate a biscuit earlier, it still wasn't enough to relieve my stomach churning.

"Take it easy," said Iwatani. "We will never run out of food."

"There might be a long line at the canteen. Hurry up!" I exclaimed to him even though I was still pulling him.

"I brought lunch for the two of us. We don't have to line up.”

I stopped walking before facing him. "Why didn't you tell me right away?"

"Because you were in a hurry and suddenly pulled over?" he answered questioningly.

I just shut him up and let go of his arm. I just continued walking to the canteen when someone bumped into me. Fortunately, I was able to hold on to the railings of the stairs so that I didn't keep falling.

"Be careful!" Iwatani exclaimed. I didn't notice that he was holding me by the arm so I wouldn't fall.

"I apologize."

I frowned when he spoke. It's Gab again. He was goofing around with his friends, so he didn't notice that he was about to bump into someone. Even his companions immediately apologized for what happened.

"Let it go," I said. "I am hungry. Let's go!" I pulled Iwatani away again because I was afraid something might happen. I didn’t want any more trouble.

And I also decided to avoid Gab as much as possible. Nothing will happen if I ignore him. If he thinks I'm the one who did it, so be it. And I didn't have any obligations to explain to him. If anyone needed an explanation, it was Chanel. That way, this man would believe it more.

Instead of going straight to the canteen, we went next to the futsal court. There were chairs and a basement where we could eat. After all, we didn't have to go to the canteen and huddle together, it was better.

“You know,” I began, “you need to slow down. For one moment, you screamed earlier. I thought you were the one who almost fell."

He looked at me seriously while holding the spoon and fork. "If you were to fall down those stairs, what do you think would happen?"

I thought for a moment. "By the way, dad will surely scold you." I started eating the lunch he brought that he himself cooked and prepared.

"You can get hurt, Seanne." I stopped eating the dish. "When you fall down those stairs, you can be crippled. You may be crippled, or worse, your head will be damaged.”

I swallowed while staring back into his eyes. I searched for something to say to cover my confusion. "You’re overacting. It's like just a few steps up the stairs. I'm not that clumsy."

I just drank my water to calm down somehow. It was only a matter of time before I could convince this one to be bipolar. Sometimes he was grumpy, then suddenly would act concerned, and then later would get angry. When I really make him laugh, I will hold a festival.

He didn't speak again after that, so we just continued eating. I looked at him from time to time, checking his reaction.

I couldn't help but wonder. Am I the only one feeling the tension? Am I the only one who gets nervous with him? Doesn't he feel uneasy with this? I'm not sure who has the problem, me, or him.

I'm not familiar with this feeling. I often get along with those who are with me and who become my friends. I also don't feel this inferior even though there are only two of us. But here I am and I can't eat properly because of him. I can't even chew what he cooks properly.

I heard him sigh. "Is there something wrong with my cooking today?"

"Huh?" I still looked at my lunch that I hadn't half eaten yet. "It's okay. Why?”

"Do you have no appetite or just don't like Picadillo?"

I was confused again. "I like your cooking! What, maybe I just don't feel like it right now."

He frowned. "But just now you said you were very hungry."

I bit my lower lip and couldn't speak. What is really happening to me? Why am I being shy now when so many embarrassments have happened to me in front of him in the past few days?

"Did something happen last night?" he asked.

I looked at him and could not speak again.

"I also noticed earlier that your eyes were puffy, but I just ignored it. I know I'm just your bodyguard and that's all your dad pays me. But you know, I can also be a friend. I will not ask you for additional charges.”

I couldn't help but laugh because of the last thing he said. And he knew how to joke in such serious conversations. And because of what he said, I remembered what happened last night again.

“I'll keep that in mind. But I'm fine." I even nodded to convince him. "I'll be fine."

He looked at me again, so I looked away. I needed to calm myself down. He must have offered it to me, but I still didn't feel comfortable telling him what was happening in my life.

And there was no way that I'm telling him that I'm confused because of him right now. Maybe I would just be more embarrassed, and worse, he would feel the same way too. I know it's unlikely to happen, but I still don't want to risk it. It's better now that I'm the only one who gets nervous every time we're together.

After we ate, we went back to the room. I didn't finish what he cooked but I told him I would finish it when I get home. That was why I put it in my bag, so I wouldn't forget it. I didn't want to waste what he prepared.

First, it was not part of his job. Second, I didn't tell him to cook for me either. And finally, I didn't want to waste food even though we buy a lot. Not to mention what Iwatani told me. That whenever they had extra food they would give it to their neighbors. Their lives were different from mine.

Yes, I didn't waste food even if we had money. But there was a time when we disregard when we had something left and we couldn't really consume it. We also didn't know any neighbors that we could hel since everyone in the area was rich.

"What is your favorite food?" he asked as he entered the room.

I thought for a moment. "What kind of food? Appetizer, main dish, or dessert?" I asked laughing.

He shook his head because of that. "Everything, then. You know I will work hard and prepare all your favorites for you."

I bit my bottom lip to keep from smiling. "Be ready. I have lots of favorites.”

When we sat down, I told him my favorite foods for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and midnight snacks. I didn't know if he remembered everything I said but he didn't say anything.

When our next teacher arrived, he didn't say anything. I felt like he was just joking that he would prepare me again tomorrow. Either way, I had an allowance for what I would eat tomorrow so I could go buy at the cafeteria.

If he continues to cook for me, maybe next time I will accompany Aling Tryna to the market. I didn't want to be the only one to empty their fridge. As I said, it was not in his job description.

We had an election of officers that day and I became the vice president. This Iwatani became the president and according to our classmates, he was often voted for by the majority.

I wasn't even surprised because he looked like a responsible student. Actually, he is responsible for life in general. In my case, I didn't know why someone nominated me. They didn't even know me yet and they didn't know if I could really contribute to this class.

"We have not had anyone become vice president in recent years," said Iwatani after the election. Sometimes I really think he could read my mind. "According to them, I can do it alone. And according to others, no one can keep up with my work as president."

"Huh? Why, are they afraid of you? Or maybe you're scaring them?"

"If I scare them, maybe no one will vote for me as president."

I laughed. "That's right. You're really scary, especially when you're so serious."

"Anyway, I can do almost all the tasks given to me quickly, so I don't need a vice president."

"Well, I shouldn't have been voted as vice president if I'm not going to do anything."

"Who said you have nothing to do?"

I was stunned because of what he said. "Will you give me a task?"

"Why do you think I'm cooking for you? Did you think it was free?”

I stared even more and then started hitting him on the arm. "Unfair! If I had known that there was a fee, I would not have eaten it. I don't want to be vice president. I resign!”

He pressed his lips together to stop a smile, but it was too late. I saw it. Instead of teasing him, I just smiled. Maybe if I teased him more, he would get angry again. But wait, when would I have a festival?