3. Hey! I'm a Good Guy (2)

I took a deep breath, gathered my strength, and glared at the thug before turning to the ladies.

"Everyone, this guy is the real villain! He was extorting..."

"Auntie, here's your wallet." The thug handed a flowery wallet to the middle-aged woman who had hit me with raw pork.

What... the wallet... whose was it?

"Oh, thank you so much, young man. You're my savior. That thief almost got away with it!"

"What a kind-hearted young man."

I stood there, mouth agape, sweating nervously. I started to feel like I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"It's nothing, ma'am. Sorry I couldn't apprehend the thief." The thug's sharp eyes under his thick glasses glanced at me, still clinging to his arm. "Can you let go now?"

"S-sorry..." I let go immediately, wishing I could bury my face in the ground from embarrassment. What had I done, helping the thief escape? What a disaster!

"Do I look like a villain to you?" He asked, his sharp eyes demanding an answer.

"You can't judge people by their looks. The problems in our world today are due to superficial judgments. Know that!" I pointed at him as if lecturing. Damn it, he must think I'm crazy!

"Oops, ha ha," the four-eyed guy chuckled softly.

"Don't laugh at me! Do you think I'm stupid? You look like a model student, but you're out here instead of in class. Isn't this school time? Oh, you must be ditching. Terrible! Come back to school with me now, and I won't report this to the disciplinary teacher!" I pretended to be angry. Smooth, right?

"Kanthee, the school isn't that way."

I jumped in surprise and quickly turned around.

"H-how do you know my name?"

"Because I'm a member of the student council. This morning, after the assembly, your friends reported that you hadn't arrived at school and were probably lost somewhere around here. So, I came looking for you."

"Ha ha, a high schooler getting lost?"

"Shh~ Don't laugh at him. Anyone can get lost, ma'am."

My face turned beet red as I heard the neighborhood ladies giggling. I glared at the handsome guy in frustration.

"Don't talk nonsense. Which high school student gets lost on the way to school? I wasn't lost!"

"So, you were ditching."

"No way! I was the top diligent student three years in a row in middle school, you know!"

"Oh? So, if you weren't lost and you weren't ditching, what were you doing around here?"

"....."

"Well?"

"Just... my feet changed direction," I replied, trying to sound as cool as possible.

Thwack!

"Ow, why did you hit my head!?"

"Sorry, my hand just changed direction... Enough nonsense. Follow me. I'll take you to school. Oops, ha ha."

"What are you laughing at!?"

"Nothing. I just wondered what kind of person would get lost in their own neighborhood. I thought it was just an excuse to skip school, but..." His large hand reached out to ruffle my hair gently. "You're a good kid, Kanthee."

I blushed, not knowing why I was so embarrassed and happy just to be praised by him.

"I-I'm in high school, not a kid," I retorted, glaring at him to hide my embarrassment.

He didn't say anything more, just walked beside me, occasionally laughing softly and looking at me with gentle eyes that made my heart beat in a strange rhythm all the way.

That was the first time we met.