Chapter 58 - Smells different

Zhu Kang woke up right on time. Like clockwork, his body started to get energized. He stretched a bit, took a bath, and changed into his training clothes.

The dull grey suit changed into a flaming red color as soon as it touched his skin. "red suits me.." he chuckled, walking out of the bathroom.

He was given a room right after he was discharged. It was just a small room, but he had full privacy.

To be honest, life here was not that bad. He got ten hours of sleep, got tasty food. Didn't need to pay the rent, pay any bills. Didn't need to work part times. Everything felt amazing.

His body was well-rested and even the black circles around his eyes had disappeared leaving his skin shiny and glimmered.

Plus, the kids were a welcomed distraction.

He took the academy-issued phone from the table and browsed on it for a while. He can assess all media, but he had no way to post anything.

Zhu Kang sighed loudly. If only I had the way to contact Gwyn... shit, he must be worried sick..'

'Nope, he's probably cooking something good and sleeping on his dusty couch,' he placed the phone on the bed and left the room.

"Yo," Altren stood right outside with a bright smirk on his face. He peered at him with shimmering eyes.

"Look at me like that one more time and i will smack that smirk off your face."

"Well, I don't know... after confirming my feelings for you my heart is somewhat relieved." He chuckled.

Kang looked at him weirdly. "Dude, that was days ago,"

"Yeah but still you don't understand. It's like a rock stuck in your throat. It's an uncomfortable feeling," he mumbled.

On the way, few people glanced at them.

Some even tried to start a conversation with him,

Kang just glanced up at him. Altren's smile always disappeared as soon as others approached him.

"I'm late, see you," he walked away.

Altren happily waved him off and dashed to his classroom.

Kan opened the classroom with a bright smile on his face. "excuse me,"

"Come in kid,"

"I'm not late am I?'

"No, take a seat," the old man instructed with a kind smile.

Kang walked back to the last seat. His chair was changed to an adult version. Still, it was pink.

Initially, the chair was black. But the kids hated the sight of it. So together as a class they painted it pink when he was not there.

He gingerly touched the hand rest. The paint rubbed off every time.

'sigh.. kids… they used the wrong paint.'

The class went on. As per usual, Kang slept off. When something important came up, the old man woke him up and told him to listen. Otherwise, he was left to do as he pleased.

Break time came sooner than expected.

The kids ran to him climbing all on his body. one child even pulled at his eyelid.

"Ow, ow that hurts."

"sorrey,"' the little girl cutely apologized.

"It's okay,"

"Hey uncle Zhu shall we go play at the swing again? I can show you a great trick," Chu Gan happily chatted stomping in his chest.

"Yeah no, I'm not coming. I'm going to sleep here,"

"Oh come on. You'll get grey hair if you don't work out," he pulled at his arms.

Following him, all the kids pulled at his successfully pulling him off the chair.

'Shit I'm like a stuffed teddy to them.' he pushed the kids gently off his face. "I'm so tired..."

"Uncle~ come on!" Chu Gan pounded on his chest.

Kang pinched his chubby cheeks. This runt was the leader of this class. Everything he does the other kids follows. If he liked something, the kids liked it. If he hated something the kids hated.

"Uncle Zhu..." he cutely laid his head on his chest.

"I'm not going to fall for your cute puppy dog eyes. I'm not coming," he sat up.

From this angle, he saw a seat nearby. a black-haired child was still sitting there shyly.

"Who's he? Why haven't I seen him?"

he memorized everyone by their faces but he had never seen this kid before.

Chu Gan scoffed. "He's Lia, don't talk to him. He smells bad,"

"ya! Are you bullying him!" he pinched his cheeks and pulled at them. "Bullying is bad."

"no.. he smells like a villain." He mumbled, caressing his pink cheeks. "Uncle Zhu, don't get close to him. He will hurt you,"

'What is this snot-nosed kid talking about? You silly goose you are literally sitting on top of a villain. Is your nose malfunctioning then? This is obviously bullying.'

He sat up, removing the kids one by one.

"Uncle Zhu's is coming with us to play! Wo hoooo!!" Chu shouted happily.

Zhu Kang stood up and walked over to the outcast kid. He silently placed a candy on his table. "It tastes good, have it,"

The kid shyly looked up at him. His eyes were a bright red. Just like shimmering rubies and his pupils were like that of a lizard. "t-thank you..."

"Uncle Zhu!" Chu Gan pulled at his left leg. "Don't get close. He's a villain. He will kill you!"

Zhu Kang had enough. He slightly smacked his big head. "Stop bullying this kid. He's obviously an outcast because of you."

"but.. but...."

"His dad is a villain. My mum said so," one girl in two piggy braids whispered with a fearful look.

Kang frowned deeply. 'These kids' parents are being toxic. Why are they teaching kids to hate on others?' he gently caressed her head. "You should not hate others just because of that. no one gets to choose who we are born to. So stop discriminating against others like that."

"Come on let's all play,"

They went to the training ground.

Chu Gan was hesitant when he was approaching the Lia kid.

He urged him to go and talk to him.

"hey... this is for you," he handed him a small toy car. "It's my favorite."

The little kid shyly nodded. "Thank you.... c-can we... play together?"'

"Yeah.. I guess."

He pulled him over to the others. They all sat down and built a sandcastle.

Lia seemed so shy and did not open up to others at first. But as time went on he happily started playing with them.

'They'll do well.' he went back to his monkey bars and did his usual exercise.

"Uncle Zhu," Chu tugged at his pants. "You're right... he doesn't smell like a villain anymore,"

"Really?"

"Yeah really, he smells like flowers. Before he used to smell like burned wood, now it's different. You're totally right!" he excitedly jumped about.

Kang curiously peered at him. "What does a villains smell like?"

"Usually something burned."

"Heroes?"

"Their smell varies. Some smell like flowers, fruits and some even smell like the ocean. its very pleasant," Chu Gan hesitantly glanced up at him.

Kang let go of the rod and hopped down. 'Interesting this kid can small something… but what is it? I'm a villain yet he did not notice anything at all.

"So what do I smell like?"

"Like freshly peeled peaches. You smell very sweet especially when you are angry," he giggled.

'Ah so he must be smelling my clothes.' That bastard Altren smeared some peach juice on his clothes yesterday. He did not feel like washing and wore the same clothes today…

Kang playfully caressed his curly black hair. "You brat, is that why you piss me off so much?"

"Yeah," he smiled widely but his smile soon disappeared. "How did you know?…. how did you know that talking to him will change his smell"

"I didn't know …." Kang casually squatted down next to him. "Chu, you know how villains come into existence?"

The kid shook his head.

He patted his head softly. "well...villains are not born bt made by their circumstances. If you had ignored that kid and bullied him, just because he smells different that kid would have definitely grown to be a villain. But now that you talked to him and involved him in your group, he changed."

"so.... I should talk villains out of being villains?"

"Not the adult ones. They are far too gone. Don't ever approach a villain, though. it could get dangerous. What I'm trying to say is, with small effort and help, even villain can become a hero,"