Chapter 36 - Friends?

The day…. It was peaceful.. too silent.

After that shout-out with Altren, he just disappeared. Later on that day, he got the news that he was transferring to another school.

Somehow Zhu Kang felt like he was the reason for that change. His heart melted in guilt.

'I really should learn to control my mouth. It's so bad… why did I talk to him like that? He does not even know that he is the world-destroyer. Only I do, I can't just throw hate at him for a crime that is yet to commit. It's just not a good thing to do,'

Zhu Kang sat in the cafe glancing out the window. A few girls were looking his way, smirking and giggling. He just waved at them, doing his job as the cafe's mascot.

"Wow your bandaged look really sells Kang~" the owner sat down next to handing him a tray full of colorful donuts. "these are all for you,"'

"free of cost?"

"Sponsored by that person," he pointed to the furthest corner where a hooded figure sat.

Even from this distance, he could make out the blond hair under that hood.

'I have to deal with this today...' he stood up, taking the tray along with him. As he got close, the figure stiffened. "Is this seat taken?"

"yes..."

Zhu Kang sat down. "Altren, what are you doing here?" he set the tray onto the table.

"Who says I'm Altren? My name is H-hari."

"I can literally see your blond hair, mister Hari."

Altren pulled down his hood with a small glare. "That is a payment for your lie. Now we are even. You can eat it or throw it. You can... be happy….. You don't have to see me anymore. After all, I destroy everything I touch." he stood up stiffly.

"Sit down, I need to talk to you,"

He picked up a choco-filled donut and took a bite. "I wanted to apologize to you for being so harsh. I'm sorry. I should not have talked to you like that. it… it honestly did not feel good. I felt like kicking a wounded puppy,"'

"Wounded puppy?" he laughed slightly. "From which angle do I look like a wounded puppy? I'm a lion," he leaned back down regaining his confident look.

"Ah, there it is, that conceited look in familiar with. Can't believe I missed it," he finished the donut and gave one to him. "Have some,"

Altren hesitantly took it from him.

"so what are you following me this time?"

"you have my photos. I just wanted to keep a track of your activities just in case you decided to release them to the public,"

Zhu Kang rolled his eyes with a loud groan. "seriously, I don't have a phone. You broke both of them, remember. One of which was ruth's for god's sake."

"ruth... hump. I don't like him. The way he looked at you is not right," he stuffed a whole donut in his mouth and angrily chewed on it.

"He is my friend, darn it. You like it or not, it's not going to change,"

Altren chewed and swallowed, taking a sip of soda. "Who am I then?"

"You are you,"

"No, who am I to you?"

Zhu Kang looked at him weirdly. It was a weird way to phrase the question. "You are Altren, the bastard who chases me, stalks me, and abandoned me on rooftops?"

"Agh... when will I get a serious answer from you?" Altren sat back with a small glare.

"What do you want me to say? You are not my friend..." Altren's expression went sour. "see that's why I was deflecting the question. Look Altren, you are a good guy but I don't think our characters could even match as friends. I have a snappy temper and you... yours is explosive."

Altren sat up, pulling the tray close. He stuffed another donut fully into his mouth. "Then that annoying guy, Ruth?"

"He is a soft sponge and he can handle my tantrums."

"I can handle my tantrums." He repeated like a child.

To be honest, talking to Altren was like talking to a two-year-old on a sugar high. He would ask when, why, and where, but would always go to the wrong conclusions.

Sighing, Zhu Kang peered at him right into the eye. "I'm the one who can't handle your tantrums. Give me your phone,"

Pouting, he did.

He just logged into his iCloud account. "I'm deleting your photos. You can rest easy.."

Altren hurriedly plucked it out of his hands. "What! No,"

"See, you chased me for those photos but now you don't want me to delete them. What do you want Altren!"

"I-I want a friend...."

Zhu Kang almost spat out his drink. 'Friend? That's all. That's why he was chasing around me like a fucking bull?!' he calmed his nerves.

"How many friends do you have?"

"..." Altren glanced at the table playing with a rogue choco chip.

"Have you had a friend before?"

"I've had lots of them.." he said, smashing the choco chip into a mush.

"Hmm... so none."

"Hey, I told you I have a lot of friends. A lot! I know a lot of important people as well...."

"So….. no friend. How are you a twenty-year-old without friends?"

Altren pouted even more. "I was home schooled.

"Oh.... that explains a lot." he handed a white cream donut he hated. "Fine let's be friends."

"Really?" he could literally see an imaginary tail wag behind his back.

Zhu Kang regretted his choice. Being close to a world's hero will only bring him danger, but.... he really didn't want to be harsh to him again.

It feels bad to kick the puppy again and again....

Who knows if he continued doing that, the puppy would one day bite him back.

'be a friend of a superhero Rather than an enemy to one.'

But in his case, being friends will jeopardize his whole identity. Not only his but also his brothers.

'Sigh what do I do....I feel like my brain cells are dying little by little,'

He ate the remaining donut and finished his choco milk.

Looking up, he noticed Altren looking out the window with interest.

"What are you looking at?"

"Nothing... just a cat passed by..." he mumbled, wiping his stained mouth. "so friend. What shall we do? Let's go hang out at your place."

Zhu Kang glanced at the clock. His shift was ending in ten minutes. "A big no,"

"Why not?"

"You will probably end up drooling all over my brother's ass!" he shouted, walking over to the changing room.

Altren followed him. "He has a nice ass unlike yours!"

Zhu Kang threw an apron at him. "Why does everyone attack my ass? It's peach! A peach! Okay!"

"Peach?...I don't like peaches." He shrugged.

Grumbling Zhu Kang changed out of his work clothes; all the while a pair of eyes watched him. He did not even care what that stupid hero did.

Altren, on the other hand, peered at him with interest. 'peach, I think i might come to like them ....'